Lung Transplantaiton, Spina Bifida, Oesophageal Cancer and Drive-Thru Medicine

Cystic fibrosis is the most prevalent serious genetically inherited disorder in Scotland, and it was really interesting tonight listening to the experiences of a Glasgow medical student with the condition who received a lung transplant one year ago. Having finished medical school against the recommendation of her doctors her condition worsened to the extent that she could not work. After waiting on the transplant list (for up to 2 years) she had the transplant and has made a remarkable return to health. The report on the Student BMJ podcast also talked about how half of the people on the waiting list never receive a transplant, and that the UK has significantly lower levels than, say, Spain which has the highest transplant rates in the world. The first organ transplant was successfully carried out in Boston in 1954. Sounds like the GMC are doing something about this:

GMC is to instruct all GPs to talk to dying patients about organ donation. BMJ 2009;339:b3578 2nd September 09

Found out today that the UK now has its first 'private' medical school, at the University of Buckingham. Hope this isn't just another step in the privatisation of health care, NHS doctors vs private trained doctors in a few years time maybe? Watched a really captivating programme on BBC iPlayer tonight about living with Alzheimers disease, good to re-visit these things from time to time.

Patients who I saw today in gynaecology: a woman in theatre for laparoscopic sterilisation, a second pateint with menorrhagia in theatre for endometrial biopsy, and a 76 y.o. woman with late-presentation of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer often presents with obscure symptoms, and often goes un-diagnosed. Some research is now being carried out to identify and refer patients with suspected ovarian cancer quicker from primary care.

Risk of ovarian cancer in women with symptoms in primary care: population based case-control study. BMJ 2009;339:b2998. 25th August 09

In the news yesterday Scotland has the highest rates of spina bifida in the UK. Although the number of pregnancies affected by the condition are roughly equal, women in Scotland are less likely to terminate the pregnancy than their English counterparts. However this was hardly the impression I got having spent the afternoon in the Nairn clinic and hearing that Dundee has the highest rates of terminations of pregnancy in the UK. It was a real day of contrasts yesterday, with the morning spent on the infertility ward, and the afternoon the direct opposite. I wonder what the women on the infertility ward would feel about what goes on down in the basement of level 6... Spina bifida can be prevented by regular folic acid supplements, and can be detected on fetal ultrasound scanning by identifying the classic 'lemon and banana signs'.

Apparently one state in the US (Kentucky I think) has come up with an efficient way of vaccinating large volumes of people against flu in a short space of time: the drive-thru vaccination clinic! Not a bad idea but not quite sure about the safety! They tell people waiting in the queue, 'roll up your sleeves and roll down your windows!'.

Apparently the medical school has been issuing new dress code measures, and students should 'dress in a manner which inspires public confidence'. I'll try! Have recently found a couple of new tools for helping pass 4th year: Patient information leaflets, OnExamination.com and YouTube!

Amy gets back tomorrow!!!! Hope she brings back the Australian sun with her....

New music I need to download at some point: Fielding and The GoStation. Think the news about Chelsea's transfer ban is absolutely hilarious, puts Eduardo's two match ban (which will hopefully be overturned but doubt it will) into perspective!

Finally, saw an interesting research article on the BMJ today:

Tea drinking habits and oesophageal cancer in a high risk area in northern Iran: population based case-control study. BMJ 2009;338:b929. 26th March 09

brought to my attention on the BMJ podcast this week.

Now, for more Late Night Love courtesy of Wave 102........................or maybe another episode of The Office on BBC iPlayer, absolute comedy genius!!