Cook L A, Watchko J F
Department of Pediatrics, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213-3180, USA.
J Perinatol. 1996 Mar-Apr;16(2 Pt 1):133-6.
Our purpose was to review the medical records of 122 infants who died in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to characterize decision making for the critically ill neonate near the end of life. The majority of deaths (72%) were related to some complication of prematurity. Families participated in the decision-making process in 75% of the instances. A decision was made to limit, withdraw, or withhold life-sustaining treatment for 82% of the infants. At the time of decision making, prognosis was judged to be poor or hopeless and the burdens of treatment unacceptable for 90% of the infants. This study confirms that health care providers and families together can confront the ethical decision of whether to continue or forego life-sustaining treatment for the critically ill neonate near the end of life and, in the majority of cases, will choose to limit, withdraw, or withhold such support.
我们的目的是回顾122例在我们新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）死亡的婴儿的病历，以描述生命末期危重新生儿的决策过程。大多数死亡（72%）与早产的某些并发症有关。75%的情况下，家庭参与了决策过程。82%的婴儿做出了限制、撤销或停止维持生命治疗的决定。在做出决定时，90%的婴儿被判定预后不良或无望，且治疗负担难以接受。这项研究证实，医疗保健提供者和家庭能够共同面对是否继续或放弃对生命末期危重新生儿进行维持生命治疗这一伦理决策，并且在大多数情况下，会选择限制、撤销或停止此类支持。
