Heroic
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For the personal characteristic of heroism, see Hero
In medicine, heroic refers to a treatment or course of therapy which possesses a high risk of causing further damage to a patient's health, but is undertaken as a last resort with the understanding that any lesser treatment will surely result in failure. "The American Heritage Stedmans Medical Dictionary"'', 2nd Edition, 2004, Houghton Mifflin CompanyHeroic measures are often taken in cases of grave injury or illness, as a last-ditch attempt to save life, limb, or eyesight. Examples include emergency trauma surgery conducted outside the operating room (such as "on-scene" surgical amputation, cricothyroidotomy, or thoracotomy), or administration of medication (such as certain antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs) at dosage levels high enough to potentially cause serious or fatal side effects. Merriam-Websters Medical Dictionary, 3rd Edition, Merriam-Webster, Inc."Heroic Measures"'', Dr. Charles Bardes M.D, AGNI Online Essays, [http://www.bu.edu/agni/essays-reviews/online/2006/bardes-heroicmeasures.html] Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a particularly well-known heroic measure; vigorous chest compressions often result in fracturing one or more of the patient's ribs, but since the alternative is certain death, the technique is accepted as necessary.
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