Intensive Care

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What is it?

A specialist in Intensive Care Medicine cares for patients who are critically ill in intensive care units and high dependency units. Intensive care specialists or intensivists are highly trained physicians with specialist training and skills in life support and organ support treatments for patients who are critically ill.

Upper gastrointestinal surgery from a medicolegal perspective

by Dr Martin Stotz, Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia

As with any procedure, there is a risk of complications following upper GI surgery. Many factors influence the occurrence of these, including increased age, male gender, comorbidities, very high body mass index and the experience of the treating team. Dr Martin Stotz discusses the challenges and potential complications associated with upper gastrointestinal surgery.

The medicolegal implications of advance directives in intensive care

An advance directive, or living will, is a statement of instructions regarding future treatment options, including the right to refuse treatment, in the case of incapacitating illness which renders the patient unable to make decisions.

Clinically assisted nutrition and hydration in a medicolegal context

Clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) refers to all forms of artificial nutritional support, and includes intravenous parenteral nutrition and intravenous hydration, nasogastric tube feeding and the interventional placement of dedicated feeding devices.