Ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter: A point of care test helps in prognostication of Intensive Care Unit patients

Abstract

Early identification of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) is critical to ensuring timely and appropriate management to improve patient outcome. Measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter by ultrasound is a well studied modality for noninvasive assessment of ICP. Recent studies have shown it to correlate with invasively measured ICP. We utilized this technique in our ICU and found it to be of great help in guiding patient management and predicting the prognosis. A case series of four patients is reported illustrating its utility in ICU patients.