• best evidence topic reports
• Bell's palsy, ticks
• conjunctivitis
• skull fracture

Best evidence topic reports (BETs) summarise the evidence pertaining to particular clinical questions. They are not systematic reviews, but rather contain the best (highest level) evidence that can be practically obtained by busy practising clinicians. The search strategies used to find the best evidence are reported in detail in order to allow clinicians to update searches whenever necessary. The BETs published below were first reported at the Critical Appraisal Journal Club at the Manchester Royal Infirmary¹ or placed on the BestBETs web site. Each BET has been constructed in the four stages that have been described elsewhere.² The BETs shown here together with those published previously and those currently under construction can be seen at the bestbets web site (http://www.bestbets.org).³ Ten BETs are included in this issue of the journal.

• Investigating microscopic haematuria in blunt abdominal trauma

• How to remove a tick

• Plaster or functional splint in gamekeepers thumb

• Perimortem caesarean section

• Topical antibiotics in acute bacterial conjunctivitis

• Bell's palsy and acyclovir

• Tape stripping the stratum corneum and the effectiveness of EMLA

• Staples or sutures for repair of scalp laceration in adults

• Staples or sutures in children with scalp lacerations

• Tangential views or computed tomography in suspected depressed skull fracture