A Fate Worse Than Death: Prognostication of Devastating Brain Injury

Conclusions: Intensivists should consider the modern literature describing prognosis for devastating brain injury and provide appropriate time for patient recovery and for discussions with the patient’s surrogates. Surrogates wish to have a prognosis enumerated even when uncertainty exists. These discussions must be handled with care and include admission of uncertainty when it exists. Respect for patient autonomy remains paramount, although physicians are not required to provide inappropriate medical therapies.
Source: Critical Care Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Concise Definitive Review Source Type: research