title: Brain death and management of a potential organ donor in the intensive care unit.
abstract: The concept of brain death developed with the advent of mechanical ventilation, and guidelines for determining brain death have been refined over time. Organ donation after brain death is a common source of transplant organs in Western countries. Early identification and notification of organ procurement organizations are essential. Management of potential organ donors must take into consideration specific pathophysiologic changes for medical optimization. Future aims in intensive and neurocritical care medicine must include reducing practice variability in the operational guidelines for brain death determination, as well as improving communication with families about the process of determining brain death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, LLCI 912, 15 York Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Teddy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, LLCI 912, 15 York Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. Electronic address: david.greer@yale.edu.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Greer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001926:Brain Death / Q000145:classification* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brain death; Communication; Ethics; Intensive care unit; Organ donation