Document Detail


Brainstem death testing in the UK--time for reappraisal?
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15033886     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: A diagnosis of brainstem death in the UK is based on clinical assessment rather than technical investigations, but is considered rigorous enough to be legally synonymous with death. METHODS: A questionnaire in five sections concerning clinician details, initiation of support, criteria for testing, conduct of the tests, and the process of organ donation, was sent to all members of the Neuroanaesthesia Society. RESULTS: The survey reveals evidence of failure to apply existing guidelines accurately and a wide variation in practice where the recommendations are not specific. CONCLUSIONS: In an era of scrutiny of medical process, it is timely to consider whether the current guidelines should be revisited. Clarification of the approach to biochemical derangement, and the role of confirmatory tests when the residual effect of sedative agents cannot be excluded, are two areas worthy of debate.
Authors:
M D D Bell; E Moss; P G Murphy
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Multicenter Study     Date:  2004-03-19
Journal Detail:
Title:  British journal of anaesthesia     Volume:  92     ISSN:  0007-0912     ISO Abbreviation:  Br J Anaesth     Publication Date:  2004 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2004-04-28     Completed Date:  2004-05-27     Revised Date:  2007-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0372541     Medline TA:  Br J Anaesth     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  633-40     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK. dominic.bell@leedsth.nhs.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Brain Death / diagnosis*
Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological
Great Britain
Guideline Adherence / statistics & numerical data
Health Care Surveys
Humans
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Professional Practice / statistics & numerical data*
Questionnaires*
Respiration, Artificial / utilization
Tissue and Organ Procurement
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Br J Anaesth. 2004 May;92(5):625-8   [PMID:  15113762 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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