Original Papers

Academic Background of Irish Orthopaedic Trainees

M. Nugent

Nugent reports a survey of the academic standards among Irish orthopaedic trainees.  74% (38/51) participated.  All had commenced or completed a higher degree. 69% had at least one peer reviewed paper and  66% intend to have a clinical career. 34% plan on a part clinical, part academic career.

P834

A Cross-Sectional Study of Antibiotic Prescribing for Childhood Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Irish General Practice

F. Maguire, M.E. Murphy, M. Rourke, F. Morgan, G. Brady, E. Byrne, M.E. O’Callaghan

Maguire et al report on 1,007 under-6 children presenting with an URTI.  Antibiotic prescribing rates have decreased since the introduction of free GP care.  The reduction is as follows; 70% to 50% for daytime services, 72% to 60% for out-of-hours services. Following the introduction of free GP care more children presented with minor illness which did not require an antibiotic.

P835

Ultrasound as a Diagnostic Tool in Pediatric Distal Forearm Fractures

A.S. Ahmed, A.E. Abdelhady, B. McNicholl

Ahmed et al compared the efficacy of ultrasound with standard radiography in the diagnosis of wrist fractures in children.  30 children had a confirmed fracture on x-ray, while ultrasound identified 28 of the fractures.  The 2 missed fractures on ultrasound were diagnostically insignificant.

P836

Human Papilloma Virus- Associated Head and Neck Cancer: A 21st Century Pandemic; Assessing Student Awareness and Knowledge

F.G. Kavanagh, A.T. McNamara, O. Fopohunda, I.J. Keogh 

Kavanagh et al state the human papilloma virus (HPV) is a causal agent for head and neck cancers (HNC).  1,494 students were surveyed.  63% had never heard of the term HNC and 45% had never heard of HPV.  69% did not know how one could be exposed to HPV, and 84% were unaware of the association between HNC and HPV.

P837

Attitudes and Knowledge of Healthcare Professionals Regarding Organ Donation. A Survey of the Saolta University Health Care Group

E. Umana, O. Grant, E. Curran, P. May, A. Mohamed, J. O’Donnell

Umana et al report a survey of health care professional (HCP) knowledge.  There were 139 respondents.  93% of HCPs were willing to donate their organs.  64% understood the term donation after brain death, 49% understood the term donation after circulatory death. 

P838

Drain Usage in Head and Neck Surgery: A National Survey of Thirty-five Surgeons across Ten Unit

E. Keane, C.W. Fitzgerald, D.A. Smyth, M.B. Nataraj, E. Lang, L.J. Skinner, M.J. Donnelly

Keane et al surveyed 27 ENT surgeons regarding the use of drains after head and neck surgery.  The use of a drain depended on the particular surgery.  For total thyroidectomy 12/27 used drains and for hypoglossal duct cyst excision 24/27 used drains.  For submandibular gland excision 24/27 used drains and for parotidectomy 23/27 used drains.

P839

An Audit of Paediatric Organ and Tissue Donation in Ireland

L. Marshall, I. Hennessey, C. Lynch, C. Gibbons, S. Crowe

Marshall et al report that 36 children organs or tissue heart valves over a 11 year period 2007-2018.  There were 13 organ donations between 2007-2012 and 23 donations between 2013-2017.  The most frequently donated organs were kidneys followed by liver and heart.  Among the 52 kidneys donated, the one year survival rate of donor grafts was 96%, with rates of 94% for hearts and 81% for livers.

P840