[Morphology and pathogenesis of "brain death" in stroke]

The results of morphological examinations of the central nervous system and hypophysis in 15 cases of insult and "brain death" developing in patients under conditions of application of artificial lung ventilation (ALV). Isolated death of the brain was observed to be due to discontinuation of intracerebral circulation owing to a sharp increase of intracranial pressure. Morphologically, cerebral edema, necrosis of all parts of the brain without reactive changes in neuroglia and vessels, necrosis of the 1st and 2nd cervical segments of the spinal cord, necroses in adenohypophysis, zones of demarkation in the hypophysis capsule and at the level of the 3rd and 4th cervical segments of the spinal cord, and arrest of the blood stream in the brain vessels were observed. The intensity of the morphological changes was found to depend on the duration of ALV.