Brain death is an irreversible loss of all brain functions, and the assessment is crucial for organ supply for transplantation. The noninvasive, sensitive, universally available and timely ancillary method to assess brain death has not been established. This study aims to evaluate brain death with optical probes. The changes of hemodynamic parameters including oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) were detected by near infrared spectroscopy probes attached on the forehead of patients. A multiple-phase protocol at varied fraction of inspired O2 were utilized during the assessment. The concentration changes ratios of oxyhemoglobin to deoxyhemoglobin (Δ[HbO2]/Δ[Hb]) in the cerebral cortex of brain-dead patients were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects.
This study aims to evaluate brain death with optical probes. The changes of hemodynamic parameters including oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) were detected by near infrared spectroscopy probes attached on the forehead of patients. A multiple-phase protocol at varied fraction of inspired O2 were utilized during the assessment.