Resuscitation and Withdrawal of Therapy in Pediatric Intensive Care

1 May 1992

journal article
Published by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in Pediatrics

Vol. 89 (5) , 961-963
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.89.5.961

Abstract

Although issues concerning withdrawal and limitation of life support are commonly discussed,^1-6 actual practices in pediatrics are largely unknown and are limited to neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) studies. In the neonatal ICUs at Yale-New Haven Hospital and at Hammersmith Hospital, 14% and 30%, respectively, of all deaths followed withdrawal of care.^7,8 In adult ICUs, limitation and/or withdrawal of therapy is common,⁹ and in one investigation, resuscitation was not attempted immediately before ICU death in nearly two-thirds of cases.¹⁰ Nonetheless, many physicians believe that most hospital deaths occur only after all resuscitative attempts have failed,^6,11,12 and others believe that resuscitative efforts neither are indicated nor desirable in many cases.^1,13

Keywords

RESUSCITATION

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: