Background: The optimal dosing strategy for infliximab in steroid-refractory acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is unknown. We compared intensified and standard dose infliximab rescue strategies and explored maintenance therapies following infliximab induction in ASUC.
Methods: In this open-label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial, patients aged 18 years or older from 13 Australian tertiary hospitals with intravenous steroid-refractory ASUC were randomly assigned (1:2) to receive a first dose of 10 mg/kg infliximab or 5 mg/kg infliximab (randomisation 1).
Novel biomarkers for tumour burden and bone disease are required to guide clinical management of plasma cell dyscrasias. Recently, bone turnover markers (BTMs) and Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DW-MRI) have been explored, although their role in the prospective assessment of multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is unclear. Here, we conducted a pilot observational cohort feasibility study combining serum BTMs and DW-MRI in addition to standard clinical assessment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudy Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of specialist-performed transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities in predicting depth of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) of the rectosigmoid by comparison with histologic specimens obtained at surgery.
Design: A retrospective analysis, which met the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (2015) guidelines for a diagnostic accuracy study.
Setting: Tertiary teaching hospital.
Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of sacral nerve neurostimulation in the setting of sphincter defects, previous sphincter repair, or pudendal neuropathy.
Methods: A total of 55 patients underwent insertion of a sacral nerve neurostimulator for fecal incontinence. There were 52 female and 3 male patients, with a mean age of 51 (range, 25-65) years and a median follow-up of 37 (range, 15-41) months.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of brush cytology for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and compare them with the results of endoscopic biopsy and histologic evaluation of the resected specimen.
Methods: Nine hundred eighteen patients who had brush cytology, endoscopic biopsy, and a definitive resection of a colorectal lesion between 1990 to 2006 were identified from our pathology database.
Results: Cytology alone had a sensitivity of 88.
Background: The aim of this paper is to review the results of surgical excision of rectal endometriosis and review the published work on this challenging condition.
Methods: All cases of endometriosis involving the rectum treated by a single colorectal surgeon were identified from a prospective database and the results reviewed.
Results: Between 1995 and 2005, 213 rectal procedures were carried out on 203 patients together with an endogynaecologist.
Background: Laparoscopic fundoplication has become the standard of care for the management of symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Although atypical and respiratory symptoms are frequently described in standard texts in association with reflux, the response of respiratory symptoms to management of GORD has not been extensively studied.
Methods: Herein is reported a prospective series of 29 patients who presented with predominantly respiratory symptoms.
Background: The documentation and monitoring of operative experience is an important component of advanced surgical training. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) monitors the adequacy of training by use of the surgical logbook. The logbook has been a paper-based record that does not permit longitudinal evaluation of the progress of an individual trainee or comparison of different surgical units.
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