Forum Index
»
Health and Medicine
What exactly is “brain dead” - medically speaking?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
Why don't you tell us what happened. Otherwise it's hypotheticals and speculation. But bottom line is you CANNOT come back from being brain dead. |
Anonymous
Then why didn’t they just stick with “dead”? |
Anonymous
Your body is still alive. Your brain is dead. Someone has to make a choice at that point. |
Anonymous
The body is alive because of the machines, only? Sorry, np, but I have wondered this too. If the brain is dead, it can't direct breathing, heartbeat, etc., correct? So on the machines, they're brain dead, off the machines, they're dead? |
Anonymous
The PP 2 posts back is not really correct… if you’re brain dead you’re dead… the body is not still alive. You can’t have the brain dead and the body alive at the same time.And to answer the other PP’s question, “why is it even a term and why don’t they use just the term dead” is because if you read the link provided before it outlines how we are using life prolonging measures such as ventilators that make it appear the person is alive when they’re not. The person‘s body cannot breathe on its own, but the machine is doing it for them. Typically a person is kept on life prolonging measures as long as there is still brain function, while the brain is still alive. If a person is in coma, they are still alive, there’s brain function, but their body is not ready to function on its own. That’s different. Brain alive. There are tests that doctors do to on whether the brain is receiving blood/oxygen and can send signals to the rest of the body. When it can no longer do that they say you are brain dead and that point it’s time to take you off the life prolonging measures like a ventilator. OP I’m not sure how we can be more clear. |
Anonymous
|
OP, you keep asking questions, and with what reads as increasing urgency. You apparently will have to give details of why you are asking -- whether for a school assignment, or details of a real life incident -- to get the answer you need. We are answering what you asked, but it isn't enough. We can't read your mind to figure out what you are really asking. |
Anonymous
| OP sounds kinda brain dead to me. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
You’re confusing “persistent vegetative state” with brain dead. No one recovers from brain death. People in persistent vegetative states can improve and some do, even after a significant amount of time. PVS = limited brain activity, no true awareness Brain dead = no brain activity at all |
Anonymous
| Brain dead is when the brain has no function but the body is kept artificially going by machines. I had a parent go through a brain death diagnoses and it required the family to watch them testing, repeat testing by different doctors, and then a decision on what to do. Since my parent wanted to be an organ donor, they were kept on those machines until organ recipients were found and ready for a transfer. I've heard people claim organ donation encourages the diagnosis of brain death but that was not my experience at all, and no one mentioned organ donation to us until we asked. |
Anonymous
I’m very sorry your family has experience with this. What a devastating loss for you, but also, what priceless gifts your parent gave to others. Thank you for sharing your experience. |
Anonymous
| I think that’s when the brain stem is still functioning at some level but there isn’t a way for the brain to recover. |
Anonymous
Yet we know that people do recover from being brain dead. |
Anonymous
No, a person cannot recover from brain death, as it signifies the irreversible cessation of all brain functions, including the brainstem, and is considered a final state of death. If you think you know of a case like this either you are mistaken or the diagnoses was wrong. |
Anonymous
| It’s like OP has never watched a medical drama on TV. |