Evaluation of an Epidural Intracranial Pressure Monitoring System in Cats CurtisW. Dewey,DVM, MS* Cleta S.Bailey,DVM, PhD** StevenC. Haskins,DVM, MS** Philip H.Kass,DVM, PhD”** DennisT. Crowe, DVM**** *Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Univ of California at Davis **Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, Section of Biometrics and Preventive Medicine, Dept of Population Health and Reproduction, Univ of California at Davis “**Deptof Population Health and Reproduction Schoolof Veterinary Medicine, Univ of California at Davis *“**VeterinaryInstitute of ‘llauma,Emergency and Addressreprintrequests to: Dr. C.W. Dewey Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surge~ College of Veterina~ Medicine Texas A&M University College Station, Texas 778434474. Funded by the Companion Animal Health Center, University of California, Davis,California 95616. Critical Care, Milwaukee, Z?eaccuraqy @an Wisconsin - Sumrnaty inexpensive, emi~ irnp{antab[e,epidural intracranial pressure (ICP) monito ng ~stern was assessed in sir normal cats by cornpan”ngmeasurementsJom this gmtem to obtained with aJberoptic intraparenchymal monitoring gmtem. 7?zeepidural moniton”qg~stem consisted OJa three-wq stopcock and salinej?lled extension nibing, connected to a standard blood pressure transduce~ Each cat was placed under halothane anesthesia and mechanical~ ventilated. Both an epidural and a~beroptlk in~aparenchymal monitonng device were placed in the Ze@cranium o~each ca~ correctplacement was ven~ed by computed tomography. Mean ICP values were simultaneous~ recorded@om both monitoring devices. AJer obtainirg baseline ICP measurements, the ICPwas manipulated via ventilation, Jigzdar compression, and pharmac ic agemxArten”a!blood pressure Lweh, arten”alblood gas values, end-ti”dalcarbon dioxide kv- ek, and end-fi”dal halothane ZeveLswere recorded throughout the study. cerebralpe@sion pres- sure was cakzlated~or each level oJICP Repeated measures ana~sis oJvan”ancemethod wa to compare mean ICP vaiues between the two monitonhg ~stems. No s~@&lcantd~erences in ICPvalues obtainedfiom the two ~stems wereJound (p>O. 05) at any level oJZCP The results OJ this study show that the epidural monitonhgsystem is a reiiablealternao”veto theJberoptik i parenchymal ZCPmonitonhg ~stern in normal cats. The accuracy o~t.e epidurai monitonng gZS- tem in pathologic states needs to be investigated. I@y words:Intracranial pressure, epidural, intraparenchymal, monitor, cats. Introduction vault. t]-’)In human medicine, ICP monitoring is most commonly employed to guidetherapyand provide Intracranial pressure(ICP) refers to the pressure prognostic information in cases of severe head trau- exerted by the tissues and fluidswithin the cranial ma.@s-’~ Medical and surgical decisionsbased upon PAGE 20 . THE JOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE . VOL. 7, NO. 1