The research abstract: worth getting it right.

BACKGROUND: Scientific merit and clarity are critical in evaluation of quality in research. We hypothesised that avoidable errors of presentation adversely impact on abstract selection for scientific meetings. AIM: To prospectively evaluate compliance with abstract guidelines among abstracts submitted to a national surgical scientific meeting. METHODS: Compliance of all submitted abstracts with 13 instructions to authors was compared using ANOVA and Chi-squared tests. Results are expressed as mean (standard deviation, range). RESULTS: Of 45 abstracts submitted, only 8 (17%) complied with all guidelines. Rejected abstracts were less concise than accepted abstracts (280.5 +/- 73.8 words vs. 244.2 +/- 42.5; p=0.006) and were more likely to be rejected (chi2 = 8.67, 1 df, p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the number of errors in accepted (1.6 [1.43, 0-4]) versus rejected (2.4 [1.87, 0-7], ANOVA; p=0.217) abstracts. All late submissions (30%) were rejected. Nine abstracts (20%) contained statistical errors or omissions. CONCLUSIONS: Succinct presentation may reflect clarity of focus or increased writing experience. Reviewers favour concise abstracts. Concise presentation and timely submission are easily achieved and increase the likelihood of research acceptance for scientific meetings.

Designing a medical Web site.

BACKGROUND: A web site is a valuable shop window for any medical unit with something to sell or something to say. AIMS: The aim of this report is to outline the basic steps of web page design for the individual or unit with limited financial resources. METHODS: There are two ways of designing a web site. A reputable web design company can be employed, but this is usually expensive. Alternatively, a web site can be designed in-house using commercial software, following a few simple steps. The basic requirements are a personal computer, software that is available on most computers and access to a few peripheral items of hardware. An outline of the page design should first be put down on paper. This can be transferred to a computer file using a web page design program. This file is then sent to a server for publication on the World Wide Web (WWW). CONCLUSION: Designing and publishing a web page can take time and effort, but the rewards can be great and the results will reflect the message and motto of the unit.

The sinister significance of dysphagia.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients presenting with oesophageal cancer have symptoms for more than three months and advanced disease at presentation. Most appear unaware of the significance of dysphagia as a symptom. Cancer awareness programmes focus on symptoms such as lumps and bleeding. AIM: To sample the level of public awareness of the potentially sinister significance of the symptom of dysphagia. METHODS: A community survey was conducted using a questionnaire to evaluate the subjects' impression of the significance of dysphagia, and compare it with their perception of the significance of breast lump. Patients were stratified to male and female, under and over 45 years. RESULTS: There were 164 subjects interviewed. Seventy-five per cent stated that they would visit their doctor within one week of developing dysphagia compared with 87 per cent questioned about a breast lump (96 per cent females, 80 per cent males). Only 17 per cent felt that cancer was a probable explanation for dysphagia compared with 80 per cent who would consider cancer a likely cause of breast lump. CONCLUSION: There is evident need of an awareness programme of the potential significance of dysphagia if prognosis for oesophageal cancer is to be improved.

Tibial spine fractures: an analysis of outcome in surgically treated type III injuries.

We analysed the outcome of open reduction and internal fixation of type III tibial spine fractures, assessing treatment and determining a treatment protocol. A total of 10 patients presented over 3 years to our institution with a mean age of 15 years (range 10-21), a male-to-female ratio of 8:2. left to right 6:4 and anterior to posterior spine fracture 9:1. Only one patient had associated meniscal injury noted at arthroscopy (no treatment required). The mode of injury was road traffic accidents four, sports injuries three and falls three. The mean follow-up was 9 months. There were seven excellent results and three good results. Those patients with good results exhibited either minimal quadriceps weakness, extensor lag (< 10 degrees) or antero-posterior laxity. This reflects the experience of other authors in dealing with these injuries in younger patients. There is widespread agreement that types I and II should be treated by plaster cast alone and that is also the policy at our institution. We recommend a routine treatment protocol in type III injuries of (1) examination under anaesthesia, (2) arthroscopy (evaluating the fracture, cruciate integrity and other associated injuries), (3) open reduction and screw fixation and (4) vigorous physiotherapy/rehabilitation of all type III fractures, as we feel this provides the best possible outcome in these injuries.