Use of duplex echoencephalography to evaluate brain death in children: A novel approach to the diagnosis. 2023

Kamal Sharma, and Ameera Sheikh, and Paul Maertens
Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Critical Care Division, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA.

Brain death is defined as the irreversible cessation of brain function with a known etiology. This study aims to establish the value of duplex echoencephalography (DEG) in children fulfilling clinical brain death diagnostic criteria. DEG must show intracranial brain structures. Power Doppler is used to assess venous flow when feasible. Color Doppler patterns in all major arteries are assessed. Spectral analysis of arterial flow is divided into four grades: grade 1: inverted flow during entire diastole with time average peak velocity (TAPV) less or equal to zero; grade 2: disappearance of the inverted diastolic flow at the end of diastole; grade 3: oscillating pattern in early diastole; and grade 4: no diastolic flow with systolic blip. To fulfill diagnosis of brain death, brain perfusion must be lost for 30 minutes. DEG is performed in 41 pediatric patients. In infants, loss of venous flow occurs regardless of the etiology. Grade 1 is the most common arterial color flow pattern and TAPV is always below zero. A pulsatile color flow is associated with three other types of flow patterns (grades 2-4). TAPV is not calculated, when there is loss of diastolic flow. Diagnosis of brain death is validated using nuclear brain scan in 4 patients. Two have a grade 1 flow pattern, while the other two have a grade 4 flow pattern. In children, DEG following a strict protocol can be used to confirm diagnosis of brain death in the appropriate clinical setting.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D001783 Blood Flow Velocity A value equal to the total volume flow divided by the cross-sectional area of the vascular bed. Blood Flow Velocities,Flow Velocities, Blood,Flow Velocity, Blood,Velocities, Blood Flow,Velocity, Blood Flow
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D001926 Brain Death A state of prolonged irreversible cessation of all brain activity, including lower brain stem function with the complete absence of voluntary movements, responses to stimuli, brain stem reflexes, and spontaneous respirations. Reversible conditions which mimic this clinical state (e.g., sedative overdose, hypothermia, etc.) are excluded prior to making the determination of brain death. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp348-9) Brain Dead,Coma Depasse,Irreversible Coma,Brain Deads,Coma, Irreversible,Death, Brain
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D004453 Echoencephalography Use of reflected ultrasound in the diagnosis of intracranial pathologic processes. Echoencephalographies
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D059906 Neuroimaging Non-invasive methods of visualizing the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, especially the brain, by various imaging modalities. Brain Imaging,Imaging, Brain

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