OAR@UM Collection:

The Synapse : the Medical Professionals' Network : volume 16 : issue 6

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Title: The Synapse : the Medical Professionals' Network : volume 16 : issue 6 Editors: Ellul, Ian C.; Galea, Wilfred Abstract: 1/ ELLUL, I. C. - Blockchain : brave new world -- 2/ AGIUS, T. M., & AGIUS, A. M. - Dizziness in the Maltese community setting : the implications od good history-taking -- 3/ MUSCAT, P., & ATTARD, M. - A case report and overview of Carbamate insecticide (Baygon) poisoning -- 4/ AZZOPARDI, M. - Fifty years a surgeon -- 5/ VASSALLO, P. - Imaging thyroid cancer.

A case report and overview of Carbamate insecticide (Baygon) poisoning

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Title: A case report and overview of Carbamate insecticide (Baygon) poisoning Authors: Muscat, Peter; Attard, Marlene Abstract: The following is a case report of a 55-year-old gentleman who experienced excessive exposure to Baygon® , a local carbamate insecticide spray. He developed symptoms that were compatible with cholinesterase inhibition, namely headache, light-headedness, confusion, bad taste, nausea and fatigue. This report demonstrates that the misapplication of insecticides commonly used in residences can cause acute poisoning.

Dizziness in the Maltese community setting : the implications of good history-taking

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Dizziness in the Maltese community setting : the implications of good history-taking Authors: Agius, Therese M.; Agius, Adrian M. Abstract: This paper presents a retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive patients presenting with dizziness to a community-based otolaryngologist. The aim of this study was to analyze the main causes of dizziness in the community, and to correlate the symptoms with the final diagnosis. The commonest causes of dizziness in this group were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthine diseases (such as Meniere’s disease and acute labyrinthitis) and brainstem vascular insufficiency. The mean age of 100 patients was 55.6 (SD ± 19.1) years. Sixty six were women and 34 were men. Clinical assessment of the main presenting symptom was very important in distinguishing between the various categories of dizziness and helped achieve a final diagnosis. Patients with vertigo were significantly more likely to have otological abnormalities compared to those patients with other forms of dizziness (p< 0.0001).

Blockchain : brave new world

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Blockchain : brave new world Abstract: Further to the previous editorial, let me attempt to highlight the main advantages of blockchain in relation to the Maltese healthcare industry...