Dr. Zaffer Qasim interviews expert panelists Dr. David Fischer and Dr. Matthew Kirschen about a particularly challenging aspect of critical care medicine - brain death testing. National guidance surrounding this topic has recently been updated, and it is imperative that critical care clinicians understand the intricacies of this important evaluation.

References:

1. Greer DM, Kirschen MP, Lewis A, Gronseth GS, Rae-Grant A, Ashwal S, Babu MA, Bauer DF, Billinghurst L, Corey A, Partap S, Rubin MA, Shutter L, Takahashi C, Tasker RC, Varelas PN, Wijdicks E, Bennett A, Wessels SR, Halperin JJ. Pediatric and Adult Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria Consensus Guideline. Neurology. 2023 Dec 12;101(24):1112-1132. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207740. Epub 2023 Oct 11. Erratum in: Neurology. 2024 Feb 13;102(3):e208108. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000208108. PMID: 37821233; PMCID: PMC10791061. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207740

Kirschen MP, Lewis A, Greer DM. The 2023 American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pediatrics, Child Neurology Society, and Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric and Adult Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria Determination Consensus Guidelines: What the Critical Care Team Needs to Know. Crit Care Med. 2024 Mar 1;52(3):376-386. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000006099. Epub 2023 Nov 3. PMID: 37921516. https://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/abstract/2024/03000/the_2023_american_academy_of_neurology,_american.3.aspx