Cathy G Flood | PubMed Health

PubMed2006

Reflection on academic protected time: an opportunity to integrate educational programs.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to identify the structure of academic protected time curriculum and to determine interest in a knowledge-sharing, web-based initiative. METHODS: We undertook a survey of the 16 obstetrics and gynaecology program directors in Canada. RESULTS: The response rate was 88%. Seventy-one percent of the responding program directors are responsible for developing protected time curriculum. Seventy-eight percent use a template based on a two-year rotation of topics, 64% use lectures as the main educational format, and 50% have incorporated professional competencies into academic time. The largest barrier to curriculum development is time constraints. Seventy-eight percent of program directors are interested in a network for sharing ideas. CONCLUSIONS: In most programs, the curriculum for academic protected time is developed by program directors, who are dependent upon lectures and limited by time constraints. Programs therefore have difficulty integrating professional competencies into the academic curriculum. This educational environment could prove fertile ground for establishing a collaborative curriculum initiative.

Alberta↗

PubMed2006

Success of pubovaginal sling in patients with stress urinary incontinence and efficacy of vaginal sling release in patients with post-sling voiding dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the overall success of sling procedures and surgical sling release in achieving urinary continence and voiding function in women with stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 107 patients with stress urinary incontinence who had a two-team abdominal-vaginal fascial sling procedure performed between January 2000 and December 2003. Data reviewed included the patients' medical history, demographic data, findings on physical examination, urodynamic studies, operative report, and findings at visits 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. Patients with sling releases were followed up to assess pelvic organ prolapse, uroflowmetry, and post-void residual urine volume, and to complete the quality of life questionnaire IIQ-7. RESULTS: At one year after pubovaginal sling surgery, 82.1% of patients were cured of stress urinary incontinence. The majority (85.1%) of patients did not develop postoperative voiding dysfunction. Only 5.6% of those who did develop postoperative voiding dysfunction required surgical sling release. Sling release resolved the post-sling voiding dysfunction in three out of five patients. CONCLUSION: Pubovaginal sling surgery is a highly successful strategy for the management of stress urinary incontinence and has a low rate of postoperative voiding dysfunction. Surgical sling release may resolve post-sling voiding dysfunction.

Female↗