Each chapter includes an ethical challenge presented as a clinical case scenario that readers may relate to in their daily practice of anesthesiology and surgery. The ethical issues surrounding each chapter’s content are examined in an easily understandable manner for the specific target audience to improve the understanding and management of ethical dilemmas in patient care. ​Informed consent issues for the adult and pediatric patient, perioperative considerations of do-not-resuscitate orders, ethical issues of drug shortages, transplantation ethics, surgical care of patients and futility, conscientious objection, informed consent and disclosure of surgeon experience, and research and publication ethics are included and based on the experience of the Editor and the roster of contributors.

Good clinical practice inevitably raises both ethical and legal issues and demands an understanding of both. Different environments produce different problems in practice, and similarly, different patients raise different considerations. All these situations demand the clinician to make decisions that balance both the clinical and ethical considerations.

In this issue of Anesthesiology Clinics, guest editors Drs. Neal H. Cohen and Gail van Norman bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Ethical Approaches to the Practice of Anesthesiology - Part 1: Overview of Ethics in Clinical Care: History and Evolution. In this first of a two-part series, top experts discuss topics such as the role of advance directives and living wills on anesthesia practice; preoperative care of the patient with DNR orders; end-of-life care: withdrawing/withholding support; brain death: medical, ethical, cultural, legal aspects; ethics consult in anesthesia practice; and more. Contains 14 relevant, practice-oriented topics including maternal-fetal conflicts in anesthesia practice; ethical care of pregnant patients for non-obstetrical surgery and during labor and delivery; caring for the patients whose personal/religious/cultural beliefs impact clinical management strategies; approaching the patient when a medical error occurs; and more. Provides in-depth clinical reviews on ethical approaches to the practice of anesthesiology, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.

Ethical issues facing anesthesiologists are more far-reaching than those involving virtually any other medical specialty. In this clinical ethics textbook, authors from across the USA, Canada and Europe draw on ethical principles and practical knowledge to provide a realistic understanding of ethical anesthetic practice. The result is a compilation of expert opinion and international perspectives from clinical leaders in anesthesiology. Building on real-life, case-based problems, each chapter is clinically focused and addresses both practical and theoretical issues. Topics include general operating room care, pediatric and obstetrical patient care, the intensive care unit, pain practice, research and publication, as well as discussions of lethal injection, disclosure of errors, expert witness testimony, triage in disaster and conflicts of interest with industry. An important reference tool for any anesthesiologist, whether clinical or research-oriented, this book is especially valuable for physicians involved in teaching residents and students about the ethical aspects of anesthesia practice.