Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine
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Review
Measuring and preventing potentially avoidable hospital readmissions: a review of the literature.
To review literature identifying key components for measuring avoidable readmissions, their prevalence, risk factors, and interventions that can reduce potentially avoidable readmissions. ⋯ A standard instrument to identify avoidable readmission is important in enabling valid comparisons within the system and at different timelines, so as to permit robust evaluation of interventions. The assessment of preventable risk factors for readmissions also provides a basis for designing and implementing intervention programmes.
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To describe the use of propranolol as first-line treatment or as single therapy to control the proliferating phase of infantile haemangioma in Chinese children. ⋯ Propranolol was useful as first-line or single-agent treatment of facial infantile haemangioma in Chinese children, and gave rise to minimal side-effects. Although recurrence of infantile haemangioma occurred after propranolol was tailed off rapidly after a relatively short duration, an optimal treatment duration and tapering schedule has not yet been defined. Nevertheless, patients responded well to second courses of propranolol therapy.
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Sudden deaths of children and adolescents during competitive sports are usually due to congenital heart diseases. Ventricular fibrillation, however, may also occur in individuals with no underlying cardiac disease who have sustained a low-impact chest wall blow. This phenomenon is described as commotio cordis, and the overall survival rate is poor. ⋯ Ventricular fibrillation was detected and responded to defibrillation. Subsequent investigations including imaging and electrophysiological studies did not reveal any cardiac or brain abnormality, and the patient recovered well neurologically. Accessible cardiopulmonary resuscitation-trained personnel and automated external defibrillators should be present at all organised sporting events.
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Comparative Study
Localisation of occult breast lesion: a comparative analysis of hookwire and radioguided procedures.
For occult breast lesions, to retrospectively compare the performance of radioguided and hookwire methods in terms of ease of localisation and surgical procedures, and the ability to obtain a specimen with a clear margin. ⋯ Radioguided occult lesion localisation excels in yielding a much shorter localisation time and is as good as hookwire localisation in terms of specimen margin clearance and need for re-excision. It also offers the advantage of enabling simultaneous sentinel lymph node biopsy for invasive cancers. Therefore it is a recommended procedure that should be used more widely.