BMC research notes
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Far-out syndrome was reported by Wiltse et al. in 1984, which is a condition characterized by L5 spinal nerve radiculopathy due to nerve compression between the L5 transverse process and sacral alar. Although many cases of far-out syndrome have been reported, to our knowledge, the present case firstly showed far-out syndrome due to assimilated L4 hemivertebra and L5 vertebra through which abnormal nerve root passed. ⋯ The current case suggests the importance of detailed preoperative examination of patients with anatomical abnormalities such as assimilated vertebrae, which may result in incorrect diagnosis and failed surgery.
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Foreign body ingestion is seen quite frequently in clinical practice, intestinal perforation due to this is rare. The foreign body often mimics another cause of acute abdomen and requires an emergency surgical intervention. The majority of patients do not recall ingesting sharp foreign bodies. ⋯ Intestinal perforation by ingested foreign bodies should be suspected in acute abdomen. It requires a high degree of suspicion and awareness on the part of the clinician.
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Settings affect estimation of multimorbidity prevalence. Multimorbidity prevalence was reported to be substantially higher among family practice-based patients than in the general population, but prevalence estimates were obtained with different methods and at different time periods. The aim of the present study was to compare estimates of the prevalence of multimorbidity in the general population and in primary care clinical practices, both measured simultaneously and with the same methods. ⋯ The study suggests that the problem of multimorbidity in the two settings is different both quantitatively (a higher proportion of patients with multimorbidity in primary care clinical practices), and qualitatively (a higher disease burden of patients attending primary care clinics). For decision-makers interested in resource allocation, prevalence estimates in samples from primary care practices are more informative than estimates in the general population, but burden of disease should also be considered as it results in more complexity in primary care clinical practices.
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The gastrointestinal tract is a relatively common involvement site in lymphoma and, in such cases, intestinal perforation is a concern before and during chemotherapy. The prediction of intestinal perforation prior to chemotherapy is difficult, and there is no standard strategy to minimize the frequency of severely adverse gastrointestinal events in lymphoma cases. ⋯ We were able to avoid the neutropenic period and safely conducted the surgical treatment for the subclinical perforation by using CE-CT. The combination of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT before chemotherapy and CE-CT scanning for the targeted involvement site helped us evaluate the surgical indications and optimal timing of surgery in a lymphoma patient with gastrointestinal involvement.
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Multicenter Study
A survey of primary care patients' readiness to engage in the de-adoption practices recommended by Choosing Wisely Canada.
Strategies such as Choosing Wisely have been established to identify the overuse of interventions considered as low-value. Reduction of low-value practices will require patients to understand why certain interventions are no longer recommended. The objective of this study was to determine whether older adults accept the rationale for and perceive themselves ready to de-adopt annual electrocardiogram testing, imaging for low back pain, the use of antibiotics for sinusitis, the use of sedative-hypnotics for insomnia, and the use of antipsychotics to treat behavioural symptoms of dementia. ⋯ The majority of primary care patients seem ready to de-adopt low-value practices. Provision of education in clinic waiting rooms can help improve knowledge around unnecessary care.