Proper Timing for Organ Donation After Circulatory Determination of Death

Although standard criteria apply for neurological death, criteria for circulatory determination of death have not been well studied. Researchers conducted a prospective and retrospective observational study to evaluate incidence and timing of resumption of cardiac electrical and pulsatile activity in 631 adults who died after planned withdrawal of life-sustaining measures in 20 intensive care units in Canada, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.

Clinically reported resumption of cardiac activity, respiratory movement, or both, confirmed by waveform analysis, occurred in 5 patients (1%). Review of electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood pressure waveforms, which were available for 480 patients, identified 67 episodes of resumption of cardiac ac…