What exactly is “brain dead” - medically speaking?

[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]

Anonymous wrote:OP sounds kinda brain dead to me.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what of the stories of those miraculous "declared brain-dead, then woke up" stories? How do those happen? Obviously someone made a mistake, but how?

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]

Anonymous wrote: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.

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]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Yet we know that people do recover from being brain dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Yet we know that people do recover from being brain dead.

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an old friend who became brain dead after a sepsis infection. They kept him on the ventilator for a couple of weeks and ran several EEGs to check for any brain activity besides the most basic autonomic functions. After two weeks of no electrical activity in the brain, he was declared permanently brain dead and his family chose to take him off life support.

Is this yet another term, permanently brain dead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had an old friend who became brain dead after a sepsis infection. They kept him on the ventilator for a couple of weeks and ran several EEGs to check for any brain activity besides the most basic autonomic functions. After two weeks of no electrical activity in the brain, he was declared permanently brain dead and his family chose to take him off life support.

Is this yet another term, permanently brain dead?

No. It just means the brain death was definitively confirmed. When there is trauma or illness they wait to see if some recovery occurs as the symptoms are treated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had an old friend who became brain dead after a sepsis infection. They kept him on the ventilator for a couple of weeks and ran several EEGs to check for any brain activity besides the most basic autonomic functions. After two weeks of no electrical activity in the brain, he was declared permanently brain dead and his family chose to take him off life support.

Is this yet another term, permanently brain dead?

No. It just means the brain death was definitively confirmed. When there is trauma or illness they wait to see if some recovery occurs as the symptoms are treated.

I’ve seen them wait until the person’s insurance runs out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had an old friend who became brain dead after a sepsis infection. They kept him on the ventilator for a couple of weeks and ran several EEGs to check for any brain activity besides the most basic autonomic functions. After two weeks of no electrical activity in the brain, he was declared permanently brain dead and his family chose to take him off life support.

Is this yet another term, permanently brain dead?

No. It just means the brain death was definitively confirmed. When there is trauma or illness they wait to see if some recovery occurs as the symptoms are treated.

I’ve seen them wait until the person’s insurance runs out.

In most cases they can tell within a few days to a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an old friend who became brain dead after a sepsis infection. They kept him on the ventilator for a couple of weeks and ran several EEGs to check for any brain activity besides the most basic autonomic functions. After two weeks of no electrical activity in the brain, he was declared permanently brain dead and his family chose to take him off life support.

This is exactly what happened to my good friend last year after a massive stroke at 58.