Guideline adherence for diagnostic faeces testing in primary care patients with gastroenteritis.

Background: Gastroenteritis (GE) is a common reason for primary care consultation. Dutch clinical practice guidelines (CPG) recommend diagnostic faeces testing (DFT) only in primary care patients with severe illness, comprised immunity or increased transmission risk. For its superior accuracy, shorter turnaround time and ease of use, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DFT has largely replaced conventional techniques.

Design of the PROUD study: PCR faeces testing in outpatients with diarrhoea.

Background: Infectious intestinal disease (IID) is an important cause of morbidity in developed countries and a frequent reason for general practitioner (GP) consultation. In recent years polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based techniques have gradually replaced conventional enteropathogen detection techniques like microscopy and culture in primary care patients suspected of IID. PCR features testing of multiple enteropathogens in a single faecal sample with shorter turnaround times and greater sensitivity compared to conventional techniques.

Use of 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate skin adhesive (Dermabond) for wound closure following reduction mammaplasty: a prospective, randomized intervention study.

Background: 2-Octyl-cyanoacrylate skin adhesive may be used for surgical wound closure. However, its use in plastic surgery has not been properly assessed.

Methods: The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical intervention study in which the scar characteristics after use of skin adhesive were compared with those after suture closure.

Combined use of ultrasonic-assisted liposuction and semicircular periareolar incision for the treatment of gynecomastia.

Background: Of the wide range of excisional and liposuction techniques used to correct gynecomastia, so far, no single one was suitable for all grades of gynecomastia. We introduce ultrasonic-assisted liposuction (UAL) combined with conventional liposuction and partial gland resection without skin excision as the standard surgical technique for all such grades.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-eight men (aged 17 to 80 years) were consecutively treated from March 2004 through April 2006 for grade Ia (n = 3), Ib (n = 2), IIa (n = 6), IIb (n = 6), III (n = 8), or IV (n = 3) gynecomastia.

Anatomically shaped breast prosthesis in vivo: a change of dimension?

Background: In addition to the already existing round cohesive gel-filled breast prostheses, anatomically shaped breast prostheses were introduced in 1990 to provide a more natural shape to the augmented or reconstructed breast. To date, however, it is unclear whether the anatomic configuration of the prostheses is maintained after subpectoral implantation. Recently, a three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique became available, offering a precise visualization of the prosthesis in vivo.

Hospital-acquired sinusitis is a common cause of fever of unknown origin in orotracheally intubated critically ill patients.

Introduction: Sinusitis is a well recognised but insufficiently understood complication of critical illness. It has been linked to nasotracheal intubation, but its occurrence after orotracheal intubation is less clear. We studied the incidence of sinusitis in patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) in our intensive care unit with the aim of establishing a protocol that would be applicable in everyday clinical practice.

Pediatric intensive care: result of a European survey.

Objective: To assess and compare the structure, organisation, management, and staffing in different paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Europe.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: A questionnaire was sent to physicians in PICUs.