title: Surgical palliative care in thoracic diseases.
abstract: Most patients who have end stage thoracic disease have moderate to severe dyspnea. The dyspnea may be the result of the underlying lung disease, localized disease progression, or the accumulation of fluid within the chest. The most effectively treated clinical problem at the end of life is secondary fluid accumulation in the pleural space or pericardial sac. Focused surgical intervention can play an important role in treating effusive disease of the pleura and pericardium. Minimally invasive surgical interventions, such as the use of video thoracoscopy, can relieve dyspnea effectively and improve the quality of life for patients who have end stage thoracic disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Room 259, Boston, MA 02115, USA. smentzer@partners.org
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mentzer
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010166:Palliative Care; D019152:Paracentesis; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000601:surgery; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000601:surgery; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013906:Thoracoscopy