This book provides a detailed guide to the ethical considerations involved when making decisions in surgery. Chapters feature a uniform format, which feature a case that represents a real-life problem, discussion of the medical indications of that issue, the latest available medical solutions, and related ethical considerations. In some cases, more in-depth debate is provided on why a particular decision should or should not be made based-upon ethical principles. Information boxes containing key statements and relevant data in clear easy-to-digest tables facilitates the reader in being able to assimilate the most important points covered in each chapter.  

 Difficult Decisions in Surgical Ethics: An Evidence-Based Approach is a thorough review of ethical considerations in a range of surgical scenarios encompassing both adult and pediatric topics, training surgical residents, ethical care during a pandemic, criticalcare, palliative care, sensitivity to religious and ethnic mores, clinical research, and innovation. It is intended to be a vital resource for practicing and trainee surgeons seeking a comprehensive up-to-date resource on ethical topics in surgical practice. The work is part of the Difficult Decisions in Surgery series covering a range of surgical specialties. 

 

Preface

In the Beginning
Importance of Formal Education in Medical Ethics in the XXIst Century
What Makes Surgical Ethics Unique?
Notable Ethical Sugeons
Communication
Transparency in Surgery
Is Informed Consent Truly Informed? And Does It Matter?
Shared Decision Making. "What would you do in my case, Doctor?"
Obtaining Surgical Consent Under Duress. When Not to Operate?
Goals of Care Discussions in High Risk Surgery.
When Surgeons and Patients Disagree
How to Deliver Bad News. A Family Post-mortem
Surgical Empathy. - Surgical Education
Teaching Surgical Ethics
Training Residents: Disclosure to Patients, Communication During Awake Surgery
Informed Consent of Patients Regarding Trainee Participation
Can Professionalism be Taught During Residency?
Autonomy In Residency: the Dual Role of the Academic Surgeon
Medical Discrepancy/ Medical Error
Concurrent Operations in Different ORs
Disclosure of Surgical Errors
Expert Witness Testifying Against Colleagues
Cultural / Religious Diversity
Acceptance of Refusal of Surgery due to Religious or Cultural Reasons
Is it Inappropriate to use the Word "Death" when obtaining Surgical Consent?
Bloodless Surgical Strategy for Jehovah's Witness Patients
Surgery on the Incarcerated Patient
Surgical Dilemmas in the Adult Patient
Surgical Buy-in for Major Surgical Procedures
Ethics of Caeserian Delivery on Maternal Request (CDMR)
Fertility Sparing Surgery Instead of Definitive Cancer Resections
Ethical Decision-Making in Treatment of Aortic Aneurysms, Elective or Emergent (Ruptured)
Denial of Mechnical Assist Devices/Transplantation Due to Disability, Economics or Social Status
Surgical Dilemmas in the Pediatric Patient / Family
Changing Landscape of Surgical Ethics
Management of Fatal Diseases in the Neonate
Destination ECMO in the Pediatric Patient.  (Pro/Con)
ECMO as a Terminal Event
Brain death in NICU/PICU
Ethics of Fetal Interventions for Lethal Anomalies
Critical Care
Dealing with Families of Patients with severe Brain Injury: Turning off Support, Organ Donation
Ethical Dilema when a Mechanical Assist Device is Futile
Burned Beyond Recognition. Ethics of Care
Do Not Resuscitate/ Palliative Care/ End of Life
Peri-Operative DNR: An Ethical Dilema
Approach to Palliative Surgery at End of Life
Conflicts with Surrogate Decision Makers and Goals of Care
Global Surgery
Medical Missions to Developing Countries (Pro/Con)
Rebuttal: The View From The Lake Tanganyika Floating Clinic
Why is No Program Training "The Complete Surgical Missionary?"
One Can Make a Difference in National Health Policy. The Transplant Program in China
Surgical Innovation/ Research
Ethical Questions of Surgical Trials
Introducing New Techniques, Technology and Medical Devices
Uterine Transplantation: More than Saving a Life.