A four lumen screwing device for multiparametric brain monitoring

We describe multiparametric monitoring in severe head trauma using a new sc rewing device. Our aim was to create a screw which would make the implantat ion of the probes and thus multiparametric monitoring easier. The new screw allows us to implant 3 probes (microdialysis, Paratrend(R) and an intracra nial pressure device) through one burr hole. The screw has four channels, t he fourth being for ventricular drainage. We monitored 13 patients with sev ere head trauma (GCS = 3-8) for up to 7 days. Brain tissue pO(2), pCO(2), p H, and temperature were measured on-line with the Paratrend(R) 7 machine. T he microdialytic parameters glucose, lactate, pyruvate and glutamate were d etermined semi on-line with a CMA 600 enzymatic analyser. There were no com plications in any of the patients that could be ascribed to the screw.