ABSTRACT
<b>Background</b>: On receiving chemotherapy, extravasation of drugs is a severe problem. The extravasations occur more commonly in patients who are elderly, have a poor performance status, have diabetes mellitus complications or have repeatedly received chemotherapy. Also, cancer patients usually require repeated venous punctures for this treatment. <b>Purpose and methods</b>: For the purpose of evaluating the efficacy and safety of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) for intravenous chemotherapy, we retrospectively reviewed all the cancer patients for whom PICC were inserted for chemotherapy from April 2008 to December 2010. Patients' background, duration of PICC insertion and complications were evaluated in this study. <b>Results</b>: Ten patients (male 4, female 6) were reviewed in this study. The median age was 59 years (17∼69). A total of 13 PICCs were inserted in 10 patients. The most common underlying disease was abdominal rhabdomyosarcoma (n=3, 30%) followed by lung cancer (n=2, 20%) and hematologic tumor (n=2, 20%). The average catheter span was 46 days. Catheter-related infections were seen in 2 cases (15.4%). No phlebitis or thrombosis usually associated with venous route was detected in PICC used for chemotherapy. <b>Conclusions</b>: PICC might reduce patients' discomfort such as repeated venous punctures or complications associated with chemotherapy. We suggest that PICC would be one of the effective tools in chemotherapy. Palliat Care Res 2011; 6(2): 233-236
ABSTRACT
The collapse of community medicine has becomes a serious social problem in Japan, and a variety of measures have been implemented to counter it. In medical education, the model core curriculum has been revised, and many universities have started programs for community medical. We have had a community-based medical course at the Kinki University School of Medicine since 2005. This study examined the changes in students' consciousness about and affinity for community medicine during our program.<br>1)Questionnaires were completed by 494 students taking part in community-based medical training from April 2006 through July 2010. Results from before and after training were compared.<br>2)The questionnaire had 3 parts. The first part concerned medical activities with community residents. The second part concerned medical activities with housebound elderly persons. The third part concerned the students' future plans.<br>3)Many students gave themselves high scores for activities with community residents and housebound elderly persons. More students preferred hospitals in regional towns. A few students chose rural areas.<br>4)In an introduction to community medicine, it is important to first foster cordial relations with community residents. Cultivating problem-solving skills is the next challenge.<br>5)Community-based medical programs enhance medical students' understanding of and affinity for community medicine. Furthermore, some students will choose community-based medicine as a specialty.