[Effect of brain death on hemodynamics and cardiac function: an experimental study].
An experimental model was designed to study hemodynamic and left ventricular functional changes in the course of and after brain death in 13 mongrel dogs. Brain death was induced by creating intracranial hypertension by inflating a balloon inserted into the subdural space. Hemodynamic parameters and left ventricular systolic function as assessed by echocardiography were measured before and during intracranial hypertension and 30 min and 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 hrs after brain death. During intracranial hypertension, heart rate, systemic and pulmonary blood pressures, cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance raised significantly. After brain death, all parameters decreased rapidly and significantly, and then stabilized. On comparison with values obtained before intracranial hypertension, systemic blood pressure decreased markedly following brain death, while no marked change was noted in cardiac output. This result is attributable to a marked reduction in peripheral vascular resistance following the induction of intracranial hypertension. The left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters did not change; consequently, fractional shortening did not change, either. The Weissler's index improved after brain death, reflecting a marked reduction in systemic vascular resistance. This indicates limited usefulness of afterload-dependent cardiac indices. At the agonal period of brain death, three of 13 dogs died because of ventricular fibrillation or a marked decline in systemic blood pressure. Within five to eight hours after brain death, seven dogs died because of intractable acidosis. These results represent the specific hemodynamic features occurring after brain death. It is thought that recognition of these features is useful in managing cases of brain death and in selecting donors for heart transplants.
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001926:Brain Death; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics; D007427:Intracranial Pressure; D013599:Systole