Deciding not to Operate in Head Injuries and Legal Considerations.
- Author:
Il CHOI
1
;
Kyeong Seok LEE
;
Jai Joon SHIM
;
Weon Rim CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University, Chonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea. ksleens@hotmail.com
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Withholding treatment;
Decision making;
Resuscitation orders;
Legislation and jurisprudence;
Medical futility;
Craniocerebral trauma
- MeSH:
Craniocerebral Trauma*;
Decision Making;
Head*;
Heart;
Humans;
Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic;
Medical Futility;
Resuscitation Orders;
Withholding Treatment
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2007;42(2):135-140
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
It is not the best way to treat a hopeless patient with life-sustaining medical devices until the heart beats stop. Advanced medical technology may prolong the life for a significant period without recovery from the disease. However, it would give an unbearable economic burden to the family and the society. In 2006, we decided not to operate 9 patients with traumatic intracranial hematomas. We examined those patients with special references to possible legal and ethical problems. It is reasonable to withhold a treatment after documentation that the family never wants any life sustaining treatment when the treatment does not guarantee the meaningful life.
