Rostrum of Asclepius Vol 2, No. 3 (2003): July - September 2003

Recent progress in biotechnology concerning medical assistance in human reproduction created major moral and legal questions. The relevant hellenic legislation (L. 3089/ 23.12.2002) regulated every case of medically assisted reproduction within serious substantial and procedural requirements. In this way it managed to balance traditional moral values of the greek society and scientific evolution in order to benefit those who strongly wish to have children.

Keywords: Reproduction, medically assisted reproduction, hellenic law

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome with neurohormonic dimensions. It is characterized by the disability of heart to correspond to the metabolic needs of the body in calm and during exercise. Today CHF constitutes one of the most important problems for health care systems as its incidence rises, its prognosis remains poor and the patients experience frequent readmissions. All these affect the quality of life of those patients in which recently has been given particular attention. Many studies internationally examine the effect of various not pharmacological interventions in which nursing plays an important role. Self-management of the syndromes is considered as decisive, while various scales have been created  for ^e measurement of those parameters. This review reports the existing studies missions, quality of life, self-manage- and presents some tools for the measurement of quality of life that potentially can be used for an initial approach of the problem in our country

Keywords: Chronic heart failure, readmissions, quality of life, self-management, home health care

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life in elderly patients before and 4 months after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation in order to identify areas for interventions and further improvement of the provided care. This is part of a bigger project to assess the quality of life in CABG patients over time. The collection of data was based on interviews by using the MACNEW heart disease health-related quality of life questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 120 cardiac artery bypass surgery patients (CABS) (100 men, 20 women) with a mean age of 63.13 years (±8.55) and an average length of stay 14.2 days (±4.78). There was a significant improvement of the physical (+1.79, PcO.001) and social (+1.57, PcO.001) state of the patients after the operation. The emotional state of the patients showed a very small improvement (+0.56, P=0,001) and the cognitive ability, as it was measured by three questions, showed a decline (-0.51, P<0.001). Patients, 4 months after the operation, exhibited a lower level of self-confidence and were more dependent on others. Sex, age, physical condition before the operation and chest pain were found to be related to the quality of life before and after the operation. The assessment of the quality of life has to be established as an official outcome indicator for the evaluation of therapeutic interventions of cardiac artery disease (CAD) patients. It is imperative that government plan and implement rehabilitation programs in order to cover the individual needs and enhance the quality of life of CABG patients.

Keywords: Cardiovascular surgery, coronary artery by-pass grafting, coronary artery disease, quality of life

We administrated a self reported questionnaire in 480 operating room nurses and doctors working in various public hospitals in Athens. The aim of the study was to estimate the changing of gloves after contact with each patient and hand washing after removing of gloves. Of the 480 responders, the 90% of nurses, the 86.4% of surgeons and the 84.2% of anesthesiologists reported that they change their gloves after contact with each patient and wash their hands after removing the gloves. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed positive correlation between using sterile gloves, changing of gloves after contact with each patient and handwashing after removing of gloves and negative correlation between experience in the operating room, changing of gloves after contact with each patient and handwashing after removing of gloves. In conclusion, the implementation of education programmes will improve the adherence of operating room personnel to changing gloves and handwashing.

Keywords: Handwashing, changing gloves

In the last years, so much is said in reference to bioethical matters. The term "bioethics", is widely used. However few know that its role is not restricted in the formulation of engrossment in reference with ethical problems, which arise by the application of modern medical technology. For half a century, bioethics constitutes a special scientific field with its own epistemology. The knowledge of the history of this new field contributes greatly to the deeper approach of the bioethical matters.

Keywords: Bio-medical ethics, biomedical technology, bioethical engrossment, bioethical committees, medical ethics, institutes of bioethics, bioethical criteria