{{Short description|Medical treatment that avoids invasive measures}} '''Conservative treatment''' is a type of medical treatment defined by the avoidance of invasive procedures, such as surgery, usually with the intent to preserve function or body parts, maintain quality of life, or avoid the risk of complications from surgery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/conservative|title=Medical Definition of CONSERVATIVE|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=2016-04-25}}</ref> The effectiveness of a conservative treatment plan depends on patient/provider goals as well as the stage and type of disease or injury.
== Effectiveness of conservative treatment ==
=== Kidney failure === In patients with advanced kidney failure, Conservative Kidney Management (CKM), or Comprehensive Conservative Care (CCC), is an alternative to dialysis or transplant. CKM includes management of pain and other symptoms, nutrition, and preservation of kidney function through noninvasive methods with an emphasis on quality of life.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conservative Management for Kidney Failure - NIDDK |url=https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/kidney-failure/conservative-management |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Hamroun |first1=Aghiles |last2=Glowacki |first2=François |last3=Frimat |first3=Luc |date=2023-10-31 |title=Comprehensive conservative care: what doctors say, what patients hear |url=https://academic.oup.com/ndt/article/38/11/2428/7157142 |journal=Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation |language=en |volume=38 |issue=11 |pages=2428–2443 |doi=10.1093/ndt/gfad088 |issn=0931-0509|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Studies of treatment strategies among elderly patients show that while more aggressive treatments such as dialysis may increase life expectancy, this effect diminishes among patients over 80, while patients who choose conservative treatment report a higher quality of life.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Buur |first1=Louise Engelbrecht |last2=Madsen |first2=Jens Kristian |last3=Eidemak |first3=Inge |last4=Krarup |first4=Elizabeth |last5=Lauridsen |first5=Thomas Guldager |last6=Taasti |first6=Lena Helbo |last7=Finderup |first7=Jeanette |date=2021-09-11 |title=Does conservative kidney management offer a quantity or quality of life benefit compared to dialysis? A systematic review |journal=BMC Nephrology |volume=22 |issue=1 |page=307 |doi=10.1186/s12882-021-02516-6 |doi-access=free |issn=1471-2369 |pmc=8434727 |pmid=34507554}}</ref> One barrier to establishing strong provider-patient communication about CKM is disagreement among providers over the specific terms used, including "conservative treatment," "conservative care," "supportive care," "palliative care," "Conservative Kidney Management," and "Comprehensive Conservative Care."<ref name=":0" />
=== Appendicitis === Conservative treatment of acute appendicitis has been attempted with mixed results. Across all ages, patients who received antibiotic therapy had one-year recurrence rates of 13%-38%. Most patients who attempted a second round of antibiotic therapy eventually required surgical treatment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chin |first1=Xinlin |last2=Mallika Arachchige |first2=Sachini |last3=Orbell-Smith |first3=Jane L |last4=Da Rocha |first4=Daniela |last5=Gandhi |first5=Anil |date=2024-01-21 |title=Conservative Versus Surgical Management of Acute Appendicitis: A Systematic Review |journal=Cureus |volume=16 |issue=1 |article-number=e52697 |language=en |doi=10.7759/cureus.52697 |doi-access=free |issn=2168-8184 |pmc=10879736 |pmid=38384640}}</ref>
The overwhelming of hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic led some providers to shift from immediate surgical treatment of acute appendicitis to antibiotic therapy in pediatric patients.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ghazwani |first=Salman M |date=2022-12-16 |title=Moving to Medical Treatment for COVID-19 Influence on Pediatric Appendicitis: A Meta-Analysis |journal=Cureus |volume=14 |issue=12 |article-number=e32601 |language=en |doi=10.7759/cureus.32601 |doi-access=free |issn=2168-8184 |pmc=9840872 |pmid=36654629}}</ref> In studies of uncomplicated cases of pediatric appendicitis, nonoperative management was inferior to operative management (surgery), resulting in significantly higher rates of failure initially, after one year, and overall. These patients were also more likely to experience adverse advents and rehospitalization.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lu |first1=Kai |last2=Shu |first2=Shilong |last3=Wang |first3=Junwei |last4=Mao |first4=Weijian |last5=Zhang |first5=Faqiang |last6=Cheng |first6=Yong |last7=Yang |first7=Hua |date=November 2025 |title=Can antibiotic therapy replace surgery in pediatric acute uncomplicated appendicitis? An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022346825004129 |journal=Journal of Pediatric Surgery |language=en |volume=60 |issue=11 |article-number=162565 |doi=10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2025.162565 |pmid=40834918 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Though some carefully selected patients may benefit from this therapy,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Decker |first1=Emily |last2=Ndzi |first2=Agnes |last3=Kenny |first3=Simon |last4=Harwood |first4=Rachel |date=June 2024 |title=Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Compare the Short- and Long-term Outcomes of Non-operative Management With Early Operative Management of Simple Appendicitis in Children After the COVID-19 Pandemic |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022346823007625 |journal=Journal of Pediatric Surgery |language=en |volume=59 |issue=6 |pages=1050–1057 |doi=10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.12.021 |pmid=38158255 |doi-access=free }}</ref> surgery remains the standard treatment strategy.
=== Cancer === Standard treatment for endometrial cancer is total hysterectomy. Conservative therapy for patients with endometrial atypical hyperplasia or low grade early stage endometrial cancer involves hysteroscopic resection followed by hormone therapy. This treatment has been shown to be safe and effective in specific types of low-risk patients who wish to preserve their fertility.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zhao |first1=Shuangshuang |last2=Zhang |first2=Jingying |last3=Yan |first3=Ye |last4=Tian |first4=Lina |last5=Chen |first5=Lingli |last6=Zheng |first6=Xingyu |last7=Sun |first7=Yiqing |last8=Tian |first8=Wenyan |last9=Xue |first9=Fengxia |last10=Wang |first10=Yingmei |date=August 2024 |title=Oncological and reproductive outcomes of endometrial atypical hyperplasia and endometrial cancer patients undergoing conservative therapy with hysteroscopic resection: A systematic review and meta-analysis |journal=Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica |language=en |volume=103 |issue=8 |pages=1498–1512 |doi=10.1111/aogs.14815 |doi-access=free|pmid=38382917 |pmc=11266644 |issn=0001-6349}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Uccella |first1=Stefano |last2=Zorzato |first2=Pier |last3=Dababou |first3=Susan |last4=Bosco |first4=Mariachiara |last5=Torella |first5=Marco |last6=Braga |first6=Andrea |last7=Frigerio |first7=Matteo |last8=Gardella |first8=Barbara |last9=Cianci |first9=Stefano |last10=Laganà |first10=Antonio |last11=Franchi |first11=Massimo |last12=Garzon |first12=Simone |date=2022-09-11 |title=Conservative Management of Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia and Early Endometrial Cancer in Childbearing Age Women |journal=Medicina |language=en |volume=58 |issue=9 |page=1256 |doi=10.3390/medicina58091256 |doi-access=free |issn=1648-9144 |pmc=9504942 |pmid=36143933}}</ref>
Standard treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast is surgical resection. In low-risk cases detected through screening, patients who received active surveillance experienced similar 5 and 10-year outcomes as patients who received surgical treatment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Co |first1=M. |last2=Cheng |first2=K.C.K. |last3=Yeung |first3=Y.H. |last4=Lau |first4=K.C. |last5=Qian |first5=Z. |last6=Wong |first6=C.M. |last7=Wong |first7=B.Y. |last8=Sin |first8=E.L.K. |last9=Wong |first9=H.Y.S. |last10=Ma |first10=C.H. |date=April 2023 |title=Clinical Outcomes of Conservative Treatment for Low-Risk Ductal Carcinoma in Situ: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0936655523000250 |journal=Clinical Oncology |language=en |volume=35 |issue=4 |pages=255–261 |doi=10.1016/j.clon.2023.01.019|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Medical terminology
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