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The problems with the validity of the diagnosis of brain death
Author(s) -
SundinHuard Deborah,
Fahy Kathleen
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
nursing in critical care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.689
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1478-5153
pISSN - 1362-1017
DOI - 10.1111/j.1478-5153.2003.0057.x
Subject(s) - conceptualization , coma (optics) , intensive care medicine , medicine , transplantation , cause of death , neuroscience , psychology , pathology , surgery , disease , physics , artificial intelligence , computer science , optics
Summary • The diagnosis of brain death as ‘death’ and organ transplantation have been closely historically linked since the mid twentieth century • It will be argued in this article that the development of a neurological definition of death was introduced to justify the removal of fresh viable organs for transplantation • Brain death cannot be diagnosed reliably using ‘established practices’ • Improved understanding of the pathophysiology of raised intracranial pressure has challenged our understanding of brain death • We need to move forward in our conceptualization of phenomenon of profound coma associated with massive brain damage • If examination for ‘brain death’ is to be carried out at all, there needs to be an examination and re‐evaluation of practices and protocols