Annals of palliative medicine
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There exists compelling evidence that advance care planning (ACP) remains a key factor in the delivery of appropriate end of life care and facilitates the timely transition to palliative care for people with dementia. Take up of ACP within the dementia population is low, especially when compared with other conditions. Quantitative research has helped in identifying some of the key factors in enabling or inhibiting the use of ACP within the dementia population. ⋯ The ACP capacity of the workforce is also addressed. The paper reveals considerable complexity in undertaking ACP in a context of dementia. It is suggested that the preference for informal approaches and the timing of initial conversations be considered and that the skills of those involved in initiating discussions should be given primacy.
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Spirituality plays a prominent role in the lives of most palliative patients whether or not they formally adhere to a specific religion and belief. As a result, the palliative care team is frequently called upon to support families who are experiencing their "dark night of the soul" and struggling to make sense of their lives during a healthcare crisis. While conventional religious practices provide a source of comfort and guidance for many of our patients, a significant number of our patients do not have a strong religious community to which to turn. ⋯ In such a transcendent or non-ordinary state of consciousness, many people experience new insights or understanding of their lives and choices they must make. Thus, integrative approaches facilitate patients attaining greater self-awareness and may meet their spiritual needs without the religious overtones that accompany traditional prayer. In so doing, patients may gain greater insight and find inner peace through simple, non-verbal approaches.
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Review Case Reports
Extremely rare presentation of soft tissue metastasis from carcinoma breast as a massive swelling of upper extremity.
Soft tissue metastasis from any primary malignancy is considered very rare and a breast carcinoma metastasizing to soft tissue is still rarer. To the best of our knowledge, carcinoma breast with soft tissue metastasis to upper extremity is very uncommon with only six cases been reported in world literature till date and our case is the seventh such case in an 80-year-old female, previously treated for carcinoma right breast 15 years ago. The patient presented with progressive painful massive swelling of right upper arm measuring 21 cm × 17 cm, of 2 months duration. ⋯ Only few case series and isolated cases reports have been published regarding any primary malignancy or breast carcinoma metastasizing to soft tissues. A thorough review of literature also reveals that our case is the largest soft tissue metastatic swelling from breast carcinoma ever reported. We hereby present this case with review of literature to highlight its extreme rarity, unusual presentation, clinicopathological characteristics and its overall prognosis.
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Bone marrow examination plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of various hematological and systemic diseases. Even though the procedure has been carried out for decades, it remains an extremely painful and uncomfortable experience for a majority of patients. This paper reviews the different strategies used to provide analgesia and summarizes the advantages and drawbacks of one strategy over the other. ⋯ Non-pharmacological factors also play key roles. Providing patients with complete and comprehensible information is vital to ensure the least amount of discomfort during the biopsy. Distraction techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis and music therapy, may also play a role in minimizing pain.
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Review
Early palliative care and its translation into oncology practice in Canada: barriers and challenges.
This article reviews the progress Canada has made integrating palliative care into oncologic practice. Key clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have influenced and have been translated into Canadian oncology policy and operations. ⋯ As a result, eight made-in-Canada innovations emerged and are described. Lessons learned and recommendations describe a plan for action.