Preceptorship in robotic colorectal surgery: experience from the Australian private sector.

This article describes a post-fellowship preceptorship training program to train sub-specialty colorectal surgeons in gaining proficiency in robotic colorectal surgery using a dual-surgeon model in the Australian private sector. The Australian colorectal surgeon faces challenges in gaining robotic colorectal surgery proficiency with limited exposure and experience in the public setting where the majority of general and colorectal surgery training is currently conducted. This training model uses graded exposure with a range of simulation training, wet lab training, and clinical operative cases to progress through both competency and proficiency in robotic colorectal surgery which is mutually beneficial to surgeons and patients alike.

Has the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in more advanced breast cancer? A hospital-based retrospective study.

Background: The suspension of breast cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic altered patient diagnosis and management. This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns, screening delays and reduced healthcare attendance on changes in tumour and treatment characteristics, particularly for biologically more aggressive breast cancers.

Methods: This retrospective single-hospital analysis utilized data from a prospective cancer database between July 2019 and June 2022.

Australian consensus: Treatment goals for moderate to severe psoriasis in the era of targeted therapies - Considerations for paediatric patients.

Background: Treatment goals have been established in Australia to facilitate the management of adults with moderate to severe psoriasis. The Australasian College of Dermatologists sought to determine if and how these adult treatment goals could be modified to accommodate the needs of paediatric and adolescent patients.

Methods: A modified Delphi approach was used.

Oral care practices and hospital-acquired pneumonia prevention: A national survey of Australian nurses.

Background: Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) also known as non-ventilator associated pneumonia, is one of the most common infections acquired in hospitalised patients. Improving oral hygiene appears to reduce the incidence of HAP. This study aimed to describe current practices, barriers and facilitators, knowledge and educational preferences of registered nurses performing oral health care in the Australian hospital setting, with a focus on the prevention of HAP.

Standardizing eligibility and patient selection for Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy: A Delphi consensus statement.

Introduction: Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a procedure for minimally invasive drug administration in patients with peritoneal metastasis. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of uniformity in treatment protocols and standardization of this practice. This study aimed to reach a consensus on eligibility, patient selection, and choice of chemotherapy for PIPAC.

Risk factors for corneal endothelial cell loss after phacoemulsification.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in corneal endothelial cell density (CECD) occurring after cataract phacoemulsification surgery and identify factors associated with cell loss.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective study involving patients who underwent cataract phacoemulsification surgery between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2018, at two private hospitals. Demographic data and biometric parameters were obtained preoperatively.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair in a Patient With Anderson-Fabry Disease.

Severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) is one cardiac manifestation of the multiorgan metabolic enzyme disorder Anderson-Fabry Disease (AFD). Although DMR is normally managed surgically, many patients with AFD are unsuitable for this. We present the first case of mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in a patient with AFD.

A practical guide for the use of apalutamide for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in Australia.

Studies of patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer at high risk of developing overt metastases but with no current evidence of evaluable disease on computed tomography or bone scan non-metastatic castrate-resistant prostrate cancer have demonstrated increased metastasis-free survival and overall survival following treatment with the next-generation oral anti-androgen apalutamide (in addition to therapies that aim to lower testosterone to castrate levels) or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone antagonist or surgical castration. Patients receiving apalutamide can be managed by medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, or urologists, preferably as part of a multidisciplinary team. However, the importance of additional safety monitoring for significant adverse effects and drug interactions should not be underestimated.

Retrospective case-control study on radiation dose for uterine artery embolization procedures.

Introduction: Uterine artery embolization is performed in pre-menopausal women. Understanding the contribution of radiation dose at each stage of the procedure is important for potential dose reduction. The aim was to retrospectively analyse radiation dose on a per-procedural-stage basis, comparing digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and conventional roadmap (CRM).

First Phase Development of a Patient-reported Outcome Measure for Midface Oncology.

Background: Facial cancer surgery involving the midface (comprising the lower eyelids, nose, cheeks, and upper lip) can have debilitating life-changing functional, social, and psychological impacts on the patient. Midface symptoms are inadequately captured by existing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). PROMs are increasingly used for individual patient care, quality improvement, and standardized reporting of treatment outcomes.

Impact of Pain on Symptom Burden in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) affects the quality of life of cancer survivors. However, the impact of pain on symptom burden remains undefined. This study aimed to define differences in the clinical symptom profile of patients with painful and nonpainful CIPN.

Enzalutamide and Quality of Life in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: EMBARK, a controlled trial reported elsewhere, showed enzalutamide plus leuprolide (combination) and enzalutamide monotherapy prolonged metastasis-free survival versus placebo plus leuprolide (alone) in patients with high-risk biochemically recurrent prostate cancer. Health-related quality of life was also analyzed but not reported. METHODS: In EMBARK, patients with biochemical recurrence (prostate-specific antigen doubling time of ≤9 months) were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to combination (n=355), leuprolide-alone (n=358), or enzalutamide monotherapy (n=355).

Exploring software navigation tools for liver tumour angiography: a scoping review.

Introduction: Liver cancer presents a growing global health concern, necessitating advanced approaches for intervention. This review investigates the use and effectiveness of software navigation in interventional radiology for liver tumour procedures.

Methods: In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, a scoping review was conducted of the literature published between 2013 and 2023 sourcing articles through MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL and Embase.

Intrafraction Motion and Margin Assessment for Ethos Online Adaptive Radiotherapy Treatments of the Prostate and Seminal Vesicles.

Purpose: Online adaptive radiation therapy (OART) uses daily imaging to identify changes in the patient's anatomy and generate a new treatment plan adapted to these changes for each fraction. The aim of this study was to determine the intrafraction motion and planning target volume (PTV) margins required for an OART workflow on the Varian Ethos system.

Methods And Materials: Sixty-five fractions from 13 previously treated OART patients were analyzed for this retrospective study.

Extensive lymphadenectomy may improve survival in node negative oesophageal cancer.

Lymph node metastases are a major prognostic factor in survival of patients with oesophageal cancer. The number of lymph nodes removed during oesophagectomy has been previously proven to be associated with improved survival. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of lymph node harvest on survival specifically in pathologically node negative (pN0) patients with oesophageal cancer.

Fluorine-18-labelled Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography or Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Diagnose and Localise Prostate Cancer. A Prospective Single-arm Paired Comparison (PEDAL).

Background And Objective: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) of the prostate is used for prostate cancer diagnosis. However, mpMRI has lower sensitivity for small tumours. Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA-PET/CT) offers increased sensitivity over conventional imaging.

Parkinson's Disease and Photobiomodulation: Potential for Treatment.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and is increasing in incidence. The combination of motor and non-motor symptoms makes this a devastating disease for people with Parkinson's disease and their care givers. Parkinson's disease is characterised by mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal death in the substantia nigra, a reduction in dopamine, accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates and neuroinflammation.

Prospective Trial of Water Vapor Thermal Therapy for Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Subjects with a Large Prostate: 6- and 12-month Outcomes.

Background: Current guidelines recommend Rezūm water vapor thermal therapy for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) for prostate glands ranging in volume from 30 to 80 cm. Few prospective studies have specifically evaluated the use of Rezūm for larger prostates.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of water vapor thermal therapy in patients with a prostate gland >80 cm and ≤150 cm.

Sleep dysfunction associated with worse chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity functional outcomes.

Purpose: Sleep problems are commonly reported by cancer survivors; however, knowledge of the impact of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) on sleep quality remains limited. In this study, we explored the impact of CIPN on sleep quality, as well as identified clinical characteristics associated with poor sleep quality.

Methods: Participants were assessed cross-sectionally post-neurotoxic chemotherapy.

A novel transcranial photobiomodulation device to address motor signs of Parkinson's disease: a parallel randomised feasibility study.

Background: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disease with limited treatment options. Animal models and a proof-of-concept case series have suggested that photobiomodulation may be an effective adjunct treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The aim was to determine the safety and feasibility of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) to reduce the motor signs of Parkinson's disease.

Patient outcomes following arthroscopic distal clavicle excision: a prospective case series.

Background: Distal clavicle excision for acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) pathology is currently the mainstay of surgical management in patients with symptoms refractory to nonoperative treatment. There have been few high quality studies outlining the efficacy of arthroscopic excision of the distal clavicle as a single procedure in patients with isolated disease.

Aim: To characterize function and pain outcomes in patients undergoing arthroscopic distal clavicle excision by utilizing stringent inclusion criteria to isolate ACJ pathology.

Re-Irradiation after Radical Dose Radiotherapy: A Case Report Challenging an Established Dogma.

Traditionally, external beam radiation therapy has a dogma pronouncing that re-irradiation of a region previously exposed to radical dose radiotherapy is contraindicated due to unacceptable risk to surrounding tissues. This edict is often zealously maintained to the detriment of certain, carefully selected patients that may benefit from re-irradiation. Liposarcoma is a high-grade malignancy with a poor prognosis and high rates of recurrence.