These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Auditory brain stem responses in the detection of brain death.
    Author: Ozgirgin ON, Ozçelik T, Sevimli NK.
    Journal: Kulak Burun Bogaz Ihtis Derg; 2003 Jan; 10(1):1-7. PubMed ID: 12529570.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: We evaluated comatose patients by auditory brain stem responses (ABR) to determine the role of ABR in the diagnosis of impending brain death. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty comatose patients in the intensive care unit were evaluated by brain stem evoked response audiometry. Correlations were sought between the absence or presence of ABRs and the presenting pathology, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, and ultimate diagnoses. RESULTS: The brain stem responses were totally absent in 41 patients. Presence of wave I could be obtained in only 10 patients. All the waveforms were found in nine patients; however, in eight patients the potentials disappeared as the GCS scores decreased to 3. Detection of wave I alone strongly suggested dysfunction of the brain stem. However, loss of wave I particularly in trauma patients aroused doubt as to whether the absence was associated with auditory end organ injury or brain stem dysfunction. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that evaluation of ABR may support brain death in a comatose patient (i) when wave I is present alone, (ii) the absence of wave I is accompanied by a documented auditory end organ injury, or (iii) when previously recorded potentials are no longer detectable.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]