title: Treatment limiting decisions in a neurosurgical unit.
abstract: In a previous paper on mortality audit we reported on the use of treatment limiting decisions (TLDs) in a neurosurgical unit in the year 1988. In this paper we compare the findings of a similar audit for 1997. It appears that our unit's policy of openly discussing all TLDs in patients who die had led to such decisions being made at a more appropriate stage in the patient's illness. Regular review of TLDs is probably helpful in increasing the confidence of clinicians to make these difficult decisions openly and timeously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Southern General Hospital NHS Trust, Glasgow.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barlow
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000592:standards*; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D012606:Scotland; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000592:standards*