Neck lump clinic: a new initiative at North Shore Hospital.

Background: Neck lumps can cause significant patient anxiety and benefit from a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach, with an ultrasound scan and fine needle aspirate. Internationally, 'one-stop' clinics are used for the evaluation of neck lumps, to date no such clinic has been established in the New Zealand public hospital system. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a one-stop diagnostic neck lump clinic (NLC), aiming for improved patient experience and efficiency.

Retrotracheal Extraskeletal Ewing's Sarcoma: Case Report and Discussion on Airway Management.

Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma is a rare tumor, and the management of airway compromise in case of cervical Ewing's sarcoma has not been established. This report describes the case of a patient with retrotracheal Ewing's sarcoma and discusses a successful approach to airway management. A 12-year-old male presented with a 2-week history of sore throat and sleep-disordered breathing and 48 hours of stridor.

The Effect of Soft Tissue Infections on Device Performance in Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of cochlear implant (CI) site infection and its subsequent management on CI mapping and CI performance. Risk factors for CI infections and pathogens causing infections were reviewed. Treatment options for CI infections were examined.

Ageing acute surgical population: the Auckland experience.

Background: This study provides data supporting the supposition that more elderly patients are requiring surgical care and illustrates the risks associated with acute surgical illness in elderly patients.

Methods: The clinical records database was accessed to identify all patients discharged from general surgery and acute surgical unit (ASU) during 2013 and 2014. These groups were stratified by age (over 80 years).

Castleman's disease: An unusually young presentation resulting in delayed diagnosis of a neck mass.

We present a case report of a two year old child with an enlarging neck mass over a two year period. Her work-up included blood investigations, radiological imaging and fine needle aspirations which were non-diagnostic. At age 4 she had excision of her neck mass and histopathologic examination revealed unicentric Castleman's disease.

Cost analysis of early versus delayed loop ileostomy closure: a case-matched study.

Background/aims: The optimal timing for the closure of loop ileostomies remains controversial. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether early ileostomy closure (EC) (<2 weeks post-formation) results in significant healthcare savings as against late closure (LC).

Methods: Patients with available cost data that underwent EC between January 2008 and December 2012 were compared against matched patients undergoing LC during the same period.