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Biomedical subjects

S Brearley

Publications and source records attributed to S Brearley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Survey of surgical training in Europe.

The Permanent Working Group of European Junior Hospital Doctors (PWG) conducted a survey among surgical trainees in member countries with the aim of describing postgraduate training in surgery throughout Europe. In each country, 10 trainees with surgical training of 2-5 years and 10 trainees with surgical training of 6-9 years answered a questionnaire, completed a diary and kept a log book of operations for 1 week. A total of 165 surgeons from 12 countries completed the survey. A trainee had to care for an average patient load varying from 30 to 80 patients at any one time. The average number of working hours ranged from 52 to 88 h per week, including up to 18 h of unpaid work. The different tasks carried out within these working hours varied considerably, as did the proportion of tasks with educational value. Trainees participated in four to 11 major operations each week, but the number of operations a week did not reflect the number of operations conducted under supervision. In some countries, the majority of the trainees stated that they received their training mainly through unsupervised experience. The average number of days spent on courses and congresses varied from 4 to 15 days per year, with great variation in the percentage of expenses paid. Countries with favourable working conditions, such as fewer working hours, shorter shifts and a day off after being on duty, seemed to have gained these advantages by a reduction in working hours with educational value, rather than by a reduction in routine work. It is concluded that conditions of surgical training vary greatly between the European countries in relation to duration, working hours, tasks undertaken, and resources used on training. Every country is capable of improving its surgical training.

Education, Medical, Graduate↗
PubMed1995

Harmonisation of specialist training in Europe: is it a mirage?

For the past 18 years there has been a proliferation of European committees, boards, associations, colleges, and working groups set up to promote the harmonisation of specialist training in Europe. It has been taken as read that this objective is desirable. The fact that these bodies have achieved remarkably little is telling, and it is time to question their activity. There are good practical reasons behind the evolution of Europe's disparate training schemes, and the arguments for retaining diversity rather than continuing to strive for homogeneity are persuasive.

Education, Medical↗
PubMed1993

Two vascular complications of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV have thin walled, friable arteries and veins and are prone to spontaneous arterial rupture. We present a patient who suffered severe damage to the common femoral vein during surgery for varicose veins and who subsequently suffered a spontaneous rupture of the right external carotid artery, treated by ligation and oversewing. Intraarterial radiology and surgery in such patients are hazardous and should be avoided if possible. Where operation is essential, the simplest available procedure should be performed. Patients should be counselled to inform every doctor they consult that they have the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Manpower.

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Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Medical education.

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Education, Medical↗
PubMed1992

Peripheral pulse palpation: an unreliable physical sign.

Fifty observers, including two fully trained vascular surgeons, were asked to determine the presence or absence of the femoral and distal pulses of four patients with peripheral vascular disease and one asymptomatic subject (50 pulses assessed). Pulses felt by both vascular surgeons were deemed to be palpable. Among the other observers, the sensitivity of palpation was 95% or over for the femoral pulse, but 33% to 60% for observers of varying experience feeling for the posterior tibial pulse. Up to 20% false-positive observations were reported. Disease was diagnosed in over 10% of examinations of healthy limbs and was missed in over 10% of symptomatic limbs. The accuracy of pulse palpation was strongly correlated with the systolic blood pressure in the underlying artery. Accuracy was greater among more experienced observers, suggesting that careful teaching of this skill is likely to be beneficial. Even so, pulse palpation alone is an unreliable physical sign and should only be used in combination with objective measurements as a guide to clinical management.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1991

Medical manpower.

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Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Acute haemorrhage from gastric malignancy.

The presentation, pathology and treatment of 30 patients with acute bleeding from gastric malignancies has been reviewed. Patients usually have a history of symptoms of less than 6 months prior to bleeding. Adenocarcinoma was the commonest type of tumour, and 74 per cent were stage IV lesions. The proportion of lesions in the body of the stomach (57 per cent) was greater than expected, suggesting that these are different populations of gastric tumour. Laparotomy was undertaken in 20 patients, 12 of whom had a resection. Resection was associated with a median survival of 17.0 months. Those with unresectable tumours or who were treated only by supportive measures had a median survival of only 2.5 months (P less than 0.01). Evidence of peritoneal or liver involvement should contraindicate surgical intervention as these patients have a high postoperative mortality rate.

Acute Disease↗