Which ASA class describes a declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes?

• A. ASA 5
• B. ASA 6
• C. ASA 3
• D. ASA 2

Answer: (B)

ASA physical status uses a scale to describe a patient’s overall health before anesthesia. For a declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes, the appropriate category is ASA 6. This designation is specifically reserved for brain-dead patients whose organs are being procured for donation. The other levels describe living patients with varying degrees of systemic disease: ASA 5 is for moribund patients not expected to survive without the operation, ASA 3 for a patient with severe systemic disease, and ASA 2 for a patient with mild systemic disease. Placing a brain-dead, organ-donor patient in the highest category reflects the non-survivable status and the unique context of organ retrieval.