Sport, policy and politics in Lebanon

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Sport Policy on 26th Jan 2015, available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2014.914553.Lebanon offers an interesting context for the study of sport policy as there is a lack of literature on sport policies in developing countries, and particularly, in small- and multi-confessional societies. Hence, the aim of this study was to illustrate how the dynamic of power between the state and the political parties/confessional communities is reflected in the national sport system. In particular the paper seeks to provide some insight into the mechanism in place to implement the concept of ‘balance of power’ or so-called mosaic society within the national sport system, looking specifically at structure and resource allocation

Buried Versus Exposed Kirschner Wires Following Fixation of Hand Fractures: l Clinician and Patient Surveys

Background: Fractures of the metacarpals and phalanges are common. Placement of Kirschner wires (K-wires) is the most common form of surgical fixation. After placement, a key decision is whether to bury the end of a K-wire or leave it protruding from the skin (exposed). A recent systematic review found no evidence to support either approach. The aim of study was to investigate current clinical practice, understand the key factors influencing clinician decision-making, and explore patient preferences to inform the design of a randomized clinical trial. Methods: The steering group developed surveys for hand surgeons, hand therapists, and patients. Following piloting, they were distributed across the United Kingdom hand surgery units using the Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network. Results: A total of 423 hand surgeons, 187 hand therapists, and 187 patients completed the surveys. Plastic surgeons and junior surgical trainees preferred to leave K-wires not buried. Ease of removal correlated with a decision to leave wires exposed, whereas perceived risk of infection correlated with burying wires. Cost did not affect the decision. Hand therapists were primarily concerned about infection and patient-related outcomes. Patients were most concerned about wire-related problems and pain. Conclusion: This national survey provides a new understanding of the use of K-wires to manage hand fractures in the United Kingdom. A number of nonevidence-based factors seem to influence the decision to bury or leave K-wires exposed. The choice has important clinical and health economic implications that justify a randomized controlled trial

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy and splenopancreatectomy: technical aspects and review of literature

Robotic pancreatic surgery provides several advantages. Since the first report of a robotic-assisted distal pancreatectomy in 2001, total pancreatectomies, pancreatic tumor enucleations, pancreaticoduodenectomy, central pancreatectomy and Appleby procedures have been performed, indicating a promising future. The aim of this article is to describe our experience of robotic pancreatic surgery including technical aspects for pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy. The current literature on feasibility, safety and early postoperative outcomes will be discussed