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OBJECTIVE: Considerable amount of women undergoing dilatation and curettage (D&C) are subject to preoperative anxiety. We hypothesized that the implementation of video-based multimedia information (MMI) before the D&C might facilitate patients’ education and provide clear information regarding the procedure. This study aimed to compare the impact of video- based MMI and conventional written information on anxiety, pain severity, and satisfaction in patients undergoing D&C. METHODS: Seventy four women scheduled for D&C for abnormal uterine bleeding were enrolled in this prospective randomized study. Subjects were assigned to receive a video-based MMI or conventional written information (controls). The trait and state anxiety were assessed using the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before the MMI or written information. STAI-state (STAI-S) was repeated after the application of the MMI or written information. All patients underwent D&C by the same gynecologist. Following D&C, patient satisfaction and procedural pain were ranked using a Likert scale and Visual Analogue Scale. RESULTS: Post-informational STAI-S score was significantly lower than the pre-informational STAI-S score in the video group (p<0.001), whereas no significant change occurred in STAI-S score in the control group (p=0.210). The satisfaction rate of the patients receiving MMI before the D&C was significantly higher than the satisfaction rate of the controls (75% vs. 50%, p=0.027). CONCLUSION: Implementation of MMI before the D&C procedure is associated with less anxiety, less severe postoperative pain and improved patients satisfaction, compared to the conventional written information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: The patients with thoracic and extra-thoracic solid organ tumours hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) were retrospectively analyzed and the effects of their ICU stays on survival rates were investigated. METHODS: Medical files of the patients hospitalized in the adult ICUs between January 2010 and September 2013 were retrospectively investigated. ICU stays of the cases with solid organ tumours were evaluated and survival related factors were analyzed. The correlation between available parametres and survival rates was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients (74 males) with a mean age of 64.07 ± 11.90 years were included in the study. The cases were divided into 2 groups as those with thoracic (n = 52; 59.8%) and extrathoracic (n = 35; 40.2%) malignancies. Thoracic malignancies were divided within themselves into two subgroups as SCLC (n = 11; 21.2%) and NSCLC (n = 41; 78.8%) and their survival rates were compared. Respiratory failure (n = 35; 40.2%), respiratory failure and additional indications (n = 37; 42.5%) and other indications (n = 15; 17.2%) were main indications. Mean duration of ICU stays was 12.95 ± 16.48 days (range 1-105). Fifty (57.5%) cases died, 6 (6.9%) patients transferred to another center and 31 cases (35.6%) were discharged. Hospitalization times of the cases with respect to mortality rates were significantly different (p = 0.014). Mean survival was 6.78 ± 1.81 months and six month-survival rate was 29.7%. CONCLUSION: Treatment of patients with thoracic and extra-thoracic solid organ tumours in the ICU increases their survivals; however, admission of cancer patients into an ICU should be based on certain objective criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]