Manejo de los pacientes pediátricos en fin de vida: una revisión narrativa de la literatura

Medical advances in recent years have led to a higher rate of health recovery and survival in the pediatric population, prolonging the survival of those with chronic conditions and sometimes achieving a better quality of life for them. However, there are children and adolescents with complex, limiting or life-threatening diseases who despite having all the treatment alternatives available, their conditions are irreversible, leading to a rapid progression to death. It is essential to establish a special care for them and their families that provides support in the last days of life, adjusted to a preparation and support plan that includes physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects without providing potentially inappropriate measures. Admitting a patient to an end-of-life protocol, not only has medical implications but also ethical and moral ones. Therefore, it is imperative to have management protocols with the best possible evidence that allow comprehensive monitoring and that are adapted to the needs of each patient and their families. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the evidence found in the national and international literature regarding the management of these patients.