[Operative revascularization of visceral arteries in chronic mesenteric ischemia]. / Operative Revaskularisation der Viszeralarterien bei chronisch mesenterialer Ischämie.

Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is mostly the result of atherosclerotic occlusive processes of unpaired mesenteric arteries. Operative procedures are preferred in cases of occlusion of a long vessel segments and/or highly calcified stenoses near the ostium. Frequently, bypasses are constucted from the aorta to visceral arteries and autologous veins should be preferred. Due to atherosclerotic alterations aortic bypass anastomoses are difficult and prone to complications. Based on case descriptions a surgical technique is presented that simplifies the aortovisceral artery bypass procedure. In all 6 patients the bypasses were open after 27 months and the average increase in body weight was 13 kg within the first postoperative 6 months.

Independent prescriber physiotherapist led balance clinic: the Southport and Ormskirk pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To report the introduction and impact of non-medical prescribing, initiated to improve patient pathways for those presenting with dizziness and balance disorders. METHODS: The Southport and Ormskirk physiotherapy-led vestibular clinic sees and treats all patients with dizziness and balance disorders referred to the ENT department. Letters are triaged by an audiologist, who also performs an otological examination and hearing test; this is followed by an assessment with the independent prescriber physiotherapist. An ENT consultant is nearby if joint consultation is needed. Diagnoses, treatments and patient satisfaction were studied, with an analysis of the impact of medication management (stopping or starting medicines) on patients and service. RESULTS: In 12 months, 413 new patients with dizziness and balance disorders had appointments. The most common diagnoses were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular migraine. Eighty-four per cent of patients required self-management strategies, 50 per cent exercise therapy, 48 per cent medication management and 24 per cent a particle repositioning manoeuvre. Patient satisfaction was high (99 per cent). CONCLUSION: Having an independent prescriber physiotherapist leading the balance clinic has reduced the number of hospital visits and onward referrals. Nearly half of all patients required medication management as part of their dizziness or balance treatment.

European consensus-based (S2k) Guideline on the Management of Herpes Zoster - guided by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) in cooperation with the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), Part 1: Diagnosis.

Herpes zoster (HZ, shingles) is a frequent medical condition which may severely impact the quality of life of affected patients. Different therapeutic approaches to treat acute HZ are available. The aim of this European project was the elaboration of a consensus-based guideline on the management of patients who present with HZ, considering different patient populations and different localizations. This interdisciplinary guideline aims at an improvement of the outcomes of the acute HZ management concerning disease duration, acute pain and quality of life of the affected patients and at a reduction of the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia and other complications. The guideline development followed a structured and predefined process, considering the quality criteria for guidelines development as suggested by the AGREE II instrument. The steering group was responsible for the planning and the organization of the guideline development process (Division of Evidence based Medicine, dEBM). The expert panel was nominated by virtue of clinical expertise and/or scientific experience and included experts from the fields of dermatology, virology/infectiology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, neurology and anaesthesiology. Recommendations for clinical practice were formally consented during the consensus conference, explicitly considering different relevant aspects. The guideline was approved by the commissioning societies after an extensive internal and external review process. In this first part of the guideline, diagnostic means have been evaluated. The expert panel formally consented recommendations for the management of patients with (suspected) HZ, referring to the assessment of HZ patients, considering various specific clinical situations. Users of the guideline must carefully check whether the recommendations are appropriate for the context of intended application. In the setting of an international guideline, it is generally important to consider different national approaches and legal circumstances with regard to the regulatory approval, availability and reimbursement of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

European consensus-based (S2k) Guideline on the Management of Herpes Zoster - guided by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) in cooperation with the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), Part 2: Treatment.

Herpes zoster (HZ, shingles) is a frequent medical condition which may severely impact the quality of life of affected patients. Different therapeutic approaches to treat acute HZ are available. The aim of this European project was the elaboration of a consensus-based guideline on the management of patients who present with HZ, considering different patient populations and different localizations. This interdisciplinary guideline aims at an improvement of the outcomes of the acute HZ management concerning disease duration, acute pain and quality of life of the affected patients and at a reduction in the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and other complications. The guideline development followed a structured and pre-defined process, considering the quality criteria for guidelines development as suggested by the AGREE II instrument. The steering group was responsible for the planning and the organization of the guideline development process (Division of Evidence-Based Medicine, dEBM). The expert panel was nominated by virtue of clinical expertise and/or scientific experience and included experts from the fields of dermatology, virology/infectiology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, neurology and anaesthesiology. Recommendations for clinical practice were formally consented during the consensus conference, explicitly considering different relevant aspects. The guideline was approved by the commissioning societies after an extensive internal and external review process. In this second part of the guideline, therapeutic interventions have been evaluated. The expert panel formally consented recommendations for the treatment of patients with HZ (antiviral medication, pain management, local therapy), considering various clinical situations. Users of the guideline must carefully check whether the recommendations are appropriate for the context of intended application. In the setting of an international guideline, it is generally important to consider different national approaches and legal circumstances with regard to the regulatory approval, availability and reimbursement of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

Management of lateral skull base cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines.

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. It provides recommendations on the work up and management of lateral skull base cancer based on the existing evidence base for this rare condition. Recommendations • All patients with more than one of: chronic otalgia, bloody otorrhoea, bleeding, mass, facial swelling or palsy should be biopsied. (R) • Magnetic resonance and computed tomography imaging should be performed. (R) • Patients should undergo audiological assessment. (R) • Carotid angiography is recommended in select patients. (G) • The modified Pittsburg T-staging system is recommended. (G) • The minimum operation for cancer involving the temporal bone is a lateral temporal bone resection. (R) • Facial nerve rehabilitation should be initiated at primary surgery. (G) • Anterolateral thigh free flap is the workhorse flap for lateral skull base defect reconstruction. (G) • For patients undergoing surgery for squamous cell carcinoma, at least a superficial parotidectomy and selective neck dissection should be carried out. (R).

Pooled analysis of the evidence for open cavity, combined approach and reconstruction of the mastoid cavity in primary cholesteatoma surgery.

BACKGROUND: Cholesteatoma is keratinising epithelium within the middle-ear cleft or mastoid. This disease destroys the peripheral organs of balance and hearing, with possible intracranial sequelae. The management of cholesteatoma is surgical and the primary aim is to remove the disease and prevent recurrence. Secondary aims are to obtain a non-discharging, hearing ear. Cholesteatoma surgery falls into two broad categories: open cavity surgery and combined approach surgery. A third surgical category is reconstruction of an open mastoid cavity after open surgery. This study performed a pooled analysis of the worldwide literature to compare the rates of cholesteatoma not being cured (i.e. recidivism), ear discharge and hearing change among open cavity, combined approach and reconstruction mastoid surgery for primary cholesteatoma. METHODS: A literature search for all types of cholesteatoma surgery in the PubMed, Google Scholar and Medline databases and in published conference proceedings was undertaken. RESULTS: There was no level 1 evidence for the best method of primary cholesteatoma surgery. The highest evidence level found (level 2; 5366 patients) shows no difference in hearing change or discharge rate between open and combined approach surgery; however, these methods fail to cure the cholesteatomas in 16.0 per cent and 29.4 per cent of cases, respectively. In a total of 640 patients, reconstruction and/or repair mastoid surgery using a variety of non-comparable techniques had a failure rate of between 5.3 per cent and 20 per cent. CONCLUSION: The available evidence suggests that reconstruction of the posterior canal wall and/or obliteration of the mastoid may be the best surgical treatment alternative. This technique appears to provide the lowest recidivism rate combined with a low post-operative ear discharge rate.

Enhancing 18F-FDG-PET/CT analysis in lung cancer patients. Is CT-CT image fusion helpful in predicting pleural involvement? A pilot study.

AIM: To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility and value of CT-CT image fusion to assess the shift of peripheral lung cancers with/-out chest wall infiltration, comparing computed tomography acquisitions in shallow-breathing (SB-CT) and deep-inspiration breath-hold (DIBH-CT) in patients undergoing FDG-PET/CT for lung cancer staging. METHODS: Image fusion of SB-CT and DIBH-CT was performed with a multimodal workstation used for nuclear medicine fusion imaging. The distance of intrathoracic landmarks and the positional shift of tumours were measured using semi-transparent overlay of both CT series. Statistical analyses were adjusted for confounders of tumour infiltration. Cutoff levels were calculated for prediction of no-/infiltration. RESULTS: Lateral pleural recessus and diaphragm showed the largest respiratory excursions. Infiltrating lung cancers showed more limited respiratory shifts than non-infiltrating tumours. A large respiratory tumour-motility accurately predicted non-infiltration. However, the tumour shifts were limited and variable, limiting the accuracy of prediction. CONCLUSION: This pilot fusion study proved feasible and allowed a simple analysis of the respiratory shifts of peripheral lung tumours using CT-CT image fusion in a PET/CT setting. The calculated cutoffs were useful in predicting the exclusion of chest wall infiltration but did not accurately predict tumour infiltration. This method can provide additional qualitative information in patients with lung cancers with contact to the chest wall but unclear CT evidence of infiltration undergoing PET/CT without the need of additional investigations. Considering the small sample size investigated, further studies are necessary to verify the obtained results.

Development of a physiotherapy-led balance clinic: the Aintree model.

OBJECTIVE: To create a 'one-stop' clinic in which assessment, diagnosis, treatment and therapies for most patients presenting with balance and dizziness disorders are delivered simultaneously. METHODS: Patients triaged via referral letters were selected to attend the balance clinic, which is led by specialist balance physiotherapists. Patients were seen by an audiologist, and a 'balance' ENT consultant was available for joint consultations when required. Further details of the clinic set up are discussed. RESULTS: Over an 18-month period, 200 new 'dizzy' patients attended the clinic. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and labyrinthitis were the commonest diagnoses. Fifty per cent of all patients were discharged after a single clinic visit. Questionnaires showed that patient satisfaction was high. CONCLUSION: The physiotherapy-led balance clinic has reduced patient waiting times to be seen, has a high level of patient satisfaction and is economically beneficial.

Conservative management of vestibular schwannomas of 15 to 31 mm intracranial diameter.

OBJECTIVE: To study the natural course of vestibular schwannomas 15 to 31 mm in diameter. METHODS: A retrospective study of 45 patients conservatively managed with interval scanning was performed. Outcome measures were: changes in tumour size, clinical features and hearing. A tumour was considered to be growing if it increased in size by more than 2 mm. RESULTS: Initial tumour sizes ranged from 15 to 31 mm, with a mean (± standard deviation) diameter of 20.1 ± 4.3 mm. The duration of follow up ranged from 6 months to 14 years (median, 3 years). Tumours grew in 11 cases (24.4 per cent), remained stable in 30 cases (66.7 per cent) and regressed in 4 cases (8.9 per cent). The overall mean tumour growth rate was 0.9 ± 2.2 mm per year; in growing tumours, it was 3.6 ± 2.9 mm per year. CONCLUSION: Outcomes were similar to those reported for smaller tumours. These findings suggest that patients with medium or moderately large tumours can be safely offered an initial period of conservative management before intervention is considered.

Tonsil tie simulator.

BACKGROUND: The surgical trainee has to acquire surgical skills in an era of reduced training hours and greater demands for efficient use of operating theatre time. Many surgical specialties are utilising model and simulation-based training to provide safe, low-pressure training opportunities for today's trainee. METHOD AND RESULTS: This paper describes a simple, relatively inexpensive tonsillectomy model that enables the practice of tonsil removal and ligation of bleeding vessels. The model is beneficial for the patient, trainee and trainer. CONCLUSION: The pseudo mouth and active bleeding components of this model provide the trainee with a relatively inexpensive, realistic model with which to gain confidence and competence in the skill of ligating tonsillar blood vessels with a tonsil tie.