Evaluation of auditory evoked potentials in white New Zealand rabbits with simulated subdural hematoma and increased intracranial pressure

Development of a noninvasive intensive care system calls for the use of evoked potentials (EPs), as a means of diagnosing traumatic head-injured patients. The experiment entails surgically placing two subarachnoid bolts and a subdural balloon through the skull to simulate a subdural hematoma. Using various levels of ICP and/or different sizes of balloons, auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were recorded from a rabbit. Six positive peak latencies (P1-P6) and five negative peak latencies (Nl-N5) were extracted from an averaged AEP waveform. Multiple regression analyses were performed for determining a relationship between the ICP and AEP peak latencies. The results indicate that a major correlation of changes on AEP peak latencies is due to mechanical forces of a mass (inflated balloon simulating a hematoma) in the distortion of the brain matter rather than increased ICP.