Closing The Gap: Implementing Effective Treatments To Improve Post-operative Nausea And Vomiting
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$175,303.00
Summary
Nausea and vomiting are common after surgery, concern 80% people undergoing surgery, and are managed by drugs with unwanted side effects. High quality evidence supports acupuncture being a safe and effective non-drug therapy for this complaint. This study will examine if and how acupuncture can be delivered by doctors and nurses around operation time. In future, people may have the choice of using acupuncture or drugs, or both, for preventing or treating nausea and vomiting after surgery.
Reevaluation Of The Anatomy Of The Human Lymphatic Vessel Network
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,750.00
Summary
The mode of spread of cancer cells from a primary tumour to other parts of the body is still not completely understood, although the lymphatic system is known to be important in this process. Lymph vessels are tiny transparent channels that form a network over the entire body. They transport tissue fluid to regional lymph glands in the neck, armpits, groin, chest and abdomen where the immune response maybe initiated to combat foreign agents such as bacteria and cancer cells. Current knowledge of ....The mode of spread of cancer cells from a primary tumour to other parts of the body is still not completely understood, although the lymphatic system is known to be important in this process. Lymph vessels are tiny transparent channels that form a network over the entire body. They transport tissue fluid to regional lymph glands in the neck, armpits, groin, chest and abdomen where the immune response maybe initiated to combat foreign agents such as bacteria and cancer cells. Current knowledge of the anatomy of these tiny vessels is based on work done by Sappey more than a century ago. There is an urgent need to update this work as many of his conclusions have been found to be inaccurate. We will use our pioneering methods of microsurgical tissue transfer- now being used worldwide - and our extensive experience in delineating fine channels, to address some of the basic questions about the anatomical pathways of spread of cancer. We hope to discover for example: why cancer on one side of the back can spread to glands in the opposite groin or armpit, thought by Sappey to be impossible; why cancer on one side of the tongue can spread to lymph glands on the opposite side of the neck; and why there is sometimes swelling of the limbs following lymph gland ablation by surgery or radiotherapy of glands in the groin or armpit. Currently it is thought that the only major connections with the venous system are at the base of the neck. Our initial work has shown unexpected connections with blood vessels in the periphery and unreported lymphatic vessel pathways between the skin and deep tissues. The results of this research will give information that will aid in localizing and treating the spread of malignancies and will underlie future treatment of obstructed lymph vessels that are the cause of painful, disabling swelling (lymphoedema) of the limbs.Read moreRead less
Are Healthcare Interventions Exacerbating Alzheimer's Disease (AHEAD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$709,803.00
Summary
The AHEAD Study will assess the impact of anaesthesia and surgery on cognitive function in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild Alzheimer's Disease. Such effects have not been established. With an ageing population being increasingly exposed to healthcare procedures requiring anaesthesia or sedation, any negative impact needs to be identified so that therapeutic decisions may be informed and future research appropriately targeted.
POST-OPERATIVE CROHNS DISEASE RECURRENCE: EVALUATION OF AETIOLOGIC FACTORS And AN ALGORITHM And TRIAL TO MODIFY RECURRENCE.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$123,472.00
Summary
Eighty percent of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) need an operation at some stage. The disease invariably returns, and in 70% of patients further surgery is required. This project aims to determine whether particular bacteria cause the disease to recur and will look at the value of antibiotic treatment to prevent severe disease recurring. It will also assess whether adjusting treatment based on changes seen at the operative site during follow-up influences disease recurrence .
The Communication Of Acute Postoperative Pain (CAPP):the Clinically Significant Meanings Behind Numerical Pain Ratings
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$93,742.00
Summary
Between 45% – 80% of patients still have moderate to severe pain after surgery and receive less than 50% of the pain medications available. Using a 0 – 10 pain rating can contribute to this problem because there is no consistent understanding about what the numbers mean or how they should guide pain management decisions. The project aim is to develop a standard approach to using a numerical pain rating to assist patients to report the severity of their pain in ways that assists clinicians to dec ....Between 45% – 80% of patients still have moderate to severe pain after surgery and receive less than 50% of the pain medications available. Using a 0 – 10 pain rating can contribute to this problem because there is no consistent understanding about what the numbers mean or how they should guide pain management decisions. The project aim is to develop a standard approach to using a numerical pain rating to assist patients to report the severity of their pain in ways that assists clinicians to decide the best pain management.Read moreRead less
Clinical Feasibility Study Of Omega-3 PUFA Therapy For The Reduction Of Post-cardiac Surgery Atrial Arrhythmias
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$442,092.00
Summary
The aim of this study is to determine the molecular and clinical impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) pre-treatment 2 weeks before cardiac surgery in 150 patients. The outcome of this proposal will indicate proof of molecular concepts, clinical feasibility and specific design elements of a future, large scale, placebo controlled, prospective randomised trial of oral therapy with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Recently, omega-3 PUFA via fish diet was reported to be li ....The aim of this study is to determine the molecular and clinical impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) pre-treatment 2 weeks before cardiac surgery in 150 patients. The outcome of this proposal will indicate proof of molecular concepts, clinical feasibility and specific design elements of a future, large scale, placebo controlled, prospective randomised trial of oral therapy with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Recently, omega-3 PUFA via fish diet was reported to be linked to low incidence of AF. The main aim is to provide a cheap and safe preventative therapy against post-operative atrial fibrillation (AF), a key heart rhythm disorder that occurs in at least 1 in 4 patients after heart surgery and increases post-operative complications, limits recovery and increases hospital stay and cost. Biochemical study elements are important to gain valuable insight into the molecular mechanisms (directly in human heart) that underlie post-operative heart rhythm disorder and may delineate new more precise molecular targets for therapy. No previous clinical study has ever examined whether omega-3 PUFA therapy prevents post-operative heart rhythm disorder. Use of 3g-day omega-3 PUFA pre-treatment in the surgical setting has been shown to be safe in a number of small studies, including our own. Our preliminary data indicates that therapy increases heart and blood content of omega-3 PUFA ~2-fold, and reduces the incidence of AF. Post-operative AF is an expensive resource burden in all cardiothoracic surgery units of Australian hospitals and targets key health priorities. Due to the non-patentable nature of omega-3 PUFA, significant industry based support for clinical research is limited. A positive outcome would rapidly pave the way for widespread use in elective surgery. Reduced length of hospital stay, cost-savings, and the increase in productivity as healthy individuals return to their communities would nationally repay the investment many fold.Read moreRead less