Sexual dysfunction among Chinese married men aged 30-60 years: a population-based study in Hong Kong.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, sexual dysfunction among Hong Kong Chinese married men aged 30-60 years.

Materials And Methods: The present study was a part of the Ninth Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice survey conducted in 2007 by the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong. The data set consisted of 728 face-to-face interviews with Hong Kong Chinese married men aged 30-60 years living in the community.

Multimedia manuscript: laparoscopic resection of hepatocellular carcinoma at segment 7: the posterior approach to anatomic resection.

Background: Open anatomical liver resections remain one of the most effective treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and results in better recurrence-free and overall survival compared to nonanatomical resections [1]. On the other hand, laparoscopic hepatectomies for HCC have recently emerged with the benefits of reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and less severe wound pain [2, 3]. Classically, liver lesions considered suitable for laparoscopic resection were those small tumors (<4 cm) located over the anterior and left lateral segments [3].

Smoking-cessation and adherence intervention among Chinese patients with erectile dysfunction.

Background: Whether the association between smoking and erectile dysfunction is causal is uncertain. No RCTs have been previously conducted on cessation counseling and additional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) adherence counseling among smokers with erectile dysfunction.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine if smoking-cessation counseling in conjunction with NRT increases quitting and NRT adherence compared to usual care, and if stopping smoking would improve erectile function among Chinese erectile dysfunction patients who smoke.

Use of laparoscopic deployable vascular clamp for bowel control in on-table colonoscopy during laparoscopic colectomy.

Author described the alternative use of a laparoscopic deployable vascular clamp for bowel control during on-table colonoscopy in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Efficacy and safety of tadalafil taken as needed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in Asian men: results of an integrated analysis.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of as-needed tadalafil in a diverse clinical population (with varying patient demographics, disease severity, and comorbid medical conditions) of Asian men with erectile dysfunction (ED). An integrated analysis of five double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (N = 1 046) was performed. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 10 mg tadalafil (N = 185), 20 mg tadalafil (N = 510), or placebo (N = 351).

Local resection for early rectal tumours: Comparative study of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) versus posterior trans-sphincteric approach (Mason's operation).

Objective: To compare local resection of early rectal tumours by transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) and the conventional posterior trans-sphincteric approach (Mason's operation).

Methods: The study group comprised 31 consecutive patients with early rectal tumours (18 villous adenomas, 13 adenocarcinomas) who underwent TEM in Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong. The control group consisted of 51 patients with early rectal tumours (27 villous adenomas, 24 adenocarcinomas) who underwent Mason's operation in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing.

Triaging referral to a specialist breast clinic.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a triage system in predicting patients with malignancy among those referred to a specialist breast clinic.

Methods: A retrospective study of all referrals seen at the specialist breast clinic from January 2002 to June 2002 was conducted. The triage system allocated an urgent appointment if (i) urgent referral was requested by the referring physicians or (ii) 'non-urgent referral' was made and any one of the following 'high-risk' criteria were present: aged more than 50 years when presenting with breast lump, lump larger than 3 cm, bloody nipple discharge or physical signs suggestive of malignancy.

APACHE system is better than Ranson system in the prediction of severity of acute pancreatitis.

Background: It has been suggested that addition of obesity score to the APACHE-II system can lead to more accurate prediction of severity of acute pancreatitis. However there is scanty information on the usefulness of the combined APACHE-O scoring system in Asian patients. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of Ranson, APACHE-II and APACHE-O systems in assessing severity of acute pancreatitis in a local Chinese population.

Diabetes and the outcome of infrainguinal bypass for critical limb ischaemia.

Aim: To examine the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the outcome of infrainguinal bypass operations performed for critical foot ischaemia in Chinese patients.

Methods: A prospective audit of 265 consecutive infrainguinal bypass operations.

Results: Diabetic patients suffered more frequently from ischaemic heart disease (48% vs 25%, P=0.

Melatonin slowed the early biochemical progression of hormone-refractory prostate cancer in a patient whose prostate tumor tissue expressed MT1 receptor subtype.

Melatonin inhibited the proliferation of hormone-independent LNCaP prostate cancer cells partly via MT1 receptor activation both in vitro and in nude mice xenograft model. In this study, the melatonin receptor expression in the prostate cancer tissue of a patient with bone metastases and the effect of melatonin on the biochemical progression of hormone-refractory prostate tumor which later developed in the same patient were reported. Saturation and competition 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding assays were conducted on prostate tumor tissue obtained by transurethral resection of the prostate from the index patient.

Anatomical justification of Belghiti's 'liver hanging manoeuvre' in right hepatectomy with anterior approach.

Background: In cases of right hepatectomy for huge tumour encroaching onto the diaphragm, the 'anterior approach' is the most common surgical procedure undertaken. The 'liver hanging manoeuvre' has been described previously as an adjunct to this procedure. It involves the dissection of a retrohepatic avascular plane anterior to the surface of the inferior vena cava.