Brain Death: Medical, Ethical, Cultural, and Legal Aspects

Abstract

The development of critical care stimulated brain death criteria formulation in response to concerns on treatment resources and unregulated organ procurement. The diagnosis centered on irreversible loss of brain function and subsequent systemic physiologic collapse and was subsequently codified into law. With improved critical care, physiologic collapse (while predominant) is not inevitable-provoking criticisms of the ethical and legal foundation for brain death. Other criteria have been unsuccessfully proposed, but irreversibility remains the conceptual foundation. Conflicts can arise when families reject the diagnosis-resulting in ethical, cultural, and communication challenges and implications for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Keywords: Brain death; Irreversibility; Medical ethics; Transplantation.