A 28-year-old man is admitted to ICU following a severe hypoxic brain injury from a near-drowning. On day 10, he has no brainstem reflexes. Brainstem ...

Question

A 28-year-old man is admitted to ICU following a severe hypoxic brain injury from a near-drowning. On day 10, he has no brainstem reflexes. Brainstem death testing is performed. The first set of tests confirms absent brainstem function. The second set is performed 2 hours later and also confirms absent brainstem function. When is the legal time of death?

Accepted Answer

The time the first set of tests was completed - the legal time of death in the UK is the time of completion of the FIRST set of brainstem death tests that confirms brainstem death

Answer

The time the second set of tests was completed

Answer

The time of the cardiac arrest

Answer

The time the patient was admitted to ICU

Answer

The time the ventilator is switched off

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Legal Time of Death