RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 At the coalface--medical ethics in practice. Futility and death in paediatric medical intensive care.
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 279
OP 281
DO 10.1136/jme.22.5.279
VO 22
IS 5
A1 I M Balfour-Lynn
A1 R C Tasker
YR 1996
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/22/5/279.abstract
AB We have conducted a retrospective study of deaths on a paediatric medical intensive care unit over a two-year period and reviewed similar series from outside the UK. There were 89 deaths out of 651 admission (13.7% mortality). In almost two-thirds of the cases death occurred with a decision to limit medical treatment or withdraw mechanical ventilation, implying that additional or further therapy was considered futile. We highlight this as a crucially important issue in the practice of intensive care. More comprehensive studies are needed to help clinicians derive consensus on what constitutes a futile intervention, and therefore when such an intervention should be withheld. This will help families and society better understand the limitations of intensive care.