Bioethical analysis of brain death diagnosis, and organs donation in a reference public hospital in the Federal District, Brazil

Abstract

The present study consists of a bioethical analysis of brain death diagnosis in the context of obtaining organs for transplantation in a public hospital in the Federal District of Brazil. The following aspects were analyzed: physicians’ knowledge concerning the criteria established by Resolution number 1,480/97 from the Federal Council of Medicine; the difficulties in observing these criteria; the physicians’ view on the effectiveness and security of brain death diagnosis; the
structure offered by the medical center; and the complementary exams considered safe for the diagnosis under debate. The methodological procedure comprised two moments: 1) the analysis of documents - Brain Death Declaration Forms (BDDF) and Notifications of Potential Donors (NPD) - issued from January/2000 to September/2004; and 2) application and interpretation of questionnaires answered by thirty physicians and residents. The study showed low efficiency of the analyzed hospital in obtaining organs for transplantation. It also showed that the hospital is not prepared to determine brain death with effectiveness and safety, and that brain electroencephalography is the safest complementary exam for that diagnosis.