The British Orthopaedic Surgery Surveillance study: slipped capital femoral epiphysis: the epidemiology and two-year outcomes from a prospective cohort in Great Britain.

Aims: The aim of this study was to inform the epidemiology and treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE).

Methods: This was an anonymized comprehensive cohort study, with a nested consented cohort, following the the Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term study (IDEAL) framework. A total of 143 of 144 hospitals treating SCFE in Great Britain participated over an 18-month period.

The British Orthopaedic Surgery Surveillance study: Perthes' disease: the epidemiology and two-year outcomes from a prospective cohort in Great Britain.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and treatment of Perthes' disease of the hip.

Methods: This was an anonymized comprehensive cohort study of Perthes' disease, with a nested consented cohort. A total of 143 of 144 hospitals treating children's hip disease in the UK participated over an 18-month period.

Reopening of a macular hole after nd:yag laser capsulotomy in a vitrectomized eye.

Purpose: To describe a case of reopening of macular hole in a vitrectomized eye after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy.

Methods: A 70-year-old man presented with a Stage 3 macula hole 5 years previously with a vision of 6/24.

Results: The patient had a vitrectomy with perfluoropropane tamponade.

Acute oesophageal necrosis: a case report and review of the literature.

Aims: We discuss a case of acute oesophageal necrosis and undertook a literature review of this rare diagnosis.

Methods: The literature review was performed using Medline and relevant references from the published literature.

Results: One hundred and twelve cases were identified on reviewing the literature with upper gastrointestinal bleeding being the commonest presenting feature.

The use of holmium laser technology for the treatment of refractory common bile duct stones, with a short review of the relevant literature.

Background: The treatment of common bile duct (CBD) stones can vary in complexity and many methods exist to fragment them before removal. Although holmium laser is frequently used in urological surgery, it is rarely used to achieve this aim.

Methods: The holmium laser was passed along a fiber introduced via a flexible scope through the cystic duct at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Abdominal vault suspension with rectus sheath strips: a case series.

This is a retrospective case series conducted in Worthing General Hospital to evaluate the clinical outcome of abdominal vault suspension (AVS) using rectus sheath strips to treat vaginal vault prolapse. Thirty-four patients had suspension of the vaginal vault using this procedure. Patients were followed up at 3-6 months and by questionnaire for up to 90 months.

Bridging the gap: can a link nurse initiative influence palliative care in an acute hospital?

With 90% of people needing some inpatient hospital care in the final year of life, it is evident that the provision and awareness of palliative care, and education surrounding this, are widely needed. This study aims to evaluate a palliative care link nurse initiative (PCLN) in an NHS acute hospital, identifying key factors affecting link nurses' ability to influence palliative care practice. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews and a focus group to show the anticipated and actual influence of link nurses on practice.

The impact of a supplementary medication review and counselling service within the oncology outpatient setting.

The impact on the care of breast cancer patients, of a pharmacy technician-led medication review and counselling clinic, provided in an outpatient setting, was investigated using a controlled randomised study. Compared to the controls, clinic patients showed a significantly improved level of understanding of their chemotherapy support medication (95% CI for difference in mean knowledge rating scores=2.165-2.

Interprofessional collaboration with service users in the development of cancer services: the Cancer Partnership Project.

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is a cornerstone of UK National Health Service (NHS) policy. The Cancer Partnership Project (CPP) is the leading national PPI initiative in cancer care. The CPP espouses a "partnership" model, with a "Partnership Group" - collaborative service improvement groups formed of NHS staff and service users - in each of 34 cancer networks in England.

Incidence and risk of arm oedema following treatment for breast cancer: a three-year follow-up study.

Background: Breast-cancer-related lymphoedema is a chronic condition with estimates of incidence ranging from 6 to 83%. Lymphoedema has been associated with a variety of risk factors. However, this evidence has suffered from methodological weaknesses, and so has had little impact upon clinical practice.

A review of studies that examine the impact of infection on the normal wound-healing process.

Wound infection disrupts the normal healing process, although to what extent is not proven. This review explores controversies in the literature surrounding the bacterial load of the chronic wound and its impact, if any, on this process.

Worthing's modern matron experience: the first year.

THE GOVERNMENT re-established the matron role in response to public reports about dirty wards and poor standards.

Benefits of using a chemotherapy symptom assessment scale.

'Medical Intervention aims to eliminate disease, mitigate disease effect, and maximise quality of life' (Ingham and Portenoy, 1998). Diseases present with signs and symptoms: signs can be measured objectively, symptoms cannot. It is not just disease processes that cause symptoms but also the treatment of the disease.

Lymphoedema 4: research priorities in lymphoedema care.

This article, the last in the series on lymphoedema, presents a survey of priorities in lymphoedema research conducted among lymphoedema treatment practitioners in the UK. Using a two-stage survey method, members of the British Lymphology Society were asked to identify areas lacking in a good evidence base which were crucial for informing clinical decision-making and service developments. Nine priority research questions were identified by the practitioners, with general agreement among respondents of the ranking order.

The development of the Chemotherapy Symptom Assessment Scale (C-SAS): a scale for the routine clinical assessment of the symptom experiences of patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy.

The management of symptoms experienced by patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy influences quality of life during treatment. Symptom management may be improved through a structured approach to symptom assessment. This paper describes the development of the Chemotherapy Symptom Assessment Scale (C-SAS), a 24-item scale designed for the routine assessment of symptoms experienced by patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy.

How valid and reliable are patient satisfaction data? An analysis of 195 studies.

Objective: To assess the properties of validity and reliability of instruments used to assess satisfaction in a broad sample of health service user satisfaction studies, and to assess the level of awareness of these issues among study authors.

Design: Examination and analysis of 195 papers published in 1994 in 139 journals. The following databases were searched: British Nursing Index, CINAHL, EMBASE, MedLine, Popline, and PsycLIT.

Characteristics of new referrals to twenty-seven lymphoedema treatment units.

Lymphoedema affects 25-28% of patients who have undergone axillary surgery or radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The prevalence of primary lymphoedema or of lymphoedema secondary to non-cancer causes is unknown. In addition, basic demographic and disease characteristics of the lymphoedema population remain undocumented.