[Plastic Surgery in Palliative Care - Report on the Consensus Workshop of the 37th Annual Meeting of the German-language Group for Microsurgery of the Peripheral Nerves and Vessels (DAM) 2016 in Bochum].

At the consensus meeting on "Plastic Surgery in the Palliative Situation" at the 37th Annual Meeting of the DAM 2015 in Bochum, treatment options were discussed with oncologists and palliative care anesthesiologists and recommendations were given. The literature was reviewed and the results of the expert-meeting options and limits of therapy were illustrated. The role of plastic surgery for palliative care patients was pointed out and recommendations given for successful cooperative treatment. A rational combination of chemotherapy and surgery as well as early integration into a palliative care concept prolongs survival and improves the quality of life of patients in the palliative situation. Plastic surgeons should regularily attend tumour boards to spread the knowledge of the value of reconstructive procedures in multidisciplinary treatment, in order to enhance the quality of live of the palliative patient. Participation in the preparation of the next treatment guidelines for palliative care would be desirable. Whenever patients are considered in a palliative situation, palliative care anesthesiologists should be involved.