FEATURE ARTICLES

Robotics in surgery, system integration, safety in electrosurgery, infection control issues relating to medical equipment, endoscopic technologies, and the prevention of incidents involving medical devices were subjects examined at this year’s Completing the Picture event – the seventh in a series of annual educational symposiums for clinical and biomedical engineers. The series is sponsored by education grants from Welch Allyn. NICHOLAS MARSHALL reports.

Significant reductions in bacteraemias have been reported at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust. LOUISE FRAMPTON talks to the “Saving Lives” implementation team to find out how these improvements were achieved.

The celebration of the NHS at 60 provides the opportunity to reflect on one of the most astounding human endeavors of modern times. The many changes within the service, over the past six decades, have been described as an exciting and challenging journey. But questions arise: what if the UK had chosen another path and have we chosen well? LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

To coincide with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the NHS, Lord Darzi has unveiled proposals and a new constitution aimed at driving quality, choice and accountability throughout the NHS. Radical changes include financial rewards linked to patient satisfaction. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

Faced with a resurgence of tuberculosis, research efforts are being intensified to stop the spread of this disease. LOUISE FRAMPTON examines the latest progress.

Dr DAVID HOLMES and Dr RAJ PERSAD explain how biomedical materials are having a significant impact on surgery for Peyronie’s disease, pelvic organ prolapse and fistulas.

Fresh approaches to tackle disease caused by Clostridium difficile, the use of probiotics in the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders, and systemic complications of gut infections were among subjects included in a British Society of Gastroenterology postgraduate course held in Birmingham recently. NICHOLAS MARSHALL reports.

Prostate Cancer deaths could rise following the latest NICE guidance, urologists have warned. The Clinical Services Journal reports.

Theatre floors and drapes soaked with blood are still a common sight, but is this an inevitable consequence of surgery or an unacceptable infection risk for patients and staff? LOUISE FRAMPTON talks to John Hardy, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Spire Healthcare, about a possible solution to assist a wider strategy for the prevention of infection.

The use of electrical stimulation to “kick start” the body’s natural healing processes is becoming more widely accepted in wound care practice. LOUISE FRAMPTON examines the latest development in the management of chronic ulcers.

Blood transfusion management in the NHS still requires more tightening, and further consideration must be given to blood conservation methods such as perioperative cell salvage. NICHOLAS MARSHALL reports.

Failure to respond to repeated requests for more nursing staff, “sloppy hygiene” practices among healthcare professionals too time-pressured to wash their hands between patients, and “dirty, overcrowded” wards, were among the major contributors to the 90 deaths from C. difficile at three large West Kent hospitals, a recent BBC 1 “Panorama” programme suggested. JONATHAN BAILLIE reports.

The 11th annual PET meeting at the Royal Society of Medicine examined the role of PET/CT in oncology – covering issues such as the management of paediatric patients, applications within mesothelioma treatment, as well as the impact of new trials on lymphoma. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

Clinicians, infection control experts and microbiologists presented the latest evidence on prevention of surgical site infections at a recent conference in Birmingham. Issues tackled included: surveillance, pre-operative preparation, maintaining normothermia, and solutions such as anti-microbial sutures. The conference was hosted by Ethicon – a division of Johnson & Johnson. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

KATE WOODHEAD RGN DMS, technical editor of The Clinical Services Journal, reviews significant items of healthcare sector news.

Pascal Mallefet MD – Novartis Healthcare, UK Anthony C. Dweck FLS FRSC FRSH – Technical Editor

Wounds and skin damage are subjects of great importance to both the dermal pharmaceutical and skin care products industries – the two sectors, of course, focus on different levels of damage.

A wound occurs when the integrity of any tissue is compromised (e.g. skin breaks, muscle tears, burns are suffered, or a bone fractures). A wound may be caused as a result of a fall, a surgical procedure, an infectious disease, or an underlying condition.

A conference held by the European Oncology Nursing Society, in Geneva, Switzerland, has highlighted failures in the control of pain and identified scope for improvement in the management of side effects for cancer patients. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

Paediatric cardiac services came under fire at the time of the “Bristol inquiry”, but have the wider issues faced by the NHS now been solved? The Children’s Heart Federation recently warned that serious problems continue to threaten the long-term sustainability of the specialty. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

Laryngeal mask airways have grown in popularity since their introduction 20 years ago. Now, a new ventilation technique has been reviewed by Dr Martin Wolfe, a consultant anaesthetist in Guernsey, who talks to LOUISE FRAMPTON about his observations.

COLIN PYNE, from CNP Medical, provides advice on the purchase and maintenance of video cameras used in minimal access surgery, as well as the legal considerations when taking pictures of procedures.