Ethical Dilemmas in Emergency Anesthesia: A systematic review

Abstract

 Ethical decision-making is a fundamental aspect of medical practice, and it holds a particularly critical role in the field of emergency anesthesia.[1] Emergency anesthesia providers often findthemselves in situations where they must make challenging ethical decisions, especially during resource allocation crises and end-of-life care.[2] The ethical dilemmas faced in emergency anesthesia are multifaceted and require a delicate balance between providing optimal patient care and adhering to ethical principles.[3] The field of emergency anesthesia, which encompasses the provision of anesthesia in critical and often life-threatening situations, demands rapid and effective decision-making.[4] Anesthesia providers, including anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, are tasked with ensuring patient safety and comfort during surgical procedures, but in the emergency setting, the circumstances can be dramatically different.[5] While their primary concern is always patient welfare, they must also consider a complex web of ethical issues that may not have clear-cut solutions.