Conflitos morais na prática fisioterapêutica: percepção de fisioterapeutas e alunos / Moral conflicts in physiotherapy practice: perception of physiotherapists and students

Os conflitos morais são inerentes à prática da fisioterapia, tanto mais que manifestações da evolução científica estão cada vez mais presentes na práxis profissional do fisioterapeuta, o que exige um contato próximo entre o profissional e o paciente. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a percepção de fisioterapeutas e alunos de um curso de fisioterapia sobre os conflitos morais na prática clínica. Foi realizado um estudo transversal por meio de questionário aplicado aos alunos das etapas inicial (Grupo 1) e final (Grupo 2) de um curso de fisioterapia e também a fisioterapeutas (Grupo 3) que atuam em cidades do Meio-Oeste de Santa Catarina, Brasil. A amostra foi composta por 110 alunos, sendo 59 do Grupo 1 e 51 do Grupo 2, com média de idade de 22,7 anos e predominantemente do sexo feminino. Além disso, havia 36 fisioterapeutas incluídos no Grupo 3, a maioria do sexo feminino, com idades variando de 31 a 40 anos e com 11 a 20 anos de formação. Quase todos os alunos e profissionais relataram que a abordagem da ética profissional e da bioética na formação profissional são particularmente importantes. Os alunos de estágios mais avançados, que realizaram o curso de bioética, apresentaram maior conhecimento geral quando comparados aos demais grupos, indicando a importância do ensino dessa temática na graduação. A maioria dos profissionais (75%) relatou pouco conhecimento sobre os temas abordados no Código de Ética e Deontologia da Fisioterapia; 72% afirmaram ter lido parcialmente o documento, mas apenas 47% recebem atualizações anuais sobre o código de ética. Os conflitos mais citados pelos profissionais foram sigilo e confidencialidade (61,1%), relacionamento intra e interprofissional (33,3%), honorários (30,5%), autonomia profissional (25%), veracidade das informações (19,4%), relacionamento terapeuta / paciente (16,7%) e autonomia, decência e intimidade do paciente (5,5%). Os conflitos morais fazem parte da prática da fisioterapia, mesmo que não tenham sido suficientemente reconhecidos pelos participantes em alguns casos. Com base neste estudo, algumas medidas são necessárias quanto ao ensino, à atualização profissional e à inclusão de temas no código profissional da fisioterapia, visto que algumas questões constituem um desafio para a formação ética. Infelizmente, eles não são abordados no código de ética profissional do fisioterapeuta e os profissionais que concluíram o treinamento antes não tiveram um aprendizado adequado sobre os temas discutidos.

Moral conflicts are inherent to the practice of physiotherapy, more so as manifestations of the scientific evolution are increasingly more present in the professional praxis of the physiotherapist, which demands a close contact between the professional and the patient. The objective of this study was to analyze the perception of physiotherapists and students in a physiotherapy program towards moral conflicts in clinical practice. A cross-sectional study was performed by means of a questionnaire applied to students in initial (Group 1) and final (Group 2) stages of a physiotherapy course as well as to physiotherapists (Group 3) working in cities in the Midwest of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The sample consisted of 110 students, 59 in Group 1 and 51 in Group 2, with a mean age of 22.7 years old and were predominantly females. Moreover, there were 36 physiotherapists included in Group 3, most of whom were female, with ages ranging from 31 to 40 years old and with 11 to 20 years of training. Almost all students and professionals reported that approaching professional ethics and bioethics in professional training is particularly important. The students in the more advanced stages, who had taken the bioethics course, showed greater general knowledge when compared to the other groups, indicating the importance of teaching this theme at the undergraduate level. Most professionals (75%) self-reported little knowledge on the topics discussed in the Ethics and Deontology Code of Physiotherapy; 72% affirmed having partially read the document, but only 47% get annual updates on the ethics code. The conflicts most frequently mentioned by the professionals were secrecy and confidentiality (61.1%), intra- and interprofessional relationship (33.3%), fees (30.5%), professional autonomy (25%), truthfulness of information (19.4%), therapist/patient relationship (16.7%), and patient autonomy, decency, and intimacy (5.5%). Moral conflicts are part of the practice of physiotherapy, even if it was not sufficiently acknowledged by the participants in some cases. Based on this study, some measures are needed regarding teaching, professional recycling, and the inclusion of themes in the professional code of physiotherapy, considering that some issues constitute a challenge for ethical training. Unfortunately, but they are not addressed in the physiotherapist's professional code of ethics and professionals who finished training before did not have adequate learning on the topics discussed.

Melanocytic Matrical Carcinoma Mimicking Melanoma.

Melanocytic matrical carcinoma is a very uncommon malignant neoplasm with follicular differentiation. The lesion often presents as a solitary nodule on sun-exposed skin of elderly patients. Histopathologically, it is characterized by proliferation of atypical matrical cells admixed with an increased number of melanocytes, and some atypical matrical cells may have cytoplasmic pigment. When melanocytic proliferation or melanin pigment is prominent, melanocytic metrical carcinoma can mimic melanoma. Here, we present a novel case of melanocytic matrical carcinoma mimicking melanoma in an 80-year-old man with our findings in histopathologic and immunohistochemical study.

Malignant cylindroma in a patient with Brooke-Spiegler syndrome.

Malignant cylindroma (cylindromatous carcinoma, cylindrocarcinoma) is the malignant counterpart of benign cylindroma. It is a rare neoplasm, more often developing in the setting of multiple preexisting benign neoplasms. Herein we present an additional case of malignant transformation of the cylindroma diagnosed in an 83-year-old patient with known Brooke-Spiegler syndrome.

Porocarcinoma with perineural invasion.

Herein we present the case of a 58 year old woman with porocarcinoma of the left forehead with perineural invasion, diagnosed after recurrence of previously excised benign poroma. This case serves as a reminder of the potential of malignant degeneration within long-standing benign adnexal tumors as well as the spectrum of histological features that may be seen in porocarcinoma.

Use of a picosecond pulse duration laser with specialized optic for treatment of facial acne scarring.

IMPORTANCE: Fractional laser technology is routinely used in the treatment of acne scarring, with thermal injury resulting in collagen synthesis and remodeling. Use of a picosecond pulse duration with a diffractive lens array may be a new technologic advancement in the treatment of acne scarring. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of a 755-nm alexandrite picosecond pulse duration laser with diffractive lens array for the treatment of facial acne scarring. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This single-center, prospective study performed in a private practice with a dedicated research department included patients with clinically diagnosed scarring secondary to inflammatory or cystic acne. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received 6 treatments with a 755-nm picosecond laser with a spot size of 6 mm, fluence of 0.71 J/cm2, repetition rate of 5 Hz, and pulse width of 750 picoseconds in combination with a diffractive lens array, allowing for greater surface area and pattern density per pulse. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The pain and satisfaction scores for overall appearance and texture were recorded. Masked assessment of clinical photographs and analysis of 3-dimensional volumetric data were performed. Biopsy specimens were obtained for independent histologic evaluation by 2 investigators at baseline and at 3 months after last treatment. RESULTS: Fifteen women and 5 men (mean age, 44 years; age range, 27-61 years) with Fitzpatrick skin types I through V and facial acne scarring were enrolled. The mean pain score was 2.83 of 10. Patients were satisfied to extremely satisfied with improvement in appearance and texture at their final treatment and follow-up visits. The masked assessment scores of 17 patients were 1.5 of 3 and 1.4 of 3 at 1 and 3 months, respectively (a score of 0 indicates 0%-25% improvement and a score of 3 indicates >75% improvement). A 3-dimensional analysis revealed a mean 24.3% improvement in scar volume, maintained at 1 (24.0%) and 3 (27.2%) months after treatment. Histologic analysis revealed elongation and increased density of elastic fibers, with an increase in dermal collagen and mucin. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Treatment of facial acne scars with a diffractive lens array and 755-nm picosecond laser produced improvement in appearance and texture at 3 months after the last treatment, with objective findings similar to those published for a series of fractional ablative laser treatments. Histologic findings suggest that improvement in scarring from this treatment goes beyond remodeling of collagen.

Necrobiosis lipoidica.

A 58-year-old woman presented with a seven-year history of an eruption on her lower legs that was associated with edema, weeping, pruritus, and a burning sensation. Past medical history included Hashimoto thyroiditis, which was diagnosed eight years prior to presentation. Histopathologic examination was consistent with necrobiosis lipoidica (NL). To our knowledge, NL that is associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis has been described in only one prior report. NL is a chronic, cutaneous, granulomatous condition with degenerative connective-tissue changes of unknown etiology. Our patient responded well to a potent topical glucocorticoid and topical tretinoin. Although our patient did not have diabetes mellitus, 75 percent of patients with NL have diabetes mellitus at the time of diagnosis or will subsequently develop diabetes mellitus. This association with diabetes mellitus mandates screening for glucose intolerance in all patients with NL.

Metastatic balloon cell malignant melanoma: a case report and literature review.

A case of metastatic balloon cell malignant melanoma (BCMM) is presented. The balloon melanoma cells (BMC) were absent in the shave biopsy of the primary lesion and present as a minor component in the wide and deep excision. A subsequent right neck lymph node metastasis showed complete replacement of the lymph node by large, foamy cells. Though the tumor was amelanocytic and Fontana-Masson stain failed to reveal melanin, it stained positively for S-100, HMB-45, and Melan-A. Ultrastructurally, the foamy cells were characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolization and a lack of melanosomes. The differential diagnosis of metastatic balloon cell malignant melanoma is broad, and clinicopathologic correlation may play a critical role in achieving the correct diagnosis.

Widespread granulomatous dermatitis of infancy: an early sign of Blau syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric sarcoidosis has traditionally been divided into 2 distinct groups: (1) school-aged children and adolescents with frequent involvement of the lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes (similar to adult sarcoidosis) and (2) infants and preschoolers with the triad of arthritis, uveitis, and a cutaneous eruption of discrete small papules, referred to as early-onset sarcoidosis. Blau syndrome, a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis caused by mutations in the NOD2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2) gene, has been considered as the familial form of early-onset sarcoidosis. OBSERVATIONS: A 9-month-old boy developed an asymptomatic eruption of 1- to 2-mm, red-brown to pinkish tan, flat-topped papules on the face, trunk, and extremities. There was no evidence of ocular involvement or arthritis. The skin lesions were characterized histologically by noncaseating granulomas in a periadnexal distribution within the dermis. A family history of uveitis supported a diagnosis of Blau syndrome, and analysis of the NOD2 gene revealed a heterozygous gain-of-function missense mutation (Arg334Trp) that has previously been detected in Blau syndrome kindreds. CONCLUSION: We draw attention to granulomatous dermatitis as an early manifestation of Blau syndrome and highlight emerging molecular evidence that this heritable autoinflammatory disorder and early-onset sarcoidosis represent a single disease entity.

Generalized pustules in a healthy woman.

A healthy 47-year-old woman developed diffuse pustules and edema of the skin after exposure to diltiazem and cephalexin. Bacterial, fungal and viral cultures were sterile suggesting a noninfectious etiology. A skin biopsy showed spongiosis, subcorneal collections of neutrophils, papillary dermal edema and a superficial perivascular mixed cell infiltrate. The clinical and histopathologic findings were consistent with acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). The patient was treated with supportive care and the pustular dermatitis cleared. AGEP is a rare complication of drug therapy and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with acute onset pustular dermatitis. Drug reactions are an uncommon and unpredictable complication of medical therapy. Cutaneous drug reaction rates occur with a frequency of 1% to 8% and can be higher for certain classes of drugs. They can range from mild morbilliform eruptions to more severe forms such as drug-hypersensitivity syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis or anaphylaxis. Acute generalized exanthermatous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare presentation of a drug reaction and can be difficult to distinguish from other pustular dermatoses. Herein we review a case of AGEP and include a discussion of salient clinical and histological features of AGEP.