Anoxic brain injury

Anoxic brain injury is caused by a complete lack of oxygen to the brain, which results in the death of brain cells after approximately four minutes of oxygen deprivation.

Anoxic brain injury represents the main determinant of poor outcome after cardiac arrest (CA).

anoxic brain injury, hypothermia for brain death criteria longer observation periods are appropriate and ancillary confirmatory tests may be considered

Large animal models have been described to investigate new treatments during CA and post-resuscitation phase, but a detailed model that includes extensive neuromonitoring is lacking.

Before an electrically-induced 10-minute CA and resuscitation, 46 adults pigs underwent neurosurgery for placement of a multifunctional probe (intracranial pressure or ICP, tissue oxygen tension or PbtO2 and cerebral temperature) and a bolt-based technique for the placement and securing of a regional blood flow probe and two sEEG electrodes; two modified cerebral microdialysis (CMD) probes were also inserted in the frontal lobes and accidental misplacement was prevented using perforated head support.

42 animals underwent the CA procedure and 41 achieved the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). In 4 cases (8.6%) an adverse event took place during preparation, but only in two cases (4.3%), this was related to the neurosurgery. In 6 animals (13.3%) the minor complications that occurred resolved after probe repositioning.

They provided a detailed comprehensive neuromonitoring approach in a large animal model of CA that might help future research ¹⁾.