Brit J Hosp Med
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For patients with a life-limiting diagnosis, guidance by the General Medical Council recommends exploring patients' beliefs and values about tissue donation with the patient and family towards the end of life. This article gives guidance to healthcare professionals on the process of giving patients the opportunity to donate their corneas, including eligibility, communication and practicalities.
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Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed female cancer in the UK, with one in eight women receiving a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Forty per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer undergo mastectomy as their primary therapeutic procedure. ⋯ This review discusses the evolution of implant-based reconstruction, focusing on the recent trend towards prepectoral breast reconstruction. Key quality indicators in the current literature are considered, including oncological outcomes, aesthetics and patient-related outcome measures, as are the health-care economics of this emerging surgical technique.
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This article summarises the clinical decision tools available to help decide when acute lower limb joint injuries should be referred for plain film radiography. The Ottawa foot and ankle rules are a tool for deciding whether to refer a patient for X-ray or not. ⋯ Although the Pittsburgh rules are more specific, they have been less extensively investigated and, unlike the Ottawa rules, are not National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended. A major barrier to use of these rules in clinical practice is the concern of litigation, although National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommendation should reassure clinicians and thus reduce the amount of unnecessary radiation exposure.
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Peripheral artery disease of the lower limbs is a chronically progressive disorder characterised by the presence of occlusive lesions in the medium and large arteries that result in symptoms secondary to insufficient blood flow to the lower extremities. It is both a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and a marker of increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Because of its highly heterogenous clinical picture, a detailed history and physical assessment, a high degree of suspicion for peripheral artery disease and the use of the ankle-brachial pressure index is essential to identify patients with peripheral artery disease. This will allow early administration of basic pharmacotherapy and lifestyle changes to reduce cardiovascular events, minimise claudication symptoms and enable optimal revascularisation to prevent loss of limb function.
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The rapid sequence induction has been a cornerstone of anaesthetic teaching since it was first described in 1970. Although the technique is taught as a standard protocol there is considerable variation in its practice. So, can we reach consensus over what to include in 'the safe, textbook version' of a rapid sequence induction in modern anaesthesia?