[Therapeutic limits and withholding treatment in multiple organ failure].

Indications and limitations in intensive care medicine depend largely on the prognosis of the underlying disease. Quantity and length of therapeutic measures are of minor importance because their prospects of success can hardly be estimated. Scores may not be used for therapeutic decision-making in a given patient. According to our experience only a high number of failing organs (5-6) in very old patients (more than 80 years) as well as major cerebral defects are of significant prognostic value and suitable for decision-making in intensive care medicine.