Brain Death
Definition
Irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brainstem. Defined under Harvard criteria 1968 and adopted in India under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 1994.
- Definition
- Irreversible loss of all brain function, including brainstem
- Criteria origin
- Harvard criteria, 1968
- Indian statute
- Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994
- Legal use
- Basis for organ retrieval and death certification
Common questions
How is brain death confirmed, as distinct from just being unresponsive?+
Confirmation requires a structured clinical protocol testing brainstem reflexes, such as pupillary and gag responses, apnoea testing, and exclusion of reversible causes like sedation or hypothermia, carried out by qualified physicians rather than a single bedside observation.
Why does the legal definition of brain death matter beyond organ transplantation?+
It fixes the legal time of death, which affects decisions on withdrawing life support, inheritance and succession, and criminal liability in cases where a victim is kept on ventilator support after an assault, since death is deemed to have occurred at brain death, not cardiac arrest.
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