Understanding of diagnosis and medications among non-English-speaking older patients.

Objective: To determine whether non-English-speaking background (NESB) patients had a poorer understanding of diagnosis and medications compared to English-speaking background (ESB) patients.

Methods: English-speaking background and NESB patients admitted to inpatient geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) unit were asked standardised questions about their admission diagnosis, reason for GEM admission and medications. Accuracy of answers, as compared to medical notes, ranked as 'full credit', 'partial credit' or 'no credit'.

The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.

Introduction: The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF) is a workhorse flap for head and neck reconstruction and a flap of choice for anterior chest wall reconstruction.

Methods: A thorough review of the literature was undertaken, exploring the full range of designs, variations, indications, and outcomes of the PMMF.

Results: Numerous modifications have been documented since it was first described in 1968.

Asplenic fulminant sepsis secondary to a dog bite complicated by toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

We report a case of asplenic fulminant sepsis in Australia following a dog bite which was complicated by toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome (TENS/SJS). Capnocytophaga canimorsus, the infective organism, is a rare cause of septicaemia: a high degree of suspicion of this unusual organism and its early aggressive management is paramount. The diagnostic and management difficulties of TENS/SJS in the context of a patient with fulminant sepsis, DIC and on inotropes are also highlighted.