The attributes of a good medical trainee: how to build your portfolio.

Never before have medical trainees been asked to select a specialty at such an early stage in their careers. It has therefore become imperative that both medical students and junior doctors are wise to the competition they will face. They should aim to develop a medical portfolio that will provide the evidence required to excel, both at the application form and interview stages of the selection process.

Matrix metalloproteinases in vascular disease--a potential therapeutic target?

Introduction: This paper aims to summarize the scientific rationale and future perspectives in the development of effective matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) modulators in the management of patients with arterial and venous disease.

Methods: Pubmed, Embase and Cinahl databases were searched using the search terms 'MMP', 'matrix metalloproteinase', 'arterial disease', 'venous disease', 'aneurysm', 'vascular disease', 'atherosclerosis' and 'varicose veins'. Articles focussing on aneurysm disease, peripheral arterial disease, carotid stenosis and venous disorders were included.

Supervised exercise in intermittent claudication: a sedentary notion?

The benefit of exercise in the management of intermittent claudication has been explored through extensive research in the preceding decades. Within the clinical setting, there is often little differentiation between home-based and supervised exercise regimens. We examined the history and qualification of supervised exercise as a distinct treatment modality from nonsupervised exercise in intermittent claudication.

Revisional laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair.

Background: We herein report a laparoscopically performed re-do operation on a patient who had previously undergone a laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair.

Case Report: We describe the case of a 71-year-old patient who presented within 3 months of her primary laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair with recurrence. On relaparoscopy, dense adhesions to the mesh were found, and the mesh had migrated into the hernia sac.

Concurrent colorectal malignancy and abdominal aortic aneurysm: a multicentre experience and review of the literature.

Objectives: There is lack of consensus regarding concurrent vs. staged approaches, and the prioritisation of staged procedures in cases presenting with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) synchronously. We aim to present our experience, review the literature on this therapeutic dilemma and examine the role of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR).

Tubercular myocarditis presenting with ventricular tachycardia.

Background: A previously fit and healthy 30-year-old man reported experiencing palpitations accompanied by nausea, sweating and presyncope. These symptoms were found to be associated with episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. He was a nonsmoker, did not drink excessively, denied illicit drug use and had no family history of structural cardiac disease or sudden death.

Mycotic aneurysm of the brachial artery secondary to hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a complicated case of infective endocarditis.

We present a case of brachial artery mycotic aneurysm caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a patient with infective endocarditis. A 66-year-old woman suffered two transient ischemic attacks over an 8-week period secondary to septic emboli from mitral valve endocarditis. Following valve replacement surgery, the patient was troubled by persisting paresthesia in the right hand.

Axillo-iliac conduit for haemodialysis vascular access.

Objectives: To describe a series of venous surgical procedures performed to maintain vascular access.

Methods: We report eight patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) who had complex renal access problems. Three patients had central venous occlusion and underwent veno-venous axillo-iliac bypass.

Complete molar pregnancy. Clinical trends at King Fahad Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To describe the clinical trends of complete hydatidiform mole at the King Fahad Hospital (KFH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Medical record review of 71 patients admitted to KFH for the primary management of complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) during the period 1984-1995 was performed, and clinical trends were identified.

Results: During the study period, 48,000 live births occurred, and a total of 71 patients were admitted for management of CHM; the incidence of CHM was 1:676 live births.

The outcome of pregnancy following untreated impaired glucose tolerance.

Objective: To study the outcome of untreated impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) during pregnancy.

Methods: Two hundred twelve pregnant women with IGT and 212 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance. The main outcomes at delivery were mean gestation at delivery, incidence of preterm labor and induction of labor, modes of delivery, mean birthweight, mean Apgar score at 5 min, proportion of babies admitted to NICU, mean values of neonatal capillary blood glucose and hematocrit at 2 h of age.