Abdominal POCUS Education for Clinicians: A Systematic Review of Teaching Methods for Point-of-Care Abdominal Ultrasonography.

This systematic review examines educational strategies in clinician-performed abdominal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), a critical skill with increasing relevance in medical care. Analyzing 28 studies, we highlight the strategies as well as advantages and disadvantages of various theoretical and practical components, including, for example, e-learning and simulation in training programs. The findings emphasize the necessity of blending various educational methods to enhance effectiveness and adaptability in training environments.

Percutaneous Image-Guided Cryoablation of Endophytic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: Endophytic renal cancer treatment is a challenge. Due to difficulties in endophytic tumor visualization during surgical extirpation, image-guided percutaneous cryoablation (PCA) is an attractive alternative. The minimally invasive nature of PCA makes it favorable for comorbid patients as well as patients in which surgery is contraindicated.

The CT revolution: the role of PIOPED II in establishing CT pulmonary angiography as the reference standard for pulmonary embolism diagnosis.

https://bit.ly/3HEyVxy.

ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Clinical Techniques, Imaging and Endoscopy Assembly.

The Clinical Techniques, Imaging and Endoscopy Assembly is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of several pulmonary diseases, as demonstrated at the 2023 European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress in Milan, Italy. From interventional pulmonology, the congress included several exciting results for the use of bronchoscopy in lung cancer, including augmented fluoroscopy, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy and cryobiopsies. In obstructive lung disease, the latest results on bronchoscopic treatment of emphysema with hyperinflation and chronic bronchitis were presented.

Renal Function After CT-Guided Cryoablation of Small Renal Tumours in Patients with Solitary Kidney: An Analysis of European Multinational Prospective EuRECA Registry.

Purpose: Treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in patients with solitary kidneys remains challenging. The purpose of this multicentre cohort study was to explore how renal function is affected by percutaneous image-guided cryoablation in patients with solitary kidneys.

Material And Methods: Data from the European Registry for Renal Cryoablation database were extracted on patients with RCC in solitary kidneys treated with image-guided, percutaneous cryoablation.

The European Respiratory Society led training programme improves self-reported competency and increases the use of thoracic ultrasound.

Thoracic ultrasound has become a well-implemented diagnostic tool for assessment and monitoring of patients with respiratory symptoms or disease. However, ultrasound examinations are user dependent and sufficient competencies are needed. The European Respiratory Society (ERS) hosts a structured and evidence-based training programme in thoracic ultrasound.

Assessment of Basic Thoracic Ultrasound Skills in Immersive Virtual Reality: Gathering Validity Evidence.

Objective: Operator skills are essential for thoracic ultrasound (TUS) to ensure diagnostic accuracy. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has shown potential within medical education but never for assessment of TUS skills. This study was aimed at developing an IVR test for assessing TUS skills, gathering validity evidence and establishing a pass/fail score.

Education in Focused Assessment With Sonography for Trauma Using Immersive Virtual Reality: A Prospective, Interventional Cohort Study and Non-inferiority Analysis With a Historical Control.

Objective: Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) is a valuable ultrasound procedure in emergency settings, and there is a need for evidence-based education in FAST to ensure competencies. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a progressive training modality gaining traction in the field of ultrasound training. IVR holds several economic and practical advantages to the common instructor-led FAST courses using screen-based simulation (SBS).

Transfer of skills between laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery: a systematic review.

Background: Robot-assisted surgery is today well-implemented in many surgical specialties, but requires another skill set than laparoscopy. Most often, robot-assisted surgery is considered add-on to laparoscopic skills but very little is known about the transfer of skills. The aim of the study was to examine to what extent surgical skills are transferable between laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery.

Image-guided percutaneous cryoablation of a solitary subpleural lung metastasis from breast cancer.

This case presents CT-guided percutaneous cryoablation as a treatment option in a patient with oligometastatic breast cancer who previously had received standard-of-care treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Before cryoablation, the patient received two systemic lines of therapy, several surgeries and radiotherapy for oligometastatic disease. The cryoablation was performed in a single 7 mm subpleural oligometastatic lesion 42 months after diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer.

Cryoablation following neoadjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitor as treatment of a T1a renal clear cell carcinoma in a patient with a solitary kidney.

The case is presented of a woman in her 60s with renal cell carcinoma in a solitary kidney with normal renal function. Because of the solitary kidney status, the management strategy described in acknowledged guidelines was not possible. The patient was treated with standard first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor followed by percutaneous CT-guided cryoablation.

Using virtual reality simulation for training practical skills in musculoskeletal wrist X-ray - A pilot study.

Objectives: Using virtual reality (VR), students of radiography can practice acquisition and positioning of musculoskeletal radiographs and get immediate feedback on their performance within the simulator. The purpose of this study was to assess usability of a newly developed VR simulator and to explore self-perceived clinical readiness (SPCR) of radiography students before and after training acquisition of wrist radiographs in the VR simulator.

Material And Methods: A prospective methodology was applied where the students ( = 10) estimated their own SPCR in regard to acquisition of wrist radiographs pre- and post-VR training.

Evidence-based training and certification: the ERS thoracic ultrasound training programme.

Thoracic ultrasound has developed into an integral part of the respiratory physician's diagnostic and therapeutic toolbox, with high diagnostic accuracy for many diseases causing acute or chronic respiratory symptoms. However, it is vitally important that the operator has received the appropriate education and training to ensure a systematic and thorough examination, correct image interpretation, and that they then have the appropriate skills to integrate all the findings for patient benefit. In this review, we present the new European Respiratory Society thoracic ultrasound training programme, including a discussion of curriculum development, its implementation, and trainee evaluation.

Surgical efficacy and learning curves of laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision with intracorporeal anastomosis for right-sided colon cancer: A retrospective two-center cohort study.

Background: There is a potential benefit on long-term outcomes following complete mesocolic excision (CME) for right-sided colon cancer when compared to conventional colectomy. This study aims to analyze the learning curve and short-term outcomes of laparoscopic CME with intracorporeal anastomosis (ICA) for right-sided colon cancer in the hands of experienced colorectal surgeons.

Methods: A two-center cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing right-sided colectomy from September 2021 to May 2022 at two tertiary colorectal centers in Denmark.

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for characterizing renal tumors: A validation study of the algorithm presented by Cornelis .

Objectives: In the last decade, the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been rising, with the greatest increase observed for solid tumors. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols and algorithms have recently been available for classifying RCC subtypes and benign subtypes. The objective of this study was to prospectively validate the MRI algorithm presented by Cornelis .

Objective structured clinical examination in basic thoracic ultrasound: a European study of validity evidence.

Background: Basic thoracic ultrasound is being used more frequently by clinicians in several settings due to its high diagnostic accuracy for many common causes of respiratory failure and dyspnoea. However, ultrasound examinations are operator-dependent, and sufficient competences are needed to obtain high sensitivity and specificity of examinations. Additionally, it is crucial for ultrasound operators to perceive the competence to interpret the images and integrate them into the patient history and other examinations.

Education in Focused Lung Ultrasound Using Gamified Immersive Virtual Reality: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Focused lung ultrasound (FLUS) has high diagnostic accuracy in many common conditions seen in a variety of emergency settings. Competencies are essential for diagnostic success and patient safety but can be challenging to acquire in clinical environments. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers an interactive risk-free learning environment and is progressing as an educational tool.

Pulmonologists' work and clinical life during the COVID-19 pandemic: a society-led survey.

The continuous and ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highly affected pulmonologists and pulmonology residents worldwide. To identify where additional work and resources must be focused, it is important to explore on what parameters the pulmonologists and residents are challenged. We present the results of a society-led survey on pulmonologists' and pulmonology residents' work and clinical life during the pandemic.

Systemic air embolism following computed-tomography-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of lung lesion - a systematic search of case reports and case series.

Background: Systemic air embolism is a rare, however potentially fatal, low incidence, complication to CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of lung lesions.

Purpose: The purpose of this review of case reports and series was to pool data about this rare complication and glance for a pattern or similarities in the patients' initial symptoms and course, as well as the management of the patients in relation to current guidelines.

Material And Methods: PubMed was searched for case reports and case series about systemic air embolisms following CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of lung lesions from inception to November 2021.

Standard Setting in Simulation-based Training of Surgical Procedures: A Systematic Review.

Objective: This systematic review aims to examine the use of standard-setting methods in the context of simulation-based training of surgical procedures.

Summary Of Background: Simulation-based training is increasingly used in surgical education. However, it is important to determine which level of competency trainees must reach during simulation-based training before operating on patients.

Lung ultrasound assessment for pneumothorax following transbronchial lung cryobiopsy.

Background: Iatrogenic pneumothorax is a common and clinically important transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) complication. A study was conducted to assess the diagnostic accuracy and clinical impact of immediate post-procedure lung ultrasound for diagnosing iatrogenic pneumothorax in patients suspected of interstitial lung disease (ILD) undergoing TBCB.

Study Design And Methods: In patients undergoing TBCB due to suspected ILD, lung ultrasound of the anterior surface of the chest was performed immediately after the TBCB procedure prior to extubation.

Education in the placement of ultrasound-guided peripheral venous catheters: a systematic review.

Background: Placing a peripheral vein catheter can be challenging due to several factors, but using ultrasound as guidance increases the success rate. The purpose of this review is to investigate the knowledge already existing within the field of education in ultrasound-guided peripheral vein catheter placement and explore the efficacy and clinical impact of different types of education.

Methods: In accordance with PRISMA-guidelines, a systematic search was performed using three databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL).