Development of a novel fibre optic beam profile and dose monitor for very high energy electron radiotherapy at ultrahigh dose rates.

Objective. Very high energy electrons (VHEE) in the range of 50-250 MeV are of interest for treating deep-seated tumours with FLASH radiotherapy (RT). This approach offers favourable dose distributions and the ability to deliver ultra-high dose rates (UHDR) efficiently. To make VHEE-based FLASH treatment clinically viable, a novel beam monitoring technology is explored as an alternative to transmission ionisation monitor chambers, which have non-linear responses at UHDR. This study introduces the fibre optic flash monitor (FOFM), which consists of an array of silica optical fibre-based Cherenkov sensors with a photodetector for signal readout.Approach. Experiments were conducted at the CLEAR facility at CERN using 200 MeV and 160 MeV electrons to assess the FOFM's response linearity to UHDR (characterised with radiochromic films) required for FLASH radiotherapy. Beam profile measurements made on the FOFM were compared to those using radiochromic film and scintillating yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) screens.Main results. A range of photodetectors were evaluated, with a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera being the most suitable choice for this monitor. The FOFM demonstrated excellent response linearity from 0.9 Gy/pulse to 57.4 Gy/pulse (R2= 0.999). Furthermore, it did not exhibit any significant dependence on the energy between 160 MeV and 200 MeV nor the instantaneous dose rate. Gaussian fits applied to vertical beam profile measurements indicated that the FOFM could accurately provide pulse-by-pulse beam size measurements, agreeing within the error range of radiochromic film and YAG screen measurements, respectively.Significance. The FOFM proves to be a promising solution for real-time beam profile and dose monitoring for UHDR VHEE beams, with a linear response in the UHDR regime. Additionally it can perform pulse-by-pulse beam size measurements, a feature currently lacking in transmission ionisation monitor chambers, which may become crucial for implementing FLASH radiotherapy and its associated quality assurance requirements.

Increased diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C in prison by universal offer of testing and use of telemedicine.

With recent advances in antiviral therapy, there is an opportunity to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) from the UK population. HCV is common in incarcerated individuals, with previous estimates suggesting ~7% of the UK prison population is anti-HCV antibody positive. Increasing diagnosis and treatment of HCV in prison is a priority in seeking to eliminate transmission in the general population. Thus the study aimed to assess the impact implementation of: (a) A universal offer of blood borne virus testing (UOBBVT) using dry blood spot testing for prisoners at reception to increase diagnosis; (b) Telemedicine clinics (TC) within North East England (NEE) prisons to increase HCV treatment rates. UOBBVT was initially implemented at Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Durham, commencing March 2016. From March 2016 to February 2017, 2831 of 4280 (66%) new receptions were offered blood borne virus (BBV) testing. Of these, 1495 (53% of offered) accepted BBV testing, of whom 95 (6.4%) were HCV antibody positive, with 47 of those 95 (49.5%) HCV RNA positive, suggesting a prevalence of active infection in the tested population of 3.1% (95% CI 2.4%-4.2%). Between August 2015 and October 2017, 80 individuals were seen in the TC and 57 (71%) commenced antiviral therapy. Of those with known outcome (n = 29), 100% achieved sustained virological response. In the year prior to implementation, only four patients received HCV treatment. In conclusion, a universal offer of BBV testing to inmates presenting at HMP reception coupled with linkage into specialist care via TC can substantially increase rates of testing, diagnosis and treatment of HCV in this high-prevalence population.

Cardiac transplantation - the anaesthetist's view: A case report. Author: J Ozinsky.

Article on the first heart transplant, performed at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, on 3 December 1967. Reprinted from the SAMJ of 30 December 1967 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the transplant.

The operation: A human cardiac transplant: An interim report of a successful operation performed at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town. Author: C N Barnard.

Article on the first heart transplant, performed at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, on 3 December 1967. Reprinted from the SAMJ of 30 December 1967 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the transplant.

National UK survey on the assessment and surgical management of suspected paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists amongst ENT surgeons as to the best way to manage a non-syndromal and otherwise healthy child with suspected OSAS. In 2002, The American Association of Paediatricians stated that the gold standard is a full polysomnography (PSG) for all children with suspected OSA and the revised version in 2012 repeated that requirement but recognized that facilities are not always available. In 2009 a UK Multidisciplinary Consensus Statement disagreed and reserved a full PSG for younger and syndromal or complicated children. We undertook a survey of UK ENT surgeons before and after the UK Consensus Statement to identify common practice with regards to diagnosis and management of suspected paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in the UK. METHOD: A questionnaire based on the management of a typical clinical case was sent to 542 ENT consultants in 2005 and repeated in 2011. RESULTS: Less than 2% used PSG in assessing the child presented in our case study in both surveys. About 70% of respondents indicated that they would proceed with management of the child with no form of sleep study at all and this clinical practice has not changed after UK Multidisciplinary Consensus Statement. The majority would treat a child with possible OSAS and no co-morbidities with adenotonsillectomy as an inpatient. DISCUSSION: The availability of paediatric PSG is very limited and because of a lack of normative data, uncertainty about interpretation of abnormal results, the recognition that even moderate snoring without sleep apnoea has detrimental neuro-cognitive effects and the fact that adenotonsillectomy is a very effective treatment for paediatric OSA we felt that a pragmatic and safe approach was to treat selected patients as if they had a positive PSG with appropriate anaesthetic technique and post operative care and monitoring.