Articles: palliative-care.
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This report is based on an occasional paper prepared for the National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services. The paper acknowledges that although quality is already central to the palliative care approach, this is not usually in the context of multidisciplinary and collaborative audit. The document offers guidance on how to translate the principles of quality into an action programme for all professionals involved in palliative and hospice care.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 1997
Modified Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure for single ventricle, subaortic stenosis, and arch obstruction in neonates and infants: midterm results and techniques for avoiding circulatory arrest.
A modified Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure is one of several options for palliation of single ventricle with subaortic obstruction, but results in neonates have been disappointing. In the presence of arch obstruction, this procedure is typically performed with circulatory arrest, which may contribute to neurologic insult. ⋯ The modified Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure is an effective primary palliation for single ventricle and subaortic stenosis, with or without arch obstruction. Results are especially encouraging in neonates. Arch repair can be achieved without circulatory arrest to the brain.
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Support Care Cancer · Nov 1997
Department of palliative care in Bratislava and the development of the palliative care movement in Slovakia.
Slovakia is a country with no tradition of home care services and a long history of regarding death and dying as taboos and therefore institutionalising them. Increased attention to palliative care issues has resulted in some important changes, to the benefit of patients in need of palliative care. These include general availability of oral slow-release forms of strong opioids (cost completely reimbursed by the insurance companies), a developing network of home care agencies, and increased attention to the needs of palliative patients, especially among oncologists and pain specialists. ⋯ Although the primary goal is the improvement of the quality of life, several approaches that can prolong life without worsening its quality are also used. These include laser destruction of intraluminal gastrointestinal tumours, insertion of intraluminal stents, brachyradiotherapy, pleurodeses, percutaneous gastrostomy, percutaneous nephrostomy, palliative chemotherapy, treatment of hypercalcaemia. In 1995 the Palliative Care Section of the Association for Study and Treatment of Pain was established, as was the first Hospice Foundation.