Thiopental infusion in the treatment of intracranial hypertension complicating fulminant hepatic failure

Forbes, Alastair ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7416-9843, Alexander, Graeme J. M., O'Grady, John G., Keays, Richard, Gullan, Richard, Dawling, Sheila and Williams, Roger (1989) Thiopental infusion in the treatment of intracranial hypertension complicating fulminant hepatic failure. Hepatology, 10 (3). pp. 306-310. ISSN 0270-9139

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Abstract

Intracranial hypertension complicating fulminant hepatic failure has a mortality in excess of 90% in the presence of renal failure if not rapidly responsive to mannitol and ultrafiltration. Based on data which suggest that barbiturates can be of value in controlling the intracranial hypertension of head injury, intravenous thiopental was assessed in 13 patients with fulminant hepatic failure. All had developed acute renal failure complicated by intracranial hypertension unresponsive to other modes of therapy and were likely by all published criteria to have little chance of survival. The dosage of thiopental was adjusted incrementally until intracranial pressure, measured by extradural transducers, fell to within normal limits or adverse hemodynamic changes occurred. The intracranial pressure was reduced, in each case, by 185 to 500 mg (median: 250 mg) thiopental given over 15 min, and in eight cases continuing infusion achieved stable normal intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure. Five of the patients made a complete recovery and there were only three deaths from intracranial hypertension. Side effects were few and included minor hypotension controlled by dose reduction. The response of otherwise intractable intracranial hypertension and the 38% survival rate was remarkable for a group of patients with such a poor prognosis.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	adult,female,hepatic encephalopathy,humans,hypotension,infusions, intravenous,intracranial pressure,male,middle aged,pseudotumor cerebri,thiopental
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Nutrition and Preventive Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Gastroenterology and Gut Biology
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	25 Jul 2014 12:44
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2022 23:59
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/49516
DOI:	10.1002/hep.1840100309

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