Indicaciones restrictivas y anestesia

Abstract

Anesthesiologists may deal with ethical dilemmas when looking after Not To Be Resuscitated (NTBR) patients. Sometimes the latters are scheduled to undergo surgical procedures that are palliative in nature. With the advent of the cardio pulmonary resuscitation in the 1960s, new problems arose, such as long resuscitations, quality of life impairment and unnecessary protracted agony. Besides the fear to death and suffering, resuscitation’s dread appeared. In the beginning, the decisión to reject the resuscitation was the physician’s responsability. The development of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) transfered to the patient or to his/her legal surrogates the right to decide about his/her medical treatment, specially at the end of life. This article revised the evolution that allowed to exercise the patient autonomy, as well as the best way to proceed when anesthesia and surgery are necessary to care for a patient with a Do Not Resuscitate Order.