Percutaneous triamcinolone injection for upper eyelid retraction in thyroid eye disease.

Purpose: To evaluate percutaneous triamcinolone (TA) injection efficacy in treating upper eyelid retraction (UER) for Australian thyroid eye disease (TED) patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis across 8 years and multiple diverse Australian centres identified UER patients who received TA injections. A single operator administered 40mg/1ml TA through upper eyelid skin. Assessments at 4-6 weeks and subsequent eyelid measurements gauged treatment response and complications. Results: 24 patients and 25 eyelids were included in the study. 91.6% were female, mean age 40.8 ± 10.3 years with mean follow-up of 17.5 months (± 18.5). Pre-treatment MRD1 was 6.2mm ± 1.4, and we observed a mean improvement of 2.2mm from pre-treatment to post-treatment (p<0.001). The mean UER measurement before treatment (defined as MRD1 - 4.0mm) was 3.0mm ± 1.3 (range, 0-6mm). After treatment, the mean UER measurement was -0.1mm. Quality of life (QOL) assessment improved significantly, from pre-treatment score of 4.13 ± 2.4 to post-treatment 8.0 ±1.7 (p<0.001). Conclusions: Percutaneous injection of TA is an effective and safe treatment option for UER in patients with TED. This technique can be performed without upper eyelid eversion, which makes it more tolerable for patients and less complex for the operator compared to the transconjunctival injection approach. Our results show a significant improvement in MRD1 and UER, as well as patient QOL. Moreover, we found a low rate of complications (4.2% induced ptosis) and no cases of raised intraocular pressure. Percutaneous TA injection can greatly reduce the need for eyelid lowering surgery in this patient population.

Corneal Complications Secondary to Involutional Entropion at Presentation.

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency and significance of corneal complications at presentation of involutional entropion in an Australian population. Patient demographics and duration of symptoms were collated to assess how these factors related to presentations. METHODS: Case records were retrospectively interrogated at an Oculoplastic Ophthalmology practice over a 15-year period to identify patients with lower eyelid involutional entropion. All patients had ophthalmic examination by an ophthalmologist. Patients meeting inclusion criteria had data collected including detailed assessment of corneal examination findings. RESULTS: The final cohort included 203 patients of which 50.7% were male. The mean age was 75.1 years. Cornea findings at presentation included superficial punctate keratopathy (69%), no change (25.6%), corneal ulcer (4%), and other (1%). One percent of patients had vision loss attributable to complications of entropion. Range of duration of symptoms was 2 weeks to 6 years with a mean of 11.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: At presentation, involutional entropion has mild corneal findings with 95.1% of patients demonstrating superficial punctate keratopathy or normal corneal epithelium. Vision loss is a rare complication and was observed in 1% of patients in this study, all with preexisting corneal pathology.

Increased incidence of glaucoma medication usage in middle-aged Australian males taking antiretroviral medication - a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate a possible association between glaucoma and the use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for HIV in the Australian population. METHODS: A retrospective review of Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data was undertaken from July 2012 to December 2016, inclusive. Three patient groups were compared: those on both topical intraocular pressure (IOP) -lowering medication and ART, those on ART only, and those on IOP-lowering medication only, using the 2016 Australian resident population to estimate prevalence. Odds ratios (95% confidence intervals, [CI]) with Fishers exact test for p values were calculated stratified by age and gender. RESULTS: The number of prescriptions for topical glaucoma medications in the general Australian population increased progressively by age with a peak prevalence in those aged 80 years and above. Prevalence of ART was highest in males aged 40-49 and 50-59 years (0.41% [CI 0.40, 0.42] and 0.44% [CI 0.43, 0.45], respectively). Our analysis identified an increase in the prescription of IOP-lowering medication in males on ART aged 30-39 (OR 2.23 [CI 1.32, 3.75], p = 0.007) and 40-49 (OR 1.86 [CI 1.42, 2.43], p < 0.001), compared to those not on ART. There were no statistically significant increased odds for females or males aged 50 years or more. CONCLUSION: Compared with the known increase in glaucoma prevalence with age in the general Australian population, a statistically significant increased prevalence in use of IOP-lowering medications was found in males on ART aged 30-49 years. The mechanism for this is yet to be determined, but possible causes include sequelae of HIV infection, a drug-induced side effect, or increased medical surveillance.

A rare case of failed healing in previously burned skin after a secondary burns.

BACKGROUND: Patients presenting with large surface area burns are common in our practice; however, patients with a secondary large burn on pre-existing burn scars and grafts are rare and not reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We report on an unusual case of a patient sustaining a secondary large burn to areas previously injured by a burn from a different mechanism. We discuss the potential implications when managing a case like this and suggest potential biological reasons why the skin may behave differently. Our patient was a 33-year-old man who presented with a 5% TBSA burn on skin scarred by a previous 40% total body surface area (TBSA) burn and skin grafts. Initially assessed as superficial partial thickness in depth, the wounds were treated conservatively with dressings; however, they failed to heal and became infected requiring surgical management. CONCLUSIONS: Burns sustained in areas of previous burn scars and grafts may behave differently to normal patterns of healing, requiring more aggressive management and surgical intervention at an early stage.

'Please don't call me Mister': patient preferences of how they are addressed and their knowledge of their treating medical team in an Australian hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate how patients prefer to be addressed by healthcare providers and to assess their knowledge of their attending medical team's identity in an Australian Hospital. SETTING: Single-centre, large tertiary hospital in Australia. PARTICIPANTS: 300 inpatients were included in the survey. Patients were selected in a sequential, systematic and whole-ward manner. Participants were excluded with significant cognitive impairment, non-English speaking, under the age of 18 years or were too acutely unwell to participate. The sample demographic was predominately an older population of Anglo-Saxon background. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients preferred mode of address from healthcare providers including first name, title and second name, abbreviated first name or another name. Whether patients disliked formal address of title and second name. Secondarily, patient knowledge of their attending medical team members name and role and if correct, what position within the medical hierarchy they held. RESULTS: Over 99% of patients prefer informal address with greater than one-third having a preference to being called a name other than their legal first name. 57% of patients were unable to correctly name a single member of their attending medical team. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support patient preference of informal address; however, healthcare providers cannot assume that a documented legal first name is preferred by the patient. Patient knowledge of their attending medical team is poor and suggests current introduction practices are insufficient.

Discharge communication from inpatient care: an audit of written medical discharge summary procedure against the new National Health Service Standard for clinical handover.

OBJECTIVE: To audit written medical discharge summary procedure and practice against Standard Six (clinical handover) of the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards at a major regional Victorian health service. METHODS: Department heads were invited to complete a questionnaire about departmental discharge summary practices. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (82%) department heads completed the questionnaire. Seven (26%) departments had a documented discharge summary procedure. Fourteen (52%) departments monitored discharge summary completion and 13 (48%) departments monitored the timeliness of completion. Seven (26%) departments informed the patient of the content of the discharge summary and six (22%) departments provided the patient with a copy. Seven (26%) departments provided training for staff members on how to complete discharge summaries. Completing discharge summaries was usually delegated to the medical intern. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of the National Service Standards prompted an organisation-wide audit of discharge summary practices against the external criterion. There was substantial variation in the organisation's practices. The Standards and the current audit results highlight an opportunity for the organisation to enhance and standardise discharge summary practices and improve communication with general practice.

A prospective study of the impact of polygraphy on high-risk behaviors in adult sex offenders.

This study examined whether polygraph testing would result in sex offenders engaging in fewer high-risk behaviors. Fifty adult male sex offenders taking part in community treatment programs were allocated into 2 groups: "Polygraph Aware" subjects were told they would receive a polygraph examination in 3 months regarding their high-risk behaviors, while "Polygraph Unaware" subjects were told their behavior would be reviewed in 3 months. Relevant behaviors for each subject were established at baseline interviews, following which both groups were polygraphed at 3 months. All subjects were polygraphed again at 6 months. The hypothesis was that subjects in the "Polygraph Aware" group would have engaged in fewer high-risk behaviors, based on their self-report during the examination. Thirty-two subjects (64%) attended the first polygraph examination, with 31 (97%) disclosing an average of 2.45 high-risk behaviors each previously unknown to supervising probation officers. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Because of the high failure rate, all subjects were told to expect a second polygraph. Twenty-one subjects (42%) completed the second polygraph test, with 71% disclosing an average of 1.57 behaviors, a significant decrease compared with the first test. Disclosures to treatment providers and probation officers also increased. It was concluded that polygraph testing resulted in offenders engaging in less high-risk behavior, although the possibility that offenders fabricated reports of high-risk behaviours to satisfy examiners is also considered; similarly, offenders seemed to be more honest with their supervisors, but this only occurred after experience of the test itself. Feedback from offenders who completed the study, taken together with the high drop out rate, suggested that those motivated not to reoffend found polygraphy useful, while those less motivated sought to avoid it.