Related articles: Cerebral death
Definition
Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all brain functions. This condition is associated with a state of coma, without spontaneous breathing, and with the loss of all the reflexes of the brainstem.
Brain death in all respects corresponds to the death of the patient. The patient needs mechanical respiration in order to maintain the cardiopulmonary function which, outside of an intensive therapy, could not last more than a few minutes.
The observation period for ascertaining the complete cessation of all brain activity must take several hours, during which a commission of specialists makes use of instrumental supports and clinical data to examine any minimum and theoretical doubts about the patient's condition.
The concept that brain death equates to the death of a person has been accepted on a legal and cultural level in most of the world.
This condition occurs when the brain injury is so severe and extensive that it causes brain death. Possible causes include cardiac arrest and stroke. More rarely, brain death can result from severe head trauma, brain infections and brain tumors.
In order for the doctor to declare brain death, it is necessary that the metabolic or structural cause of brain damage be known and sufficient to explain the irreversible loss of all functions. In addition, the effects of any anesthetic drugs, paralyzing with central nervous system depressive action, hypothermia (<32 ° C) and hypotension (mean arterial pressure <55 mmHg) must be excluded.
Possible Causes * of Brain Death
- Cardiac arrest
- Cerebral hemorrhage
- Encephalitis
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Cerebral ischemia
