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Controversial Area (controversial + area)

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Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

The impact of endoscopic ultrasonography with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) on esophageal cancer staging: a survey of thoracic surgeons and gastroenterologists

DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 6 2008
J. T. Maple
SUMMARY., Accurate staging of esophageal cancer is critical to achieving optimal treatment outcomes. End-oscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has emerged as a valuable tool for locoregional staging. However, it is unclear how different physician specialties perceive the benefit of EUS-FNA for esophageal cancer staging, and thus utilize this modality in clinical practice. A survey regarding utilization of EUS-FNA in esophageal cancer was distributed to 211 thoracic surgeons and 251 EUS-capable gastroenterologists. Seventy-six thoracic surgeons (36%) and 78 gastroenterologists (31%) responded to the survey. Most surgeons (75%) use EUS to stage potentially resectable esophageal cancer 75% of the time. Surgeons using EUS less often are less likely to have access to high-quality EUS services than their peers. Fewer surgeons believe EUS is the most accurate test for T and N-staging (84% and 71%, respectively) as compared with gastroenterologists (97% and 96%, P < 0.01 for both). Most endosonographers (68%) decide whether to dilate a malignant esophageal stricture to complete the staging exam on a case-by-case basis. Surgeons disagree as to whether involvement of celiac lymph nodes should preclude esophagectomy in distal esophageal cancer. While most thoracic surgeons have embraced EUS-FNA as the most accurate locoregional staging modality in esophageal cancer, this attitude is not fully reflected in utilization patterns due to a lack of quality EUS services in some centers. Controversial areas that warrant further study include dilation of malignant strictures to facilitate EUS staging, and the implication of involved celiac lymph nodes on management. [source]

Deaths associated with restraint use in health and social care in the UK.

JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2003
The results of a preliminary survey
Many aspects of the management of acutely disturbed behaviour have only relatively recently come under systematic scrutiny. Perhaps regrettably one of the last amongst the range of strategies that may be employed to be subjected to rigorous examination has been physical restraint. Considerable debate has recently taken place around what represents good practice in this sensitive and controversial area but the continuing dearth of research in some aspects of this area of practice has meant that this discussion has arguably been over reliant on ,expert' opinion. Questions continue regarding some fundamental issues of restraint, including the relative risks involved in alternative approaches, and anxieties have been expressed about the potential for injuries and death to result from restraint. This article outlines the results of a survey that sought to explore the incidence of deaths associated with restraint in health and social care settings in the UK. The outcome of an initial analysis of the cases identified is then discussed, with reference to the literature on restraint-related deaths, in order to identify the implications for practice. [source]

Combination treatment of insulin with oral hypoglycaemic agents in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

PRACTICAL DIABETES INTERNATIONAL (INCORPORATING CARDIABETES), Issue 8 2004
AN Dixon MRCP (UK) Clinical Research FellowArticle first published online: 7 DEC 200
Abstract The recently published guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the management of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes and the NICE guidelines on the use of the long-acting insulin analogue, glargine, have brought to the fore the use of combination therapy of insulin with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs). The NICE guidelines recommend that when a patient with type 2 diabetes is failing to achieve satisfactory glycaemic control with OHAs alone, insulin should be initiated in combination with OHAs. However, evidence for this approach is less than robust and combination treatment of OHAs with insulin remains a controversial area. This article presents the evidence for different insulin regimens in patients who have secondary failure to OHAs, including combination therapy with basal insulin. The evidence and potential drawbacks of such regimens are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Pre-operative fasting guidelines: an update

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 8 2005
E. Søreide
Liberal pre-operative fasting routines have been implemented in most countries. In general, clear fluids are allowed up to 2 h before anaesthesia, and light meals up to 6 h. The same recommendations apply for children and pregnant women not in labour. In children <6 months, most recommendations now allow breast- or formula milk feeding up to 4 h before anaesthesia. Recently, the concept of pre-operative oral nutrition using a special carbohydrate-rich beverage has also gained support and been shown not to increase gastric fluid volume or acidity. Based on the available literature, our Task Force has produced new consensus-based Scandinavian guidelines for pre-operative fasting. What is still not clear is to what extent the new liberal fasting routines should apply to patients with functional dyspepsia or systematic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Other still controversial areas include the need for and effect of fasting in emergency patients, women in labour and in association with procedures done under ,deep sedation'. We think more research on the effect of various fasting regimes in subpopulations of patients is needed before we can move one step further towards completely evidence-based pre-operative fasting guidelines. [source]