Resuscitation Of A Jehovah's Witness With Multiple Injuries Without Blood:
Right To Die?


Background: Informed consent is a moral duty to provide sufficient information for a patient to make an informed and rational choice whether or not to consent to a medical procedure.

Case report: In this report we describe the clinical course of a patient who refused blood transfusion despite multiple serious stab wounds. It is one of the few cases whose resuscitation needs had to be tailored after rejection of transfusion in presence of a life-threatening trauma. The responsible physician had to perform resuscitation without blood transfusion; mainly with normal saline. Practical aspects of patient autonomy and right to refuse treatment in Turkey is discussed as well as the current situation delineated by the laws and other regulations.

Conclusion: To solve this ethical and medicolegal challenge faced in case the patient rejects to be treated in some way, legal regulations need to be deemed in order that the healthcare personnel would not be subject to execution. Laws should also include clear-cut definitions of the right to refuse treatment in such cases.

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