Brain Death and Heart Transplantation in Korea: A Questionnaire Survey

한국에서의 심장이식수술 - 설문조사를 중심으로 -

Recent social and medical developments have significantly changed both the concept of death and the criteria for its pronouncement. Instead of considering. the heart as central to the determination for death, it is now prevalent to use death of the brain as adequate for death regardless of cardiac function in most western countries. But the brain death theory is not yet legally accepted despite growing public interest in our country due mainly to customary and moral reasons. Subsequently heart transplantation, which necessitates the concept of brain death, still remains a possible surgical entity in the future. As a part of endeavor the evaluate social atmosphere for the legal acceptance of the concept of brain death and the availability of potential heart donors, a four-page questionnaire on brain death and cardiac transplantation was given to the sophomore students of a medical college in Seoul[n=116, group I] and their family members[n=83, group II ]. The groups were chosen under the assumptions that they lacked sophisticated medical knowledge but had general medical interest so reliable data could be obtained. The majority of respondents in both group I and II thought that they knew the concept of brain death[group I 99.1%, group II 93.3%] and the definition of heart transplantation[group I 94%, group II 67.6%] at least to some extent, but only a small proportion of them was proven to have correct knowledge: brain death[74.4%, group II 39. 8%], heart transplantation[group I 31.9%, group II 30.1%]. Most respondents answered in the affirmative for the legal approval of brain death[group I 87.8%, group Il 97.9%]. The possibility of medical usage of brain dead organs was the biggest reason for brain death[group I 52.9%, group Il 47.9%]. Ninety-one percent of group I and 89.1 percent of group II responded that they were willing to give permission for donating the heart of brain-dead family members. Fifty-nine percent of group I and 51.9 percent of group II wanted their own heart donated. These results suggest, despite some inherent sampling limitations, that favorable responses to brain death and heart transplantation can be obtained among the general public if they are properly informed.