RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Somatosensory evoked potentials aid prediction after hypoxic–ischaemic brain injury
JF Practical Neurology
JO Pract Neurol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 352
OP 360
DO 10.1136/practneurol-2015-001122
VO 15
IS 5
A1 Nick Kane
A1 Agyepong Oware
YR 2015
UL http://pn.bmj.com/content/15/5/352.abstract
AB Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, basic life support and early defibrillation are leading to more survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest reaching hospital. Once stabilised on an intensive care unit, it can be difficult to predict the neurological outcome using clinical criteria alone, particularly with modern management using sedation, neuromuscular blockade and hypothermia. If we are to prevent ongoing futile life support, it is important to try to identify the majority of patients who, despite best efforts, will not make a meaningful recovery. Somatosensory evoked potentials are widely available electrophysiological tests that can provide an objective biomarker of a poor neurological outcome and assist in predicting the prognosis.