A major miss in prognostication after cardiac arrest: Burst suppression and brain healing. uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • We report a case with therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest where meaningful recovery far exceeded anticipated negative endpoints following cardiac arrest with loss of brainstem reflexes and subsequent status epilepticus. This man survived and recovered after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest followed by a 6-week coma with absent motor responses and 5 weeks of burst suppression. Standard criteria suggested no chance of recovery. His recovery may relate to the effect of burst-suppression on EEG to rescue neurons near neuronal cell death. Further research to understand the mechanisms of therapeutic hypothermia and late restoration of neuronal functional capacity may improve prediction and aid end-of-life decisions after cardiac arrest.

publication date

  • September 17, 2016

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3286963

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85006866966

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.ebcr.2016.09.004

PubMed ID

  • 28053858

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 7