Medical Ethics Overview

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the first observable change in retinal vessels after death?

Dilation of blood vessels

Absence of blood flow

Fragmentation of the blood column (correct)

Loss of color

Which postmortem change is characteristic of exposed sclera?

Algor mortis

Tache noire (correct)

Livor mortis

Rigor mortis

What is a criterion for diagnosing brain death?

Spontaneous breathing

Absent cough reflex (correct)

Responsive facial movement

Presence of light reflex

Which test confirms brain death by showing a flat EEG?

Apnea test Signup and view all the answers

What body temperature must be maintained to rule out hypothermia in a brain death diagnosis?

Above 32° C Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a recognized cause of sudden unexpected natural death?

Chronic heart disease Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the apnea test in determining brain death?

To stimulate the carina and observe for cough response Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon is described by the absence of uptake of isotope in brain parenchyma on brain scanning?

Hollow skull phenomenon Signup and view all the answers

What is primary flaccidity characterized by?

Complete relaxation and loss of muscle tone and reflexes Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during contact flattening after death?

Flattening of convex parts of muscles against surfaces Signup and view all the answers

Which ocular change happens first post-mortem?

Taches Noire on the sclera Signup and view all the answers

How soon does intra-ocular pressure (IOP) drop after death?

Drops to half at the time of death and to nil within 2 hours Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the earliest signs observed in the retinal vessels after death?

Segmented vessels Signup and view all the answers

How long after death does body temperature typically remain unchanged before beginning to drop?

45 minutes Signup and view all the answers

What skin change occurs soon after death?

Becomes pale and loses elasticity Signup and view all the answers

What is the average rate at which body temperature drops after the initial period postmortem?

1.5 degrees per hour Signup and view all the answers

Which reflex is lost immediately after death?

Light reflex Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors would likely increase the rate of postmortem cooling?

Low body temperature prior to death Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the pupils during rigor mortis?

They constrict and then dilate again Signup and view all the answers

What is livor mortis, and what causes it?

Dark purple discoloration from blood pooling Signup and view all the answers

When does lividity begin to become visible after death?

1 hour Signup and view all the answers

How long does it typically take for lividity to be fully completed after death?

8 hours Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions can delay the cooling rate of a body postmortem?

Heat stroke Signup and view all the answers

How does cooling in water compare to cooling in air for cadavers?

Cooling is faster in water Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Medical Ethics

Respect Autonomy (free decision): Patient must indicate approval and willingness to accept proposed treatment, indicating decision-making capacity.
Capacity/Competency: Individual's ability to weigh up information, compare options, and choose. Competency is a legal term.
Protect life and health: Clinicians should practice medicine to high standards to benefit patients and others.
Fairness & Justice: Concerns fair distribution of medical services.
Compassion: Understanding and concern for distress, essential for medical practice.
Doctor's Responsibilities: Duty to patients, public, law enforcers, profession, and colleagues.

Patient-Physician Relationship

Initiating/discontinuing: Physician not obligated to provide care to all individuals, except in cases of communities without other physicians or emergency treatment required.
Abandonment: Improper termination of the relationship.
Confidentiality: Respecting patient autonomy & right to control health information.
Breaking confidentiality: Doctor may disclose information under specific conditions like patient request, expert witness, community concern, or past violent behavior.
Consent and Informed Consent: Deliberate & voluntary agreement to procedures, including implied, expressed, and informed consent.

Duty to Public

Medical help during natural disasters.
Compulsorily notify authorities of births, deaths, infectious diseases, food poisoning.
Notify authorities suspecting epidemics
Inform police, etc., about injuries, illegal abortions, suicides, homicides, poisonings, etc.

Duty to Profession

Maintain professional conduct and appearance.
Lifelong learning
Avoid conduct that compromises honesty and integrity in patient interactions
Treat colleagues and their families with professional respect, avoiding unnecessary fees.

Ethical/Legal Issues in Medicine

Assisted reproduction
Gender correction procedure
Organ transplantation
Terminal illnesses & dying patients

Medical Certificates

Physicians can issue certificates regarding their patient's condition needed by the patient, but not to outsiders like the patient's husband/wife.

Medical Malpractice

Failure to adhere to accepted standards of practice that results in harm to the patient.

Medicolegal Aspects of Death

Death: Cessation of physical life in a living organism.
Clinical Death (Somatic Death): Irreversible cessation of all body functions(including circulation, respiration, and brain function).
Brain Death: Irreversible cessation of brain activity, including the brain stem.
Molecular Death: Cessation, (death of individual organs and tissues, subsequent to cessation of circulation.
Molecular Life: Time between somatic and cellular death where components continue to function.
Suspended Animation (Apparent Death): Temporary cessation of vital signs with potential for resuscitation.
Persistent Vegetative State (PVS): Unresponsive state with absent awareness.
Causes of Sudden Death: Trauma, poisoning, pre-existing diseases.
Postmortem Changes: Processes occurring after death (e.g., cooling, lividity, rigor mortis, putrefaction).
Medicolegal Significant of Postmortem Changed: Assessing time of death, and determining injuries vs post-mortem issues.
Primary Flaccidity: Initial relaxation of muscles after death, before rigor mortis.
Contact Flattening: Loss of elasticity in muscles from body weight and external compression.
Ocular Changes: Discoloration and changes in appearance of eyes after death..

Professional Misconduct

Guidelines for Professional Conduct: Covers advertising, associations, addiction, and adultery.

Conditions Simulating Rigor Mortis

Cadaveric Spasm (instantaneous rigor): Muscle stiffening at death.
Heat stiffening: Coagulation of muscle proteins due to high temperature.

Secondary Flaccidity

Muscles becoming soft and unresponsive after rigor mortis.

Putrefaction

Body decomposition.
Autolysis: Tissue self-digestion by enzymes.
Bacterial Action: Decomposition from bacteria.

Mummification

Modified putrefaction, body dehydration.
Forensic implications of mummification : Identifying issues, injuries, determining post-mortem interval.

Adipocere Formation

(Saponification): Fatty tissue converting to a greasy, wax-like substance.
Forensic implication related to estimation of the time of death.

Conditions Replacing Putrefaction

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz explores key concepts in medical ethics, such as respect for autonomy, capacity and competency, and the responsibilities of doctors. It also addresses the importance of fairness, compassion, and the patient-physician relationship in clinical practice. Test your understanding of these essential principles that guide ethical decision-making in healthcare.