Exploring foundation doctors' self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions.

AIMS AND METHOD: This study assesses newly qualified doctors' confidence in practising clinical skills related to the assessment and management of mental health conditions and how this correlates with other areas of medicine. We conducted a national survey of 1311 Foundation Year 1 doctors in the UK. Survey items assessed confidence recognising mentally unwell patients, conducting a mental state examination, assessing cognition and mental capacity, formulating a psychiatric diagnosis and prescribing psychotropic medications. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of surveyed doctors lacked confidence in their clinical skills related to mental health and prescribing psychotropic medications. Network analysis revealed that items corresponding to mental health were highly correlated, suggesting a potential generalised lack of confidence in mental healthcare. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: We identify areas of lack of confidence in some newly qualified doctors' ability to assess and manage mental health conditions. Future research might explore how greater exposure to psychiatry, integrated teaching and clinical simulation might better support medical students for future clinical work.

Isolated congenital facial nerve agenesis.

An otherwise healthy 2-month-old boy was referred to ENT for a congenital right facial palsy, with a birth history of difficult ventouse delivery. Initially, a traumatic cause was suspected, however subsequent MR 3D-FIESTA (T2 weighted) imaging demonstrated a right facial nerve agenesis with normal appearances of the remainder of the brain parenchyma, cranial nerves and parotid glands. There were no syndromic features or hearing difficulties. Isolated congenital nerve agenesis is a rare condition, with very few case reports available in the literature. Pre-natal 4D ultrasound imaging further supports the diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first published pre-natal ultrasound image of congenital facial nerve palsy. The infant has been referred for consideration of nerve reconstruction surgery, and is receiving multi-disciplinary input from ENT, Physiotherapy and Ophthalmology, the latter for prevention of exposure keratitis.

Mid inter-epicondyle trochlea intersection (MIELTI): Proposal of a new index for identifying the deepest part of the trochlea.

BACKGROUND: Tibial tuberosity trochlear groove distance (TT-TG) is an important radiological measurement in patellofemoral instability (PFI). Where instability is recurrent, a value ≥20 mm is considered an indication for tubercle medialisation. Trochlear dysplasia commonly accompanies PFI. It can make identification of the deepest part of the trochlea difficult, which makes the TT-TG difficult or impossible to assess. To address this, we propose a new method of identifying the deepest part of trochlea based on the femoral epicondyles. It is named the tibial tuberosity mid inter-epicondyle trochlea intersection distance (TT-MIELTI). METHODS: The TT-TG and TT-MIELTI of 30 consecutive non-dysplastic knee MRIs were compared, excluding 96 knees with dysplasia, sulcus angles ≥135°, a tibial tuberosity anterior cortex which was not fully demonstrated, artefact, fracture, or Osgood Schlatter's disease. To assess inter-observer reliability three blinded researchers measured the TT-TG and the TT-MIELTI of all 30 knees. To assess intra-observer repeatability one researcher repeated the measurements after six weeks. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) test demonstrated good to excellent values for all measurements (TT-TG and TT-MIELTI correlation ICC 0.94-0.97; TT-TG inter-observer reliability ICC = 0.85, intra-observer repeatability ICC = 0.90; TT-MIELTI inter-observer reliability ICC = 0.86, intra-observer repeatability ICC = 0.89. All p values < .001.) CONCLUSIONS: In non-dysplastic knees the mid inter-epicondyle trochlea intersection (MIELTI) accurately identifies the deepest part of the trochlea, and TT-MIELTI is a reliable alternative to the TT-TG. Re-assessment in dysplastic knees would be of benefit to establish its usefulness in the clinical setting.

Safety and efficacy of Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) in patients with previous transperineal biopsy (TPB): outcomes from a dual-centre case-control study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the surgical feasibility, safety and effectiveness of 50 W (low power) Holmium Laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) in patients who have undergone previous template biopsy of the prostate (TPB). METHODS: Data encompassing pre-operative baseline characteristics, intra-operative measures and post-operative outcomes was collected for 109 patients undergoing HoLEP across two UK centres. Patients were stratified into two groups; group 1 (n = 24) had undergone previous TPB were compared with 'controls' (no previous TPB) in group 2 (n = 85). The primary outcome was successful HoLEP. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in either key baseline characteristics or mass of prostate enucleated between groups 1 and 2. There was no statistically significant difference in enucleation or morcellation times parameters between the two groups other than enucleation efficiency in favour of group 1 (p = 0.024). Functional outcomes improved, without any statistically significant difference, in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a previous TPB, HoLEP is surgically feasible, safe and effective. TPB should not be considered a contraindication to HoLEP. Our work provides a strong foundation for further research in this area.