Most systemic viral disease after renal transplantation may be due to either coinfection or reactivation of CMV and HHV6 together. A wider understanding of risk factors for severe viral disease in this setting may come from testing for both viruses in all donors and patients in both clinical practice and clinical trials.

A questionnaire survey of 69 families of brain dead patients is reported. The study population included those who had been asked about organ donation as well as those who had not, those who had agreed to organ donation and those who had declined. Their experiences and their perceptions of treatment and explanations of underlying disease, brain death and organ donation were examined. Their own knowledge of and attitudes towards organ donation as well as the prior knowledge and wishes of their deceased relative were also explored.Statistical analysis did not show any differences between the three groups of families with regard to their experiences, their perceptions of the treatment they received, or in the resolution of their grief.Family members who had agreed to organ donation were significantly more likely to donate their own organs and to be more resolved in their grief. There was a strong correspondence between the attitudes of respondents and their agreement or otherwise to donate their relatives' organs. One quarter, however, made the opposite choice for their relative, where their relative's wishes were known. There was a highly significant relationship between those who had previously discussed organ donation to have expected to be asked or to raise the subject themselves.Hospital treatment in general did not appear to have any effect on the decision to donate. Involvement in organ donation was felt by most of the donor families to have been helpful to the grieving process.

We report three patients with neurological deterioration after the reduction of cervical spine dislocation. In each case compression of the spinal cord by disc material was demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging and recovery occurred following removal of the compressing disc. A separate radiological study suggested that disproportionate narrowing of the disc space implies disc extrusion; reduction of a dislocation showing this sign may produce or exacerbate neurological deterioration.

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