Withdrawing treatment from the hopelessly ill. Part 1: The ethical case

The ICU exists so that critically ill patients can receive highly technical, specialized care which will support physiologic function until recovery can occur. When the patient cannot sustain life without the assistance of technology, and recovery is known to be unlikely, withdrawal of treatment may be appropriate. Nonetheless, withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment is often complex ethically and emotionally. The following case submitted by a DCCN reader illustrates the challenge of treatment withdrawal issues in critical care.