Browsing by Subject "Follow-up studies"

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    Automated pancreatic cyst screening using natural language processing: a new tool in the early detection of pancreatic cancer
    (Elsevier, 2015-05) Roch, Alexandra M.; Mehrabi, Saeed; Krishnan, Anand; Schmidt, Heidi E.; Kesterson, Joseph; Beesley, Chris; Dexter, Paul R.; Palakal, Matthew; Schmidt, C. Max; Department of Surgery, IU School of Medicine
    INTRODUCTION: As many as 3% of computed tomography (CT) scans detect pancreatic cysts. Because pancreatic cysts are incidental, ubiquitous and poorly understood, follow-up is often not performed. Pancreatic cysts may have a significant malignant potential and their identification represents a 'window of opportunity' for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study was to implement an automated Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based pancreatic cyst identification system. METHOD: A multidisciplinary team was assembled. NLP-based identification algorithms were developed based on key words commonly used by physicians to describe pancreatic cysts and programmed for automated search of electronic medical records. A pilot study was conducted prospectively in a single institution. RESULTS: From March to September 2013, 566,233 reports belonging to 50,669 patients were analysed. The mean number of patients reported with a pancreatic cyst was 88/month (range 78-98). The mean sensitivity and specificity were 99.9% and 98.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: NLP is an effective tool to automatically identify patients with pancreatic cysts based on electronic medical records (EMR). This highly accurate system can help capture patients 'at-risk' of pancreatic cancer in a registry.
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    Surgical approach to limiting skin contracture following protractor myectomy for essential blepharospasm
    (Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 2017-11-05) Clark, Jeremy; Randolph, John; Sokol, Jason A.; Moore, Nicholas A.; Lee, Hui Bae H.; Nunery, William R.; Ophthalmology, School of Medicine
    Purpose: To report our experience with protractor myectomy in patients with benign essential blepharospasm who did not respond to serial botulinum toxin injection, and to describe intra- and postoperative techniques that limited skin contracture while also providing excellent functional and cosmetic results. Methods: The medical records of patients with isolated, benign, essential blepharospasm who underwent protractor myectomy from 2005 to 2008 by a single surgeon were reviewed retrospectively. The technique entailed operating on a single eyelid during each procedure, using a complete en bloc resection of all orbicularis tissue, leaving all eyelid skin intact at the time of surgery, and placing the lid under stretch with Frost suture and applying a pressure dressing for 5-7 days. Results: Data from 28 eyelids in 7 patients were included. Average follow-up was 21.5 months (range, 4-76 months). Of the 28 eyelids, 20 (71.4%) showed postoperative resolution of spasm, with no further need for botulinum toxin injections. In the 8 eyelids requiring further injections, the average time to injection after surgery was 194 days (range, 78-323 days), and the average number of injections was 12 (range, 2-23 injections). All but one eyelid had excellent cosmetic results, without signs of contracture; one eyelid developed postoperative skin contracture following premature removal of the Frost suture and pressure dressing because of concerns over increased intraocular pressure. Conclusions: In our patient cohort, this modified technique resulted in excellent cosmetic and functional results and limited postoperative skin contracture.