[Diagnosis of cerebral circulatory arrest with Doppler sonography. Results of a survey].
In 1991 the diagnosis of cerebral circulatory arrest with Doppler sonography was accepted by the Medical Council of the Bundesaerztekammer as one of the methods able to shorten the waiting time for fulfilling the criteria for diagnosis of cerebral death. A survey was undertaken to determine how frequently Doppler sonography has been used since that time in certifying brain death. A total of 400 questionnaires were sent out to all neurological (272) and neurosurgical (128) departments in Germany. In all, 226 questionnaires were returned. In 71 departments, Doppler sonography has been used to certify brain death, mostly combined with other methods. The question of whether false positive results have been observed was answered five times in the affirmative. The background to these cases was clarified by telephone calls. In order to indicate pitfalls, the examiners reported borderline situations which in part did not fulfil the prerequisites. In none of these cases had the diagnosis of brain death been based on ultrasound data. Doppler sonography for the diagnosis of cerebral circulatory arrest has been used by a considerable number of neurological and neurosurgical departments in Germany as an additional confirmatory test and rather seldom as the only method to shorten the waiting period.
Asklepios Neurologische Klinik Bad Salzhausen, Nidda.
G M
GM
von Reutern
D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D001926:Brain Death / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial