title: The surgeon and self-harm: at the cutting edge.
abstract: Surgeons frequently treat the consequences of self-harm. Self-harm is a common problem and presentations to Irish hospitals are increasing. It increases the risk of suicide and is associated with long term morbidity. Appropriate management can improve the prognosis. Surgeons require a number of skills to appropriately manage patients who self-harm. In this review we outline those skills including diagnosis, communication, capacity and risk assessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland. Electronic address: jckinahan@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kinahan
authors.affiliation: Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland.
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: MacHale
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D061214:Patient Safety; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Deliberate self-harm; Mental disorders; Parasuicide; Risk management; Self-injurious behaviour; Suicide; Surgical specialities