(Technically) Difficult colonoscope insertion – Tips and tricks

Cecal intubation is a critical aspect of effective, complete colonoscopy. Difficult colonoscopy is most often considered as one in which it is challenging or impossible to reach the cecum. It may be a common occurrence due to patient and/or endoscopist factors. Incomplete colonoscopies should be avoided, since patients in this context present an important prevalence of lesions that escape examination. The approach to successful cecal intubation should depend on characterization of the problem as redundant colon or difficult sigmoid colon. Most patients with a prior incomplete colonoscopy can be colonoscoped successfully, if careful attention is paid to technique, using a variety of scopes, colonoscopy methods and additional equipment. Sufficient time should be allotted to make the attempt.     

Cost of postoperative complications: How to avoid calculation errors

Postoperative complications(PC) are a basic health outcome, but no surgery service in the world records and/or audits the PC associated with all the surgical procedures it performs. Most studies that have assessed the cost of PC suffer from poor quality and a lack of transparency and consistency. The payment system in place often rewards the volume of services provided rather than the quality of patients' clinical outcomes. Without a thorough registration of PC, the economic costs involved cannot be determined. An accurate, reliable appraisal would help identify areas for investment in order to reduce the incidence of PC,improve surgical results, and bring down the economic costs. This article describes how to quantify and classify PC using the Clavien-Dindo classification and the comprehensive complication index, discusses the perspectives from which economic evaluations are performed and the minimum postoperative follow-up established, and makes various recommendations. The availability of accurate and impartially audited data on PC will help reduce their incidence and bring down costs. Patients, the health authorities, and society as a whole are sure to benefit.     

脑卒中后偏瘫肩痛患者生活质量的影响因素研究

目的 探讨脑卒中后偏瘫肩痛患者生活质量的直接和间接影响因素，以期为临床症状管理提供参考信息。 方法 采用一般资料调查表、脑卒中后偏瘫肩痛症状评估表、简易疲乏量表、医院焦虑抑郁量表、Fugl-Meyer上肢功能评分量表和脑卒中生活质量专用量表对205例脑卒中后偏瘫肩痛患者进行调查。结果 偏瘫肩痛患者的生活质量总分为（144.48±27.69），整体处于中等水平。生活质量的主要影响因素是肩痛困扰、肩痛频度、肩外旋、疲乏程度和抑郁，可以解释总变异的63.3%。路径分析结果显示，疲乏程度、肩痛频度和肩痛困扰可直接影响患者的生活质量（β_(疲乏程度-生活质量)=-0.252，P<0.001；β_(肩痛频度-生活质量)=-0.147，P<0.001；β_(肩痛困扰-生活质量)=-0.317，P<0.001）；疲乏程度和肩痛频度亦可通过肩痛困扰来间接影响患者的生活质量（ β_(疲乏程度-肩痛困扰-生活质量)=-0.066，P<0.001；β_(肩痛频度-肩痛困扰-生活质量)=-0.064，P<0.001）。结论 临床上应同时关注脑卒中患者疲乏和偏瘫肩痛症状，关注抑郁和疲乏对症状体验的协同作用，提高医护人员症状管理的效率，从而提高脑卒中偏瘫肩痛患者的生活质量。