CEREBRAL EDEMA

Course overview

THE MOST BASIC DEFINITION OF CEREBRAL EDEMA IS SWELLING OF THE BRAIN. IT IS A RELATIVELY COMMON PHENOMENON WITH NUMEROUS ETIOLOGIES. CEREBRAL EDEMA CATEGORIZES INTO EITHER VASOGENIC, CELLULAR, OSMOTIC, AND INTERSTITIAL CAUSES. IT CAN ARISE FROM A VARIETY OF CAUSES, INCLUDING HEAD TRAUMA, VASCULAR ISCHEMIA, INTRACRANIAL LESIONS, OR OBSTRUCTIVE HYDROCEPHALUS RESULTING IN INTERSTITIAL EDEMA. THE CONSEQUENCES OF CEREBRAL EDEMA CAN BE DEVASTATING, EVEN FATAL, IF UNTREATED. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, PRESENTATION, AND DIAGNOSIS OF CEREBRAL EDEMA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.