Cerebral edema is a fairly common disease that can manifest itself as an independent pathology that occurs against the background of the underlying disease, or as a complication after the flu, colds, and so on. In this case, the accumulation of excess fluid in the cells of both the brain and the spinal cord is characteristic. This can happen due to a violation of the normal flow of water in these organs.
What diseases are likely to cause cerebral edema? These are, first of all, brain tumors, meningitis, encephalitis, traumatic brain injuries, abscess, brain cancer. This can be attributed to a dozen diseases, but the appearance of edema is not always typical for them. In children, most often cerebral edema is a consequence of an infection, pneumonia, poisoning, toxicosis. It is believed that the outflow of fluid is difficult due to impaired vascular function due to arising oxygen starvation of brain cells.
Cerebral edema is a danger, first of all, due to the fact that a person's blood supply, respiratory function are disturbed, intracranial pressure rises, confusion manifests itself, loss of orientation, malfunctions in the heart can be observed. If you do not know anything about this disease, then a person may not even suspect that he is developing cerebral edema. Symptoms of it can be the following: cramps, headache, drowsiness, difficulty in orientation in space, respiratory failure, heart pain. The patient may lose consciousness or stop responding to others.
There are two types of cerebral edema: local and generalized. With local edema, fluid accumulation is characteristic around the area of the pathology, for example, around an abscess or tumor. May develop due to bruising or cerebral infarction. Generalized edema completely captures the brain and is a more dangerous pathology.
Since cerebral edema is a difficult to diagnose disease, it is necessary to suspect its occurrence in case of any loss of consciousness and spatial orientation by a person, especially if a person had some kind of infection the day before. The main diagnostic method in a hospital is x-ray of the skull, computed tomography and neurosonography, which allow a fairly accurate diagnosis.
Mention may also be made of diagnostic aids. These are neuroophthalmoscopy, electroencephalography, cerebral angiography and brain scans using radioactive isotopes. Along with the basic diagnostic tools, these methods will help in clarifying the diagnosis - cerebral edema.
Its treatment is conservative and is aimed at resuming normal breathing, blood circulation and reducing intracranial pressure. For this purpose, it is recommended to use diuretics to remove excess water from the body, as well as craniocerebral hypothermia, which involves cooling the head and reducing the need for brain cells in oxygen. Along with this, drugs that are brain protectors, for example, seduxen, droperidol or sodium hydroxybutyrate, are used.
In addition, the use of osmodiuretics capable of stimulating diuresis is indicated, due to which the fluid accumulated in the intracellular space passes into the vascular bed. These are drugs such as sorbitol, mannitol and glycerol. Barbiturates are also used, which reduce swelling and prevent seizures. In addition, drugs are used that restore vascular tone and have a positive effect on blood composition, as well as inhibitors and substances that strengthen cell membranes.
A sick person needs bed rest and rest. To ensure normal breathing, you need to take care of the influx of fresh air into the room where the sick person is.