Brain Death Evaluation in Children With Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019

Abstract

Objectives: To discuss the challenges of conducting a death by neurologic criteria or brain death evaluation in the coronavirus disease 2019 era and provide guidance to mitigate viral transmission risk and maintain patient safety during testing.

Design: Not applicable.

Setting: Not applicable.

Patients: Children with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 who suffer catastrophic brain injury due to one of numerous neurologic complications or from an unrelated process and require evaluation for death by neurologic criteria.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Measurements and main results: There is a risk to healthcare providers from aerosol generation during the neurologic examination and apnea test for determination of death by neurologic criteria. In this technical note, we provide guidance to mitigate transmission risk and maintain patient safety during each step of the death by neurologic criteria evaluation. Clinicians should put on appropriate personal protective equipment before performing the death by neurologic criteria evaluation. Risk of aerosol generation and viral transmission during the apnea test can be mitigated by using continuous positive airway pressure delivered via the ventilator as a means of apneic oxygenation. Physicians should assess the risk of transporting coronavirus disease 2019 patients to the nuclear medicine suite to perform a radionucleotide cerebral blood flow study, as disconnections to and from the ventilator for transport and inadvertent ventilator disconnections during transport can increase transmission risk.

Conclusions: When conducting the neurologic examination and apnea test required for death by neurologic criteria determination in patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019, appropriate modifications are needed to mitigate the risk of viral transmission and ensure patient safety.