Use and misuse of psychoactive medicines: a descriptive cross-sectional study in a densely populated region of Portugal.

Introduction: Although psychoactive medicines (PMed) are needed in several psychiatric conditions, their use and misuse bear risks. We aimed at estimating the prevalence of PMed use and misuse.

Methods: Data on all PMed prescribed in 2017 and dispensed in community pharmacies of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region of Portugal (ARSLVT) were extracted from ARSLVT medicines' dispensing database.

Traumatic abdominal wall hernia in childhood: a bicycle handlebar injury.

A female patient in her middle childhood presented to the paediatric emergency room (ER) after a bicycle accident with an abdominal impact on the bicycle handlebar. On physical examination, a painful ecchymosis on the upper left quadrant was the only abnormal finding. Abdominal ultrasound showed no intra-abdominal lesions, and the patient was discharged home after 24 hours under monitoring.

Protocol for a scoping review on misuse of psychoactive medicines and its consequences.

Introduction: Misuse of psychoactive medicines, especially prescription opioids, but also benzodiazepines, hypnotics and sedatives, has become a significant public health issue in some countries, especially in the USA, where it has been extensively documented, as well as in Canada and Australia. However, in the European Union (EU) published literature on the topic is scarce and heterogeneous regarding definitions, sources of data, tools and methods of analysis.The aim of this scoping review is to map the key concepts on psychoactive medicines' misuse and examine the existing body of evidence on this topic in the EU.

Univariable associations between a history of incarceration and HIV and HCV prevalence among people who inject drugs across 17 countries in Europe 2006 to 2020 - is the precautionary principle applicable?

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are frequently incarcerated, which is associated with multiple negative health outcomes.AimWe aimed to estimate the associations between a history of incarceration and prevalence of HIV and HCV infection among PWID in Europe.MethodsAggregate data from PWID recruited in drug services (excluding prison services) or elsewhere in the community were reported by 17 of 30 countries (16 per virus) collaborating in a European drug monitoring system (2006-2020; n = 52,368 HIV+/-; n = 47,268 HCV+/-).

A 7-year Experience with Keloid Fillet Flap and Adjuvant Intralesional Corticosteroids.

Context: Keloids are fibroproliferative scars characterized by excessive collagen deposition beyond the margins of the original wound. Although many treatment modalities were described in the literature, no single first-line therapy is recommended, and its recurrence rate remains high.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy rate in treating auricle keloids after fillet flap excision combined with adjuvant intralesional steroid injections.

A Retrospective Study of the Safety and Efficacy of a Radial Diode Laser Probe in the Management of Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

Background: Recently, the interest in minimally invasive techniques in the management of the pilonidal sinus has been rising. The main goal is to avoid the prolonged recovery period associated with traditional surgeries.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a radial diode laser probe in the destruction of the pilonidal sinus.

Ovarian carcinoma presenting as cutaneous nasal metastasis.

Metastatic ovarian cancer uncommonly presents with skin metastasis. When present, skin metastases of ovarian cancer are usually localized in the vicinity of the primary tumor. We report a case of a 58-year-old woman with a rapid growing erythematous, well-defined nodule localized on the left nasal ala.

Total earlobe reconstruction with a superiorly based preauricular flap.

An 86-year-old woman was referred for treatment of a lentigo maligna melanoma on the left earlobe, confirmed by cutaneous biopsy. The resulting surgical defect involved the earlobe's full thickness. The authors outline a simple method for reconstructing the entire lobe in one stage, without grafts, whilst offering a pleasant appearance.

Public health and international drug policy.

Unlabelled: In September 2015, the member states of the United Nations endorsed sustainable development goals (SDG) for 2030 that aspire to human rights-centered approaches to ensuring the health and well-being of all people. The SDGs embody both the UN Charter values of rights and justice for all and the responsibility of states to rely on the best scientific evidence as they seek to better humankind. In April 2016, these same states will consider control of illicit drugs, an area of social policy that has been fraught with controversy, seen as inconsistent with human rights norms, and for which scientific evidence and public health approaches have arguably played too limited a role.

Z-Plasty: useful uses in dermatologic surgery.

Z-Plasty is a procedure involving the transposition of two interdigitating triangular flaps. This technique is useful in a number of dermatological procedures. It can be used to correct defects resulting from surgical complications.

Using 80% trichloroacetic acid in the treatment of ingrown toenails.

Background: Ingrown nails are a very common problem. There are different stages of disease and diverse therapeutic options. Phenol and sodium hydroxide are commonly used agents for chemical matricectomy but both frequently entail excessive healing times.

[Attitudes and beliefs regarding opioid maintenance treatment in Portugal: a survey to physicians, patients and opioid users].

Background: There is a paucity of pan-European research on the state of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) from the perspective of the physicians who provide it, the patients who receive it and the opioid users who remain outside of the treatment system. Project ACCESS, a Europe-wide survey involving 11 countries, explored physicians', patients' and users' attitudes and beliefs regarding the quality of and access to medication-assisted treatment. This report presents key findings from Portugal.

Photoletter to the editor - Calciphylaxis: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

Calciphylaxis is an uncommon necrotizing dermal condition, most often related to end-stage renal disease, associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism. The incidence is 1-4% per year in dialyzed patients. The condition is characterized by microcalcification of small and medium-sized blood vessels, causing cutaneous and soft tissue necrosis.

One-stage reconstruction of full-thickness lower eyelid using a Tripier flap lining by a septal mucochondral graft.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent cutaneous neoplasm of the periorbital region. After tumor excision, the function of the eyelid has to be preserved, keeping the protection of the eyeball with preservation of damp, avoiding epiphora and ectropion. The authors describe the reconstruction, in a single surgical procedure, of a full-thickness defect of the outer half of the free edge of the lower eyelid through free chondromucosal graft of the septum and Tripier flap.

Reconstruction of a large nasal defect.

A 77-year-old man was referred for treatment of a biopsy-proven multirecurrence basal cell carcinoma on the dorsum of the nose. The lesion was removed and the resulting surgical defect involved the full thickness of the nasal skin leaving intact the underlying perichondrium and cartilages of the whole nasal dorsum including both sidewalls (Figure 1). The authors performed a reconstruction of a surgical defect greater than two-thirds of the nose using a single-staged bilateral Burow's wedge flap and a full-thickness skin graft from the glabella.

Medial canthal area reconstruction with horizontal advancement flap.

The medial canthal area is a common site for the development of skin cancer, the reconstruction of this area can be challenging for the dermatologic surgeon. The author describes the reconstruction of a defect measured about 1.5 × 1.