THE SELECTIVE USE OF FINE CATHETER PERITONEAL CYTOLOGY AND LAPAROSCOPY REDUCES THE UNNECESSARY APPENDICECTOMY RATE

The effect of a management protocol incorporating the selective use of fine catheter peritoneal cytology (FCPC) and laparoscopy on the unnecessary appendicectomy rate was studied in adult patients (≥16 years) treated at one district general hospital over an 11 -month period. Appendicectomy was performed on 62 adult patients managed according to this protocol, six (10%) of whom had a histologically normal appendix and no other acute condition requiring surgery. A further 57 patients underwent appendicectomy after standard clinical assessment and investigation without the use of FCPC or laparoscopy. Nineteen (33%) of these patients had a histologically normal appendix removed, with no other acute condition requiring surgical treatment. The selective use of FCPC and laparoscopy significantly reduced the unnecessary appendicectomy rate from 33% to 10% (χ² = 10.0, P<0.005). The more widespread use of these techniques in patients with suspected appendicitis is therefore recommended.     

The information needs of carers of adults diagnosed with epilepsy.

AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the information needs of informal carers, and how information from health professionals can become more effective for families caring for people with epilepsy. METHODS: A combined methodology was used, comprising an interview study and a survey. Twelve in-depth interviews with carers were carried out. The questionnaire was developed using the interview data, to which 70 carers responded. RESULTS: Four main themes have been drawn from the study. Carers' of people with epilepsy have a need for improved and more appropriate levels of information giving by health professionals in both primary and secondary care. Carers' perceived self-efficacy expectations in seeking information are positive but they do not always feel listened to. Carers' prefer to receive information in a one-to-one setting but also need information from formats other than leaflets. Carers' perceive barriers to having their information needs met, such as their needs being unrecognised in relation to the person with epilepsy.     

Clinical trial of a prevention and treatment protocol for skin breakdown in two nursing homes.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of skin care protocols, including a body wash and skin protectant, on skin breakdown in 2 nursing homes. DESIGN: This was a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design study.Setting and subjects Adult residents (n = 136) of 2 skilled nursing homes consented to participate in this study. Seventy percent were women; the sample average age of 82 years. INSTRUMENTS: A researcher-designed data recording form documented resident demographics, incidence and type of skin breakdown or pressure ulcer, presence of urinary or fecal incontinence, and assessment of the effectiveness of body wash and skin protectant. METHODS: Baseline data on prevalence of pressure ulcers and skin protocol were collected weekly for a 3-month period followed by a week-long educational program by the researchers about skin care and the body wash and skin protectant. During the 3-month trial with the body wash and skin protectant incorporated into routine care, research assistants recorded resident data weekly and researchers again assessed prevalence and incidence of pressure ulcers and skin breakdown weekly. RESULTS: Incorporation of a body wash and skin protectant into a skin care prevention and early intervention protocol in 2 nursing homes documented a decrease in skin breakdowns from 68 pre-intervention to 40 postintervention; the decrease in agency B was statistically significant. There was a statistically significant decrease in stage I and II pressure ulcer incidence overall (pre-intervention = 19.9%, postintervention = 8.1%). Nurses evaluated the body wash and skin protectant as effective for 98% of the time used. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a protocol for skin care along with staff education, including the prophylactic use of a body wash and skin protectant, reduced the incidence of skin breakdown, including pressure ulcers and perineal dermatitis, in 2 long-term care facilities.     

Grand round cases: Australian Association of Neurologists Annual Scientific Meeting, Canberra 2006.

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Association of Neurologists includes a Grand Rounds Session in which unusual cases are presented. The Chairmen of the 2006 session, Drs Richard Stark and Heather Waddy, lead the audience through a discussion of the history, physical signs, diagnostic investigations and finally the diagnosis at intervals throughout the case presentation. In introducing the cases Dr. Stark emphasized that the cases were selected because they were unusual and the final diagnosis may not be evident at the outset. The approach to the clinical problems and the process of thinking through the differential diagnoses and the method of investigation were as important to the discussion of these cases as the final diagnosis itself. These cases are reported here including an edited summary of the discussion with the same emphasis on the method of clinical analysis and the diagnostic process.     

Transperineal percutaneous iridium-192 interstitial template implant of the prostate: results and complications in 321 patients.

A total of 321 patients with localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated by modified pelvic lymphadenectomy, Iridium-192 implant, and external beam iridium radiation were retrospectively reviewed. Analysis covered 8 years between 1981 and 1989 with a median population age of 72 (range 42 through 82 years). Disease-free survival for the entire group is 69% at 5 years with a median follow-up of 34 months (range 1.5 months to 98.5 months). As expected, both bulkier disease and positive nodal status adversely affected 5-year disease-free survival (p = 0.0001 for both). For tumors stage T1b (A2), T2a (B1), T2b (B2), T3 (C) the disease-free survival is 89.5%, 89.9%, 64.7%, and 48.8%, respectively; for NO disease 5-year disease-free survival is 76.5% versus N1/N2 disease with 5-year disease-free survival of 33.2%. Local control was excellent except for bulkier disease (p = 0.009). Tumors T1b, T2a, T2b, and T3 have 60-month local control rates of 95%, 93%, 83.6%, and 73.1%, respectively. Histologic grade also affected disease-free survival and local control with grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 showing 81.2%, 65.7%, and 45.1% disease-free survival at 5 years; and 93.6%, 82.2%, and 72.4% local control at 5 years. Estimates obtained using Kaplan-Meier method. Radiation induced morbidity was analyzed separately for all patients, there were 41 patients (13% of total) with 54 documented complications. There were no Grade 4 or 5 complications as per RTOG categories. Only 3 cases showed grade 3 complications (1%) and 51 cases showed grade 2 complications (15.9%). Grade 1 complications were not recorded. Of the grade 2 and grade 3 complications 30 were GU and 22 were rectal. The morbidity associated with combined interstitial implantation by transperineal percutaneous template and external beam iridium radiation for the localized prostate cancer is minimal with excellent local control and disease-free survival.     

Complementary components and local variations of the pattern electroretinogram

Pattern electroretinograms have been presumed to arise from a combination of luminance and pattern detection activities. Since the responses at low spatial frequencies are linearly related to contrast and contain negligible pattern specific components, it is proposed that a retinal illuminance response for higher spatial frequencies can be computed from the optical transfer function of the eye. These computed responses are subtracted from pattern electroretinograms to reveal a pattern-specific response with a marked bandpass characteristic. The peak spatial frequency of the bandpass curve declines with increasing peripheral angle. For central vision, the peak amplitude of the pattern-specific response is larger than the retinal illuminance response, but, in the peripheral retina, the two responses are found to be almost equal. The possible origins of these signals are discussed, and it is concluded that the technique provides a method of obtaining separated illuminance and pattern responses from retinal regions having different properties of spatial selectivity.     

Metabolism of doxylamine succinate in Fischer 344 rats. Part II: Nonconjugated urinary and fecal metabolites

Elimination and metabolic profiles of doxylamine and its nonconjugated metabolites were determined after the oral administration of [14C]-doxylamine succinate (13.3 mg/kg and 133 mg/kg doses) to male and female Fischer 344 rats. Total urine and fecal recovery of the administered dose was greater than 90% regardless of sex or dose. The cumulative urinary and fecal elimination of these nonconjugated doxylamine metabolites at the 13.3 mg dose was 44.4 +/- 4.4% and 36.0 +/- 5.8% of the total recovered dose for male and female rats, respectively. The cumulative urinary and fecal elimination of the doxylamine nonconjugated metabolites at the 133 mg/kg dose was 38.7 +/- 2.7% and 41.4 +/- 1.0% of the total recovered dose for male and female rats, respectively. In order to determine the contribution of mammalian and bacterial enzymes in the overall metabolism and excretion patterns for doxylamine, two in vitro techniques were investigated. Incubation of [14C]-doxylamine succinate with human and rat intestinal microflora indicated that anaerobic bacteria were not capable of effecting the degradation of [14C]-doxylamine succinate. However, the incubation of [14C]-doxylamine succinate with isolated rat hepatocytes generated several metabolites similar to those observed in vivo. The nonconjugated doxylamine metabolites isolated and identified include: doxylamine N-oxide, desmethyldoxylamine, didesmethyldoxylamine and ring-hydroxylated products of doxylamine and desmethyldoxylamine. The studies demonstrate the role of hepatic metabolism in the elimination of doxylamine succinate in the rat.