1) Brain death is defined as irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brainstem. Tests to determine brain death include examining brainstem reflexes and performing an apnea test. 2) Organ donation provides terminally ill patients a new lease on life but organ availability is low in India. Living donors can donate renewable tissues while deceased donors are a major source of organs. 3) For organ donation to occur, all reversible causes of coma must first be excluded through testing and the diagnosis of brain death must be certified by a board of medical experts according to the law.

1. BRAIN DEATH
AND ORGAN
DONATION
DR. AYUSH KUMAR
GENERAL MEDICINE- JR1
MGMMC AND LSK HOSPITAL

2. “An individual who has sustained either
irreversible cessation of circulatory and
respiratory functions, or irreversible cessation of
all functions of the entire brain, including the
brainstem. “
Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA)

3. Neuronal Injury Neuronal Swelling
Decreased Intracranial
Blood Flow
Increased Intracranial
Pressure
ICP>MAP is
incompatible with
life

4. Where Brain Stem Death (BSD) is suspected, it
is highly desirable to confirm this by Brain Stem
Testing:
• To eliminate all possible doubt regarding
survivability
• To confirm diagnosis for families
• In cases subject to medico-legal scrutiny
• To provide choice regarding organ donation

5. Neurologic
Cardiovascular
Pulmonary
Endocrine
Hypothermia
Metabolic
Proinflammatory
state
Death is a continuous ongoing process, not an isolated event.
Total loss of neurophysiological functions of the brain for more than
8 minutes confirms the total and irreversible loss of brain function.

6. In India, according to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act
[TOHO 1994 (Sub section 6 of Section 3)], “Brainstem death”
means the stage at which all functions of the brainstem have
permanently and irreversibly ceased and is so certified by a
“Board of Medical Experts” consisting of:
◾ The Medical Superintendent (MS) in charge of the hospital in
which “brainstem” death has occurred.
◾ A specialist, nominated by the MS in charge of the hospital, from
a panel of names approved by the Appropriate Authority.
◾ A neurologist or neurosurgeon, nominated by the MS in charge of
the hospital, from a panel of names approved by the appropriate
authority.

7. Brain death should not even be thought of until the
following reversible causes of coma have been
excluded:
◾ Intoxication (alcohol)
◾ Drugs, which depress the central nervous system
◾ Muscle relaxants
◾ Primary hypothermia (by measuring rectal temperature)
◾ Hypovolaemic shock (by sequential measurement of
blood pressure)
◾ Metabolic and endocrine disorders. Hypernatremia and
diabetes insipidus is more often the effect rather than

8. ◾ Brainstem
 Pupils
▪ ≥4-9mm, unresponsive to light* (enquire about Rx given)
 Corneals
▪ Movement of jaw or lids excludes NDD
 Vestibulo-ocular responses
▪ OCR (Doll’s)
▪ Caution if trauma
▪ Cold calorics
 Pharyngeal
▪ Stimulate posterior pharynx
▪ Suction the ETT
▪ Depress larynx, swallow reflex
 Apnea test

9. ◾ Normal response = eyes always
gaze up towards roof
◾ Rapid, but steady movements and
observe for direction of gaze
 Activates vestibular system
ipsilateral to head thrust
horizontal gaze
▪ Communicates with contralateral
center (CN VI)
“orchestrating” the action of the eyes
▪ Simultaneously dampens contralateral
vestibular tone, etc.
Avoided in the setting of
a patient with questionable
stability of the cervical
spine

10. ◾ 30° to the horizontal
◾ Minimum of 50cc of ice cold water into the
inner ear canal
 Ensure no perforated tympanic membrane before
instilling water
 Use kidney basin, prop up beside ear
◾ Start observing for eye deviation rapidly; eye
movements should be absent for 1 minute
◾ Minimum of 5 minutes before evaluating
contralateral side

11. ◾ Prerequisites
 Normal core body temperature
 Systolic Blood Pressure > 90
 Normal PaCO2 (~35-45 mm Hg)
▪ So, draw ABG right before starting the test.
 Absence of any other underlying conditions that
could confound diagnosis by mimicing brain death or
suppressing respiratory drive

12. ◾ Pre-oxygenate with 100% Oxygen for 30 min.
◾ Connect a pulse-ox, then disconnect ventilator.
◾ Place a nasal cannula at the level of the carina;
give 100% Oxygen at 6-8L/min. during test.
◾ Watch closely for respiratory movements (any
abdominal or chest movement that represents
respiratory effort)
◾ Draw ABG ~10 minutes and reconnect
ventilator.

13. ◾ The apnea test is POSITIVE (i.e., supports the
diagnosis of brain death) if:
 There are no respiratory efforts during the test
AND
 Repeat ABG shows PCO2 > 60 mm Hg.

14. ◾ The apnea test is INDETERMINATE if:
 after 10 minutes, the patient demonstrates no
respiratory effort, but the PCO2 is < 60 mm Hg.
◾ The apnea test is NEGATIVE (i.e., does NOT
support the diagnosis of brain death) if:
 the patient demonstrates any respiratory effort at any
time during the test.
▪ Cease the test and reconnect the ventilator immediately upon
observing respiratory effort.

15. ◾ If severe lung disease
 Caution must be exercised in considering the
validity of the apnea test
 If in the physician’s judgment, there is a history
suggestive of chronic respiratory insufficiency
and responsiveness to only supranormal levels of
carbon dioxide, or if the patient is dependent on
hypoxic drive.
 If the physician cannot be sure of the validity of the
apnea test, an ancillary test should be administered.

16. Cerebral Angiography
◾ No intracerebral filling at the level of the
carotid bifurcation or circle of Willis.
◾ The external carotid circulation is patent,
and filling of the superior longitudinal
sinus may be delayed.

17. Normal Brain Death
Isotope scan:
•Technetium-99m hexamethyl propylene amine oxime brain scan
shows no uptake of isotope in brain parenchyma (“hollow skull
phenomenon”).
•Radionuclide cerebral scanning cannot document absence of flow in
the vertebrobasilar circulation.

18. “Hollow-skull sign”
of brain death
Cerebral metabolism
globally reduced ~50%
Normal

19. ◾ A silent EEG, for example, can be consistent
with brain death. It can also be consistent with
pharmacological influence (i.e., anesthesia) or
drug intoxication.
◾ By contrast, EEGs don’t always “confirm” brain
death.
 There can be minor transient EEG activity even in the
setting of clinical brain death.
 Electrical artifacts on EEG in the ICU setting have
been described.

20. ◾ Children should be the same as those in adults.
◾ All these tests may be carried out twice, at an
interval of at least 6 hours according to the
internationally accepted protocol.
◾ As children are more resilient than adults, a longer
time between assessments has been advocated and
this varies according to patient’s age as follows:
◾ Term to 2 months old—48 hours
◾ Greater than 2 months to 1 year old—24 hours
◾ Greater than 1 year to less than 18 year old—12
hours
◾ Greater than 18 year old—interval optional.

21. ◾ The patient must demonstrate no response to
any stimulation.
 Spontaneous movement is almost always absent.
any posturing, etc.,
function and is not
◾ Seizures,
indicates
consistent
shivering,
brainstem
with the determination of brain
death.
◾ The presence of spinal reflexes does not
exclude brain death, but if there is any doubt
then the diagnosis of brain death should be
withheld.

22. ◾ Persistent Vegetative State
◾ Locked-in Syndrome
◾ Minimally Responsive State

23. ◾ Normal Sleep-Wake Cycles
◾ No Response to Environmental Stimuli
◾ Diffuse Brain Injury with Preservation of
Brain Stem Function

24. Ventral Pontine Infarct
 Complete Paralysis
 Preserved Consciousness
 Preserved Eye Movement

25. ◾ Diffuse or Multi-Focal Brain Injury
◾ Preserved Brain Stem Function
◾ Variable Interaction with Environmental
Stimuli

26. ◾ Sweating, Blushing
◾ Deep Tendon Reflexes
◾ Spontaneous Spinal Reflexes- Triple Flexion
◾ Babinski Sign
◾ Motor responses (“Lazarus sign”) may occur
spontaneously during apnea testing, often during hypoxic
or hypotensive episodes; they are of spinal origin. They
include spontaneous movements of limbs other than
pathologic flexion or extension response and
respiratorylike movements

27. ◾ Organ donation has been one of the greatest
advances of modern science that has resulted in
many patients getting a renewed lease of life.
◾ It means that a person pledges during his
lifetime that after death, organs from his/her
body can be used for transplantation to help
terminally ill patients and giving them a new
lease of life.

28. ◾ In India every year nearly 500,000 people
die because of non-availability of organs and
this number is expected to grow due to
scarcity of Organ Donors.
Organ Donation

29. Corneal blindness is very common in India.
More than 3 million cases in India.
60% are <12 years age group.
Only 1.5 lakh/year corneal donations in India.

31. 1)living related- donor remains alive and donates
a renewable tissue, cell, or fluid (e.g. blood,
skin), or donates an organ or part of an organ
2)living non related(brain death and cadeveric
donor)-In brain- dead organs are kept viable by
ventilators or other mechanical mechanisms
until they can be excised for transplantation.

32. Kidney
Blood
BoneL
m
un
ag
rr
sow
Part of liver Liver
Part of Pancreas
Living Donor

33. ◾ Commonly donated organs from brain death
are –kidney ,cornea ,heart, lung, liver,
pancreas, skin.
◾ Cadeveric donar-Tissues may be recovered
from donors up to 24 hours past the cessation
of heartbeat.
◾ Cadeveric donar are major source of organs
and tissues.

34. Organ Donation- types
Brain Death
Brain dead persons are kept on artificial support
(ventilators) to maintain oxygenation of organs so
that the organs are in healthy condition until they
are removed.
Most cases of brain death are the end result of
head injuries or brain tumor patients from
Intensive care units.
It is possible to donate all organs in the case of Brain death.

35. Cardiac Death
Due to the lack of circulation of blood the vital
organs quickly become unusable for
transplantation.
However, if the person is on a ventilator and if it
is medically clear that the person cannot survive,
then the family can consider Organ donation for
certain vital organs.
Such donations typically take place in the operating room.
Organ Donation- types

36. ◾ Almost everywhere organ donation is voluntary-
Two voluntary systems include –
1.Opt In - Where the donor gives consent
2.Opt Out - Where anyone who has not refused is
considered as a donor
In India we have the Opt in system, while many
western countries practice the opt out system

37. changing its name from ‘Transplantation
Human Organs Act’ to ‘Transplantation
◾ It is proposed to amend the THO Act by
of
of
Human Organs & Tissues Act’
◾ Law will broaden the definition of ‘near relative’
to include grandparents, grandchildren, uncles
and aunts.
◾ Also, not-so-close relatives who have stayed
with the patient can donate organs, provided
there is no commercial dealing.

38. ◾ Hospital Organ Donation Registry
(HODR)coordinates the process of cadaver organ
donation
◾ During lifetime, a person can pledge for organ
donation by filling up a donor form in the
presence of two witnesses, one of who shall be a
near relative and send the same to HODR
◾ The organ donor form could be obtained from
HODR either personally or through mail

40.  Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C may be acceptable for
HBV/C recipients
 IV drug abuse or practicing homosexual
 Untreated bacterial, fungal or viral infection (treated
infection may be considered)
 Malignancies other than primary brain tumours and
nonmelanoma skin cancers

41. ◾ 10-20% donors are lost to cardiovascular collapse
as patient evolves to brain death
Volume Depletion in BD
◾ Causes multifactorial
 Underlying medical condition – blood loss, etc
 Prior management – osmotic therapy for ICP
 Neuro-hormonal cascade
 Capillary Leak
 Diabetes Insipidus
◾ 50% of potential BD donors are volume responsive

43. ◾ Heart: 4-6 hours
◾ Lungs: 4-6 hours
◾ Liver: 12 hours
◾ Pancreas: 12-18
hours
◾ Kidneys: 72 hours
◾ Small Intestines: 4-6
hours

44. THANK
YOU