What can still happen while a person is braindead?

Specialties Neuro

Published

Can someone who has been refered to as brain dead do any of the following...

Spike a fever?

Open their eyes?

Have a seizure?

Get an erection?

Wuzzie

5,116 Posts

Can you give us a little context as to why you want to know this?

Deardawn

4 Posts

I 've had several deaths of family and friends this year, a few were deemed brain dead. The questions are both from my own observations and what I was told by others. I guess I'm just curious.

offlabel

1,557 Posts

You want to know if a few of your several deceased family members this year that were declared brain dead can have an erection?

Moderators, call your office....

Deardawn

4 Posts

What? No that's not what I said. I had one person tell me that they witnessed an erection on a family member that was said to be brain dead. I'm not a pervert, I just want to know if it's possible. Same with the other questions, just want to know what's possible during brain death and what's not.

hoekan01

31 Posts

It is very common for brain dead people to have fevers. That happens a lot and has to be well-controlled in brain death when waiting for organ donation. I have seen dead men get erections, since it is related to blood flow, but I've never seen it in a brain dead patient (although I'm sure it's possible). It's also very likely that it was a lump of catheter tubing or something under a blanket that appeared to be an erection, but wasn't really.

Deardawn

4 Posts

Thank you

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