Death And Death: The Definition Of Brain Death

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The Definition of Brain Death
Guadalupe Monroy
Ms. Taiya & Ms. Reed
March 3, 2014

Brain Death
The concept of brain death is not something that can be easily determined at just a glance. It is an intricate course of tests and time to determine if the process of brain function is evident. An important series of questions to ask yourself is, “what constitutes brain death,” “how is it defined, “and “what happens afterwards?” Brain death is not to be confused with a coma because they are entirely different. Organ donation is the most common outcome of someone who is diagnosed brain dead. If this occurs first hand to you or your family member, would you go out of your way to determine if the doctors were correct? This essay will explain the tests that are performed on the body that is thought to be brain dead, the difference between brain death and a coma, and how families could possibly handle the results of a person being determined brain dead.
The term brain death is defined as loss of function to the brain that is irreversible in all parts, even the brain stem. Brain death can happen to someone who has suffered a massive head injury. There is a series of tests, if result positively, can mean that the person is clinically deceased. First, there is a look at medical history to find prior brain dysfunctions. The cause of the possible brain death is then looked at to determine if it is possible to be reversed. If there is no evidence of medications being the cause of the brain death, there is a complete neurological exam taken. This exam includes: checking to see if there is a response to stimuli, not including spinal reflexes, pupils are absent and have no response to light, there are no facial or eye movements, no gag ...

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...ing the person in their family.
The process of finding if a patient is brain dead can be complex and long but is necessary to decide what will happen afterwards. There are many tests to define brain death in a patient and all of them are necessary even multiple times. If a person is successfully determined brain dead, the option of organ donation is an option that I would be in favor of because it could help make a good situation out of a bad one. Brain death can be a long and sad process for the family or friends of anyone who has been diagnosed definitively but finding the good in the situation, like organ donation, can help to conquer the feeling of losing someone.

Sources
Ajay Kumar Goila and Mridula Pawar (2009). The Diagnosis of Brain Death. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2772257/. [Last Accessed 11 February 2014].

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