Surgeon perspectives on options for ventral abdominal wall hernia repair: results of a postal questionnaire

Background: Ventral abdominal wall hernias are a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Opinion varies as to appropriate management. A recent consensus meeting on incisional hernia identified the need to standardise repair. On this background, a survey of current practice was performed. Method: A questionnaire was sent to 101 practicing general surgeons within the West of Scotland. Incisional, epigastric and para-umbilical defects were subdivided into defect size <2, 2–5 and >5 cm. The surgeons were asked to indicate the most appropriate repair (suture, mayo or mesh) for each. The influence of reducibility on the decision to repair was also assessed. Results: Sixty-one of 101 questionnaires were returned valid giving a response rate of 60%. Suture repair was significantly more likely to be used in all defects <2 cm (P<0.001). Mesh repair was significantly more likely to be recommended in all defects >5 cm (P<0.001). Of defects >5-cm, mesh was recommended for 90% of incisional hernia compared with 81% of epigastric and 76% of para-umbilical hernia (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in choice of repair for defect size 2–5 cm with opinion divided between suture and mesh. Irreducibility increased the likelihood of recommendation for repair. Conclusion: This survey shows a lack of consensus on the appropriate repair of ventral abdominal wall hernia amonge practicing consultant general surgeons. This reflects the contrasting views within the current literature.     

Changing prevalence and knowledge of urinary incontinence among Hong Kong Chinese women

A territory-wide telephone survey was conducted in Hong Kong to assess the prevalence, knowledge, and treatment-seeking behaviour of Chinese women with urinary incontinence, using validated Chinese version of Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7). Women, 540, aged between 17 to 77 years were interviewed. Of the respondents, 40.8% reported stress urinary incontinence, 20.4% had urge incontinence and 15.9% had mixed incontinence. Among these, 16.0% reported quality of life impairment; 9.3% felt frustrated with low morale, and 15.2% had nervous and anxiety problems. However, as many as 78.3% of the respondents did not know that stress urinary incontinence is a disease entity, and 60.6% thought that leakage of urine was a normal aging process. For those respondents having stress urinary incontinence, the first treatment of choice was physiotherapy. The second choice was medication, and surgical treatment was the last option. Respondents with stress urinary incontinence showed higher education level.     

Evaluating the responsiveness of the endometriosis health profile questionnaire: The EHP-30

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sensitivity to change of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30) questionnaire. SETTING: The Women's Center, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. DESIGN: Postal survey to 66 women undergoing conservative surgery for the treatment of endometriosis-associated pain. The EHP-30 and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) were administered 2 weeks before the operation, and 4 months post-operatively. At T2 a transition question was included to evaluate changes in patients health status. To evaluate responsiveness effect sizes, standardised response means, the index of responsiveness and the minimally and clinically important differences were calculated. RESULTS: Forty (66.6%) patients returned the questionnaires at time 1 and 2. Overall less responsive effect size scores were found for the SF-36 (0.1-0.5) compared to the EHP-30 (-0.1-1.1) for all patients who had undergone treatment. Minimally important differences and the index of responsiveness were overall higher for the EHP-30 (0.4-2.0) compared to the SF-36 (0.1-1.0). Change scores for four of the five scales were significantly correlated with women's responses to the transition question. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the EHP-30 is sensitive to change. Its application in clinical trials should prove beneficial in assessing the impact of medical and surgical interventions upon quality of life for women with endometriosis.     

计算机X线摄影适宜照射线量的探讨

目的以噪声的频率特性评价计算机X线摄影系统(computed radiography, CR)的适宜曝光量.方法在相同摄影条件下获得中速 CaWO4屏-Fuji片组合照片和CR照片,以此为基础,改变mAs,获得不同照射剂量下的CR影像,经相同的后处理条件输出它们的CR照片.用显微密度计依次对这些照片进行扫描,每张获得10万个密度值,作为离散随机信号来处理,用快速傅立叶变换计算威纳频谱(Wiener spectrum, WS),测试CR照片噪声的WS与中速CaWO4屏-Fuji片组合的照片噪声WS值相等的曝光量值.结果 (1)在照射剂量均为5.61μGy、照片密度均为1.0的情况下,在空间频率(ω)=0.1 LP/mm处,CR系统的WS值为 23.1×10 -6 mm2,屏-片系统的为20.1×10 -6 mm2;在ω=0.5 LP/mm处,CR系统的WS值为 9.73×10 -6 mm2,屏-片系统的为8.41×10 -6 mm2 .(2)当ω=0.1 LP/mm时,照射剂量为5.61μGy的CR照片的WS值分别是照射剂量为1.40、2.80、8.76、13.67、21.11μGy CR片的0.53、0.75、1.14、1.44、1.80倍;当空间频率为0.5 LP/mm时,照射剂量为5.61μGy的CR片的WS值分别是照射剂量为1.40、2.80、8.76、13.67、21.11μGy CR片的0.40、0.58、1.26、1.47、2.16倍.(3)在ω=0.5 LP/mm时,与照射剂量为5.61μGy的屏-片组合有相当的噪声水平的CR照片照射剂量大致为7.70 μGy左右.结论相同摄影条件下CR照片的噪声要比中速 CaWO4屏-Fuji片组合的大;随着照射量的增加CR系统总WS将减小,噪声下降;如想获得和屏-片相同噪声的影像,应适当增大CR系统的照射量.     

QCT骨密度测量的质量控制及意义

目的目前国内对QCT骨密度测量的质量控制研究较少，本文介绍了QCT骨密度测量的准确度、精密度试验方法和意义。方法使用东芝CT机自带体模和软件为测量工具，测量四川大学华西骨质疏松研究中心等研制的QCT骨体模（称四川体模）的骨密度值。四川体模固定于15cm深的水浴中模拟人体腰椎，东芝体模置于水浴容器与扫描床面之间，按照人腰椎QCT骨密度测量相同的条件和方法进行操作，每日1次对测量体模连续测量25日，计算SD和CV，分别以25次测量125d25次测量／1d基线作3m的shewhart图。结果测量四川体模从小到大三管骨密度分别的准确度误差为-60．4％、-39．1％和-13．6％，其分别的校正系数为2．69、1．64、1．15，相关系数为0．9966，回归方程Y=35．6＋0．958X（X为测量骨密度，Y为校正后骨密度）。本型QCT机骨密度测量的25次／1d及25次，25d精密度误差分别为1．25～5．54％和1．98～7．87％。25次125d的精密度误差要大于25次，d，显示机器一日内精密度误差变化小，随时间延长其变化增大。以25次125d的结果为基线绘制的shewhart图优于25次/d。结论一切QCT骨密度测量都应进行质量控制，准确度必须予以校正，精密度试验应在此基础上进行。这样结果才真实、科学、可靠并具有可比性。     

2种清洗设备洗涤医用器械的质量分析

目的通过观察全自动清洗消毒器与超声波清洗机洗涤不同类医用器械的质量,找出不同器械的最佳洗涤方法,为制订各种器械洗涤流程提供依据。方法将回收器械随机分为A洗涤法和B洗涤法。A洗涤法:将回收器械直接放入全自动清洗消毒器内按程序进行清洗、消毒和干燥。B洗涤法:将器械放入超声波机内按程序加酶浸泡、超声波清洗、冷水热水喷淋清洗消毒、上油烘干。比较2种洗涤方法的洗涤效果。结果A洗涤法洗涤后齿类器械剩余残留物为0.52‰,非齿类器械剩余残留物为0.07‰,2种器械洗涤效果差异有统计学意义(!2=28.189,P=0.000),洗涤齿类器械效果差;B洗涤法洗涤齿类器械剩余残留物为0.04‰,非齿类器械剩余残留物为0.01‰,2种器械洗涤效果差异无统计学意义(!2=1.008,P=0.313)。而2组洗涤法洗涤齿类器械效果有统计学意义(!2=44.097,P=0.000);非齿类器械洗涤后剩余残留物对比不明显,洗涤效果差异无统计学意义(!2=2.667,P=0.102)。结论采用超声波清洗机清洗齿类器械洗涤效果佳;而采用全自动清洗消毒器洗涤齿类器械洗涤效果差,但洗涤非齿类器械洗涤容量大,效果好。     

病案质量问题与改进

病案作为记录医疗活动过程的重要载体,包含着各类丰富的信息。医疗服务质量评价有很多内容是通过病案实现的。作者分析了包括"三级医师查房"在内的20余项在病案中反映的医疗服务质量项目,指出影响质量判断的常见因素,并提出解决的对策与措施。     

计算机X射线摄影新旧成像板的比较

目的 通过体模检测和病例检查的对照研究,比较计算机X射线摄影(computed radiography,CR)新旧两种不同成像板(IP)对影像质量和病人辐射的影响,探讨新旧IP的使用原则。方法 对新旧IP进行常规暗噪声、均匀性和一致性、擦除完全性检测;根据阈值对比度-细节检测能力(TCDD)技术,75 kV时新旧IP对体模TO.16进行摄影,请3位观察者采用双盲法对所得影像进行观察评分,计算阈值检测指数H_T(A);结合临床用相同曝光条件,不同的IP分别对膝关节、胸部、腰椎进行投照,请3位放射专家进行双盲阅片,评价影像质量。结果 新旧IP在物理指标上基本相同,在相同曝光条件下,新IP的检测能力高于旧IP,当旧IP提高20%的辐射剂量后,旧IP检测能力接近新IP。结论 随着IP使用次数的增加,需逐步提高曝光剂量才能保证影像质量;若保持原有剂量不变,IP的检测能力就会下降,将影响疾病的诊断。