1. Role of the Nasogastric Tube and Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) in Palliative Care.
- Author
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Wang X, Huang Y, Radha Krishna L, and Puvanendran R
- Subjects
- Aged, Attitude to Death, Family psychology, Fatal Outcome, Humans, Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse therapy, Malaysia ethnology, Male, Palliative Care ethics, Palliative Care psychology, Phytotherapy ethics, Phytotherapy psychology, Singapore, Terminal Care ethics, Terminal Care methods, Terminal Care psychology, Decision Making, Drugs, Chinese Herbal administration & dosage, Intubation, Gastrointestinal, Palliative Care methods, Phytotherapy methods, Reishi
- Abstract
Decision-making on behalf of an incapacitated patient at the end of life is a complex process, particularly in family-centric societies. The situation is more complex when attempts are made to accommodate Eastern concepts of end-of-life care with more conventional Western approaches. In this case report of an incapacitated 74-year-old Singaporean man of Malay descent with relapsed Stage 4 diffuse large B cell lymphoma who was without an established lasting power of attorney, we highlight the difficult deliberations that ensue when the patient's family, acting as his proxy, elected to administer lingzhi through his nasogastric tube (NGT). Focusing on the questions pertaining to end-of-life decision-making in Asia, we consider the issues surrounding the use of NGT and lingzhi in palliative care (PC) and the implementation of NGT for administering lingzhi in a PC setting, particularly in light of a dearth of data on such treatment measures among PC patients., (Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2016
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