Massage and reflexology for post-operative cancer cystectomy patients: Evaluation of a pilot service.

Background: and purpose: Radical cystectomy is a gold standard treatment for invasive bladder cancer. However the length of the operation is long and recovery is usually slow and painful. There is growing recognition of the importance of health related quality of life among patients undergoing invasive surgical procedures.

Reducing the risks associated with urinary catheters.

The NHS strives to create and promote a safe environment for patient care in which risks are minimised. Urinary catheterisation is a common healthcare procedure but it is an invasive intervention that carries the risk of infection. Evidence-based guidelines have been developed to minimise the risks associated with these devices and to allow healthcare professionals to implement best practice at all times.

Safety in urine sampling: maintaining an infection-free environment.

The insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter is thought to be implicated in 80% of all urinary tract infections (UTI). In patients with an indwelling catheter, one of the most effective ways to determine whether or not there is evidence of a UTI is to aspirate a sample of urine for analysis, typically using a syringe and needle. Inevitably this puts the healthcare worker at risk of a percutaneous needle stick injury and accidental exposure to serious and potentially life-threatening viruses.

Ease of removal of thermo-expandable prostate stents.

Objective: To report the ease of removal of the Memokath 028 prostatic stent (Engineers & Doctors A/S, Hornbaek, Denmark), an important attribute of the 'ideal' prostatic stent.

Patients And Methods: Data on patients who had had a Memokath 028 stent removed in three different centres in Europe over an 8-year period were collected retrospectively. Standardized forms were used to record relevant information from each physician's patient files.