[Practical guidelines to ensure the quality of compounded preparations in community pharmacies]. / Directives pratiques pour garantir la qualité des preparations magistrales à l'officine.

Compounded preparations are an additional therapeutic option besides registered medicines. Because of their <> they have a great value and thus an undeniable place in the therapeutic arsenal available to the physician. To maintain this position, however, they must be of unquestionable quality. Structuring and documenting the compounding operations, incorporating the necessary controls and respect for evident basic rules and precautions can reduce potential errors to a minimum. Pharmacists can rely for this on existing recommendations listed in the different reference books such as the Therapeutic Magistral Form and the Guidelines for Good Officinal Practices, but which aren't always commonly used by pharmacists.

[Improving the quality of compounded medicines through self-assessment: proof of concept]. / Améliorer la qualité des préparations magistrates par l'autocontrôle: proof of concept.

A systematic quality control of compounded medicines, and an associated guidance of community pharmacists, was identified as a complementary opportunity to improve and guarantee the quality of compounded medicines. Before implementing this on a national scale, a pilot project was organized. Fifty pharmacies prepared the same formula and had it checked regarding labelling, preparation reports and analytical parameters. This proof of concept demonstrated that the organisation of quality control of compounded medicines by the professional body itself is feasible. Such audits fit well in de quality assurance systems in place in community pharmacy, where any corrective measures are properly documented and implemented. This form of self-regulation has a preventive character for detecting defects and contributes to improving the quality of the preparations and thus to the patient safety.

Laboratory testing of segmental spinal instrumentation versus traditional Harrington instrumentation for scoliosis treatment.

The authors have tested 51 instrumented calf spines in vitro, using a scoliosis simulator, to evaluate the adequacy of fixation and nature of acute failure seen with various methods of scoliosis instrumentation. Tests were performed in compressive loading, rotation, and forward bending on the following instrumentation systems: (I) Harrington distraction, (II) Harrington distraction plus compression connected by transverse approximators, (III) Harrington distraction plus segmental laminar wires, and (IV) Luque double "L" rods plus segmental laminar wires. The study demonstrated that the addition of segmental fixation to scoliosis instrumentation provides improved stability because of (a) multiple fixation sites and (b) prevention of deformity, especially kyphosis, within the instrumented segment (an important contributor to hook cutout when a single Harrington distraction rod is tested). Failure with the Harrington rod was always by fracture at the metal-bone interface, while failure with the Luque method always occurred outside the instrumented segment.

Quantitative measurement of body motion using Schottky barrier silicon photodiode.

A new motion detection system has been developed using a laser beam and a Schottky barrier silicon photodiode. The system broadens the scope of gravitational center stabilography by facilitating the quantitative assessment of tremors of body appendages such as the hands and even the head. The system also eliminates cumbersome platforms and wire attachments previously used in gravitational center stabilography. The subject is asked to aim the beam at the photodiode. A quantitative off-center variation parameter, ARDS (Average Radial Distance Squared multiplied by time), was utilized in units of cm2 sec. A preliminary evaluation of the system shows that it is suitable for rapidly screening large numbers of subjects for localised neuromuscular control.