Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2012 Nov;87(11):1098-105.
doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.04.019.

End-of-life care decisions: importance of reviewing systems and limitations after 2 recent North American cases

Christopher M Burkle  1 , Jeffre J Benson
Affiliations
Case Reports

End-of-life care decisions: importance of reviewing systems and limitations after 2 recent North American cases

Christopher M Burkle et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012 Nov.

Abstract

Two recent and unfortunate North American cases involving end-of-life treatment highlight the difficulties surrounding medical futility conflicts. As countries have explored the greater influence that patients and their representatives may play on end-of-life treatment decisions, the benefits and struggles involved with such a movement must be appreciated. These 2 cases are used to examine the present systems existing in the United States and Canada for resolving end-of-life decisions, including the difficulty in defining medical futility, the role of medical ethics committees, and controversies involving surrogate decision making.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

  • Little hope for medical futility.
    Caplan AL. Caplan AL. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012 Nov;87(11):1040-1. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.09.003. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012. PMID: 23127730 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

References

    1. Luce J.M. A history of resolving conflicts over end-of-life care in intensive care units in the United States. Crit Care Med. 2010;38(8):1623–1629. - PubMed
    1. Helga Wanglie, Fourth Judicial District (Distr. Ct., Probate Ct. Div.) PX-91-283, Minnesota, Hennepin County.
    1. Angell M. The case of Helga Wanglie: a new kind of ”right to die” case. N Engl J Med. 1991;325(7):511–512. - PubMed
    1. Barnes court ruling. http://www.thaddeuspope.com/images/Barnes_Court_Ruling_02-04-11.pdf Court file No. 27-GC-PR-111-16. Accessed May 9, 2011.
    1. Olson J. Standard-Examiner. January 31, 2011. End-of-life health care debated in Minnesota case.http://www.standard.net/topics/health/2011/01/31/end-life-health-care-de... Accessed May 9, 2011.

Publication types