Glycerol
Glycerol also called glycerine or glycerin is a simple polyol (sugar alcohol) compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is widely used in pharmaceutical formulations. Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups that are responsible for its solubility in water and its hygroscopic nature. The glycerol backbone is central to all lipids known as triglycerides. Glycerol is sweet-tasting and is non-toxic.
see Percutaneous glycerol trigeminal rhizotomy.
see Retrosigmoid approach for glycerin rhizotomy.
Despite widespread use of a number of osmolar agents (mannitol, urea, and glycerol) up until the late 1970s 1) 2), mannitol gradually became the agent of choice to manage ICP 3).
1)
, 3)
James HE, Langfitt TW, Kumar VS, et al: Treatment of intracranial
hypertension. Analysis of 105 consecutive, continuous recordings of
intracranial pressure. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 1977; 36:189–200
2)
Pitlick WH, Pirikitakuhlr P, Painter MJ, et al: Effect of glycerol and
hyperosmolality on intracranial pressure. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1982;
31:466–471