The detection and management of complications following the treatment of liver metastases

While once considered as incurable systemic disease, treatment options for liver metastases have increased over the last 30 years and safety has improved dramatically, such that for a selected group of patients the hope of cure can now be offered with radical treatment, and low morbidity interventions can be offered which prolong survival, even in patients with more widely disseminated disease. Advances have been made in selection and surgical technique for liver resection and several adjuncts to resection now exist in the form of portal vein embolization, thermal ablation and targeted drug or radiotherapy delivery options. A natural consequence of these developments has been the delivery of services within fewer specialist units, with the result that later complications of therapy may present to local hospitals, rather than directly to the specialist centres. This article will describe the current common liver-directed therapies and outline the presentation and management of their complications.     

Loss of basal forebrain P75(NTR) immunoreactivity in subjects with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

The long-held belief that degeneration of the cholinergic basal forebrain was central to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and occurred early in the disease process has been questioned recently. In this regard, changes in some cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) markers (e.g. the high affinity trkA receptor) but not others (e.g., cortical choline acetyltransferase [ChAT] activity, the number of ChAT and vesicular acetylcholine transporter-immunoreactive neurons) suggest specific phenotypic changes, but not frank neuronal degeneration, early in the disease process. The present study examined the expression of the low affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)), an excellent marker of CBF neurons, in postmortem tissue derived from clinically well-characterized individuals who have been classified as having no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and mild AD. Relative to NCI individuals, a significant and similar reduction in the number of nucleus basalis p75(NTR)-immunoreactive neurons was seen in individuals with MCI (38%) and mild AD (43%). The number of p75(NTR)-immunoreactive nucleus basalis neurons was significantly correlated with performance on the Mini-Mental State Exam, a Global Cognitive Test score, as well as some individual tests of working memory and attention. These data, together with previous reports, support the concept that phenotypic changes, but not frank neuronal degeneration, occur early in cognitive decline. Although there was no difference in p75(NTR) CBF cell reduction between MCI and AD, it remains to be determined whether these findings lend support to the hypothesis that MCI is a prodromal stage of AD.     

Family medical leave. An employee benefit for working caregivers of elderly family members

Future trends include a decrease in the number of adult children, an increase in the number of individuals over age 65, single parent families, working women, and individuals with no health care insurance. As more women with multiple roles and responsibilities enter and continue as part of the work force, employers recognize the need for support of family issues. Currently many employers lack initiative to make these needed changes. The occupational health nurses' role in relation to future policy for working caregivers includes assessment of how employment and caregiving impact work performance, job satisfaction, and health; and participation in defining public policy issues.     

456例大小便失禁病人的皮肤护理

目的 保持皮肤清洁,使病人身心舒适;维持病人皮肤完整性,治疗或预防皮肤并发症.方法 ①大小便失禁病人皮肤完整的床上擦浴,bid,排便后及时清洗,用电吹风或红外线照射,保持会阴部、尾骶部皮肤干燥;应用一次性尿垫、阴茎套、留置导尿管等辅助工具接尿;②褥疮护理使用气垫床,翻身防褥疮护理,q2h,对褥疮创面给予换药、湿润烧伤膏外敷,qd;③外阴炎给予达克宁霜或康纳乐霜外涂,tid.结果 入院时皮肤完好的320例病人褥疮发生率为0.5%,皮肤炎发生率为0.85%,尿路感染发生率为1.5%;50例皮肤炎病人全部治愈,86例带入院褥疮治愈率为93%.结论 对大小便失禁的病人实施良好的皮肤护理,可促进病人舒适,维持病人皮肤完整性,治疗和预防皮肤并发症的发生.     

The First‐Episode Psychosis Outcome Study: premorbid and baseline characteristics of an epidemiological cohort of 661 first‐episode psychosis patients

Aims: Studies conducted in first‐episode psychosis (FEP) samples avoid many biases. However, very few studies are based on epidemiological cohorts treated in specialized FEP services. The aim of this file audit study was to examine premorbid and baseline characteristics of a large epidemiological sample of FEP. Methods: File audit study of all patients admitted to the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre between 1998 and 2000 using a specialized questionnaire. Results: There were 661 patient files included in the study. Premorbid evaluation revealed high rates of substance use disorder (74.1%), history of psychiatric disorder (47.5%), past traumatic events (82.7%) suicide attempts (14.3%) and family history of psychiatric illness (55.6%). Baseline characteristics revealed high intensity of illness (mean CGI 5.5), high prevalence of lack of insight (62%) and high rate of comorbidity (70%). Conclusion: High rates of traumatic events or episodes of mental illness before treatment for FEP must be considered when designing treatment approaches because a too narrow focus on positive psychotic symptoms will inevitably lead to incomplete treatment. Additionally, early intervention programmes need sufficient range of resources to address the multiple challenges presented by FEP patients such as high severity of illness, comorbidities and functional impairment. Finally, observation of an important degree of functional impairment despite short duration of untreated psychosis suggests that while early detection of FEP is a necessary step in early intervention, it may not be sufficient to improve functional recovery in psychosis and that efforts aimed at identifying people during the prodromal phase of psychotic disorders should be pursued.     

HP26PSEUDO‐ACHALASIA FOLLOWING A SLIPPED LAPAROSCOPICALLY PLACED ADJUSTABLE GASTRIC BAND: A CASE REPORT

Purpose To demonstrate that laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding may promote oesophageal dilatation or interfere with oesophageal motility. Methodology We report a case of a 67 year old female with a complex medical history who developed secondary achalasia from a slipped laparoscopic adjustable gastric band for weight loss. This led to recurring episodes of aspiration pneumonia requiring multiple admissions at North Shore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. Results A decision was made to remove the gastric band, five years after its initial insertion. At one month follow up, she was swallowing normally and oesophageal manometry had returned to normal. Conclusion Oesophageal dysmotility is sometimes seen in patients who have bands that are adjusted too tightly or in whom the band has slipped. This can lead to serious complications if unrecognized and incorrectly treated. Oesophageal symptoms in patients with adjustable bands must be considered secondary to the band until proven otherwise ie removal of the band or complete deflation.