Linked Life Data

8308667

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/8308667

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
9
pubmed:dateCreated
1994-3-14
pubmed:abstractText
We evaluated why and how life support was withheld or withdrawn in surgical neonates. During the study period, January 1988 through December 1991, 529 neonates were admitted, 52 of whom died (10%). Twenty-eight deaths were due to the underlying disease. The other 24 patients died because treatment was withheld or withdrawn. In 15 of 24 (group A, mean stay 9.2 +/- 9.1 days) treatment was initially started but later withdrawn (13/15) because of the severity of congenital anomalies alone (7/12) or congenital anomalies associated with chromosomal anomalies (5/12). In 9 of 24 (group B, mean stay 20.3 +/- 17.3 days) treatment was withdrawn because of serious complications. In all cases often lengthy discussions have led the doctors and nurses together with the parents to chose unanimously for withdrawal of treatment. Mechanical ventilation was the intervention most frequently withdrawn (10/15 group A, 9/9 group B). Vasoactive and other drugs were withheld in 5 patients of group A. Sedatives and analgetics were administrated as supportive care permitting the child to die in a humane way, 17 in the lap of a parent and 7 in the lap of a nurse. We conclude that life-sustaining care is withheld or withdrawn relatively frequently from patients at our ICU. Such decisions are ethical ones, taken in the light of professional and technical expertise. Evaluation of withholding or withdrawal of treatment is difficult but necessary to evolve appropriate decision-making procedures and to formulate humane standards of intensive care.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
pubmed:keyword
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
E
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0022-3468
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
28
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1093-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-18
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1993
pubmed:articleTitle
Withholding and withdrawal of life support from surgical neonates with life-threatening congenital anomalies.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Sophia Children's Hospital, Erasmus University Medical School, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article