Workload Balancing in Emergency Night Shifts for a Multicenter Diagnostic Imaging Department: a RIS-Integrated Solution.

The purpose of this short report is to illustrate the implementation of a RIS function for balancing radiological activities and workloads between two different teams of radiologists from the same Diagnostic Department during emergency nights and holiday shifts. One group is from the main hospital, Arcispedale S.Maria Nuova di Reggio Emilia, and the other group belongs to the five minor hospitals in the district of Reggio Emilia.The implementation of a dedicated balancing function in the RIS system successfully allows the balancing of the radiological activity between two or more teams of different radiologists, while preserving the care continuity of care and the involved workers' experience and confidence in reporting.

Effects of diaphragmatic myofascial release on gastroesophageal reflux disease: a preliminary randomized controlled trial.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether implementing a myofascial release (MFR) protocol designed to restore the myofascial properties of the diaphragm has any effect on the symptoms, quality of life, and consumption of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) drugs by patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We randomized 30 patients with GERD into a MFR group or a sham group. Changes in symptomatology and quality of life were measured with the Reflux Disease Questionnaire and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index. Need of PPIs was measured as the milligrams of drug intake over the 7 days prior to each assessment. All variables were assessed at baseline, one week and 4 weeks after the end of the treatment. At week 4, patients receiving MFR showed significant improvements in symptomatology (mean difference-1.1; 95% CI: -1.7 to -0.5), gastrointestinal quality of life (mean difference 18.1; 95% CI: 4.8 to 31.5), and PPIs use (mean difference-97 mg; 95% CI: -162 to -32), compared to the sham group. These preliminary findings indicate that the application of the MFR protocol we used in this study decreased the symptoms and PPIs usage and increased the quality of life of patients with non-erosive GERD up to four weeks after the end of the treatment.

[The inferior nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve: a report of 7 cases observed since 1987]. / Il nervo laringeo inferiore non ricorrente: descrizione di 7 casi osservati dal 1987.

The non-recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve is a rare anomaly (0.34% on th right side, extremely rare on the left side) that increases the risk of damage to the nerve during thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Seven cases of non-recurrent laryngeal nerve are reported, emphasizing the diagnostic accuracy of angio-MR for the anatomical identification of the vascular anomaly that invariably occurs with the nerve malformation.

[En-bloc treatment of tumors of the hypopharyngeal-laryngeal-tracheal tract with a new isocentric multipendular technic]. / Trattamento in blocco dei tumori del tratto ipofaringo-laringo-tracheale con una nuova tecnica multipendolare isocentrica.

The authors propose a new technique for the treatment of hypopharyngeal-laryngeal-tracheal tract tumors using cobalt-60 irradiation. This technique allows the simultaneous irradiation of both primary tumor and cervical lymph nodes. Therapeutically effective doses can be administered without affecting the spinal cord. The above-mentioned technique consists of 3 isocentric rotations, the widest one carried out by interposing a small lead bar shielding in the middle of the field. Dose distributions obtained in an Alderson-Rando phantom and in a patient are reported.

[To be in rapport with patients: the valence and significance of social skills in nursing]. / Rapportarsi ai pazienti: valenza e significato delle abilità sociali nel nursing.

In four wards of a large specialized orthopedic hospital in Bologna a self-administered questionnaire has been distributed to 34 nurses and 70 patients to investigate on one side, the representation which nurses have of patients' needs and the difficulties met in their work, on the other side the representation which patients have of the care they receive and of the difficulties they have in their relationship with nurses. Nurses give principal importance to those activities which contribute to the development of a good relationship with the patients. There is however a clear gap between the degree of awareness of the principles and their implementation, possibly as a consequence of the work organization. Some model situations are examined and discussed (e.g. the time allowed for dialogue, which is confined to ten minutes).