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A R Khawaja

Publications and source records attributed to A R Khawaja.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Audit of referral practice to a fast-access breast clinic before the guaranteed 2-week wait.

Currently in the fast-access breast clinic at Eastbourne District General Hospital, the specialist determines the level of urgency of a referral. With the new '2-week wait' imposed by the Government since 1 April 1999, the determination of urgency has transferred to the general practitioner. Therefore, we decided to audit the current situation to see whether the guidelines were adequate for this change of emphasis. A total of 100 consecutive patients referred to the fast-access breast clinic were evaluated to assess the quality of referrals and the effectiveness of the clinic. Only 80% of the referrals adhered to the guidelines; 73% of the referrals were deemed by the specialist to be urgent and seen within the 2-week time period. All patients who were subsequently diagnosed as having breast cancer were seen within 2 weeks. The audit indicates that further specific changes could be made to the guidelines to improve the referral practice.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Has the breast cancer 'two week wait' guarantee for assessment made any difference?

AIMS: To determine the referral practice of GPs to a Fast Access Breast Clinic before and after the implementation of the 'two week wait' and to demonstrate the impact of this guarantee on the detection rate of breast cancer and access to the Breast Clinic. METHODS: A complete audit cycle was performed in a District General hospital (Eastbourne District General Hospital). The main outcome measures were detected breast cancer, clinical accuracy of the GPs and the waiting time for a Fast Access breast clinic. RESULTS: Prior to the implementation of the Government's Directive, the detection rate of breast cancer was 22% and all cancers were seen within 1 week of referral letter. The routine waiting time for non-urgent assessment was 4 weeks. The clinical accuracy of GP referrals was 42%. On the basis of the findings in the first part of the audit, guidelines were sent to the GPs to aid in their referrals to FABC, prior to the 1 April deadline. After the implementation the re-audit showed that the cancer detection rate had dropped to 19% and only 85% of patients were seen in 2 weeks. The routine wait for non-urgent assessment had gone up to a minimum of 8 weeks. The clinical accuracy had slightly increased to 49%. CONCLUSION: With the transfer of power on deciding the urgency of referrals from the specialist to the GP, there has been a decline in the cancer detection rate and an increase in the waiting time for patients not deemed urgent by the GPs. The decision on the urgency of referral should be in the hands of the relevant specialist who individually can decide the best way to run their Fast Access Breast Clinics and thus achieve the government's guarantee of a maximum two week wait for patients suspected of having breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of the Bard Memotherm self-expanding metal stent in the palliation of colonic obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) are a recognized means of palliating large bowel obstruction due to colonic neoplasia. The literature mainly relates to the use of modified esophageal stents (expanded diameter, 18-22 mm) in the colorectum. Stent migration has been a common complication and may be related to expanded stent diameter. This series reports our experience with the Memotherm Colorectal SEMS (expanded diameter, 25-30 mm). METHODS: Prospective data were collected from February 1999 to September 2000. Sixteen patients (age range = 61-99 years) were considered for the Memotherm Colorectal SEMS. Stents were inserted radiologically under fluoroscopic control. Outcome was classified as a technical success (stent in correct position and expanded) and a clinical success (colon decompressed, symptoms relieved, and bowels working). RESULTS: Thirteen cases (81%) underwent successful SEMS placement. These were technically and clinically successful. Two cases required insertion of two overlapping stents to traverse long strictures. Three unsuccessful cases were emergency presentations in which a guidewire could not be passed across the lesion. Two of these were due to benign strictures and the third to extrinsic compression by ovarian carcinoma. CONCLUSION: In our experience, the Memotherm Colorectal SEMS was easy to use, was effective in the palliation of obstructing colorectal carcinoma, and appeared to reduce the risk of stent migration.

Aged↗