Recording of Death during Electroencephalography

Abstract

ABSTRACT.Unexpected death during an EEG recording is rare. We describe two patients who died during routine EEG: one of cardiac arrest and the other of respiratory failure. Both patients had “do not resuscitate” orders. In both patients, the EEG showed a rapid evolution of electrocerebral inactivity over a period of a few minutes. Initially, there was gradual loss of faster frequencies and then a decrease in voltage, followed by an intermittent pattern with periods of suppression. The periods of suppression became longer and evolved into complete sustained suppression in association with cessation of cardiorespiratory function.