Acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) is a catastrophic disorder and a surgical emergency associated with a high mortality rate when no

The precorneal tear film is a thin layer, about 2–5.5 μm thick, which overlays the corneal and conjunctival epithelium. It functions to lubricate and protect the corneal and eyelid interface from environmental and immunological factors as well as provide an optical medium. The tear film is depicted as a three-layered structure: lipid, aqueous, and mucous layers. Within each layer possesses a different composition which dictates its function. In common between the three layers are their homeostatic process of evaporation and drainage. Any dysfunction in either of the layers can result in Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). The composition, regulation, and pathology of tear film will be discussed in this chapter.

Acute type A Aortic Dissection (AAAD) is a catastrophic disorder and a surgical emergency associated with a high mortality rate when no intervention is performed in the acute setting (1). Several schools exist for managing this lethal pathology, depending on the extent of the disease; this could range from an interposition graft to replacing the ascending aorta to aortic root replacement and total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk (FET) in a more extensive approach. However, the novel Triple Branched Stent Graft (TBSG) implantation approach has been proven to shorten intraoperative parameters such as cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, circulation arrest time and the duration of ventilatorassisted breathing (2). TBSG implantation was first described by Chen et al (3) in 2010 and is effective

Linguistic differences between patients and clinicians can result in ineffective and inequitable healthcare delivery. Medical students should therefore be facilitated to develop the requisite knowledge and skills to work effectively within language discordant clinical situations. This paper explores language interpreting processes in an undergraduate medical education programme. The study utilizes a constructivist paradigm incorporating an action research approach. Action Research Cycle 1 (ARC1) examines the use of interpreters during clinical examinations while Action Research Cycle 2 (ARC2) focuses on language translation technology. In Action Research Cycle 3 the data that was generated in ARC 1 and ARC 2 is reviewed in association with international literature to develop a framework for practice. This study demonstrates that language interpreting procedures should be based within a collaborative framework with students, interpreters and educators receiving appropriate educational preparation, predicated on a cross cultural approach to care.