Abstract

MACHADO, Calixto; PEREZ-NELLAR, Jesús  and  SCHERLE, Claudio. Diagnostic criteria of encephalic death according to Resolution 90 from Health Public Ministry. Rev cubana med [online]. 2009, vol.48, n.4, pp.213-225. ISSN 0034-7523.

Authors showed the death diagnostic criteria legally based in our country, according the Resolution 90 of the Public Health Ministry. Three possible scenarios were considered to diagnose the death: out of intensive care (without vital support). Physicians apply the classic cardio-circulatory and respiratory criteria; in forensic situations the so-called cadaveric signs are applied; in intensive care conditions (with vital support) it is when the criteria to determine the irreversible loss of brain functions are applied, i.e. a diagnosis of brain death is made. However, that no means that there are different types of death, since the National Commission for death assessment and certification concluded that there is only a death in the human being, and it is when happen a irreversible loss of brain functions. A cardio-respiratory arrest only leads to death when anoxia and ischemia are enough prolonged to destroy the intracranial structures, considering also the possibility that subject be or not under the neuroprotection effect, like in the cases of accidental hypothermia. In such Resolution the physicians may to see the methods to diagnose the death grouped in the so called "true signs of death" considered in the classic texts of forensic medicine, summarized in 9 signs. The true sign # 9 is to refer to the irreversible loss the brain functions, i.e. brain death diagnosis, described in this paper.

Keywords : Death; encephalic death; true signs of death; confirmative proofs; resolution.