The hand hygiene compliance of student nurses during clinical placements.

Aims And Objectives: To observe student nurses' overall and moment-specific hand hygiene compliance during clinical placement.

Background: Hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections. However, research has shown low compliance among healthcare workers.

Endovascular treatment of descending thoracic aortic disease. A single center experience.

Aim: Aim of the study was to assess if endovascular treatment is a feasible alternative in patients with descending thoracic aortic disease.

Methods: Seventy-three patients were admitted for stent-grafting of descending thoracic aortic disease during the period 1997-2008. The majority of the patients had aneurysm (35) or type B dissection (21), but also traumas, penetrating ulcers and other conditions were treated.

Development of a multimodal tumor model for porcine liver.

In our efforts to develop a guidance system for laparoscopic liver surgery, we are working towards a live animal tumor model. The objective of this study was to establish the tumor model for live porcine liver, visible on both computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound images. The tumor model was created by injecting a mixture of agarose, sephadex, and glycerol.

The durability of EVAR--what are the evidence and implications on follow-up?

Background And Aims: To investigate the durability of EVAR and to explore the evidence for follow-up investigations. Furthermore, to study the patients' impressions of followup investigations, and how complications and secondary procedures influence cost-effectiveness.

Material And Methods: 263 patients were treated by EVAR from February 1995-February 2007.

The inflammatory response to stent grafting of the thoracic aorta.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory reactions in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms before, during and after stent graft treatment and to relate markers of leukocyte activation to the use of radiographic contrast media.

Methods: Blood samples were drawn from 7 patients undergoing elective stent graft treatment for thoracic aneurysms. The samples were analyzed for leukocyte and platelet counts and the concentrations of iohexol (radiographic contrast medium), myeloperoxidase, lactoferrin, neutrophil activating peptide-2 (NAP-2), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), the complement activation products C3bc and the terminal complement complex (TCC).