This Month’s IMJ

February 2017, Volume 110; Number 2

IMJ Commentary

The Causation of Cerebral Palsy is Evolving

J FA Murphy – Editor  (P509)

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Editorial

Managing Epilepsy in Pregnancy 

V O’Dwyer (P510)

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Original Papers

Chronic Disease Management – The Patient’s Perspective 

K Browne, D Divilly, M McGarry, C Sweeney, ME Kelly (P511)

Communication skills in obstetrics: what can we learn from bereaved parents? 

Nuzum et al found that how the diagnosis of stillbirth was communicated has a lasting impact on parents.  The language used is important.  Diversionary techniques created a sense of mistrust.  The authors stress the importance of sensitivity and honest open communication. (P512)

Parental decisions regarding pre-hospital therapy and costing of the emergency department visit 

 McGovern et al in a survey of 200 patients found that ED attendances are often prompted by parental anxiety rather than clinical deterioration.  The authors suggest that strategies in the ED should focus more on managing parental expectations rather than the illness itself. (P513)

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Infants of hypothyroid mothers – are postnatal thyroid function tests necessary? A retrospective study in a regional hospital 

Hawke et al undertook this study to determine whether the infants of hypothyroid mothers should have an additional follow-on thyroid function test (TFT) when the infant is 14 days old.  None of the 121 infants in study had a raised TFT.  The study recommends the discontinuation of follow-on TFT testing. (P514)

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Utilising magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard in management of suspected scaphoid fractures in the emergency department setting 

Ramasubbu et al state that MRI has a 100% specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of scaphoid fractures.  The authors outline a pathway for radiographs and MRI in the investigation of suspected scaphoid fractures.  (P515)

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Case Report

Rare case of non-tuberculous mycobacterium: a diagnostic dilemma 

 Marathe and Canavan describe a case of non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) in a 38 year old male with emphysema.  Although it is felt that this organism is acquired from the environment, it was decided to treat based on CT, clinical, and microbiological criteria. (P516)

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Short Report

Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in a respiratory outpatients clinic  

Rossiter et al report that in an audit of influenza vaccine uptake in a respiratory clinic only 41 (54%) of patients had been vaccinated.  They point out that this well below the 75% target set by the ECDC.  The common diagnostic categories in the study group were COPD and asthma. (P517)

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Research Correspondence

Ghana health services and the Irish health system – bridging the gap  

 Akaateba et al compare the health statistics between Ghana and Ireland.  Some of the striking differences include maternal mortality rate 319/100,000 vs 8 per 100,000, and the infant mortality rate 44/1,000 vs 3/1,000.  The authors discuss how outside agencies can engage with Ghana to improve health outcomes. (P518)

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Letters to the Editor

The role of transcatheter arterial embolisation in the management of epistaxis. 

E O’Dwyer, W. Torreggiani, P Govender (P519)

Increasing Compliance Rates with a Hip Fracture Analgesia Protocol in a Trauma and Orthopaedic Centre 

Clesham, RP. Piggott, CG. Murphy, O. Finnerty (P520)

E – Cigarette – Why do we forget to document in the medical notes?

M Kooblall, D Nash (P521)

Pulmonary Recurrence of Urachal Carcinoma

JP Das, JF Bruzzi (P522)

Use of HIPE coding for spinal cord injury

E Smith, P Fitzpatrick (P523)

The Implications of Delayed Access to MRI Imaging: A 3-month Historical Prospective Study

A Daly, A Hoban, C Egan, D Moore, P Kiely (P524)