Tube feeding and the permanently unconscious: the Supreme Court's decision in Cruzan.

In the recent case of Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, a majority of the United States Supreme Court voted to affirm a Missouri decision rejecting the request of guardians for removal of tubes used to provide nutrition and hydration to a woman in a persistent vegetative state. This article analyzes the Court's decision, focusing specifically on the concurring and dissenting opinions in the case, and discusses the implications of this decision for the states.