An international based survey about preferences in neurosurgical irrigation fluids in neurotrauma procedures

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury surgery is the most frequently performed by neurosurgeons. The use of 0.9% saline solution (normal saline) irrigation and other solutions during neurosurgical procedures has been considered a cause of neural tissue injury. The normal saline has been used for many years, but at cellular level it may cause harmful changes. The emergence of new solutions, such as artificial cerebrospinal fluid and Ringer's lactate, seem to produce less damage effects on brain tissue. The aim of this study is to evaluate the trends in use of irrigation solutions in traumatic brain injury surgeries.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted through a web-based survey sent to 40 neurosurgeons worldwide.
Results: Over the period of the study data was collected from the 40 physicians and the 100% of the respondents used any type of irrigation solution during neurosurgery.
Conclusion: The use of normal saline in brain surgery is a widespread practice worldwide, despite the negative effects on neural tissue as it may contribute to further damage. The conception of new irrigation solutions for neurosurgery, especially in traumatic brain injury, may be a useful alternative for future studies and to expand our knowledge on this topic.