57 results match your criteria: "James Cook University School of Medicine[Affiliation]"

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in the diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer (CRC). It was proposed in regional Northern Australia that the distance to services could further impact cancer outcomes, leading to delayed diagnosis. The authors compared the outcomes of patients prior and during the pandemic; with a focus on whether patients were presenting in the emergency setting with more advanced disease.

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A 48-year-old man with severe Guillain-Barré syndrome suffered complete paralysis, and for 31 days could not communicate with the outside world, while remaining fully conscious. After recovery, he provided feedback on aspects of his care, such as mechanical ventilation, physical therapy, and communication. Conventional low tidal volume normocapnic ventilation induced ongoing and profound dyspnoea, occasionally relieved by modest increases in minute ventilation.

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Introduction: Congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis (CNPAS) is a rare congenital condition of structural nasal obstruction. Respiratory distress, stertor, and poor feeding are often presenting features.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a newborn diagnosed with CNPAS at 3 weeks of life.

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Juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) and hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) are rare autosomal dominant diseases, where symptoms manifest at childhood. A 32-year-old man with no family history of JPS or HHT with SMAD4 gene mutation who developed signs and symptoms only at the age of 32, when he was an adult. In this article, we highlight the steps taken to diagnose this rare pathology, explain its pathophysiology and management.

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Duality of roles and the provision of high-quality end-of-life care in the intensive care.

J Crit Care

June 2021

Australian National University, Medical School, Canberra, Australia; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, Canberra, Australia; Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia. Electronic address:

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End-of-life (EOL) care has become an integral part of intensive care medicine and includes the exploration of possibilities for deceased organ and tissue donation. Donation physicians are specialist doctors with expertise in EOL processes encompassing organ and tissue donation, who contribute significantly to improvements in organ and tissue donation services in many countries around the world. Donation physicians are usually also intensive care physicians, and thus they may be faced with the dual obligation of caring for dying patients and their families in the intensive care unit (ICU), whilst at the same time ensuring organ and tissue donation is considered according to best practice.

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Aim: To determine factors correlated with postoperative radial shortening in patients with distal radius fractures treated with volar locking distal radius plates.

Methods: A total of 250 patients with a distal radius fracture stabilised with volar locking plates between January 2010 and December 2014 were included in a multicentre retrospective cohort study. We measured the distance of the distal locking screws to the joint line immediately postoperatively and then measured radial shortening after six to eight weeks using the change in ulnar variance.

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Sacral fracture with spino-pelvic  dissociation is a rare and unstable injury caused by high-energy trauma, often with serious haemodynamic and neurological implications. Diagnosis is easily delayed or missed as it is often masked by severe associated injuries. Here, we present an unusual case of spino-pelvic dissociation sustained during a seizure episode in a young epileptic patient on long-term anticonvulsant therapy with previous thoracolumbar spinal arthrodesis.

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It has been 30 years since the World Health Organization first recommended a "maximum" caesarean section (CS) rate of 15%. There are demographic differences across the 194 WHO member countries; recent analyses suggest the optimal global CS rate is almost 20%. Attempts to reduce CS rates in developed countries have not worked.

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Aim: To compare the outcomes of displaced distal radius fractures treated with volar locking plates and with immediate postoperative mobilisation with the outcomes of these fractures treated with modalities that necessitate 6 wk wrist immobilisation.

Methods: A prospective, randomised controlled single-centre trial was conducted with 56 patients who had a displaced radius fracture were randomised to treatment either with a volar locking plate ( = 29), or another treatment modality ( = 27; cast immobilisation with or without wires or external fixator). Outcomes were measured at 12 wk.

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Young onset dementia accounts for up to 1 in 10 dementia diagnoses. Those diagnosed face premature transition into the realm of aged care services and adjustment to an illness of ageing prior to age 65. To help elicit communication of the perceived psychosocial needs of this group, provide a platform to gain peer support and advocate for increased awareness, the Young Onset Dementia Support Group was established on the social networking site, Facebook™ .

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Abortion law across Australia--A review of nine jurisdictions.

Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol

April 2015

James Cook University School of Medicine, Cairns Base Hospital, PO Box 902, Cairns, Qld, 4870, Australia.

This article reviews the current legal status of abortion in Australia and its implications. Australian abortion law has been a matter for the states since before Federation. In the years since Federation there have been significant reforms and changes in the abortion laws of some jurisdictions, although not all.

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Towards more rational prescribing of anti-dementia drugs.

Aust N Z J Psychiatry

March 2015

Older Persons, Sub-Acute and Rehabilitation Services, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, Cairns, Australia James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.

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Treatment of distal femur fractures in a regional Australian hospital.

World J Orthop

July 2014

Ewan Batchelor, Clare Heal, Herwig Drobetz, Department of General Practice and Rural Medicine, James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry, Level 1, Building K, Mackay Base Hospital, Mackay QLD 4740, Australia.

Aim: To review our outcomes and compare the results of the Less Invasive Stabilization System (LISS) to other implants for distal femur fracture management at a regional Australian hospital.

Methods: The LISS is a novel implant for the management of distal femur fractures. It is, however, technically demanding and treatment results have not yet been assessed outside tertiary centres.

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Aim: The best management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is unclear. Conservative treatment has been proposed, but no studies comparing conservative with invasive management have been carried out where pneumothorax size has been numerically quantified. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of conservative management for primary spontaneous pneumothoraces of any size.

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Despite the availability of a wide range of contraceptive options in Australia, rates of unintended pregnancy remain high. A survey of tertiary students in Far North Queensland in regard to their knowledge of contraceptive methods and services revealed significant deficiencies, suggesting that existing sex education and contraceptive advice services need improving if unplanned pregnancy rates are to be reduced in this population.

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Managing dementia-related cognitive decline in patients and their caregivers.

Aust Fam Physician

April 2014

MBBS, BSc, FACRRM, FRACP, Clinical Director, Older Persons and Subacute Services, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, Cairns, QLD; and Adjunct A/Prof, James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry, Townsville, QLD.

Background: There are over 332 000 Australians living with dementia. On average, families notice symptoms 3 years before a firm diagnosis is made. These symptoms are chronic and typically progressive and terminal.

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Systemic lupus erythematosus and small vessel coronary infarction: who's to blame?

J Echocardiogr

December 2013

Mackay Base Hospital, James Cook University School of Medicine, 475 Bridge Road, Mackay, Queensland, 4740, Australia.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with or without accompanying antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS) is known to cause myocardial ischemia via multiple mechanisms, including accelerated coronary atherosclerosis, impaired coronary vasomotor function, spontaneous intracoronary thrombus formation, or endothelial dysfunction in the context of cardiac syndrome X (CSX). We present the case of a young woman with SLE and APLS who presented with myocardial ischemia and peculiar echocardiographic evidence of multiple small septal perforator infarcts despite a normal coronary angiogram, a rare combination.

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Dr Robert Proust: a gynaecologist's contribution to world literature.

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol

September 2013

James Cook University School of Medicine, Cairns Campus, PO Box 902, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia. Electronic address:

Dr Robert Proust, though overshadowed in history by his more famous brother, the novelist Marcel Proust, was an eminent and innovative French surgeon who achieved recognition largely as a gynaecologist, but also was an accomplished urologist and general surgeon. He was the author of a textbook, The surgery of the female genital tract, that was very successful in his lifetime and ran to six editions. He was always very supportive of his brother's writing, and after Marcel's premature death Robert edited and arranged for publication of the final three volumes of his novel À la recherche du temps perdu, which has been called the greatest novel of the twentieth century.

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