Perfil das condutas médicas que antecedem ao óbito de crianças em um hospital terciário A profile of the medical conduct preceding child death at a tertiary hospital

OBJETIVO: estudar o perfil de assistência aos pacientes pediátricos que evoluem para o óbito em um hospital universitário, incluindo descrição dos modelos, comparações entre setores, associações de fatores, participações envolvidas e registro das decisões. MÉTODOS: estudo transversal observacional. Foram revistos por um dos autores os registros médicos e de enfermagem dos pacientes falecidos, tendo sido aplicados entrevistas e questionários aos membros da equipe assistente. O período do estudo foi de 12 meses (de 01º de maio de 2002 a 30 de abril de 2003). RESULTADOS: foram analisados 106 casos. Os modelos de assistência mais empregados no hospital foram não-oferta de suporte de vida (51,9%) e reanimação malsucedida (44,3%). As decisões de não reanimar foram mais tardias no centro de tratamento intensivo (p OBJECTIVE: To study the profile of care provided to pediatric patients suffering fatal outcomes at a university hospital, including: description of models, comparisons between units, associated factors, participants involved and records of decisions made. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. One of the investigators reviewed the medical and nursing records of deceased patients. Interviews were held and questionnaires filled out with the care team members over a period of 12 months (May 1, 2002 to April 30, 2003). RESULTS: The study included 106 cases. The most frequent treatment patterns at the hospital were: withholding advanced life support (51.9%) and unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (44.3%). The decision to make a do-not-resuscitate order occurred later in the intensive care unit (p < 0.05). The restricted care category was more prevalent in the neonatal unit and among patients with chronic diseases that limit survival (p < 0.05). The professionals that most often participated in the decision-making process were the unit's treating physician and resident (52.8%) and the medical team (31.1%). Parents or guardians were observed to have been involved in 20.8% of cases. For the entire hospital, seven cases (6.6%) of ambiguous or discordant cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures were found. CONCLUSIONS: Procedures involving limitation of therapy are frequent, especially in the neonatal unit. Diagnosis of brain death and withdrawal of advanced life support are, nevertheless, rare. Decisions to grant do-not-resuscitate orders are generally mate late, especially in the intensive care unit. In this sample procedures for full participation in decisions and for recording decisions were imperfect