In a rare and controversial move, the Akita Red Cross Hospital in Akita Prefecture removed a woman from life support in March last year even though they couldn't determine whether she was facing imminent death, officials of the hospital said Saturday.
The woman, who was in a state of "chronic brain death" for about six months, did not enter cardiac arrest for a prolonged period even when she was diagnosed as brain dead, doctors at the hospital said. They also said they couldn't say for say for certain that her death was imminent when they terminated her life support.
Although the removal of the artificial respirator and other means of life support was carried out at the family's request, it could spark a new ethical debate on the pros and cons of cutting off life support to brain-dead patients.