Evaluation of dynamic ultrasound scanning in the diagnosis of equivocal ventral hernias with surgical comparison.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare ultrasonography for ventral hernias with surgical findings and establish its accuracy in equivocal cases. Comparison is also made against groin hernia ultrasound scanning, which has a positive predictive value ranging from 71-100%. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent an ultrasound scan between June 2011 and June 2015 was performed. The word "hernia" in the referral information was the sole inclusioncriterion. Patients who were found to have a clinically evident ventral hernia, unrelated hernia in aseparate location or had a known hernia were excluded. Thus, only patients with a clinically suspected ventral hernia and equivocal clinical assessment were included. These patients were followed up for at least 12 months and subsequent operation notes, if any, were also analysed. RESULTS: 348 scans were included (F = 198, M = 150, F:M ratio = 1.32:1). The mean age was 53.4 years (range = 16-97 years). 101 scans were positive for hernias (29.0%), 190 were negative (54.3%), and 57 had other findings (e.g. seroma, lipoma; 16.3%). 54 patients were taken to surgery (15.5%), including 5 who were found to be negative on ultrasound. Of these, 45 were truepositives, 4 true-negatives, 4 false-negatives, and 1 false-positive, giving a sensitivity of 91.8% and positive predictive value of 97.8%. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that ultrasound scans are effective in the diagnosis of equivocal ventral hernias. Advances in knowledge: The accuracy of ultrasound scanning specifically for ventral hernias is quantified, and are comparable to that of groin hernias.

Association between the Geriatric Giants of urinary incontinence and falls in older people using data from the Leicestershire MRC Incontinence Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether urinary incontinence per se and different types of urinary incontinence individually are associated with an increased risk of falls in those aged 70 years and over. To investigate whether the presence of urinary symptoms, poor quality of life and physical limitations in this population with urinary incontinence is associated with falls. DESIGN: Study using data from the cross-sectional postal questionnaire undertaken in the Leicestershire Medical Research Council Incontinence Study. SETTING: Leicestershire. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5,474 people aged 70 years or more living in the community randomly selected from general practitioners' lists. RESULTS: Urinary incontinence and both urge and stress incontinence were positively related to falls (P < 0.0001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively). The larger the volume of urine lost, the greater the risk of falls (P < 0.0001). Falls were associated with the presence of urinary symptoms (P = 0.01 or less), physical limitations (P = 0.001 or less) and having a poorer quality of life (P = 0.004 or less) in respondents with urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: An association has been shown between falling and urinary leakage including the previously unreported association with stress leakage. Falling and urinary incontinence were found to be associated with physical limitations and had an impact on quality of life.

Hemihyperhidrosis in cerebral infarction.

Increased sweating on the hemiparetic side in cerebral infarcts is not a common clinical finding. The onset, severity and duration of symptoms can vary. The structural lesion responsible for this is a subject of conjecture. We present the case of a 66-year-old man who developed hemihyperhidrosis secondary to a cerebral infarct.

Recurrent dysphagia after oesophagectomy caused by chylomediastinum.

Chylothorax is an uncommon but recognized complication of oesophagectomy. We present a case where there was an isolated mediastinal collection of chyle presenting with recurrent dysphagia.