Question

Some people create their Advanced Directives stating that they do not want to be placed on mechanical life support, which includes respirators and it can also include feeding tubes. When in an emergent situation (a severe stroke, a trauma event, etc.) these systems may need to be put in place to allow survival at the time of the emergency situation. This is done in hopes of recovery. What if the patient does not recover? What if they are permanently required to have mechanical life support in order to live? This is in direct opposition of their advanced directives. What about the patient who recovers? Won’t they be thankful for those same life-saving measures? How can anyone know the outcome of the recovery process?

Answer 1

These are pertinent questions which needs to be answered from the perspective of practical sense and also the moral and legal responsibility. So in case of a trauma or any other emergency situation, it is definitely recommended to put the patient under a mechanical life support which enables the patient to live. This should be done even when their advanced directives prescribes otherwise. The simple reason is that every human being should be given a reasonable chance to recover from illness and lead a normal life.

Further course of action should be taken on the basis of measurement of vital signs of the patient, discussing with their family members and also calculating a realistic chance of recovery basis past data and available information about the health of the patient.

In fact sufficient weightage should also be given to the opinion of the patient’s family members and also their ability to bear the financial burden of the life support systems in place. Only when all options seems to have been exhausted and there is a presence of overwhelming amount of evidence which suggest removal of life support systems should these equipment be actually removed. This should be the course of action in spite of the advance directives given by the patient himself because of the value of human life cannot be compromised.