Abstract
Patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest have only a very short time window for therapy. This makes it crucial to quickly recognize the severity of brain damage in post-resuscitated patients and make therapeutic plans. In this study we measured auditory brain stem responses (ABRs) and took continuous measurements of jugular oxygen saturation (SjO2) during therapeutic hypothermia after resuscitation from cardiac arrest in order to evaluate the severity of brain damage and the effectiveness of the therapeutic hypothermia. Our findings demonstrated that an absence of V waves in the ABRs of patients after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is a possible indication of severe brain damage and limits the chances of improved outcome after therapeutic hypothermia. In case of SjO2> 80% on admission, outcome was poor even if the ABR V wave was present after ROSC or when ABR V wave disappeared after the time course. We conclude that it is important, when planning therapeutic strategies, to recognize the severity of brain damage and the pathophysiology after ROSC in post-resuscitative patients.
