Retrospective investigation of cases diagnosed with brain death

Aims: Early and rapid detection of brain death in intensive care units is important for organ transplantation. This study aimed to evaluate cases diagnosed with brain death. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted by examining the patients diagnosed with brain death in intensive care units of the city hospital between 06.10.2023 and 01.09.2024. Demographic characteristics of the cases, hospitalization diagnoses, clinics where they received treatment, the time from admission to intensive care and the beginning of clinical suspicion of brain death until the report was prepared, additional tests applied, family organ donation rate, donor rate, and the time from the diagnosis of brain death to cardiac arrest in non-donor cases were recorded. Results: 33 patients were diagnosed with brain death. The mean age of the cases was 52.1 and 51.6% of them were male (n=17). 57.6% of the cases had no known comorbid diseases (n=19). The intensive care units where the cases were hospitalized were 36.4% anesthesia (n=12), 36.4% neurosurgery(n=12). The hospitalization diagnosis of the cases was intracranial hemorrhage in 30.4% (n=10), cerebral infarction in 30.4%(n=10). Digital Subtraction Angiography was used in 70% (n=23) for additional supporting tests. Organ donation was made by the family in 12.1% of the cases(n=4), and organs were transplanted in 9% of these cases(n=3). The average time from admission to diagnosis of brain death was 6.66 days. The average time from follow-up of patients thought to have brain death to diagnosis of brain death was 2.03 days. The average time from diagnosis of brain death to cardiac arrest was 31.85 hours ( Conclusion: It is very important to diagnose brain death in order to increase the number of organ transplants from cadavers. In patients who may be potential donors, brain death should be determined quickly, and rapid action should be taken after diagnosis and unnecessary loss of time should be avoided.