Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: The association of carpal tunnel syndrome with occupational risk factors is well established. However, in clinical practice these factors are only rarely considered and evaluated. Managing these risk factors could prevent the occurrence of future cases and alleviate treatment of the afflicted individuals.

Objectives: To estimate the role of occupational risk factors in a large group of patients diagnosed by electro­physiological studies as suffering from CTS.

Methods: A group of 396 subjects (204 women, 165 men) who were tested in one laboratory by electrophysiological studies were further evaluated (by questionnaire) to determine the possible role of occupational and other risk factors in the etiology of their syndrome.

Results: Persons employed in high force — low repetitive or low force — high repetitive jobs, harbor an extra risk for developing CTS as compared with controls, OR=3.21 (95% C1 = 1.5-6.9) and OR=4.72 (95%C1 = 1.8-12.5), respectively. These jobs include typists/secretaries, nursing personnel, production workers and housewives.

Conclusion: Evaluation of a general group of examinees referred for electrophysiological studies on sympatology compatible with CTS may show that occupational risk factors play a substantial role in the development of symptoms. By increasing the awareness of clinicians and the public to these risk factors, appropriate preventive measures can be intro­duced and the burden of the disease reduced.

Background: Routine prenatal ultrasound has increased the frequency of prenatal diagnosis of congenital cystic lung malformation, such as cystic adenomatoid malformation, pulmonary sequestration, congenital lobar emphysema, and bronchogenic cyst.

Objectives: To evaluate the methods of postnatal diag­nosis, the optimal age for operation since surgery is always required, and the optimal extent of lung resection.

Methods: The clinical courses of 11 patients with congenital lung cysts who underwent surgical lung resection (8 lobectomies and 3 segmentectomies) were reviewed.

Results: The diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography scan in all. In nine patients the diagnosis was made prenatally. Chest X-ray was normal postnatally in all patients except for two who had recurrent pneumonia. Post­operative follow-up showed excellent recovery in all operated children. One patient who underwent surgery for CCAM following episodes of severe pneumonia died from another cause 5 months later. Postoperative chest CT scan showed no residual disease in eight patients. In two who had undergone limited resection, tomography showed a small segment of residual disease in one and a suspected residual lesion in the other.

Conclusion: With prenatal ultrasound the true frequency of congenital cystic lung anomaly appears to be higher than previously reported. Postnatal CT is mandatory to confirm or to rule out the diagnosis. The mere presence of cystic lung malformation is an indication for surgery. Complete removal of the affected lung lobe is recommended. Segmental resection may be inadequate. Early operation is tolerated well by infants and small children and we recommend that surgery be performed in children between 6 and 12 months of age.

The Management of a 750-bed tertiary care university hospital that serves the Jerusalem area and nationwide referrals initiated a total overhaul of all its supporting systems. This program, with parallel contingency plans, ensured a smooth transition of all computer-depended and othe services into the year 2000. Because this extraordinary project proved successful, its outcomes are noe being utilized as a unique impetus for implementation of hospital-wide continuous quality improvement programs. This paper reports how the established QI procedures, which were introduced also during the campaign, are now being activated from the baseline of those outcomes that have provided absolute efficacy in all hospital activities. The success of the campaign was achieved through the total involvement of all staff. This involvement was enhanced by the popular appeal of the dramatic deadline of the date 2000, as well as by focusing attention on personnel dynamics. Strategies for sustaining the momentum must be considered.

Background: Both diagnostic and therapeutic options in the management of iatrogenic false aneurysms have changed dramatically in the last decade, with surgery being required only rarely.

Objective: To describe our experience, techniques and results in treating pseudoaneurysms at a large medical center with frequent arterial interventions. We emphasize upper limb lesions.

Materials and Methods: We reviewed the data of all consecutive patients diagnosed by color-coded duplex Doppler between August 1992 and July 1998 as having upper limb and lower limb pseudoaneurysms (mainly post- catheterization). We accumulated 107 false aneurysms (mainly post- catheterization lesions): 5 were upper limb lesions and 102 were groin aneurysms.

Results: In the lower limb cases 94 of the 102 lesions were not operated upon (92.1%). Seventy lower limb cases were treated non-operatively by ultrasound-guided compression obliteration with a 95.7% success rate (67 cases). Two cases were treated by  percutaneous thrombin injection (2%) and 23 by observation only (22.5%). Altogether 12 patients underwent surgery (11.2%): 4 upper extremity and 8 lower extremity cases. None of the lower limb group suffered serious complications regardless of treatment, but all five upper limb cases did, four of them necessitating surgical intervention. Three of the five upper limb cases had a grave outcome with severe or permanent or neurological damage.

Conclusion: Most post- catheterization pseudoaneurysms can be managed non-surgically. False aneurysms in the upper extremity are rare, comprising less than 2% of all lesions. However, upper extremity pseudoaneurysms present a potentially more serious complication and require early diagnosis and prompt intervention to minimize the high complication rate and serious long-term sequelae. Prevention can be achieved by proper puncture technique and site selection, and correct post-procedure hemostatic compression with or without an external device. Some upper limb lesions are avoidable if the axillary artery is not punctured.