Surgery and out-patient data collection and reporting using Filemaker Pro.

OBJECTIVE: The application of an electronic database in clinical practice is used widespread in every field of medicine. The aim of the present study is to illustrate our experience to use a database software for documentation of two of our clinical activities, outpatient hysteroscopy and inpatient gynaecological surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 2004, we designed two databases, the first one to document surgical procedures in the operating theatre, the second to document outpatient hysteroscopy procedures using FileMaker v.8.5. The data entry interface contains free text fields for patient demographic data and the description of the surgical procedure, supplemented by drop-down lists for items such as clinical findings, procedures, instrumentation, technique, and complications. Copies were filed in the main hospital notes, sent to General Practitioners, and also given to our patients. RESULTS: Since August 2004, we have used our two databases to document 2766 gynaecological operations and 3777 outpatient hysteroscopies. All users particularly liked the dropdown lists as their use greatly reduced the time taken to enter each patient's data. The databases were regularly used to select patients for audit projects and research data collection for prospective studies. CONCLUSIONS: FileMaker is an user-friendly and easily configured software, extremely valuable in everyday clinical work.

Mature teratoma arising from an undescended testis in a horse: comparison between ultrasonographic and morphological features.

Scant information is available on the ultrasonographic appearance of different testicular tumours in the stallion. Preoperative ultrasound imaging and gross and microscopic features of a testicular teratoma in a horse is described. An asymptomatic 4 years old cryptorchid Arabian horse was admitted for orchiectomy. Combined transabdominal and inguinal ultrasound examination revealed a large complex ovoid mass, containing both solid and cystic elements with internal echoes, located dorsally to the superficial inguinal ring. Two main hypoechoic cavities divided by a linear hyperechoic septum were evident, with a hyperechoic circular structure inside the lumen of the largest one. A tumour of the undescended testis was suspected. Ultrasound findings guided a provisional diagnosis of teratoma that was confirmed by histology following surgical removal of the tumour. Due to the correspondence between ultrasonographic and morphological features, trans-abdominal ultrasonography was conclusive in the preoperative planning.

Diagnostic and prognostic significance of exercise-induced premature ventricular complexes in men and women: a four year follow-up.

Two hundred eighty patients (197 men and 83 women) with normal rest electrocardiograms and no history of prior myocardial infarction were referred for evaluation of chest pain. It was found that exercise-induced premature ventricular complexes had a lower sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in predicting significant coronary artery disease than exercise-induced ST segment depression greater than or equal to 1 mm. The incidence of exercise-induced premature ventricular complexes was not significantly different in patients with no significant coronary artery disease, single vessel disease or multivessel disease. The site of origin of exercise-induced premature ventricular complexes was not helpful in predicting the presence or severity of coronary artery disease. At a mean follow-up period of 47.1 months, exercise-induced premature ventricular complexes did not predict coronary events (cardiac death or nonfatal myocardial infarction) in men or women.

Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with mitral anular calcification. Comparison with age- and sex-matched control subjects.

The clinical and echocardiographic features of 104 patients (53 women and 51 men) with mitral anular calcification (MAC) were compared with those of 121 age- and sex-matched control subjects (62 women and 59 men) without MAC. The incidence of coronary artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, systemic hypertension, and diabetes mellitus was similar in both groups. Patients with MAC had a greater incidence of cardiomegaly (p less than 0.001), cardiac conduction defects (p less than 0.001), and aortic outflow tract murmurs (p less than 0.005) than did control patients. Patients with MAC and without aortic root calcification had a higher incidence (p less than 0.001) of conduction defects than did patients with aortic root calcification without MAC. Control patients with and without aortic root calcification had a similar incidence of conduction defects. A higher incidence of atrioventricular block (p less than 0.025) and bundle branch block or left anterior hemiblock or intraventricular conduction defect (p less than 0.05) was present in anterior MAC than in posterior MAC. In conclusion, patients with MAC have a higher incidence of cardiomegaly, cardiac conduction defects, and aortic outflow tract murmurs than a control group.