All Resources

Middle ear implants for the treatment of hearing loss : final STE report

Description

Presents a review of the evidence on middle ear implants (MEI) for the treatment of hearing loss. The objectives of the review were to determine the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of... More ≫

Description

Presents a review of the evidence on middle ear implants (MEI) for the treatment of hearing loss. The objectives of the review were to determine the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of MEI in comparison to external hearing aids, boneanchored hearing aids (BAHA), or cochlear implants; to identify particular sub-groups of patients who might benefit most from MEI, and to summarize the current criteria for using MEI versus alternative treatments for hearing loss.

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Photodynamic therapy for skin cancer & pre-cancerous skin conditions : final STE report

Description

Presents a systematic review of the evidence on photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of pre-cancerous skin conditions (i.e. actinic keratosis), and non-melanoma skin cancers. The... More ≫

Description

Presents a systematic review of the evidence on photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of pre-cancerous skin conditions (i.e. actinic keratosis), and non-melanoma skin cancers. The objectives of the review were to determine the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness and budget impact of PDT in comparison to other treatments for these conditions; to identify particular sub-groups of patients who might benefit most from PDT; and to summarize current criteria for the use of PDT and alternative treatments for these skin conditions.

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An assessment of sleep disordered breathing diagnosis using Level I versus Level III sleep studies : final report

Description

This assessment considers the evidence on using Level I (in-laboratory polysomnography) versus Level III (ambulatory, in-home) sleep studies for the diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing and... More ≫

Description

This assessment considers the evidence on using Level I (in-laboratory polysomnography) versus Level III (ambulatory, in-home) sleep studies for the diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing and specific conditions that fall within this disorder.

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STE report : transarterial radioembolization for the treatment of hepatic neoplasia : final STE report

Description

The report reviews the use of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for the treatment of primary and secondary hepatic neoplasia for the purpose of considering its potential as a publically... More ≫

Description

The report reviews the use of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for the treatment of primary and secondary hepatic neoplasia for the purpose of considering its potential as a publically funded health service in Alberta.

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Vitamin D testing : rapid literature review

Description

The clinical utility of testing individuals deemed at average risk for vitamin D deficiency has received the attention of the medical community in recent years. The objectives of this literature... More ≫

Description

The clinical utility of testing individuals deemed at average risk for vitamin D deficiency has received the attention of the medical community in recent years. The objectives of this literature review were: to outline the specific indications for vitamin D testing as reflected in the literature; to identify the number and type of studies for each indication; to review the abstracts of vitamin D randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses; and to review the Health Technology Assessment reports available.

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Point-of-care testing for oral anticoagulant management with portable prothrombin time systems

Description

Atrial fibrillation, venous thrombosis and thromboembolism are common diseases which require oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT). The current gold-standard method for monitoring the international... More ≫

Description

Atrial fibrillation, venous thrombosis and thromboembolism are common diseases which require oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT). The current gold-standard method for monitoring the international normalized ratio (INR) is laboratory testing of blood obtained by venepuncture. However, patients may find testing to be time consuming and inconvenient. With the development of portable coagulometers it is now possible to measure INR outside the laboratory setting. This review looks at the effectiveness of patient self-management (PSM), patient self-testing (PST) and point-of-care testing (POCT) by health care practitioners using portable coagulometers, compared to conventional laboratory testing.

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Artificial disc arthroplasty (ACDA)

Description

Artificial cervical disc arthroplasty (ACDA) is a surgical procedure that may replace cervical fusion in selected patients suffering from cervical degenerative disc disease. The main outcome of... More ≫

Description

Artificial cervical disc arthroplasty (ACDA) is a surgical procedure that may replace cervical fusion in selected patients suffering from cervical degenerative disc disease. The main outcome of ACDA that sets it apart from fusion is the preservation of the spine mobility. The aim of this report is to review the literature for evidence of effectiveness and safety of the cervical artificial disks approved by Health Canada.

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Gastric electrical stimulation (EnterraTM therapy system) for the treatment of gastroparesis

Description

Gastroparesis (GP) is a disorder manifested by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Clinically, GP may be associated with severe nausea, vomiting, and malnutrition.... More ≫

Description

Gastroparesis (GP) is a disorder manifested by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Clinically, GP may be associated with severe nausea, vomiting, and malnutrition. Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is considered a treatment option for patients with severe symptoms associated with GP. The Enterra™ Therapy system is a GES system that is implanted subcutaneously in the abdominal wall and provides high-frequency, low-energy stimulation to the muscle wall of the stomach via a pair of electrodes/leads. The aim of this paper is to present the current evidence on the efficacy/effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of GES (Enterra™ Therapy system) used for the treatment of patients with severe GP.

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Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for the treatment of clinically severe (morbid) obesity in adults : an update

Description

Clinically severe obesity is associated with a range of co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea, and increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.... More ≫

Description

Clinically severe obesity is associated with a range of co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea, and increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Conventional treatments such as diet and exercise, behavioural modification regimens, and pharmacological interventions have been shown to be ineffective for this group of patients. Bariatric surgical procedures are considered as the last-resort therapy for severe obesity, but their long-term safety and clinical efficacy remains to be determined. The objective of this study was to determine whether laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a safe and effective procedure compared with open and/or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty, especially in the longer term, for adult patients with clinically severe obesity.

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