Forgoing treatment in an adult with no apparent treatment preferences: a case report.
This article reports in detail an ethics case consultation involving a decision to forgo life-sustaining treatment for a middle-aged man following a "massive" cerebral bleed resulting in profound brain damage, but not unconsciousness. An unusual feature of this case is that, despite normal intelligence, caring family relationships and a history of life-threatening cardiac disease, vigorous and sustained inquiry could not elicit any indications of this patient's values, perceptions or preferences regarding end of life care. Other than a deliberately autobiographical methodological prologue and a few brief comments at the end, the case is presented straightforwardly and without intercurrent analysis.
Price
D M
DM
University of Medicine and Dentistry, Newark, NJ 07103-2714.
D001927:Brain Diseases; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy; D003657:Decision Making; D026822:Ethicists; D017041:Ethics Committees; D033061:Ethics Consultation; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D035501:Uncertainty; D028761:Withholding Treatment