Early Induced Hypernatremia for the Prevention and Management of Brain Edema

Severe traumatic brain injury is one of the main causes of death in young people. Additionally, it is considered a public health problem because of the high prevalence of motor and cognitive dysfunction in those who survive. One of the cornerstones of management is the control of both intracranial pressure and brain edema. It is indicated to use osmotic active solutions to modulate the transit of fluids from the interstitial to the intracellular space. Not only mannitol but also hypertonic saline acts at this point. Currently there is no evidence in favor or against one of them. Mannitol has been usually recommended for intracranial pressure control in patients with brain trauma. However, others recommend hypertonic saline to achieve a serum sodium level of 160 milliequivalent/L to modulate brain edema. It is not clear if these therapies have an impact on the neurologic prognosis and how frequently adverse effects occur.