Spiritual dimensions of surgical palliative care.

Death is the most complex of religious issues and suicide is the most complex of philosophic issues. Our century has seen a massive technological expansion in our ability to prolong life, and unfortunately, to kill with unparalleled efficiency. Society has demanded that physicians explore with them whether death by suicide is a logical extension of palliative care. For surgeons, these profoundly spiritual concerns are, in many ways, beyond our education and training and may not be compatible with the current practice of surgery.