Co-Designing Nurse Practitioner Roles in a Tertiary Hospital: A Qualitative Exploration of Patterns and Underlying Dynamics.

Aims: To explore patterns and dynamics during the co-design process of nurse practitioners' role development in three departments in a Belgian tertiary hospital.

Design: Participatory action research was utilised in conjunction with principles of a Grounded Theory approach to explore patterns and dynamics.

Methods: Sixteen meetings were conducted between January and June 2021 with interdisciplinary teams to develop the roles.

Literature review on management of prosthetic graft infections after supra-aortic bypass surgery, based on a case report.

Background: Graft infections of supra-aortic bypasses are rare, but often life-threatening. Guidelines for treatment of graft infections recommend systemic antibiotics and complete graft removal, followed by in-situ or extra-anatomic revascularisation.

Methods: Based on case report, literature search was performed on Medline, Google Scholar and Web of Science databases, focussing on infected supra-aortic bypass reconstructions.

Group 2i Isochrysidales thrive in marine and lacustrine systems with ice cover.

Global warming is causing rapid changes to the cryosphere. Predicting the future trajectory of the cryosphere requires quantitative reconstruction of its past variations. A recently identified sea-ice-associated haptophyte, known as Group 2i Isochrysidales, has given rise to a new sea-ice proxy with its characteristic alkenone distributions.

Iliac artery endofibrosis: diagnostic dilemna and treatment options.

Background: External iliac artery endofibrosis (EIAE) is an uncommon pathology, predominantly occurring in cyclists, caused by thickening of the external iliac artery intima. Symptoms are exercise-dependent and typically consist of pain, muscle cramps and loss of strength in the affected limb at (sub)maximal effort. As other musculo-skeletal as well as conditional problems might cause similar complaints diagnosis is not always easy or straightforward.

Neoantigen-targeted dendritic cell vaccination in lung cancer patients induces long-lived T cells exhibiting the full differentiation spectrum.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is known for high relapse rates despite resection in early stages. Here, we present the results of a phase I clinical trial in which a dendritic cell (DC) vaccine targeting patient-individual neoantigens is evaluated in patients with resected NSCLC. Vaccine manufacturing is feasible in six of 10 enrolled patients.

Sediment discharge from Greenland's marine-terminating glaciers is linked with surface melt.

Sediment discharged from the Greenland Ice Sheet delivers nutrients to marine ecosystems around Greenland and shapes seafloor habitats. Current estimates of the total sediment flux are constrained by observations from land-terminating glaciers only. Addressing this gap, our study presents a budget derived from observations at 30 marine-margin locations.

First-in-human feasibility study of the aXess graft (aXess-FIH): 6-Month results.

Objective: The creation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is considered the most effective hemodialysis (HD) vascular access. For patients who are not suitable for AVF, arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) are the best access option for chronic HD. However, conventional AVGs are prone to intimal hyperplasia, stenosis, thrombosis, and infection.

Engaging healthcare professionals and patient representatives in the development of a quality model for hospitals: a mixed-method study.

Top-down and externally imposed quality requirements can lead to improvement but do not seem as sustainable as intended. There is a need for a quality model that intrinsically motivates healthcare professionals to contribute to quality and safe care in hospitals. This study shows how a quality model that matches the identity and the quality vision of the organization was developed.

Role development, implementation and evaluation of nurse practitioners in a Belgian university hospital: a mixed methods study protocol.

Introduction: Due to the increased prevalence of chronic conditions, multimorbidity and an increased complexity of care, the burden on healthcare teams is high resulting in unmet needs of patients and their family and a high workload on healthcare professionals. To respond to these challenges, care models integrating nurse practitioners were introduced. Despite the proven benefits, implementation in Belgium is at an early stage.

Efficacy of a Drug-Eluting Stent Versus Bare Metal Stents for Symptomatic Femoropopliteal Peripheral Artery Disease: Primary Results of the EMINENT Randomized Trial.

Background: A clear patency benefit of a drug-eluting stent (DES) over bare metal stents (BMSs) for treating peripheral artery disease of the femoropopliteal segment has not been definitively demonstrated. The EMINENT study (Trial Comparing Eluvia Versus Bare Metal Stent in Treatment of Superficial Femoral and/or Proximal Popliteal Artery) was designed to evaluate the patency of the Eluvia DES (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA), a polymer-coated paclitaxel-eluting stent, compared with BMSs for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery lesions.

Methods: EMINENT is a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter European study with blinded participants and outcome assessment.

Assessing endovascular team performances in a hybrid room using the Black Box system: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The hybrid room (HR) is a complex, high-risk environment, requiring teams (surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, technologists) to master various skills, including the 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable' principle of radiation safety. This prospective single center cohort reports the first use of the Operating Room Black Box (ORBB) in a HR. This medical data recording system captures procedural and audio-visual data to facilitate structured team performance analysis.

Predictive value of the renal resistive index in the immediate postoperative period after kidney transplantation on short- and long-term graft and patient outcomes.

Introduction: During the postoperative stay in the intensive care unit after kidney transplantation, the renal resistive index (RI) is routinely measured. An increased RI, measured months posttransplant, is associated with a higher mortality. We wanted to investigate the value of the RI immediately posttransplant in predicting both short- and long-term outcome.

Editor's Choice - European Society for Vascular Surgery Clinical Practice Guideline Development Scheme: An Overview of Evidence Quality Assessment Methods, Evidence to Decision Frameworks, and Reporting Standards in Guideline Development.

Objective: A structured and transparent approach is instrumental in translating research evidence to health recommendations and evidence informed clinical decisions. The aim was to conduct an overview and analysis of principles and methodologies for health guideline development.

Methods: A literature review on methodologies, strategies, and fundamental steps in the process of guideline development was performed.

Fenestrated and branched endovascular repair for juxtarenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms: analysis of the first 100 cases.

Background: Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become the most popular technique to treat infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. In aneurysms with unsuitable anatomy open surgical repair remains the golden standard but fenestrated EVAR (FEVAR) or branched EVAR (BEVAR) may be an alternative to treat juxtarenal or thoracoabdominal aneurysms. The aim of this study was to report our results and to evaluate its safety and feasibility.

Angiosarcoma after endovascular aneurysm repair: case report and literature review.

Introduction: Epithelioid angiosarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma with a poor prognosis. We report two cases of patients who presented with a history of lower back pain, inflammatory signs and weight loss 5 and 6 years after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of an elective infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Imaging suggested graft infection but tissue samples revealed an epithelioid angiosarcoma.

Outflow Through Aortic Side Branches Drives False Lumen Patency in Type B Aortic Dissection.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection (TBAD) aims to induce false lumen (FL) thrombosis by sealing intimal tears between the true (TL) and the FL, and blocking the inflow into the FL. Incomplete thrombosis of the FL is correlated with poor clinical outcome. We hypothesize that the number of major and minor branches arising from the FL affects FL patency and may negatively influence TEVAR induced FL thrombosis.

The impact of an angiosome-targeted revascularization on healing rate, limb salvage and survival in critical limb threatening ischemia.

Objective: According to the angiosome concept ulcer healing and limb salvage should be superior if direct arterial flow to the source vessel of an affected angiosome is established compared to indirect flow where the angiosome is perfused by means of collaterals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of direct versus indirect revascularization (DR/IR) in endovascular versus bypass surgery on ulcer healing, limb salvage and mortality.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of both endovascular and bypass distal (below the knee) lower limb revascularizations for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) between 1993 and 2014 was performed.