• Ellen C Meltzer, James J Gallagher, Alexandra Suppes, and Joseph J Fins.
• Division of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. elc9076@med.cornell.edu
• Crit. Care Med.. 2012 May 1;40(5):1529-31.

ObjectiveTo present a clinical ethics case report that illustrates the benefits of using lip-reading interpreters for ventilated patients who are capable of mouthing words.DesignCase report.SettingThe burn unit of a university teaching hospital in New York City.PatientA 75-yr-old man was admitted to the burn unit with 50% total body surface area burns. He was awake, alert, ventilator-dependent via a tracheostomy, and able to mouth words.InterventionsA deaf lip-reading interpreter and a hearing American sign language interpreter worked together in a circuit formation to provide verbal voice for the patient.ConclusionFor the ventilated patient who can mouth words, lip-reading interpretation offers an opportunity for communication. It is time we routinely provide lip-reading interpreters as well as recognize the need for prospective studies examining the role of lip-reading in medical settings.

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