Kennisdossier
Knowledge dossier Brain death
The term brain death is regularly used incorrectly. This can cause unrest. To determine brain death, doctors always use the brain death protocol. This is carried out very carefully.
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In the Netherlands, this is the definition: brain death is the complete and irreversible loss of brain functions, including the brainstem and the medulla oblongata.
Someone who is brain dead is no longer able to send signals to the body via the brain. As a result, independent thinking, hearing, or feeling is no longer possible. Someone is truly dead. Brain death can be the result of a brain hemorrhage or a serious accident.
When someone with severe brain injury passes away in a hospital intensive care unit, they are usually on a ventilator. If someone is brain dead and is on a ventilator, the heart is still beating, but the brain is no longer functioning. The heart would stop if the ventilator were disconnected. Through the ventilation, the organs still receive oxygen, and the organs of this brain-dead patient may be suitable for donation. About half of the patients who donate organs after death are brain dead.
The brain death protocol
The brain death protocol is followed if there is a question of organ donation and there is a suspicion of brain death. A patient is only declared brain dead after a team of specialized doctors has verified this via a fixed step-by-step plan.
Diligence in the execution of brain death
Explanation by neurologists
Discussions about brain death and its determination flare up from time to time. This can lead to unrest and confusion. Neurologist-intensivist Michael Kuiper and neurologist Rob Rouhl clarify this and explain how the brain death protocol is carried out.
Information and figures
Public information
What is brain death? We often receive questions about this. See how we explain this topic to the public at orgaandonatie.nl.
Figures
View the figures on organ donation. You can filter by DCD and DBD (brain death)
Figures
of organ donors were DBD donors in 2025.
The brain death protocol consists of 5 steps, all of which must be completed.
people donated organs after brain death in 2025 (DBD donors).
Brain death explainer
Are you really dead when you are brain dead? In this explainer, you get a clear explanation of what brain death is and an accessible overview of the brain death protocol.
Frequently asked questions about brain death
Why are there stories circulating about patients who recovered from brain death?
In the Netherlands, we strictly adhere to the protocol and multiple medical professionals are involved in completing the brain death protocol.
However, there are regular misunderstandings. This can be due to several factors:
- MiscommunicationDoctors have spoken about (a possible) brain death, but it had not yet been established. If the protocol had been started for such a patient, it would have been stopped at a step showing that there was no brain death.
- Confusion about the terms coma and brain death
In common parlance, coma and brain death are confused. A patient can wake up from a coma, but with brain death, you are truly dead. - International differences in details
The brain death protocol differs in details in other countries, but it is always a strict protocol. However, it is possible that errors or violations of the protocol have occurred.
Is it possible to recover from brain death?
No. If someone is brain dead, recovery is no longer possible. Brain death is irreversible and it means that the patient has died.
Publication about brain death?
Are you publishing about brain death and want to verify if your information is correct? We are happy to help you further or can put you in touch with medical professionals in this field.
tel: 06 82 85 04 71; or email: persvragen@transplantatiestichting.nl