Apneic oxygenation in apnea tests for brain death. A controlled trial
S. J. Marks and J. Zisfein
Department of Neurology, New York Medical College, Lincoln Hospital, Bronx 10451.
We performed a prospective controlled study of apneic oxygenation on 15
patients undergoing apnea tests for brain death. All patients were
preoxygenated with 100% oxygen at existing respirator settings. During the
10-minute apnea tests, nine patients were given continuous apneic
oxygenation by tracheal cannula. The other six patients had tracheal tubes
open to room air. The patients given apneic oxygenation had little or no
hypoxia by the end of the test. The patients given room air during the test
became hypoxic. Many neurologists perform apnea tests with no oxygenation
or with preoxygenation alone. This is the first prospective controlled
study (to our knowledge) of apneic oxygenation; it shows that
preoxygenation alone does not prevent hypoxia during apnea tests for brain
death. We recommend that all apnea tests be performed with apneic
oxygenation.
