Karen Ann Quinlan
This device keeps a person breathing even if the brain is severely damaged or no longer functioning on its own.
What is a respirator (or ventilator)?
This medical condition described Terri Schiavo’s state after her collapse, lasting for years until the court rulings began.
What is Persistent Vegetative State?
This ethical principle means “do no harm” and required healthcare providers to consider whether prolonging Grace’s life on a ventilator caused more suffering than benefit.
What is non-maleficence?
These individuals ultimately made the decision to remove Quinlan’s ventilator.
Who are Quinlan’s parents?
Terri Schiavo’s prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain after cardiac arrest caused this type of injury.
What is hypoxic-ischemic brain injury?
This severe medical condition caused Grace Lee’s quadriplegia, ventilator dependence, and led to her end of life decision.
What is terminal brain cancer
This constitutional right was strengthened by the Quinlan ruling, allowing families to withdraw life-sustaining treatment on behalf of incapacitated patients.
What is the right to privacy?
This person was legally recognized as Terri Schiavo’s decision maker when she was in a persistent vegetative state.
Who is Terri Schiavo’s husband?
This ethical principle was upheld when the court confirmed Grace’s right to refuse life-sustaining treatment, despite her parents’ objections.
What is autonomy?
The year Karen Ann Quinlan’s ventilator was removed following the landmark court ruling.
What is 1976?
This is the year Terri Schiavo suffered the cardiac arrest.
What is 1990?
Grace’s parents opposed her decision due to their religious belief that stopping treatment would be morally wrong and equal to suicide. Their stance reflects this ethical concept.
What is protection (paternalism)?
The year that Karen Ann Quinlan passed away.
What is 1985? (9 years after the removal of the ventilator)
This device delivers long-term nutrition directly into the stomach through an abdominal opening.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube?
These legal standards determine when doctors may stop treatment, declare a patient dead, or consider assisted dying as an option.
What are legal definitions of death?