Brain death is the irreversible loss of all cerebral and brain stem functions. Brain death is accepted as the medical state of death. Brain death is commonly accepted by the judicial and medical environment in Turkey and worldwide. In the last years, the studies on fınding organ transplantation donors increase the interest in this subject. Objective: We conducted a study to explain the approach to brain death in neurosurgical and neurological applications, and show the importance of the subject. Methods: A 4 page poll about brain death is giyen to 15 neurosurgeons and 15 neurologists randomly chasen in our hospital. The polis are evaluated by making "yes" - "no" lists. Additional interpretations are also added, Results: The criteria used for diagnosis changed extensively between the doctors who answered the poll. Most of them chose dilated pupils existence (93 %), pupillar reflex nonexistence (70 %), corneal reflex nonexistence (83 %), nonexistence of respiration effon when separated from the ventilator (77 %), nonexistence of eye movement with head turns (70 %). A smaller amount chose nonexistence of cough reflex (7 %), no Deep Tendon Reflex (10 % ), nonexistence of retching reflex (17 %), body temperature over 322°C (13 %), or "0" blood barbiturate level (7 %). 13 % did not require EEG and 50 % said one EEG is enough and 37 % said 2 EEGs in 24 hour intervals is enough. Conclusion: These questionnaires show that there is a large variation between the clinicians and there are no well-established criteria about brain death declaration. We need common criterions for brain death diagnosis and also we need a well working system for declaration.
Key words: Brain death, declaration, SPECT, transplantation
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