Delayed recovery of adipsic diabetes insipidus (ADI) caused by elective clipping of anterior communicating artery and left middle cerebral artery aneurysms.

Adipsic diabetes insipidus (ADI) is an extremely rare complication following microsurgical clipping of anterior communicating artery aneurysm (ACoA) and left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. It poses a significant challenge to manage due to an absent thirst response and the co-existence of cognitive impairment in our patient. Recovery from adipsic DI has hitherto been reported only once. A 52-year-old man with previous history of clipping of left posterior communicating artery aneurysm 20 years prior underwent microsurgical clipping of ACoA and left MCA aneurysms without any intraoperative complications. Shortly after surgery, he developed clear features of ADI with adipsic severe hypernatraemia and hypotonic polyuria, which was associated with cognitive impairment that was confirmed with biochemical investigations and cognitive assessments. He was treated with DDAVP along with a strict intake of oral fluids at scheduled times to maintain eunatremia. Repeat assessment at six months showed recovery of thirst and a normal water deprivation test. Management of ADI with cognitive impairment is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Recovery from ADI is very rare, and this is only the second report of recovery in this particular clinical setting.

Indirect cavernous carotid fistula in a 12-year-old girl.

We present a very rare case of indirect cavernous carotid fistula (CCF) in a 12-year-old girl. Indirect CCF is extremely rare in the paediatric population. A 12-year-old girl presented with a 7-month history of frontal headaches and intermittent left-sided proptosis. On examination, she had dilated and engorged scleral veins on the left eye, mild dysdiadochokinesia and past pointing on the left side. A brain computer tomography with contrast, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and interventional radiography (IR) cerebral angiogram confirmed the diagnosis of CCF. The CCF was embolized and a follow-up brain MRI and an IR cerebral angiogram were conducted over the course of 8 months that revealed no evidence of residual CCF. CCF, though rare in the paediatric population, should be highly considered in the differential diagnosis when dilated scleral veins, proptosis and dysdiadokinesis are present in the clinical setting. Prompt treatment has good prognostic results.

Effective multidisciplinary working: the key to high-quality care.

This article explores multidisciplinary team working, inter-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary and effective collaborative practice in order to provide high-quality patient care. It discusses different views on collaboration, some of the issues around cross-discipline and multi-agency working and concerns around promoting 'high-quality' care. It also discusses the importance of evidence-based practice in multidisciplinary teams. Issues around good-quality care, clinical governance and the audit cycle in MDTs are addressed. The article highlights the importance of the 6Cs (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment) in MDTs if quality care is to be achieved. The article also explores advantages and limitations of multidisciplinary team working, trans-disciplinary working and inter-professional working in developing and delivering high-quality patient-centred care. Further research is needed on how clinical audits can help to improve how MDTs function in order improve the quality of service provided to clients.