Biomedical subjects

A R Weale

Publications and source records attributed to A R Weale.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

From meeting presentation to peer-review publication--a UK review.

INTRODUCTION: Annual academic surgical meetings provide a forum for the discussion of research. For the wide-spread dissemination of this information, peer-reviewed publication is required. The aim of this study was to compare the amount of presentations which go on to publication from 4 UK-based surgical meetings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined whether a presentation had led to a successful publication using PubMed, a median of 28 months following each meeting. We compared the ASGBI publication rate with the meetings of the Vascular Surgical Society (VSSGBI), the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) and the British Transplantation Society (BTS). We also compared the median impact factor of journals used. RESULTS: The ASGBI and BTS had a similar rate of presentations resulting in publication, with 35% and 36% at 2 years, respectively. The VSS had a significantly greater proportion of presentations resulting in publication (54% at 2 years; P = 0.004), whilst the ACPGBI had significant fewer (24% at 2 years; P = 0.006). There was no difference in the median impact factors of the journals used between the meetings (Kruskal Wallis P = 0.883). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant variation between meetings in terms of turning presentations into publications. However, the majority of abstracts have still not been fully published within 2 years of presentation at the meeting.

Bibliometrics↗

PubMed2005

Intestinal adaptation after massive intestinal resection.

Patients with short bowel syndrome require long term parenteral nutrition support. However, after massive intestinal resection the intestine undergoes adaptation and nutritional autonomy may be obtained. Given that the complications of parenteral nutrition may be life threatening or result in treatment failure and the need for intestinal transplantation, a more attractive option is to wean patients off nutrition support by optimising the adaptive process. The article examines the evidence that after extensive small bowel resection adaptation occurs in humans and focuses on the factors that influence adaptation and the strategies that have been used to optimise this process. The review is based on an English language Medline search with secondary references obtained from key articles. There is evidence that adaptation occurs in humans. Adaptation is a complex process that results in response to nutrient and non-nutrient stimuli. Successful and reproducible strategies to improve adaptation remain elusive despite an abundance of experimental data. Nevertheless given the low patient survival and quality of life associated with other treatments for irreversible intestinal failure it is imperative that clinical research continues into the optimisation of the adaptation.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2005

Informed consent in renal transplantation.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess how well completed the new consent forms are for patients undergoing renal transplantation. METHODOLOGY: 100 patients were randomly selected from the 160 who had a renal transplantation, at a single centre in the UK, over an 18 month period. The notes were located and the consent forms scrutinised. FINDINGS: Seven sets of notes could not be traced and 10 did not contain a relevant consent form. Forty eight per cent of completed forms mentioned the source of organ while 8% mentioned on which side the operation was to be performed. Twelve risks and complications were identified as being relevant to this procedure but no single form mentioned all 12. In most cases a senior member of the surgical team obtained consent. IMPLICATIONS: The demonstrated variability in the amount of detail on consent forms lends weight to the call for the use of procedure specific forms. While such variability does not necessarily equate with not gaining valid, informed consent, this form, at present, serves as the only record of what has been discussed with the patient. These findings should encourage all surgeons to complete the forms themselves, be as detailed as possible, and ensure that the form is filed in the patients' notes.

Consent Forms↗

PubMed2004

The impact of training on outcomes in primary vascular access surgery.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that the outcome of arteriovenous fistula surgery is dependent on the surgeon performing the operation. Vascular access surgery provides excellent technical training for surgical trainees. The effect of surgical trainees on the outcome of fistulas was evaluated. METHODS: The grade of the main operator for all first attempted (primary) upper limb arteriovenous fistulas, between February 1998 and August 2001, was identified. Median follow-up was 18.0 months (IQR, 6.5-30.1 months). Successful use of fistula for dialysis, fistula patency and survival were assessed. RESULTS: 441 primary fistulas were formed in the study period. Median age was 67.5 years (IQR, 54.0-75.2 years). 71% of all fistulas were formed at the wrist. Trainees performed 31.1% of all operations. The two groups (trainees and consultants) were well matched for age, sex, diabetes, and fistula type. Only 70.5% of patients proceeded to long-term haemodialysis. There were no significant differences in the successful use of AVF for dialysis or patency rates between the two groups. One and two year fistula survival in this group was 87.7% and 78.3% for trainees and 80.8% and 71.1% for consultants (P = 0.288 log rank). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical trainees can perform primary AVF surgery without significantly reducing fistula outcomes. Vascular access surgery can be utilised as a training operation.

Aged↗

PubMed2004