Recomendaciones para el empleo de técnicas neurofisiológicas en el diagnóstico de muerte encefálica de la Sociedad de Neurofisiología Clínica de las Comunidades de Valencia y Murcia

Abstract

In Spain organ transplantation constitutes one of the greatest challenges and teamwork of hospital centres. It is estimated that in the year 2020 Spain contributed 19% of all donors to the European Union. The confirmatory support diagnosis recommends by law some complementary techniques in certain cases, including neurophysiological techniques, especially the use of electroencephalogram and evoked potentials. These cases require the clinical neurophysiologist to make the right clinical and technical decisions for the correct performance and interpretation of the same. To date, there is no national consensus on the performance of these techniques. Updated bibliographic review on neurophysiological techniques (electroencephalogram and evoked potentials). Analysis by Delphi method and expert judgment of the working group of the Clinical Neurophysiology Society of the Communities of Valencia and Murcia. Neurophysiological techniques can be a support in the diagnosis of encephalic death, both confirmatory and to shorten observation times. In order to perform them, minimum technical standards are required to allow optimal performance of the studies, especially taking into account medication, hemodynamic situation, absence of hypothermia, and age group. We present the first guide in Spanish elaborated by the Society of Neurophysiology of the Communities of Valencia and Murcia for the performance in our hospitals of neurophysiological techniques in the diagnosis of brain death.