Cerebral Death-The History of the Syndrome and Its Identification
Authors: DANIEL SILVERMAN
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1971)

Editorials1 June 1971Cerebral Death-The History of the Syndrome and Its IdentificationDANIEL SILVERMAN, M.D., F.A.C.P.DANIEL SILVERMAN, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-74-6-1003 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe development of effective, easily manageable mechanical respirators and of means of maintaining circulation began a little more than 15 years ago, and the emergency resuscitation (reanimation) teams now so common in hospitals are barely 10 years old. These advances have generated a syndrome in which, despite maintenance of respiration and circulation, the brain apparently ceases to function: the patient remains in deep coma, body temperature may drop, and the heart stops finally in several days or, less commonly, weeks. Autopsy of such patients who have had relatively long periods on the respirator shows that the original brain lesion will...References1. FISCHGOLDMATHIS HP: Obnubilations, comas et stupeurs. Electroencepr Clin Neurophysiol 1959, (suppl 11) pp. 1-126 Google Scholar2. MOLLARETGOULON PM: Le coma dépassé (mémoire préliminaire). Rev Neurol (Paris) 101:3-15, 1959 MedlineGoogle Scholar3. GOULON M: Le coma dépassé et les comas avec sidération végétative transitoire. Marseilles Chirurg 18:18-28, 1966 Google Scholar4. : A definition of irreversible coma: JAMA 205:337-340, 1968 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. SILVERMANSAUNDERSSCHWAB DMR: Cerebral death and the electroencephalogram. JAMA 209:1505-1510, 1969 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. SILVERMANMASLANDSAUNDERS DRM: Irreversible coma associated with electrocerebral silence. Neurology (Minneap) 20:525-533, 1970 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. SILVERMANMASLANDSAUNDERS DRM: Minimal technical standards for EEG recording in suspected cerebral death. Proc Electrophysiol Technol Ass 17:35-39, 1970 Google Scholar8. PIUS P: The prolongation of life. Amer Quart Papal Doc 4:393-398, 1958 Google Scholar9. ARNOLDZIMMERMANMARTIN JTD: Public attitudes and the diagnosis of death. JAMA 206:1949-1954, 1968 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. HOUSE BILL NO. 1961, LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF KANSAS: An act relating to and defining death. Statutes, chap. 378, p. 994, 1970 Google Scholar11. TAYLOR L: A statutory definition of death in Kansas. JAMA 215:296, 1971 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. MAYNARDPRIORSCOTT DPD: Device for continuous monitoring of cerebral activity in resuscitated patients. Brit Med J 3:545-546, 1969 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. BICKFORDBILLINGERSIMS RTJ: EEG monitoring techniques in the diagnosis of irreversible coma. 24th Annual Meeting of the American Electroencephalographic Society, Washington, D.C., 18 September 1970 Google Scholar14. GROSVLAHOVITCHROILGEN CBA: Les arrêts circulatoires dans l'hypertension intrâcranienne aiguë. Press Med 67:1065-1066, 1959 MedlineGoogle Scholar15. AMESWRIGHTKOWADA ARM: Cerebral ischemia: the no-reflow phenomenon (II). Amer J Path 52:437-447, 1968 MedlineGoogle Scholar16. MULLER H: Ultrasonic techniques as an aid in assessing the diagnosis of brain death. 2nd World Meeting on Medical Law, Washington D.C., 18 August 1970 Google Scholar17. BINNIEPRIORLLOYD CPD: Electroencephalographic prediction of fatal anoxic brain damage after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Brit Med J 4:265-268, 1970 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: The Graduate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pa. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByOpinions on the Legitimacy of Brain Death Among Sunni and Shi’a ScholarsBrain Death and IslamFirst Studies on OutcomeDying and death, with special reference to brain death. A bibliographyThe allergic consumerThe Determination of DeathDeath As a Legal EntityEvoked cortical potentials in patients with “isoelectric” EEGsTransplanters on Transplantation Ethics 1 June 1971Volume 74, Issue 6Page: 1003-1005KeywordsAutopsyBrainComaHeartLesionsRespirationRespiratorsResuscitationTemperature Issue Published: 1 June 1971 PDF DownloadLoading ...