Enhancing Patients' Wayfinding and Visitation Experience Improves Quality of Care

PurposeTo understand the impact of wayfinding challenges on patient hospital visitation experience, organizational costs, and emerging technology trends that may alleviate wayfinding challenges.DesignA review of literature on the relationship of wayfinding to patient's hospital visitation experience.MethodsA literature search identifying issues associated with wayfinding challenges in complex health care facilities was conducted. Case examples are provided to illustrate that the removal of barriers can improve the wayfinding experience. This review also informs technology trends that may effectively facilitate wayfinding in complex health care facilities.FindingsLarge hospital complexes exhibit many characteristics comparable to the physical features of a city environment. These complexities present challenges to patients to navigate to their destinations. An effective wayfinding system is a collection of tools that combines permanent signage, printed information, landmarks, architectural features and design elements, and human interactions. Navigational technology modeling holds the promise to aid patients and individuals with visual and cognitive challenges to find their way to their desired destinations effectively and efficiently, and improves their quality of life.ConclusionsImproved patient travel time correlates to reduce idled nursing time, with cost savings accrued to organization. Research shows that wayfinding mobile applications hold the promise of improving patients' hospital visitation experience.     

Congenital Heart Disease in Adolescents With Gluteal Muscle Contracture

Gluteal muscle contracture (GMC), presented with hip abduction and external rotation when crouching, is common in several ethnicities, particularly in Chinese. It remains unclear that the reasons why these children are weak and have no choice to accept repeated intramuscular injection. Here, we found some unique cases which may be useful to explain this question.We describe a series of special GMC patients, who are accompanied with congenital heart disease (CHD). These cases were first observed in preoperative examinations of a patient with atrial septal defect (ASD), which was proved by chest X-ray and cardiac ultrasound. From then on, we gradually identified additional 3 GMC patients with CHD. The original patient with ASD was sent to cardiosurgery department to repair atrial septal first and received arthroscopic surgery later. While the other 3 were cured postoperative of ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of fallot (TOF), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), respectively, and had surgery directly.The study gives us 3 proposals: (1) as to CHD children, it is essential to decrease the use of intramuscular injection, (2) paying more attention to cardiac examination especially cardiac ultrasound in perioperative period, and (3) taking 3D-CT to reconstruct gluteal muscles for observing contracture bands clearly in preoperation. However, more larger series of patients are called for to confirm these findings.     

^1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy screening for animals with acute cerebral infraction suitable forthrombolytic therapy

BACKGROUND: As a non-invasive technique which can provide comprehensive biological information, 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) may provide valuable reference data for irreversible recovery or reversible changes in ischemic tissue after stroke. OBJECTIVE: To monitor and evaluate the effect of the urokinase thrombolytic therapy after experimental acute cerebral ischemia by 1H-MRS technology and investigate its adaptability. DESIGN: Randomly controlled animal study. SETTINGS: Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and National Key Laboratory of Pattern and Atom & Molecular Physics, Wuhan Physics and Mathematics Institute, Chinese Academy of Science. MATERIALS: Eleven healthy adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, weighing 260–300 g and of both genders, were supplied by Experimental Animal Center of Tongji Medical Collage, Huazhong University of Science and Technology [SCXK (e) 2004-007]. 4.7T superconducting nuclear magnetic resonance meter was provided by Brucker Company. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and National Key Laboratory of Pattern and Atom & Molecular Physics, Wuhan Physics and Mathematics Institute, Chinese Academy of Science from August 2003 to December 2005. ① The rats were randomly divided into 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group (n =6) and 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group (n =5). Six rats in 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group were occluded with clot embolus for 30 minutes and 5 rats in 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group were occluded for 60 minutes. 10 000 U/kg urokinase was dissolved in 2 mL saline and the operation lasted for 5 minutes. ② 1H-MRS was performed before thrombolysis and at 3 hours and 24 hours after successful embolization. The metabolic changes of N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid (NAA)/phosphocreatine (PCr) + creatine (Cr), choline phosphate (Cho)/PCr+Cr and lactic acid (Lac)/PCr+Cr in the region of interests were analyzed. ③ The T2W image was conducted 24 hours after the thrombolytic therapy with TR=500 ms and TE=25 ms. ④ The subjects were sacrificed immediately after 1H-MRS and the brain tissues were cut into pieces and stained with HE method; in addition, pathological changes were observed under optic microscope. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Metabolic changes of NAA/PCr+Cr, Cho/PCr+Cr and Lac/PCr+Cr in the region of interests; ② T2W image at 24 hours after the thrombolysis; ③ pathological observation of brain tissue. RESULTS: Eleven rats were all involved in the final analysis. ① Metabolic changes in the region of interests : In 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group, the Lac peak emerged immediately after the embolism, but the ischemic zone decreased 3 hours after the thrombolytic therapy (0.252±0.01, 0.603±0.01, P < 0.01). Lac/(PCr+Cr) ratio was 0.290±0.01 at 24 hours after thrombolysis, which was higher than that at 3 hours after thrombolysis (P < 0.01). The NAA/ (PCr+Cr) ratio decreased significantly at 3 hours after the thrombolysis as compared with that before thrombolysis (0.922±0.16, 1.196±0.01, P < 0.05). In 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group, the Lac/(PCr+Cr) ratio was higher at 3 hours after thrombolysis than that before thrombolysis (0.846±0.12, 0.601±0.11, P < 0.05) and the NAA/(PCr+Cr) decreased at 3 hours after the embolism. Fluctuation of NAA/ (PCr+Cr) ranged from 0.68 to 0.75 before thrombolysis and from 0.71 to 0.75 at 3 hours after thrombolysis. ② T2W image: T2W image showed that 2 subjects in 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group whose Lac/NAA was higher than 0.7 suffered from intracranial hemorrhage. This meant that the subjects with Lac/NAA > 0.7 were more likely to suffer from intracranial hemorrhage. ③ Histological and morphological examinations: Optic microscope demonstrated that interspace surrounding nerve cells was widened at ischemic center; neurons were swelling; nucleus was stained lightly; pyknosis and mesenchymal edema were mainly observed in lateral cortex of brow and vertex and in lateral part of corpus striatum. CONCLUSION: ①Compound parameters in ischemic area before thrombolysis should be regarded as an important predicting marker for thrombolytic therapy, effect evaluation and termination. ② 1H-MRS combining with other imaging technique is a detecting way for screening cases who are suitable for thrombolytic therapy.     

妊娠期妇女外阴阴道念珠菌病的病原学和治疗研究

目的 调查孕妇外阴阴道念珠菌病(vulvovaginal candidiasis，VVC)的发病率，对检出的VVC进行病原学和治疗研究。方法 连续对产科门诊1000例孕妇进行VVC发病情况调查。对分离的念珠菌进行体外抗真菌药物敏感试验。对66例VVC患者应用咪康唑栓治疗，400mg／d，6d为一疗程。结果 孕妇VVC的发病率为12．7％(127／1000)。37．4％(374／1000)的孕妇以往有VVC病史，0．6％的孕妇为复发性VVc。127例VVC中，白念珠菌、光滑念珠菌、热带念珠菌和克柔念珠菌分别占87．1％、9．9％、1．5％和1．5％。有4例患者同时感染2种念珠菌。114株白念珠菌对咪康唑、克霉唑、氟康唑、伊曲康唑、制霉菌素耐药率依次为10．5％、2．6％、6．1％、7．9％和0。13株光滑念珠菌对咪康唑和制霉菌素均敏感，对克霉唑、伊曲康唑和氟康唑均敏感或剂量依赖敏感。应用咪康唑栓治疗的患者在治疗完成后1～2周及4～6周的病原学治愈率分别为84．8％和80．3％。结论 VVC是孕妇的常见病，白念珠菌仍然是主要致病菌，其次为光滑念珠菌。常用抗真菌药物对引起VVC的念珠菌存在不同程度的耐药率，应用咪康唑栓治疗孕妇VVC效果满意。     

慢性肾功能不全患者行冠状动脉搭桥术围术期处理

目的：探讨慢性肾功能不全患行冠状动脉搭桥术的安全性。方法：回顾性分析1996年6月至2001年6月收治的15例慢性肾功能不全患行冠状动脉搭桥术的临床资料，并复习献。结果：9例患术后早期肾功能指标较术前差；6例患术后早期肾功能技术前无明显变化。围术期腹透4例，血透2例，其中1例行术中血透，肾功能指标均有所改善。全组无术中死亡，1例枚后第三天死于多器官功能衰竭。结论：术前肾功能不全的患，经过积极的术中及围术期处理，大多可以安全渡过肾功能衰竭关，接受冠状动脉搭桥术，达到改善症状延长生命的目的。     

IVF周期中性激素水平的改变与临床妊娠率的相关性

目的探讨超排卵周期中血清雌、孕激素水平的变化及其与临床妊娠率的关系。方法56例不孕患者经普通IVF-ET(包括ICSI)过程,于注射FSH或HMG(启动日)、启动后4～7天、注射HCG日测定血清雌、孕激素、FSH、LH水平,于停经后6～8周行腹部B超检查示宫腔内孕囊存在并伴HCG上升则确认为临床妊娠。将临床妊娠组(23例)及非临床妊娠组(33例)的上述3日雌、孕激素、FSH、LH水平作一回顾性的分析对比。结果雌、孕激素、FSH水平随周期天数增加而增加,LH水平随周期天数增加而减少;临床妊娠组比非临床妊娠组雌、孕激素、FSH、LH水平略低,以HCG日较为明显,但两组雌、孕激素、FSH、LH水平间没有明显差异(P>0.05)。结论在IVF周期中, 临床妊娠率可能与多种因素有关,雌,孕激素的水平对胚胎着床的影响将有待我们提高样本量进一步探讨。     

保留胫骨止点的腘绳肌腱移植重建膝交叉韧带

目的 研究保留胫骨止点的自体腘绳肌肌腱移植重建交叉韧带的优缺点。方法 自2001年7月至2005年3月间我院收治交叉韧带断裂患者33例，前交叉韧带断裂17例，后交叉韧带断裂10例，前后交叉韧带断裂并外侧副韧带断裂3例，前后交叉韧带并内侧副韧带断裂3例。其中男性28例，女性5例。平均年龄28．2岁（18-45岁）。平均随访时间3．9年（范围0．5～5年）。使用特制取腱器将半腱肌腱和股薄肌腱从肌腹中抽出，回折锁边缝合成四股，穿过胫骨和股骨隧道。远端经过骨孔以界面钉固定或经过骨桥固定。结果 按照JOA膝关节韧带损伤疗效判定标准，手术前后评分分别为46．0分和79．8分，Lysholm膝关节评分标准手术前后分别为54．4分和80．3分（P〈0．001）。胫骨前移：术前平均10．9mm（范围9～13mm），术后平均3．6mm（范围0～7mm）（P〈0．001）。结论 保留胫骨止点的腘绳肌肌腱移植，可以适用于前后交叉韧带重建，其优点是取材方便，并发症少，胫骨隧道不再需要内固定。