Cerebral Arteriovenous PCO2Difference and Early Global Cerebral Ischemia in a Patient with Acute Severe Head Injury

We report a case of acute head injury with severe diffuse brain swelling in which early global cerebral ischemia was followed by brain death. Global cerebral ischemia was detected by cerebral arteriovenous lactate content difference, cerebral arteriovenous carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) difference, and cerebral arteriovenous hydrogen ion content difference. Physiopathological aspects of cerebrovenous hypercarbia are discussed.