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Preserved cortical somatosensory evoked potentials in apnoeic coma with loss of brain-stem reflexes: case report

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Abstract

A comatose patient suffering from diffuse cerebellar haemorrhage developed apnoea and brainstem areflexia, i.e. the clincial signs of brain death. However, median nerve somatosensory evoked potential testing 2.5 h and 22 h after the onset of this clinical syndrome showed cortical potentials partly preserved; these were abolished 46 h after the beginning of the clinical signs of brain death. This case report underlines the need for electrophysiological confirmation of brain death in patients with primarily infratentorial lesions.

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Wagner, W., Ungersböck, K. & Perneczky, A. Preserved cortical somatosensory evoked potentials in apnoeic coma with loss of brain-stem reflexes: case report. J Neurol 240, 243–246 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00818712

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00818712

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