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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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85 Years. Detected Stopped Brain Activity, Off Life Support. Presence Of Breathing. Any Ideas?

My mom stop breathing and her heart stopped. It took 15 minutes to revived her. Dr's say there is no brain activity. So we took her off life support, however, she is still breathing. They are now telling us we will have to take her to calvary. It's been since sunday since we took her off. She is 85. What I don't understand is, if there is no brain activity, how is it that she is still breathing, although her breathing has slowed down. They keep telling us is in God's hands and she will eventually pass on.
posted on Mon, 23 Sep 2013
Twitter Mon, 23 Sep 2013 Answered on
Twitter Mon, 23 Sep 2013 Last reviewed on
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Nephrologist,  's  Response
Hello

Thanks for the query

It looks like your mom has suffered from a very unfortunate hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which is nothing but brain injury due to reduced blood supply to the brain. She is still breathing because of the respiratory centre of the brain is still intact and has not been affected.

I hope I was of help and I am sorry to hear about your mom

Regards
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85 Years. Detected Stopped Brain Activity, Off Life Support. Presence Of Breathing. Any Ideas?

Hello Thanks for the query It looks like your mom has suffered from a very unfortunate hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which is nothing but brain injury due to reduced blood supply to the brain. She is still breathing because of the respiratory centre of the brain is still intact and has not been affected. I hope I was of help and I am sorry to hear about your mom Regards