Fig. 3

High rSO₂ and suppression-burst aEEG pattern in PCAS. A female in her 30s experienced cardiac arrest caused by severe bronchial asthma. Her initial cardiac rhythm indicated pulseless electrical activity. The time from cardiac arrest to ROSC was 45 min. The initial rSO₂value was 85 % (Fig. 4a-a). The aEEG pattern indicated a suppression-burst pattern 3 h after ROSC. She received a dopamine infusion after a fall in blood pressure (Fig. 4a-b). Thereafter, her rSO₂ gradually returned around 80–85 % and kept constant (Fig. 1a-c) for 24 h. The outcome for this patient was brain death. aEEG measurements were taken for only 3 h after ROSC (not for 24 h) in this patient. (a): rSO₂ (%); (b): aEEG, 3 h after ROSC. Arrows: a: BP 155/94 mmHg, arterial gases: PaCO₂ 77.2 mmHg, pH 7.125; b: BP 90/48 mmHg, arterial gases: PaCO₂ 44.1 mmHg, pH 7.430; c: BP 124/54 mmHg, arterial gases: PaCO₂ 39.4 mmHg, pH 7.455. BP: blood pressure; ROSC: return of spontaneous circulation; rSO₂: regional cerebral oxygen saturation; aEEG: amplitude-integrated electroencephalography