X-Message-Number: 11957
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 06:13:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: comment on organ transplant "vultures"

Authors
  McDonald L.
Title
  Determination of brain death via pulsatile
  echoencephalography.
Source
  Journal of Neurosurgical Nursing.  10(4):150-5, 1978 Dec.
Abstract
  For cerebral death to occur there must be many levels of cerebral function
  destroyed. Cortical and subcortical irreversible damage is evident by
  unresponsiveness to any stimuli. Brain stem and basal
  ganglia damage is indicated by absence of spontaneous respirations, cephalic
  reflexes, and thus cerebral circulation. All elements of the criteria for
  cerebral death must be met. The decision should be made by the attending
  physician in consultation with his peers. The life support mechanisms should
  be discontinued after the diagnosis of cerebral death has been made. Absence
  of pulsatile echoes means absence of cerebral circulation and cerebral
  function, or a definitive diagnosis of cerebral death. It is a final
  parameter in the criteria and allows definite measures to be taken. But it
  behooves one to remember that this phenomenon of cerebral death makes organ
  donation and transplantation possible. It has not been
  created in order to supply the needs for organ transplant:

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