Brit J Hosp Med
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Editorial
Seizing the opportunity to improve patient care: pelvic floor services in 2021 and beyond.
Patients requiring pelvic floor and functional urological, gynaecological and coloproctological surgery were viewed as a low priority even before COVID-19. A consensus report outlines recommendations to improve care and encourage clinicians to help bring about positive changes for patients with pelvic floor problems.
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Stroke is the UK's leading cause of disability. Stroke rehabilitation can maximise recovery and improve quality of life. This article discusses some post-stroke impairments, including hemiplegia, dysphagia, communication impairments and neglect, and how rehabilitation can address these. Developing techniques of adaptation or compensation is vital, since the extent of stroke recovery is dependent on successful neuroplasticity, with healthy neurons adapting to compensate for damaged ones.
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The demand for total shoulder arthroplasty has grown over the years and is set to continue in a similar trend because of the ageing population. Following a global reduction in elective orthopaedic treatment and an exponential rise in surgical waiting times, innovative strategies are desperately needed to mitigate against the harmful effects of delaying vital operations on both patients and the wider society. ⋯ Rigorous patient selection and a multidisciplinary team approach are paramount when adopting a day case service to deliver joint replacement surgery. This review outlines the principles of day case total shoulder arthroplasty and highlights key considerations when transitioning to this approach.
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Ageing impairs liver function and reduces the liver's regenerative capacity. With the predicted increase in the older population, the burden of liver disease will proportionally rise in this age group. ⋯ Therefore, clinicians need to consider individual patient risk factors during the assessment of abnormal liver function tests. This article discusses various liver function tests, their pathophysiology, and the approach to interpret and manage common abnormalities in liver function test results and liver disease in the older population.