EVD in Process
by Suhaila Usuludin ~ February 17th, 2008. Filed under: Archived, Fieldwork, Neurorehabilitation.This is a continuation of reflections on Week 5 of my clinical placement in an acute hospital.
For the first time, I saw how external ventricular drainage (EVD) was carried out. No, not the drilling of hole on the skull. However, it just a sight on a client in the drainage process itself by the bedside. What an exposure! I always thought the whole process of EVD is done in the operation room.
EVD is a drainage process of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using a tube from the ventricles in the brain. It is done when there is an excess of this fluid, which can cause additional pressure to the brain. Symptoms will include heaache, vomiting and becoming less alert or awake.
Excessive CSF can be due to serious head injury, stroke, tumour or a bulge in a blood vessel in the brain which broke (aneurysm).
From what I gathered, patient on EVD should not change position without adjusting the EVD machine level. The zero reference point should be of ear level. Changing client’s postural position without adjusting the EVD level will cause harm to patient due to changes in pressure level.