[Venous angiography: importance in the diagnosis of brain death. 125 cases]

Bull Acad Natl Med. 1995 Jan;179(1):27-37; discussion 37-40.
[Article in French]

Abstract

According to many ethical and humanitarian arguments, the diagnosis of "brain death" is more and more an emergency. The forensic criteria include abolition of consciousness, abolition of brain stem reflexes, abolition of spontaneous breathing joined to electrocerebral silence. However using EEG criteria of electrical silence may be unreliable because of technical artefacts or depressed electrical activity due to drug intoxication and hypothermia. Venous angiography was used in 125 cases: our experience proves reliability and efficiency of angiographic criteria for diagnosis of brain death. For organ transplant, it is better to be as fast as possible: transplanted organ will be better and it reduces the cost of a long useless intensive care. When it is necessary, we suggest to allow the choice between EEG and angiography.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Death / diagnosis*
  • Cerebral Veins* / diagnostic imaging*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Humans
  • Radiography
  • Retrospective Studies