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.

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.

Strain estimation in abdominal aortic aneurysms from 2-D ultrasound.

The rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) is routinely inferred from the maximum diameter of the AAA. However, clinical experience indicates that this criterion has poor accuracy and that noninvasive assessment of the elastic properties of the vessel might give better correspondence with the rupture risk. We have developed a method for analysis of circumferential strain in AAAs from sequences of cross-sectional ultrasound B-mode images.

[Teleradiologic follow up of patients treated with aortic stent grafting].

Background: A study has confirmed the possibility of follow up in the local hospital of patients who have undergone endovascular repair. We present a cost analysis of such a regimen compared to follow up at a university hospital.

Material And Methods: By using discharge data from the Norwegian Patient Register we identified a group of patients which could have been followed up at their local hospital for their stent-grafted abdominal aortic aneurysm and estimated the cost effects of performing follow ups locally.

Three-dimensional teleradiology for surveillance following endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: a feasibility study.

Purpose: To study the feasibility of 3-dimensional (3D) teleradiology in surveillance of patients treated with stent-grafts for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Methods: Between April 2002 and November 2003, 8 AAA patients (7 men; median age 73 years, range 62-84) with stent-grafts had follow-up computed tomograms (CT) performed at their local hospital and transmitted without loss across a broadband connection to the university hospital. On both monitors, the radiologists were presented with the complete CT axial dataset, sagittal and coronal reformatted slices, and a 3D volume-rendered reconstruction.

[Nine years' experience with endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms].

Background: Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm was started nine years ago at our institution. Our purpose was to evaluate the results over this period.

Material And Methods: From 1995 to 2003, a total of 148 patients were treated for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms by endovascular repair.

Combined open and endovascular treatment of complex aortic disease.

The purpose of this article is to report whether combined open and endovascular treatment could be applied in patients with complex aortic disease. A retrospective study including four patients with complex aortic disease was undertaken. In all patients, extra-anatomic bypass to the visceral arteries was made through a laparotomy while the aortic lesion was repaired by stent grafting.