The Utility of CT Coronary Angiography in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the coronary arteries is a relatively common finding in routine coronary angiography. Of late, there has been considerable improvement in the success rate of percutaneous intervention for coronary CTO, attributed to technological advancement and skills development. CT coronary angiogram (CTCA) is a simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective test that aids in the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease, including CTOs.

Correspondence - Ultrasound for Lumbar Punctures - An Invaluable tool for the Acute Physician.

The traditional procedure of identifying anatomical landmarks when performing lumbar punctures can lead to a failure rate of 19%. The Society of Hospital Medicine have published a statement, recommending use of ultrasound (US) guidance for all adult lumbar punctures (LP). A recent meta-analysis found several advantages of point of care US guided LP: higher success rate and diminished pain.

Atrial fibrillation in UK South Asian hospitalized ischemic stroke patients: The BRAINS study.

Introduction: South Asian diaspora comprise one of the largest ethnic minority groups in the world yet data about atrial fibrillation (AF) in this demographic is understudied. Our aim is to identify differences in AF prevalence and treatment between South Asians and white British stroke patients.

Method: The UK arm of a prospective ongoing large international repository on stroke was analysed.

Ischaemic stroke in South Asians: The BRAINS study.

Background And Purpose: Studies on stroke in South Asian populations are sparse. The aim of this study was to compare differences in age of onset of ischaemic stroke in South Asian patients living in the United Kingdom and South Asian patients living in India versus White British stroke patients.

Methods: We studied the UK and Indian arms of the ongoing BRAINS study, an international prospective hospital-based study of South Asian stroke patients.

Impact of residual disease as a prognostic factor for survival in women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer after primary surgery.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer among women and a leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancies. Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common type, accounting for around 90% of all ovarian cancers. This specific type of ovarian cancer starts in the surface layer covering the ovary or lining of the fallopian tube.

Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19: The PAN-COVID study.

Objective: To assess perinatal outcomes for pregnancies affected by suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: Prospective, web-based registry. Pregnant women were invited to participate if they had suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between 1st January 2020 and 31st March 2021 to assess the impact of infection on maternal and perinatal outcomes including miscarriage, stillbirth, fetal growth restriction, pre-term birth and transmission to the infant.

Chyle Leak After Axillary Node Clearance in Breast Cancer Surgery-A Rare Complication and a Proposed Management Strategy from the British and Italian Experience.

Background: Chyle leak after axillary surgery is a rare complication that lacks consensus and management guidelines. This study aimed to present the experiences of two centers in chyle leak management after axillary node clearance for breast cancer. Furthermore the authors provide a review of its pathophysiology and clinical diagnostic methods.

Routine management, healthcare resource use and patient and carer-reported outcomes of patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia in the United Kingdom: A mixed methods observational study.

Objectives: We evaluated routine healthcare management, clinical status and patient- and carer-reported outcomes in UK paediatric and adult patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia (TDT).

Methods: A multi-centre, observational mixed-methodology study evaluated 165 patients (50% male; median age 24.1 [interquartile range (IQR)] 11.

Phenytoin and damage to the cerebellum - a systematic review of published cases.

Introduction: The antiseizure medication phenytoin has been associated with changes in the cerebellum, cerebellar signs, and permanent cerebellar damage. We have systematically reviewed the clinical and radiological features, and their correlation.

Areas Covered: We identified sixty case reports and case series of the effects of phenytoin on the cerebellum by searching Medline and Embase and relevant reference lists.

Intravascular lithotripsy in calcified-coronary lesions: A real-world observational, European multicenter study.

Background: The recently introduced intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) appears promising and relatively safer than conventional approaches when dealing with calcified lesions. Although there are published reports on this novel technology, data from the real world are limited. In this study, we aim to report on the experience of IVL from a real-world population derived from six European centers that undertake high-volume complex coronary interventions.

SPECT/CT-Guided Ultrasound for Parathyroid Adenoma Localization: A 1-Stop Approach.

Our rationale was to evaluate the accuracy of 1-stop (single patient-attendance) SPECT/CT-guided ultrasound in the localization of parathyroid adenomata. Secondary aims included analyzing the effect of multiple parathyroid adenomata and concurrent thyroid disease on sensitivity. Patients with hyperparathyroidism who had undergone parathyroidectomy were identified over a 5-y period.

An exploration of the attitudes and views of general practitioners on the use of video consultations in a primary healthcare setting: a qualitative pilot study.

Background: In 2014, in the United Kingdom, the government made a commitment to spend £3.6 million on the introduction of Skype video calling consultations in general practice, however the efficacy of such technology has not yet been explored fully.AimThe study aimed to explore the views and attitudes of General Practitioners (GPs) towards video consultation in primary care; specifically, in three broad areas ∙The benefits of video consultations to patients and healthcare professionals.

Informed consent: a global perspective.

Our aim in this paper was to investigate the guidelines and laws governing informed consent in the English-speaking world. We noted a recent divergence from medical paternalism within the United Kingdom, highlighted by the Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board ruling of 2015. We investigated the situation in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States of America.

A Patient Information Leaflet Reduces Parental Anxiety Before Their Child's First Craniofacial Multidisciplinary Outpatient Appointment.

Introduction: It is expected that a child's first outpatient appointment with a craniofacial multidisciplinary team (MDT) instills anxiety in parents. Limited data exist on the aspects of the appointment that parents are most concerned about and what information they desire. The effect of written information provision on this cohort is unstudied.

HbA screening for new onset diabetes following acute coronary syndrome: is it a worthwhile test in clinical practice?

Background: Diabetes and pre-diabetes are prevalent in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and relate to adverse outcomes. This study used HbA to screen for degrees of glucose intolerance amongst patients without known diabetes presenting with ACS.

Methods: Over a 1-year period (June 2014-2015) consecutive patients admitted to a single centre cardiology unit with an initial diagnosis of ACS without prior diabetes diagnosis were electronically referred to our diabetes team.