Neurológia pre prax 2/2025
Ancillary electrophysiological examination in determination of brain death
The obligation and conditions of confirmatory brain death examinations are determined by the legislation of the respective country. Ancillary examinations do not allow for the possibility of a false positive (confirmation of death in a living individual). It is desirable that the methodology of examination and evaluation is clear, precise and uniform. The methodology of auditory evoked responses (BAEP) is based on official international recommendations and is adapted to intensive care unit (ICU) conditions. BAEP examination before the development of craniocaudal deterioration or augmentation with median nerve somatosensory evoked responses (SEP) increases the reliability (sensitivity) of ancillary testing performed after all clinical conditions for a diagnosis of brain death according to neurological criteria (BD/DNC) have been met.
Keywords: brain death, ancillary examination, evoked potentials, brainstem evoked potentials, somatosensory evoked potentials