British medical bulletin
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Acute stroke is a treatable condition. Over the last 10 years, the benefit of a number of acute strategies has become established and evaluation of other potentially beneficial interventions is underway. This review will discuss the evidence-based management of the acute stroke patient, consider barriers to provision of such care and update the reader on emergent strategies, which may form part of stroke management in the future.
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Leprosy is a granulomatous disease affecting the skin and nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It continues to be a significant public health problem. Multidrug therapy (MDT) cures the infection, but immunological reactions may occur and neuropathy may lead to disability and deformity. It is important that the manifestations of the condition are recognized as early as possible so that early nerve damage can be identified and treated rapidly.
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British medical bulletin · Jan 2006
ReviewPreventing incapacity in people with musculoskeletal disorders.
Musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common causes of sickness absence, long-term incapacity for work and ill-health retirement. The number of Incapacity Benefit (IB) recipients in the United Kingdom has trebled since 1979, despite improvement in objective measures of health. Most of the trend is in non-specific conditions (largely subjective complaints, often with little objective pathology or impairment). ⋯ Rehabilitation should be directed to overcome biopsychosocial obstacles to recovery and return to work. These principles are fundamental to better clinical and occupational management and minimizing incapacity. Sickness absence and incapacity from non-specific musculoskeletal conditions could be reduced by 33-50%, but that depends on getting all stakeholders onside and a fundamental shift in thinking about these conditions-in health care, in the workplace and in society.
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All cases of falciparum malaria are potentially severe and life threatening, especially when managed inappropriately. A major reason for progression from mild through complicated to severe disease is missed or delayed diagnosis. ⋯ The most recent advance in antimalarial chemotherapy has been the use of artemisinin derivatives especially intravenous artesunate, which may well revolutionize the management of severe disease. Outside antimalarial therapy, mechanical ventilation and renal replacement have also played an important role in reducing mortality of this life-threatening condition.
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British medical bulletin · Jan 2005
ReviewLiving donor liver transplantation: present status and recent advances.
The first successful living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was performed in a child in 1989 in Brisbane and in an adult in 1994 by the Shinshu group. Over the past few years, LDLT has increased worldwide and is now an established alternative to deceased donor liver transplantation. ⋯ Some of the technical highlights include selective vascular occlusion techniques for donor hepatectomy, hepatic arterial reconstruction under the microscope and the introduction of intraoperative ultrasound, graft volume estimation and hepatic venous reconstruction, all of which have improved the success rate of LDLT over the past few years. This review focuses on recent trends and surgical techniques for LDLT.