You should be able to:
- Define brainstem death
- Explain the preconditions prior to brainstem death testing and red flags associated with these
- Summarise the exclusion criteria for testing including specific physiological values
- Describe the recommended personnel who can perform brainstem death testing and the timings involved
- Explain how the brainstem reflexes and apnoea test are performed
- Describe the nerves and nuclei tested during brainstem reflex testing
- Summarise the role of ancillary tests in brainstem death testing
- Summarise key differences in brainstem death testing in children
- Explain the pathophysiological changes that occur following brainstem death
- Describe how to optimise the potential organ donor following brainstem death
The Guidewire
- Page: Brainstem Death
Guidelines
- AOMRC (2008) - The Diagnosis and Confirmation of Death
- RCPCH (2015 ) - Diagnosis of Death by Neurological Criteria (DNC) in Infants Less Than Two Months Old
Documents
- FFICM / ICS: Form for the Diagnosis of Death using Neurological Criteria
- NHSBT: Donor Optimisation Extended Care Bundle