Effectiveness of 7.5% hypertonic saline in children with severe traumatic brain injury.

Abstract Purpose Hyperosmolar therapies aim at controlling increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 7.5% hypertonic saline (HTS) on ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) in children with severe TBI. Materials and methods Medical records of patients 14 years or younger with severe TBI, admitted in the pediatric intensive care unit of “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece, during 2009 to 2015, and received HTS apart from mannitol were retrospectively reviewed. The ICP and CPP pre-HTS and 30, 60, and 120 minutes post-HTS infusion were evaluated. Furthermore, the presence of adverse effects, the long-term neurological outcome, and survival were recorded. Results Twenty-nine patients requiring in total 136 HTS infusions were analyzed. The ICP was significantly reduced and CPP elevated at 30, 60, and 120 minutes postinfusion; and furthermore, postadministration ICP and CPP were predominantly within acceptable limits. No significant adverse effects were recorded and most of the patients survived, however, one third had severe neurological impairment at 6 months postinjury. Conclusions In our study, 7.5% HTS infusion as a second-tier osmotic therapy was associated with significant reduction of ICP and increase of CPP in children with severe TBI.