Local ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma by interstitial brachytherapy: prediction of outcome by diffusion-weighted imaging.

Background: Interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) has become a viable treatment option in the therapy of early and intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Prognostic imaging tools to predict patient outcome are missing.

Purpose: To assess the predictive value of baseline diffusion-weighted imaging in HCC before iBT with regard to local tumor control and overall survival (OS).

Cardiovascular risk factors, exercise capacity and health literacy in patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Germany: Baseline characteristics of the Lifestyle Intervention in Chronic Ischaemic Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes study.

Background: Lifestyle interventions are a cornerstone in the treatment of chronic ischaemic heart disease (CIHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed at identifying differences in clinical characteristics between categories of the common lifestyle intervention targets BMI, exercise capacity (peak V̇O) and health literacy (HL).

Methods: Cross-sectional baseline characteristics of patients enrolled in the LeIKD trial (Clinicaltrials.

Intensive Care Units Healthcare Professionals' Experiences and Negotiations at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: A Grounded Theory Study.

Faced with the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), healthcare professionals (HCPs) in intensive care units (ICU) adjusted their organizational, operational, and personal procedures to ensure care for COVID-19 patients. We used grounded theory approach to explore ICU HCPs' perspectives on professional action at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany from March to July 2020. The study aimed to examine implicit principles on negotiating social practice and interaction of ICU HCPs in an exceptional situation, which was characterized by a high level of changes.

Monitoring excimer laser-guided cardiac lead extractions by uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy: A single center experience.

Background: Though laser guided extractions of cardiac implantable electronic devices leads have become a routine procedure, the severe complications are associated with a high mortality. Here, we report our single center experience using uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy for laser lead extraction and compare it to stand-alone laser lead extraction.

Methods: The intraoperative data and postoperative clinical outcomes of patients undergoing laser lead extraction with concomitant thoracoscopy ( = 28) or without ( = 43) in our institution were analyzed retrospectively.