title: [Mechanical ventilation and medical futility or dysthanasia, the dialectic of high technology in intensive medicine].
abstract: Dysthanasia or any of its synonyms is a consequence of excessive technical science, without any reasonable chance of achieving a therapeutic benefit for the patient. Medical futility is a distressing ethical dilemma of intensive care medicine. Its recognition has led to a precept support in various institutions and organizations. Not withdrawing or withholding mechanical ventilation in certain circumstances can be considered as a paradigmatic model of medical futility. The understanding of this posture implies a philosophical approach and reflexion of medical practice.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Pneumologia do Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics*; D003675:Defensive Medicine / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000941:ethics*; D018447:Medical Futility; D012121:Respiration, Artificial