What procedure involves the external drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to reduce ICP?

The procedure that involves the external drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to help reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) is external ventricular device placement. This technique involves the insertion of a catheter into the ventricular system of the brain, allowing for the drainage of excess CSF. By doing so, it helps to alleviate elevated ICP, which can occur due to various reasons such as traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, or other neurological conditions.

The external ventricular device not only helps in managing high ICP but also enables continuous monitoring of ICP levels, providing valuable data for clinical decision-making. This is particularly important in critical care settings where timely intervention can improve patient outcomes.

Other options present procedures that are relevant to neurological care, but they do not specifically focus on external drainage of CSF for the purpose of ICP reduction. For instance, craniectomy involves surgically removing a portion of the skull to relieve pressure but does not directly drain CSF. ICP monitoring is a method to measure intracranial pressure, while cerebrospinal fluid analysis is focused on evaluating the composition of CSF for diagnostic purposes rather than treating elevated ICP.