Intracranial Pressure Monitoring

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How will the Test Feel?

If the procedure is performed under general anesthesia you will feel nothing until you wake from the anesthesia. At that time you will feel the normal side effects of anesthesia, plus the discomfort of the incision made in your skull.

If the procedure is performed under local anesthesia you will fell a prick on your scalp like a bee sing as the local anesthetic is injected. You may feel a tugging sensation as the skin is cut and pulled back to expose the bone. You will hear a drill sound as they cut through the skull bone. This will take a varying amount of time depending on the type of drill that is used. You will also feel a tugging sensation as they suture the skin back together after the procedure.

Your health care provider may prescribe mild pain medications for relief, but he will not want to mask neurologic signs with strong pain medications. With increased intracranial pressure neurologic deficits are common.