Safety of percutaneous tunneled hemodialysis catheter procedures in patients receiving concurrent clopidogrel therapy.

Purpose: Patients on clopidogrel are at increased risk of bleeding. This study was commenced to assess the incidence of bleeding in dialysis patients who underwent tunneled hemodialysis catheter procedures while on clopidogrel therapy.

Methods: This is a single center retrospective study of 25 (10 men, 15 women; median age 70) dialysis patients in whom clopidogrel could not be discontinued and underwent tunneled hemodialysis catheter insertion, removal or exchange between the period March 2010 to November 2011.

Hypnosis for acute distress management during medical procedures.

The use of hypnosis during medical procedures has a long-standing tradition but has been struggling for acceptance into the mainstream. In recent years, several randomized-controlled trials with sufficient participant numbers have demonstrated the efficacy of hypnosis in the perioperative domain. With the advancements of minimally invasive high-tech procedures during which the patient remains conscious, hypnotic adjuncts have found many applications.