DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN DEATH - LITERATURE REVIEW

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.1592702215114

• Palavras-chave: “diagnosis”; “death”; “encephalic”.

• Keywords: “diagnosis”; “death”; “encephalic”.

• Abstract:

  Introduction: In Brazil, the criteria for the diagnosis of brain death (BD) are defined by the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) according to resolution 2,173/2017, which defines the condition as the complete and irreversible cessation of cerebral cortical functions and of the brainstem, in addition to the impossibility of maintaining life without artificial resources. Objectives: To present the current diagnostic criteria for BD and discuss the importance of accurate diagnosis of the condition. Methods: Literature review based on articles published in Portuguese, English and Spanish, between 2016 and 2021, from LILACS, SciELO and PUBMED databases. Results: The procedures for determining the EM must be initiated in all patients who present with non-perceptive coma, absence of supraspinal reactivity and persistent apnea, in addition to meeting certain prerequisites. It is mandatory to perform the following procedures to determine BD: two clinical exams, which confirm non-perceptive coma and absence of brainstem function; apnea test, which confirms the absence of respiratory movements after maximal stimulation of respiratory centers; complementary exam that proves the absence of brain activity. Conclusion: The CFM resolution provides great security to establish the diagnosis of BD by demanding that the required steps be carefully followed, in addition to determining that the evaluation be carried out by qualified and experienced professionals, as there can be no doubts or errors regarding to the determination of the ME. It is important to point out that the complementary exams are operator-dependent, which reinforces the importance of the report in these situations being done by a physician specialized in the method.