Does rigid spinal orthosis carry more psychosocial implications than the flexible brace in AIS patients? A cross-sectional study.

Background: A small body of data exists concerning psychosocial issues in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) subjected to soft braces. No study was yet performed on the detailed psychosocial implications in AIS patients.

Objective: To compare the psychosocial implications of the flexible SpineCor with the Cheneau orthosis in AIS females.

Long-term effects of conservative treatment of Milwaukee brace on body image and mental health of patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

We aimed to provide a complex assessment of adult females with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) after a minimum of 23 years after completed Milwaukee brace treatment. In the present study, a comparison between healthy female and AIS patients' perception of trunk disfigurement, self-image, mental health, pain level and everyday activity was made. Thirty AIS patients with a mean of 27.

Automated external defibrillator use in public places: a study of acquisition time.

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a frequent cause of death in the developed world. Early defibrillation, preferably within the first minutes of the incident, significantly increases survival rates. Accessible automated external defibrillators (AED) in public areas have been promoted for many years, and several locations are equipped with these devices.

Cath lab costs in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty - detailed analysis of consecutive procedures.

Background: Costs of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have an important impact on health care expenditures. Despite the present stress upon the cost-effectiveness issues in medicine, few comprehensive data exist on costs and resource use in different clinical settings.

Aim: To assess catheterisation laboratory costs related to use of drugs and single-use devices in patients undergoing PCI due to coronary artery disease.

Mental health and adjustment to juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Level of agreement between parent and adolescent reports according to Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Adolescent Outcomes Questionnaire.

The aims of this study were threefold. Firstly, to analyze the psychometric properties of the Polish-language Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) questionnaire in the self-report Adolescent Outcomes Questionnaire (adolescents, 11-18 years of age) and in the parent-report Adolescent Outcomes Questionnaire (completed by a parent or guardian of an adolescent aged 11-18 years). Secondly, to determine the level of agreement between parents and adolescents in rating dysfunction in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and thirdly, to examine associations between psychological adjustments of patients to JIA and disease as well as their socio-demographic characteristics.

The Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument for a Polish sample with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: psychometric properties of proxy version.

Aim: The aims of the study were to investigate the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) for parents of children aged 2-10 years, in a Polish sample of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and to compare the results from children with chronic arthritis to the results from a normative sample.

Methods: The sample consisted of the parents of 29 (72.5%) girls and 11 (27.

Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Dissection Treated with Self-expandable Stents: A Single-Centre Experience.

Purpose: Treatment of choice for the internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) is anticoagulation for three to 6 months. Endovascular procedures may be a promising alternative for patients (pts) with haemodynamic impairment, recurrent ischaemic symptoms or symptomatic pseudoaneurysms. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carotid artery stenting in treatment of selected pts with extracranial ICAD.

Results of treatment of patients with gallstone disease and ductal calculi by single-stage laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct exploration.

Introduction: Choledocholithiasis is the most common cause of obstructive jaundice. Common bile duct stones are observed in 10-14% of patients diagnosed with gall bladder stones. In the case of gall bladder and common bile duct stones the procedure involves not only performing cholecystectomy but also removing the stones from bile ducts.

3D heart model printing for preparation of percutaneous structural interventions: description of the technology and case report.

Background: Structural heart disease, including valvular disease as well as congenital defects, causes important alterations in heart anatomy. As a result, individualised planning for both surgical and percutaneous procedures is crucial for procedural optimisation. Three dimensional (3D) rapid prototyping techniques are being utilised to aid operators in planning structural heart procedures.

B-type natriuretic peptide in patients after percutaneous trans-coronary-sinus mitral annuloplasty.

Background And Aim: Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) remains a significant clinical problem. Surgical valve repair carries a high procedural risk. Thus, percutaneous techniques are under development.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy after percutaneous trans-coronary-venous mitral annuloplasty.

We present a case of a 45-year-old man with symptomatic heart failure and ischaemic functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), who underwent a successful percutaneous trans-coronary venous mitral annuloplasty with the Carillon system. The procedure resulted in clinical improvement as well as in a decrease in the degree of MR as assessed by echocardiography. Fifteen months later, the patient underwent cardiac resynchronisation (CRT) device implantation, resulting in a further improvement in echocardiographic measures of FMR.

Percutaneous direct mitral annuloplasty using the Mitralign Bident system: description of the method and a case report.

Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is known to contribute to a poor prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). Current guidelines do not recommend cardiac surgery in patients with FMR and impaired ejection fraction due to the high procedural risk. Percutaneous techniques aimed at mitral valve repair may constitute an alternative to currently used routine medical treatment.

The effect of stent coating on stent deliverability: direct randomised comparison of drug eluting and bare metal stents using the same stent platform.

Background: There is certain experimental and clinical evidence indicating that the covering of bare metal stents (BMS) with drug eluting polymers to produce drug eluting stents (DES) results in increased stent stiffness and modifies the mechanical properties of the stent platform. In addition, it has been speculated that the mechanical performance of DES, compared to BMS, may be related to the type of polymer used to cover stents.

Aim: We aimed at evaluating the deliverability of DES with a lactate based biodegradable polymer and BMS in patients with stable coronary artery disease in a prospective randomised study.

Value of rotational angiography (3D-ATG) with contrast agent administration into the right atrium during atrial fibrillation ablation procedures: a preliminary report.

Background: Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency (RF) ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) strongly depend on the possibility of three-dimensional (3D) visualisation of atria as well as the ostia of pulmonary veins. Current angiographic systems allow 3D visualisation of anatomical heart structures using rotational angiography.

Aim: To evaluate clinical usefulness of rotational angiography (3D-ATG) after contrast agent administration into the right atrium for the purpose of evaluating left atrial anatomy in patients undergoing RF ablation of AF.