Brain Death
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| Definition |
Brain death is defined by permanent
loss of all brain function.
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| Causes |
Brain death can occur following
traumatic brain injury, stroke or following a cardiac or respiratory
arrest during which oxygen supply to the brain is interrupted for a
prolonged period.
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| Treatment |
Well-defined protocols are followed
during the care of a patient suspected of brain death. Patients with
brain death are usually very unstable with respect to blood
pressure, kidney function and heart rate. The main reason to
continue care of a patient with brain death is for the consideration
of organ donation.
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| Comments |
Declaration of death occurs by one
of two major methods. The first, and most common method, is
documentation of permanent loss of spontaneous heart and respiratory
function. This means that the heart has permanently stopped beating
and the patient has permanently stopped breathing. The second method
is documentation of brain death. Regardless of the method used,
legal pronouncement of death is the doctor's responsibility. The
total brain is made up of the large rounded portion of the brain,
the cerebral cortex, and the stalk below the cortex, the brain stem.
Irreversible and permanent loss of all brain function means that
both the cerebral cortex and the brain stem have died and will never
recover. Well-defined testing protocols are followed during
documentation of brain death. The doctor performs most of these
tests at the bedside. Sometimes additional tests such as an
electroencephalogram (EEG) or a brain blood flow study are
necessary.
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| Related
Links |
Federal
University Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
MedStudents of the Federal University Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
present an overview site on brain death.
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ICU Medical Conditions 
