Question

5 pre-requisites for brain death diagnosis

Answer 1

To diagnose brain death, five pre-requisites are followed: permanent and irreversible cessation of all cerebral and brainstem functions, known cause of coma, exclusion of confounding factors, absence of drug effects, and thorough documentation.

Step-by-step explanation:

To diagnose brain death, there are five pre-requisites that are typically followed:

1. Permanent and irreversible cessation of all cerebral and brainstem functions: The patient's brain activity must be completely absent.
2. Known cause of coma: The cause of the patient's condition must be clearly identified and understood.
3. Exclusion of confounding factors: Other conditions that can mimic brain death must be ruled out, such as hypothermia or intoxication.
4. Absence of drug effects: The patient should not have any drugs or medications in their system that could alter brain function.
5. All pre-requisites are carefully documented: The diagnosis of brain death should be thoroughly documented and reviewed by multiple physicians.