Variability in reported physician practices for brain death determination.

Neurology
Sherri A BraksickAlejandro A Rabinstein

Abstract

The degree of training and variability in the clinical brain death examination performed by physicians is not known. Surveys were distributed to physicians (including physicians-in-training) practicing at 3 separate academic medical centers. Data, including level of practice, training received in completion of a brain death examination, examination components performed, and use of confirmatory tests were collected. Data were evaluated for accuracy in the brain death examination, self-perceived competence in the examination, and indications for confirmatory tests. Of 225 total respondents, 68 reported completing brain death examinations in practice. Most physicians who complete a brain death examination reported they had received training in how to complete the examination (76.1%). Seventeen respondents (25%) reported doing a brain death examination that is consistent with the current practice guideline. As a part of their brain death assessment, 10.3% of physicians did not report completing an apnea test. Of clinicians who obtain confirmatory tests on an as-needed basis, 28.3% do so if a patient breathes during an apnea test, a clinical finding that is not consistent with brain death. There is substantial variability in how phy...Continue Reading

References

Apr 3, 2014·Neurocritical Care·Benjamin J MacDougallDavid M Greer
Apr 10, 2015·Neurology·Sarah WahlsterFarrah J Mateen
Apr 23, 2015·Neurocritical Care·Sara HockerEelco F M Wijdicks
Jan 1, 2016·JAMA Neurology·David M GreerEelco F M Wijdicks
Jul 9, 2016·Neurocritical Care·Sherri A BraksickSara Hocker

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Citations

Aug 4, 2020·JAMA Neurology·Ariane LewisThaddeus Pope
Feb 28, 2021·Neurology·Brittany Bolduc LachanceJohn C M Brust
May 18, 2021·Avicenna Journal of Medicine·Sadaf PopalAasim I Padela
Feb 26, 2019·Neurology·James L Bernat, John C M Brust
Nov 30, 2021·The Neurologist·Patrick M ChenJamie Nicole LaBuzetta

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