Dataset Information

Management of radiation therapy-induced vaginal adhesions and stenosis: A New Zealand survey of current practice.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:Vaginal dilation is often indicated as an intervention for the management of radiation therapy-induced vaginal adhesions and stenosis (RTVAS). However, limited research exists underpinning this intervention and diversity in patient recommendations internationally are reported. In the absence of New Zealand (NZ) national guidelines regarding the management of RTVAS, a survey of NZ radiation therapy departments was conducted to gain an overview of current practice. METHODS:A two-section online survey was developed to capture RTVAS education and management overview across NZ. Section one focused on departmental resourcing and section two on local standard practice regarding vaginal dilator usage. One RTVAS education representative from each department was invited to complete the survey. RESULTS:Eight of nine NZ departments completed the survey. Consistent treatment indications were identified for RTVAS patient education with the involvement of diverse staffing groups at various time-points throughout the treatment process. Protocols for RTVAS management existed in each RT department with staff commonly trained by informal peer observation. Dilator usage was recommended regardless of patient sexual activity. Agreement was shown regarding the recommended start time of dilator usage and frequency. The recommended duration of dilator use post-treatment varied from 6 months to greater than 36 months. CONCLUSIONS:This work illustrates both concordance and diversity in practice and contributes to the limited body of literature available. Further research is warranted to explore patterns of practice between departmental protocols and individual practitioners in further detail.

SUBMITTER: Summerfield J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7276182 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Management of radiation therapy-induced vaginal adhesions and stenosis: A New Zealand survey of current practice.

Summerfield Janeane J Leong Aidan A

Journal of medical radiation sciences 20200408 2

<h4>Introduction</h4>Vaginal dilation is often indicated as an intervention for the management of radiation therapy-induced vaginal adhesions and stenosis (RTVAS). However, limited research exists underpinning this intervention and diversity in patient recommendations internationally are reported. In the absence of New Zealand (NZ) national guidelines regarding the management of RTVAS, a survey of NZ radiation therapy departments was conducted to gain an overview of current practice.<h4>Methods< ...[more]

PMID: 32267099

Similar Datasets

Project description:Penile shunting is the standard of care in management of ischemic priapism refractory (IPR) to non-surgical interventions. Due to high rates of impotence, corporal fibrosis, and loss of penile length, recent literature suggests these patients benefit from immediate penile prosthesis (PP) placement. An IRB-exempt anonymous electronic survey of the 2168 members of the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) was conducted. The survey included demographic information, confidence, and experience-related management of IPR. The aim was to evaluate current practice patterns in management of IPR and to investigate the role of immediate PP implantation in the management of prolonged (>36 h) IPR. The survey response rate was 11.6% (n = 251). Most respondents were urologists (173), from the USA (49.1%), and had completed a fellowship in male sexual medicine, men's health, reconstruction, or andrology (71.1%). The majority (91.3%) see at least one case of prolonged priapism (>36 h) that requires surgical management yearly. When looking at volume in training and after, our respondents had a significantly higher experience with penile prostheses (over 70%, > = 10) as compared with shunts (less than 40%, > = 10). Overall, 70.9% of respondents felt more comfortable with a malleable PP than a shunt. However, penile shunts are still preferred as the first line of surgical management by ~80% of respondents as compared with 12.7% who instead prefer a PP. We also found that under 40% of respondents currently use penile MRI or corporal biopsies in their management of prolonged assessment. This is the first study to assess current clinical practices in management of IPR globally. As in any anonymous self-reported survey-based research, recall and sampling bias are an inherent limitation. Penile shunting for IPR continues to be the preferred treatment despite emerging data. Respondents performed PP surgery routinely and feel more confident placing PP than performing penile shunting procedures.

Project description:BackgroundThere is a worldwide consensus among experts that guidelines and algorithms on airway management contribute to improved patient safety in anesthesia. The present study aimed to determine the current practice of airway management of German anesthesiologists and assess the safety gap, defined as the difference between observed and recommended practice, amongst these practitioners.ObjectiveTo determine the effect of implementing the guidelines on airway management practice in Germany amongst anesthesiologists and identify potential safety gaps.MethodsA survey was conducted in September 2019 by contacting all registered members of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) via email. The participants were asked about their personal and institutional background, adherence to recommendations of the current German S1 guidelines and availability of airway devices.ResultsA total of 1862 DGAI members completed the questionnaire (response rate 17%). The main outcome was that anesthesiologists mostly adhered to the guidelines, yet certain recommendations, particularly pertaining to specifics of preoxygenation and training, showed a safety gap. More than 90% of participants had a video laryngoscope and half had performed more than 25 awake intubations using a flexible endoscope; however, only 81% had a video laryngoscope with a hyperangulated blade. An estimated 16% of all intubations were performed with a video laryngoscope, and 1 in 4 participants had performed awake intubation with it. Nearly all participants had cared for patients with suspected difficult airways. Half of the participants had already faced a "cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate" (CICO) situation and one in five had to perform an emergency front of neck access (eFONA) at least once. In this case, almost two thirds used puncture-based techniques and one third scalpel-based techniques.ConclusionCurrent practice of airway management showed overall adherence to the current German guidelines on airway management, yet certain areas need to be improved.

Dataset Information

Management of radiation therapy-induced vaginal adhesions and stenosis: A New Zealand survey of current practice.

Publications

Management of radiation therapy-induced vaginal adhesions and stenosis: A New Zealand survey of current practice.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets