This volume contains selected works from the 25th Anniversary of the International Conference on Intracranial Pressure (ICP) held in Williamsburg, Virginia. The theme of the meeting was Intracranial Pressure and Neuromonitoring and focused on all the current state of the art brain monitoring methodologies and their application to brain injury. The brain monitoring techniques covered a wide spectrum from neurochemical monitoring of the injured brain to specialized techniques for assessing shunt function in normal pressure hydrocephalus. It also includes the most recent advances in monitoring of the brain oxygen levels using electrodes or the less invasive Near Infrared Sprectroscopy devices. Controversial issues regarding the management of ICP and CPP or both are also addressed and there are several works dealing with this topic. Of particular interest is the group of papers describing diagnosis and outcome in normal pressure hydrocephalus. It is the first compilation of papers which covers all the latest brain monitoring studies in both ischemia, trauma and hydrocephalus. The manuscripts in this volume have been selected from over 300 abstracts submitted to this international symposium. The abstracts are also published in order to provide the most comprehensive view of the progress made in brain injury research.

Neurophysiological recording is the major neuromonitoring technique employed in ICU. In addition, continuous recording of intracranial pressure has proved to provide infomation useful for critical care of the patient with severe brain damage. It is, however, difficult to assess neurochemical and/or metabolic environments of the brain with these conventional neuromoni toring techniques. Information regarding these changes, if available on a real-time basis, is undoubtedly useful for patient care. Many important developments in bedside techniques to monitor these changes have been achieved during the last few years. It was the consensus of the editors that a symposium to exchange knowledge concerning recent advances in such techniques would be valuable. With this background, the First International Symposium of Neuro chemical Monitoring in ICU held May 20-21, 1994, in Tokyo, Japan. It was not the intention of the organizers that this symposium should survey the whole field of neuromonitoring in ICU. The symposium was thus focused on clinical application of microdialysis, jugular venous oximetry, and near infrared spectroscopy, which currently appear to be the most promising techniques for monitoring neurochemical and metabolic changes in the brain in a clinical setting. We termed these techniques collectively as neuro chemical monitoring, contrasting them with neurophysiological monitoring in ICU. The concept that has motivated this symposium was to provide an opportunity to exchange up-to-date summaries on issues currently debated for these techniques. This volume is based on the papers presented at the symposium."

The first international symposium on brain edema was held in Vienna/ Austria in 1965 followed by altogether eight meetings since. The most recent was organized in Y okohama by the Department of Neurosurgery of the Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo. The continuing interest of both, clinicians and experimental scientists alike may be attributable to the fact that brain edema is a common denominator of many cerebral disorders, which under acute conditions threatens life and weIl-being of afflicted patients. Although progress in understanding as weIl as treatment can be recognized since 1965 many problems remain, particularly concerning the control of brain edema under acute conditions, as in trauma or ischemia. A quantum leap was the distinction of the cytotoxic and vasogenic brain edema prototypes as advanced by Igor Klatzo, providing for transition from a morphological to functional understanding now. The recent brain edema meetings were certainly benefiting from developments of both, molecular neurobiology on the one hand side and functional brain imaging at an ever-increasing resolution on the other, such as magnetic resonance imaging orpositron emission tomography. The international symposium in San Diego 1996 may witness further breakthroughs, hopefully also of effective treatment modalities. The symposium in Y okohama was dedicated to the "Legacy of 28 Years of Brain Edema Research" as a reminder of accomplishments as weIl as remaining challenges.

25 years have passed since a small group met for the First International Symposia on Brain Edema in Vienna. Subsequent Symposia were held in Mainz, Montreal, Berlin, Groningen, Tokyo and Baltimore. During this time we have witnessed a virtual explosion of the number of publications in this field and our basic and clinical understanding of this disease process has increased tremendously. Our meetings have always been a landmark to take stock of our experience so far and to provide perspectives toward future developments. In addition, it always was a good opportunity to renew old friendship and to make new friends. This volume is a compilation of papers presented at the Eighth International Symposium on Brain Edema held on June 17-20, 1990 in Bern, Switzerland. During this Symposium 158 papers were presented as oral or poster presentations. This considerable number of papers was chosen from more than 230 abstracts that were received. The organizers wish to thank the Advisory Committee for the work done in paper selection and focus on the Symposium. Appreciation is also given to all persons, who have contributed to the success of this meeting, the Chairmen, the participants and last but not least all the staff who worked behind the scene.

88 short papers originating from the 12th International Symposium on Intracranial Pressure and Brain Monitoring held in August 2004 in Hong Kong present experimental as well as clinical research data on invasive and non-invasive intracranial pressure and brain biochemistry monitoring. The papers have undergone a peer-reviewing and are organized in nine sections: ICP management in head injury, neurochemical monitoring, intracranial hypertension, neuroimaging, hydrocephalus, clinical trails, experimental studies, brain compliance and biophysics.

88 short papers originating from the 12th International Symposium on Intracranial Pressure and Brain Monitoring held in August 2004 in Hong Kong present experimental as well as clinical research data on invasive and non-invasive intracranial pressure and brain biochemistry monitoring. The papers have undergone a peer-reviewing and are organized in nine sections: ICP management in head injury, neurochemical monitoring, intracranial hypertension, neuroimaging, hydrocephalus, clinical trails, experimental studies, brain compliance and biophysics.