Heroic measure

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This article is about the term in medicine. For the personal characteristic of heroism, see hero.

In medicine, heroic refers to a treatment or course of therapy which possesses a high risk of causing further damage to a patient's health, but is undertaken as a last resort with the understanding that any lesser treatment will surely result in failure. [1]

Heroic measures are often taken in cases of grave injury or illness, as a last-ditch attempt to save life, limb, or eyesight. Examples include emergency trauma surgery conducted outside the operating room (such as "on-scene" surgical amputation, cricothyroidotomy, or thoracotomy), or administration of medication (such as certain antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs) at dosage levels high enough to potentially cause serious or fatal side effects.[2][3]

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a particularly well-known heroic measure; vigorous chest compressions often result in fracturing one or more of the patient's ribs, but since the alternative is certain death, the technique is accepted as necessary.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary", 2nd Edition, 2004, Houghton Mifflin Company
  2. ^ Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, 3rd Edition, Merriam-Webster, Inc.
  3. ^ "Heroic Measures", Dr. Charles Bardes M.D, AGNI Online Essays, [1]