ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author looks at the recognition and management of common palliative care emergencies. The definition of a palliative care emergency depends on the clinical situation and the event. Emergencies in advanced terminal disease are common. They are often stressful for the patient, family and professional. The onset of signs of spinal cord compression in a patient with slowly progressive prostate cancer requires immediate attention, whereas the same signs in a patient confined to bed, because of general debility from progressive liver metastases. Some emergencies are predictable from the nature of the disease. Early intervention can lead to effective treatment. Malignant spinal cord compression is a common complication of cancer and has a substantial and sudden negative effect on both quality of life and survival. Superior vena cava obstruction results from the compression of the superior vena cava either by a tumour arising in the right main or upper lobe bronchus or by large volume mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
