• Seungyon Koh, Sungju Park, Mijin Lee, Hanki Kim, Won Jung Lee, Jae-Myeong Lee, and Jun Young Choi.
• Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, 164, World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
• Neurocrit Care. 2024 Aug 8.

BackgroundThis study aimed to analyze the current status of brain death/death by neurologic criteria (BD/DNC) determination in Korea over a decade, identifying key areas for improvement in the process.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of data from the Korea Organ Donation Agency spanning 2011 to 2021, focusing on donors whose donations were not completed. The study reviewed demographics, medical settings, diagnoses, and outcomes, with particular emphasis on cases classified as nonbrain death and those resulting in death by cardiac arrest during the BD/DNC assessment.ResultsOf the 5047 patients evaluated for potential brain death from 2011 to 2021, 361 were identified as noncompleted donors. The primary reasons for noncompletion included nonbrain death (n = 68, 18.8%), cardiac arrests during the BD/DNC assessment process (n = 80, 22.2%), organ ineligibility (n = 151, 41.8%), and logistical and legal challenges (n = 62, 17.2%). Notably, 25 (36.8%) of them failed to meet the minimum clinical criteria, and 7 of them were potential cases of disagreement between the two clinical examinations. Additionally, most cardiac arrests (n = 44, 55.0%) occurred between the first and second examinations, indicating management challenges in critically ill patients during the assessment period.ConclusionsOur study highlights significant challenges in the BD/DNC determination process, including the need for improved consistency in neurologic examinations and the management of critically ill patients. The study underscores the importance of refining protocols and training to enhance the accuracy and reliability of brain death assessments, while also ensuring streamlined and effective organ donation practices.© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and Neurocritical Care Society.

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