Using Deep Dive Methodology to Investigate an Increased Incidence of Hospital-Acquired Avoidable Category 2 and 3 Pressure Ulcers.

: Between October 2017 and March 2018, the Trust experienced significant winter pressures and an increase in category 2 and 3 hospital-acquired avoidable pressure ulcers. This review aimed to investigate the causal factors of this increase. : A 'Deep Dive' review of 37 cases was undertaken in three stages: (i) assurance; ensure the increase was not due to insufficient equipment; (ii) collation of relevant data, including age, length of time in A&E, bed surface, number of internal moves; (iii) analysis identifying factors that might account for the observed increase.

Internal noise in contrast discrimination propagates forwards from early visual cortex.

Human contrast discrimination performance is limited by transduction nonlinearities and variability of the neural representation (noise). Whereas the nonlinearities have been well-characterised, there is less agreement about the specifics of internal noise. Psychophysical models assume that it impacts late in sensory processing, whereas neuroimaging and intracranial electrophysiology studies suggest that the noise is much earlier.

Clinical Evaluation of the Cook Advance Enforcer 35 Focal-Force PTA Balloon Catheter for Treatment of Hemodialysis Fistula Stenoses: A Feasibility Study.

Purpose: A prospective, single-center, single-arm feasibility study evaluated procedural and short-term performance of the Advance Enforcer 35 focal-force percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon catheter in treating stenoses of mature native arteriovenous (AV) hemodialysis access circuits.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-eight patients undergoing treatment for stenosis of a mature native AV hemodialysis access circuit were enrolled at a single institution. Angiographic assessments of the study lesion were required at baseline and after the procedure.

Intravenous magnesium sulphate as an adjuvant therapy in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a single centre, randomised, double-blinded, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial: a pilot study.

Aim: To investigate the effects on lung function of IV magnesium in acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), when given in conjunction with standard bronchodilator therapy.

Methods: This was a pilot study to a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. 30 patients presenting to ED with AECOPD were included.

Use of an implantable needle guide to access difficult or impossible to cannulate arteriovenous fistulae using the buttonhole technique.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to assess the safety and efficacy of the VWING Vascular Needle Guide to assist in cannulation of difficult or impossible to access fistulae using the buttonhole cannulation technique.

Methods: VWING devices were surgically implanted into patients with difficult to access fistulae. A nondevice site and a device site were used to access the fistula and perform dialysis over a six month period.