Rebound intracranial hypertension in dogs after resuscitation with hypertonic solutions from hemorrhagic shock accompanied by an intracranial mass lesion

We compared intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in dogs after inflating a subdural intracranial balloon to increase ICP to 20 mm Hg, inducing hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial pressure [MAP] of 55 mm Hg), and infusing a single bolus of fluid consisting of either 54 mL/kg of 0.8% saline (SAL), 6 mL/kg of 7.2% hypertonic saline (HS), 20% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) in 0.8% SAL, or a combination fluid (HS/HES) containing 20% HES in 7.2% saline. Twenty-six dogs were ventilated with 0.5% halothane in N₂O and O₂ (60:40 ratio). As ICP was maintained at 20 mm Hg, rapid hemorrhage reduced MAP to 55 mm Hg (time interval of zero [TO]) which was maintained at that level for 30 minutes (until T30). Subsequently, over a 5-minute interval (T30-T35), one of the four randomly assigned resuscitation fluids was infused. Data were collected at baseline; after subdural balloon inflation; at T0, T30, T35, and 30-minute intervals thereafter for 2 hours (T65, T95, T125, and T155). CBF and ICP were compared using repeat-measure ANOVA. Cerebral blood flow was greater at T35 in the HS and HS/HES groups than in the HES group (P = .025). In the SAL group, ICP increased significantly from T0 to T35, remaining unchanged thereafter. At T35, ICP in the HS group was significantly lower than in the SAL group (P < .05) but subsequently increased. ICP in the HS/HES group exceeded that in all other groups at T95 and T125 (P < .05). After a severe reduction in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), HS solutions (both HS and HS/HES) were associated with a delayed rise in ICP and did not improve global forebrain CBF in comparison with conventional saline solutions.