Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders in the Operating Room

Abstract

[S]ome institutions have adopted a policy of automatically suspending\nDNR orders during anesthesia and surgery. We do not advocate placing new\nlimitations on patients' autonomy as a prerequisite for surgery. Instead, we\npropose an individualized policy of "required reconsideration" by which\npatients and the responsible care givers would reexamine DNR orders before\nsurgery, whenever possible. We believe this policy would usually result in a\nnegotiated suspension of the orders, with their reinstatement when the orders\nagain became appropriate....