Evoked potentials in brain death. A critical review.

The development of transplant surgery has determined the necessity to revise criteria and to apply new electrophysiologic techniques to add further informations when survival of brain function is in question. The EPs, which provide a sensitive tool for assessment of integrity of main sensorial systems, could have a place in the electrophysiologic evaluation of the brain death. This review deals with the role of EPs in brain death and points out the main patterns found in that clinical condition.