PURPOSE: Trauma centres have been proven to provide better outcomes in developed countries for overall trauma, but there is limited literature on the systematic factors that describe any discrepancies in outcomes for trauma laparotomies in these centres. This study was conducted to examine and interrogate the effect of systematic factors on patients undergoing a trauma laparotomy in a developed country, intending to identify potential discrepancies in the outcome. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of all laparotomies performed for trauma at a level 1 trauma centre in New Zealand. All adult patients who had undergone an index laparotomy for trauma between February 2012 and November 2020 were identified and laparotomies for both blunt and penetrating trauma were included. Repeat laparotomies and trauma laparotomies in children were excluded. The primary clinical outcomes reviewed included morbidity, length of hospital stay, and mortality. All statistical analysis was performed using R v.4.0.3. RESULTS: During the 9-year study period, 204 trauma laparotomies were performed at Waikato hospital. The majority (83.3%) were performed during office hours (170/204), and the remaining 16.7% were performed after hours (34/204). And 61.3% were performed on a weekday (125/204), whilst 38.7% were performed on the weekend/public holiday (79/204). Most of the parameters in office hours and after hours groups had no statistically significant difference, except lactate (p = 0.026). Most of the variables in weekday and weekend groups had no statistically significant difference, except pH, lactate, length of stay, and gastrointestinal complications (p = 0.012, p < 0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.020, respectively). CONCLUSION The current trauma system at Waikato hospital is capable of delivering care for trauma laparotomy patients with the same outcome regardless of working hours or after hours, weekday or weekend. This confirms the importance of a robust trauma system capable of responding to the sudden demands placed on it.
Adult ; Child ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Trauma Centers ; Retrospective Studies ; New Zealand/epidemiology* ; Lactic Acid ; Abdominal Injuries/surgery*

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the current status of application of acupuncture in low back pain guidelines. METHODS: The computer retrieval was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, China Journal Full Text Database (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP, Wanfang, guidelines databases, and the official websites of WHO and academic organizations (American Pain Society, American College of Physicians, etc.). After screening, the basic information and acupuncture-related issues in the guidelines that met the inclusion criteria were extracted and compared by using Excel software. RESULTS: A total of 35 low back pain guidelines were included. ① One guideline was published before 2000, 16 guidelines were published from 2000 to 2010, and 18 guidelines were published from 2011 to 2017; 17 guidelines were published by the United States, 4 by Canada and China, 2 by New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and 1 by Netherlands, Philippines, Denmark and Italy. ② Twenty-three guidelines were evidence-based guidelines, which was developed mainly by system review, meta-analysis and expert consultation, involving diagnosis, treatment, primary care of low back pain. ③ Acupuncture was mentioned in 23 guidelines, of them, 7 guidelines recommended acupuncture, 6 guidelines indicated that acupuncture might be considered under certain conditions such as combined with other therapies or patients were interested in acupuncture, however, 10 guidelines did not recommended acupuncture for low back pain. CONCLUSION The guidelines of low back pain are mainly developed by Europe countries and the United States, and the majority is published in the last 20 years. Among them, 20% of the guidelines have recommend acupuncture for low back pain.
Acupuncture Therapy ; China ; Europe ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Netherlands ; New Zealand ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; United Kingdom

PURPOSE: This study sought to describe the different clinical features and presentations of primary ocular toxoplasmosis in a setting not demonstrating an outbreak of disease.METHODS: This was a retrospective review of patients presenting to uveitis management services in Auckland and Hamilton, New Zealand between 2003 to 2018 with uveitis and positive toxoplasmosis immunoglobulin M serology.RESULTS: We identified 16 patients with primary acquired toxoplasmosis infection and ocular involvement. The mean age was 53 years. Systemic symptoms were reported in 56% (9 / 16). Visual acuity was reduced to 20 / 30 or less in 50% of patients (8 / 16). A single focus of retinitis without a pigmented scar was the salient clinical feature in 69% (11 / 16). Optic nerve inflammation was the sole clinical finding in 19% (3 / 16). Bilateral arterial vasculitis was the sole clinical finding in 13% (2 / 16). A delay in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis of more than two weeks occurred in 38% (6 / 16) due to an initial alternative diagnosis. Antibiotic therapy was prescribed in all cases. Vision was maintained or improved in 69% (11 / 16) at the most recent follow-up visit (15 months to 10 years). Relapse occurred in 69% (11 / 16), typically within four years from the initial presentation.CONCLUSIONS: Primary ocular toxoplasmosis presenting in adulthood is a relatively uncommon cause of posterior uveitis in New Zealand. This condition should be considered in any patient presenting with retinitis or optic nerve inflammation without a retinochoroidal scar. This disease tends to relapse; thus, close follow-up is required.
Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Inflammation ; New Zealand ; Optic Nerve ; Recurrence ; Retinitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Toxoplasmosis ; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular ; Uveitis ; Uveitis, Posterior ; Vasculitis ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the use of a radiopaque tissue fiducial marker (TFM) in the treatment of prostate cancer patients who undergo post-prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT). TFM safety, its role and benefit in quantifying the set-up uncertainties in patients undergoing PPRT image-guided radiotherapy were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 45 consecutive PPRT patients underwent transperineal implantation of TFM at the level of vesicourethral anastomosis in the retrovesical tissue prior to intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Prostate bed motion was calculated by measuring the position of the TFM relative to the pelvic bony anatomy on daily cone-beam computed tomography. The stability and visibility of the TFM were assessed in the initial 10 patients. RESULTS: No postoperative complications were recorded. A total of 3,500 images were analysed. The calculated prostate bed motion for bony landmark matching relative to TFM were 2.25 mm in the left-right, 5.89 mm in the superior-inferior, and 6.59 mm in the anterior-posterior directions. A significant 36% reduction in the mean volume of rectum receiving 70 Gy (rV₇₀) was achieved for a uniform planning target volume (PTV) margin of 7 mm compared with the Australian and New Zealand Faculty of Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group recommended PTV margin of 10 mm. CONCLUSION: The use of TFM was safe and can potentially eliminate set-up errors associated with bony landmark matching, thereby allowing for tighter PTV margins and a consequent favourable reduction in dose delivered to the bladder and rectum, with potential improvements in toxicities.
Clothing ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Fiducial Markers ; Humans ; New Zealand ; Postoperative Complications ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Image-Guided ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to confirm if Laser-treated implants were soaked in 0.9% NaCl solution for 2 weeks could increase the surface hydrophilicity, and the Remoal Torque of each implant that inserted in rabbit tibia for initial healing period of 10 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty machined titanium surface screws were produced with a diameter 3 mm, length 8 mm. Ten screws had their surface treated with a laser only (laser treated group), and the other 10 were soaked in saline for 2 weeks after surface treatment with a laser (laser treated + saline soaked group). Implants were inserted in rabbit tibia (ten adult New Zealand white rabbits), and the RTQ of each implant was measured after 10 days. The wettability among implants was compared by measuring the contact angle. Surface composition and surface topography were analyzed. RESULTS: After 10 days, the laser treat + soaking group implants had a significantly higher mean RTQ than the laser treated implants (P = .002, < .05). There were no significant morphological differences between groups, and no remarkable differences were found between the two groups in the SEM analysis. CONCLUSION: Saline soaking implants is expected to produce excellent RTQ and surface analysis results.
Adult ; Humans ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; New Zealand ; Tibia ; Titanium ; Torque ; Wettability

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PURPOSE: To describe our experience in the management and outcomes of vertebral column osteomyelitis (VCO), particularly focusing on the risk factors of early and late mortality. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Previous reports suggest a global increase in spinal column infections highlighting significant morbidity and mortality. To date, there have been no reports from our local population, and no previous report has assessed the potential relationship of frailty with mortality in a cohort of patients with VCO. METHODS: We reviewed 76 consecutive patients with VCO between 2009 and 2016 in Waikato Hospital, New Zealand. Demographic, clinical, microbiological, and treatment data were collected. Comorbidities were noted to calculate the modified Frailty Index (mFI). Mortality at 30 days and 1 year was recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the predictors of mortality. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 64.1 years, with 77.6% being male. Most patients presented with axial back pain (71.1%), with the lumbar spine most commonly affected (46%). A mean of 2.1 vertebral bodies was involved. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism of infection (35.5%), and 15.8% of patients exhibited polymicrobial infection. Twenty patients (26.3%) underwent surgical intervention, which was more likely in patients with concomitant spinal epidural abscess (odds ratio [OR], 4.88) or spondylodiscitis (OR, 3.81). Mortality rate was 5.2% at 30 days and 22.3% at 1 year. The presence of frailty (OR, 13.62) and chronic renal failure (OR, 13.40) elevated the 30-day mortality risk only in univariate analysis. An increase in age (OR, 1.07) and the number of vertebral levels (OR, 2.30) elevated the 1-year mortality risk in both univariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Although the mFI correlated with 30-day mortality in univariate analysis, it was not a significant predictor in multivariate analysis. An increase in age and the number of levels involved elevated the 1-year mortality risk.
Adult ; Back Pain ; Cohort Studies ; Coinfection ; Comorbidity ; Discitis ; Epidural Abscess ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; New Zealand ; Osteomyelitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spine ; Staphylococcus aureus

Eleven steroid hormones (SHs: androstene-3,17-dione, estrone, β-estradiol, α-estradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, 17á-hydroxyprogesterone, medroxyprogesterone, megestrol acetate, progesterone, and androsterone) were detected from New Zealand deer (Cervus elaphus var. scoticus) velvet antler (NZA, 鹿茸). A method for the quantification of eleven SHs was established by using ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-MS/MS. The linearities (R² > 0.991), limits of quantification (LOQ values, 0.3 ng/mL to 23.1 ng/mL), intraday and interday precisions (relative standard deviation: RSD < 2.43%), and recovery rates (97.3% to 104.6%) for all eleven SHs were determined. In addition, a method for the quantification of three 7-oxycholesterols (7-O-CSs: 7-ketocholesterol, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, and 7β-hydroxycholesterol) in the NZA was established by using an HPLC-photodiode array (PDA) method. The linearities (R² > 0.999), LOQ values (30 ng/mL to 350 ng/mL), intraday and interday precisions (RSD < 1.93%), and recovery rates (97.2% to 103.5%) for the three 7-O-CSs were determined. These quantitative methods are accurate, precise, and reproducible. As a result, it is suggested that the five steroid compounds of androstene-3,17-dione, androsterone, 7-ketocholesterol, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, and 7β-hydroxycholesterol could be marker steroids of NZA. These methods can be applied to quantify or standardize the marker steroids present in NZA.
Androsterone ; Animals ; Antlers ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Deer ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Estrone ; Medroxyprogesterone ; Megestrol Acetate ; Methods ; New Zealand ; Progesterone ; Steroids ; Testosterone

PURPOSE: Up to now, there is no feasible solution for stopping or reversing the degenerative process of osteoarthritis (OA). Our study evaluated the effect of intra-articular injection of growth hormone (GH) in OA-induced rabbit knees compared to hyaluronic acid (HA) and placebo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 male, skeletally mature, New Zealand rabbits received an intra-articular type II collagenase injection for OA induction. Two weeks later, the rabbits were randomized into three groups based on the weekly intra-articular injection to be received: GH, HA, and saline. Injections were done for three consecutive weeks. Evaluation was done at 8 weeks after treatment, clinically using the lameness period, macroscopically using the Yoshimi score and microscopically using the Mankin score. RESULTS: The shortest period of lameness was found in the GH group (15.9±2.12 days), compared to the HA group (19.4±1.72 days) and placebo group (25.0±2.94 days). There was a statistically significant difference in macroscopic scoring between groups (p=0.001) in favor of the GH group. There was also significant difference in the microscopic score between groups (p=0.001) also in favor of the GH group. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-articular injection of GH showed better clinical, macroscopic and microscopic results as compared to HA and placebo.
Collagenases ; Growth Hormone ; Human Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee ; Male ; New Zealand ; Osteoarthritis ; Rabbits

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and/or biological scaffolds have been used to regenerate articular cartilage with variable success. In the present study we evaluated cartilage regeneration using a combination of bone marrow (BM)-MSCs, Hyalofast™ and/or native cartilage tissue following full thickness surgical cartilage defect in rabbits. METHODS: Full-thickness surgical ablation of the medial-tibial cartilage was performed in New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits. Control rabbits (Group-I) received no treatment; Animals in other groups were treated as follows. Group-II: BMMSCs (1 × 10⁶ cells) + Hyalofast™; Group-III: BMMSCs (1 × 10⁶ cells) + cartilage pellet (CP); and Group-IV: BMMSCs (1 × 10⁶ cells) + Hyalofast™+ CP. Animals were sacrificed at 12 weeks and cartilage regeneration analyzed using histopathology, International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS-II) score, magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score and biomechanical studies. RESULTS: Gross images showed good tissue repair (Groups IV>III>Group II) and histology demonstrated intact superficial layer, normal chondrocyte arrangement, tidemark and cartilage matrix staining (Groups III and IV) compared to the untreated control (Group I) respectively. ICRS-II score was 52.5, 65.0, 66 and 75% (Groups I–IV) and the MOCART score was 50.0, 73.75 and 76.25 (Groups II–IV) respectively. Biomechanical properties of the regenerated cartilage tissue in Group IV closed resembled that of a normal cartilage. CONCLUSION: Hyalofast™ together with BM-MSCs and CP led to efficient cartilage regeneration following full thickness surgical ablation of tibial articular cartilage in vivo in rabbits. Presence of hyaluronic acid in the scaffold and native microenvironment cues probably facilitated differentiation and integration of BM-MSCs.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cartilage* ; Cartilage, Articular ; Chondrocytes ; Cues ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; New Zealand ; Osteoarthritis ; Rabbits* ; Regeneration*

BACKGROUND: Most clinicians feel ill-equipped to assess or educate patients about toxicant exposures, and it is unclear how expert environmental medicine clinicians assess these exposures or treat exposure-related conditions. We aimed to explore expert clinicians' perspectives on their practice of environmental medicine to determine the populations and toxicants that receive the most attention, identify how they deal with toxicant exposures and identify the challenges they face and where they obtain their knowledge. METHODS: A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with expert environmental clinicians in Australia and New Zealand was conducted. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and themes were identified and collated until no new themes emerged. RESULTS: Five dominant themes emerged from 16 interviews: (1) environmental medicine is a divided profession based on type of practice, patient cohort seen and attitudes towards nutrition and exposure sources; (2) clinical assessment of toxicant exposures is challenging; (3) the environmental exposure history is the most important clinical tool; (4) patients with environmental sensitivities are increasing, have unique phenotypes, are complex to treat and rarely regain full health; and (5) educational and clinical resources on environmental medicine are lacking. CONCLUSIONS Environmental medicine is divided between integrative clinicians and occupational and environmental physicians based on their practice dynamics. All clinicians face challenges in assessing toxicant loads, and an exposure history is seen as the most useful tool. Standardised exposure assessment tools have the potential to significantly advance the clinical practice of environmental medicine and expand its reach across other clinical disciplines.
Attitude of Health Personnel ; Australia ; Environmental Exposure ; Environmental Medicine ; Hazardous Substances ; New Zealand ; Physicians ; psychology