Part of the Integrating Palliative Care series, this volume on surgical palliative care guides readers through the core palliative skills and knowledge needed to deliver high value care for patients with life-limiting, critical, and terminal illness under surgical care. Surgical Palliative Care is an ideal resource for surgeons, surgical nurses, intensivists, and other practitioners who wish to learn more about integrating palliative care into the surgical field.

This comprehensive yet concise book addresses current best practice in the combined areas of cardiac surgery and anesthesia, interventional minimally invasive cardiac procedures, perioperative management and monitoring, and critical care recovery. This book not only provides the latest best practices in the perioperative management of cardiac surgical patients, but also it summarizes the current clinical guidelines and algorithms from leading cardiac programs and professional societies. Contemporary best practice approaches are written by experts from leading cardiac surgical centers. The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative management and recovery of surgical patients, including medication, monitoring techniques, and innovative surgical procedures, are presented by experts in the field of cardiac anesthesia and surgery. Perioperative clinical care guidelines, postoperative recovery pathways and models of care are presented with supporting protocols. Evidence-Based Practice in Perioperative Cardiac Anesthesia and Surgery is aimed at all cardiac anesthesiology consultants, fellows, and trainees; all cardiac surgery consultants, fellows, and trainees; nurses in perioperative care and those involved in patient recovery management; cardiac program administrative professionals; and all critical care consultants and trainees looking after cardiovascular surgical patients in the modern era.

This book provides a detailed guide to the ethical considerations involved when making decisions in surgery. Chapters feature a uniform format, which feature a case that represents a real-life problem, discussion of the medical indications of that issue, the latest available medical solutions, and related ethical considerations. In some cases, more in-depth debate is provided on why a particular decision should or should not be made based-upon ethical principles. Information boxes containing key statements and relevant data in clear easy-to-digest tables facilitates the reader in being able to assimilate the most important points covered in each chapter. Difficult Decisions in Surgical Ethics: An Evidence-Based Approach is a thorough review of ethical considerations in a range of surgical scenarios encompassing both adult and pediatric topics, training surgical residents, ethical care during a pandemic, critical care, palliative care, sensitivity to religious and ethnic mores, clinical research, and innovation. It is intended to be a vital resource for practicing and trainee surgeons seeking a comprehensive up-to-date resource on ethical topics in surgical practice. The work is part of the Difficult Decisions in Surgery series covering a range of surgical specialties.

Palliative surgery can greatly contribute to improving symptom control and quality of life for terminal cancer patients. Owing to the advanced stage of the disease, however, this type of surgery is also associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is therefore important for surgeons to have a sound understanding of the medical and scientific background underlying treatment decisions in palliative surgery, a foundation that this book provides. The opening chapters examine the relationship between palliative medicine and palliative surgery and address general issues including pain management and anesthesiological considerations. The role of palliative surgery in a wide range of disease settings is then thoroughly explored, including detailed information on surgical techniques and their indications and outcomes. This book will be an invaluable resource for all who wish to learn more about the emerging role of palliative surgery.

For patients and their loved ones, no care decisions are more profound than those made near the end of life. Unfortunately, the experience of dying in the United States is often characterized by fragmented care, inadequate treatment of distressing symptoms, frequent transitions among care settings, and enormous care responsibilities for families. According to this report, the current health care system of rendering more intensive services than are necessary and desired by patients, and the lack of coordination among programs increases risks to patients and creates avoidable burdens on them and their families. Dying in America is a study of the current state of health care for persons of all ages who are nearing the end of life. Death is not a strictly medical event. Ideally, health care for those nearing the end of life harmonizes with social, psychological, and spiritual support. All people with advanced illnesses who may be approaching the end of life are entitled to access to high-quality, compassionate, evidence-based care, consistent with their wishes. Dying in America evaluates strategies to integrate care into a person- and family-centered, team-based framework, and makes recommendations to create a system that coordinates care and supports and respects the choices of patients and their families. The findings and recommendations of this report will address the needs of patients and their families and assist policy makers, clinicians and their educational and credentialing bodies, leaders of health care delivery and financing organizations, researchers, public and private funders, religious and community leaders, advocates of better care, journalists, and the public to provide the best care possible for people nearing the end of life.

The book covers the basic concept of surgical and oncosurgical disciplines as a whole, as well as the management of surgical patients from pre-op preparation to discharge, i.e., all the basics needed for a successful outcome for oncosurgical patients. It covers surgical safety, the consumer protection act, medico-legal aspects, the importance of documentation, research and publications, and managing complications. The respective chapters cover pre-operative, intra-operative, and ICU management of cancer patients, based on a multi-disciplinary approach. Additionally, they highlight recent advances in surgical oncology and so-called incurable cancers. Edited and written by an interdisciplinary team of experts in oncology and palliative care, the book is intended as a clinically useful guide to the overlapping topics of pain management in cancer patients and the treatment of cancer in patients with multiple co-morbidities like cardiovascular, respiratory disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Given its scope, it will benefit multi-disciplinary oncologists, pain, palliative and intensive care experts, as well as students of surgical disciplines, from MBBS, MS and DNB, to MRCS, MCh and FRCS.

The current medical literature contains ample text addressing the topics of trauma and critical care. However, there are few texts existing that specifically address the common surgical problems encountered by practicing acute care surgeons. Common Problems in Acute Care Surgery provides a comprehensive, evidence-based review of the most common clinical problems encountered by acute care surgeons. Focusing on the clinical care of the patient, this volume explores the general principles of acute care surgery and the specific disease states that are commonly encountered by acute care surgeons. The work also touches upon the ethical issues and systems development behind acute care surgery, including practical considerations for establishing an acute care surgery program, ethical considerations in acute care surgery, and the role of palliative care. Authored by respected experts in the field and illustrated throughout with detailed photographs, Common Problems in Acute Care Surgery is of great value to resident surgeons in training, fellows, and practicing surgeons in acute care surgery.

Symptom control, management of psychosocial and spiritual concerns, decision-making consistent with values and goals, and care of the imminently dying that is appropriate and sensitive are among the critical issues in palliative care. This book explores progress made and future goals.

50 Studies Every Palliative Doctor Should Know presents key studies that have shaped the practice of palliative medicine. Selected using a rigorous methodology, the studies cover topics including: palliative care, symptom assessment and management, psychosocial aspects of care and communication, and end-of-life care. For each study, a concise summary is presented with an emphasis on the results and limitations of the study, and its implications for practice. An illustrative clinical case concludes each review, followed by brief information on other relevant studies. This book is a must-read for health care professionals and anyone who wants to learn more about the data behind clinical practice.

This third edition manual provides a comprehensive, insightful, evidenced-based review of general surgical oncology and serves as a valuable resource for general surgeons in training, practicing general surgeons, and surgical oncologists. The volume describes a multidisciplinary approach that integrates clinical, radiologic, and pathologic data in formulating practical clinical management, and offers a practical approach to the most common situations when treating cancer patients. Each chapter focuses on an individual malignancy and describes the presentation of the malignancy, integrated management based on stage, landmark trials, and suggestions for who to discuss at multidisciplinary cancer conferences. Multiple tables in each chapter provide a concise yet comprehensive summary of the current status of the field. Clinical “pearls” or tips and tricks from high volume surgeons at the University of Toronto are also discussed. The third edition of the Surgical Oncology Manual will serve as a critical resource for general surgeons in training and practicing surgeons dealing with this challenging field.