Short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in brain-dead patients.
Ten adult brain-dead patients were evaluated for the presence of clearly defined median nerve short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). All met clinical criteria recommended by the President's Commission report (1981), had positive apnea tests, and had electrocerebral silent EEGs. P13-P14 and N20 were absent in all scalp-scalp channels, although 3 patients showed P13-P14 in scalp-non-cephalic channels. Of 6 patients showing N13, 3 lacked P13-P14. Our data suggest a characteristic destruction of N20 and rostral P13-P14 generators, with variable rostral-caudal loss of lower generators. SSEPs can provide valuable information about brain-stem activity in the evaluation of suspected brain-dead patients.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001926:Brain Death; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D006801:Humans; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time