Communication skills of specialist doctors: assessment with SKAF scale a new tool

To evaluate the standards and uses of communication skills of specialist doctors during the doctor-patient interactions among a sample of specialists belonging to various specialities and based at different hospitals of Lahore. One hundred specialists were asked to participate in the prospective, questionnaire based survey in Lahore. These volunteers were asked to fill a form keeping in view their current practices. The scores thus achieved were measured using a proposed SKAF score. The results were graded into four parts depending upon the score achieved by the subjects. Twelve people never returned the survey instrument. Of those who did majority scored as good or excellent. Females showed a better score than males. Those who had previously been instructed formally did better on the SKAF scale. The need of formal hands on training workshops on Communication Skills in both under graduate as well as post graduate trainees cannot be reiterated

Wide local excision and split skin graft for preauricular nodular basal cell carcinoma invading the pinna

In the extirpation of basal cell caranoma there is a great risk of insufficient excision leading to recurrence and deeper invasion. This is a case report of a 72 years fair skinned lady who presented with nodular basal cell carcinoma. The lesion had started as a small painless nodule in front of the right tragus one year ago. At the time of presentation it had already invaded the right pinna. Biopsy revealed it to be the nodular variant of basal cell carcinoma. Keeping in view the histological type and patient's wishes wide local excision of the lesion was planned and carried out. The resultant defect was covered by a split skin graft. The lesion was completely eradicated and the skin graft gave an excellent cosmetic result