Learning of medical English and academic curricular reform in medicine.

BACKGROUND: English is indispensable in the field of science and especially in medicine: it is the predominant language of publications and medical bibliographic databases. In addition, the training of competent physicians and the foundation of a socially responsible faculty of medicine and in order to comply with the international standards stipulated by the accreditation and certification of faculties of medicine, the Faculty of Medicine of Sousse- Tunisia initiated a curriculum revision leading to the setting up of a working group to reform the "Medical English" system. AIM: To identify the deficiencies of the academic learning of medical English following a rigorous analysis of the specificities of the teaching, to make the diagnosis of the current situation and to propose the required recommendations. METHODS: The analysis of the so far medical English teaching process at the Faculty of Medicine of Sousse was approached by coupling the two methods related to the cause and effect: the SWOT (Strength-Weaknesses / Opportunities-Threats) methodology and the diagram of Ichikawa. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed a lack of effectiveness for various reasons related to the lack of identification of learning needs by levels in a clear and precise manner, a quantitative and qualitative insufficiencyof hourly volume with an inadequate distribution compared to the other disciplines and content not updated. Thus,a shortfall ininnovative human and material resources. CONCLUSION: The learning of medical English must be upgraded in order to improve skills and promote the quality of health care.

Promoting safety culture through health-care professional-patient relationship's improvement.

BACKGROUND: promoting patient safety culture is a strategic priority and converges towards improving quality of health care. The healthcare professionals-patient relationship is an essential concept of patient safety culture. However, the increase of patient safety awareness is still delayed in Tunisia. OBJECTIVE: to assess and analyze the healthcare professional-patient relationship level among all healthcare professionals' categories in university hospital centre (UHC)FarhatHached, Sousse¬ Tunisia in order to further direct our strategies. METHODS: We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals at our UHC. The French version of the "Hospital Survey On Patient Safety Culture" was adopted, and self-administered to 319 care providers, including 116 physicians and 203 paramedical personals. RESULTS: Response rate was 90.5% (289/319). The overall mean score for positive perception of the explored domain was 58.4%. However, physicians reported significant higher percentage of positive responses than paramedical staff (69.7% versus 53.4%; p=0.01). Positive perception was notified by 83.5% of all healthcare professional regarding to item relative to "adverse events may affect the relationship of trust between physician-patient", it was significantly higher among  physicians compared to paramedics (97.7% versus 77.4% ; p<10-4). CONCLUSION:   Dimension concerning healthcare professional-patient relationship was poorly developed among health care professionals in our hospital. Thus, it is crucial to improve this situation and to create a well-balanced healthcare professional-patient relationship based on partnership and taking into account individual factors.

Factors Predictive of Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Due to progress in medical care, the number of survivors from cancer has increased significantly during recent years and this raises the question of the quality of life (QoL), especially of the many women treated for a breast cancer. This paper focuses on correlations of QoL with anxiety and depression on the one hand and with socio demographic, anatomo-clinical and therapeutic parameters on the other. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, seventy patients were enrolled and filled in two auto-questionnaires, both in validated Arabic versions: The SF-36 for assessment of QoL and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-S) for evaluation of anxiety and depression. The statistical approaches used to determine predictive factors were bivariate correlations to determine relationships between quantitative variables, and T-tests and one-way Anova to analyze links between qualitative and quantitative variables. Results: The QoL of patients was altered with an SF-36 mean total score of 54.0 ± 22.7, and the alteration affects the different aspects. The mean scores for anxiety and depression in patients were 6.91 ± 4.72 and 6.24 ± 3.88, respectively. The results of this study suggested an association between the QoL and chemotherapy (p= 0.014) and its adverse effects (p=0.01), as well as anxiety (p= 0.0001) and depressive symptoms (p= 0.0001). Socio-demographic factors, the stage of the cancer, and surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy did not appear to have significant effects. Conclusion: The management of breast cancer patients needs a collaborative approach between oncologists, gynecologists, psychologist and psychiatrists.

Gastric Adenocarcinomas in Central Tunisia: Evolution Specificities through Two Decades and Relation with Helicobacter pylori.

INTRODUCTION: In developed countries, authors have reported variations over time in the seat and histological type of gastric adenocarcinomas, which were explained by Helicobacter pylori infection (HPI) incidence changes. In North-African countries and the Arabic world, epidemiological changes in gastric adenocarcinomas are still unknown. Our study aims to explore and to describe those changes in central Tunisia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective observational and descriptive study including 876 cases based on the National Central Tunisian Register of Cancers over a period of 21 years. Two groups were formed and compared (group A: 337 patients from 1995 to 2005; group B: 539 patients from 2006 to 2015). RESULTS: HPI decreased from 32.6% in group A to 11.2% in group B (p < 0.05). Signet ring cell carcinomas increased in 2 decades from 14% in group A to 36% in group B (p < 0.05). Proximal cancers were 16.61% in group A and increased to 19.66% in group B (p = 0.3). Total gastrectomy rate was 10.4% in group A versus 23.2% in group B (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study has shown a significant increase of signet ring cell carcinomas with a simultaneous decrease in HPI in the last decade in central Tunisia.

Retroperitoneal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma in a young woman: Diagnosis and treatment challenges.

INTRODUCTION: Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is an uncommon tumor that usually arises in lymph nodes, especially in the cervical, mediastinal, or axillary areas, but rarely in extranodal sites. Few cases have been reported in English literature so far. The scarcity may be partially due to under-recognition of this entity. Through this case report we analyzed the difficulties of clinical and pathological diagnosis of this rare tumor with its unusual location mistaken it with gynecological cancer's iliac lymph nodes metastases. We also discussed its systemic treatment options. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old woman presented with a loss of weight and epigastralgia. Computed tomography (CT) showed a mass of 5cm of diameter, located close to iliac vessels. Investigation for gynecologic cancers was negative and a partial tumor resection was performed. Pathological examination readdressed the diagnosis of FDCS. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of a proliferation of spindle to ovoid cells arranged in fascicles, whorls and storiform pattern, accompanied by sprinkling of small lymphocytes. The nuclei of the tumor cells were elongated spindled or ovoid shape with vesicular chromatin and distinct small nuclei. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for CD21, CD23 but negative for any type of cytokeratin. Even pathological diagnosis was misleading, therapeutic management was more challenging with this unusual location particularly associated with an aggressive clinical course. Two lines of chemotherapy gave different responses. CONCLUSION: Clinical and pathological diagnosis of retroperitoneal FDCS needs vigilance. Both lymphoma and sarcoma chemotherapy regimens are effective. Due to this pathology's rareness we highlighted a lack of treatment consensus and proposed options.

Partial spontaneous anal expulsion of the right colon lipoma: An exceptional diagnostic circumstance.

INTRODUCTION: Lipomas are most common benign tumors of the colon. They are asymptomatic and fortuitously discovered on a morphological examination. Rarely, they cause complications such as acute intussusception. In this article, we reported an exceptional discovery mode of right colon lipoma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 54-year-old woman has consulted for acute abdominal pain relieved by the anus emission of a fat ball that she brought back with her. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed the remaining part of a lipoma developed in her right colon. Laparoscopic right colonic resection was performed. DISCUSSION: Colic lipomas are usually asymptomatic and surgical indication in these cases is debated, but it is indicated whenever complications occur such as acute intestinal intussusception. In this case, discovery mode was not considered as a complication because lipoma evacuation could have been complete. Radiological explorations and colonoscopy could evaluate the lesional state. When surgery is decided, intersecting therapeutic strategy of a short colonic resection guided by a colonization during colonoscopy should be considered. CONCLUSION: The spontaneous expulsion of a colonic lipoma is very rare. Our observation showed that this expulsion may be partial. +The changes that the lipoma undergoes can evoke a malignant cause. a supplement to take care of this eventuality is necessary.

Healthcare-associated infections in a Tunisian university hospital: from analysis to action.

INTRODUCTION: Our study was conducted, in university hospital center (UHC) Farhat Hached of Sousse (city in Tunisian center-east), within healthcare-associated infections (HAI) epidemiological surveillance (ES) program, based, among others, on HAI regular prevalence surveys. Our objectives are to resituate HAI prevalence rate and to identify their risk factors (RF) in order to adjust, in our hospital, prevention programs. METHODS: It is a transversal descriptive study, including all patients who had been hospitalized for at least 48 hours, measuring prevalence of HAI a "given day", with only one passage by service. Risk factors were determined using Epiinfo 6.0, by uni-varied analysis, then, logistic regression stepwise descending for the variables whose p. RESULTS: The study focused on 312 patients. Infected patients prevalence was 12.5% and that of HAI was 14.5%. Infections on peripheral venous catheter (PVC) dominated (42.2%) among all HAI identified. HAI significant RF were neutropenia (p < 10(-4)) for intrinsic factors, and PVC for extrinsic factors (p = 0,003). CONCLUSION: Predominance of infections on PVC should be subject of specific prevention actions, including retro-information strategy, prospective ES, professional practices evaluation and finally training and increasing awareness of health personnel with hygiene measures. Finally, development of a patient safety culture with personnel ensures best adherence to hygiene measures and HAI prevention.