Summary
The characteristic pathological changes of the spinal cord after brain death of 15 cases are reported. In some cases of a sudden ischaemic or hypoxic accident the spinal lesions occur simultaneously with the ischaemic infarction of the brain. In most cases of cerebral death reactive lesions of the primary intact spinal cord upon the autolytic disintegration of the brain occur. The segments C2/C3 became nerotic in nearly all cases, thus representing a demarcation between the autolytic brain and the spinal cord. Necrotic cerebellar tissue was displaced into the lower parts of the spinal subarachnoid space and produced inflammatory reactions of the meninges and meningeal vessels. The reactive meningeal angiitis and the mechanical impairment of the venous drainage by the cerebellar detritus seem to be the main factors contributing to the severe circulatory disorders in the spinal cord including roots and spinal ganglia. It is assumed that the lesions of the spinal cord are at least partly responsible for autonomous spinal activities of brain death patients.
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Herrn Professor Dr. G. Peters zum 65. Geburtstag gewidmet.
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Schneider, H., Matakas, F. Pathological changes of the spinal cord after brain death. Acta Neuropathol 18, 234–247 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685069
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685069