title: The M3 from the international point of view.
abstract: Deciding to cease treatment in intensive care unit patients whose prognosis is hopeless allows programming the moment of death, and hence, post mortem transplantable organ donation. Such organ donations are more frequent in Anglo-Saxon countries. In the context of growing organ needs, they have significantly increased the number of organs that are available for transplant. Progressive experience has shown that crystal-clear procedures must be set up in order to avoid lack of understanding, opposition, or even conflict between involved medical teams and immediate relatives of potential donors. The decision of organ transplantation must totally be separated from the decision of treatment cessation. Supportive treatment cessation must be done according to previously established procedures. Medications that are compatible with organ transplantation must be listed. Finally, the needs of patient relatives must be met.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, CHR Citadelle and CHU Liege, boulevard du 12(e) de Ligne 1, 4000 Liege, Belgium. Electronic address: francois.damas@chrcitadelle.be.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Damas
authors.affiliation: University Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, CHR Citadelle and CHU Liege, boulevard du 12(e) de Ligne 1, 4000 Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bonhomme
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001926:Brain Death; D003422:Critical Care; D003643:Death; D003657:Decision Making; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D017041:Ethics Committees; D005602:France; D006323:Heart Arrest; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D018447:Medical Futility; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000145:classification*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D052096:Warm Ischemia; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
keywords: DCD procedures; Don d’organes; Don d’organes après mort cardiaque; Intensive care medicine; Organ donation; Soins intensifs