MICHAEL A. RIE, M.D.; GEORGE NARDI, M.D.; CHRISTOS ATHANASOULIS, M.D.; ALAN GREENFIELD, M.D.; EDWIN CASSEM, M.D.
To the editor: Lo and Jonsen (1) skillfully point out some of the difficulties involved in the decision to terminate or refuse care in competent, critically ill patients. However, their example case raises troublesome questions regarding the ethical integrity of the medical profession as a whole and specifically that of the health care providers to the described patient.
Laser cauterization of the duodenal ulcer was unavailable. Presumably selective therapeutic angiography with autologous embolic materials was also unavailable (2). Direct instillation of an autologous clot into the blood supply of the duodenal ulcer is curative in approximately 75% of patients not
RIE MA, NARDI G, ATHANASOULIS C, GREENFIELD A, CASSEM E. Clinical Decisions to Limit Treatment. Ann Intern Med. ;94:539–540. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-94-4-539
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© 2018
Published: Ann Intern Med. 1981;94(4_Part_1):539-540.
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-94-4-539