[Prolonged clinical pattern of brain death in patients under barbiturate sedation: usefulness of transcranial Doppler].

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Throughout the world, is fully accepted that a person is dead when brain death exists. In most situations, neurological criteria permit the diagnosis of brain death, but in some instances, as when high-dose barbiturate therapy has been used, confirmatory testing are required by law.

CLINICAL CASE:

We report the case of a 17 year-old women who suffered high-dose barbiturate therapy due to post traumatic intracranial hypertension. During the period of the barbiturate infusion and until six days after the suppression of this therapy, neurological exploration and EEG findings seem to confirm brain death, while transcranial Doppler (TCD) study remained normal.

CONCLUSIONS:

TCD is a fast, simple and accurate confirmatory testing in the determination of brain death and its findings are not affected by high-dose barbiturate therapy. We think that TCD must be present in all hospitals where mechanical ventilation and support of patients are carried out.

• Authors: T Segura, P Jiménez, P Jerez, F García, V Córcoles
• Journal: Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain) (Neurologia) Vol. 17 Issue 4 Pg. 219-22 (Apr 2002) ISSN: 0213-4853 [Print] Spain
• Vernacular Title: Patrón clínico de muerte cerebral prolongado en paciente bajo sedación barbitúrica: utilidad del Doppler transcraneal.
• PMID: 11940411 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hypnotics and Sedatives

Topics

• Adolescent
• Brain Death (diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Craniocerebral Trauma (complications)
• Electroencephalography
• Female
• Humans
• Hypnotics and Sedatives (adverse effects)
• Intracranial Hypertension (drug therapy, etiology)
• Spain
• Tissue and Organ Procurement (standards)
• Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial