Access Procedures (access + procedure)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


A 5-year audit of haemodialysis access

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 7 2005
J. A. Akoh
Summary This is a review of our experience with vascular access procedures over a 5-year period at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK. The aims of the study were to examine the outcome of vascular access procedures and factors influencing access survival. Between April 1995 and March 2000, 151 patients who underwent 221 vascular access procedures were studied. Of these, 136 had autogenous arteriovenous fistulae, whereas 85 had prosthetic AV grafts (41% in the thigh). The overall primary failure rate was 21% whereas the 1- and 5-year cumulative access survival rates were 60 and 41%, respectively. Thigh grafts have a mean survival of 36 months compared with 32 months for prosthetic upper limb and 43 months for autogenous fistulae. Age, diabetes and predialysis status did not significantly influence access survival. Thrombosis was responsible for access failure in 62 cases (28%). Avoiding subclavian vein canulation and performing vessel mapping prior to access placement should reduce the risk of access failure due to outflow obstruction. [source]


Performance evaluation of LIBTA/hybrid time-slot selection algorithm for cellular systems,

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, Issue 6 2001
Jyh-Horng Wen
Abstract This paper studies the performance of radio assignment algorithms for portable access in cellular systems. Several channel access procedures are proposed and simulated using block oriented network simulator (BONeS) simulation of a model 36-port system. Simulation results exhibit that load-sharing system with LIBTA algorithm is better than directed retry system with the same algorithm by around 0.9 erlangs while better than quasi-fixed channel assignment (QFCA) system by around 2 erlangs if the grade of service (GOS) is constrained to less than 10 per cent. Plus, a hybrid time-slot selection procedure is proposed to enhance the system performance. It is observed that systems with hybrid time-slot selection perform better than those with LIBTA algorithm in GOS under heavy load. It is also observed that load sharing system with hybrid time-slot selection algorithm is better than directed retry system with the same algorithm by around 0.7 erlangs and better than QFCA system by around 2 erlangs. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Open retropubic colposuspension for urinary incontinence in women: A short version cochrane review,,

NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 6 2009
Marie Carmela M. Lapitan
Abstract Background Urinary incontinence is a common and potentially debilitating problem. Open retropubic colposuspension is a surgical treatment which involves lifting the tissues near the bladder neck and proximal urethra in the area behind the anterior pubic bones to correct deficient urethral closure. Objectives To assess the effects of open retropubic colposuspension for the treatment of urinary incontinence. Search Strategy We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Group Specialized Register (searched June 30, 2008) and reference lists of relevant articles. We contacted investigators to locate extra studies. Selection Criteria Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials in women with symptoms or urodynamic diagnoses of stress or mixed urinary incontinence that included open retropubic colposuspension surgery in at least one trial group. Data Collection and Analysis Studies were evaluated for methodological quality/susceptibility to bias and appropriateness for inclusion and data extracted by two of the reviewers. Trial data were analyzed by intervention. Where appropriate, a summary statistic was calculated. Main Results This review included 46 trials involving a total of 4,738 women. Overall cure rates were 68.9,88.0% for open retropubic colposuspension. Two small studies suggest lower failure rates after open retropubic colposuspension compared with conservative treatment. Similarly, one trial suggests lower failure rates after open retropubic colposuspension compared to anticholinergic treatment. Evidence from six trials showed a lower failure rate for subjective cure after open retropubic colposuspension than after anterior colporrhaphy. Such benefit was maintained over time (RR of failure 0.51; 95% CI 0.34,0.76 before the first year, RR 0.43; 95% CI 0.32,0.57 at 1,5 years, RR 0.49; 95% CI 0.32,0.75 in periods beyond 5 years). In comparison with needle suspensions there was a lower failure rate after colposuspension in the first year after surgery (RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.42,1.03), after the first year (RR 0.48; 95% CI 0.33,0.71), and beyond 5 years (RR 0.32; 95% CI 15,0.71). Evidence from 12 trials in comparison with suburethral slings found no significant difference in failure rates in all time periods assessed. Patient-reported failure rates in short, medium and long-term follow-up showed no significant difference between open and laparoscopic retropubic colposuspension, but with wide confidence intervals. In two trials failure was less common after Burch (RR 0.38 95% CI 0.18,0.76) than after the Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz procedure at 1,5-year follow-up. There were few data at any other follow-up time. In general, the evidence available does not show a higher morbidity or complication rate with open retropubic colposuspension, compared to the other open surgical techniques, although pelvic organ prolapse is more common than after anterior colporrhaphy and sling procedures. Authors' Conclusions The evidence available indicates that open retropubic colposuspension is an effective treatment modality for stress urinary incontinence especially in the long term. Within the first year of treatment, the overall continence rate is approximately 85,90%. After 5 years, approximately 70% of patients can expect to be dry. Newer minimal access procedures such as tension free vaginal tape look promising in comparison with open colposuspension but their long-term performance is not known and closer monitoring of their adverse event profile must be carried out. Laparoscopic colposuspension should allow speedier recovery but its relative safety and effectiveness is not known yet. Neurourol. Urodyn. 28:472,480, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Biliary access loops for intrahepatic stones: results of jejunoduodenal anastomosis

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 5 2003
Hariharan Ramesh
Background: Patients with intrahepatic calculi require multiple interventions following successful surgical stone clearance for recurrent stones and cholangitis. The present paper describes the results of a technique of in-continuity side-to-side jejunoduodenal anastomosis (JDA) that provides endoscopic access to the hepaticojejunostomy and intrahepatic ducts. This operation is compared to other techniques in a critical appraisal of various biliary access procedures described for long-term management of intrahepatic ­calculi. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 13 patients who underwent biliary drainage procedures with access loops for intrahepatic calculi during the period March 1990 to December 2000 was performed. The postoperative course of patients and the feasibility of postoperative endoscopic access to the hepaticojejunostomy and intrahepatic ductal system in treatment of recurrent cholangitis were assessed. Nine patients underwent JDA, two underwent permanent-access hepaticojejunostomy (PAH) and two others underwent an interposition hepaticojejunoduodenostomy (IHJ). Results: The analysis revealed no major procedure-related complications or mortality. Endoscopic access (using forward-viewing gastroscope) was possible in 100% of cases following JDA, and with difficulty in both cases after PAH. Endoscopic access in the two patients with IHJ failed because of technical reasons. Recurrent cholangitis was seen in seven patients (54%) , two out of two patients in the PAH group, one out of two in the IHJ group and four out of nine in the JDA group. This required 12 endotherapy sessions (mean: 1.5 procedures per patient). Conclusion: In-continuity side-to-side JDA allows easy access of conventional gastroduodenoscopes to the biliary tree for removal of recurrent/residual intrahepatic stones. The technique has advantages over other access loop procedures in the long term management of recurrent intrahepatic stones. [source]


Influence of muscle training on resting blood flow and forearm vessel diameter in patients with chronic renal failure,

BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 6 2010
S. Kumar
Background: Blood flow and vessel diameter are predictors of the success of vascular access procedures. This study investigated whether a simple exercise programme could influence these variables. Methods: Twenty-three patients with chronic kidney disease were prescribed a simple exercise programme for one arm only; the investigators were blinded to the patients' choice. All underwent arterial and venous duplex imaging, handgrip strength and blood pressure measurements before and 1 month after the exercise programme. Results: Twelve patients exercised their dominant and 11 their non-dominant arm. In the trained arm, the exercise programme resulted in a significant increase in handgrip strength, by a median (interquartile range) of 4 (0,8) kg (P < 0·001), and in the diameter of the brachial artery (0·2 (0·1,0·3) mm; P < 0·001), radial artery (0·3 (0·2,0·4) mm; P < 0·001), and cephalic vein (0·6 (0·4,1·2) mm in the forearm and 1·1 (0·4,1·2) mm above the elbow; P < 0·001). There was an increase in brachial artery mean velocity (3 (1,7) cm/s; P = 0·009) and peak systolic velocity (8 (1,15) cm/s; P = 0·020), despite a marginally lower systolic blood pressure (,8 (,16 to 0) mmHg; P = 0·007). There was no change in any of these parameters in the non-exercised arm. Conclusion: In patients with chronic kidney disease, forearm exercise increased blood flow and vessel diameters. This may be beneficial before vascular access formation. Copyright © 2010 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]