The Impact of Neuroscience on the Evolution of Decision Making in Brachial Plexus Surgery [Working Title]

2019 ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 654-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandro Pretto Flores

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to demonstrate the impact of some preoperative clinical parameters on the functional outcome of patients sustaining brachial plexus injuries, and to trace some commentaries about the use of intraoperative monitoring techniques. METHOD: A retrospective study one hundred cases of brachial plexus surgery. The analysis regarding postoperative outcomes was performed by comparing the average of the final result of the surgery for each studied cohort. RESULTS: Direct electrical stimulation was used in all patients, EMG in 59%, SEPs in 37% and evoked NAPs in 19% of the cases. Patients in whom the motor function of the hand was totally or partially preserved before surgery, and those in whom surgery was delayed less than 6 months demonstrated significant (p<0.05) better outcomes. CONCLUSION: The preoperative parameters associated to favorable outcomes in reconstruction of the brachial plexus are a good post-traumatic status of the hand and a short interval between injury and surgery.


2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klea Faniko ◽  
Till Burckhardt ◽  
Oriane Sarrasin ◽  
Fabio Lorenzi-Cioldi ◽  
Siri Øyslebø Sørensen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Two studies carried out among Albanian public-sector employees examined the impact of different types of affirmative action policies (AAPs) on (counter)stereotypical perceptions of women in decision-making positions. Study 1 (N = 178) revealed that participants – especially women – perceived women in decision-making positions as more masculine (i.e., agentic) than feminine (i.e., communal). Study 2 (N = 239) showed that different types of AA had different effects on the attribution of gender stereotypes to AAP beneficiaries: Women benefiting from a quota policy were perceived as being more communal than agentic, while those benefiting from weak preferential treatment were perceived as being more agentic than communal. Furthermore, we examined how the belief that AAPs threaten men’s access to decision-making positions influenced the attribution of these traits to AAP beneficiaries. The results showed that men who reported high levels of perceived threat, as compared to men who reported low levels of perceived threat, attributed more communal than agentic traits to the beneficiaries of quotas. These findings suggest that AAPs may have created a backlash against its beneficiaries by emphasizing gender-stereotypical or counterstereotypical traits. Thus, the framing of AAPs, for instance, as a matter of enhancing organizational performance, in the process of policy making and implementation, may be a crucial tool to countering potential backlash.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Bientzle ◽  
Marie Eggeling ◽  
Simone Korger ◽  
Joachim Kimmerle

BACKGROUND: Successful shared decision making (SDM) in clinical practice requires that future clinicians learn to appreciate the value of patient participation as early as in their medical training. Narratives, such as patient testimonials, have been successfully used to support patients’ decision-making process. Previous research suggests that narratives may also be used for increasing clinicians’ empathy and responsiveness in medical consultations. However, so far, no studies have investigated the benefits of narratives for conveying the relevance of SDM to medical students.METHODS: In this randomized controlled experiment, N = 167 medical students were put into a scenario where they prepared for medical consultation with a patient having Parkinson disease. After receiving general information, participants read either a narrative patient testimonial or a fact-based information text. We measured their perceptions of SDM, their control preferences (i.e., their priorities as to who should make the decision), and the time they intended to spend for the consultation.RESULTS: Participants in the narrative patient testimonial condition referred more strongly to the patient as the one who should make decisions than participants who read the information text. Participants who read the patient narrative also considered SDM in situations with more than one treatment option to be more important than participants in the information text condition. There were no group differences regarding their control preferences. Participants who read the patient testimonial indicated that they would schedule more time for the consultation.CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that narratives can potentially be useful for imparting the relevance of SDM and patient-centered values to medical students. We discuss possible causes of this effect and implications for training and future research.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Eggeling ◽  
Anna Meinhardt ◽  
Ulrike Cress ◽  
Joachim Kimmerle ◽  
Martina Bientzle

Objective: This study examined the influence of physicians’ recommendations and gender on the decision-making process in a preference-sensitive situation. Methods: N = 201 participants were put in a hypothetical scenario in which they suffered from a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). They received general information on two equally successful treatment options for this injury (surgery vs. physiotherapy) and answered questions regarding their treatment preference, certainty and satisfaction regarding their decision, and attitude toward the treatment options. Then participants watched a video that differed regarding physician’s recommendation (surgery vs. physiotherapy) and physician’s gender (female vs. male voice and picture). Afterward, they indicated again their treatment preference, certainty, satisfaction, and attitude, as well as the physician’s professional and social competence.Results: Participants changed their treatment preferences in the direction of the physician’s recommendation (P&lt;.001). Decision certainty (P&lt;.001) and satisfaction (P&lt;.001) increased more strongly if the physician’s recommendation was congruent with the participant’s prior attitude than if the recommendation was contrary to the participant’s prior attitude. Finally, participants’ attitudes toward the recommended treatment became more positive (surgery recommendation: P&lt;.001; physiotherapy recommendation: P&lt;.001). We found no influence of the physician’s gender on participants’ decisions, attitudes, or competence assessments.Conclusion: This research indicates that physicians should be careful with recommendations when aiming for shared decisions, as they might influence patients even if the patients have been made aware that they should take their personal preferences into account. This could be particularly problematic if the recommendation is not in line with the patient’s preferences.


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