Brain Death

The diagnosis of brain death is defined as "death based on the absence of all neurologic function." Families who have had a loved one declared brain dead may have questions about what the term really means.

Brain death is a legal definition of death. It is the complete stopping of all brain function and cannot be reversed. It means that, because of extreme and serious trauma or injury to the brain, the body's blood supply to the brain is blocked, and the brain dies. Brain death is death. It is permanent.

A doctor will do tests to make a diagnosis of brain death. These tests are based on sound and legally accepted medical guidelines. Tests include a clinical examination to show that an individual has no brain reflexes and cannot breathe on his or her own. In some situations, other tests may be needed. You can ask your doctor to explain or show you how brain death was determined for your loved one.

Possibly, an individual may show spinal activity or reflexes such as twitching or muscle contractions. Spinal reflexes are caused by electrical impulses that remain in the spinal column. These reflexes may happen even though the brain is dead.

The individual is placed on a machine that breathes for him or her, called a ventilator. This machine is needed because the brain can no longer send signals telling the body to breathe. Special medications to help maintain blood pressure and other body functions may also be given. During the brain death testing, the ventilator and medications continue but they do not affect the results of the testing.

Certain drugs can mask brain function, such as muscle relaxants and sedatives. Testing can only be done when the individual has low levels of these drugs in the body. It may be necessary to wait for these levels to go down. The doctor can then accurately measure brain activity. Sometimes, other tests are done to confirm brain death if certain drugs are present in the body.

As long as the heart has oxygen, it can continue to work. The ventilator provides enough oxygen to keep the heart beating for several hours. Without this artificial help, the heart would stop beating.

No. A patient in a coma continues to have brain activity and function. When brain death occurs, all brain function ceases and there is no chance of recovery.

Before brain death is confirmed, everything possible to save an individual's life is done. After the diagnosis of brain death is made there is no chance of recovery.

Once the diagnosis of brain death is made, an individual is pronounced legally dead. This is the time that should appear on the death certificate. The time of death is not the time when the ventilator is removed.

No. When someone is dead, there is no feeling of pain or suffering.

A health care professional will talk with you and your family about certain decisions that need to be made at this time. Among those decisions could be removing the ventilator and the possibility of organ and/or tissue donation.

Remember, the individual is already legally dead and removing the ventilator does not cause death.

See also in this A-Z guide:
 

• Kidney Transplant