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Apneic episodes resulted in endotracheal intubation in 8 patients.In the remaining 17 patients,intubation was needed for airway protection.Seven of 8 patients with apneic episodes lost all brain stem reflexes.All 17 patients intubated for airway protection could be successfully weaned to a T-tube circuit.Outcome was generally poor and 22 patients died,of whom 7 died of early systemic complications.Only 3 of 25 patients,all with locked-in syndrome,survived.Mortality is high in patients who require mechanical ventilation after acute basilar artery occlusion.No neurological improvement beyond a locked-in syndrome occurred in survivors.Recurrent apnea appears to predict further progression to brain stem death. |
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