# Brainstem death

Brainstem death

- This is defined as the irreversible loss of  cerebral and brainstem function. Brainstem death is legally equivalent to death, and is a precondition for the harvesting of  organs for transplant from heart-beating donors. /uni25CF identification of  the cause of  irreversible coma; /uni25CF exclusion of  reversible causes of  coma; /uni25CF clinical demonstration of  the absence of  brainstem func tion. In the UK, this entails testing twice, by two clinicians, to demonstrate the absence of: /uni25CF response to pain; /uni25CF respiratory drive (apnoea despite a P CO >6.7 /uni00A0 kPa); 2 /uni25CF pupillary light reflex; /uni25CF corneal reflex; /uni25CF vestibulo-ocular reflex; /uni25CF oculocephalic reflex; /uni25CF gag reflex. Greenberg MS. Handbook of  neurosurgery, 9th edn. New Y ork, NY: Thieme, 2019. Patton J. Neurological di ff erential diagnosis, 2nd edn. New Y ork, NY: - Springer, 1998. Samandouras G. The neurosurgeon’s handbook. Oxford: Oxford Publish - ing, 2010. Brainstem death

- This is defined as the irreversible loss of  cerebral and brainstem function. Brainstem death is legally equivalent to death, and is a precondition for the harvesting of  organs for transplant from heart-beating donors. /uni25CF identification of  the cause of  irreversible coma; /uni25CF exclusion of  reversible causes of  coma; /uni25CF clinical demonstration of  the absence of  brainstem func tion. In the UK, this entails testing twice, by two clinicians, to demonstrate the absence of: /uni25CF response to pain; /uni25CF respiratory drive (apnoea despite a P CO >6.7 /uni00A0 kPa); 2 /uni25CF pupillary light reflex; /uni25CF corneal reflex; /uni25CF vestibulo-ocular reflex; /uni25CF oculocephalic reflex; /uni25CF gag reflex. Greenberg MS. Handbook of  neurosurgery, 9th edn. New Y ork, NY: Thieme, 2019. Patton J. Neurological di ff erential diagnosis, 2nd edn. New Y ork, NY: - Springer, 1998. Samandouras G. The neurosurgeon’s handbook. Oxford: Oxford Publish - ing, 2010. Brainstem death

- This is defined as the irreversible loss of  cerebral and brainstem function. Brainstem death is legally equivalent to death, and is a precondition for the harvesting of  organs for transplant from heart-beating donors. /uni25CF identification of  the cause of  irreversible coma; /uni25CF exclusion of  reversible causes of  coma; /uni25CF clinical demonstration of  the absence of  brainstem func tion. In the UK, this entails testing twice, by two clinicians, to demonstrate the absence of: /uni25CF response to pain; /uni25CF respiratory drive (apnoea despite a P CO >6.7 /uni00A0 kPa); 2 /uni25CF pupillary light reflex; /uni25CF corneal reflex; /uni25CF vestibulo-ocular reflex; /uni25CF oculocephalic reflex; /uni25CF gag reflex. Greenberg MS. Handbook of  neurosurgery, 9th edn. New Y ork, NY: Thieme, 2019. Patton J. Neurological di ff erential diagnosis, 2nd edn. New Y ork, NY: - Springer, 1998. Samandouras G. The neurosurgeon’s handbook. Oxford: Oxford Publish - ing, 2010.