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To: Morgana
From Wiki: Brain death is the irreversible end of brain activity (including involuntary activity necessary to sustain life) due to total necrosis of the cerebral neurons following loss of brain oxygenation. It should not be confused with a persistent vegetative state. Patients classified as brain-dead can have their organs surgically removed for organ donation. Even after brain death, the working of the heart might continue at a slow pace, but there will be no respiratory effort. Brain death is used as a legal indicator of death in many jurisdictions, but it is defined inconsistently. Various parts of the brain may keep living when others die, and the term "brain death" has been used to refer to various combinations. For example, although a major medical dictionary says that "brain death" is synonymous with "cerebral death" (death of the cerebrum), the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) system defines brain death as including the brainstem. The distinctions can be important because, for example, in someone with a dead cerebrum but a living brainstem, the heartbeat and ventilation can continue unaided, whereas, in whole-brain death, only life support equipment would keep those functions going.
12 posted on 12/30/2013 5:22:18 PM PST by JPG (Yes We Can morphs into Make It Hurt.)
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To: JPG
This is an apt definition. Furthermore, if this child did suffer a cardiac arrest,90% do not survive, about 2% of the 10% who do survive are unencumbered by serious medical consequences such as brain dysfunction or other organs dysfunction caused by lack or O2 to the brain.
I did some research on this topic and one abstract I saw showed a brain scan of a brain in which there is blood flow and another in which there is not. If the hospital were to show the parents and family of this girl films such as the ones I saw, perhaps they could better understand what the doctors are trying to get them to understand.
33 posted on 12/30/2013 7:14:42 PM PST by celtic gal
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