What are the common causes of brainstem death?

  • The most frequently seen pathologies associated with brainstem death are:

Direct Insult
  • Shearing injury due to trauma or hanging
  • Focal ischaemia of vertebral / basilar artery pathology:
    • Traumatic vertebral dissection
    • Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Indirect Insult
  • Focal Pathology:
    • Posterior fossa haematoma
  • Any global increase in ICP with tonsillar herniation:
    • Trauma
    • Hypoxia
    • Hydrocephalus
    • Infection (meningitis)
    • Ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke
    • Hepatic encephalopathy