Estamos propondo um índice antropométrico para pectus excavatum correlacionando-o ao índice de Haller e ao índice vertebral inferior. Estudamos 20 pacientes com deformidade e 30 indivíduos normais. Os pacientes portadores do defeito torácico foram submetidos à correção cirúrgica. A correlação entre os índices foi alta, a acurácia semelhante e houve diferença significante entre o pré e pós-operatório estabelecida pelos índices. / We are proposing an anthropometric index for pectus excavatum correlating it to Haller's index and to the lower vertebral index. We have studied 20 patients with deformity and 30 normal patients. Patients carrying thoracic defect were submitted to surgical correction. The correlation between the indexes was high, the accuracy was similar and there was significant difference between the pre and post-operative established by the indexes.

Pectus excavatum (PEX) é uma depressão esternal em relação às cartilagens costais. Problemas psicológicos e intolerância ao exercício são alterações clínicas freqüentemente detectadas. A correão cirúrgica do PEX ganhou um novo momento desde a introdução da nova técnica minimamente invasivade Nuss. O objetivo deste estudo é comparar os resultados das técnicas operatórias de Robicsek (convencional) e minimamente invasiva (Nuss). Dois grupos de pacientes foram estudados em nosso Serviço: a) 40 pacientes com tórax normal; 40 pacientes com PEX. Esse último grupo foi operado pela técnica de Robicsek (20 pacientes) ou de Nuss (20 pacientes). Ambas as técnicas conseguiram resultados pós-operatórios satisfatórios, mas o índice de Haller e medidas clínicas sugerem que resultados são diferentes. Nuss pode obter melhor forma torácica / Pectus excavatum (PEX) is a depression of the sternum in relation to the costal cartilages. Psychological disorders and exercise intolerance are current clinical abnormalities detectables. Surgical correction of PEX has gained a new momentum since the introduction of the new minimally invasive repair by Nuss. The present study aims to compare the results of Robicsek (conventional) versus Nuss (minimally invasive) technique. Two groups of patients were studied at our Service: a) 40 patients with normal thoracic box configuration; b) 40 patients with PEX. The latter were operated according to the Robicsek (20 pacients) or Nuss technique (20 patients). Both techniques manage to successful postoperative results, but Haller index and clinical measures suggest that results are significant differents. Nuss technique may obtain the best thoracic shape

Brustschmerz ist ein häufiges Symptom. Er bedarf einer schnellen Differenzierung zum Ausschluss lebensbedrohlicher Erkrankungen wie zum Beispiel eines Myokardinfarktes oder einer Aortendissektion. Hierzu wurden Chest Pain Units (CPU) und Brustschmerzambulanzen (BSA) gegründet. Im Jahr 2008 führte die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie Mindeststandards für deren Ausstattung und Struktur ein. 2009 wurde die zwei Jahre zuvor gegründete BSA am Herzzentrum Leipzig (HZL) zertifiziert. In dieser Arbeit wurde eine retrospektive Analyse von 2.220 Patientendaten aus dem Jahr 2009 durchgeführt. Bei steigenden Patientenzahlen wurde die BSA am häufigsten montags sowie in den Mittagsstunden aufgesucht. Dabei zeigte die Symptomdauer eine Spannweite von wenigen Minuten bis zu mehreren Jahren. Der größte Anteil mit 19,1 % der Patienten kam mit einer Symptomdauer zwischen einer Woche und einem Monat, 11,6 % der Patienten innerhalb von sechs Stunden. Symptome und Begleiterkrankungen boten eine große Variabilität. 24,7 % der Patienten stellten sich ohne Schmerzen vor. 66,4 % der Patienten verblieben ambulant und durchschnittlich verbrachten die Patienten 4,8 Stunden in der BSA. 59,9 % der Patienten ohne primär ersichtliche, kardiale Symptomkonstellation zeigten eine kardiale Erkrankung. Selbsteinweiser und ärztlich eingewiesene Patienten sowie stationäre und ambulante Verläufe zeigten Unterschiede in Symptomen, Begleiterkrankungen, Untersuchungen, Interventionen und Entlassungsdiagnosen. 26,9 % der Patienten erhielten eine Herzkatheteruntersuchung. Davon erfolgte bei 31,4 % eine Intervention, in 62,4 % der Fälle eine medikamentöse Therapie. Eine KHK war bei 19,1 % der Patienten die Entlassungsdiagnose. In der Hälfte der Fälle wurde damit erstmals diese Diagnose gestellt. Aus Symptomen, Symptomdauer und kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren wurde der Symptome-30-2-CRF-Score abgeleitet, welcher bei ≤ 9 Punkten eine KHK ablehnt und bei Werten ≥ 14 Punkten den Verdacht auf eine KHK bekräftigt.

1. INTRODUCTION Spontaneous pneumothorax is one of the most common types of aeropathic syndrome, caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, tuberculosis and complicated lung cancer. Nearly two hundred years have passed since the first description of the first cases of pneumothorax. Although during this period the scientist´s view of the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostics and treatment methods has changed, a number of issues related to the diagnostics and treatment of this complication of pulmonary diseases remain unsolved. The aim of the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax is to remove the cause of this condition, to perform the decompression of the pleural cavity, to induce the obliteration of the pleural cavity and to prevent the recurrence of the disease. Pleural puncture and drainage of the pleural cavity are not sufficiently effective – the incidence of incomplete lung expansion and rapid recurrence of the disease (relapse) reaches 25% [Mova VA, 1999]. Urgent thoracotomy is performed in cases when the drainage of the pleural cavity fails to reduce the symptoms of the aeropathic syndrome and breathing and blood circulation insufficiency caused by the spontaneous pneumothorax. Frequently thoracotomy is performed after pleural drainage in cases of exudative pleuritis or starting pleural empyema. The postoperative period is marked by a large number of complications and prolongation of hospital stay, and post-operative mortality in the group of geriatric... [to full text]

Estamos propondo um índice antropométrico para pectus excavatum correlacionando-o ao índice de Haller e ao índice vertebral inferior. Estudamos 20 pacientes com deformidade e 30 indivíduos normais. Os pacientes portadores do defeito torácico foram submetidos à correção cirúrgica. A correlação entre os índices foi alta, a acurácia semelhante e houve diferença significante entre o pré e pós-operatório estabelecida pelos índices. / We are proposing an anthropometric index for pectus excavatum correlating it to Haller's index and to the lower vertebral index. We have studied 20 patients with deformity and 30 normal patients. Patients carrying thoracic defect were submitted to surgical correction. The correlation between the indexes was high, the accuracy was similar and there was significant difference between the pre and post-operative established by the indexes.

Pectus excavatum (PEX) é uma depressão esternal em relação às cartilagens costais. Problemas psicológicos e intolerância ao exercício são alterações clínicas freqüentemente detectadas. A correão cirúrgica do PEX ganhou um novo momento desde a introdução da nova técnica minimamente invasivade Nuss. O objetivo deste estudo é comparar os resultados das técnicas operatórias de Robicsek (convencional) e minimamente invasiva (Nuss). Dois grupos de pacientes foram estudados em nosso Serviço: a) 40 pacientes com tórax normal; 40 pacientes com PEX. Esse último grupo foi operado pela técnica de Robicsek (20 pacientes) ou de Nuss (20 pacientes). Ambas as técnicas conseguiram resultados pós-operatórios satisfatórios, mas o índice de Haller e medidas clínicas sugerem que resultados são diferentes. Nuss pode obter melhor forma torácica / Pectus excavatum (PEX) is a depression of the sternum in relation to the costal cartilages. Psychological disorders and exercise intolerance are current clinical abnormalities detectables. Surgical correction of PEX has gained a new momentum since the introduction of the new minimally invasive repair by Nuss. The present study aims to compare the results of Robicsek (conventional) versus Nuss (minimally invasive) technique. Two groups of patients were studied at our Service: a) 40 patients with normal thoracic box configuration; b) 40 patients with PEX. The latter were operated according to the Robicsek (20 pacients) or Nuss technique (20 patients). Both techniques manage to successful postoperative results, but Haller index and clinical measures suggest that results are significant differents. Nuss technique may obtain the best thoracic shape

In Europe, the deployment characteristics of frontal crash restraints are generally optimised to best protect an average young male, since a 50th percentile male dummy is used in a stylised frontal impact scenario. These single point restraint systems may not provide similar levels of effectiveness when the crash scenarios vary with respect to the regulatory and consumer crash test procedures. Previous research has demonstrated that varying restraint deployment characteristics according to occupant and crash variation can provide further injury reduction in frontal impacts. This thesis reports the investigation conducted to assess the potential real world injury reduction benefit of smart restraint systems in frontal impacts. The intelligent capability of the restraint was achieved by varying the seat belt load limiter (SBL) threshold, according to the frontal crash scenario. Real world accident data (CCIS) were analysed to identify the target population of vehicle occupants and frontal impact scenarios where employing smart load limiters could be most beneficial, particularly in reducing chest injury risk. From the accident sample, the chest was the most frequently injured body region at an AIS 2+ level in frontal impacts (7% of front seat occupants). The proportion of older vehicle front seat occupants (>64 years old) with AIS 2+ injury was also greater than the proportion of younger occupants. Additionally, older occupants were more likely to sustain seat belt induced serious chest injury in low and moderate speed frontal crashes. Numerical simulations using MADYMO software were conducted to examine the effect of varying the load limiter thresholds on occupant kinematics and injury outcome in frontal impacts. Generic baseline driver and front passenger numerical models were developed using a 50th percentile dummy and were adapted to accommodate a 5th and 95th percentile dummy. Simulations were performed where the load limiter threshold was varied in five frontal impact scenarios which were selected to cover as wide a range of real frontal crash conditions as possible. From the simulation results, it was found that for both the 50th and 95th percentile dummy in front seating positions (driver and passenger), the low SBL provided the best chest injury protection, without increasing the risk to other body regions. In severe impacts, the low SBL allowed the dummy to move further towards the front facia, thus increasing the chance of occupant hard contact with the vehicle interiors. The Smart load limiters predicted no injury risk reduction for the 5th percentile drivers, who are shorter and tend to sit closer to the steering wheel. The potential injury reduction of the smart load limiters was quantified by applying the estimated injury risk reduction from the simulation to the real world accident data sample. Thoracic injury predictions from the simulations were converted into injury probability values using AIS 2+ age dependent thoracic risk curves which were developed and validated based on a methodology proposed by Laituri et al. (2005). Real world benefit was quantified using the predicted relative AIS 2+ risk reduction and assuming an appropriate adaptive system was fitted to all the cars in the real world sample. When applying the AIS 2+ risk reduction findings to the weighted accident data sample, the risk of sustaining an AIS 2+ seat belt injury reduced from 1.3% to 0.9% for younger front seat occupants, 7.6% to 5.0% for middle aged front seat occupants and 13.1% to 8.6% for the older front seat occupants. The research findings clearly demonstrate a chest injury reduction benefit across all age groups when the load limiter characteristics are varied. It suggests that employing a smart load limiter in a vehicle would not only benefit older occupants but also middle aged and young occupants. The benefit does appear to be most pronounced for older occupants, since the older population is more vulnerable to chest injury. As the older population of car users is rapidly rising, the benefits of smarter systems can only increase in the future.

Brustschmerz ist ein häufiges Symptom. Er bedarf einer schnellen Differenzierung zum Ausschluss lebensbedrohlicher Erkrankungen wie zum Beispiel eines Myokardinfarktes oder einer Aortendissektion. Hierzu wurden Chest Pain Units (CPU) und Brustschmerzambulanzen (BSA) gegründet. Im Jahr 2008 führte die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie Mindeststandards für deren Ausstattung und Struktur ein. 2009 wurde die zwei Jahre zuvor gegründete BSA am Herzzentrum Leipzig (HZL) zertifiziert. In dieser Arbeit wurde eine retrospektive Analyse von 2.220 Patientendaten aus dem Jahr 2009 durchgeführt. Bei steigenden Patientenzahlen wurde die BSA am häufigsten montags sowie in den Mittagsstunden aufgesucht. Dabei zeigte die Symptomdauer eine Spannweite von wenigen Minuten bis zu mehreren Jahren. Der größte Anteil mit 19,1 % der Patienten kam mit einer Symptomdauer zwischen einer Woche und einem Monat, 11,6 % der Patienten innerhalb von sechs Stunden. Symptome und Begleiterkrankungen boten eine große Variabilität. 24,7 % der Patienten stellten sich ohne Schmerzen vor. 66,4 % der Patienten verblieben ambulant und durchschnittlich verbrachten die Patienten 4,8 Stunden in der BSA. 59,9 % der Patienten ohne primär ersichtliche, kardiale Symptomkonstellation zeigten eine kardiale Erkrankung. Selbsteinweiser und ärztlich eingewiesene Patienten sowie stationäre und ambulante Verläufe zeigten Unterschiede in Symptomen, Begleiterkrankungen, Untersuchungen, Interventionen und Entlassungsdiagnosen. 26,9 % der Patienten erhielten eine Herzkatheteruntersuchung. Davon erfolgte bei 31,4 % eine Intervention, in 62,4 % der Fälle eine medikamentöse Therapie. Eine KHK war bei 19,1 % der Patienten die Entlassungsdiagnose. In der Hälfte der Fälle wurde damit erstmals diese Diagnose gestellt. Aus Symptomen, Symptomdauer und kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren wurde der Symptome-30-2-CRF-Score abgeleitet, welcher bei ≤ 9 Punkten eine KHK ablehnt und bei Werten ≥ 14 Punkten den Verdacht auf eine KHK bekräftigt.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Master's Degree in Technology: Radiography, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / ABSTRACT Escalating current healthcare needs coupled with the dire shortage of radiologists created a climate in countries abroad to extend the role of the radiographer (Williams 2006). The South African radiography profession demonstrates similar if not worse challenges within the radiology services (Gqweta 2012). The human resource needs in the healthcare sector creates a gap in the provision of radiology services (Brandt et al 2007). Often under these circumstances radiographers are asked by emergency department's personnel to comment on radiographic appearances (Hardy and Snaith 2007). Radiographers do provide opinions in order to facilitate patient management (Gqweta 2012). Since the chest x-ray is the most commonly performed x-ray examination in x-ray departments (Manning, Leach and Bunting, 2000), it is assumed that most requests for an opinion may be directed for the clarification of this x-ray examination. Therefore radiographers need to have an in-depth understanding of the knowledge and skills related to the identification of patterns on chest images. The aim of the study was to establish and describe the current chest image interpretation skills, knowledge and perceptions of diagnostic radiographers in eThekwini Health District of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) with regard to image interpretation. METHOD: A quantitative study using a descriptive design with a qualitative aspect using an interpretive design was employed. A simple random sample of hospitals within the eThekwini health district that have x-ray departments was drawn. All diagnostic radiographers that met the inclusion criteria from within these hospitals were invited to partake in the study and all were registered with the Health Profession Council of South Africa (HPCSA). A questionnaire was utilised to collect data on the perceptions and knowledge of diagnostic radiographers on radiographic appearances. A reporting template was provided for the respondents to report on ten (10) chest images and to standardise responses . Accuracy , specificity and sensitivity measurements were utilised to determine the image interpretation knowledge and skills of radiographers without formal training on image interpretation. The SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 21 was utilised for the raw data capture and analysis. RESULTS Forty two (42) radiographers participated in the study. Almost half (46%) of the respondents were chief radiographers and twenty four point four percent (24.4%) of the respondents were senior radiographers . X-ray department managers and community service radiographers each had twelve (12%) percent representation. The majority of the respondents frequently performed chest x-rays. Furthermore they regularly observe Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) abnormal patterns more than those of pneumonia and lung cancer on chest radiographs. The respondents indicated that there is a need for them to extend their roles to include image interpretation. This will ensure that radiographers are responsive to current health care needs perpetuated by the absence of radiologists and the ever rapidly increasing population. The majority of the respondents were able to identify abnormal appearances on the radiographs (high sensitivity). However there was a proportional decrease on the identification and recognition of the normal appearances (specificity). There was no respondent that obtained a mark of eighty (80%) on the image interpretation knowledge assessment section. CONCLUSION Radiographers are able to identify abnormal patterns on chest images. However they are unable to adequately exclude an abnormality (low specificity). Furthermore they lack the ability to adequately describe abnormal radiographic/radio logical appearances. The image interpretation knowledge base of radiographers is limited and specific. Therefore there is a need for an intensive education and training for prospective reporting radiographers.

Objectives: This thesis aims to explore evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). Design: The systematic review aimed to evaluate evidence for CBT as an effective intervention for anxiety in the NCCP population. Study one describes the chest pain characteristics, illness beliefs and prevalence of anxiety in a NCCP sample in a cross-sectional design. Study two explores the acceptability and clinical effectiveness of a CBT-based self-help intervention for NCCP patients, using a between subjects, repeated measures design. Methods: A systematic review was completed via a comprehensive literature search for comparative studies examining CBT-based interventions for NCCP including a measure of anxiety. In the empirical study, participants completed measures of anxiety, illness beliefs and indices of chest pain (self-reported frequency, severity and impact on activities) at baseline. Comparisons between illness beliefs and anxiety were undertaken using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations. Participants were randomised to receive a CBT-based self-help intervention booklet or treatment as usual, with questionnaires re-administered at three-month follow-up. ANOVAs were used to evaluate whether the intervention led to improvements in anxiety levels, or increased belief in participants’ personal control of symptoms. Results: Ten studies met inclusion criteria for the systematic review, with four studies showing evidence regarding the effectiveness of CBT for anxiety. Approximately two thirds of the thesis research sample reported on-going pain following clinic attendance, for the majority this was ‘very mild’ or ‘mild’ pain. Almost half (47%) reported experiencing clinically significant anxiety. Stress was the most common causal attribution advocated by the sample to explain their chest pain. Anxiety scores were significantly associated with psychological attribution scores, but not with personal control or illness coherence beliefs. In study two, 87 participants completed the study and ITT analyses were completed on 119. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of reduced anxiety or self-reported belief in personal control of symptoms. The intervention booklet was evaluated largely positively by those who reported reading it. Conclusions: CBT-based self-help appears an acceptable intervention for those diagnosed with NCCP. Further research is needed to identify those who are most likely to benefit from such self-help intervention.