I linked it :blushing: because I am a supergeek when it comes to finding out about something that I am interested in and have an opinion on. I have literally spent hours, all night long a few nights reading all kinds of stuff about them. I get obsessed and will study and research and find the answers I need.
It was a fascinating discussion with lots of experienced voices from different areas and it gave a good insight to how similar cases of brain death and reluctant parents are dealt with.
I was particularly interested in this comment"
Tom Bleck: Here in Virginia, and in most states of which I am aware, the diagnosis of death by brain criteria is death, and no legal action can be taken to reverse the diagnosis or to prevent one from discontinuing support which is futile for the patient (and the only purpose of which is to maintain the organs for potential transplantation).
That being said, a family that cannot accept the diagnosis of death by cerebral criteria is, in my experience anyway, unlikely to accede to organ donation within a useable (for the organs) period of time. My own feeling, and practice, has been to put the patient out of the ICU in a regular bed (may require a special dispensation for the ventilator in some hospitals), and allow the family to stay with the corpse for as long as they wish. Without fluids or vasopressors the blood pressure is almost never maintained for more than a day or two. We don't draw blood, do chest films, or anything else except occasional suctioning to decrease the family's distress from the sound of rattling secretions. I know there are many people who think it is wrong to keep ventilating a corpse, but as long as resources are not being diverted from the living and potentially salvagable, I don't see this as a major ethical problem.
The first BBM speaks of the fact that legally most people have no recourse to keep a brain dead person on life support and that the hospital makes the determination and acts accordingly within days, despite the family's reluctance or downright refusal.
The 2nd BBM is interesting because this is the course I would have chose had I been in charge. The family wanted her on the vent, then ok but the inevitable WILL happen and they will HAVE to deal with it. In the mean time they have moved to a private area, out of ICU, not being given special treatment or allowed to interfere with other patients or cause a disruption. This is what should have been done in my opinion. Let nature take its course and provide minimal assistance while that takes place and the family will deal with it hopefully.