Reconstructive trends following mastectomies in Scotland: A comparison with England.

Introduction: In England there has been a substantial increase in the use of immediate implant-based reconstruction, accounting for over half of all immediate reconstructions (IR). Less than one third of patients in England undergo autologous reconstruction IR. Our aim was to examine IR trends in Scotland.

A population-based audit of surgical practice and outcomes of oncoplastic breast conservations in Scotland - An analysis of 589 patients.

Introduction: Current evidence for oncoplastic breast conservation (OBC) is based on single institutional series. Therefore, we carried out a population-based audit of OBC practice and outcomes in Scotland.

Methods: A predefined database of patients treated with OBC was completed retrospectively in all breast units practicing OBC in Scotland.

Oncological safety and cosmetic outcomes in oncoplastic breast conservation surgery, a review of the best level of evidence literature.

Oncoplastic breast conservation surgery (OBCS) is increasingly becoming part of routine breast cancer surgical management. OBCS may be viewed as an extension of standard breast conservation surgery for resecting tumors of larger sizes without compromising on cosmetic outcome, or as an alternative to mastectomy. High quality evidence to support the oncological safety and benefits of OBCS is lacking.

The combined endocrine receptor in breast cancer, a novel approach to traditional hormone receptor interpretation and a better discriminator of outcome than ER and PR alone.

Background: The functional role of progesterone receptor (PR) signalling was previously unclear and PR testing in breast cancer is controversial. Recent defining work has highlighted the functional crosstalk that exists between the oestrogen receptor (ER) and PR. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the prognostic value of the combined ER and PR score with either ER or PR alone.

Comparison of 3 in vivo methods for assessment of alcohol-based hand rubs.

Background: Alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) are the primary method of hand hygiene in health-care settings. ICPs increasingly are assessing ABHR product efficacy data as improved products and test methods are developed. As a result, ICPs need better tools and recommendations for how to assess and compare ABHRs.

Comparative efficacy of alcohol-based surgical scrubs: the importance of formulation.

Alcohol-based surgical scrubs (ABSSs) are used to prevent surgical site infections. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) often is added to enhance persistent germicidal activity. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ABSS product formulation on efficacy.

Efficacy of novel alcohol-based hand rub products at typical in-use volumes.

In vivo efficacies of 2 alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) products (gel and foam) were evaluated at a volume of 1.1 mL. Both met US Food and Drug Administration log(10) reduction requirements after a single application and 10 consecutive applications.

Quest for a realistic in vivo test method for antimicrobial hand-rub agents: introduction of a low-volume hand contamination procedure.

A novel method has been developed for the evaluation of alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) that employs a hand contamination procedure that more closely simulates the in-use conditions of ABHR. Hands of human subjects were contaminated with 0.2 ml of a concentrated suspension of Serratia marcescens (ATCC 14756) to achieve baseline contamination between 8 and 9 log₁₀ CFU/hand while allowing product to be applied to dry hands with minimal soil load.

Bacterial hand contamination and transfer after use of contaminated bulk-soap-refillable dispensers.

Bulk-soap-refillable dispensers are prone to extrinsic bacterial contamination, and recent studies demonstrated that approximately one in four dispensers in public restrooms are contaminated. The purpose of this study was to quantify bacterial hand contamination and transfer after use of contaminated soap under controlled laboratory and in-use conditions in a community setting. Under laboratory conditions using liquid soap experimentally contaminated with 7.