Abstract: BACKGROUND: All patients who undergo surgery for colon cancer are followed up according to the guidelines of the Norwegian Gastrointestinal Cancer Group (NGICG). These guidelines state that the aims of follow-up after surgery are to perform quality assessment, provide support and improve survival. In Norway, most of these patients are followed up in a hospital setting. We describe a multi-centre randomized controlled trial to test whether these patients can be followed up by their general practitioner (GP) without altering quality of life, cost effectiveness and/or the incidence of serious clinical events. METHODS AND DESIGN: Patients undergoing surgery for colon cancer with histological grade Dukes's Stage A, B or C and below 75 years of age are eligible for inclusion. They will be randomized after surgery to follow-up at the surgical outpatient clinic (control group) or follow-up by the district GP (intervention group). Both study arms comply with the national NGICG guidelines. The primary endpoints will be quality of life (QoL) (measured by the EORTC QLQ C-30 and the EQ-5D instruments), serious clinical events (SCEs), and costs. The follow-up period will be two years after surgery, and quality of life will be measured every three months. SCEs and costs will be estimated prospectively. The sample size was 170 patients. DISCUSSION: There is an ongoing debate on the best method of follow-up for patients with CRC. Due to a wide range of follow-up programmes and paucity of randomized trials, it is impossible to draw conclusions about the best combination and frequency of clinic (or family practice) visits, blood tests, endoscopic procedures and radiological examinations that maximize the clinical outcome, quality of life and costs. Most studies on follow-up of CRC patients have been performed in a hospital outpatient setting. We hypothesize that postoperative follow-up of colon cancer patients (according to national guidelines) by GPs will not have any impact on patients' quality of life. Furthermore, we hypothesize that there will be no increase in SCEs and that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio will improve. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The trial registration number is: NCT00572143.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Waiting time and costs from referral to day case outpatient surgery are at an unacceptably high level. The waiting time in Norway averages 240 days for common surgical conditions. Furthermore, in North Norway the population is scattered throughout a large geographic area, making the cost of travel to a specialist examination before surgery considerable. Electronic standardised referrals and booking of day case outpatient surgery by GPs are possible through the National Health Network, which links all health care providers in an electronic network. New ways of using this network might reduce the waiting time and cost of outpatient day case surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomised controlled trial, selected patients (inguinal hernia, gallstone disease and pilonidal sinus) referred to the university hospital are either randomised to direct electronic referral and booking for outpatient surgery (one stop), or to the traditional patient pathway where all patients are seen at the outpatient clinic several weeks ahead of surgery. Consultants in gastrointestinal surgery designed standardised referral forms and guidelines. New software has been designed making it possible to implement referral forms, guidelines and patient information in the GP's electronic health record. For "one-stop" referral, GPs must provide mandatory information about the specific condition. Referrals were linked to a booking system, enabling the GPs to book the hospital, day and time for outpatient surgery. The primary endpoints are waiting time and costs. The sample size calculation was based on waiting time. A reduction in waiting time of 60 days (effect size), 25%, is significant, resulting in a sample size of 120 patients in total. DISCUSSION: Poor communication between primary and secondary care often results in inefficiencies and unsatisfactory outcomes. We hypothesised that standardised referrals would improve the quality of information, making it feasible to use a one-stop approach for all patients undergoing surgery on an outpatient basis for inguinal hernia, pilonidal sinus and gallstones.In this study we wanted to investigate the waiting time and cost-effectiveness of direct electronic referral and booking of outpatient surgery compared to the traditional patient pathway, where the patient is seen at the outpatient clinic prior to surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The trial registration number is: NCT00692497.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Incisional hernia in patients electively operated on the abdominal aorta is common. METHODS: Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and with aorto-iliac occlusive disease (n = 231) operated at Tromsø University Hospital between 1992 and 1998 were identified. Data were obtained from patient files and from a postal questionnaire sent to 172 patients and returned by 140 (85%). RESULTS: Mean follow-up time was 3.5 years; 49 out of 140 patients (35%) had incisional hernia, 42 of these had been operated for aneurysm and seven for occlusive disease. Patients operated for aneurysm had an increased risk of developing incisional hernia (OR 3.1, p = 0.03). Obesity and smoking were associated risk factors. The hernias appeared earlier in patients with aorta aneurysm than in patients with occlusive disease (p < 0.01). A large proportion of the patients reported discomfort due to their hernias. INTERPRETATION: Abdominal aorta aneurysm seems to be associated with alterations in the connective tissue. Incisional hernia is a significant source of morbidity in patients operated for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Preoperative and operative assessment of the 367 patients operated on for rheumatic mitral stenosis with closed mitral commissurotomy (CMC) at the regional hospital in Archangel, northwest Russia, between 1965 and 1993. DESIGN: Retrospective survey. RESULTS: Mean age at first attack of rheumatic fever was 15 years +/- 1.09 years. Mean age at time of surgery was 33.4 years +/- 0.92. Preoperatively, most patients (67%, n = 245) were in New York Heart Association stage III; 29% (n = 107) in stage IV. Digital commissurotomy alone was performed in 16% (n = 57) and a transventricular dilator was used in 84% (n = 310). Operative blood loss was average (384.4 ml +/- 34 ml); 20% (n = 73) developed wound infection, 21% (n = 77) pericarditis. In-hospital stay was above 50 days for both sexes. In-hospital mortality was 1.6% (n = 6). CONCLUSION: Rheumatic heart disease developed rapidly in these patients. CMC has a place as a low cost treatment of mitral stenosis when a heart lung machine is not available.

Abstract: 296 patients who were operated between 1965 and 1993 with mitral commissurotomy, were included in this retrospective study of rheumatic heart disease in North-West Russia. There were 117 (39.5%) reported cases of acute rheumatic fever, with either polyarthritis (n = 88), carditis (n = 23), or Sydenham's chorea (n = 6). There were no reported cases of erythema marginatum and subcutaneous nodules. The first case of acute rheumatic fever in our patients was in 1924. More than 50% of the patients (164) did not get the diagnosis acute rheumatic fever, and became aware of their rheumatic heart disease only when symptoms of mitral stenosis appeared. 15 patients had a subclinical attack of rheumatic fever, i.e. not all of Jones' criteria were fulfilled. At onset of acute rheumatic fever, the mean age was 15 years, when valvular disease was confirmed 24 years, and 33 years at mitral surgery. Dyspnea (n = 293) was the most common symptom of mitral stenosis, followed by atrial fibrillation (n = 105). 15 patients developed cerebral stroke. The Archangel Health Region has one of the highest prevalences of rheumatic heart disease in Europe (3.7/1,000 in those above 16 years of age, 1993). There is high mortality and the disease develops rapidly.