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Chapter 27 - Brain Death

from Section 3 - Specific Neurological Disorders in Emergency Medicine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2024

Thomas P. Campbell
Affiliation:
Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh
Kevin M. Kelly
Affiliation:
Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh
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Summary

The term “brain death” implies permanent absence of cerebral and brainstem functions. US law equates brain death with cardiopulmonary death, but specific criteria need to be met for diagnosis of brain death or death by neurologic criteria (DBNC). There are established prerequisite criteria to consider a patient for brain death that include: (1) a cause of CNS catastrophe deemed irreversible; (2) no confounding metabolic abnormality; (3) no drug intoxication or CNS depressants; (4) a normothermic state; and (5) a normotensive state. If these criteria are met, then the patient can be formally considered for DBNC.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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References

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Landmark article August 5, 1968: A definition of irreversible coma. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Harvard Medical School to examine the definition of brain death. JAMA 1984;252(5):677679.Google Scholar
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