Pulmonary Grand Rounds - Neuroprognostication After Cardiac Arrest - An Update

Speaker: Krishna Rajajee, MD Prognostication of long-term neurological recovery in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest is both unavoidable and extremely challenging. The stakes are high in critically-ill patients dependent on life support since an inaccurate prediction of poor outcome can result in withdrawal of life support in a patient who may have otherwise made a good recovery. Counseling of surrogates should be based on the best evidence available. The Neurocritical Care Societies of the United States and Germany have formulated the first international GRADE guidelines for neuroprognostication of long-term outcome, encompassing eight major disease states. This session will provide an overview of the process used in these guidelines and go over the recommendations for neuroprognostication following cardiac arrest. A suggested approach to clinical neuroprognostication will be reviewed.