Perceptions of Single vs. Partnered Adult Gravidas in the Midtrimester

Perceptions of the pregnancy experience, pregnancy intendedness, and partner status were compared in a sample of 30 women in the midtrimester. Half of the sample defined themselves as single and half as partnered. Interview data showed a full range in pregnancy intendedness and partner status, and shared areas of concern among the sample as a whole and areas of concern specific to single women. Single women's concerns clustered into four categories: decision-making, disclosure, social support, and legal issues.     

Should patients receiving a radial artery conduit have post-operative calcium channel blockers?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether calcium channel blockers or possibly nitrates are necessary if a radial artery conduit has been used for coronary artery bypass grafting. The reported search found 98 papers of which 14 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, journal, date and country of publication, patient group, relevant outcomes and weaknesses were tabulated. We conclude routine use of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and nitrates, in order to reduce vasospasm, is in widespread use but none of the clinical studies that we identified provided any evidence for their benefit. Furthermore, one study demonstrated that a vasoconstrictor mediated increase in blood pressure actually increased blood flow in the radial artery, and a further study reported that serotonin induced vasospasm was not attenuated by CCBs in vivo. All these studies are underpowered to exclude a benefit of vasodilators in improving graft patency in the medium term. However, an RCT that sought to prove an increase of 5% in patency rates (which are already around 90% or more) with a power of 80% would have to recruit and perform medium term angiography on 948 patients.     

Intra‐arterial embolization of lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous nephrolithotomy

The management of a patient with haematuria following percutaneous nephrolithotomy is described. The patient underwent renal angiography to assess the cause of bleeding. A pseudoaneurysm arising from first left lumbar artery was incidentally discovered, which was then successfully embolized using an indigenously fabricated metallic coil and gel foam particles in the same sitting.