HOT TOPICS: Infratentorial Pressure Monitoring in Cerebellar Stroke — Feasibility and Prognostic Utility

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Hot Topics series, host Richard Choi, DO, FNCS, is joined by Katharina Busl, MD, MS, to discuss the article "Infratentorial Pressure Monitoring in Cerebellar Stroke: Feasibility and Prognostic Utility," recently published in Neurocritical Care. Their conversation examines why pressure in the posterior fossa may differ from supratentorial measurements in patients with cerebellar stroke and why that distinction may matter clinically. They discuss the physiologic basis for compartmentalized intracranial pressure, the challenges of posterior fossa management and the potential implications for monitoring and treatment. Dr. Busl reviews the study's design and key findings, including evidence of a significant pressure gradient between infratentorial and supratentorial compartments and an early signal that higher infratentorial pressures may be associated with worse outcomes. She also discusses important limitations, including the study's small sample size, single-center nature and unanswered questions about surgical variables such as decompression size. The discussion further considers how this proof-of-concept work could inform future studies on monitoring, prognostication and treatment selection in cerebellar stroke. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.