Efficacy and safety assessment of lymphovenous anastomosis in patients with primary and secondary lymphoedema: A systematic review of prospective evidence.

Introduction: Lymphoedema is a chronic, debilitating condition caused by an affected lymphatic system. Supermicrosurgical techniques like lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) have gained popularity because of its minimal invasiveness, better aesthetic outcome, and lower costs in comparison to physical medicine. This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of LVA in comparison to conservative or other surgical treatments for primary or secondary lymphoedema patients.

Assessment of public health interventions for decision support: methods & processes of the evaluation of the Austrian screening programme for pregnant women & children.

Background: In 2010, the Austrian Ministry of Health (MoH) commissioned the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Health Technology Assessment (LBI-HTA) to prepare decision support for the reorientation of the national screening programme for pregnant women and children ("Mutter-Kind-Pass"). This is one of several reports aimed at giving an overview of recommended screening measures.

Methods: By conducting a guideline synopsis, we summarised screening recommendations from guidelines of high methodological quality.

Pre-reimbursement: early assessment for coverage decisions.

Background: In the past decade, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Health Technology Assessment (LBI-HTA) has introduced two programs: "Horizon Scanning in Oncology" (HSO) and extra medical services ("MELs"), which are to facilitate coverage decisions based on early assessments. This article aims to outline the general process and methods within these two programs.

Methods: A narrative-descriptive synthesis of the literature was performed to outline the general and LBI-HTA-specific processes and methods of early assessments.

Efficacy Assessment of Radiofrequency Ablation as a Palliative Pain Treatment in Patients with Painful Metastatic Spinal Lesions: A Systematic Review.

Background: Metastatic spinal lesions are difficult-to-treat entities that are most commonly associated with pain and severely reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Within the last 5 to 10 years, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has emerged as an option in the palliative treatment of vertebral metastases.

Objectives: Our review aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of RFA, mostly in combination with vertebroplasty, in patients with painful vertebral metastases.