Treatment limiting decisions in a neurosurgical unit.
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.
Fitzpatrick
M O
MO
Department of Neurosurgery, Southern General Hospital NHS Trust, Glasgow.
Goyal
K
K
Barlow
P
P
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*