MAKING PLANS( continued)
Q. Who may authorize a brain donation?
A. Legally, the patient and / or next-of-kin are the people who sign the Autopsy & Research Consent Form( available in our brochure).
If the patient’ s spouse is deceased, the oldest child is considered next-of- kin. In some states, the patient or next-of-kin may sign the consent form prior to death. In other states, consent is not legally binding unless signed after death.
Q. Will there be a need for any other tissue or organ donation?
A. No. In most instances where these diseases are suspected, only brain tissue will need to be examined for diagnosis.
Q. Where is the brain donation performed?
A. If death occurs in a hospital, and if the attending physician has ordered the procedure, the tissue collection will likely be performed in that hospital.
If death takes place in a nursing home, hospice, or at home, then the body will have to be transported to the funeral home, crematorium, hospital, or medical examiner’ s office for the collection to take place. In that case, the funeral home may charge for transport.
54
Q. Can there be an open casket?
A. Yes. Collecting brain tissue for diagnosis and research leaves no disfigurement to the body. You must inform the pathologist or diener( pathologist’ s assistant) that there will be an open casket.
Q. Will it be visibly noticeable that the brain has been removed?
A. Only on close inspection would anyone discover that a brain tissue collection has been performed.
Q. How do I find a pathologist who will perform the brain donation?
A. Please contact the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank coordinator, Rachel LaPaille-Harwood, at lapaille-harwood. rachel @ mayo. edu or 904-953-2439. The Brain Bank has a list of pathologists in the U. S. and Canada to help you locate a professional in your area. You can also ask a funeral director or the patient’ s neurologist.
Q. Are there other ways to definitely confirm a diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease?
A. While clinical diagnosis has been greatly advanced, there is no way to confirm a diagnosis for most of these diseases other than by examining brain tissue.
Q. How long does it take for the autopsy report to be released?
A. Please allow up to 90 days for receiving the results of the autopsy. The report will be sent to the person who is listed as next-of-kin.