The Muñoz family lawyers have reported that John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth (Texas) has removed the artificial life support Marlise Muñoz, 33 pregnant and that he was brain dead after collapsing last November in the fourteenth week of gestation, at 1130 on Sunday (1230, on the East coast).
"The family will now bury Marlise and also the great distress they have suffered in recent weeks," the scholars have explained in a statement. "We may finally rest in peace and all find comfort and strength to cope with the loss after this tragic day," they added.
John Peter Smith Hospital had already declared hours earlier in a statement that abide the judgment of Judge R. H. Wallace last Friday and was going to disconnect Muñoz. " We will follow the decision of the court " had reiterated. The center had until Monday morning at five pm (six p.m. on the East Coast) to execute the request.
The woman was being maintained with artificial life support unilaterally hospital, despite the persistent opposition of his family decided to sue the medical center and won. " The last eight weeks have been very difficult for the Muñoz family and professionals who are dealing with their care, those who unwittingly were emotionally involved with the case," the statement said. " On Friday, after pleading that the fetus was not viable (abnormal development and malformation) - A judge ordered the removal of artificial life support and we will do so."
The woman's husband, Erik, who wept after hearing the verdict and sued the medical center had already repeatedly stated desire of the couple, both paramedics, removing the artificial help if this fateful situation occurred sometime.
" The hospital is what he believes and fateful demand this specific situation. So far, we have followed what we thought requesting State law " continuing in the text. The law in Texas requires from 1999 to maintain vital functions of the mother while the fetus is viable. Indeed, Doctors at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth (Texas), until now, had always defended their actions to benefit from this standard, indicating that removing the artificial ventilation damage the fetus. " It was our duty to protect the life of the unborn child," they argued.
Both parties, both the hospital and the family agreed that Muñoz met the criteria of brain death. When a patient is in this state, it undergoes a complete cessation of activity in the brain and in the brain - stem formed by the midbrain, pons and medulla and is the major route of communication between the forebrain, the spinal cord and peripheral nerves, although they may persist neural reflexes from the spinal cord.
The situation Muñoz has opened an intense debate on the ethical principles governing such decisions, drawing international attention and opening the debate between pro - professionals more interested in the life of the unborn child to the mother and those who argue that when " suffers brain death " the subject is dead. During the trial, the judge did not determine whether the Texas law was constitutional.
In 48 of the 50 states that make up the nation, doctors do not need permission from the family to remove the artificial aid sick. Only New York and New Jersey have in mind, by law, religious beliefs and wishes of the relatives of these patients, according to The New York Times.
Tags: brain, dead, disconnects, hospital, Pregnant, Texas