Maybe the risks/benefits of surgery aren't being communicated correctly. Like, instead of prolonging life at any cost, the quality of life is emphasized.
For example, when my brother had his heart attack, he coded twice in the ambulance on the way to a regional hospital. They brought him back to life and it was difficult to stabilize him. They told my SIL that she might have to make a decision that night, and she called me late that night. I asked her if they had ever talked about what to do and she said he said if he could be saved to do so. No written directive.
He was stabilized and the next day flown to Richmond Critical Care Hospital. Basically, they didn't check his brain for activity and they did some medical procedures to prolong his life for 2 weeks. I knew he was dying after the first week because he was becoming jaundiced, but it was officially up to my SIL. Finally, we had a family meeting with SIL, her family, my nephew and I, and decided to end things. He officially died a few minutes later.
My point: if we had had brain test results, we could have ended his suffering and ours a couple of weeks earlier. I'm not knocking the care and effort made by the doctors and nurses because there was no written advanced directive.
After my stroke, I have a written advance directive with Do No Resusitate on it, I don't want my daughter to have to make that decision. I am pretty healthy otherwise, but fear another stroke that might leave me a vegetable with no way out.
So if doctors could give a realistic prognosis instead of just going ahead and prolonging life at any cost, that would help some.
BTW, love the new title!