BRAIN DEATH
Original Article
Authors : Milan Spaić, Aleksandar Mandarić
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Manuscript keywords: brain, brain stem, death, reflex, brain angiography
Abstract
Background
Brain death is defined as the complete and irreversible loss of brain and brainstem function,
although other organ systems in the body may continue to function. Following the onset of
brain death, brainstem reflexes are lost sequentially in a craniocaudal direction.
Aim
This investigation aimed to compare clinical diagnostic criteria—specifically brainstem
reflexes, such as the pupillary response to light, the corneal reflex, and motor responses to
pain stimulation—with the instrumental confirmatory test for brain death using cerebral
angiography.
Materials and Methods
A group of 30 patients who underwent cerebral angiography to confirm brain death was
reviewed. Early clinical tests indicating brain death were compared with the final
confirmatory tests using cerebral catheter angiography in the same patient population.
Results
The initial clinical tests indicating brain death corresponded with the final instrumental
confirmatory tests in all patients.
Conclusion
Neurological tests assessing motor responses to painful stimuli, the corneal reflex, and the
pupillary light response proved to be as reliable for diagnosing brain death as cerebral
angiography.
Corresponding Author: Milan Spaić, e-mail: spaicmil@yahoo.com