Revista médica de Chile
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Revista médica de Chile · Oct 2004
Review[Consensus report on the diagnosis and management of non palpable thyroid nodules].
With the availability of new diagnostic techniques, numerous alterations are found, whose real importance for health is uncertain. The term
, is used for non apparent tumors found in diagnostic procedures. In Endocrinology, the incidental finding of thyroid nodules is common. ⋯ The Chilean Society of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition appointed a group of experts to generate a consensus on tbe management of non palpable nodules. These experts reviewed international literature, and the local experience, analyzed the value of thyroid ultrasound examination and the efficiency of fine needle aspiration biopsy. This consensus is a clinical guide for the management of non palpable thyroid nodules, considering that a unique and optimal approach is still lacking. -
Revista médica de Chile · Oct 2004
[The evaluation of decision making capacity in health care and its relationship to informed consent].
The decision making capacity of patients will acquire special relevance with the introduction of informed consent in clinical practice and the new normative that will appear in the future when the bills about health services are approved in the Congress. This paper reviews the concept of decision making capacity in the context of health care and its legal background in Chile. The main problems that arise from the comprehension, use and assessment of decision making capacity, are analyzed. ⋯ These specilized physicians will evaluate the mental health of the subject and its implications in the capacity to make decisions. In practice, it is difficult to integrate the concept of capacity from the law or health care perspective. It is concluded that the elaboration of criteria, standards and procedures to evaluate the decision capacity of patients, is mandatory.