Publications by authors named "Mekhail A"

Background: The use of crystalloid priming for extracorporeal circuit in adult cardiac surgery causes inevitable haemodilution. The haemodilution can be reduced by using methods such as retrograde autologous priming (RAP) with the patient's blood. This study compares the RAP technique with standard priming with regards to safety and the impact on haemodilution.

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Introduction: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is an important complication among critically ill adults, especially those having cardiac surgery as management is complicated by the requirement for antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy. As a result, stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) has become routine practice in many centers, utilizing either proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or histamine-2 receptor blockers (H2RBs). Recent evidence from the PEPTIC trial indicated an increase in mortality risk among cardiac surgery patients receiving PPIs compared to H2RBs.

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Purpose: Structural valve deterioration (SVD) remains a limitation on the use of bioprosthetic valves, with patient and valve-related factors contributing to early SVD. The Trifecta valve has been reported to have excellent hemodynamics but studies have highlighted early failure. We present a review and case series at a New Zealand tertiary hospital defining early SVD as failure within 3 years of implant.

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Aim: New Zealand adopted an "elimination strategy" in response to the 2020 COVID pandemic with strict early border controls and early national lockdowns. The international experience of cardiac surgery provision during the COVID pandemic was of reduced case numbers, difficulties with the provision of elective surgery and in some cases increased morbidity associated with waiting for surgery and from developemnt of the infection in post operative patients. We aim to review the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on adult cardiac surgery volumes and outcomes in the Wellington region.

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Background: There is ample evidence that digital prescribing improves delivery of care and reduces harm, but there is not much guidance on how to design a solution.

Aims: This was written to provide a Blueprint to organisations creating electronic medication management solutions.

Methods: We created a full set of electronic prescribing Functional Requirement User Stories (FRUS's) to guide the design of a digital prescribing solution.

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. 'Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young' (MODY) or monogenic diabetes accounts for approximately 1-2% of diabetes and is frequently misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Here we report a case of a 19-year-old pregnant woman with a MODY 3 diabetes expecting a child to a father with MODY 2 diabetes.

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Background: The field of medicine is rapidly becoming digitised, and in the process passively amassing large volumes of healthcare data. Machine learning and data analytics are advancing rapidly, but these have been slow to be taken up in the day-to-day delivery of healthcare. We present an application of machine learning to optimise a laboratory testing programme as an example of benefiting from these tools.

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Vitamin D status and associated metabolism during pregnancy and lactation have been assessed in only a limited number of longitudinal studies, all from the northern hemisphere, with no infant data concurrently reported. Therefore, we aimed to describe longitudinal maternal and infant 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) status during pregnancy and up to 5 months postnatal age, in New Zealand women and their infants living at 45° S latitude. Between September 2011 and June 2013, 126 pregnant women intending to exclusively breastfeed for at least 20 weeks were recruited.

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The term "Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young" (MODY) was first described in 1976 and is currently referred to as monogenic diabetes. There are 14 known entities accounting for 1-2% of diabetes and they are frequently misdiagnosed as either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. MODY-5 is an entity of monogenic diabetes that is associated with genitourinary malformations and should be considered by obstetricians in pregnant women with a screen positive for diabetes, genitourinary malformations, and fetal renal anomalies.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to review the outcome of conservatively managed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 in women <25 years old.

Study Design: This was a retrospective review that included women who were <25 years old with biopsy proven CIN2 between 2005 and 2009. Analysis was performed that compared women who had immediate treatment with women whose treatment was deferred >4 months.

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Study Design: Biomechanical study using human cadaver spines.

Objective: To assess the stabilizing effect of a supplemental anterior tension band (ATB, Synthes) plate on L5-S1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) using a femoral ring allograft (FRA) under physiologic compressive preloads, and to compare the results with the stability achieved using FRA with supplemental transpedicular instrumentation.

Summary Of Background Data: Posterior instrumentation can improve the stability of ALIF cages.

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The spinal column is the most frequent site of bone metastasis in the body. Spine surgeons are often involved in the care of these patients only after nonoperative management has failed. Because surgery has been viewed as no better than radiotherapy in the treatment of metastasis of the spine, it has only been used as a salvage approach.

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The purpose of our study was to determine the location of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and its branches at the inguinal ligament and proximal thigh. We think that further defining the location of the nerve and its branches based on certain measurements from known anatomic landmarks would enable us to determine a danger zone that could aid in preventing iatrogenic injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. The anatomic course of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve was studied in 29 cadaver specimens and distances from various landmarks were recorded.

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Evaluation of a patient with a failed total knee arthroplasty begins with a detailed history of the index knee arthroplasty and with the patient's medical history. The nature of the complaint after arthroplasty can help determine the etiology of failure. The primary causes of failure of total knee arthroplasty are pain, postoperative stiffness, and instability.

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Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of traumatic bone defects of the lower extremity managed by internal bone transport using the Ilizarov technique.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 19 patients who underwent internal bone transport for traumatic bone defects in the lower extremity. Mean follow-up was 68.

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The objective of this study is to determine the three dimensional kinematics of the human pelvis including both sacroiliac joints following a simulated open book injury induced on cadavers by applying anterior-posterior compressive loads to the pelvis. An electromagnetic digitizing and motion tracking system was utilized to measure the morphology of the pelvis and the relative movements of its bones during this simulated open book fracture. The screw displacement axis method was used to describe the relative motion between the sacrum and each hipbone.

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To evaluate standards of care in surgical treatment of thoracolumbar injuries (TLIs), we reviewed the cases of 79 surgically treated patients (39 males, 36 females) with TLIs and spinal cord injuries occurring from January 1985 to January 2000. We assessed radiographs of fracture-dislocation reductions; restorations of sagittal and coronal alignment of injured segments; instrumentation levels and strategies; operations, and reoperations. Mean age at time o f injury was 14.

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The glenoid articular surface is best studied radiographically on a tangential projection with both true anteroposterior and axillary views. Forty-one dry scapulas were studied under fluoroscopy to define the axillary projection that would provide a true scapular lateral view. The superior and inferior articular margins were marked with radiopaque solder wires.

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Demonstration of a posterior malleolar fragment on a radiograph of an ankle fracture is important in the diagnosis and evaluation of posterior malleolus fractures. The size and extent of displacement of a posterior malleolar fragment can be evaluated. The diagnosis of non-union of the posterior malleolus is also important because it can lead to failure of reduction of ankle fractures.

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A proposed approach to the anterolateral surface of the humeral shaft that would allow for exploration of the radial nerve was studied in 30 cadaver arms. The incision starts proximally along the posterior border of the deltoid muscle and extends anteriorly and distally over the lateral border of the biceps muscle. A deep dissection is made in the internervous plane between the deltoid and the triceps muscles proximally and between the longitudinally split fibers of the brachialis muscle distally.

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If the femoral neck is involved in a pathological process, the surgeon may avoid a base neck entry for the reconstructive nail. If a trochanteric entry is selected, the surgeon must be aware that the nail has to be driven more distally in order to place the neck screws properly. Violation of the knee joint is a consideration, and so is varus malposition.

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