This paper discusses what epilepsy is and what it is not, defines types of epileptic seizures, identifies epilepsy syndromes, discusses antiepileptic drugs, describes seizure surgery, and examines issues of quality of life. (JDD)

A patient with pica and Lennox Gastaut syndrome suddenly refused oral intake. Neck radiographs revealed no foreign body. Barium swallow identified an irregular filling defect in the cervical esophagus. Esophagoscopy showed a gold ball-like object (half a lemon) 3 cm distal to the cricopharyngeus. This object had to be removed by esophagotomy after…

The inner ear is exposed to aminoglycosides or other drugs either intentionally or as a side effect of clinical treatments directed at other regions of the body. An understanding of the effects of drugs on the inner ear requires knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of the drug once it reaches the cochlear fluids, specifically how much of it reaches…

After hemispherectomy (removal or disconnection of an entire cerebral hemisphere) in childhood for treatment of intractable epilepsy, gross speech and language functions are often rescued. Whether more complex functions, such as syntactic processing, are selectively impaired, remains controversial. Here we present a cross-sectional study of…

Objective: The study assessed the relationship between a history of child abuse, nonadherence to medications, and medical outcome in children who had a liver transplant. Method: Abuse history for children and adolescents ages 8 to 21 who underwent a liver transplantation at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York was obtained in interviews in 2002.…

We evaluated the effects of a behavioral treatment on the safe passing of sharp instruments using the hands-free technique among hospital operating room personnel during surgical procedures. Treatment consisted of participative goal setting, task clarification, and feedback. The average percentage of sharp instruments passed safely increased from…

Prospective preprosthetic oral surgery patients were presented with a problem-focused, emotion-focused, or mixed-focus stress management intervention. The mixed-focus intervention produced the best overall response to surgery; the emotion-focused intervention produced the lowest adjustment levels. Better adjustment and satisfaction and lower…

The Arnold-Chiari malformation is present in most infants born with myelomeningocele (a form of spina bifida) and hydrocephalus. The syndrome is responsible for structural abnormalities in the brain, and peripheral nervous system. Etiology, symptoms, impact on central nervous system structures, surgical treatment, and implications for education…

Reviewed were treatment problems encountered in the care of 143 hydrocephalic children with ventriculocardiac shunts. (GW)

Reports on a faculty exchange program between Seton Hall University and the Hangzhou School of Nursing in Zhejiang, China. Discusses the differences in medical treatment and learning strategies between the two countries. (JOW)

Psychological tests were administered to a crisis group undergoing surgery for cancer and to a comparison group on the night before surgery and thereafter at three-week intervals. Results indicated significant psychological changes only in the crisis group. Duration of crisis was greater than six weeks but less than seven months. (Author)

Interviews with 36 hospital employees evaluated the impact of level 3 National Vocational Qualifications in operating room practice. Most said they had a positive effect on working relationships; implementation had overcome barriers between nurses and operating department assistants/practitioners. Those who trained under earlier systems were…

This paper reviews Family Court of Australia cases concerning performing hysterectomies on premenarchal women who have an intellectual disability, with specific reference to relevant Australian legislation. The paper discusses the implications for women who have an intellectual disability, which may have international applicability. (Author/JDD)

This article describes a device, the Visual Hand Display, used by pediatric ophthalmologists at the Children's Low Vision Center (Boston) to evaluate a child's postoperative visual functioning. The device consists of different sized black stripes on white circles and a face. (DB)