https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/496 2026-04-11T08:53:08Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/588 Title: René Géronimo Favaloro : pioneer of Cardiac Surgery Authors: Captur, Gabriella Abstract: Dr. René G. Favaloro moved to the Cleveland Clinic in 1962 and proceeded to reshape the face of cardiac surgery as we knew it. Together with his colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic, Drs. Effler, Sones, Proudfit, Groves, Sheldon and countless others, he contributed to the double internal mammary arterymyocardial implantation by the Vineberg method, and by May 1967, he reconstructed the right coronary artery by the saphenous vein graft interposition. These landmark procedures paved the way for the aorto-coronary saphenous vein bypass graft in October 1967. Many similar breakthroughs ensued, with the application of the bypass technique to the left coronary artery, the combination of coronary artery bypass graft with left ventricular reconstruction and valve repair/replacement and finally, by December, a double bypass to the right coronary artery and anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery. In June, 1971, Dr. Favaloro decided to leave the Cleveland Clinic and return to Argentina where he created a medical centre, a teaching unit, a research department and finally an Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery. This was his greatest personal ambition. Over and above his brilliant mind and craft, Dr. Favaloro was a man of integrity, courage, honesty and humility, whose name will never cease to reverberate throughout the history of medicine. 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/587 Title: Clinical practice guidelines : the way ahead Authors: Piscopo, Tonio V.; Borg Buontempo, Mariella Abstract: A seminar entitled `Clinical Practice Guidelines - The Way Ahead' was organised jointly by the Office of the Director General and the Department of Medicine on 5th March 2005. The aim of the seminar was to introduce the concept of Clinical Practice Guidelines into the framework of the medical and paramedical professions in Malta. It was well attended by around 80 delegates from most of the healthcare professions. The seminar was co-chaired by Dr Alfred Caruana Galizia, Chairman Department of Medicine and Dr Mariella Borg Buontempo, Consultant in Public Health, Office of the Director General. 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/586 Title: Domestic violence Authors: Rosso, Mark Abstract: A thirty-two year old woman presents herself at your surgery with multiple bruising to her arms and legs and a black eye. She has no injuries apart from this bruising, which appears to be at different stages of resolution. Clinically she has no fractures. In the course of the consultation she says that this has happened before throughout her ten years of marriage and that the injuries were caused by her husband. She is concerned about her current injuries and worried that a similar incident may happen again, either to herself or her five-year-old daughter. How would you manage the consultation and follow-up? 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/585 Title: Swollen limbs and bone pain : a case report Authors: Sammut, David; Debono, Miguel; Cacciottolo, Joseph M. Abstract: A 50 year old man presented with peripheral oedema, abdominal distension and a pulmonary opacity on CXR. He subsequently perforated his sigmoid colon as a complication of diverticulitis with pericolic abscess. After colectomy his postoperative period was marked by severe hypokalaemia, metabolic alkalosis, hyperglycaemia and recurrent chest infections. Paraneoplastic Cushing's syndrome was diagnosed after finding elevated serum cortisol and ACTH levels. CT-guided biopsy of the lung lesion revealed small-cell carcinoma. Bone scan disclosed collapse of numerous thoracic vertebrae possibly due to osteoporosis or oncogenic osteomalacia. Treatment with steroid-synthesis blockers was commenced but the patient died before tumour-directed therapy could be started. Ectopic ACTH syndrome and oncogenic osteomalacia are discussed. 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z