Day case ankle arthroplasty: are they safe and cost effective? A single-centre case-control study

BackgroundMost patients who have an ankle replacement in the United Kingdom stay in hospital for 2–4 days. This study looked at the safety & cost-effectiveness of a day case ankle replacement pathway.MethodsThis was a retrospective case-control study looking at day case pathway for ankle replacements set up in collaboration with anaesthetists, nurses and physiotherapists. Patients practiced mobilization with crutches before surgery. Patients were discharged home with enough analgesia, and reviewed within 2–5 days of discharge.ResultsTwenty ankle replacements done between November 2017 and November 2019 were reviewed with a mean follow up of 38.4 months. None of these patients required to be readmitted within the first 28 days. No complications were related to the surgery being done as day case. Except one, all patients described the experience as excellent or good.ConclusionPer case the cost savings are estimated to be £880 in comparison to 20 matched inpatient ankle replacements. We conclude that ankle replacements can be safely carried out as day case with appropriate patient selection, pre-operative education and a multi-disciplinary approach.     

神经外科教学中虚拟现实技术、Seminar模式应用

目的探讨神经外科教学中虚拟现实技术、Seminar模式的应用效果。方法选取本院2014级临床专业实习学生24人,随机选取12人作为对照组,采用传统教学法;12人为观察组,采用虚拟现实技术、Seminar模式教学法。比较两组学生的病理分析能力,多学科协作能力,临床操作能力。结果观察组理论考试和操作考试评分分别为(84.5±3.9)分、(86.3±2.7)分,对照组分别为(80.2±2.8)分、(80.0±2.1)分,观察组理论考试和操作考试评分均高于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组病情分析、临床操作、手术胜任和多学科协作能力评分分别为(1.8±0.7)分、(1.7±0.5)分、(1.6±0.4)分、(1.5±0.5)分;对照组分别为(1.2±0.4)分、(1.1±0.2)分、(1.0±0.3)分、(1.1±0.2)分,观察组病情分析、临床操作、手术胜任和多学科协作能力评分均高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论虚拟现实技术、Seminar模式教学法联合应用提高学生的学习主动性、理论知识水平和实践技能操作水平,提高了神经外科教学效果。     

情景模拟联合案例讨论在急诊护理临床带教中的应用体会

目的探究急诊护理临床带教中采用情景模拟、案例讨论联合教学法效果。方法在本院实习的若干名护生中,选取124名护生分按照教学方法分组,对照组62名实施传统急诊护理带教,观察组62名实施案例讨论、情景模拟联合教学法,对比临床带教效果。结果两组实践与理论成绩相比,观察组成绩更高(P<0.05)。思维、急救及应激能力自我评价相比,观察组的总提高率高于对照组(P<0.05)。实施案例分析结合情景模拟教学模式后,问卷调查中观察组无护生不赞同此模式,非常赞同此教学模式的护生占总人数的90%以上。结论实施案例讨论、情景模拟联合教学模式后,护生急诊护理实践与理论水平均提升,护生我评价较高。     

案例分析与情景模拟在急诊护理教学的效果

目的探讨分案例分析法结合情景模拟法在急诊护理学生教学中的应用价值。方法以2016年10月-2017年10月本院纳入的46例急诊科实习护士为例展开研究,以教学方式的不同将46例急诊科实习护士分成观察组(n=23,接受案例分析法结合情景模拟法教学)和对照组(n=23,接受传统法教学),教学结束后对比分析两组急诊科实习护士的学习情况以及评判性思维能力。结果教学结束后,经考核发现,观察组实操成绩以及理论成绩均高于对照组(P <0.05);观察组寻求真相、求知欲、系统化能力以及分析能力等评判性思维能力均高于对照组(P <0.05)。结论在急诊护理学生教学中应用案例分析法结合情景模拟法进行教学,有利于急诊科实习护士掌握理论知识以及实操知识,同时还可以提高其评判性思维能力,可实现有效教学。     

Parental smoking,maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the risk of neuroblastoma in children. A pooled analysis of the ESCALE and ESTELLE French studies

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extra-cranial tumour in children. Little is known about the aetiology of NB. The early age at onset and the embryonic nature suggest a role for perinatal exposures. We conducted a pooled analysis of two French national population-based case–control studies to explore whether there was an association between parental smoking and alcohol consumption and the risk of NB. The mothers of 357 NB cases and 1,783 controls from general population, frequency matched by age and sex, were interviewed on demographic, socioeconomic and perinatal characteristics, maternal reproductive story, and life-style and childhood environment. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. A meta-analysis of our findings with those of previous studies was also conducted. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was slightly more often reported for the cases (24.1%) than for the controls (19.7%) (OR 1.3 [95% CI 0.9–1.7]; summary OR from meta-analysis 1.1 [95% CI 1.0–1.3]. Paternal smoking in the year before child's birth were not associated with NB as independent exposure (OR 1.1 [95% CI 0.9–1.4] but the association was stronger when both parents reported having smoked during pregnancy (OR 1.5 [95% CI 1.1–2.1]. No association was observed with maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy (OR 1.0 [95% CI 0.8–1.4], summary OR from meta-analysis 1.0 [95% CI 0.9–1.2]. Our findings provide some evidence of an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and NB and add another reason to recommend that women refrain from smoking during pregnancy.     

One-carbon metabolism biomarkers and risk of urothelial cell carcinoma in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition

Published associations between dietary folate and bladder cancer risk are inconsistent. Biomarkers may provide more accurate measures of nutrient status. This nested case–control analysis within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) investigated associations between pre-diagnostic serum folate, homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12 and the risk of urothelial cell carcinomas of the bladder (UCC). A total of 824 patients with newly diagnosed UCC were matched with 824 cohort members. Serum folate, homocysteine, and vitamins B6 and B12 were measured. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for total, aggressive, and non-aggressive UCC were estimated using conditional logistic regression with adjustment for smoking status, smoking duration and intensity, and other potential confounders. Additionally, statistical interaction with smoking status was assessed. A halving in serum folate concentrations was moderately associated with risk of UCC (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.98–1.43), in particular aggressive UCC (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.02–1.75; p-heterogeneity = 0.19). Compared to never smokers in the highest quartile of folate concentrations, this association seemed only apparent among current smokers in the lowest quartile of folate concentrations (OR: 6.26; 95% CI: 3.62–10.81, p-interaction = 0.07). Dietary folate was not associated with aggressive UCC (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.81–1.95; p-heterogeneity = 0.14). No association was observed between serum homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12 and risk of UCC. This study suggests that lower serum folate concentrations are associated with increased UCC risk, in particular aggressive UCC. Residual confounding by smoking cannot be ruled out and these findings require confirmation in future studies with multiple measurements.     

Estimating returns to hospital volume: Evidence from advanced cancer surgery

High-volume hospitals typically perform better than low-volume hospitals. In this paper, we study whether such patterns reflect a causal effect of case volume on patient outcomes. To this end, we exploit closures and openings of entire cancer clinics in Swedish hospitals which provides sharp and arguably exogenous variation in case volumes. Using detailed register data on more than 100,000 treatment episodes of advanced cancer surgery, our results suggest substantial positive effects of operation volume on survival. Complementary analyses point to learning-by-doing as an important explanation.