Telemedicine can help to ensure that patients receive timely medical care.

We describe a case illustrating that telephone consultations can help to lower the psychological threshold for accessing medical care in people who are not aware of the seriousness of their symptoms, or who might otherwise be reluctant to access face-to-face care. A 69-year-old male patient called a teleconsultation service at the weekend because of acute fever. The patient was scheduled to have a hip replacement and the usual pre-operative check-up done the day before had been normal.

FACS-purified myoblasts producing controlled VEGF levels induce safe and stable angiogenesis in chronic hind limb ischemia.

We recently developed a method to control the in vivo distribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by high throughput Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) purification of transduced progenitors such that they homogeneously express specific VEGF levels. Here we investigated the long-term safety of this method in chronic hind limb ischemia in nude rats. Primary myoblasts were transduced to co-express rat VEGF-A(164) (rVEGF) and truncated ratCD8a, the latter serving as a FACS-quantifiable surface marker.

Prostheto-ureteral fistula: a rare complication after aortic graft surgery.

Prostheto-ureteral fistula after aortic graft surgery is a potentially life-threatening, rare pathology. We report the successful treatment of a prostheto-ureteral fistula that caused hematuria with hemorrhagic shock in two patients by explantation of aortic prosthetic grafts and implantation of a silver-bonded prosthetic graft (Intergard S, Intervascular). These cases show that this surgical procedure is effective, and that straightforward diagnostic procedures are necessary to initiate correct therapeutic approach without delay.

Prognostic value of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and Simplified Acute Physiology II Score compared with trauma scores in the outcome of multiple-trauma patients.

Background: Prospective data regarding the prognostic value of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in comparison with the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II) and trauma scores on the outcome of multiple-trauma patients are lacking.

Methods: Single-center evaluation (n = 237, Injury Severity Score [ISS] >16; mean ISS = 29). Uni- and multivariate analysis of SAPS II, SOFA, revised trauma, polytrauma, and trauma and ISS scores (TRISS) was performed.

Surgical glove perforation and the risk of surgical site infection.

Hypothesis: Clinically apparent surgical glove perforation increases the risk of surgical site infection (SSI).

Design: Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting: University Hospital Basel, with an average of 28,000 surgical interventions per year.

The timing of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Objective: To obtain precise information on the optimal time window for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Summary Background Data: Although perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is a well-established strategy for reducing the risk of surgical site infections (SSI), the optimal timing for this procedure has yet to be precisely determined. Under today's recommendations, antibiotics may be administered within the final 2 hours before skin incision, ideally as close to incision time as possible.

Non-inferiority trials in surgical oncology.

The classical randomized controlled clinical trial is designed to prove superiority of an investigational therapy over an established therapy or placebo (here referred to as "superiority trial"). Although the randomized controlled superiority trial has its well-grounded role, clinical trials of non-inferiority are equally important in the advance of medical science. Non-inferiority trials test whether a new intervention is as good as a standard treatment with respect to curing the illness (e.

Major vascular resection and prosthetic replacement for retroperitoneal tumors.

Introduction: Involvement of major vascular structures has been considered a limiting factor for resecting advanced tumors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome after concomitant retroperitoneal tumor and vascular resection with prosthetic replacement of the aorta/vena cava.

Methods: The authors reviewed a 5-year series of eight patients with a median age of 50 years (range 11-68 years) who had undergone resection of a retroperitoneal tumor and concomitant resection and replacement of the abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, or both.

Endovascular stent graft for symptomatic mobile thrombus of the thoracic aorta.

Mobile thoracic aortic thrombus is a potential source of arterial embolism. Therapeutic management remains controversial. Systemic anticoagulation and various open surgical procedures are the commonly used therapeutic modalities.