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Brain death in India
is determined by a series of clinical tests performed by four doctors
independently.
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They are not part of
the transplant team and are neurologists or neurosurgeons who have been
certified by the state authority, the doctor taking care of the patient, as
well as the medical head of the hospital.
·
A series of tests are
conducted to determine brain death, and have been laid out in the Human Organs
Transplantation Act (Form 8).
·
Tests are conducted to
rule out any other reason that could be causing the brain not to function, such
as medical conditions, medication overdose, intoxication (alcohol), depressant
drugs, relaxants (neuromuscular blocking agents) or extreme cold.
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Death is indicated if
the patient cannot breathe without assistance, has no pupil response to light
nor response to pain.
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An apnea test is
performed to determine if the person can breathe on his own.
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Here, the doctors will
disconnect the patient from the ventilator and check blood gas levels.
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A brain dead person
will not breathe on his own and the carbon dioxide levels in his blood gas will
be very high.
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These tests have to be
repeated by all four doctors after six hours to make a final declaration.
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Once brain death has
been declared, there is no chance for recovery.
·
The legal time of
death is when the final diagnosis of brain death has been documented in the
hospital chart.