Surgical Palliative Care describes the principles and practice of surgery in the context of palliative and supportive care. Surgery is often considered too invasive to be useful in palliation and clinicians instinctively turn to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and other drugs. Surgery, with increasingly minimal access techniques, may be simpler and less invasive than other treatments and produces excellent palliation. Indeed, most types of surgery are not curative and the aim of this book is to alert all concerned with palliative care to the usefulness and appropriateness of a surgical option. The text is divided into two sections; the first dealing with general issues, varying from quality of life measurement to spirituality, and the second illustrating their application in different specialties of surgery ranging from neurosurgery to urology. The book ends with a challenge to surgeons to change their perspective from curative surgery, in terms of simply cure or failure, to improvement in quality of life and relief of symptoms. Aimed primarily at palliative medicine and pain consultants, this book will also appeal to surgeons who increasingly need to know more about palliative care.

Palliative care has become increasingly important across the spectrum of healthcare, and with it, the need for education and training of a broad range of medical practitioners not previously associated with this field of care. 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. Chapters explore the historical, philosophical, and spiritual principles of surgical palliative care, and follow the progression of the seriously ill surgical patient's journey from the pre-operative encounter, to the invasive procedure, to the post-operative setting, and on to survivorship. An overview of the future of surgical palliative care education and research rounds out the text. 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.