PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES

Robert Tasker

'Cerebral perfusion pressure in children'.

By the end of this presentation, the attendee will be able to::

1. Understand why our concept of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) when applied to children should have a developmental perspective. This understanding will be based on an appreciation of age-related change in normal blood pressure.

2. Describe the distribution of long-term grey and white matter tissue loss attributable to raised intracranial pressure complicating traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood. This description will be based on a presentation of historical data and recent neuroimaging studies late after TBI in childhood.

3. Appreciate the potential need to individualize CPP in pediatric TBI and be able to discuss the various physiologic strategies applicable to children. This appreciation will follow from the above objectives and the discussion will be based on a summary of physiologic monitoring.