1/13. Fetal brain death and Dandy-Walker malformation.The diagnosis of brain death by Doppler ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging is reported in a fetus at 23 weeks' gestation. This is believed to be the first instance in which brain death has been shown in a premature fetus with a brain-stem anomaly.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/13. Cerebral arteriovenous malformation in pregnancy: presentation and neurologic, obstetric, and ethical significance.Cerebral arteriovenous malformations infrequently complicate pregnancy. We sought to determine the neurologic, obstetric, and ethical significance of such malformations. We present the clinical course of 2 pregnant women with arteriovenous malformations who experienced cerebral hemorrhage and a loss of capacity for decision making. We also review the neurologic and obstetric significance of arteriovenous malformations in pregnancy. Various treatment options with concern for pregnancy and the prognosis for arteriovenous malformations are outlined. The ethical issues involved for pregnant patients whose decisional capacity is compromised as a result of cerebral injury are explored. A review of persistent vegetative state and brain death (death by neurologic criteria) occurring in pregnancy allows us to explore many issues that are applicable to decisionally incapacitated but physiologically functioning pregnant women. We outline a document, the purpose of which is to obtain advance directives from pregnant women regarding end-of-life decisions and to appoint a surrogate decision maker. We believe that evaluation and treatment of the arteriovenous malformation may be undertaken without regard for the pregnancy and that the pregnancy should progress without concern for the arteriovenous malformation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6.9632127673703keywords = pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/13. Irreversible maternal brain injury during pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature.Maternal brain death or massive injury leading to persistent vegetative state during pregnancy is a rare event. Since 1979, 11 cases, including the current one, of irreversible maternal brain damage in pregnancy have been reported. In all but one, the pregnancies were prolonged with a goal of achieving delivery of a viable infant. Current advances in medicine and critical care enable today's physician to offer prolonged life-support to maximize the chances for survival in the neonate whose mother is technically brain dead. We present a case at our institution and review all previously published cases in the English literature for comparison as well as make management recommendations.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.1779276604222keywords = pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/13. A case of pulmonary hypoplasia associated with intrauterine brainstem necrosis.An infant with intrauterine brain death accompanied by pulmonary hypoplasia is reported. The fetus was delivered after 36 weeks gestation, 5 weeks after fetal movements ceased. The child died 4 h after birth. Pulmonary hypoplasia and remote brainstem necrosis associated with multicystic encephalomalacia were found at autopsy. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that damage to brainstem respiratory centres had led to pulmonary hypoplasia through the absence of fetal respiratory movement.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/13. pregnancy in a persistent vegetative state: case report, comparison to brain death, and review of the literature.Severe maternal neurologic injury during pregnancy has the potential for fetal demise without advanced critical care support to the mother. brain death is the unequivocal and irreversible loss of total brain function, whereas patients in a vegetative state, by contrast, have preserved brain stem function but lack cerebral function. They can appear to be awake, have sleep-wake cycles, be capable of swallowing, and have normal respiratory control, but there are no purposeful interactions. These conditions have different maternal prognoses, but both have resulted in near-normal neonatal outcomes with long latencies from maternal injury to delivery in previously published cases. This article compares and contrasts the 11 cases of brain death with 15 cases of persistent vegetative state in pregnancy. We found that the mean latency between maternal brain injury and delivery was significantly shorter in the brain-dead patients as compared with those in a vegetative state (46 days vs. 124 days, P persistent vegetative state in pregnancy at our institution with both maternal and neonatal death in the context of previously published literature with a focus on obstetric and ethical management. We hope this information will help elucidate the issues for providers confronted with these unique and challenging cases. TARGET AUDIENCE: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, family physicians. learning OBJECTIVES: After completion of this article, the reader should be able to state the difference between coma, persistent vegetative state and brain death, to describe the neurologic aspects of a patient in a persistent vegetative state, and to list the fetal effects of maternal brain injury.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.0889638302111keywords = gestation, pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/13. Maternal brain death: medical, ethical and legal issues.CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a pregnant woman who experienced a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis resulting in brain death at 13 weeks gestation. We discuss the management of the mother and foetus following this tragic event. We also discuss the complex medical, legal and ethical issues that arose following maternal brain death. The central question is whether continuing maternal organ supportive measures in an attempt to prolong gestation to attain foetal viability is appropriate, or whether it constitutes futile care. DISCUSSION: Successful maintenance of maternal brain somatic function to facilitate foetal maturation in utero has been reported. While the gestational age of the foetus is central to resolving this issue, there is no clear upper physiological limit to the prolongation of somatic function following brain death. Furthermore, medical experience regarding prolonged somatic support is limited. Finally, the legal rights conferred on the foetus may vary significantly depending on the jurisdiction in which the maternal brain death occurs and may have important implications. CONCLUSIONS: A consensus building approach, involving the family, is essential to resolving these potentially conflicting issues.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/13. Cardiotocographic and Doppler ultrasonographic findings in a fetus with brain death syndrome.OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of brain death syndrome by cardiotocography (CTG) and Doppler ultrasonography (US) is reported in a fetus at 35 weeks of gestation. CASE REPORT: A 23-year-old, gravida 2, para 0, woman was referred to our hospital because of the absence of fetal movements. CTG showed fixed fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern. A detailed Doppler US examination of the fetus showed extensive cystic lesions of both cerebral hemispheres, polyhydramnios, total absence of neuromuscular parameters of biophysical profile (BPP) and the cessation of cerebral blood flow. umbilical cord artery blood gas analysis showed pH 7.3, PaO2 30 mmHg and PaCO2 35 mmHg. A floppy male infant weighing 2,450 g was delivered vaginally at 36 weeks of gestation and the Apgar scores were 1 and 1 at 5 and 10 minutes, respectively. The neonate died 2 days after delivery. Postmortem examination of the brain showed diffuse, anoxic changes with multicystic encephalomalacia in both hemispheres and the brain stem. No other maternal or placental abnormalities were seen. CONCLUSION: The possibility of intrauterine brain death should be considered in all cases of prolonged fixed FHR pattern, accompanied by absence of neuromuscular parameters of BPP, polyhydramnios and demonstrated cessation of cerebral blood flow by Doppler US. Increased awareness of this event may prevent unnecessary emergency cesarean section.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/13. Nutrition during ten-week life support with successful fetal outcome in a case with fatal maternal brain damage.A 31-year-old woman had fatal intracerebral bleeding at the beginning of the 21st week of gestation. After several days, there was evidence that the brain was dead. Combined enteral and parenteral nutrition was continued until the 32nd week of gestation when cesarean section was performed because of drug-resistant hypotension. A full-term normal 1600-g male was delivered and the later development of the child was normal. This case report demonstrates the possibility of providing nutritional requirements to the fetus even if the mother has had a fatal injury.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/13. Maternal brain death and prolonged fetal survival.A 30-year-old woman suffered massive brain injuries after a motor vehicle accident at 15 weeks' gestation. The patient was diagnosed as brain-dead on her tenth hospital day. She was supported with intensive care for 107 days after this diagnosis, and a normal 1555-g male infant was delivered at approximately 32 weeks' gestation by repeat cesarean section. The child is developing normally at 11 months of age. This represents the longest reported case of prolongation of pregnancy after brain death.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.696321276737keywords = gestation, pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/13. Maternal brain death during pregnancy. Medical and ethical issues.We present in detail a case of a 27-year-old primigravida who was maintained in a brain-dead state for nine weeks. An apparently normal and healthy male infant weighing 1440 g was delivered. The newborn did well and was found to be growing and developing normally at 18 months of age. Although the technical aspects of prolonged life support are demanding and the economic costs are very high ( 217,784), there are ample ethical arguments justifying the separation of brain death and somatic death and the maintenance of the brain-dead mother so that her unborn fetus can develop and mature.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.7852851069481keywords = pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |