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BACKGROUND: Clinical practitioners think of frequent causes of diseases first rather than expending resources searching for rare conditions. However, it is important to continue investigating when all common illnesses have been discarded. Undergraduate medical students must acquire skills to listen and ask relevant questions when seeking a potential diagnosis. METHODOLOGY: Our objective was to determine whether team-based learning (TBL) focused on clinical reasoning in the context of rare diseases combined with video vignettes (intervention) improved the clinical and generic skills of students compared with TBL alone (comparator). We followed a single-center quasi-experimental posttest-only design involving fifth-year medical students. RESULTS: The intervention group (n = 178) had a significantly higher mean overall score on the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) (12.04 ± 2.54 vs. 11.27 ± 3.16; P = 0.021) and a higher mean percentage score in clinical skills (47.63% vs. 44.63%; P = 0.025) and generic skills (42.99% vs. 40.33%; P = 0.027) than the comparator group (n = 118). Success on the OSCE examination was significantly associated with the intervention (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The TBL with video vignettes curriculum was associated with better performance of medical students on the OSCE. The concept presented here may be beneficial to other teaching institutions.
Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Curriculum , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Educational Measurement , Students, Medical , Humans , Education, Medical, Undergraduate/methods , Female , Male , Video Recording , Problem-Based Learning , Group ProcessesABSTRACT
Stenting of the dural venous sinuses has emerged as a therapeutic option for intracranial hypertension and pulsatile tinnitus. However, venous endovascular navigation faces challenges due to lower-quality roadmaps compared to arterial navigation. This study explores the application of three-dimensional (3D) rotational venography in assessing the cerebral venous vasculature and its potential for venous navigation. The methods involve venous 3D digital subtracted angiography (DSA) in patients with dural venous stenosis, with image acquisition using a biplane angiographic system. The results highlight the enhanced spatial resolution of 3D venous imaging, providing anatomical information crucial for precise characterization of stenosis and understanding cortical venous drainage. 3D venous roadmapping is shown to improve endovascular venous navigation, offering synchronized and rotatable 3D roadmaps, providing a comprehensive approach to optimize endovascular venous interventions.
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BACKGROUND: We report the first case series of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection targeting the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for all consecutive cases of SIH patients with CSF leak confirmed on CT myelography, treated by CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection at our institution from 2016 to 2022. On pretreatment brain and spine MRIs, we analyzed signs of SIH according to the Bern score, and dichotomized cases into positive/negative for spinal longitudinal extradural CSF collection (SLEC-P or SLEC-N). The leaks detected on CT myelography were classified into three types according to Schievink et al. We collected the Headache Impact Test 6 (HIT-6) scores throughout a 6-month follow-up, with a brain CT scan at each visit. RESULTS: 11 patients were included (mean age 48.4 years, six men). Five SLEC-P type 1, three SLEC-P type 2, and three SLEC-N type 3 leaks were identified. All patients had significant signs of SIH on pretreatment brain MRI (mean Bern score 7.8±1.1). Six patients underwent a foraminal puncture, and five patients had a cervical epidural approach. Two patients experienced mild and transient locoregional pain after cervical epidural injection. Mean HIT-6 score at baseline was 66.8±3.2 and at the 6-month follow-up was 38±3.6 (P<0.001). All patients achieved improvement in their symptoms, with 82% of them (9/11) having complete resolution of headaches and SIH findings on CT scans at 6 months. No clinical worsening or recurrence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection may be a potential therapeutic option for the different types of CSF leak causing SIH.
Subject(s)
Intracranial Hypotension , Male , Humans , Middle Aged , Intracranial Hypotension/diagnostic imaging , Intracranial Hypotension/therapy , Cyanoacrylates , Retrospective Studies , Spinal Puncture/adverse effects , Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak/diagnostic imaging , Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak/therapy , Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak/complications , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Myelography/adverse effects , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ruptured basilar artery perforator aneurysms (BAPAs), defined as microaneurysms which develop in basilar perforator arteries without direct involvement of the basilar trunk, represent a rare cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The diagnosis of BAPAs is difficult because of their small size, with high rates of negative angiography. The development of high-resolution MRI could increase the diagnostic performance. In this study we describe the usefulness of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) for the diagnosis of ruptured BAPAs. METHODS: In a case series, we retrospectively collected data of patients admitted to our institution from 2018 to 2021 for SAH with negative CT angiography who underwent MRI (including SWI) and DSA during hospitalization. RESULTS: Eight patients with a definitive diagnosis of ruptured BAPA and five patients with a definitive diagnosis of angiogram-negative SAH were included. In all of the patients with BAPAs MRI showed a focal, thick, semi-circumferential SWI hypointensity covering the vessel wall at the level of the BAPA subsequently revealed on DSA; this phenomen is known as 'SWI capping'. No SWI capping was observed in the five patients with a definitive diagnosis of angiogram-negative SAH. CONCLUSION: SWI capping appears to be a reliable indirect sign for the diagnosis and localization of ruptured BAPAs, a rare form of microaneurysm easily misdiagnosed on DSA in initial angiogram-negative SAH.
Subject(s)
Aneurysm, Ruptured , Intracranial Aneurysm , Stroke , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage , Humans , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/etiology , Retrospective Studies , Basilar Artery , Aneurysm, Ruptured/diagnostic imaging , Aneurysm, Ruptured/surgery , Aneurysm, Ruptured/complications , Intracranial Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Intracranial Aneurysm/complications , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Stroke/complications , Cerebral Angiography/methodsABSTRACT
Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) are a misunderstood and disabling pathology, characterized by a paroxysmal occurrence of clinical signs without the epileptic activity. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) studies in patients with PNES have shown abnormal functional connectivity of the resting-state networks, especially in the limbic and motor systems, and in the precuneus. However, the transient nature of PNES episodes prevents us from elucidating the underlying mechanisms of seizures. Here, we report the case of a patient who presented an atonic episode of PNES during a 3T fMRI session. The patient is a 23-year-old woman, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, with no neurological comorbidities. The preprocessing of the fMRI images involved realignment, co-registration, segmentation, normalization, denoising (PhysIO toolbox), and smoothing. The time boundary of the seizure was defined according to the patient's reports, and the seizure period was contrasted with the resting state period before the seizure. A whole-brain analysis showed significant activations (left inferior temporal gyrus, left temporo-occipital junction) and deactivations (right precuneus, right superior parietal lobule, right postcentral gyrus, bilateral lingual gyri, inferior occipital gyri, and cerebellar lobules; right insula in a sub-thresholded analysis). Activations and deactivations occurred in four cerebral networks: emotional processing, agency, self-perception, and dissociation. To our knowledge, this report is the first published case of functional MRI during PNES. These results could confirm the emotional and dissociative hypothesis of the physiopathology of PNES and highlight future targets for neuromodulation.
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BACKGROUND: Training of examiners is essential to ensure the quality of objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). We aimed to study a perceived effectiveness of tutor-student partnership in a practice OSCE module by novice OSCE tutors and medical students. METHOD: We implemented a practice OSCE at a medical faculty in France with novice tutors and third year medical students as partners. Each tutor (n = 44) served as a partner for the group of 5 students in the conception of the scenario and as an evaluator of the tutored station. Students (n = 303) were involved in the conception of a case and the roles of a physician, evaluator and a simulated patient. Data were obtained through self-assessment questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze items of the questionnaires. Free-form answers were coded and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: A total of 36 tutors (82%) and 185 students (61%) responded to the questionnaires. The intervention was well perceived. Thirty-two percent of the tutors reported some difficulties in the assessment of student performance and were disposed to receive further training. Fifty-five percent of the students considered the participation in the OSCE case development appropriate to their level of knowledge, and 70% perceived it as beneficial allowing them to set their learning goals. CONCLUSION: This initiative provides a relevant method beneficial to OSCE tutors, medical students, and the faculty. Tutors learn how to assess student performance according to expected achievement levels. It allows students to be engaged as partners in co-creation of learning and teaching. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01421-9.
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BACKGROUND: Pollicization of the index finger can be considered the gold standard technique for the treatment of congenital thumb aplasia. The aim of this study was to review the described incisions for pollicization and to create an anatomical framework enabling the study and comparison of these incisions. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to collect descriptions of incision sets. An anatomical model was created from the two upper limbs of the same cadaver. Thumb aplasia was modeled on both hands of this cadaver by severing the thumbs; an index finger pollicization was performed on one of the two hands. Comparative analysis of scar positions, first web size, and neothumb aspect of each incision set was conducted using a surgical glove modeling the skin. The glove was fitted onto the aplastic model to draw the incisions and then onto the pollicized hand to adjust the resulting flaps after cutting. RESULTS: Twelve articles, two textbooks, and one DVD were included in the review, either containing an original description of incisions, or describing an incision pattern with figures and references to the initial author. A total of five different incision sets, described by Buck-Gramcko, Blauth, Foucher, Ezaki, and Malek, were identified and compared using the anatomical model. CONCLUSIONS: This work summarizes five original incisions described for index pollicization in thumb aplasia and presents a standardized and reliable model to study and compare these different sets. The model can be used for educational purposes, either to teach or to optimize an incision set.
Subject(s)
Fingers/transplantation , Hand Deformities, Congenital/surgery , Hand Deformities/surgery , Models, Anatomic , Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods , Thumb/abnormalities , Equipment Design , Fingers/abnormalities , Humans , Plastic Surgery Procedures/education , Surgical Flaps/transplantation , Thumb/surgeryABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess awareness and knowledge of Interventional Radiology (IR) in a large population of medical students in 2019. METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed electronically to 9546 medical students from first to sixth year at three European medical schools. The survey contained 14 questions, including two general questions on diagnostic radiology (DR) and artificial intelligence (AI), and 11 on IR. Responses were analyzed for all students and compared between preclinical (PCs) (first to third year) and clinical phase (Cs) (fourth to sixth year) of medical school. Of 9546 students, 1459 students (15.3%) answered the survey. RESULTS: On DR questions, 34.8% answered that AI is a threat for radiologists (PCs: 246/725 (33.9%); Cs: 248/734 (36%)) and 91.1% thought that radiology has a future (PCs: 668/725 (92.1%); Cs: 657/734 (89.5%)). On IR questions, 80.8% (1179/1459) students had already heard of IR; 75.7% (1104/1459) stated that their knowledge of IR wasn't as good as the other specialties and 80% would like more lectures on IR. Finally, 24.2% (353/1459) indicated an interest in a career in IR with a majority of women in preclinical phase, but this trend reverses in clinical phase. CONCLUSIONS: Development of new technology supporting advances in artificial intelligence will likely continue to change the landscape of radiology; however, medical students remain confident in the need for specialty-trained human physicians in the future of radiology as a clinical practice. A large majority of medical students would like more information about IR in their medical curriculum; almost a quarter of students would be interested in a career in IR.
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BACKGROUND: The gastro-omental artery (GOA) and the greater omentum are nowadays commonly used in many reconstructive surgeries, including cardiac, vascular, and plastic surgery. There are cases in which the GOA is found to be unsuitable only after partial harvesting following an upper laparotomy, and an improved method of pre-operative evaluation is required to eliminate the need for intraoperative small laparotomy. METHODS: Multidetector computed tomography was performed for 30 consecutive patients admitted for lower limb ischemia in a routine pre-operative evaluation of lower limb peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The origin of the GOA was checked on coronal and sagittal slices, its pathway was identified on the three-dimensional rendering. We assessed length and mean diameter of the distal and proximal right GOA, and the mean distances between the origins of GOA and the omental branches. Finally, we report one case of omental flow-through flap. RESULTS: 30 patients were included in our study. Routine pre-operative MDCT during lower limb PAD workup enabled identification of GOA in all cases. The mean internal diameter of the GOA at its origin was 3.3 mm (± 3.3). The mean internal diameter of the distal GOA was 1.26 mm (± 0.3). At least one omental descending branch was detected in every case and in 63% (19 patients) at least two branches were visualized. CONCLUSION: Routine pre-operative angio-MDCT imaging is an effective tool to assess precisely the different anatomical properties of the GOA. This exam could be useful for both diagnosis of lower limb PAD and evaluation of the GOA suitability for flow-through flap lower limb revascularisation.
Subject(s)
Free Tissue Flaps , Plastic Surgery Procedures , Hepatic Artery , Humans , Multidetector Computed Tomography , Omentum/diagnostic imaging , Omentum/surgeryABSTRACT
AIMS: Patient-centered education improves glycemic control in subjects with type 1 diabetes (T1D). E-health technologies are widely used to support medical decision-making, patient advising or teleconsultations; however, the active participation of a patient is missing. Challenges remain whether e-health education can be effectively incorporated into clinical pathways. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of e-health education, compared to standard care, on HbA1c. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a literature search (EMBASE, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science) up to February 2018 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Internet-/ mobile application-based educational interventions, with the active involvement of patients, provided in addition to, or substituting usual care in patients with T1D on intensive insulin therapy. The primary outcome was the standardized difference in means (SDM) of HbA1c change from baseline between intervention and comparator groups. RESULTS: Eight RCTs involving 757 subjects were included on 6335 screened citations. After excluding two trials with a high risk of bias from the meta-analysis, the HbA1c change from baseline did not significantly differ between intervention and comparator groups (SDM = -0.154, 95% CI: -0.335 to 0.025; P = 0.01, random-effect model). The number of studies is limited with a relatively short duration. Reporting of educational outcomes was not rigorous. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of e-health educational interventions on HbA1c in patients with T1D is comparable to the standard care. This review highlights the need for further well-designed RCTs that will investigate the opportunities of incorporating e-health education into clinical pathways.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/drug therapy , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Insulin/therapeutic use , Patient Education as Topic , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/statistics & numerical data , Telemedicine/methods , Blood Glucose/analysis , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/pathology , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Prognosis , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: In France, the National Ranking Examination (ECNi) evaluates medical students based on their clinical reasoning. Simulation-based education on ECNi preparation has not been assessed. Our objective is to establish the added value of high-fidelity (HF) simulation-based learning in ECNi preparation compared with the current standard. METHODS: We performed a controlled, prospective study. Fifth-year medical students from Nancy and Nice participated in a 3-phase process. In phase 1, students were tested on 6 themes (A-F) that were each presented as an ECNi clinical case and were randomized into 2 groups (#1 and #2). A 20-point grading scale was used. In phase 2, group #1 carried out HF simulation on themes A, B, and C, whereas group #2 did so on themes D, E, and F. Students were tested, in phase 3, with a new set of clinical cases on the same 6 themes. Progression in scores between phases 1 and 3 was analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six medical students randomized into 2 groups partook in the study. In phase 1, there was no significant difference in scores between groups. In phase 3, group #1 had significantly higher scores than group #2 for cases A, B, and C. Scores were significantly higher in group #2 for cases D, E, and F. Average scoring significantly improved between phases 1 and 3 with a 1.4-point gain for cases A, B, and C in group #1 and a 2.10-point gain for cases D, E, and F in group #2. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that HF simulation learning significantly increases ECNi-like test results when compared with traditional forms.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical, Undergraduate/organization & administration , Educational Measurement/methods , Simulation Training/organization & administration , Clinical Competence , Education, Medical, Undergraduate/standards , Female , France , Humans , Male , Prospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
Pancreatic cancer is associated with a poor prognosis, mainly due to lymph node invasion and lymph node recurrence after surgical resection, even after extended lymphadenectomy. The peripancreatic lymphatic system is highly complex and the specific lymphatic drainage of each part of the pancreas has not been established. The aim of this study was to determine the lymphatic drainage pathways specific to each part of the pancreas on live pigs using Patent Blue. The pancreases of 14 live pigs were injected in different parts of the gland. The technique was efficient and reproducible. The diffusion patterns were similar for each location and were reported. Our results in pigs allowed us to define specific nodal relay stations and lymphatic drainage for each part of the pancreas and confirm that independent anatomical-surgical pancreatic segments can be described. It is interesting to note that lymphatic drainage for the upper part of the proximal part of pancreas (duodenal lobe) occurred on the left side of the portal vein. This suggests that lymph node resection during cephalic duodenopancreatectomy in humans should be extended to the left side of the mesenteric vein, and probably to the right side of the superior mesenteric artery, as recently suggested. These results could help surgeons perform safe anatomical-segmental pancreatic resections with accurate lymphadenectomies and improve survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. Based on these results we will perform an innovative prospective study. Patent Blue will be injected into different parts of the gland in patients operated for pancreatic resection, and lymphatic diffusion of the dye will be recorded in relation to their origin from the theoretical pancreatic segments (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03597230).
Subject(s)
Lymphatic Vessels/anatomy & histology , Pancreas/anatomy & histology , Swine/anatomy & histology , Animals , Coloring Agents , Models, Animal , Rosaniline DyesABSTRACT
Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a state of quadriplegia and anarthria with preserved consciousness, which is generally triggered by a disruption of specific white matter fiber tracts, following a lesion in the ventral part of the pons. However, the impact of focal lesions on the whole brain white matter microstructure and structural connectivity pathways remains unknown. We used diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) and tract-based statistics to characterise the whole white matter tracts in seven consecutive LIS patients, with ventral pontine injuries but no significant supratentorial lesions detected with morphological MRI. The imaging was performed in the acute phase of the disease (26 ± 13 days after the accident). DT-MRI-derived metrics were used to quantitatively assess global white matter alterations. All diffusion coefficient Z-scores were decreased for almost all fiber tracts in all LIS patients, with diffuse white matter alterations in both infratentorial and supratentorial areas. A mixture model of two multidimensional Gaussian distributions was fitted to cluster the white matter fiber tracts studied in two groups: the least (group 1) and most injured white matter fiber tracts (group 2). The greatest injuries were revealed along pathways crossing the lesion responsible for the LIS: left and right medial lemniscus (98.4% and 97.9% probability of belonging to group 2, respectively), left and right superior cerebellar peduncles (69.3% and 45.7% probability) and left and right corticospinal tract (20.6% and 46.5% probability). This approach demonstrated globally compromised white matter tracts in the acute phase of LIS, potentially underlying cognitive deficits.
Subject(s)
Brain Stem/diagnostic imaging , Diffusion Tensor Imaging , Locked-In Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Aged , Auditory Pathways/diagnostic imaging , Auditory Pathways/physiopathology , Brain Injuries/diagnosis , Brain Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Brain Injuries/physiopathology , Brain Stem/physiopathology , Central Nervous System/diagnostic imaging , Central Nervous System/physiopathology , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/diagnostic imaging , Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Locked-In Syndrome/diagnosis , Locked-In Syndrome/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Normal Distribution , Pyramidal Tracts/diagnostic imaging , Pyramidal Tracts/physiopathology , White Matter/injuries , White Matter/physiopathologyABSTRACT
NHL-ChirEx is an interprofessional cross-border education project that addresses the potential excess of radiation induced morbidity throughout the radiation planning and treatment process. NHL-ChirEx is supported by ESTRO and the University of the Greater Region and has been recently approved and funded under INTERREG VA Programme.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical/methods , Interprofessional Relations , Patient Safety , Radiation Injuries/prevention & control , Radiology/education , Europe , Humans , Medical Oncology/education , Morbidity , Simulation TrainingABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The gastro-omental artery (GOA) with the greater omentum (GO) is known for its high quality as a vascular graft, its resistance to infections as an omental flap and for its multiple applications in surgery. A better knowledge of anatomical variations of GO and its vascularization can improve the application in surgery and decrease complications. The purpose of this study was to measure diameters and lengths of the right GOA (RGOA) and study the interindividual variability of these anatomical structures. METHODS: In 100 cadaveric dissections, we carried out dissection of the RGOA and of the GO. In 70 unfixed cadavers, the transillumination technique was used to identify all RGOA branches. In the remaining 30 cadavers, prepared with Winckler's solution, barium sulfate with colored latex was injected. Digital X-ray was used to measure RGOA lengths, internal diameters and the distribution of the omental branches. The gastro-omental vein was also dissected. RESULTS: The mean proximal and distal diameters of RGOA were 2.68 (± 0.39) mm and 0.94 (± 0.24) mm, respectively. The mean length was 244.3 (± 34.4) mm. The thickness of the omentum ranged from 5 to 15.5 mm. The arteria omentalis magna, defined in this study for the fist time as the longest and widest omental branch, was present in 73.3% cases. The trans-omental arch was present in 6% cases. CONCLUSIONS: This morphometric study allowed us to define the vascularization and the anatomical variations of RGOA and GO. This may lead to improvement of applications in surgery and decrease complications.
Subject(s)
Gastroepiploic Artery/anatomy & histology , Omentum/blood supply , Aged, 80 and over , Anatomic Variation , Cadaver , Dissection , Humans , Male , Omentum/transplantation , Surgical Flaps/blood supplyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To develop a reliable and validated tool to evaluate technical resuscitation skills in a pediatric simulation setting. STUDY DESIGN: Four Resuscitation and Emergency Simulation Checklist for Assessment in Pediatrics (RESCAPE) evaluation tools were created, following international guidelines: intraosseous needle insertion, bag mask ventilation, endotracheal intubation, and cardiac massage. We applied a modified Delphi methodology evaluation to binary rating items. Reliability was assessed comparing the ratings of 2 observers (1 in real time and 1 after a video-recorded review). The tools were assessed for content, construct, and criterion validity, and for sensitivity to change. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability, evaluated with Cohen kappa coefficients, was perfect or near-perfect (>0.8) for 92.5% of items and each Cronbach alpha coefficient was ≥0.91. Principal component analyses showed that all 4 tools were unidimensional. Significant increases in median scores with increasing levels of medical expertise were demonstrated for RESCAPE-intraosseous needle insertion (P = .0002), RESCAPE-bag mask ventilation (P = .0002), RESCAPE-endotracheal intubation (P = .0001), and RESCAPE-cardiac massage (P = .0037). Significantly increased median scores over time were also demonstrated during a simulation-based educational program. CONCLUSIONS: RESCAPE tools are reliable and validated tools for the evaluation of technical resuscitation skills in pediatric settings during simulation-based educational programs. They might also be used for medical practice performance evaluations.
Subject(s)
Checklist , Pediatrics/education , Resuscitation/education , Simulation Training , Adult , Clinical Competence , Delphi Technique , Educational Measurement , Female , France , Humans , Internship and Residency , Intubation, Intratracheal , Male , Manikins , Pediatricians , Principal Component Analysis , Reproducibility of Results , Students, Medical , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Assess the use of a volumetric simulation tool for the evaluation of radiology resident MR and CT interpretation skills. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-three participants were evaluated with a software allowing the visualisation of multiple volumetric image series. There were 7 medical students, 28 residents and 8 senior radiologists among the participants. Residents were divided into two sub-groups (novice and advanced). The test was composed of 15 exercises on general radiology and lasted 45 min. Participants answered a questionnaire on their experience with the test using a 5-point Likert scale. This study was approved by the dean of the medical school and did not require ethics committee approval. RESULTS: The reliability of the test was good with a Cronbach alpha value of 0.9. Test scores were significantly different in all sub-groups studies (p < 0.0225). The relation between test scores and the year of residency was logarithmic (R2 = 0.974). Participants agreed that the test reflected their radiological practice (3.9 ± 0.9 on a 5-point scale) and was better than the conventional evaluation methods (4.6 ± 0.5 on a 5-point scale). CONCLUSION: This software provides a high quality evaluation tool for the assessment of the interpretation skills in radiology residents. KEY POINTS: ⢠This tool allows volumetric image analysis of MR and CT studies. ⢠A high reliability test could be created with this tool. ⢠Test scores were strongly associated with the examinee expertise level. ⢠Examinees positively evaluated the authenticity and usability of this tool.
Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Radiology/education , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Educational Measurement , Female , Humans , Internship and Residency , Male , Radiologists , Reproducibility of Results , Software , Students, MedicalABSTRACT
Telemedicine contributes to initiating early intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment for patients with acute cerebral infarction in areas without a stroke unit. However, the experience and skills of the emergency teams in the spokes to prepare patients and administer rt-PA treatment are ill-defined. Improving these skills could vastly improve management of acute stroke by telemedicine. We developed a medical simulation training model for emergency teams to perform intravenous rt-PA treatment in a telestroke system.From February 2013 to May 2015, 225 learners from 6 emergency teams included in the telestroke system "Virtuall"-in Lorrain (northeastern France)-received a standardized medical simulation training module to perform rt-PA treatment. All learners were assessed with the same pretraining and posttraining test consisting of 52 items. The percentage of right answers was determined for every learner before and after training.Median percentages of right answers were significantly higher in the posttraining test overall (82â±â10 vs. 59â±â13% pretraining; Pâ<â0.001), but also in all professional subgroups: physicians (88â±â8 vs. 67â±â12%; Pâ<â0.001), paramedical staff (80â±â9 vs. 54â±â12%; Pâ<â0.001), nurses (80â±â8 vs. 54â±â12%; Pâ<â0.001), and auxiliary nurses (76â±â17 vs. 37â±â15%; P = 0.002).We describe for the first time a training model for emergency teams in a telestroke system. We demonstrate significant gain in knowledge for all groups of healthcare professionals. This simulation model could be applied in any medical simulation center and form the basis of a standardized training program of spokes in a telestroke system.
Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia/drug therapy , Disease Management , Education, Medical, Continuing/methods , Emergency Medicine/education , Simulation Training/methods , Telemedicine/methods , Thrombolytic Therapy/methods , Acute Disease , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use , France , Humans , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Syringomyelia due to intracranial hypotension is rarely described. As a consequence, intracranial hypotension is less recognized as a potential cause of syringomyelia or mistaken with Chiari type 1 malformation. The pathogeny is poorly understood, and we lack diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this particular setting. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe a 45-year-old patient who developed syringomyelia after about 10 years of undiagnosed intracranial hypotension caused by traumatic C6 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Surgical closing of the leak was required to treat intracranial hypotension after failure of conservative measures and blind epidural patches. It led to a marked improvement of cerebral and spinal signs. We discuss the pathogeny of syringomyelia caused by intracranial hypotension and highlight a mechanical theory of hyperpressure against the cervical spine due to blockage of CSF flow by descent of cerebellar tonsils at the foramen magnum level. We describe discriminating clinical and radiologic signs to differentiate intracranial hypotension from Chiari type 1 malformation and discuss mechanisms and causality relating trauma and intracranial hypotension. CONCLUSIONS: Syringomyelia can be a consequence of long-term progression of intracranial hypotension, which must be differentiated from Chiari type 1 malformation. In our case, resolution was achieved by detecting and closing the CSF leak causing the intracranial hypotension. Reports of similar cases are necessary to understand the origin of CSF leak in traumatic intracranial hypotension and assess the best therapeutic strategy.