Experiences of parents of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome during their treatment: a qualitative study.

Aim: To investigate the opinion and personal experience of parents of children born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and what advice they would give to other parents who have to decide between treatment options.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative, descriptive and retrospective study by means of a survey directed to parents of children born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in a tertiary hospital in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Their answers and data regarding medical procedures were analysed.

An Ethical Pathway to Quality of Life in Critically Ill Newborns.

Advances in perinatology have permitted the survival of fragile neonates. Quality of life (QoL) has been considered a key element in medical decision-making. In this review we analyse the role of QoL regarding the decision of withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment (LST).

Attitudes of Argentinean Neonatologists toward Resuscitation of Infants with Trisomies 21, 18, and 13: A Multicenter Survey.

Objective: This study was aimed to explore the attitude of Argentinean neonatologists in the delivery room on resuscitating infants with trisomies.

Study Design: An anonymous questionnaire was completed by neonatologists staffing level-III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) on resuscitation of children with trisomies 21, 18, and 13. Potential sociocultural factors influencing the decision to resuscitate were included.

Limitation of life-sustaining treatment in NICU: Physicians' beliefs and attitudes in the Buenos Aires region.

Objective: To explore the ethical beliefs and attitudes of Argentinean neonatologists regarding limitation of life-sustaining treatment (LST) for very sick infants.

Methods: We used an anonymous questionnaire including direct questions and hypothetical clinical cases (inevitable demise and anticipated survival with severe long-term disability). Multivariable analysis was carried out to assess the relation between type of clinical case and physicians' LST attitudes.

Ethical issues about the paradigm shift in the treatment of children with trisomy 18.

Until recently, trisomy 18 was considered a disease incompatible with life, with a high percentage of electively terminated pregnancies. The usual behavior was denial of treatment. But some medical interventions have changed the survival of children.

Opinions of Argentinean neonatologists on the initiation of life-sustaining treatment in preterm infants.

Background: In June 2014, the Argentinean Ministry of Health published guidelines for the management of neonates born at the limit of viability (≤25 weeks of gestation). We explored the opinion of neonatologists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, regarding the initiation of life-sustaining treatment (LST) in critically ill neonates, focusing on the effect of sociocultural factors on their opinion.

Methods: An anonymous survey was designed to explore the opinions of Argentinean neonatologists on whether or not to initiate LST in newborns born prematurely.

Ethical Issues in Intrauterine Myelomeningocele Surgery.

Intrauterine surgery shows that the prognosis of neonates with myelomeningocele (MMC) has improved, both in survival and in quality of life. In order to study the current efficacy of intrauterine surgery for MMC and to make an ethical analysis of its proportionality, we conducted a PubMed search using the keywords "myelomeningocele", "intrauterine surgery", "MOMS", and "trial". Thirty-eight articles were found.

[Suspension of Respiratory Support in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis].

Decision making in advanced Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients keeps on being a controversial issue. The aim of this work is to discuss ethical implications of withdrawing respiratory support treatment in patients with ALS. Through a bibliographic search on Pubmed database (2010-2016) we investigated whether or not the use of Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) and Mechanical Ventilation (MV) would increase survival and quality of life.

Ethical dilemmas associated with clinicians' decisions about treatment in critically ill infants born in Córdoba, Argentina.

The objective of this article is to examine end of life decisions made by neonatologists of Córdoba, Argentina. An anonymous questionnaire was designed to investigate neonatologists' decisions on when to initiate or withdraw treatment in critical neonates. All neonatologists who take care of critically ill neonates in Córdoba participated in the survey.