Abstract
Declaration of brain death is a clinical diagnosis made by the absence of neurological
function in a comatose patient secondary to a known irreversible cause. Brain death
determination is not an infrequent process in pediatric intensive care units. It is
important that pediatric intensive care providers understand the definition of brain
death and intensivists are able to implement brain death testing. The following is
a narration detailing the process of brain death determination by physical examination.
First, the prerequisites that determine patients' eligibility for brain death testing
will be outlined. Next, each part of the physical exam, including the apnea test,
will be described in detail. Finally, how the declaration of brain death is made is
stated. In addition, special considerations and ancillary testing will be briefly
highlighted.
Keywords
pediatric - brain death - exam
