The medical team is planning to attempt another CT scan. They noted that his oxygen levels are currently stable, which is an improvement from the last time they attempted the scan—during that previous attempt, laying him flat caused his oxygen levels to drop and his intracranial pressure (ICP) to rise. This time, they want to proceed with caution by doing a trial of laying him down again while closely monitoring his vitals.
During the trial, his oxygen dipped and ICP increased again, so the nurses quickly returned him to an upright position, and his vital signs rebounded. Despite these challenges, the team still wants to move forward with the CT scan. To make it safer, they plan to administer a paralytic to help make his lungs more compliant with the ventilator. This should help maintain better oxygenation while he’s lying down.
A positive sign is that he has been breathing on his own, though at a rate that’s too fast. The CT scan itself should only take about five minutes, but the team is most concerned about the brief period when he needs to remain flat. They plan to scan his brain, lungs, and spleen to gather more information about his condition.
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