Brain death. Brain-dead patient on a life-support system. Brain death is an irreversible loss of function of the brain stem with subsequent loss of ce

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Brain death. Brain-dead patient on a life-support system. Brain death is an irreversible loss of function of the brain stem with subsequent loss of certain reflexes including respiration. An electro -encephalogram (EEG) may still detect activity in the cerebral cortex and the heart may continue to beat, although cardiac arrest within days is inevitable. Spinal reflexes, including limb move- ments, may also persist after brain death. This contrasts with the vegetative state in which the brain stem still functions but the cerebral cortex does not: patients in this state may survive for many years. This patient's brain death was due to cerebral malaria. Photographed in Vietnam.

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Size: 3818px × 2480px
Photo credit: © SUE FORD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: brain, care, death, equipment, healthcare, intensive, life, life-support, malaria, medical, medicine, patient, support, system, systems, technique, unit, vietnam, world