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5 pre-requisites for brain death diagnosis

User Imjohsep
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Final answer:

To diagnose brain death, five pre-requisites are followed: permanent and irreversible cessation of all cerebral and brainstem functions, known cause of coma, exclusion of confounding factors, absence of drug effects, and thorough documentation.

Step-by-step explanation:

To diagnose brain death, there are five pre-requisites that are typically followed:

  1. Permanent and irreversible cessation of all cerebral and brainstem functions: The patient's brain activity must be completely absent.
  2. Known cause of coma: The cause of the patient's condition must be clearly identified and understood.
  3. Exclusion of confounding factors: Other conditions that can mimic brain death must be ruled out, such as hypothermia or intoxication.
  4. Absence of drug effects: The patient should not have any drugs or medications in their system that could alter brain function.
  5. All pre-requisites are carefully documented: The diagnosis of brain death should be thoroughly documented and reviewed by multiple physicians.
User Jack Franklin
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