This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Powner, D. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Powner, D. J. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Analytic Reviews : The Diagnosis of Brain Death in the Adult Patient

Address correspondence to Dr Powner, Critical Care Department, Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Inc., 1701 N Senate Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202

The biological tenet upon which brain death is founded is absolute. The brain's inability to undergo cellular divi sion ensures that once individual neurons die they can not be replaced. Extrapolating this to the total brain, once the entire brain is dead no recovery can occur, and the patient's family can be guaranteed of that fact. The clinician, therefore, is faced primarily with a diagnostic challenge in determining that brain death is indeed pres ent. The components, procedures, and limitations of that diagnostic process in the adult patient are the sub jects of this discussion.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. D. Cascino Neurophysiological Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit J Intensive Care Med, July 1, 1988; 3(4): 215 - 223. [Abstract] [PDF]