Analysis of patients' rights: dementia and PEG insertion.
The decision to provide or withhold artificial feeding in patients with advanced dementia presents a multifaceted ethical dilemma. This article analyses the issues of rights regarding such patients and explores the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, respect/autonomy, justice and veracity. Evidence points strongly to hand-feeding being the method of choice for these patients (Finucane et al, 1999; Li, 2002). However, for each case there is no right or wrong answer and the physical and psychological wellbeing of the individual patient must be taken into account.
Dennehy
Christine
C
PEG Team on Endoscopy, Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool.
D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D028701:Patient Rights