Intrauterine brain death. Neuraxial reticular core necrosis.

Report is given on the first example in which the clinical and electrographic criteria of brain death were obtained at birth. Global destruction of the central nervous system of a type seen only with anoxia and circulatory failure had occurred in utero without appreciable disturbance of maternal health. Neuropathologic reaction in fetal tissues was identical with that which has been observed in the child or adult in the brain death syndrome. Functional disturbance of cerebral spinal circulation of sufficient degree to destroy neuronal tissue had happened without change in maternal circulation and without demonstrable lesions in the placenta or the cardiovascular apparatus of the fetus.