Hypothetical Vignette Administered to Surgeons.^*

You perform a (specialty specific operation performed electively or emergently) on a 75 year-old woman with emphysema and stable coronary artery disease. She has an intra-operative stroke and weakness in her arm and leg when she awakes from anesthesia. (insertion of iatrogenic injury here) Her post-operative status is tenuous and she has been re-intubated twice. After 7 days in the intensive care unit she has developed pneumonia and requires ventilatory support. She is alert and has the capacity to make decisions about her medical therapy. The patient and her family request withdrawal of life supporting therapy stating that her future quality of life is unacceptable and that she would rather be allowed to die.

^*See Table 1 for experimental manipulations administered to survey participants