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* From the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, the
Division of Neurology, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec; and the
Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Medicine and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Address correspondence to: Dr. Sam D. Shemie, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, 2300 Tupper Street, Montreal, Quebec H3H 1P3, Canada. Phone: 514-412-4400, ext. 22696. E-mail: sam.shemie{at}muhc.mcgill.ca
Purpose: Variability has been reported in the practices to determine death by neurological criteria for adults and children. The objective of this study was to determine if this variability exists in the Canadian context.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of the Canadian intensive care units (ICUs) involved in the care of potential organ donors, and Canadian organ procurement organizations (OPOs) was undertaken. We contacted the medical directors of these units and asked them to provide their guidelines for the neurological determination of death (NDD). A framework, which identifies key diagnostic criteria for NDD, was used to assess the content of all study documents.
Results: With a response rate of 68%, we found that key diagnostic criteria for NDD were incorporated inconsistently in the guidelines from Canadian ICUs and OPOs. Areas of concern include omissions in: the testing of brainstem reflexes; components of the apnea test; indications for the use of supplementary testing; wait intervals prior to performing the first NDD examination; the definition of NDD; and potential confounding factors. In addition, inconsistencies were found pertaining to wait intervals required between examinations and the legal timing of death.
Conclusion: These findings reinforce the need to standardize the practice of the neurological determination of death in Canadian centres, which has the potential to reduce practice variation. Clear medical standards for NDD augment the quality, rigour and credibility of this determination.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  D. M. Greer, P. N. Varelas, S. Haque, and E. F.M. Wijdicks Variability of brain death determination guidelines in leading US neurologic institutions Neurology, January 22, 2008; 70(4): 284 - 289. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 D. J. Doyle Must the entire brain be dead to diagnose brain death? Can J Anesth, October 1, 2006; 53(10): 1061 - 1061. [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. D. Shemie Brain arrest to neurological determination of death to organ utilization: the evolution of hospital-based organ donation strategies in Canada/De l'arret cerebral a la determination neurologique de la mort et a l'utilisation d'organes : l'evolution du don d'organes en milieu hospitalier au Canada. Can J Anesth, August 1, 2006; 53(8): 747 - 752. [Full Text] [PDF]
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E. F. M. Wijdicks The clinical criteria of brain death throughout the world: why has it come to this?/Les criteres cliniques de mort encephalique a travers le monde : pourquoi en arriver la ? Can J Anesth, June 1, 2006; 53(6): 540 - 543. [Full Text] [PDF]
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C. J. Doig, K. Young, J. Teitelbaum, and S. D. Shemie Brief survey: Determining brain death in Canadian intensive care units: [Enquete ponctuelle : la determination de la mort encephalique dans les unites de soins intensifs au Canada] Can J Anesth, June 1, 2006; 53(6): 609 - 612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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