Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Measurement in Children Presenting to a Pediatric Emergency Department with Head Trauma

Abstract

Introduction:Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement is a non-invasive and easy imaging technique for the estimation of intracranial pressure in children and adults. We aimed to measure the ONSD in pediatric patients with head trauma.Methods:In this study, 40 patients with head trauma and age- and sex-matched 40 healthy children were included. Nerve sheath diameter was measured by transorbital sonography.Results:Diameter of the mean optic nerve sheath of the right and left eye of the patients were 0.408±0.064 mm and 0.417±0.065 mm, respectively; both results were higher in patients than in controls. In the right eyes of the patients, the ONSD values had a negative correlation with Glasgow Coma Scale scores. There was a positive correlation between systolic and diastolic blood pressures and optic nerve sheath diameters of patients. Clinical status of the patients at admission and blood pH levels were associated with ONSD.Conclusion:The result of our study indicated that ONSD measurement is a non-invasive technique and can be used easily to estimate increased intracranial pressure in pediatric emergency departments.

Keywords

• Head trauma
• optic nerve
• intracranial pressure
• sonography