Ethical issues in the treatment of chronic ventilator-dependent patients.

Two important ethical concerns facing physicians and others involved in the management of ventilator-dependent patients in the medical rehabilitation environment are: the cost of employing the respirator and the accompanying allocation issues entailed in that consideration, and the quality of life the ventilator imposes on or improves for a patient. Present practices are described and analyzed and suggestions are made for how physiatrists can constructively address key problems which arise in the profession's attempt to act in accord with high ethical standards of practice.