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Clinical approaches to the withdrawal of nutrition and hydration
1Institute of Complex Neurodisability, Royal Hospital for Neurodisability, London. kandrews@rhn.org.uk
Clinical Medicine (London, England)
|August 27, 2003
Abstract:
The request for withdrawal of nutrition and hydration from the vegetative patient is rare, but when it occurs it causes considerable anxiety for the clinical team. This anxiety is exacerbated by the need to seek a declaration from court that withdrawal of treatment would be legal. This paper discusses the process from the time of the request to the withdrawal of the tube feeding, and the actions the clinical team needs to take.