Comparative Study of a Biomechanical Model-based and Black-box Approach for Subject-Specific Movement Prediction.

The performance and safety of human robot interaction (HRI) can be improved by using subject-specific movement prediction. Typical models include biomechanical (parametric) or black-box (non-parametric) models. The current work aims to investigate the benefits and drawbacks of these approaches by comparing elbow-joint torque predictions based on electromyography signals of the elbow flexors and extensors.

Parental involvement and mental well-being of Indian adolescents.

This study examined the association between parental involvement and mental well being among the 6721 school going adolescents aged 13 to 15 years who participated in Indias nationally representative Global School based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in 2007. Parental involvement (homework checking, parental understanding of their childrens problems, and parental knowledge of their childrens freetime activities) was reported by students to decrease with age, while poor mental health (loneliness, insomnia due to anxiety, and sadness and hopelessness) increased with age. Age adjusted Logistic regression models showed that high levels of reported parental involvement were significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of poor mental health.

Laparoscopic incisional hernia repair as a day surgery procedure: audit of 127 consecutive cases in a university hospital.

Background: Findings have shown that laparoscopic incisional hernia repair is superior to conventional open techniques. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the results of laparoscopic surgery on incisional hernias in an outpatient surgery unit in a university hospital.

Methods: Data were gathered prospectively for all laparoscopic incisional hernia repairs from January 1997 to December 2006.

[Society and surgery. Burnout and surgeons].

Burnout syndrome is a mental and emotional state of tiredness, characterised by feelings of emptiness and negative attitudes to work and life. It appears particularly in care professionals associated with human interactions, and starts progressive, affecting the professional as well as the organisation. It is currently the most common cause of absence from work.

Midline versus nonmidline laparoscopic incisional hernioplasty: a comparative study.

Background: Nonmidline incisional hernia is a surgical problem of major interest, but to date, little information on this problem is available. This study aimed to analyze the results of nonmidline laparoscopic incisional hernioplasty in a multidisciplinary abdominal wall unit over the past 10 years.

Methods: This prospective study examined a series of 199 patients undergoing surgery for incisional hernia via the laparoscopic approach: 146 midline and 53 nonmidline.

[Treatment of non-midline ventral hernia: experience in an abdominal wall unit and literature review].

Introduction: Lateral ventral hernia is an interesting surgical problem. However, few data are available on this entity.

Objective: To review current knowledge of lateral ventral hernia and present our experience of this entity in a multidisciplinary abdominal wall unit.

[Conceptual reformulation of the double mesh repair technique: a simple solution for highly complex abdominal wall defects].

Introduction: Repair of complex abdominal wall defects remains a challenge for the general surgeon. The aim of the present study was to validate the double mesh repair technique in complex hernias.

Material And Method: We performed a prospective study of 15 patients with complex abdominal wall defects who underwent surgery in a university hospital.

[Adrenal incidentalomas. A disease on the increase].

Introduction: Adrenal incidentalomas are unsuspected, clinically silent adrenal lesions discovered incidentally by imaging tests performed a priori for problems unrelated to the adrenal glands. The aim of this study was to present a series of incidentalomas and review the diagnostic process and treatment techniques.

Patients And Method: Of a series of 63 patients studied and/or treated for adrenal disease, there were 34 patients with adrenal incidentalomas.

[Clinical pathway for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in a general surgery department].

Introduction: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common entity. Treatment varies widely across different health systems and even among doctors in the same department. In our general surgery department 30 to 40 patients with PSP are treated each year and there is significant variability in care delivery.

[Laparoscopic repair of secondary lumbar hernias: open vs. laparoscopic surgery. A prospective, nonrandomized study].

Introduction: Lumbar hernia is an uncommon defect of the posterior abdominal wall and its surgical treatment remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of laparoscopy versus open surgery.

Patients And Method: We performed a prospective, nonrandomized study of 16 patients with secondary lumbar hernias who underwent surgery between January 1997 and January 2003.

Clinical pathway for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in a general surgery department.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is a common abnormality for which there is a variety of treatments. This study presents the results of a year's evaluation of a clinical pathway (CP). A series of 34 patients treated during 1 year before CP development was analyzed to identify the weak points.

Evaluation of the clinical pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Clinical pathways are comprehensive systematized patient care plans for specific procedures. The clinical pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was implemented in our department in March 2002. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical pathway for this procedure 1 year after implementation.

[Impact of a clinical pathway for the diabetic foot in a general hospital].

Objective: The ulcers, infections and isquemia of the foot are the main causes of hospitalisation of the diabetic patient and, very frequently, they are reason for the amputation of the limb. The objective of this investigation consists of evaluating the results of a multidisciplinary clinical pathway designed by the set of specialists of different departments from our hospital, as well as of the associated personnel of infirmary, implied in the management of this pathology.

Patients And Methods: We have analysed the evolution of a series of clinical and socio-economic indicators comparing, in the patients admitted with diagnose of complicated diabetic foot, the previous period to the implantation of the clinical pathway years 1998, 1999 and 2000) with the later period to this implantation (years 2001 and 2002).

Immediate, early, and late morbidity with laparoscopic ventral hernia repair and tolerance to composite mesh.

The laparoscopic repair of ventral hernias is still a controversial therapeutic option, and little is known of its medium- and long-term morbidity. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the postoperative morbidity of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair and analyze the clinical factors that might be related to it. 86 consecutive patients who had ventral hernia and underwent endoscopic surgery in a Universitary teaching hospital.

Intracystic papillary carcinoma in the male breast.

Intracystic papillary carcinoma is an uncommon noninvasive breast cancer with an excellent prognosis. We report the case of a 74-year-old man. Of the diagnostic tests performed, ultrasonography and pneumocystography were useful for establishing a diagnostic suspicion, however, puncture cytology was inaccurate.

Spigelian hernia: bibliographical study and presentation of a series of 28 patients.

Spigelian hernias are rare defects of the abdominal wall. Our aim is to analyse the bibliography and present a series of 28 patients. A Medline bibliographical study was performed between 1970 and 2000 with analysis of the number of cases, series, ratio of cases to year and type of journal.

Open vs laparoscopic repair of spigelian hernia: a prospective randomized trial.

Hypothesis: The elective treatment of a spigelian hernia is still under discussion, fundamentally owing to its rarity. The purpose of the study is to analyze the elective surgical treatment of spigelian hernia.

Design: A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Treatment of spigelian hernia using totally extraperitoneal laparoscopy ambulatory surgery.

Spigelian hernia is an uncommon hernia of the abdominal wall. Diagnosis and treatment are controversial because it is frequently an emergency pathology. We report two patients with preoperative diagnosis and treatment using totally extraperitoneal laparoscopy under regional anesthesia in a day surgery department.

Day surgery for laparoscopic repair of abdominal wall hernias. Our experience in 300 patients.

Laparoscopic repair of abdominal wall hernias is still a controversial and nongeneralized therapeutic option. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the results of laparoscopic surgery on abdominal wall hernias at a day-surgery unit and to describe our procedure protocol. Prospective analysis of 300 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for abdominal wall hernias was conducted: 260 preperitoneal and 40 intraperitoneal.

Outpatient laparoscopic incisional/ventral hernioplasty: our experience in 55 cases.

Laparoscopic repair of ventral and incisional hernias is still a controversial therapeutic option. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the results of laparoscopic surgery on ventral hernias in an outpatient surgery unit of a university hospital. Fifty-five patients consecutively underwent laparoscopic surgery for ventral/incisional hernias in the outpatient unit.

Ambulatory laparoscopic repair of inferior lumbar or Petit hernia: a case report.

Lumbar hernias are an uncommon variety of abdominal wall defect. Diagnosis depends largely on the capacity for clinical suspicion, and confirmation is based on imaging tests. Surgical treatment is controversial due to difficulty in defining the borders of the lumbar defect and the involvement of a bone margin.

Has the incidence of perforated peptic ulcer decreased over the last decade?

Background: The therapeutic use of new drugs for inhibiting gastric secretion together with Helicobacter pylori antimicrobe therapy has given rise to controversy over the current incidence of perforated peptic ulcer (gastroduodenal peptic ulcer, GDPU). The aim of this study is to analyze the incidence of ulcer perforation over the last 12 years in our health area and the influence of new medical treatments.

Material And Methods: Our series includes 246 patients operated on for perforated peptic ulcer during a 12-year period (January 1987 to December 1998) in our health area.