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Brain death is used as an indicator of legal death in many jurisdictions, [6] but it is defined inconsistently and often confused by the public. [7] Various parts of the brain may keep functioning when others do not anymore, and the term "brain death" has been used to refer to various combinations.
Without special treatment after circulation is restarted, full recovery of the brain after more than 3 minutes of clinical death at normal body temperature is rare. [6] [7] Usually brain damage or later brain death results after longer intervals of clinical death even if the heart is restarted and blood circulation is successfully restored ...
The phenomenon has been observed to occur several minutes after the removal of medical ventilators used to pump air in and out of brain-dead patients. [4] It also occurs during testing for apnea—that is, suspension of external breathing and motion of the lung muscles—which is one of the criteria for determining brain death used for example by the American Academy of Neurology.
If the organ donor is human, most countries require that the donor be legally dead for consideration of organ transplantation (e.g. cardiac death or brain death). For some organs, a living donor can be the source of the organ. For example, living donors can donate one kidney or part of their liver to a well-matched recipient. [2]
Brain death is a different condition than persistent vegetative state. [2] Due to better seat belt use, bicycle helmets, and the general decrease in violent crime, there are lower numbers of brain deaths now than historically. Donation after cardiac death (DCD) is a new protocol applied when there is severe neurologic injury but the patient ...
The human skull is used universally as a symbol of death. [1] Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. [2] The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose shortly after death. [3] Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms.
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The certification applies to somatic death, corresponding to death of the person, which has varying definitions but most commonly describes a lack of vital signs and brain function. [9] Death at the level of cells, called molecular death or cell death , follows a matter of hours later. [ 10 ]