MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nationwide survey of all Malaysian optometry students using a standardised, self-administered questionnaire.
RESULTS: All 129 optometry students participated in the survey, giving a 100% response rate. Overall, 26.4% and 29.5% of the students believed that patients undergoing cataract surgery under regional and topical anaesthesia, respectively, may experience no light perception, while 78.3% and 72.9%, respectively, thought that patients would experience light perception. Many respondents also believed that patients might experience a variety of other visual sensations. Of all respondents, 70.5% and 74.4% of students believed that patients undergoing cataract surgery under regional and topical anaesthesia, respectively, may be frightened by their visual experience and 93.0% and 85.3%, respectively, felt that preoperative counselling might help to alleviate this fear.
CONCLUSION: Many optometry students are aware that patients might encounter a variety of visual sensations during cataract surgery under local anaesthesia. A high proportion of students believe that patients may experience fear as a result of the intraoperative visual sensations and felt that preoperative counselling would be helpful.
Methods: The effects of independent variables (poloxamer 407 and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) concentration) on various dependent variables (gelling capacity, pH and viscosity) were investigated by using 32 factorial design and organoleptic evaluation was done with descriptive analysis.
Results: The optimized formula of chloramphenicol in situ gel yielded 9 variations of poloxamer 407 and HPMC bases composition in % w/v as follows, F1 (5; 0.45), F2 (7.5; 0.45), F3 (10; 0.45), F4 (5; 0.725), F5 (7.5; 0.725), F6 (10; 0.725), F7 (5; 1), F8 (7.5; 1), F9 (10; 1). The results indicated that the organoleptic, pH, and gelling capacity parameters matched all formulas (F1-F9), however, the viscosity parameter only matched F3, F6, F8, and F9. Based on factorial design, F6 had the best formula with desirability value of 0.54, but the design recommended that formula with the composition bases of poloxamer 407 and HPMC at the ratio of 8.16 % w/v and 0.77 % w/v, respectively, was the optimum formula with a desirability value of 0.69.
Conclusion: All formulas have met the Indonesian pharmacopoeia requirements based on the physical evaluation, especially formula 6 (F6), which was supported by the result of factorial design analysis.
METHODS:: Eighty-six patients scheduled for trigger finger release between July 2016 and December 2017 were randomized into a control group (1% lignocaine and 8.4% sodium bicarbonate with arm tourniquet; given 10 min prior to procedure) and an intervention group (1% lignocaine, 1:100,000 of adrenaline and 8.4% sodium bicarbonate; given 30 min prior to procedure), with a total of 4 ml of solution injected around the A1 pulley. The onset of anesthesia and pain score upon injection of the first 1 ml were recorded. After the procedure, the surgeon rated for the hemostasis score (1-10: 1 as no bleeding and 10 being profuse bleeding). Duration of surgery and return of sensation were recorded.
RESULTS:: Hemostasis score was grouped into visibility score as 1-3: good, 4-6: moderate, and 7-10: poor. The intervention group (with adrenaline) had a 74% of good surgical field visibility compared to 44% from the controlled group (without adrenaline; p < 0.05). Duration of anesthesia was longer in the intervention group (with adrenaline), with a 2.77-h difference.
CONCLUSION:: WALANT provides excellent surgical field visibility and is safe and on par with conventional methods but without the usage of a tourniquet and its associated discomfort.
METHODS: This was a retrospective study involving archived data sets of women seen between November 2013 and May 2014. All underwent a clinical interview, POPQ examination, and 4D translabial ultrasound (TLUS). The main outcome measure was organ descent on clinical examination and TLUS. Offline analysis for organ descent was undertaken blinded against all other data.
RESULTS: A total of 224 women were assessed. Mean age was 57 (23-84) years. Median parity was 3 (0-7). Ninety-three percent (n=208) were vaginally parous. Fifty-eight percent (n=129) complained of symptoms of prolapse: 49% (n=110) of a vaginal lump, 27% (n=61) of a dragging sensation. Clinically, mean point B anterior (Ba) was -0.86 (-3 to +7.5) cm, mean cervical station (C) was -4.1 (-9 to +8) cm, mean point B posterior (Bp) was -1.1 (-3 to +5) cm. On imaging, mean bladder, uterine, and rectal descent were -8.3 (-68.0 to 34) mm, +18.6 (-56.4 to 46.3) mm, and -5.3 (-39.8 to 36) mm respectively. On univariate analysis, both symptoms were strongly associated with objective prolapse clinically and on TLUS, with "vaginal lump" consistently the stronger predictor.
CONCLUSIONS: The symptom of a "vaginal lump or bulge" was consistently a stronger predictor of objective POP than "dragging sensation." This finding was insensitive to adjustments for potential confounders. However, a "dragging sensation" is clearly a symptom of prolapse.