The implementation of a protocol promoting the safe practice of brain death determination. J Crit Care. 2015;30:107-110. [PMID: 25131939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2014.07.021]

Minimum Criteria for Brain Death Determination: Consensus Promotion and Chinese Practice

BACKGROUND

Brain death (BD), the irreversible cessation of function in the whole brain, is a well-known condition in most countries. The criteria and practical guidelines for brain death determination (BDD) in China were issued by the Brain Injury Evaluation Quality Control Center (BQCC) of the National Health and Family Planning Commission in 2013. Thereafter, we proposed a plan called the three-step quality control plan (three-step QCP) to ensure the safety and consistency of the clinical judgments regarding BD. By retrospectively reviewing this plan, we aimed to identify problems during its implementation and to provide suggestions for future work on quality control for BDD.

METHODS

Data were retrieved from the BQCC database. The characteristics and test results of physicians undergoing a BDD training course and the BD case records submitted by hospitals before and after receiving accreditation were analyzed.

RESULTS

In the first step of the plan, the error rate for physicians undergoing the BDD paper test was highest for limb movement discrimination (26.29%); this error rate was correlated with age (per 10-year increase) (odds ratio = 1.262, 95% confidence interval 1.067-1.491, P = 0.007) but was nonsignificantly associated with sex, specialty category, professional level, and hospital level (P > 0.05). During the second step of the plan, the highest percentage of problems was associated with apnea testing (22.75%), followed by ancillary testing of BDD (16.17%). In the last step, the highest percentage of problems in the case records was associated with apnea testing (41.73%).

CONCLUSIONS

The three-step QCP is of significant utility for ensuring accuracy and appropriateness in BDD. Simultaneously, this study provides important evidence for advancing quality control for BDD in the next stage.

Determination of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria in Countries in Asia and the Pacific

Background and Purpose

We sought to 1) identify countries in Asia and the Pacific that have protocols for the determination of brain death/death by neurologic criteria (BD/DNC) and 2) review the similarities and differences of these protocols in different countries.

Methods

Between January 2018 and April 2019, we attempted to communicate with contacts in the 57 countries in Asia and the Pacific to determine if they had official national BD/DNC protocols. We reviewed and compared the identified protocols.

Results

We identified contacts for 40 (70%) of the 57 countries in Asia and the Pacific, and successfully communicated with 37 of them (93% of countries with contacts identified, 65% of countries in Asia and the Pacific). We found that 24 of the 37 countries had BD/DNC protocols. Two (13%) of the 16 protocols that provided a definition of death referred to brainstem death. Kazakhstan and Israel required only 1 examination to declare BD/DNC, while 10 (71%) of the other 14 protocols required 2 examinations separated by 6–48 hours. The prerequisites, clinical examination, apnea testing procedure, and indications for/selection of ancillary tests varied. Ancillary testing was required for all determinations of BD/DNC in five (21%) countries. Thirteen (54%) of the protocols included information about the time of death, while 12 (50%) of them provided instructions about discontinuation of organ support.

Conclusions

The protocols for conducting a BD/DNC determination vary markedly among countries in Asia and the Pacific. Since it is optimal to have internationally and intranationally consistent BD/DNC protocols, efforts should be made to harmonize protocols both within this region and worldwide.

Perspectives toward brain death diagnosis and management of the potential organ donor

BACKGROUND

Organ donation and transplantation represent one of the most important scientific advances over the last decades. Due to the complexity of these procedures and related ethical-legal aspects, however, there are a lot of doubts and uncertainty about the brain death diagnosis and the maintenance of potential organ donor.

AIM

To identify and discuss the different meanings and experiences of registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit in relation to the diagnosis of brain death and the maintenance of potential organ donors for transplantation purposes.

STUDY DESIGN

Participants were registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit at a University Hospital from Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

This study was approved by the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing Research Ethics Committee.

RESULTS

Two main categories emerged from the analysis: (1) brain death diagnosis and its implications and (2) maintenance of the potential organ donor and its repercussion in the donation-transplantation process. Six subcategories were also identified: (1.1) understanding the brain death diagnosis as a tool to aid decision-making; (1.2) diagnosis as guarantee of rights; (1.3) difficulties encountered to establish the diagnosis; (1.4) clinical criteria adopted in Brazil and related ethical-legal aspects; (2.1) specificities of care to the brain dead person and outcomes; and (2.2) nurse's duties toward the brain dead person.

CONCLUSION

Although the brain death diagnosis is scientifically and legally defined in Brazil and the maintenance of the potential organ donor for transplantation purposes has been addressed during the last years, there are still some doubts about the subject, as its understanding varies according to the personal beliefs, culture, and educational background of individuals, including those who work in this scenario.

Use of Ancillary Tests When Determining Brain Death in Pediatric Patients in the United States

Although pediatric brain death guidelines stipulate when ancillary testing should be used during brain death determination, little is known about the way these recommendations are implemented in clinical practice. We conducted a survey of pediatric intensivists and neurologists in the United States on the use of ancillary testing. Although most respondents noted they only performed an ancillary test if the clinical examination and apnea test could not be completed, 20% of 195 respondents performed an ancillary test for other reasons, including (1) to convince a family that objected to the brain death determination that a patient is truly dead (n = 21), (2) personal preference (n = 14), and (3) institutional requirement (n = 5). Our findings suggest that pediatricians use ancillary tests for a variety of reasons during brain death determination. Medical societies and governmental regulatory bodies must reinforce the need for homogeneity in practice.

Brain stem death certification protocol

Transplantation of Human Organs is guided by laid down specific Laws in India. The organs which are targeted to be transplanted are liver, kidney and cornea. The waiting list is enormous but the donor pool is meagre. This document has been made with a view that the donor pool can be enlarged by identifying patients who are 'Brain Dead' while still not having 'Cardiac Death'. The steps include the prerequisite conditions which must be satisfied by patients who have suspicion of being brain dead, detailed examination of the patient, confirmation of the Brain Death and Counselling of the relatives for organ donation.

Effect of sufentanil preconditioning on liver apoptosis induced by brain death in rats

AIM: To investigate the effect of sufentanil against liver apoptosis induced by brain death in rats.

METHODS: Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: a sham operation group, a brain death group and a sufentanil group. Activation of cytochrome c (Cyt-c) and Caspase3 was examined by the immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and Western blot. Apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end nick-end labeling assay (TUNEL). Brain death was induced by gradually increasing intracranial pressure (ICP). Sufentanil (10 μg/kg) was injected 1 h before induction of brain death.

RESULTS: Liver tissue samples harvested after brain death showed increased activation of Cyt-c and Caspase3 (P < 0.05). Consistent with this, TUNEL analysis confirmed apoptosis in the liver following brain death. Sufentanil significantly decreases levels of Cyt-c and Caspase3 compared to the brain death group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Sufentanil preconditioning has a protective effect in reducing liver apoptosis induced by brain death in rats.