This change will enable us to improve the accessibility and safety of the equipment loaned to home support users.

Equipment loans are available through referral by a home support professional or a rehabilitation professional in a hospital.

Starting May 22nd, users will be able to visit one of the four points of service in order to obtain their equipment.

• Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC).
  • A long flexible plastic tube that is inserted in a vein (most commonly at the font of the elbow).
  • The tube reaches the large vessels at the base of the heart.
  • Can be maintained in place for several weeks.

Why undergo this procedure?

• Allows a convenient venous access and therefore reduces the need for needle punctures of the skin
  (can be used for the majority of blood samples or medication administrations).
  • Long term treatments (chemotherapy, antibiotics, parenteral feeding).
  • Patients receiving therapy at home.
  • Patients that are difficult to inject.

Preparation

• There are no particular diet restrictions before undergoing this procedure.

What to expect?

• A sterile procedure.
  • The doctor and technologists will be gloved, will wear masks and disposable sterile gowns.
• The catheter is installed by a radiologist with the assistance of technologists with specialised training.
• The procedure lasts around 45 minutes.
• The dressing and extension tube have to be changed each week.

What will happen

• Your skin will be disinfected.
• A sterile field will be applied.
• A vein will be spotted by echography.
• Local anesthetic.
• Venous puncture.
• Installation of the catheter (10 minutes).
• Radiographic images will be taken to verify the position of the catheter.
• The catheter will be secured to your skin with or without sutures.

After the procedure

• You will be able to return to your usual activities with a few precautions.
  • The dressing must not be allowed to get wet (increases the risk of infection).
    • Washing yourself in a bath is recommended.
    • Swimming should be avoided.
  • Avoid violent activities that could displace or damage the catheter.
  • Avoid scratching.
• You will be able to drive (if no complications arise).
• Apply heat for 20 minutes 3 times a day for the 3 days following the procedure (reduces the risk of thrombosis).
• Stay alert to signs of complications.
  • Infection.
    • Redness, warmth, pain, swelling.
    • Fever (over 38 C).
    • Presence of pus or of a foul smell.

Complications

• Accidental puncture of an artery (bleeding).
  • The bleeding can be controlled fairly easily in the OR.
• Hemorrhage at the site of puncture.
• Thrombosis of the punctured vein.
• Infection at the site of the catheter insertion.
  • Necessitates the removal of the catheter followed by antibiotic treatment.

Limitations

• The PICC line cannot be used to take blood samples for hemocultures.

Vacuum-assisted breast core biopsy with stereotactic localization is a biopsy (tissue sampling) technique which is minimally invasive (i.e. causing minimal damage to the breast) and uses a needle to cut and aspirate the tissue.

The incision where the probe is inserted is 5 mm (1/4 inch) in length. The radiologist guides the probe towards a target using radiographs (X-rays). Once in place, the probe cuts a small sample of tissue and aspirates it. A small metallic marker is then inserted where the sample was taken. This marker will remain in place for the rest of your life. It will show up on X-rays, to inform your physician that a biopsy was made at this exact location.

The reason for this procedure?

To investigate when your physician has detected an anomaly that is either palpable (which can be felt with the fingertips) or visible through imaging (radiographs).

This technique makes it possible to delicately remove a small piece (a few millimeters) of the mass to analyze it. This will allow the identification of cells through histological analysis (looking at cells through a microscope). This technique provides a specific diagnosis without major surgery.

What to expect?

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia (an injection close to the incision). It should cause very little pain and leave minimal scars. The procedure takes less than an hour and you will be able to resume your normal activities almost immediately afterwards. The incision will be closed with an adhesive bandage (no sutures).

Conduct of the procedure

• You will be placed on an elevated table with an opening in the centre.
  • The breast under examination will be placed in this opening.
• The breast will be slightly compressed between two plates, and X-rays will be taken to locate the exact position. The system records the three-dimensional position of the sampling site.
  • Similar to a mammography.
• The breast will be sterilized.
  • Application of alcohol or chlorhexidine.
• The aspirating probe and needle will be installed on the table, next to the breast.
  • The device will verify position based on the information provided by the stereotactic radiograph taken earlier.
• The breast will be anesthetized by surface and deep injections.
• A small incision will be made at the needle insertion site.
• The needle will be quickly inserted by the device at the specified position.
• You will hear a click.
• The sample will be removed and aspirated by the device.
• The needle will be pulled out and pressure will be applied to your breast.
• A bandage will be applied.

After the procedure

• For 36 hours, avoid physically demanding work and lifting heavy objects in order to prevent bleeding.
• Pain: You should feel no real pain, but rather some discomfort. If there is pain, use Tylenol to control it. Do not take Aspirin or Advil, since they can thin your blood and induce bleeding.
• Ecchymosis: It is normal for an ecchymosis (bruise) to appear on your breast, but it should disappear in a few days.
• Anticoagulants: If you take anticoagulants (Coumadin, Asaphen, Aspirin) every day and are asked to stop taking such medications before the biopsy, you can resume taking them on the day following the biopsy.
• Bandages and compresses: Immediately following the biopsy, you should wear your brassiere over any bandages for a period of approximately 36 hours. You can not take a shower as long as the compresses are in place: take a bath instead, and avoid getting the compresses wet. You must keep the second bandage (plastic film) in place for 3 to 4 days, but this bandage is waterproof, so you will be able to take showers.
• White strip: when you remove the second bandage, a small white strip will remain. Do not remove it: it will fall off eventually from getting wet.
• Limitations: This procedure is an examination, not a treatment. It cannot be used to remove the entire mass.
• Complications: Bleeding, for people who use anticoagulants (Coumadin, for example).

The Ethics in Research Committee answers to the Board of Directors. Its mandate is:

• to inform the institution researchers, personnel and clientèle on ethics in research and principles to adhere to;
• to assess research projects, ethics wise, and ensure the projects scientific quality;

Documents

• Calendrier des réunions du comité d'éthique de la recherche - 2011-2012
  Fichier PDF: 120 Ko
• Cadre réglementaire en éthique de la recherche
  Fichier PDF: 475 Ko
• Guide de rédaction du formulaire de consentement
  Fichier PDF: 170 Ko
• Informations relatives à une demande d'évaluation d'un projet de recherche au CER
  Fichier PDF: 59 Ko
• Formulaire de demande d'évaluation d'un projet multicentrique
  Fichier DOC: 762 Ko
• Formulaire de budget de recherche
  Fichier XLS: 46 Ko
• Documentation à soumettre pour une demande d'approbation éthique d'un projet de recherche
  Fichier PDF: 108 Ko
• Rapport d'étape ou final
  Fichier PDF: 37 Ko
• Politique de gestion des fonds et des contrats de recherche
  Fichier PDF: 344 Ko
• Politique de gestion des banques de données pour fins de recherche
  Fichier PDF: 248 Ko
• Politique d'intégrité en recherche
  Fichier PDF: 53 Ko
• Recrutement de sujets de recherche
  Fichier PDF: 23 Ko
• Demande de privilège de recherche (membres du CM - CII - CSF ou autres)
  Fichier PDF: 173 Ko
• Demande de privilège de recherche (membres du CMDP)
  Fichier PDF: 323 Ko

For further information, please contact: