Coronary artery assessment on electrocardiogram-gated thoracoabdominal multidetector computed tomographic angiography for aortic evaluation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate coronary image quality, stenosis grade, and diagnostic confidence in patients undergoing electrocardiogram-gated thoracoabdominal multidetector computed tomographic angiography (CTA) for aortic evaluation.

Methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients underwent retrospectively electrocardiogram-gated thoracoabdominal CTA reconstructed at each 12.5% of the R wave to R wave (R-R) interval.

Cost-effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors versus laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review of the literature.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common condition in Western countries. It is unknown whether medical or surgical treatment is more cost-effective. This study was conducted to determine whether laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication or treatment by proton pump inhibitors is the most cost-effective for gastroesophageal reflux disease in the long term.

Contemporary virtual reality laparoscopy simulators: quicksand or solid grounds for assessing surgical trainees?

Background: A demand for safe, efficient laparoscopic training tools has prompted the introduction of virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic simulators, which might be used for performance assessment. The purpose of this review is to determine the value of VR metrics in laparoscopic skills assessment.

Data Sources: An exhaustive search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed to identify publications concerning construct, concurrent and predictive validation of VR simulators.

Using a Bayesian belief network model to categorize length of stay for radical prostatectomy patients.

A clinical pathway implements best medical practices and represents sequencing and timing of interventions by clinicians for a particular clinical presentation. We used a Bayesian belief network (BBN) to model a clinical pathway for radical prostatectomy and to categorize patient's length of stay (LOS) as being met or delayed given the patient's outcomes and activities. A BBN model constructed from historical data collected as part of a retrospective chart study represents probabilistic dependencies between specific events from the pathway and identifies events directly affecting LOS.

Histopathological and immunohistochemical study of papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential and grade associated with extensive invasive low-grade urothelial carcinoma.

Objective: To report five cases of papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (UNLMP) and papillary urothelial carcinoma of low grade (UCLG) associated with extensive muscle invasion, and to investigate the clinical and histopathological presentation and their immunohistochemical properties.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive cystectomy and correlating transurethral resection (TUR) of urinary bladder tumour specimens were reviewed to identify cases of UCLG having extensive invasion into the urinary bladder wall. All specimens were stained immunohistochemically, as were those from 10 control cases having reactive urothelium or superficial UNLMP.