Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Nov 1993
Review[Continuous monitoring of brain electrical activity as a guide to treatment of acute brain lesion].
Cortical activity of the brain can be monitored continuously by simple, cheap and non-invasive methods. Nevertheless routine monitoring in Neuro ICUs seldom includes traditional or processed EEG. Our clinical experience with the Cerebral Function Monitor (CFM) indicates that a reliable guide to treatment of acute cerebral lesion can be obtained in different clinical situations and steps of management.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Oct 1993
Review[Brain death: physiopathology and current diagnostic approach].
The concept of death has undergone many changes in the centuries depending on ages and social contexts. However death has always been identified by heart and respiratory irreversible arrest. In the last 30 years this concept has been suddenly and deeply modified by cardiocirculatory and respiratory support techniques. ⋯ In the large majority of cases the clinical and this strumental neurological findings are sufficient for the diagnosis of brain death. However in many other cases this diagnosis may be difficult because of problems in the ascertainment of the complete and irreversible lack of cerebral activities. In these cases many an strumental techniques (evoked potentials, Doppler and nuclear medicine studies) can help in the diagnosis.