Palliative Extubation: A Discussion of Practices and Considerations.

Palliative extubation (PE), also known as compassionate extubation, is a common event in the critical care setting and an important aspect of end-of-life care. In a PE, mechanical ventilation is discontinued. Its goal is to honor the patient's preferences, optimize comfort, and allow a natural death when medical interventions, including maintenance of ventilatory support, are not achieving desired outcomes.