The effect of rurality and ethnicity in patients with acute cholecystitis in Northland, New Zealand.

Aim: Acute cholecystitis is a common reason for emergency admission. Rurality and ethnicity are associated with poorer surgical outcomes, but data in benign disease is sparse. This study aims to assess the effect of rurality and ethnicity on the severity, management, and outcomes of acute cholecystitis.

Preoperative immunonutrition in patients undergoing liver resection: A prospective randomized trial.

Background: Preoperative supplementation with immunonutrients, including arginine and n-3 fatty acids, has been shown in a number of systematic reviews to reduce infectious complications in patients who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery. Limited information, however, is available on the benefits of nutritional supplementation enriched with arginine and n-3 fatty acids in patients undergoing liver resection.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of preoperative nutritional supplementation enriched with arginine and -3 fatty acids on inflammatory and immunologic markers and clinical outcome in patients undergoing liver resection.

Intention-to-treat analysis of liver transplantation, resection and thermal ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma in a single centre.

Background: potentially curative treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) include liver transplantation (LT), liver resection (LR) and thermal ablation (TA). Long term intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis from a single-centre using all three modalities contemporaneously has not been published.

Methods: An ITT analysis was undertaken of all patients with HCC listed for LT, or have undergone LR or TA.

Managing Evaluation: A Community Arts Organisation Perspective.

Background: Arts and health organisations must increasingly provide measurable evidence of impact to stakeholders, which can pose both logistical and ideological challenges. This paper examines the relationship between the ethos of an arts and health organisation with external demands for evaluation.

Methods: Research involved an ethnographic engagement where the first author worked closely with the organisation for a year.

Spontaneous ruptured splenic artery aneurysm: a case report.

Splenic artery aneurysms are rare. We discuss a case of a 58-year-old gentleman presenting with collapse and shock secondary to spontaneous splenic artery aneurysm rupture. Patient underwent laparotomy and splenectomy then discharged home within a week of presentation.

The policies and practices of sports governing bodies in relation to assessing the safety of sports grounds.

Sport is an important context for physical activity and it is critical that safe environments are provided for such activity. Sports safety is influenced by the presence of sports ground environmental hazards such as ground hardness, poorly maintained playing fields, surface irregularities and the presence of debris/rubbish. To reduce injury risk, sports governing bodies need to ensure regular assessment of grounds safety and the removal of identified hazards.

Does a percutaneous tracheostomy have a lower incidence of complications compared to an open surgical technique?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was which method of tracheostomy had fewer complications, the surgical or percutaneous technique. A total of 264 papers were identified of which 13 provided the best evidence to answer the question.