This book contains the papers delivered at the Symposium on Medical Treatment of Brain Ede- ma at the Seventh International Congress ofNeu- rological Surgery, held in Munich in 1981. The aim of each speaker was to give a short review of current knowledge in his or her field. In addition, most of the authors presented their own data. The symposium . was divided into two parts. The experimental part focused on pathophysiological and biochemical findings, while the clinical part dealt with therapy for brain edema, with particular emphasis on steroids. We wish to acknowledge the technical support of Springer-Verlag, Merck Company, Darmstadt and the help of Miss Scholz, Secretary of the Depart- ment of Neurology at the University of Heidel- berg. Heidelberg/Berlin A. Hartmann M. Brock v Contents K. -A. Hossmann Pathophysiology of Va so genic and Cytotoxic Brain Edema … … … … … … . A. Marrnarou, K. Tanaka, and K. Shulmann The Brain Response to Infusion Edema: Dynamics of Fluid Resolution … … … . 11 M. D. O'Brien 19 Ischemic Cerebral Edema A. Baethmann, W Oettinger, K. Moritake, L. Chaussy, andF. Jesch Metabolic Effects of Corticosteroids in Central Nervous Tissue … … … … . 24 K. Maier-Hauff, O. Kempski, A. Unterberg, U. Gross, M. Lange, L. Schurer, and A. Baethmann The Kallikrein-Kinin-System as Mediator in Cerebral Edema, Recent Progress … … … … . 31 S. F. Berndt 36 Symptoms of Cerebral Edema W R. Lanksch The Diagnosis of Brain Edema by Computed Tomography … … … … . . 43 H. J. Klein and K. Schmidt Hyperosmolar Solutions and Diuretics in the Treatment of Brain Edema … … . .