Discussing Life-sustaining Therapy With Surrogate Decision Makers.
Clinicians caring for patients with severe stroke in intensive care units often grapple with requests from surrogate decision makers for life-prolonging treatment that members of the care team may believe to be futile. An example is a surrogate decision maker's request to place a tracheostomy and feeding tube in a patient who, in the clinical judgment of the neurocritical care team, is very unlikely to recover interactive capacity. This article presents a case, discusses definitions of medical futility, and summarizes recommended steps for mediating conflict regarding potentially inappropriate treatment.
David Y
DY
Hwang
D003422:Critical Care; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008020:Life Support Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome