Withdrawal of neonatal mechanical ventilation against the parents' wishes

David Isaacs; Henry Kilham; Adrienne Gordon; Heather Jeffery; William Tarnow-Mordi; Janet Woolnough; Julie Hamblin; Bernadette Tobin

doi:10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00861.x

Withdrawal of neonatal mechanical ventilation against the parents' wishes

J Paediatr Child Health. 2006 May;42(5):311-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00861.x.

Authors

David Isaacs¹, Henry Kilham, Adrienne Gordon, Heather Jeffery, William Tarnow-Mordi, Janet Woolnough, Julie Hamblin, Bernadette Tobin

Affiliation

¹ Clinical Ethics Advisory Committee, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. davidi@chw.edu.au

PMID: 16712566
DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00861.x

Abstract

Neonatologists and parents usually agree when intensive treatment should be stopped. We describe the management of two babies where there was disagreement between the parents and hospital staff, and discuss the medical, legal and ethical implications of the two cases.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Dissent and Disputes
Ethics, Medical*
Euthanasia, Passive / ethics*
Euthanasia, Passive / legislation & jurisprudence
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care, Neonatal / legislation & jurisprudence
Life Support Care
Male
Neonatology / ethics*
Neonatology / legislation & jurisprudence
Parents / psychology*
Professional-Family Relations*
Respiration, Artificial*