Pneumoencephalography

Pneumoencephalography (PEG or pneumoencephaly; Greek πνευμός – “air” + νεφέλω – “I cover, envelop”) is a method of invasive study of the structure, functioning and disease of the human brain through the direct introduction of air or inert gases into the cranial cavity using a special needle or puncture skin and connecting it to a sealed air duct (tubes of different diameters and lengths).

The procedure is usually performed by a neurosurgeon working in a specialized clinical laboratory. To do this, install a special needle connected by a tube to a pump that supplies air to the skull. As with the injection of cerebrospinal fluid, air enters the subarachnoid space under the influence of gravity. The sensor tube is located parallel to the body axis, the pressure increases to 70-80 mm Hg. Art. The procedures are carried out in strict accordance with the instructions - first, the subarachnoid space is punctured several times to find the most suitable puncture line. Then pneumocephalography is performed. The measurement is carried out at the level of each part of the brain. Usually the study is carried out 2-4 times with an interval of 5-15 minutes. After the procedure, a headache often occurs; analgesics are used to relieve it. It is performed only under the supervision of the doctor who performed the operation.

During the procedure, the gases that the patient exhales enrich the residual air in the intracranial space caused by the flow of gas after the manipulation. The gravitational effect is balanced by air pressure inside the skull. When performing pneumoencephalography, an excess pressure of about 60 mm is created. rt. Art., which determines the fields of deviations in cerebral circulation and brain activity under mental stress and the functions of regulation of higher cortical functions. The method is well tolerated and the procedure is painless. A fixing roller made of an elastic bandage is applied to the back of the head. Self-monitoring of the patient's hemodynamics is carried out by pulsating the end of the mandrel of the index finger of the subject, simulating the indicator of the palpable wave of the arteries.