A home-made animal model in comparison with a standard manikin for teaching percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy.

Objectives: As airway management specialists, thoracic surgeons should be familiar with percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. To optimize the learning curve, we propose a home-made pig model obtained from a slaughterhouse for training residents in the technical aspects of performing percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. The satisfaction of the residents' training experience using this model was compared with that using a standard manikin model.

[HBV and pregnancy].

The clinical course of HBV infection in pregnant women does not usually differ from the course in non-pregnant women. Hepatitis flare rarely occurs during pregnancy, but it is frequent after delivery. HBV carrier status is associated with a higher incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-term labour and miscarriage.