Patients for Whom Resuscitation is Futile

Description

It is futile to resuscitate a person when the person is obviously dead or if the injuries are obviously fatal. Attempting to resuscitate in such a situation is a useless expenditure of money and effort, and it needlessly exposes the responders to possible injury.

Obviously dead:

(1) dependent lividity

(2) rigor mortis

(3) decomposition

Obviously fatal injuries:

(1) decapitation

(2) hemicorporectomy

(3) complete incineration

(4) evisceration of the heart

Unrecoverable injuries:

(1) trauma score of 1 for 10 minutes or more

(2) underwater submersion for more than 2 hours

(3) severe crush injury to head and torso

(4) multiple extremity amputations without signs of life

(5) penetrating cranial injuries with extrusion of brain tissue and no signs of life

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Description

Specialty

ICD-10