Brain death: a review

Abstract

To date, the recognized medical criteria for BD/DNC (brain death/death according to neurological criteria) in the USA (United States of America) are the 2010 AAN (American Academy of Neurology) standards for identification of the BD/DNC for adult age and the 2011 Society of Critical Care Medicine/Child Neurology Society/American Academy of Pediatrics standards for identification of BD/DNC in Pediatrics. Though the definition of death should be constant between clinicians, hospitals, and nations to endorse that whoever is considered dead somewhere will not be regarded as alive in another place. This provoked the construction of the worldwide Brain Death Project that declared a global agreement report on the BD/DNC which is accredited by 5 international federations and 27 medical professional communities from all over the world. This review defines the essential requirements of BD/DNC, its assessment (including apnea test) on a clinical basis, usage of additional examinations, and the arguments for its definition worldwide. A precise and unbiased methodology is necessary to issue error-free declarations of death by defining BD/DNC while considering local regulations and values. Practitioners must learn to be familiar with the current guidelines, and the contents of the WBDP (world Brain Death Project) standard, which announces an updated International Agreement Report on BD/DNC and certified by 5 International federations and 27 professional medical communities from all over the world.