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Sample records for hospitalized surgical patients

  1. Patient satisfaction and quality of surgical care in US hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Thomas C; Orav, E John; Jha, Ashish K

    2015-01-01

    The relationship between patient satisfaction and surgical quality is unclear for US hospitals. Using national data, we examined if hospitals with high patient satisfaction have lower levels of performance on accepted measures of the quality and efficiency of surgical care. Federal policymakers have made patient satisfaction a core measure for the way hospitals are evaluated and paid through the value-based purchasing program. There is broad concern that performance on patient satisfaction may have little or even a negative correlation with the quality of surgical care, leading to potential trade-offs in efforts to improve patient experience with other surgical quality measures. We used the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey data from 2010 and 2011 to assess performance on patient experience. We used national Medicare data on 6 common surgical procedures to calculate measures of surgical efficiency and quality: risk-adjusted length of stay, process score, risk-adjusted mortality rate, risk-adjusted readmission rate, and a composite z score across all 4 metrics. Multivariate models adjusting for hospital characteristics were used to assess the independent relationships between patient satisfaction and measures of surgical efficiency and quality. Of the 2953 US hospitals that perform one of these 6 procedures, the median patient satisfaction score was 69.5% (interquartile range, 63%-75.5%). Length of stay was shorter in hospitals with the highest levels of patient satisfaction (7.1 days vs 7.7 days, P patient satisfaction had the higher process of care performance (96.5 vs 95.5, P patient satisfaction also had a higher composite score for quality across all measures (P patient satisfaction provided more efficient care and were associated with higher surgical quality. Our findings suggest there need not be a trade-off between good quality of care for surgical patients and ensuring a positive patient experience.

  2. Effect of Surgical Safety Checklist on Mortality of Surgical Patients in the α University Hospitals

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    R. Mohebbifar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & Aims: Patient safety is one of the indicators of risk management in clinical governance system. Surgical care is one of the most sophisticated medical care in the hospitals. So it is not surprising that nearly half of the adverse events, 66% were related to surgery. Pre-flight aircraft Inspection model is starting point for designing surgical safety checklist that use for audit procedure. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the use of surgical safety checklist on surgical patients mortality and complications. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective descriptive study. This study was conducted in 2012 in the North West of Iran. The population consisted of patients who had undergoing surgery in α university of medical science`s hospital which have surgical department. In this study, 1125 patients underwent surgery within 3 months were studied. Data collection tool was designed based on WHO model and Surgcical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program(SCOAP. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS-20 statistical software and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate P values for each comparison. Results: No significant differences between patients in the two periods (before and after There was. All complications rate reduced from 11 percent to 4 percent after the intervention by checklist (p<0.001. In the all hospitals mortality rate was decreased from 3.44% to 1.3% (p <0.003. Overall rate of surgical site infection and unplanned return to the operating room was reduced (p<0.001 and p<0.046. Conclusion: Many people every year due to lack of safety in hospitals, lose their lives. Despite the risks, such as leaving surgery sets in patient body and wrong surgery is due to lack of proper safety programs during surgery. By using safety checklist in all hospitals mortality rate and complications was reduced but this reduction was extremely in α3 hospital (from 5.2% to 1.48%.

  3. Transforming Patient Value: Comparison of Hospital, Surgical, and General Surgery Patients.

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    Pitt, Henry A; Tsypenyuk, Ella; Freeman, Susan L; Carson, Steven R; Shinefeld, Jonathan A; Hinkle, Sally M; Powers, Benjamin D; Goldberg, Amy J; DiSesa, Verdi J; Kaiser, Larry R

    2016-04-01

    Patient value (V) is enhanced when quality (Q) is increased and cost (C) is diminished (V = Q/C). However, calculating value has been inhibited by a lack of risk-adjusted cost data. The aim of this analysis was to measure patient value before and after implementation of quality improvement and cost reduction programs. Multidisciplinary efforts to improve patient value were initiated at a safety-net hospital in 2012. Quality improvement focused on adoption of multiple best practices, and minimizing practice variation was the strategy to control cost. University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) risk-adjusted quality (patient mortality + safety + satisfaction + effectiveness) and cost (length of stay + direct cost) data were used to calculate patient value over 3 fiscal years. Normalized ranks in the UHC Quality and Accountability Scorecard were used in the value equation. For all hospital patients, quality scores improved from 50.3 to 66.5, with most of the change occurring in decreased mortality. Similar trends were observed for all surgery patients (42.6 to 48.4) and for general surgery patients (30.9 to 64.6). For all hospital patients, cost scores improved from 71.0 to 2.9. Similar changes were noted for all surgical (71.6 to 27.1) and general surgery (85.7 to 23.0) patients. Therefore, value increased more than 30-fold for all patients, 3-fold for all surgical patients, and almost 8-fold for general surgery patients. Multidisciplinary quality and cost efforts resulted in significant improvements in value for all hospitalized patients as well as general surgery patients. Mortality improved the most in general surgery patients, and satisfaction was highest among surgical patients. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Relationship Between Hospital Performance on a Patient Satisfaction Survey and Surgical Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacks, Greg D; Lawson, Elise H; Dawes, Aaron J; Russell, Marcia M; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda; Zingmond, David S; Ko, Clifford Y

    2015-09-01

    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services include patient experience as a core component of its Value-Based Purchasing program, which ties financial incentives to hospital performance on a range of quality measures. However, it remains unclear whether patient satisfaction is an accurate marker of high-quality surgical care. To determine whether hospital performance on a patient satisfaction survey is associated with objective measures of surgical quality. Retrospective observational study of participating American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) hospitals. We used data from a linked database of Medicare inpatient claims, ACS NSQIP, the American Hospital Association annual survey, and Hospital Compare from December 2, 2004, through December 31, 2008. A total of 103 866 patients older than 65 years undergoing inpatient surgery were included. Hospitals were grouped by quartile based on their performance on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. Controlling for preoperative risk factors, we created hierarchical logistic regression models to predict the occurrence of adverse postoperative outcomes based on a hospital's patient satisfaction scores. Thirty-day postoperative mortality, major and minor complications, failure to rescue, and hospital readmission. Of the 180 hospitals, the overall mean patient satisfaction score was 68.0% (first quartile mean, 58.7%; fourth quartile mean, 76.7%). Compared with patients treated at hospitals in the lowest quartile, those at the highest quartile had significantly lower risk-adjusted odds of death (odds ratio = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.99), failure to rescue (odds ratio = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70-0.96), and minor complication (odds ratio = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-0.99). This translated to relative risk reductions of 11.1% (P = .04), 12.6% (P = .02), and 11.5% (P = .04), respectively. No significant relationship was noted between patient satisfaction

  5. Variation in Surgical Quality Measure Adherence within Hospital Referral Regions: Do Publicly Reported Surgical Quality Measures Distinguish among Hospitals That Patients Are Likely to Compare?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safavi, Kyan C; Dai, Feng; Gilbertsen, Todd A; Schonberger, Robert B

    2014-01-01

    Objective To determine whether surgical quality measures that Medicare publicly reports provide a basis for patients to choose a hospital from within their geographic region. Data Source The Department of Health and Human Services' public reporting website, Medicare Claims Processing Manual Baltimore, MD CMS http://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare. Study Design We identified hospitals (n = 2,953) reporting adherence rates to the quality measures intended to reduce surgical site infections (Surgical Care Improvement Project, 1–3) in 2012. We defined regions within which patients were likely to compare hospitals using the hospital referral regions (HRRs) from the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care Project. We described distributions of reported SCIP adherence within each HRR, including medians, interquartile ranges (IQRs), skewness, and outliers. Principal Findings Ninety-seven percent of HRRs had median SCIP-1 scores ≥95 percent. In 93 percent of HRRs, half of the hospitals in the HRR were within 5 percent of the median hospital's score. In 62 percent of HRRs, hospitals were skewed toward the higher rates (negative skewness). Seven percent of HRRs demonstrated positive skewness. Only 1 percent had a positive outlier. SCIP-2 and SCIP-3 demonstrated similar distributions. Conclusions Publicly reported quality measures for surgical site infection prevention do not distinguish the majority of hospitals that patients are likely to choose from when selecting a surgical provider. More studies are needed to improve public reporting's ability to positively impact patient decision making. PMID:24611578

  6. Innovative financing for rural surgical patients: Experience in mission hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gnanaraj Jesudian

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In rural India most of the surgical patients become impoverished due to surgical treatment pushing several families below poverty line. We describe the various methods that we tried to help these patients pay for the surgical procedures without becoming impoverished. Some of them were successful and many of them were not so successful. The large turnover and innovative methods helped the mission hospitals to serve the poor and the marginalized. Some of these methods might not be relevant in areas other than Northeast India while many could be used in other areas.

  7. Lived experiences and challenges of older surgical patients during hospitalization for cancer: An ethnographic fieldwork

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    Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper explores the lived experiences of older surgical patients’ (aged 74 years and older experienced challenges during a brief admission to hospital. Age, gender, polypharmacy, and the severity of illness are also factors known to affect the hospitalization process. For an ethnographic study using participant observation and interviews, surgical cancer patients (n = 9, aged 74 years and older were recruited during admission to a Danish teaching hospital. Using ethnographic strategies of participant observation and interviews, each patient was followed through the course of 1 day during their stay at the hospital. Interviews were carried out with all patients during this time. Three areas of concern were identified as prominent in the patients’ experiences and challenges during their short hospital stay: teeth and oral cavity, eating in a hospital setting, and medication during hospitalization. Short-term hospitalization requires focused collaboration between staff and patient concerning individual challenges from their teeth and oral cavity as support of nutritional needs during surgical treatment for cancer.

  8. Organizational effects on patient satisfaction in hospital medical-surgical units.

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    Bacon, Cynthia Thornton; Mark, Barbara

    2009-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between hospital context, nursing unit structure, and patient characteristics and patients' satisfaction with nursing care in hospitals. Although patient satisfaction has been widely researched, our understanding of the relationship between hospital context and nursing unit structure and their impact on patient satisfaction is limited. The data source for this study was the Outcomes Research in Nursing Administration Project, a multisite organizational study conducted to investigate relationships among nurse staffing, organizational context and structure, and patient outcomes. The sample for this study was 2,720 patients and 3,718 RNs in 286 medical-surgical units in 146 hospitals. Greater availability of nursing unit support services and higher levels of work engagement were associated with higher levels of patient satisfaction. Older age, better health status, and better symptom management were also associated with higher levels of patient satisfaction. Organizational factors in hospitals and nursing units, particularly support services on the nursing unit and mechanisms that foster nurses' work engagement and effective symptom management, are important influences on patient satisfaction.

  9. Activity-based costs of blood transfusions in surgical patients at four hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shander, Aryeh; Hofmann, Axel; Ozawa, Sherri; Theusinger, Oliver M; Gombotz, Hans; Spahn, Donat R

    2010-04-01

    Blood utilization has long been suspected to consume more health care resources than previously reported. Incomplete accounting for blood costs has the potential to misdirect programmatic decision making by health care systems. Determining the cost of supplying patients with blood transfusions requires an in-depth examination of the complex array of activities surrounding the decision to transfuse. To accurately determine the cost of blood in a surgical population from a health system perspective, an activity-based costing (ABC) model was constructed. Tasks and resource consumption (materials, labor, third-party services, capital) related to blood administration were identified prospectively at two US and two European hospitals. Process frequency (i.e., usage) data were captured retrospectively from each hospital and used to populate the ABC model. All major process steps, staff, and consumables to provide red blood cell (RBC) transfusions to surgical patients, including usage frequencies, and direct and indirect overhead costs contributed to per-RBC-unit costs between $522 and $1183 (mean, $761 +/- $294). These exceed previously reported estimates and were 3.2- to 4.8-fold higher than blood product acquisition costs. Annual expenditures on blood and transfusion-related activities, limited to surgical patients, ranged from $1.62 to $6.03 million per hospital and were largely related to the transfusion rate. Applicable to various hospital practices, the ABC model confirms that blood costs have been underestimated and that they are geographically variable and identifies opportunities for cost containment. Studies to determine whether more stringent control of blood utilization improves health care utilization and quality, and further reduces costs, are warranted.

  10. Incidence, hospital costs and in-hospital mortality rates of surgically treated patients with traumatic cranial epidural hematoma

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    Atci Ibrahim Burak

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: In this study, the patients who were operated in two clinics due to traumatic cranial epidural hematoma (EDH were assessed retrospectively and the factors that increase the costs were tried to be revealed through conducting cost analyses. Methods: The patients who were operated between 2010 and 2016 with the diagnosis of EDH were assessed in terms of age, sex, trauma etiology, Glasgow coma scale (GCS at admission, the period from trauma to hospital arrival, trauma-related injury in other organs, the localization of hematoma, the size of hematoma, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU, length of antibiotherapy administration, number of consultations conducted, total cost of in-hospital treatments of the patients and prognosis. Results: Distribution of GCS were, between 13-15 in 18 (36% patients, 9-13 in 23 (46% patients and 3-8 in 9 (18% patients. The reasons for emergency department admissions were fall from high in 29 (58% patients, assault in 11 (22% patients and motor vehicle accident in 10 (20% patients. The average cost per ICU stay was 2838 $ (range=343-20571 $. The average cost per surgical treatment was 314 $. ICU care was approximately 9 times more expensive than surgical treatment costs. The mortality rate of the study cohort was 14% (7 patients. Conclusion: The prolonged period of stay in the ICU, antibiotherapy and repeat head CTs increase the costs for patients who are surgically treated for EDH.

  11. Patient satisfaction: does surgical volume matter?

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    Tevis, Sarah E; Kennedy, Gregory D

    2015-06-01

    Patient satisfaction is an increasing area of interest due to implications of pay for performance and public reporting of results. Although scores are adjusted for patient factors, little is known about the relationship between hospital structure, postoperative outcomes, and patient satisfaction with the hospital experience. Hospitals participating in the University HealthSystem Consortium database from 2011-2012 were included. Patients were restricted to those discharged by general surgeons to isolate surgical patients. Hospital data were paired with Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) results from the Hospital Compare website. Postoperative outcomes were dichotomized based on the median for all hospitals and stratified based on surgical volume. The primary outcome of interest was high on overall patient satisfaction, whereas other HCAHPS domains were assessed as secondary outcomes. Chi square and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate whether postoperative outcomes or surgical volume more significantly influenced high patient satisfaction. The study population consisted of 171 hospitals from the University HealthSystem Consortium database. High surgical volume was a more important predictor of overall patient satisfaction regardless of hospital complication (P patient satisfaction on the HCAHPS survey than postoperative outcomes, whereas volume was less predictive in other HCAHPS domains. Patients may require more specific questioning to identify high quality, safe hospitals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Relationship between occurrence of surgical complications and hospital finances.

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    Eappen, Sunil; Lane, Bennett H; Rosenberg, Barry; Lipsitz, Stuart A; Sadoff, David; Matheson, Dave; Berry, William R; Lester, Mark; Gawande, Atul A

    2013-04-17

    The effect of surgical complications on hospital finances is unclear. To determine the relationship between major surgical complications and per-encounter hospital costs and revenues by payer type. Retrospective analysis of administrative data for all inpatient surgical discharges during 2010 from a nonprofit 12-hospital system in the southern United States. Discharges were categorized by principal procedure and occurrence of 1 or more postsurgical complications, using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis and procedure codes. Nine common surgical procedures and 10 major complications across 4 payer types were analyzed. Hospital costs and revenue at discharge were obtained from hospital accounting systems and classified by payer type. Hospital costs, revenues, and contribution margin (defined as revenue minus variable expenses) were compared for patients with and without surgical complications according to payer type. Of 34,256 surgical discharges, 1820 patients (5.3%; 95% CI, 4.4%-6.4%) experienced 1 or more postsurgical complications. Compared with absence of complications, complications were associated with a $39,017 (95% CI, $20,069-$50,394; P financial consequences for decreasing postsurgical complications.

  13. [Contributions of hospital psicology to the care of the surgical patient].

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    Sebastiani, Ricardo Werner; Maia, Eulália Maria Chaves

    2005-01-01

    The present article show some contributions to the Health Psychology at the chirurgical patient attention, with the interdisciplinary intervention propose, under the biopsychosocial paradigm. Show some points about the relationships above the chirurgeon, health team and patient and presents some psychological and psychopathologic answers to the patient under the trinomial illness-hospitalization-care in the period a long the diagnosis and chirurgical indication at the rehabilitation proceedings. Psicologist must conquist, by knowledge and dedication, his space in surgical teams.

  14. Provision of general paediatric surgical services in a regional hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Zgraj, O

    2012-01-31

    BACKGROUND: In Ireland, specialist paediatric surgery is carried out in paediatric hospitals in Dublin. General surgeons\\/consultants in other surgical specialities provide paediatric surgical care in regional centres. There has been a failure to train general surgeons with paediatric skills to replace these surgeons upon retirement. AIM: To assess paediatric surgical workload in one regional centre to focus the debate regarding the future provision of general paediatric surgery in Ireland. METHODS: Hospital in-patient enquiry (HIPE) system was used to identify total number of paediatric surgical admissions and procedures. Cases assessed requiring hospital transfer. RESULTS: Of 17,478 surgical patients treated, 2,584 (14.8%) were under 14 years. A total of 2,154 procedures were performed. CONCLUSION: Regional centres without dedicated paediatric surgeons deliver care to large numbers of paediatric patients. The demand for care highlights the need for formal paediatric services\\/appropriate surgical training for general surgical trainees.

  15. Surgical care in the isolated military hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukish, J R; Gill, G G; McCoy, T R

    2001-01-01

    To maintain the health of service members and their families throughout the world, the Department of Defense has established several isolated military hospitals (IHs). The operational environment of IHs is such that illness and traumatic injury requiring surgical intervention is common. This study sought to examine the general and orthopedic surgical experience at an IH to determine whether surgical care could be provided in an effective and safe manner. All patients evaluated by the general and orthopedic surgeon at Guantanamo Bay Naval Hospital from October 1, 1998, to April 1, 1999, were included in this study. The following data were retrospectively reviewed: patient demographic data, diagnosis, initial and follow-up care, medical evacuation data, operative procedures, and complications. There were 336 patients who presented for surgical evaluation, resulting in 660 follow-up appointments during the study period. There were 31 medical evacuations (3 emergent). The surgical services performed 122 major operative procedures. There were 58 inpatient admissions. There was 1 death, and surgical complications occurred in 2 patients, for an overall morbidity and mortality of 1.4% and 0.7%, respectively. Our data show that an IH is capable of providing surgical care, including care for traumatic injuries, in a safe manner. This is the first study that provides objective evidence that general and orthopedic surgery at an IH can be provided within the standard of care.

  16. Financial impact of surgical training on hospital economics: an income analysis of 1184 out-patient clinic consultations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, J E F; Ravindra, P; Lepore, M; Armstrong, A; Bhangu, A; Maxwell-Armstrong, C A

    2013-01-01

    In many countries healthcare commissioning bodies (state or insurance-based) reimburse hospitals for their activity. The costs associated with post-graduate clinical training as part of this are poorly understood. This study quantified the financial revenue generated by surgical trainees in the out-patient clinic setting. A retrospective analysis of surgical out-patient ambulatory care appointments under 6 full-time equivalent Consultants (Attendings) in one hospital over 2 months. Clinic attendance lists were generated from the Patient Access System. Appointments were categorised as: 'new', 'review' or 'procedure' as per the Department of Health Payment by Results (PbR) Outpatient Tariff (Outpatient Treatment Function Code 104; Outpatient Procedure Code OPRSI1). During the study period 78 clinics offered 1184 appointments; 133 of these were not attended (11.2%). Of those attended 1029 had sufficient detail for analysis (98%). 261 (25.4%) patients were seen by a trainee. Applying PbR reimbursement criteria to these gave a projected annual income of £GBP 218,712 (€EU 266,527; $USD 353,657) generated by 6 surgical trainees (Residents). This is equivalent to approximately £GBP 36,452 (€EU 44,415; $USD 58,943) per trainee annually compared to £GBP 48,732 (€EU 59,378; $USD 78,800) per Consultant. This projected yearly income off-set 95% of the trainee's basic salary. Surgical trainees generated a quarter of the out-patient clinic activity related income in this study, with each trainee producing three-quarters of that generated by a Consultant. This offers considerable commercial value to hospitals. Although this must offset productivity differences and overall running costs, training bodies should ensure hospitals offer an appropriate return. In a competitive market hospitals could be invited to compete for trainees, with preference given to those providing excellence in training. Copyright © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  17. How Does Patient Safety Culture in the Surgical Departments Compare to the Rest of the County Hospitals in Xiaogan City of China?

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    Wang, Manli; Tao, Hongbing

    2017-09-26

    Objectives : Patient safety culture affects patient safety and the performance of hospitals. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) is generally used to assess the safety culture in hospitals and unit levels. However, only a few studies in China have measured surgical settings compared with other units in county hospitals using the HSOPSC. This study aims to assess the strengths and weaknesses of surgical departments compared with all other departments in county hospitals in China with HSOPSC. Design : This research is a cross-sectional study. Methods : In 2015, a Chinese translation of HSOPSC was administered to 1379 staff from sampled departments from 19 county hospitals in Xiaogan City (Hubei Province, China) using a simple random and cluster sampling method. Outcome Measures : The HSOPSC was completed by 1379 participants. The percent positive ratings (PPRs) of 12 dimensions (i.e., teamwork within units, organizational learning and continuous improvement, staffing, non-punitive response to errors, supervisor/ manager expectations and actions promoting patient safety, feedback and communication about errors, communication openness, hospital handoffs and transitions, teamwork across hospital units, hospital management support for patient safety, overall perception of safety, as well as frequency of events reported) and the positive proportion of outcome variables (patient safety grade and number of events reported) between surgical departments and other departments were compared with t -tests and X² tests, respectively. A multiple regression analysis was conducted, with the outcome dimensions serving as dependent variables and basic characteristics and other dimensions serving as independent variables. Similarly, ordinal logistic regression was used to explore the influencing factors of two categorical outcomes. Results : A total of 56.49% of respondents were from surgical departments. The PPRs for "teamwork within units" and "organizational

  18. Optimizing patient flow in a large hospital surgical centre by means of discrete-event computer simulation models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Rodrigo B; Coelli, Fernando C; Pereira, Wagner C A; Almeida, Renan M V R

    2008-12-01

    This study used the discrete-events computer simulation methodology to model a large hospital surgical centre (SC), in order to analyse the impact of increases in the number of post-anaesthetic beds (PABs), of changes in surgical room scheduling strategies and of increases in surgery numbers. The used inputs were: number of surgeries per day, type of surgical room scheduling, anaesthesia and surgery duration, surgical teams' specialty and number of PABs, and the main outputs were: number of surgeries per day, surgical rooms' use rate and blocking rate, surgical teams' use rate, patients' blocking rate, surgery delays (minutes) and the occurrence of postponed surgeries. Two basic strategies were implemented: in the first strategy, the number of PABs was increased under two assumptions: (a) following the scheduling plan actually used by the hospital (the 'rigid' scheduling - surgical rooms were previously assigned and assignments could not be changed) and (b) following a 'flexible' scheduling (surgical rooms, when available, could be freely used by any surgical team). In the second, the same analysis was performed, increasing the number of patients (up to the system 'feasible maximum') but fixing the number of PABs, in order to evaluate the impact of the number of patients over surgery delays. It was observed that the introduction of a flexible scheduling/increase in PABs would lead to a significant improvement in the SC productivity.

  19. Management experience of surgical complications of dengue fever patients at hameed latif hospital, Lahore

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, F.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: This study was designed to determine the frequency, pattern and management of surgical complications among patients with dengue fever. Design: Cross sectional study design was used. Settings: Hameed Latif Hospital, Lahore. Methods: From March - 2009 to December - 2011 total of 875 patients of dengue fever with positive anti-dengue immunoglobulin M (IgM) serology were included in this study. Complete blood count, liver function test, blood urea, serum creatinin, serum amylase were determined in all patients admitted with the diagnosis of dengue fever. All the patients were evaluated for the presence of surgical complications by physical examination and real time ultrasound abdomen. Patient had CT - abdomen and brain where it was required. Patients having surgical complications were managed in dengue ward and ICU with multidisciplinary approach. Data entry and analysis was done by using SPSS 16. Results: Among 875 patients with dengue fever, 491 (43.9%) patients were men and 384 (48.9%) were women with age range (18 - 70) years. Surgical complications were detected in 121 (13.8%) patients: acute cholecystitis in 46 (5.26%); acute pancreatitis in 19 (2.17%); injection abscess in 14 (1.6%); gastrointestinal bleed in 24 (2.74%); forearm compartment syndrome in 3 (0.34%); abdominal compartment syndrome in 2 (0.23%) and acute appendicitis, 4 (0.46%) patients. Cerebral bleed, retroperitoneal hematoma, abdominal wall hematoma and splenic rupture was seen among 3 (0.34%), 2 (0.23%), 3 (0.34%), and 1 (0.11%) patients, respectively. Out of 121 patients surgery was done in 20 (16.5%) patients while rest of 101 (83.5%) patients were managed conservatively. Two patients died. Conclusion: Surgical complications are common and should be suspected in every patient with dengue fever. Majority of surgical manifestations of dengue fever were managed conservatively however surgical intervention was done in certain cases with favorable outcome. (author)

  20. Patient safety in surgical environments: Cross-countries comparison of psychometric properties and results of the Norwegian version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety

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    Nortvedt Monica W

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background How hospital health care personnel perceive safety climate has been assessed in several countries by using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety (HSOPS. Few studies have examined safety climate factors in surgical departments per se. This study examined the psychometric properties of a Norwegian translation of the HSOPS and also compared safety climate factors from a surgical setting to hospitals in the United States, the Netherlands and Norway. Methods This survey included 575 surgical personnel in Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, an 1100-bed tertiary hospital in western Norway: surgeons, operating theatre nurses, anaesthesiologists, nurse anaesthetists and ancillary personnel. Of these, 358 returned the HSOPS, resulting in a 62% response rate. We used factor analysis to examine the applicability of the HSOPS factor structure in operating theatre settings. We also performed psychometric analysis for internal consistency and construct validity. In addition, we compared the percent of average positive responds of the patient safety climate factors with results of the US HSOPS 2010 comparative data base report. Results The professions differed in their perception of patient safety climate, with anaesthesia personnel having the highest mean scores. Factor analysis using the original 12-factor model of the HSOPS resulted in low reliability scores (r = 0.6 for two factors: "adequate staffing" and "organizational learning and continuous improvement". For the remaining factors, reliability was ≥ 0.7. Reliability scores improved to r = 0.8 by combining the factors "organizational learning and continuous improvement" and "feedback and communication about error" into one six-item factor, supporting an 11-factor model. The inter-item correlations were found satisfactory. Conclusions The psychometric properties of the questionnaire need further investigations to be regarded as reliable in surgical environments. The operating

  1. Psychosocial implications of pediatric surgical hospitalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerwick, Julie L

    2013-08-01

    The prevalence of childhood surgical illness and injury requiring hospitalization suggests the need for implementation of an applied intervention to decrease levels of anxiety in these patients. When psychological concerns are not addressed in the present moment, potential for long-term negative psychological effects occur. To respond to the psychosocial needs of pediatric surgical patients it is important to understand foundational stages of development. Age is not always directly correlated with developmental stage and attunement to this subtle differentiation is essential. Some medical facilities offer services to pediatric surgical patients that include education about upcoming procedures as well as medical play which offers the opportunity to express emotions correlated with the hospitalization experience. This approach is directive in nature and controls the process of making sense of the medical environment. An alternative is Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) which creates an outlet for any emotions the children choose to express. CCPT offers comprehensive mental health care through a developmentally-appropriate, undirected intervention carried out by a mental health therapist and has been shown to reduce perceived and actual psychological trauma, anxiety, and behavioral issues in children preparing for surgery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A Review Of In-Hospital Surgical Mortality At The Nnamdi Azikiwe ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Aims and Objectives: A retrospective study to determine In-hospital surgical mortality rate, gender and age distribution of cases and operations associated with In-hospital surgical mortality at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. Patients and Methods: Data was collected from the theatre operation ...

  3. Hospital costs associated with surgical site infections in general and vascular surgery patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boltz, Melissa M; Hollenbeak, Christopher S; Julian, Kathleen G; Ortenzi, Gail; Dillon, Peter W

    2011-11-01

    Although much has been written about excess cost and duration of stay (DOS) associated with surgical site infections (SSIs) after cardiothoracic surgery, less has been reported after vascular and general surgery. We used data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) to estimate the total cost and DOS associated with SSIs in patients undergoing general and vascular surgery. Using standard NSQIP practices, data were collected on patients undergoing general and vascular surgery at a single academic center between 2007 and 2009 and were merged with fully loaded operating costs obtained from the hospital accounting database. Logistic regression was used to determine which patient and preoperative variables influenced the occurrence of SSIs. After adjusting for patient characteristics, costs and DOS were fit to linear regression models to determine the effect of SSIs. Of the 2,250 general and vascular surgery patients sampled, SSIs were observed in 186 inpatients. Predisposing factors of SSIs were male sex, insulin-dependent diabetes, steroid use, wound classification, and operative time (P surgery. Although the excess costs and DOS associated with SSIs after general and vascular surgery are somewhat less, they still represent substantial financial and opportunity costs to hospitals and suggest, along with the implications for patient care, a continuing need for cost-effective quality improvement and programs of infection prevention. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Prevalence of Recognised and Unrecognised Depression among Medical and Surgical Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahman, A. S.; Jamal, Q.; Riaz, M.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To observe the prevalence of recognised and unrecognised depression among in-patients. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2012 to May 2013 at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, and comprised patients admitted in the Medicine and Surgical departments at the time. Patients with known history of depression or on anti-depressants or on anti-psychotics, or with suicidal attempt were excluded. The prevalence of unrecognised depression was then perceived using Patient Health Qurstionnaire-9. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20. Results: Of the 1180 patients, 432(36.6 percent) either had history of depression or on were on anti-depressants. The study sample, as such, comprised 748(65 percent), and of them 399(53 percent) were from the Medicine and 349(47 percent) patients were from Surgery department. Prevalence of recognised depression was 36.6 percent; 48 percent in Medical and 14 percent in Surgical patients. Unrecognised depression was 51.2 percent; 45.3 percent in Medical and 53.6 in Surgical patients. Overall prevalence was 87.9 percent; 93.4 percent in Medical and 53 percent in Surgical patients. Gender was not found to be significantly associated with depression in Medical (p= 0.367) and Surgical (p=0.606) patients. No depression was found in 48(12 percent) Medical patients and 131(37.5 percent) Surgical patients. Conclusion: More than one-third of in-patients had co-morbid depression diagnoses, mostly unrecognised by their clinicians. (author)

  5. [Impact of medical TV series on surgical hospital patient's perception of reality].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witzel, Kai; Weitzendorfer, Michael; Schredl, Philip; Koch, Horst J; Kaminski, Cornelia

    2018-03-02

    Medical TV series are very popular. Media research emphasizes that watching TV has an influence on patient's expectations and estimations concerning upcoming surgery. We analyzed these associations in our own patients. We suspected that reality as presented in the media and the actual reality of hospitals are not always conceived as two different worlds. Over a 15-month period a standardized questionnaire was used to interview 162 in-house patients who had been admitted for an elective standard operation. They were interviewed 1-2 days prior to surgery and shortly before discharge from hospital. The questions aimed at their social situation and their TV viewing habits with special consideration of medical TV series. The knowledge of medical TV series is highly associated with a realistic assessment of these programs (p TV series have a significant influence on surgical in-house patients. Patients with knowledge of many medical TV series believe that the medical setting in these shows is realistic. This can result in false estimations concerning real surgery.

  6. Oral nutritional support of older (65 years+) medical and surgical patients after discharge from hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beck, Anne Marie; Holst, Mette; Rasmussen, Henrik Højgaard

    2013-01-01

    To estimate the effectiveness of oral nutritional support compared to placebo or usual care in improving clinical outcome in older (65 years+) medical and surgical patients after discharge from hospital. Outcome goals were: re-admissions, survival, nutritional and functional status, quality of life...

  7. The impact of recent hospitalization on surgical site infection after a pancreatectomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanford, Dominic E; Strasberg, Steven M; Hawkins, William G; Fields, Ryan C

    2015-01-01

    Background Surgical site infections (SSI) are a major cause of increased morbidity and cost after a pancreatectomy. Patients undergoing a pancreatectomy frequently have had recent inpatient hospital admissions prior to their surgical admission (recent pre-surgical admission, RPSA), which could increase the risk of SSI. Methods The 2009–2011 Healthcare Cost Utilization Project California State Inpatient Database was used. Chi-square tests, Student's t-tests and multivariable logistic regression were used. Results Three thousand three hundred and seventy-six patients underwent a pancreatectomy, and 444 (13.2%) had RPSA. One hundred and eighty (40.5%) RPSAs were to different hospitals other than where patients' pancreatectomy took place. In univariate analysis, patients with RPSA had a significantly higher rate of post-operative SSIs, and this was associated with a longer length of post-operative stay, higher post-operative hospital costs and increased postoperative 30-day readmission rates (Table 1). In Multivariate analysis, RPSA was an independent predictor of post-operative SSI [odds ratio (OR) = 1.68, P = 0.013], and the risk of SSI increased with increasing RPSA length of stay (OR = 1.07 per day, P = 0.001). Conclusions Recent pre-surgical admission is an important risk factor for SSI after a pancreatectomy. Many patients with RPSA are not admitted pre-operatively to the same hospital where the pancreatectomy occurs; in such circumstances, SSI rates may not be a sole reflection of the care provided by operating hospitals. PMID:26221859

  8. Design and Implementation of a Perioperative Surgical Home at a Veterans Affairs Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters, Tessa L; Howard, Steven K; Kou, Alex; Bertaccini, Edward J; Harrison, T Kyle; Kim, T Edward; Shafer, Audrey; Brun, Carlos; Funck, Natasha; Siegel, Lawrence C; Stary, Erica; Mariano, Edward R

    2016-06-01

    The innovative Perioperative Surgical Home model aims to optimize the outcomes of surgical patients by leveraging the expertise and leadership of physician anesthesiologists, but there is a paucity of practical examples to follow. Veterans Affairs health care, the largest integrated system in the United States, may be the ideal environment in which to explore this model. We present our experience implementing Perioperative Surgical Home at one tertiary care university-affiliated Veterans Affairs hospital. This process involved initiating consistent postoperative patient follow-up beyond the postanesthesia care unit, a focus on improving in-hospital acute pain management, creation of an accessible database to track outcomes, developing new clinical pathways, and recruiting additional staff. Today, our Perioperative Surgical Home facilitates communication between various services involved in the care of surgical patients, monitoring of patient outcomes, and continuous process improvement. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Minor Postoperative Increases of Creatinine Are Associated with Higher Mortality and Longer Hospital Length of Stay in Surgical Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kork, Felix; Balzer, Felix; Spies, Claudia D.; Wernecke, Klaus-Dieter; Ginde, Adit A.; Jankowski, Joachim; Eltzschig, Holger K.

    2015-01-01

    Background Surgical patients frequently experience postoperative increases in creatinine levels. The authors hypothesized that even small increases in postoperative creatinine levels are associated with adverse outcomes. Methods The authors examined the association of postoperative changes from preoperative baseline creatinine with all-cause in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay (HLOS) in a retrospective analysis of surgical patients at a single tertiary care center between January 2006 and June 2012. Results The data of 39,369 surgical patients (noncardiac surgery n = 37,345; cardiac surgery n = 2,024) were analyzed. Acute kidney injury (AKI)—by definition of the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcome group—was associated with a five-fold higher mortality (odds ratio [OR], 4.8; 95% CI, 4.1 to 5.7; P creatinine, exposure to radiocontrast agent, type of surgery, and surgical AKI risk factors. Importantly, even minor creatinine increases (Δcreatinine 25 to 49% above baseline but creatinine increases had a five-fold risk of death (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.5 to 20.3; P creatinine levels are associated with adverse outcomes. These results emphasize the importance to find effective therapeutic approaches to prevent or treat even mild forms of postoperative kidney dysfunction to improve surgical outcomes. PMID:26492475

  10. Introduction of a Surgical Navigator in the Perioperative Process Improves Patient Satisfaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brett G Marshall

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patients who had received surgical services at Bellin Hospital reported anxiety with the surgical flow. This study tested the hypothesis that the introduction of a surgical navigator, someone who guided the patient and their accompanying others throughout the surgical process, would improve patient satisfaction. Methods: Ambulatory surgical patients were randomized to control and study groups. The study group patients were assigned a surgical navigator. Prior to discharge from the hospital, patients were asked to complete a patient satisfaction survey. Results: The study group had significantly higher mean scores (P value ≤ 0.026, top box scores (P value ≤ 0.021, and positive comments. Conclusion: The addition of a surgical navigator to the perioperative process significantly enhanced patient satisfaction in ambulatory surgical patients.

  11. Flail Chest in Polytraumatized Patients: Surgical Fixation Using Stracos Reduces Ventilator Time and Hospital Stay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christophe P. M. Jayle

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. Conservative management of patients with flail chest is the treatment of choice. Rib fracture repair is technically challenging; however, with the advent of specially designed molding titanium clips, surgical management has been simplified. Surgical stabilization has been used with good outcomes. We are reporting on our institutional matched-case-control study. Methods. Between April 2010 and April 2011, ten polytraumatized patients undergoing rib stabilization for flail chest were matched 1 : 1 to 10 control patients by age ±10 years, sex, neurological or vertebral trauma, abdominal injury, and arm and leg fractures. Surgery was realized in the first 48 hours. Results. There were no significant differences between groups for matched data and prognostic scores: injury severity score, revised trauma score, and trauma injury severity score. Ventilator time (142 ± 224 versus 74 ± 125 hours, P=0.026 and overall hospital stay (142 ± 224 versus 74 ± 125 hours, P=0.026 were significantly lower for the surgical group after adjustment on prognostic scores. There was a trend towards shorter ICU stay for operative patients (12.3 ± 8.5 versus 9.0 ± 4.3 days, P=0.076. Conclusions. Rib fixation with Stracos is feasible and decreases the length of ventilation and hospital stay. A multicenter randomized study is warranted so as to confirm these results and to evaluate impact on pulmonary function status, pain, and quality of life.

  12. Influence of Internet dissemination on hospital selection for benign surgical disease: A single center retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sung Ryul; Koo, Bum Hwan; Byun, Geon Young; Lee, Seung Geun; Kim, Myoung Jin; Hong, Soo Kyung; Kim, Su Yeon; Lee, Yu Jin

    2018-05-17

    The Internet is used worldwide, but its effect on hospital selection of minor surgical disease has not hitherto been thoroughly studied. To investigate the effect of the Internet dissemination on hospital selection of minor surgical disease and information affecting selection, we conducted a survey of patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery from January 2016 to April 2017. We analyzed the questionnaire responses of 1916 patients. Over 80% of patients in all groups selected the hospital based on Internet information. Among patients aged over 60 years, 65.1% selected the hospital based on Internet information. With regard to hospital selection factors, the highest number of responses was for sophisticated surgical treatment (93.1%). The second highest was for a simplified medical care system (33.0%); third was a comprehensive nursing care system (18.1%). Among responses about surgical treatment, the most were obtained for short operation time and fewer hospitalization days (81.5%). Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Postoperative Haematocrit and Outcome in Critically Ill Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Ana Martins; Silva, Diana; Sousa, Gabriela; Silva, Joana; Santos, Alice; Abelha, Fernando José

    2017-08-31

    Haematocrit has been studied as an outcome predictor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between low haematocrit at surgical intensive care unit admission and high disease scoring system score and early outcomes. This retrospective study included 4398 patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit between January 2006 and July 2013. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation and simplified acute physiology score II values were calculated and all variables entered as parameters were evaluated independently. Patients were classified as haematocrit if they had a haematocrit < 30% at surgical intensive care unit admission. The correlation between admission haematocrit and outcome was evaluated by univariate analysis and linear regression. A total of 1126 (25.6%) patients had haematocrit. These patients had higher rates of major cardiac events (4% vs 1.9%, p < 0.001), acute renal failure (11.5% vs 4.7%, p < 0.001), and mortality during surgical intensive care unit stay (3% vs 0.8%, p < 0.001) and hospital stay (12% vs 5.9%, p < 0.001). A haematocrit level < 30% at surgical intensive care unit admission was frequent and appears to be a predictor for poorer outcome in critical surgical patients. Patients with haematocrit had longer surgical intensive care unit and hospital stay lengths, more postoperative complications, and higher surgical intensive care unit and hospital mortality rates.

  14. DYNAMICS OF HOSPITALIZATION OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE SURGICAL PATHOLOGY OF ABDOMINAL AND ABDOMINAL ORGANS IN KUZBASS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Валерий Иванович Подолужный

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Publications of recent years do not reflect the regional dynamics of hospitalization of patients with acute surgical pathology of the abdominal cavity and anterior abdominal wall. Goal – to determine the volume of hospitalizations and treatment of patients with acute surgical pathology of the abdominal and anterior abdominal wall in the Kuzbass in the dynamics from 1993 to 2016. Materials and methods. A comparative analysis of the volume of treatment of patients with acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, intestinal obstruction, perforated ulcer of the stomach and duodenum and strangulated hernia in surgical departments of Kuzbass from 1993 to 2016 to understand the changes occurring in abdominal surgery. Estimated in the comparative aspect for two decades (1993-2002 and 2007-2016 the average annual number of treated. The estimation of indicators in calculation on 100000 population is executed. The statistical processing was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistica computer version 24 and the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test. Result. Statistically significantly decreased the number of patients with acute appendicitis and perforated ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. The average annual hospitalization of patients with acute pancreatitis and strangulated abdominal hernias has significantly increased in the last decade. There are no significant differences in the increase in the total number of patients with acute cholecystitis and acute intestinal obstruction. Conclusions: 1. Over the past decade compared with 1993-2002, the incidence of acute appendicitis per 100000 thousand of the population decreased in the region by 39.9 %, the incidence of perforated gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer by 30.2 %. 2. At this time, the number of people treated with 100000 people with acute pancreatitis increased by 94.7 %; with acute cholecystitis by 12.4 %; with an acute intestinal obstruction by 9.8 % and with a strangulated

  15. Adverse events in surgical inpatients: A comparative analysis of public hospitals in Victoria

    OpenAIRE

    Katharina Hauck; Xueyan Zhao; Terri Jackson

    2010-01-01

    We compare adverse event rates for surgical inpatients across 36 public hospitals in the state of Victoria, Australia, conditioning on differences in patient complexity across hospitals. We estimate separate models for elective and emergency patients which stay at least one night in hospitals, using fixed effects complementary log-log models to estimate AEs as a function of patient and episode characteristics, and hospital effects. We use 4 years of patient level administrative hospital data ...

  16. [Nutritional support response in critically ill patients; differences between medical and surgical patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamora Elson, M; Serón Arbeloa, C; Labarta Monzón, L; Garrido Ramírez de Arellano, I; Lander Azcona, A; Marquina Lacueva, M I; López Claver, J C; Escós Orta, J

    2012-01-01

    To assess the nutritional response of a group of critically ill patients, as well as the differences in the response to nutritional support between medical and surgical patients. One-year long retrospective study including critically ill patients on artificial nutrition for 7 days. Throughout the first week, three nutritional biochemical controls were done that included albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, cholesterol, and electrolytes. Other data gathered were: nutritional risk index, age, gender, weight, height, APACHE, delay of onset of nutritional support, access route, predicted and real caloric intake, medical or surgical patient, hospital stay, duration of the central venous catheter, urinary tube, and/or mechanical ventilation, incidence and density of incidence of nosocomial infections. Sixty-three patients were studied, 30 (47%) medical and 33 (53%) surgical/trauma patients, with a usage of EN higher among medical patients (16/30, 53% vs. 5/33, 15%), PN higher among surgical patients (25/33, 76%), and mixed nutrition similar in both groups (5 medical and 3 surgical patients) (p = 0.001). There were no differences between medical and surgical patients regarding: both predicted and real caloric and nitrogenous intake, APACHE, delay of onset of nutrition, phosphorus, magnesium or glucose levels, mortality and incidence of nosocomial infections. There were no differences either in hospital stay or use of mechanical ventilation, although these tended to be lower in surgical patients. The baseline biochemical parameters did not show differences between both groups, although they were worse among surgical patients. These patients presented during the study period steady albumin levels with improvement in the remaining parameters, whereas medical patients showed a decrease in albumin and transferrin levels, steady prealbumin levels, and slightly improvement in cholesterol levels. We have observed higher usage of PN among surgical patients, which showed worse

  17. Assessment of malnutrition in hip fracture patients: effects on surgical delay, hospital stay and mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symeonidis, Panagiotis D; Clark, David

    2006-08-01

    The importance of malnutrition in elderly hip fracture patients has long been recognised. All patients operated upon for a hip fracture over a five-year period were assessed according to two nutritional markers : a) serum albumin levels and b) peripheral blood total lymphocyte count. Patients were subdivided into groups according to the four possible combinations of these results. Outcomes according to four clinical outcome parameters were validated: a) waiting time to operation b) length of hospitalisation, c) in-hospital mortality, and d) one-year postoperative mortality. Significant differences were found between malnourished patients and those with normal laboratory values with regard to surgical delay and one year postoperative mortality. Malnourished patients were also more likely to be hospitalised longer than a month and to die during their hospital stay, but the difference was not significant. The combination of serum albumin level and total lymphocyte count can be used as an independent prognostic factor in hip fracture patients.

  18. Surgical site infections in an abdominal surgical ward at Kosovo Teaching Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raka, Lul; Krasniqi, Avdyl; Hoxha, Faton; Musa, Ruustem; Mulliqi, Gjyle; Krasniqi, Selvete; Kurti, Arsim; Dervishaj, Antigona; Nuhiu, Beqir; Kelmendi, Baton; Limani, Dalip; Tolaj, Ilir

    2008-01-01

    Abdominal surgical site infections (SSI) cause substantial morbidity and mortality for patients undergoing operative procedures. We determined the incidence of and risk factors for SSI after abdominal surgery in the Department of Abdominal Surgery at the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo (UCCK). Prospective surveillance of patients undergoing abdominal surgery was performed between December 2005 and June 2006. CDC definitions were followed to detect SSI and study forms were based on Europe Link for Infection Control through Surveillance (HELICS) protocol. A total of 253 surgical interventions in 225 patients were evaluated. The median age of patients was 42 years and 55.1% of them were male. The overall incidence rate of SSI was 12%. Follow-up was achieved for 84.1% of the procedures. For patients with an SSI, the median duration of hospitalization was 9 days compared with 4 days for those without an SSI (p 2, use of antibiotic prophylaxis and NNIS class of > 2 were all significant at p < .001. The SSI rates for the NNIS System risk classes 0, 1 and 2-3 were 4.2%, 46.7% and 100%, respectively. SSI caused considerable morbidity among surgical patients in UCCK. Appropriate active surveillance and infection control measures should be introduced during preoperative, intra-operative, and postoperative care to reduce infection rates.

  19. Hospitalization, frequency of interventions, and quality of life after endoscopic, surgical, or conservative treatment in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutter, Karoline; Ferlitsch, A; Sautner, T; Püspök, A; Götzinger, P; Gangl, A; Schindl, M

    2010-11-01

    Patients with chronic pancreatitis usually have a long and debilitating history of disease with frequent hospital admissions, episodes of intractable pain and multiple interventions. The sequences of treatment at initial presentation, endoscopy, surgery, or conservative treatment may affect the time course and admissions needed for disease control, thereby determining quality of life and overall outcome. A total of 292 patients with initial endoscopic, surgical, or conservative pharmacological treatment were retrospectively analyzed regarding frequency of interventions, days in hospital, symptom-free intervals, morbidity, and mortality. Quality of life (QoL) at the latest follow-up was measured by two standardized quality of life questionnaires (EORTC C30 and PAN26). Endoscopic treatment was initially performed in 150 (51.4%) patients, whereas 99 (33.9%) underwent surgery and 43 (14.7%) patients were treated conservatively at their initial presentation. Patients who underwent surgery had a significantly shorter time in the hospital (25.3 ± 24.6, 34.4 ± 35.1, 61.1 ± 37.9; P surgical treatment (P ≤ 0.001), whereas patients after endoscopic intervention developed acute or chronic pancreatitis or pseudocyst formation (P = 0.023). Patients who undergo surgery as their initial treatment for chronic pancreatitis require less consecutive interventions, a shorter hospital stay, and have a better quality of life compared with any other treatment. Surgery should therefore be considered early for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis, when endoscopic or conservative treatment fails and patients require further intervention.

  20. Surgical face masks worn by patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: impact on infectivity of air on a hospital ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dharmadhikari, Ashwin S; Mphahlele, Matsie; Stoltz, Anton; Venter, Kobus; Mathebula, Rirhandzu; Masotla, Thabiso; Lubbe, Willem; Pagano, Marcello; First, Melvin; Jensen, Paul A; van der Walt, Martie; Nardell, Edward A

    2012-05-15

    Drug-resistant tuberculosis transmission in hospitals threatens staff and patient health. Surgical face masks used by patients with tuberculosis (TB) are believed to reduce transmission but have not been rigorously tested. We sought to quantify the efficacy of surgical face masks when worn by patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Over 3 months, 17 patients with pulmonary MDR-TB occupied an MDR-TB ward in South Africa and wore face masks on alternate days. Ward air was exhausted to two identical chambers, each housing 90 pathogen-free guinea pigs that breathed ward air either when patients wore surgical face masks (intervention group) or when patients did not wear masks (control group). Efficacy was based on differences in guinea pig infections in each chamber. Sixty-nine of 90 control guinea pigs (76.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 68-85%) became infected, compared with 36 of 90 intervention guinea pigs (40%; 95% CI, 31-51%), representing a 56% (95% CI, 33-70.5%) decreased risk of TB transmission when patients used masks. Surgical face masks on patients with MDR-TB significantly reduced transmission and offer an adjunct measure for reducing TB transmission from infectious patients.

  1. Surgical Indications and Clinical Results of Patients with Exchanged Intraocular Lenses in a Tertiary Eye Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavuncu, Sevim; Omay, Aslıhan Esra; Tırhış, Mehmet Hakan; Yılmazbaş, Pelin

    2016-08-01

    To evaluate the demographics, surgical indications and clinical results of patients with repositioned or explanted intraocular lens (IOL) in a tertiary referral eye hospital. Forty-eight eyes of 48 patients that underwent surgery to exchange or reposition the IOL at Ulucanlar Eye Training and Research Hospital between 2009 and 2013 were included in the study. Medical records of patients were evaluated for surgical indications, time elapsed since initial operation, preoperative and postoperative best corrected distance visual acuity and the presence of ocular disease. The mean age of the 31 male and 17 female patients was 64.91±14.26 years. Median time between the initial and final operations was 36.0 months. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) was present in 25% of the patients. There was history of previous vitreoretinal surgery in 18.8% of patients, ocular trauma in 6.3%, high myopia and refractive surgery in 4% of patients. In the first operation the IOL was implanted in the sulcus in 50%, in the bag in 27.1%, and in the anterior chamber in 20.8%; following the final surgery the IOL was in the sulcus in 27.1%, in the anterior chamber in 22.9%, and fixated to the sclera in 10.4% of the patients, while the remaining 29.1% remained aphakic. Indication for the secondary surgery was IOL dislocation in 58%, corneal decompensation in 20.8% and IOL degeneration in 6.3%. In the final surgery, IOL was exchanged in 54.2% of the cases, removed in 31.3% of cases, and repositioned in 14.6%. Visual acuity improved by 1-3 lines in 52.3% and remained stable in 13.6% of the patients postoperatively. IOL exchange may be necessary at any time following cataract surgery due to surgical complications, IOL dislocation, biometric measurement errors and corneal decompensation. Factors such as vitreoretinal surgery and the existence of PEX increase the risk of IOL exchange surgery.

  2. Surgical Indications and Clinical Results of Patients with Exchanged Intraocular Lenses in a Tertiary Eye Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sevim Kavuncu

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the demographics, surgical indications and clinical results of patients with repositioned or explanted intraocular lens (IOL in a tertiary referral eye hospital. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight eyes of 48 patients that underwent surgery to exchange or reposition the IOL at Ulucanlar Eye Training and Research Hospital between 2009 and 2013 were included in the study. Medical records of patients were evaluated for surgical indications, time elapsed since initial operation, preoperative and postoperative best corrected distance visual acuity and the presence of ocular disease. Results: The mean age of the 31 male and 17 female patients was 64.91±14.26 years. Median time between the initial and final operations was 36.0 months. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX was present in 25% of the patients. There was history of previous vitreoretinal surgery in 18.8% of patients, ocular trauma in 6.3%, high myopia and refractive surgery in 4% of patients. In the first operation the IOL was implanted in the sulcus in 50%, in the bag in 27.1%, and in the anterior chamber in 20.8%; following the final surgery the IOL was in the sulcus in 27.1%, in the anterior chamber in 22.9%, and fixated to the sclera in 10.4% of the patients, while the remaining 29.1% remained aphakic. Indication for the secondary surgery was IOL dislocation in 58%, corneal decompensation in 20.8% and IOL degeneration in 6.3%. In the final surgery, IOL was exchanged in 54.2% of the cases, removed in 31.3% of cases, and repositioned in 14.6%. Visual acuity improved by 1-3 lines in 52.3% and remained stable in 13.6% of the patients postoperatively. Conclusion: IOL exchange may be necessary at any time following cataract surgery due to surgical complications, IOL dislocation, biometric measurement errors and corneal decompensation. Factors such as vitreoretinal surgery and the existence of PEX increase the risk of IOL exchange surgery.

  3. Hospital-acquired acute kidney injury in medical, surgical, and intensive care unit: A comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T B Singh

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute kidney injury (AKI is a common complication in hospitalized patients. There are few comparative studies on hospital-acquired AKI (HAAKI in medical, surgical, and ICU patients. This study was conducted to compare the epidemiological characteristics, clinical profiles, and outcomes of HAAKI among these three units. All adult patients (>18 years of either gender who developed AKI based on RIFLE criteria (using serum creatinine, 48 h after hospitalization were included in the study. Patients of acute on chronic renal failure and AKI in pregnancy were excluded. Incidence of HAAKI in medical, surgical, and ICU wards were 0.54%, 0.72%, and 2.2% respectively ( P < 0.0001. There was no difference in age distribution among the groups, but onset of HAAKI was earliest in the medical ward ( P = 0.001. RIFLE-R was the most common AKI in medical (39.2% and ICU (50% wards but in the surgical ward, it was RIFLE-F that was most common (52.6%. Acute tubular necrosis was more common in ICU ( P = 0.043. Most common etiology of HAAKI in medical unit was drug induced (39.2%, whereas in surgical and ICU, it was sepsis (34% and 35.2% respectively. Mortality in ICU, surgical and medical units were 73.5%, 43.42%, and 37.2%, respectively ( P = 0.003. Length of hospital stay in surgical, ICU and medical units were different ( P = 0.007. This study highlights that the characters of HAAKI are different in some aspects among different hospital settings.

  4. Surgical site infection among patients undergone orthopaedic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Surgical site infection among patients undergone orthopaedic surgery at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ... of surgical site infection at Muhimbili Orthopedic Institute was high. This was associated with more than 2 hours length of surgery, lack of prophylaxis use, and pre-operative hospital stay.

  5. [Experience of the surgical management of the esophageal achalasia in a tertiary care hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barajas-Fregoso, Elpidio Manuel; Romero-Hernández, Teodoro; Sánchez-Fernández, Patricio Rogelio; Fuentes-Orozco, Clotilde; González-Ojeda, Alejandro; Macías-Amezcua, Michel Dassaejv

    2015-01-01

    Achalasia is a primary esophageal motor disorder. The most common symptoms are: dysphagia, chest pain, reflux and weight loss. The esophageal manometry is the standard for diagnosis. The aim of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of the surgical management in patients with achalasia in a tertiary care hospital. A case series consisting of achalasia patients, treated surgically between January and December of 2011. Clinical charts were reviewed to obtain data and registries of the type of surgical procedure, morbidity and mortality. Fourteen patients were identified, with an average age of 49.1 years. The most common symptoms were: dysphagia, vomiting, weight loss and pyrosis. Eight open approaches were performed and six by laparoscopy, with an average length of cardiomyotomy of 9.4 cm. Eleven patients received an antireflux procedure. The effectiveness of procedures performed was 85.7 %. Surgical management offered at this tertiary care hospital does not differ from that reported in other case series, giving effectiveness and safety for patients with achalasia.

  6. Prevalence of delirium in hospitalized internal medicine and surgical adult patients in Shohadaye ashayer hospital of Khoram abad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    raheleh Asaee

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Asaee R1, Nasari H2,Hoseini S3 1. Assistant professor, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestanl University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 1. Assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestanl University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 2. G.P, Khorramabad, Iran Abstract Background: Delirium is common in elderly persons and in hospitalized patients especially after surgical procedures. But many of them are undetected and don’t receive treatment so they involve with increased mortality and morbidity, adverse outcomes, length of hospital stay and mental disability sequels. Unfortunetly , despite the importance of this syndrom , physicians and staff are able to diagnose only one thirth of the patients. Material and methods: In this cross sectional study, 240 inpatiants (120 from surgery ward and 120 from miernal medicine ward from Shohadaye Ashayer hospital of Khorramabad were selected randomly. The diagnostic criteria for delirium were Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE questionnaire, and patients daily examination for 4 days by MMSE. Results: Delirium was observed in 37 (30.8% of the patients of internal medicine ward and 25 (20.8% of the patients of surgery ward. 27 (22.5% of the patients of internal medicine ward and 37 (30.8% of the patients of surgery ward were suspicious for delirium. In age group of 58-77 years in surgery ward and patients over 77 years in internal medicine ward had the most frequency of delirium. There was significant relationship (p=0.01 between two sex in surgery ward. But there was not significant difference (p=0.92 between two sex in internal medicine ward for delirium. Conclusion: Reading the results of this study and frequency of delirum in surgery and internal medicine wards, presence of a psychiatrist in mentioned wards is necessary of early diagnosis and control of delirium.

  7. Surgical referral coordination from a first-level hospital: a prospective case study from rural Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Matthew; King, Caroline; Rajeev, Sindhya; Baruwal, Ashma; Schwarz, Dan; Schwarz, Ryan; Khadka, Nirajan; Pande, Sami; Khanal, Sumesh; Acharya, Bibhav; Benton, Adia; Rogers, Selwyn O; Panizales, Maria; Gyorki, David; McGee, Heather; Shaye, David; Maru, Duncan

    2017-09-25

    Patients in isolated rural communities typically lack access to surgical care. It is not feasible for most rural first-level hospitals to provide a full suite of surgical specialty services. Comprehensive surgical care thus depends on referral systems. There is minimal literature, however, on the functioning of such systems. We undertook a prospective case study of the referral and care coordination process for cardiac, orthopedic, plastic, gynecologic, and general surgical conditions at a district hospital in rural Nepal from 2012 to 2014. We assessed the referral process using the World Health Organization's Health Systems Framework. We followed the initial 292 patients referred for surgical services in the program. 152 patients (52%) received surgery and four (1%) suffered a complication (three deaths and one patient reported complication). The three most common types of surgery performed were: orthopedics (43%), general (32%), and plastics (10%). The average direct and indirect cost per patient referred, including food, transportation, lodging, medications, diagnostic examinations, treatments, and human resources was US$840, which was over 1.5 times the local district's per capita income. We identified and mapped challenges according to the World Health Organization's Health Systems Framework. Given the requirement of intensive human capital, poor quality control of surgical services, and the overall costs of the program, hospital leadership decided to terminate the referral coordination program and continue to build local surgical capacity. The results of our case study provide some context into the challenges of rural surgical referral systems. The high relative costs to the system and challenges in accountability rendered the program untenable for the implementing organization.

  8. Malnutrition in hospitalized patients: results from La Rioja.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín Palmero, Ángela; Serrano Pérez, Andra; Chinchetru Ranedo, Mª José; Cámara Balda, Alejandro; Martínez de Salinas Santamarí, Mª Ángeles; Villar García, Gonzalo; Marín Lizárraga, Mª Del Mar

    2017-03-30

    There is a high malnutrition prevalence in hospitalized patients. To determine the malnutrition prevalence in hospitalized patients of La Rioja Community (Spain) when evaluated with different screening/ evaluation tools and its relationship with hospital stay and mortality. Cross sectional observational study of hospitalized adult patients (age > 18 years old) from medical and surgical departments that underwent within 72 h of their admission a nutritional screening with Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002, Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) y Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). 384 patients (273 medical and 111 surgical) were evaluated. Almost fifty percent of them were considered malnourished independently of the screening/assessment tool used. High concordance was found between SGA and NRS-2002 (k = 0.758). Malnourished patients had a longer hospital stay than those well-nourished (9.29 vs. 7.10 days; p = 0.002), used a greater number of medicines (9.2 vs. 7.4; p = 0.001) and underwent a higher number of diagnostic tests (16.4 vs. 12.5; p = 0,002). Half of the hospitalized patients in the medical and surgical department of La Rioja are malnourished. This is associated with a longer hospital stay, higher use of medicines, diagnostics tests and greater mortality. Malnutrition could be detected with easy screening tools to treat it appropriately.

  9. Consumption of psychiatric drugs by patients of medical and surgical clinics in a general hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Shirama,Flavio Hiroshi; Miasso,Adriana Inocenti

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSES: to identify the prevalence of the use of psychiatric drugs among patients admitted to medical and surgical clinics of a general hospital, and also the factors related to the consumption of this type of medication. METHOD: this is a transversal, descriptive, correlational study with quantitative analysis. For the collection of data, there was use of structured interviews and also reference to medical files. RESULTS: there was confirmation of a high prevalence of users of psy...

  10. Is there a Relationship between Patient Satisfaction and Favorable Surgical Outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tevis, Sarah E.; Kennedy, Gregory D.; Kent, K. Craig

    2015-01-01

    Summary Satisfaction of patients with their health care is gaining importance as a measure of hospital quality due to public reporting of these values and an increasing connection between hospital reimbursement and scores on the current tool to measure satisfaction, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. We found that high hospital and surgical volume and low rates of risk-adjusted mortality are associated with high patient satisfaction. However, other favorable patient outcomes are not consistently associated with positive satisfaction scores on HCAHPS. Contributors to patients' perceptions of their care are likely multifactorial and not related just to outcomes traditionally assessed by surgeons or hospitals. Moving in a direction of patient centered care, with a focus on increased understanding and involvement of patients in the care process, will likely strengthen the relationship between surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction. PMID:26299501

  11. Patient satisfaction with the perioperative surgical services and associated factors at a University Referral and Teaching Hospital, 2014: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebremedhn, Endale Gebreegziabher; Lemma, Girmay Fitiwi

    2017-01-01

    Globally, increasing consideration has been given to the assessment of patient satisfaction as a method of monitor of the quality of health care provision in the health institutions. Perioperative patient satisfaction has been contemplated to be related with the level of postoperative pain intensity, patients' expectation of the outcome, patient health provider relationship, inpatient services, hospital facilities, access to care, waiting time, cost and helpfulness of treatments received. The study aimed to assess the level of patient satisfaction with perioperative surgical services and associated factors. Hospital based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in University of Gondar teaching hospital from April1-30, 2014. Structured Amharic version questionnaire and checklist used for data collection. All patients who operated upon during the study period were included. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model used to identify the variables which had association with the dependent variable. P-values patient satisfaction with perioperative surgical services was 98.1%. The variables that had association with the outcome variable from the multivariate analysis were patient admission status (AOR=0.073, CI=0.007-0.765, P=0.029), information about the disease and operation (AOR=0.010, CI=0.001-0.140, P=0.001) and operation theatre staff attention to the patients complains (AOR=0.028, CI=0.002-0.390, P=0.008) respectively. The level of patient satisfaction with perioperative surgical services was high compared with previous studies conducted in the country and other countries in the world. Health professionals need to give emphasis for information on care provision processes, patients' health progress and patients' complaints.

  12. Seroprevalence of hepatitis-b and c among the patients reporting in surgical opd at fauji foundation hospital, rawalpindi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaudhary, I.A.; Alvi, A.A.

    2007-01-01

    To find out the seroprevalence of HbsAg and Anti HCV virus among the patients reporting in surgical OPD. This is a prospective observational study. Patients reporting to surgical OPD of Fuji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi above 20 years of age, with no previous history of seropositive Hepatitis B or C of chronic liver disease were enrolled from January 2006 to June 2006 Prevalence of Hepatitis B is 2.28% with a male predominance of 8.60%. Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C is 7.56% with male predominance of 10.84%. Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C is not uncommon in our country. To control its further spread public awareness and health education programs should be started at all levels. (author)

  13. Hospital Blood Transfusion Patterns During Major Noncardiac Surgery and Surgical Mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Alicia; Trivedi, Amal N; Jiang, Lan; Vezeridis, Michael; Henderson, William G; Wu, Wen-Chih

    2015-08-01

    We retrospectively examined intraoperative blood transfusion patterns at US veteran's hospitals through description of national patterns of intraoperative blood transfusion by indication for transfusion in the elderly; assessment of temporal trends in the use of intraoperative blood transfusion; and relationship of institutional use of intraoperative blood transfusion to hospital 30-day risk-adjusted postoperative mortality rates.Limited data exist on the pattern of intraoperative blood transfusion by indication for transfusion at the hospital level, and the relationship between intraoperative transfusion rates and institutional surgical outcomes.Using the Department of Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we assigned 424,015 major noncardiac operations among elderly patients (≥65 years) in 117 veteran's hospitals, from 1997 to 2009, into groups based on indication for intraoperative blood transfusion according to literature and clinical guidelines. We then examined institutional variations and temporal trends in surgical blood use based on these indications, and the relationship between these institutional patterns of transfusion and 30-day postoperative mortality.Intraoperative transfusion occurred in 38,056/424,015 operations (9.0%). Among the 64,390 operations with an indication for transfusion, there was wide variation (median: 49.9%, range: 8.7%-76.2%) in hospital transfusion rates, a yearly decline in transfusion rates (average 1.0%/y), and an inverse relationship between hospital intraoperative transfusion rates and hospital 30-day risk-adjusted mortality (adjusted mortality of 9.8 ± 2.8% vs 8.3 ± 2.1% for lowest and highest tertiles of hospital transfusion rates, respectively, P = 0.02). In contrast, for the 225,782 operations with no indication for transfusion, there was little variation in hospital transfusion rates (median 0.7%, range: 0%-3.4%), no meaningful temporal change in transfusion (average 0.0%/y), and

  14. WHO Safety Surgical Checklist implementation evaluation in public hospitals in the Brazilian Federal District

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    Heiko T. Santana

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Summary: The World Health Organization (WHO created the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist to prevent adverse events in operating rooms. The aim of this study was to analyze WHO checklist implementation in three operating rooms of public hospitals in the Brazilian Federal District. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed with pre- (Period I and post (Period II-checklist intervention evaluations. A total of 1141 patients and 1052 patients were studied in Periods I and II for a total of 2193 patients. Period I took place from December 2012 to March 2013, and Period II took place from April 2013 to August 2014. Regarding the pre-operatory items, most surgeries were classified as clean-contaminated in both phases, and team attire improved from 19.2% to 71.0% in Period II. Regarding checklist adherence in Period II, “Patient identification” significantly improved in the stage “Before induction of anesthesia”. “Allergy verification”, “Airway obstruction verification”, and “Risk of blood loss assessment” had low adherence in all three hospitals. The items in the stage “Before surgical incision” showed greater than 90.0% adherence with the exception of “Anticipated critical events: Anesthesia team review” (86.7% and “Essential imaging display” (80.0%. Low adherence was noted in “Instrument counts” and “Equipment problems” in the stage “Before patient leaves operating room”. Complications and deaths were low in both periods. Despite the variability in checklist item compliance in the surveyed hospitals, WHO checklist implementation as an intervention tool showed good adherence to the majority of the items on the list. Nevertheless, motivation to use the instrument by the surgical team with the intent of improving surgical patient safety continues to be crucial. Keywords: Surgical checklist, Adverse events, Patient safety, Surgical team, Infection control

  15. Readmissions to Different Hospitals After Common Surgical Procedures and Consequences for Implementation of Perioperative Surgical Home Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dexter, Franklin; Epstein, Richard H; Sun, Eric C; Lubarsky, David A; Dexter, Elisabeth U

    2017-09-01

    We consider whether there should be greater priority of information sharing about postacute surgical resources used: (1) at skilled nursing facilities or inpatient rehabilitation hospitals to which patients are transferred upon discharge (when applicable) versus (2) at different hospitals where readmissions occur. Obtaining and storing data electronically from these 2 sources for Perioperative Surgical Home initiatives are dissimilar; both can be challenging depending on the country and health system. Using the 2013 US Nationwide Readmissions Database, we studied discharges of surgical diagnosis-related group (DRG) with US national median length of stay (LOS) ≥ 3 days and ≥ 10 hospitals each with ≥ 100 discharges for the Medicare Severity DRG. Nationwide, 16.15% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.14%-17.22%) of discharges were with a disposition of "not to home" (ie, transfer to a skilled nursing facility or an inpatient rehabilitation hospital). Within 30 days, 0.88% of discharges (0.82%-0.95%) were followed by readmission and to a different hospital than the original hospital where the surgery was performed. Among all discharges, disposition "not to home" versus "to home" was associated with greater odds that the patient would have readmission within 30 days and to a different hospital than where the surgery was performed (2.11, 95% CI, 1.96-2.27; P < .0001). In part, this was because disposition "not to home" was associated with greater odds of readmission to any hospital (1.90, 95% CI, 1.82-1.98; P < .0001). In addition, among the subset of discharges with readmission within 30 days, disposition "not to home" versus "to home" was associated with greater odds that the readmission was to a different hospital than where the surgery was performed (1.20, 95% CI, 1.11-1.31; P < .0001). There was no association between the hospitals' median LOS for the DRG and the odds that readmission was to a different hospital (P = .82). The odds ratio per each 1 day decrease

  16. Predictors associated with unplanned hospital readmission of medical and surgical intensive care unit survivors within 30 days of discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohnuma, Tetsu; Shinjo, Daisuke; Brookhart, Alan M; Fushimi, Kiyohide

    2018-01-01

    Reducing the 30-day unplanned hospital readmission rate is a goal for physicians and policymakers in order to improve quality of care. However, data on the readmission rate of critically ill patients in Japan and knowledge of the predictors associated with readmission are lacking. We investigated predictors associated with 30-day rehospitalization for medical and surgical adult patients separately. Patient data from 502 acute care hospitals with intensive care unit (ICU) facilities in Japan were retrospectively extracted from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database between April 2012 and February 2014. Factors associated with unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days of hospital discharge among medical and surgical ICU survivors were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Of 486,651 ICU survivors, we identified 5583 unplanned hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge following 147,423 medical hospitalizations (3.8% readmitted) and 11,142 unplanned readmissions after 339,228 surgical hospitalizations (3.3% readmitted). The majority of unplanned hospital readmissions, 60.9% of medical and 63.1% of surgical case readmissions, occurred within 15 days of discharge. For both medical and surgical patients, the Charlson comorbidity index score; category of primary diagnosis during the index admission (respiratory, gastrointestinal, and metabolic and renal); hospital length of stay; discharge to skilled nursing facilities; and having received a packed red blood cell transfusion, low-dose steroids, or renal replacement therapy were significantly associated with higher unplanned hospital readmission rates. From patient data extracted from a large Japanese national database, the 30-day unplanned hospital readmission rate after ICU stay was 3.4%. Further studies are required to improve readmission prediction models and to develop targeted interventions for high-risk patients.

  17. Care interaction adding challenges to old patients’ well-being during surgical hospital treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Today, hospitals offer surgical treatment within a short hospital admission. This brief interaction may challenge the well-being of old patients. The aim of this study was to explore how the well-being of old hospitalized patients was affected by the interaction with staff during a fast-track surgical treatment and hospital admission for colon cancer. We used an ethnographic methodology with field observations and unstructured interviews focusing on one patient at a time (n=9 during a full day; the hours ranging from 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. Participants were between 74 and 85 years of age and of both sexes. The study was reported to the Danish Data Protection Agency with reference number (2007-58-0010. The encounter between old patients and the staff was a main theme in our findings elucidating a number of care challenges. The identified care challenges illustrated “well-being as a matter of different perspectives,” “vulnerability in contrast to well-being,” and “staff mix influencing the care encounter.” The experience of well-being in old cancer patients during hospital admission was absent or challenged when staff did not acknowledge their individual vulnerability and needs.

  18. The relationship of hospital charges and volume to surgical site infection after total hip replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boas, Rebecca; Ensor, Kelsey; Qian, Edward; Hutzler, Lorraine; Slover, James; Bosco, Joseph

    2015-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of hospital volume and charges on the rate of surgical site infections for total hip replacements (THRs) in New York State (NYS). In NYS, higher volume hospitals have higher charges after THR. The study team analyzed 93,620 hip replacements performed in NYS between 2008 and 2011. Hospital charges increased significantly from $43,713 in 2008 to $50,652 in 2011 (P<.01). Compared with lower volume hospitals, patients who underwent THR at the highest volume hospitals had significantly lower surgical site infection rates (P=.003) and higher total hospital charges (P<.0001). The study team found that in the highest volume hospitals, preventing one surgical site infection was associated with $1.6 million dollars in increased charges. © 2014 by the American College of Medical Quality.

  19. Availability of cardiac surgical care in surgical correction of acquired heart defects in patients of older age group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kubatbek S. Urmanbetov

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: A study of accessibility of surgical care to elderly patients (aged 60 and above with valvular heart disease has been conducted at the BSCCS "Bakulev Scientific Center of Cardiovascular Surgery» of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Methods: A retrospective analysis of structure of hospitalizations of 1726 patients, that were hospitalized between 2009 and 2010 at the BSCCS for surgical correction of valvular heart disease was performed. Results: Our study demonstrated that age, on one hand, is not the most significant barrier in the geographical accessibility of cardiac surgical care. On the other hand, it can influence the availability in general, taking into account other factors (urban / rural areas, the presence of cardiac surgical clinics, and clinical status. Provision of cardiac surgical care for patients with heart defects at the BSCCS per 1 million population varies considerably in the context of federal districts and is 0.4 for the Siberian Federal District 30 for the Central Federal District (the highest is 42 for the Moscow Region. Conclusion: Thus, our study demonstrated accessibility of surgical care for elderly patients is the highest for the urban areas with specialized cardiac surgery centers, where patients referred from rural regions

  20. Pediatric hospitalist comanagement of surgical patients: structural, quality, and financial considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rappaport, David I; Rosenberg, Rebecca E; Shaughnessy, Erin E; Schaffzin, Joshua K; O'Connor, Katherine M; Melwani, Anjna; McLeod, Lisa M

    2014-11-01

    Comanagement of surgical patients is occurring more commonly among adult and pediatric patients. These systems of care can vary according to institution type, comanagement structure, and type of patient. Comanagement can impact quality, safety, and costs of care. We review these implications for pediatric surgical patients. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  1. Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in the Surgical Population of the University of Puerto Rico Affiliated Hospitals: A Study using the Surgery Database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Norma I; Santiago, Elvis; Abdul-Hadi, Anwar

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the surgical population of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR)-affiliated hospitals. We examined all the surgical cases that were entered into the Surgical Database from April 1, 2014 through September 30, 2014. This database collects patient and procedural information from different surgical services of various UPR-affiliated hospitals (the University District Hospital, the University Pediatric Hospital, the UPR Carolina Hospital, the Dr. Isaac Gonzalez Oncologic Hospital, the PR Cardiovascular Center [thoracic service], the Pavia Hospital [colorectal service], and the Auxilio Mutuo Hospital [colorectal and oncological services]). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (types 1 and 2 combined) was estimated, and the nondiabetic and diabetic groups were compared. The difference between groups was evaluated using a Chi2 test, Student's t-test, or ANOVA, whichever was appropriate, with a p-value of less than 0.05 being considered significant. Information from 2,603 surgical patients was available. The mean age of the group was 49 (±23) years. The gender distribution indicated that 56% were women and 44% were men. Diabetes was present in 21% of the surgical population, increasing to 40% in patients aged 65 and over. The surgical procedures most frequently required by diabetic patients were in the categories of general surgery (36%), colorectal surgery (22%), vascular surgery (16%) and oncologic surgery (14%). Complications (5%, diabetic group vs. 2%, nondiabetic group; p diabetic group vs. 0.2%, nondiabetic group; p diabetic group than in the nondiabetic group. Our surgical population has a high prevalence of diabetes, and these diabetic patients showed higher complication and mortality rates from surgery than did the non-diabetic patients. Surgeons must consider the specific needs of these diabetic patients in order to provide optimal care.

  2. Incidência de eventos adversos cirúrgicos em hospital dia | Incidence of surgical adverse events at a day hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliana Auxiliadora M. Costa

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Os eventos adversos cirúrgicos têm especial relevância pelo impacto sobre a saúde dos pacientes e por serem preveníveis. A despeito do crescente número de publicações nessa área, persistem lacunas de conhecimento acerca desses eventos na modalidade da assistência cirúrgica ambulatorial. Esta pesquisa objetivou estimar a incidência de eventos adversos cirúrgicos em hospital dia. Trata-se de um estudo de coorte retrospectiva de 55.879 pacientes operados num hospital dia entre os anos de 2010 e 2014. A incidência de eventos adversos cirúrgicos foi de 0,51%. Destes eventos, 0,31% foram de Infecções do sítio cirúrgico e 0,19% de outros eventos adversos cirúrgicos distribuídos proporcionalmente em: deiscência da ferida cirúrgica (12,90%, hemorragia (5,20%, flebite (5,20% e trombose dos membros inferiores (4,90%. Os resultados deste estudo ratificam que a cirurgia realizada em regime ambulatorial de hospital dia está relacionada a menores incidências de eventos adversos cirúrgicos, entretanto, é indispensável um sistema de seguimento dos pacientes após alta, no sentido de evitar a subnotificação e sub-registros dos dados, que, na ausência desse, pode ocultar dados e identificar taxas irreais. ============================================== Surgical adverse events are especially relevant because of their impact on patients’ health and because they are preventable events. Despite the growing number of publications in this area, there are still gaps in knowledge about these events in the ambulatory surgical care modality. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of surgical adverse events at a day hospital. It is a retrospective cohort study of 55,879 patients operated in a hospital between 2010 and 2014. The incidence of surgical adverse events was 0.51%. Of these, 0.31% were surgical site infections and 0.19% of other surgical adverse events proportionally distributed in surgical wound dehiscence (12.90%, hemorrhage (5

  3. [Surgical treatment of Marfan syndrome; analysis of the patients required multiple surgical interventions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamazaki, F; Shimamoto, M; Fujita, S; Nakai, M; Aoyama, A; Chen, F; Nakata, T; Yamada, T

    2002-07-01

    Without treatment, the life expectancy of patients with Marfan syndrome is reduced by the associated cardiovascular abnormalities. In this study, we reviewed our experience of the patients with Marfan syndrome who required multiple surgical interventions to identify the optimal treatment for these patients. Between January 1986 and December 2000, 44 patients with Marfan syndrome were operated on at Shizuoka City Hospital (SCH). Among them, 10 patients (22.7%) underwent multiple surgical interventions. There were 5 male and 5 female patients with a mean age of 40.6 +/- 16.1 years at the initial surgery. Only one patient was operated on at another hospital for his first, second, and third operations. His fourth operation was carried out at SCH. The remaining 9 patients underwent a total of 14 additional surgical procedures at SCH. Computed tomography (CT) scans were taken every 6 months postoperatively, and aortic diameter greater than 60 mm was considered as the indication for the additional surgery. There were no early death and one late death. The causes of additional surgery were enlargement of true aneurysm in 6, enlargement of residual dissection in 4, new dissection in 4, false aneurysm at the coronary anastomosis of Bentall procedure in 1. In 9 patients, both ascending and descending aorta were replaced. Among these 9 patients, only 3 patients underwent total arch replacement, and remaining 6 patients had their arch left in place with or without dissection. Our current strategy of the treatment of Marfan patients with acute type A dissection is total arch replacement with an elephant trunk at the initial emergent surgery.

  4. Surgical Treatment Outcomes in Patients With Syndactyly in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran During 1996-2011: A Breif Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mazoochy H

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Syndactyly is the most common congenital malformation of the hand, with an incidence of 1 in 2000-2500 live births. In this study we evaluated the surgical outcomes and complications of patients with syndactyly.Methods : The surgical outcomes and complications of 42 patients, 27 male and 15, female, undergoing surgery for syndactyly were evaluated. The study took place in Imam Khomeini Hospital, in Tehran, Iran during 1996 to 2011. Having had the inclusion criteria, the patients were assessed for function, cosmetic outcome, sensation and occurrence of complications. The patients were followed-up for at least 3 years.Results : The mean age of patients was 4.4 years. There was a positive familial history for the disease in 8 patients. 71.4%, 90.4% and 73.8% of the participants had good results regarding cosmetic outcome, sensation and function, respectively.Conclusion: The overall results of surgery for syndactyly in this study were interpreted as good in 78.5%, moderate in 12.5% and fair in 8.4% of the patients. This study confirmed better surgical outcomes in patients older than 18 months.

  5. Impact of gastrectomy procedural complexity on surgical outcomes and hospital comparisons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohanty, Sanjay; Paruch, Jennifer; Bilimoria, Karl Y; Cohen, Mark; Strong, Vivian E; Weber, Sharon M

    2015-08-01

    Most risk adjustment approaches adjust for patient comorbidities and the primary procedure. However, procedures done at the same time as the index case may increase operative risk and merit inclusion in adjustment models for fair hospital comparisons. Our objectives were to evaluate the impact of surgical complexity on postoperative outcomes and hospital comparisons in gastric cancer surgery. Patients who underwent gastric resection for cancer were identified from a large clinical dataset. Procedure complexity was characterized using secondary procedure CPT codes and work relative value units (RVUs). Regression models were developed to evaluate the association between complexity variables and outcomes. The impact of complexity adjustment on model performance and hospital comparisons was examined. Among 3,467 patients who underwent gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma, 2,171 operations were distal and 1,296 total. A secondary procedure was reported for 33% of distal gastrectomies and 59% of total gastrectomies. Six of 10 secondary procedures were associated with adverse outcomes. For example, patients who underwent a synchronous bowel resection had a higher risk of mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% CI, 1.07-4.29) and reoperation (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.26-3.47). Model performance was slightly better for nearly all outcomes with complexity adjustment (mortality c-statistics: standard model, 0.853; secondary procedure model, 0.858; RVU model, 0.855). Hospital ranking did not change substantially after complexity adjustment. Surgical complexity variables are associated with adverse outcomes in gastrectomy, but complexity adjustment does not affect hospital rankings appreciably. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Rhabdomyolysis in Critically Ill Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzmanovska, Biljana; Cvetkovska, Emilija; Kuzmanovski, Igor; Jankulovski, Nikola; Shosholcheva, Mirjana; Kartalov, Andrijan; Spirovska, Tatjana

    2016-07-27

    Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome of injury of skeletal muscles associated with myoglobinuria, muscle weakness, electrolyte imbalance and often, acute kidney injury as severe complication. of this study is to detect the incidence of rhabdomyolysis in critically ill patients in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU), and to raise awareness of this medical condition and its treatment among the clinicians. A retrospective review of all surgical and trauma patients admitted to surgical ICU of the University Surgical Clinic "Mother Teresa" in Skopje, Macedonia, from January 1 st till December 31 st 2015 was performed. Patients medical records were screened for available serum creatine kinase (CK) with levels > 200 U/l, presence of myoglobin in the serum in levels > 80 ng/ml, or if they had a clinical diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis by an attending doctor. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the collected data. Out of totally 1084 patients hospitalized in the ICU, 93 were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis during the course of one year. 82(88%) patients were trauma patients, while 11(12%) were surgical non trauma patients. 7(7.5%) patients diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis developed acute kidney injury (AKI) that required dialysis. Average values of serum myoglobin levels were 230 ng/ml, with highest values of > 5000 ng/ml. Patients who developed AKI had serum myoglobin levels above 2000 ng/ml. Average values of serum CK levels were 400 U/l, with highest value of 21600 U/l. Patients who developed AKI had serum CK levels above 3000 U/l. Regular monitoring and early detection of elevated serum CK and myoglobin levels in critically ill surgical and trauma patients is recommended in order to recognize and treat rhabdomyolysis in timely manner and thus prevent development of AKI.

  7. Nurse Level of Education, Quality of Care and Patient Safety in the Medical and Surgical Wards in Malaysian Private Hospitals: A Cross-sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdul Rahman, Hamzah; Jarrar, Mu'taman; Don, Mohammad Sobri

    2015-04-23

    Nursing knowledge and skills are required to sustain quality of care and patient safety. The numbers of nurses with Bachelor degrees in Malaysia are very limited. This study aims to predict the impact of nurse level of education on quality of care and patient safety in the medical and surgical wards in Malaysian private hospitals. A cross-sectional survey by questionnaire was conducted. A total 652 nurses working in the medical and surgical wards in 12 private hospitals were participated in the study. Multistage stratified simple random sampling performed to invite nurses working in small size (less than 100 beds), medium size (100-199 beds) and large size (over than 200) hospitals to participate in the study. This allowed nurses from all shifts to participate in this study. Nurses with higher education were not significantly associated with both quality of care and patient safety. However, a total 355 (60.9%) of respondents participated in this study were working in teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals offer training for all newly appointed staff. They also provide general orientation programs and training to outline the policies, procedures of the nurses' roles and responsibilities. This made the variances between the Bachelor and Diploma nurses not significantly associated with the outcomes of care. Nursing educational level was not associated with the outcomes of care in Malaysian private hospitals. However, training programs and the general nursing orientation programs for nurses in Malaysia can help to upgrade the Diploma-level nurses. Training programs can increase their self confidence, knowledge, critical thinking ability and improve their interpersonal skills. So, it can be concluded that better education and training for a medical and surgical wards' nurses is required for satisfying client expectations and sustaining the outcomes of patient care.

  8. Assessing the Decrease in the Surgical Population of the University of Puerto Rico-Affiliated Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Norma I; Santiago, Elvis; Luque, César

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the magnitude of the decrease in the surgical population of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR)-affiliated hospitals. We examined all the surgical cases that were entered into the Surgical Database from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015. This database collects patient and procedural information from the surgical services of the UPR-affiliated hospitals. Thus, the number of surgical patients for the 3-year study period was determined and their characteristics recorded. The group was subdivided into 3 subgroups, according to year: 2013, 2014, and 2015. All the variables studied were tabulated for the 3 subgroups and the values compared. The differences between subgroups were evaluated using the chi2 test or ANOVA, whichever was appropriate, with a p-value of less than 0.05 being considered significant. During the 3-year period, the Surgical Database collected information on 14,626 cases. The mean age of the group was 48 (±23) years. The gender distribution indicated that 55% of the sample members were women and 45% were men. A 14% decline in the number of surgical cases occurred from 2013 through 2015. The changes were not limited to a decline in numbers; the patients were sicker, as evidenced by a statistically significant (pPuerto Rico.

  9. Impact of bleeding-related complications and/or blood product transfusions on hospital costs in inpatient surgical patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reynolds Matthew W

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inadequate surgical hemostasis may lead to transfusion and/or other bleeding-related complications. This study examines the incidence and costs of bleeding-related complications and/or blood product transfusions occurring as a consequence of surgery in various inpatient surgical cohorts. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using Premier's Perspective™ hospital database. Patients who had an inpatient procedure within a specialty of interest (cardiac, vascular, non-cardiac thoracic, solid organ, general, reproductive organ, knee/hip replacement, or spinal surgery during 2006-2007 were identified. For each specialty, the rate of bleeding-related complications (including bleeding event, intervention to control for bleeding, and blood product transfusions was examined, and hospital costs and length of stay (LOS were compared between surgeries with and without bleeding-related complications. Incremental costs and ratios of average total hospital costs for patients with bleeding-related complications vs. those without complications were estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS regression, adjusting for demographics, hospital characteristics, and other baseline characteristics. Models using generalized estimating equations (GEE were also used to measure the impact of bleeding-related complications on costs while accounting for the effects related to the clustering of patients receiving care from the same hospitals. Results A total of 103,829 cardiac, 216,199 vascular, 142,562 non-cardiac thoracic, 45,687 solid organ, 362,512 general, 384,132 reproductive organ, 246,815 knee/hip replacement, and 107,187 spinal surgeries were identified. Overall, the rate of bleeding-related complications was 29.9% and ranged from 7.5% to 47.4% for reproductive organ and cardiac, respectively. Overall, incremental LOS associated with bleeding-related complications or transfusions (unadjusted for covariates was 6.0 days and ranged from 1

  10. Cardiovascular events and hospital resource utilization pre- and post-transcatheter mitral valve repair in high-surgical risk patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Lippmann, Steven J; Krucoff, Mitchell; Hernandez, Adrian F; Curtis, Lesley H; Foster, Elyse; Qasim, Atif; Wang, Andrew; Glower, Donald D; Feldman, Ted; Hammill, Bradley G

    2017-07-01

    MitraClip is an approved therapy for mitral regurgitation (MR); however, health care resource utilization pre- and post-MitraClip remains understudied. Patients with functional and degenerative MR at high surgical risk in the EVEREST II High-Risk Registry and REALISM Continued-Access Study were linked to Medicare data. Pre- and post-MitraClip all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure (HF), and bleeding hospitalizations were identified. Inpatient costs, adjusted to 2010 US dollars, were calculated, and event rate ratios and cost ratios were estimated with multivariable modeling. Among 403 linked patients, the mean age was 80 years, 60% were male, mean baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 49.6%, 83.3% were New York Heart Association class III/IV, 78.2% were MR grade 3+/4+, and 63.3% had functional MR. All-cause hospitalization decreased from 1,854 to 1,435/1,000 person-years (Pproviders seeking to reduce HF hospitalizations and associated Medicare costs may consider MitraClip among appropriate patients likely to survive 1 year. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Rural Bypass of Critical Access Hospitals in Iowa: Do Visiting Surgical Specialists Make a Difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weigel, Paula A M; Ullrich, Fred; Ward, Marcia M

    2018-02-01

    Rural bypass for elective surgical procedures is a challenge for critical access hospitals, yet there are opportunities for rural hospitals to improve local retention of surgical candidates through alternative approaches to developing surgery lines of business. In this study we examine the effect of visiting surgical specialists on the odds of rural bypass. Discharge data from the 2011 State Inpatient Databases and State Ambulatory Surgery Databases for Iowa were linked to outreach data from the Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs and Iowa Physician Information System to model the effect of surgeon specialist supply on rural patients' decision to bypass rural critical access hospitals. Patients in rural communities with a local general surgeon were more likely to be retained in a community than to bypass. Those in communities with visiting general surgeons were more likely to bypass, as were those in communities with visiting urologists and obstetricians. Patients in communities with visiting ophthalmologists and orthopedic surgeons were at higher odds of being retained for their elective surgeries. In addition to known patient and local hospital factors that have an influence on bypass behavior among rural patients seeking elective surgery, availability of surgeon specialists also plays an important role in whether patients bypass or not. Visiting ophthalmologists and orthopedic surgeons were associated with less bypass, as was having local general surgeons. Visiting general surgeons, urologists, and obstetricians were associated with greater odds of bypass. © 2016 National Rural Health Association.

  12. The ADOPT-LC score: a novel predictive index of in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients following surgical procedures, based on a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Masaya; Tateishi, Ryosuke; Yasunaga, Hideo; Horiguchi, Hiromasa; Matsui, Hiroki; Yoshida, Haruhiko; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Koike, Kazuhiko

    2017-03-01

    We aimed to develop a model for predicting in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients following major surgical procedures using a large sample of patients derived from a Japanese nationwide administrative database. We enrolled 2197 cirrhotic patients who underwent elective (n = 1973) or emergency (n = 224) surgery. We analyzed the risk factors for postoperative mortality and established a scoring system for predicting postoperative mortality in cirrhotic patients using a split-sample method. In-hospital mortality rates following elective or emergency surgery were 4.7% and 20.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, patient age, Child-Pugh (CP) class, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and duration of anesthesia in elective surgery were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. In emergency surgery, CP class and duration of anesthesia were significant factors. Based on multivariate analysis in the training set (n = 987), the Adequate Operative Treatment for Liver Cirrhosis (ADOPT-LC) score that used patient age, CP class, CCI, and duration of anesthesia to predict in-hospital mortality following elective surgery was developed. This scoring system was validated in the testing set (n = 986) and produced an area under the curve of 0.881. We also developed iOS/Android apps to calculate ADOPT-LC scores to allow easy access to the current evidence in daily clinical practice. Patient age, CP class, CCI, and duration of anesthesia were identified as important risk factors for predicting postoperative mortality in cirrhotic patients. The ADOPT-LC score effectively predicts in-hospital mortality following elective surgery and may assist decisions regarding surgical procedures in cirrhotic patients based on a quantitative risk assessment. © 2016 The Authors Hepatology Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Society of Hepatology.

  13. First report on joint use of a Da Vinci® surgical system with transfer of surgical know-how between two public hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattei, Agostino; Thoms, Michael; Ferrari, Matteo; La Croce, Giovanni; Danuser, Hansjörg; Schmid, Hans-Peter; Engeler, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    The costs of a Da Vinci® device for robot- assisted surgery, in particular for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), can be a considerable issue for hospitals with limited caseloads. Since January 2011 the cantonal hospitals of Lucerne and St. Gallen (Switzerland) have shared a four-arm Da Vinci® device, transferring the surgical know-how by a Lucerne teaching surgeon to a St. Gallen surgeon. Complete pre- and perioperative data, including 3-month surgical RARP outcomes, were prospectively documented. For statistical analysis, Wilcoxon, exact Poisson and χ(2) tests were used. During the first year, the two hospitals (61 RARP patients in Lucerne, 19 RARP patients in St. Gallen) did not differ significantly in preoperative, perioperative or oncological and functional results except for prostate volume (median 33 [interquartile range 24-40] vs. 40 [interquartile range 33-57] ml; p = 0.02), operation time (mean 252 ± 49 vs. 351 ± 50 min; p = 0.0001), number of lymph nodes removed (median 16 [interquartile range 13-21] vs. 15 [interquartile range 8-16] nodes; p = 0.02), biopsy (p = 0.04) and specimen Gleason scores (p = 0.03), and length of hospital stay (median 8 [interquartile range 7-14] vs. 9 [interquartile range 8-18] days; p < 0.01). Da Vinci® device sharing with transfer of surgical know-how can reduce the costs of RARP without compromising surgical outcomes, even at the beginning of the learning curve. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Unanticipated hospital admission in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease undergoing ambulatory noncardiac surgical procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuki, Koichi; Koutsogiannaki, Sophia; Lee, Sandra; DiNardo, James A

    2018-05-18

    An increasing number of surgical and nonsurgical procedures are being performed on an ambulatory basis in children. Analysis of a large group of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease undergoing ambulatory procedures has not been undertaken. The objective of this study was to characterize the profile of children with congenital heart disease who underwent noncardiac procedures on an ambulatory basis at our institution, to determine the incidence of adverse cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events, and to determine the risk factors for unscheduled hospital admission. This is a retrospective study of children with congenital heart disease who underwent noncardiac procedures on an ambulatory basis in a single center. Using the electronic preoperative anesthesia evaluation form, we identified 3010 patients with congenital heart disease who underwent noncardiac procedures of which 1028 (34.1%) were scheduled to occur on an ambulatory basis. Demographic, echocardiographic and functional status data, cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events, and reasons for postprocedure admission were recorded. Univariable analysis was conducted. The unplanned hospital admission was 2.7% and univariable analysis demonstrated that performance of an echocardiogram within 6 mo of the procedure and procedures performed in radiology were associated with postoperative admission. Cardiovascular adverse event incidence was 3.9%. Respiratory adverse event incidence was 1.8%. Ambulatory, noncomplex procedures can be performed in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and good functional status with a relatively low unanticipated hospital admission rate. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. IMMUNOMODULATION AND TREATMENT OF ACUTE DESTRUCTIVE PANCREATITIS IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SURGICAL HOSPITAL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinokurov, M M; Saveliev, V V; Gogolev, N M; Yalynskya, T V

    2015-01-01

    This work is based on the analysis of complex treatment of 497 patients with pancreatic necrosis treated at the surgical department of the Republican Hospital No2-Center for Emergency the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in the period from 2010 to 2015. The study was able to adapt and improve the two-tier immunocorretion in pancreatic necrosis in a multidisciplinary surgical hospital that along with the other constituents of intensive therapy has allowed a whole to reduce the amount of intra-abdominal and extraabdominal complications--sterile pancreatic necrosis phase--from 23.6% to 14.6 and 31 6% to 15.0% respectively, total lethality--from 17.6% to 7.2% lethality in patients with non-operated group--from 15.6% to 2.2% lethality in the group of patients operated--18.4% to 10.9%. In the phase of infectious complications of pancreatic necrosis lethality rate decreased from 45.8% to 37.7%.

  16. Surgical patient safety: analysis and interventions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, E.N.

    2010-01-01

    One in every 150 patients admitted to a hospital will die as a result of an ‘adverse event’: an unintended injury or complication caused by health care management, rather than by the patient’s underlying disease. More than half of these adverse events can be attributed to a surgical discipline. The

  17. Outcomes of osteomyelitis in patients with diabetes: conservative vs. combined surgical management in a community hospital in Puerto Rico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maldonado-Rodríguez, Miguel; Cajigas-Feliciano, Yanniris; Torres-Torres, Nancy

    2011-06-01

    Diabetes predisposes patients to multiple complications, such as osteomyelitis, which, if not managed adequately, may result in amputation, sepsis, or death. This study aimed to compare the rates of amputation associated with two different treatment plans for osteomyelitis being utilized with a group of Puerto Ricans with diabetes. We reviewed the medical records of adult patients with diabetes and osteomyelitis who had been admitted to a community hospital within a two-year timeframe; a total of 169 records were reviewed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, odds ratios, and multivariate logistic regression to compare the amputation rate of patients receiving conservative management (antibiotics and/or local care alone) with that of patients receiving combined surgical treatment (any modality consisting of an initial surgical treatment plus antibiotics and/or local care). We found a general amputation rate of 34.5%. Amputation was less likely in patients undergoing combined surgical treatment (OR: 0.22; 95% IC: 0.08-0.59) than it was in those patients whose disease management was conservative. In addition, men (OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.04-4.23) and non-geriatric patients (OR: 3.38; 95% CI: 1.65-6.94) had higher probabilities of amputation than did women and geriatric patients, respectively. This study revealed an amputation rate among patients with diabetes that is higher than that reported in the United States (34.5% vs. 11.0% to 20.0%). We also found that the probability of amputation secondary to osteomyelitis among patients with diabetes is two times higher for men and three times higher for non-geriatric patients; combined surgical treatment was associated with a significant reduction (78%) of the probability of amputation.

  18. Measuring the Burden of Surgical Disease Averted by Emergency and Essential Surgical Care in a District Hospital in Papua New Guinea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stokes, Matthew A R; Guest, Glenn D; Mamadi, Perista; Seta, Westin; Yaubihi, Noel; Karawiga, Grace; Naidi, Billy; Watters, David A K

    2017-03-01

    Timely access to emergency and essential surgical care (EESC) and anaesthesia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) prevents premature death, minimises lifelong disability and reduces their economic impact on families and communities. Papua New Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the Pacific region, and provides much of its surgical care at a district hospital level. We aimed to evaluate the surgical capacity of a district hospital in PNG and estimate the effectiveness of surgical interventions provided. We performed a prospective study to calculate the number of DALYs averted for 465 patients treated with surgical care over a 3-month period (Sep-Nov 2013) in Alotau Hospital, Milne Bay Province, PNG (pop 210,000). Data were also collected on infrastructure, workforce, interventions provided and equipment available using the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care Toolkit, a survey to assess EESC and surgical capacity. We also performed a retrospective one-year audit of surgical, obstetric and anaesthetic care to provide context with regards to annual disease burden treated and surgical activity. EESC was provided by 11 Surgeons/Anaesthetists/Obstetricians (SAO) providers, equating to 5.7 per 100,000 population (including 4 nurse anaesthetists). They performed 783/100,000 procedures annually. Over the 3-month prospective study period, 4954 DALYs were averted by 465 surgical interventions, 52 % of which were elective. This equates to 18,330 DALYs averted annually or, approximately 18 % of the published but estimated disease burden in the Province in the 2013 Global Burden of Disease Study. The overall peri-operative mortality rate was 1.29 %, with 0.41 % for elective procedures and 2.25 % for emergencies. Much of the burden of surgical disease in Papua New Guinea presenting to Alotau General Hospital serving Milne Bay Province can be effectively treated by a small team providing emergency and

  19. Risk factors in surgical management of thoracic empyema in elderly patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Ming-Ju; Liu, Yun-Hen; Chao, Yin-Kai; Lu, Ming-Shian; Liu, Hui-Ping; Wu, Yi-Cheng; Lu, Hung-I; Chu, Yen

    2008-06-01

    Although elderly patients with thoracic disease were considered to be poor candidates for thoracotomy before, recent advances in preoperative and postoperative care as well as surgical techniques have improved outcomes of thoracotomies in this patient group. The aim of this study was to investigate surgical risk factors and results in elderly patients (aged > or =70 years) with thoracic empyema. Seventy-one elderly patients with empyema thoracis were enrolled and evaluated from July 2000 to April 2003. The following characteristics and clinical data were analysed: age, sex, aetiology of empyema, comorbid diseases, preoperative conditions, postoperative days of intubation, length of hospital stay after surgery, complications and mortality. Surgical intervention, including total pneumonolysis and evacuation of the pleura empyema cavity, was carried out in all patients. Possible influent risk factors on the outcome were analysed. The sample group included 54 men and 17 women with an average age of 76.8 years. The causes of empyema included parapneumonic effusion (n = 43), lung abscess (n = 8), necrotizing pneumonitis (n = 8), malignancy (n = 5), cirrhosis (n = 2), oesophageal perforation (n = 2), post-traumatic empyema (n = 2) and post-thoracotomy complication (n = 1). The 30-day mortality rate was 11.3% and the in-hospital mortality rate was 18.3% (13 of 71). Mean follow up was 9.4 months and mean duration of postoperative hospitalization was 35.8 days. Analysis of risk factors showed that patients with necrotizing pneumonitis or abscess had the highest mortality rate (10 of 18, 62.6%). The second highest risk factor was preoperative intubation or ventilator-dependency (8 of 18, 44.4%). This study presents the clinical features and outcomes of 71 elderly patients with empyema thoracis who underwent surgical treatment. The 30-day surgical mortality rate was 11.3%. Significant risk factors in elderly patients with empyema thoracis were necrotizing pneumonitis, abscess

  20. Preoperative fasting times in elective surgical patients at a referral Hospital in Botswana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abebe, Worknehe Agegnehu; Rukewe, Ambrose; Bekele, Negussie Alula; Stoffel, Moeng; Dichabeng, Mompelegi Nicoh; Shifa, Jemal Zeberga

    2016-01-01

    Adults and children are required to fast before anaesthesia to reduce the risk of regurgitation and aspiration of gastric contents. However, prolonged periods of fasting are unnecessary and may cause complications. This study was conducted to evaluate preoperative fasting period in our centre and compare it with the ASA recommendations and factors that influence fasting periods. This is a cross-sectional study of preoperative fasting times among elective surgical patients. A total numbers of 260 patients were interviewed as they arrived at the reception area of operating theatre using questionnaire. Majority of patients (98.1%) were instructed to fast from midnight. Fifteen patients (5.8%) reported that they were told the importance of preoperative fasting. The mean fasting period were 15.9±2.5 h (range 12.0-25.3 h) for solids and 15.3±2.3 h (range 12.0-22.0 h) for liquids. The mean duration of fasting was significantly longer for patients operated after midday compared to those operated before midday, pfasting periods were 7.65 times longer for clear liquid and 2.5 times for solids than the ASA guidelines. It is imperative that the Hospital should establish Preoperative fasting policies and teach the staff who should ensure compliance with guidelines.

  1. Preoperative fasting times in elective surgical patients at a referral Hospital in Botswana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abebe, Worknehe Agegnehu; Rukewe, Ambrose; Bekele, Negussie Alula; Stoffel, Moeng; Dichabeng, Mompelegi Nicoh; Shifa, Jemal Zeberga

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Adults and children are required to fast before anaesthesia to reduce the risk of regurgitation and aspiration of gastric contents. However, prolonged periods of fasting are unnecessary and may cause complications. This study was conducted to evaluate preoperative fasting period in our centre and compare it with the ASA recommendations and factors that influence fasting periods. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of preoperative fasting times among elective surgical patients. A total numbers of 260 patients were interviewed as they arrived at the reception area of operating theatre using questionnaire. Results Majority of patients (98.1%) were instructed to fast from midnight. Fifteen patients (5.8%) reported that they were told the importance of preoperative fasting. The mean fasting period were 15.9±2.5 h (range 12.0-25.3 h) for solids and 15.3±2.3 h (range 12.0-22.0 h) for liquids. The mean duration of fasting was significantly longer for patients operated after midday compared to those operated before midday, pfasting periods were 7.65 times longer for clear liquid and 2.5 times for solids than the ASA guidelines. It is imperative that the Hospital should establish Preoperative fasting policies and teach the staff who should ensure compliance with guidelines. PMID:27222691

  2. [Croatian guidelines for perioperative enteral nutrition of surgical patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelić, Marko; Bender, Darija Vranesić; Kelecić, Dina Ljubas; Zupan, Zeljko; Cicvarić, Tedi; Maldini, Branka; Durut, Iva; Rahelić, Velimir; Skegro, Mate; Majerović, Mate; Perko, Zdravko; Sustić, Alan; Madzar, Tomislav; Kovacić, Borna; Kekez, Tihomir; Krznarić, Zeljko

    2014-01-01

    Nutritional status of patients significantly affects the outcome of surgical treatment, whether it's about being obese or malnutrition with loss of muscle mass. Inadequate nutritional support in the perioperative period compromises surgical procedures even in patients who are adequately nourished. In this paper, particular attention was paid to malnourished patients, and their incidence in population hospitalized in surgical wards can be high up to 30%. Special emphasis was paid to the appropriateness of preoperative fasting and to the acceptance of new knowledge in this area of treatment. The aim of this working group was to make guidelines for perioperative nutritional support with different modalities of enteral nutrition. The development of these guidelines was attended by representatives of Croatian Medical Association: Croatian Society for Digestive Surgery, Croatian Society for Clinical Nutrition, Croatian Society of Surgery, Croatian Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Croatian Trauma Society and the Croatian Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. The guidelines are designed as a set of questions that arise daily in clinical practice when preparing patients for surgery and after the surgical treatment, which relate to the assessment of nutritional status, perioperative nutritional support, duration of preoperative fasting period and the selection of food intake route. Assessment of nutritional status and the use of different modes of enteral nutrition should enter into standard protocols of diagnosis and treatment in the Croatian hospitals.

  3. Changes in Patient and Nurse Outcomes Associated with Magnet Hospital Recognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutney-Lee, Ann; Stimpfel, Amy Witkoski; Sloane, Douglas M.; Cimiotti, Jeannie P.; Quinn, Lisa W.; Aiken, Linda H.

    2015-01-01

    Background Research has documented an association between Magnet hospitals and better outcomes for nurses and patients. However, little longitudinal evidence exists to support a causal link between Magnet recognition and outcomes. Objective To compare changes over time in surgical patient outcomes, nurse-reported quality, and nurse outcomes in a sample of hospitals that attained Magnet recognition between 1999 and 2007 with hospitals that remained non-Magnet. Research Design Retrospective, two-stage panel design using four secondary data sources. Subjects 136 Pennsylvania hospitals (11 “emerging” Magnets and 125 non-Magnets) Measures American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet recognition; risk-adjusted rates of surgical 30-day mortality and failure-to-rescue, nurse-reported quality measures, and nurse outcomes; the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index Methods Fixed effects difference models were used to compare changes in outcomes between emerging Magnet hospitals and hospitals that remained non-Magnet. Results Emerging Magnet hospitals demonstrated markedly greater improvements in their work environments than other hospitals. On average, the changes in 30-day surgical mortality and failure-to-rescue rates over the study period were more pronounced in emerging Magnet hospitals than in non-Magnet hospitals, by 2.4 fewer deaths per 1000 patients (pMagnet hospitals and non-Magnet hospitals were observed in nurse-reported quality of care and nurse outcomes. Conclusions In general, Magnet recognition is associated with significant improvements over time in the quality of the work environment, and in patient and nurse outcomes that exceed those of non-Magnet hospitals. PMID:25906016

  4. Surgical palliation of unresectable pancreatic head cancer in elderly patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Sang Il; Kim, Hyung Ook; Son, Byung Ho; Yoo, Chang Hak; Kim, Hungdai; Shin, Jun Ho

    2009-01-01

    AIM: To determine if surgical biliary bypass would provide improved quality of residual life and safe palliation in elderly patients with unresectable pancreatic head cancer. METHODS: Nineteen patients, 65 years of age or older, were managed with surgical biliary bypass (Group A). These patients were compared with 19 patients under 65 years of age who were managed with surgical biliary bypass (Group B). In addition, the results for group A were compared with those obtained from 17 patients, 65 years of age or older (Group C), who received percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage to evaluate the quality of residual life. RESULTS: Five patients (26.0%) in Group A had complications, including one intraabdominal abscess, one pulmonary atelectasis, and three wound infections. One death (5.3%) occurred on postoperative day 3. With respect to morbidity, mortality, and postoperative hospitalization, no statistically significant difference was noted between Groups A and B. The number of readmissions and the rate of recurrent jaundice were lower in Group A than in Group C, to a statistically significant degree (P = 0.019, P = 0.029, respectively). The median hospital-free survival period and the median overall survival were also significantly longer in Group A (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Surgical palliation does not increase the morbidity or mortality rates, but it does increase the survival rate and improve the quality of life in elderly patients with unresectable pancreatic head cancer. PMID:19248198

  5. Venous Thromboembolism (VTE): Risk Assessment in Hospitalized Patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soomro, Q.; Bhutto, A. A.; Memon, A. A.; Yousaf, N.; Abro, H. A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the number of hospitalized patients at risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) / deep vein thrombosis (DVT), identifying the most common risk factor and to document the use of thromboprophylaxis. Study Design: Observational and cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, from October to December 2011. Methodology: A total of 170 patients underwent this study and these included 51 (30%) from general medical, and 119 (70%) from surgical units. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined and data was collected on printed format. VTE risk assessment was done according to Caprini Model and criteria defined by the American College of Chest Physicians- ACCP. Results: Out of 170 patients, 91 were male and 79 female with mean age of 39 +- 16 years. According to ACCP criteria for VTE risk assessment, 20% (n=34) patients were identified to be at low risk, 20% (n=34) at moderate risk, 47.65% (n=81) at high risk and 12.35% (n=21) at very high risk of developing VTE. The commonest risk factor significantly identified was immobility (54.7%, p < 0.005), followed by advancing age (41.17%, p < 0.005) and obesity (18.23%). The most common risk factor in all types of surgical patients was anaesthesia for more than 45 minutes 82.35% (n=98/119) and in medical patients advancing age 45% (n=23/51). Only 6 (3.5%) patients received thromboprophylaxis, all were surgical patients of very high-risk category. Conclusion: Majority of studied hospitalized patients were at high risk of developing VTE. Immobility was the commonest risk factor for developing VTE, followed by advancing age and obesity. Very few hospitalized patients actually received thromboprophylaxis. (author)

  6. Efficacy of promethazine suppositories dispensed to outpatient surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, C. D.; Jilka, J.; Gentry, W. B.

    1998-01-01

    Postoperative nausea and vomiting frequently complicate outpatient anesthesia and surgery. The duration of treatment for this complication must occasionally extend beyond discharge from the hospital. In this study, we evaluated the commonly used anti-emetic promethazine for its efficacy in the post-discharge period. Adult outpatient surgical patients who had excessive postoperative nausea and vomiting in the recovery room, or who were at risk for postoperative nausea and vomiting following discharge were given two promethazine suppositories (25 mg) for home use. All patients were contacted by our recovery room nurses on the first business day after their surgery and questioned as to their use of the suppositories and, if used, their efficacy. We found that 55 percent of patients given promethazine suppositories for home use had nausea and vomiting in the post-discharge period. Of the patients given promethazine, 89 percent used the suppositories. All of these patients reported improvement in their symptoms following use of the suppositories. None reported adverse effects from the promethazine suppositories. In conclusion, we found promethazine suppositories to be an inexpensive and efficacious treatment for nausea and vomiting in adult outpatient surgical patients following discharge from the hospital. Side-effects were minimal, and our patients voiced no complaints about this mode of therapy. We recommend this therapy for treatment of nausea and vomiting after hospital discharge following adult outpatient surgery. PMID:10527366

  7. Review of thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients attending Cork University Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Stephen; Weaver, Daniel Timothy

    2013-06-01

    Although preventable, venous thromboembolism remains a common cause of hospital acquired morbidity and mortality. Guidelines, such as the one produced by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), are aimed at reducing hospital associated venous thromboemboli. Unfortunately the majority of studies have revealed inadequate adherence to these guidelines. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis at Cork University Hospital. Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland. Data from the patient's chart, drug kardex and laboratory results were recorded during April 2010. A Caprini score, a venous thromboembolism risk factor assessment tool, was subsequently calculated for each patient based on data collected. Appropriate prophylaxis was determined after examining data collected, Caprini score and prophylactic regime according to the ACCP 8th edition guidelines. Primary outcome was to analyse adherence to VTE prophylaxis guidelines. A total of 394 patients met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed, of which, 60% (n = 236) were medical and 37% (n = 146) were surgical patients. In total 63% of patients received some form of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Furthermore, 54% of medical and 76% of surgical patients received prophylaxis. However only 37% of the patients studied received appropriate thromboprophylaxis according to the ACCP 8th edition guidelines (Geerts et al. in chest 133(6 Suppl):381S-453S, 2008). Additionally 51% of surgical and 27% of medical patients received appropriate prophylaxis. Data collected from Cork University Hospital revealed poor adherence to international venous thromboembolism prophylaxis guidelines. As stated in the ACCP 8th edition guidelines, every hospital should develop a formal strategy for venous thromboembolism prevention (Geerts et al. in chest 133(6 Suppl):381S-453S, 2008). In order to improve adherence to guidelines, Cork University Hospital should develop, implement and

  8. An exact approach for relating recovering surgical patient workload to the master surgical schedule

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vanberkel, P.T.; Boucherie, Richardus J.; Hans, Elias W.; Hurink, Johann L.; van Lent, Wineke A.M.; van Lent, W.A.M.; van Harten, Wim H.; van Harten, Willem H.

    2009-01-01

    No other department influences the workload of a hospital more than the Department of Surgery and in particular, the activities in the operating room. These activities are governed by the master surgical schedule (MSS), which states which patient types receive surgery on which day. In this paper we

  9. An exact approach for relating recovering surgical patient workload to the master surgical schedule

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vanberkel, P.T.; Boucherie, Richardus J.; Hans, Elias W.; Hurink, Johann L.; van Lent, W.A.M.; van Harten, Willem H.

    2011-01-01

    No other department influences the workload of a hospital more than the Department of Surgery and in particular, the activities in the operating room. These activities are governed by the master surgical schedule (MSS), which states which patient types receive surgery on which day. In this paper, we

  10. Implementation of subcutaneous insulin protocol for non-critically ill hospitalized patients in andalusian tertiary care hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Brocca, María Asunción; Morales, Cristóbal; Rodríguez-Ortega, Pilar; González-Aguilera, Beatriz; Montes, Cristina; Colomo, Natalia; Piédrola, Gonzalo; Méndez-Muros, Mariola; Serrano, Isabel; Ruiz de Adana, Maria Soledad; Moreno, Alberto; Fernández, Ignacio; Aguilar, Manuel; Acosta, Domingo; Palomares, Rafael

    2015-02-01

    In 2009, the Andalusian Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition designed a protocol for subcutaneous insulin treatment in hospitalized non-critically ill patients (HIP). To analyze implementation of HIP at tertiary care hospitals from the Andalusian Public Health System. A descriptive, multicenter study conducted in 8 tertiary care hospitals on a random sample of non-critically ill patients with diabetes/hyperglycemia (n=306) hospitalized for ≥48 hours in 5 non-surgical (SM) and 2 surgical (SQ) departments. Type 1 and other specific types of diabetes, pregnancy and nutritional support were exclusion criteria. 288 patients were included for analysis (62.5% males; 70.3±10.3 years; 71.5% SM, 28.5% SQ). A scheduled subcutaneous insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction protocol was started in 55.9% (95%CI: 50.5-61.2%) of patients, 63.1% SM vs. 37.8% SQ (P<.05). Alternatives to insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction included sliding scale insulin (43.7%), diet (31.3%), oral antidiabetic drugs (17.2%), premixed insulin (1.6%), and others (6.2%). For patients previously on oral antidiabetic drugs, in-hospital insulin dose was 0.32±0.1 IU/kg/day. In patients previously on insulin, in-hospital insulin dose was increased by 17% [-13-53], and in those on insulin plus oral antidiabetic drugs, in-hospital insulin dose was increased by 26.4% [-6-100]. Supplemental insulin doses used for<40 IU/day and 40-80 IU/day were 72.2% and 56.7% respectively. HbA1c was measured in 23.6% of patients (95CI%: 18.8-28.8); 27.7% SM vs. 13.3% SQ (P<.05). Strategies are needed to improve implementation of the inpatient subcutaneous insulin protocol, particularly in surgical departments. Sliding scale insulin is still the most common alternative to insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction scheduled insulin. Metabolic control assessment during hospitalization should be encouraged. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Correlation Between Protein Intake and Nitrogen Balance of Surgical Patients in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Installation, Sanglah General Hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Made Wiryana

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: A cell injury from surgical stress in a trauma or a non-trauma case will induce a hyper metabolic response in which the protein degradation increases, the somatic protein synthesis decreases and the amino acid catabolism increases. Thus, the pyper metabolic response contributes to nitrogen loss in urine. This response, without an adequate nutrition, will lead an iatrogenic malnutrition and deterioration. A balance nitrogen formula through urinary urea nitrogen is one of many nutrition evaluation methods. This method aids in evaluating the daily nutrition status and it can be the baseline data for daily intake. Objective: To find a correlation between the protein intake and the nitrogen balance of the surgical patients in anesthesiology and intensive care installation, Sanglah General Hospital, Denpasar, Bali. Methods: Fifty-one surgical patients with trauma and non-trauma cases were observed for their protein intake for 2-3 days continuously. Moreover, they were evaluated for their nitrogen balance based on the urinary urea nitrogen per 24 hours for 2-3 days. For statistical analysis, we utilized Shapiro-Francia, Shapiro-Wilk, Spearman Frank correlation, two-sample t test, and multivariate regression analysis in Strata SE 12.1. Results: The correlation between the protein intake and the nitrogen balance on the first day was ra=0.50 (p<0.05, on the second day ra=0.70 (p<0,05, and on the third day ra=0.740 (p<0,05. Conclusions: There is a correlation between the protein intake and the nitrogen balance of surgical patients in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Installation Sanglah General Hospital Denpasar. 

  12. Comparison of CDE data in phacoemulsification between an open hospital-based ambulatory surgical center and a free-standing ambulatory surgical center

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Chen

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Ming Chen1, Mindy Chen21University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA; 2University of California, Irvine, CA, USAAbstract: Mean CDE (cumulative dissipated energy values were compared for an open hospital-based surgical center and a free-standing surgical center. The same model of phacoemulsifier (Alcon Infiniti Ozil was used. Mean CDE values showed that surgeons (individual private practice at the free-standing surgical center were more efficient than surgeons (individual private practice at the open hospital-based surgical center (mean CDE at the hospital-based surgical center 18.96 seconds [SD = 12.51]; mean CDE at the free-standing surgical center 13.2 seconds [SD = 9.5]. CDE can be used to monitor the efficiency of a cataract surgeon and surgical center in phacoemulsification. The CDE value may be used by institutions as one of the indicators for quality control and audit in phacoemulsification.Keywords: CDE (cumulative dissipated energy, open hospital-based ambulatory surgical center, free-standing surgical center, phacoemulsification 

  13. Tromboprofilaxis en pacientes no quirúrgicos internados en un hospital general Venous thromboembolism prevention in non-surgical adult patients admitted in a general hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo J. Melero

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Los pacientes adultos internados por una enfermedad no quirúrgica tienen un riesgo alto de padecer una tromboembolia venosa y pueden desarrollar alguna forma de esta enfermedad cuando no reciben un tratamiento preventivo adecuado. Los objetivos de este estudio prospectivo, analítico, observacional y transversal, fueron: 1 determinar cuál es el porcentaje de pacientes adultos internados por una enfermedad aguda no quirúrgica en el Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires, que tienen indicación de tromboprofilaxis, 2 establecer cuántos de ellos reciben un tratamiento preventivo para la tromboembolia venosa, y 3 comprobar cuántos estaban medicados con alguna forma de tromboprofilaxis sin tener causas que justificaran este tratamiento. Se estudiaron 93 pacientes durante un lapso de 72 horas consecutivas. Se encontró que el 90.3% de ellos necesitaba un tratamiento preventivo para la tromboembolia venosa y el 76.2% de estos enfermos recibían tromboprofilaxis farmacológica. Un 33.3% de los pacientes internados tenía indicado un tratamiento farmacológico preventivo sin tener una causa que justificara esta prescripción. El porcentaje encontrado de pacientes tratados con tromboprofilaxis es más alto que el comunicado en otros estudios observacionales.Adult patients hospitalized for a non-surgical condition, usually have a high risk of venous thromboembolism and may develop some form of this disease when they do not receive appropriate preventive treatment. The objectives of this prospective, analytical, observational and cross-sectional study were: 1 to determine what percentage of adult patients hospitalized for a non-surgical acute condition at the Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires, had indication for preventive thromboprophylaxis, 2 to establish how many of them had been prescribed a preventive treatment of venous thromboembolism, 3 to establish how many of them had been

  14. Helping Patients With Physical Illness Cope With Hospitalization ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Helping Patients With Physical Illness Cope With Hospitalization: Implication For The Nurses And Medical Social Workers In Meeting The Physical And ... their illness, allaying the fear and anxiety of the patients about outcomes of medical treatments (surgical operation and death), providing support for patients' ...

  15. Risks and risk-analysis for the development of pressure ulcers in surgical patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Keller, Bastiaan Paul Johan Aart

    2006-01-01

    With prevalence figures of 13% for university hospitals and 23% for general hospitals, pressure ulcers are a major health care issue in The Netherlands. Pressure ulcers in surgical patients are frequently encountered, as is illustrated by reported incidence rates up to 66%. The number of patients at

  16. Emergency general surgery in Rwandan district hospitals: a cross-sectional study of spectrum, management, and patient outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mpirimbanyi, Christophe; Nyirimodoka, Alexandre; Lin, Yihan; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L; Odhiambo, Jackline; Nkurunziza, Theoneste; Havens, Joaquim M; Omondi, Jack; Rwamasirabo, Emile; Ntirenganya, Faustin; Toma, Gabriel; Mubiligi, Joel; Bayitondere, Scheilla; Riviello, Robert

    2017-12-01

    Management of emergency general surgical conditions remains a challenge in rural sub-Saharan Africa due to issues such as insufficient human capacity and infrastructure. This study describes the burden of emergency general surgical conditions and the ability to provide care for these conditions at three rural district hospitals in Rwanda. This retrospective cross-sectional study included all patients presenting to Butaro, Kirehe and Rwinkwavu District Hospitals between January 1st 2015 and December 31st 2015 with emergency general surgical conditions, defined as non-traumatic, non-obstetric acute care surgical conditions. We describe patient demographics, clinical characteristics, management and outcomes. In 2015, 356 patients presented with emergency general surgical conditions. The majority were male (57.2%) and adults aged 15-60 years (54.5%). The most common diagnostic group was soft tissue infections (71.6%), followed by acute abdominal conditions (14.3%). The median length of symptoms prior to diagnosis differed significantly by diagnosis type (p operated on at the district hospital, either by a general surgeon or general practitioner. Patients were more likely to receive surgery if they presented to a hospital with a general surgeon compared to a hospital with only general practitioners (75% vs 43%, p operation in a hospital with a general surgeon as opposed to a general practitioner. This provides evidence to support increasing the surgical workforce in district hospitals in order to increase surgical availability for patients.

  17. A qualitative identification of categories of patient participation in decision-making by health care professionals and patients during surgical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heggland, Liv-Helen; Hausken, Kjell

    2013-05-01

    The aim of this article is to identify how health care professionals and patients experience patient participation in decision-making processes in hospitals. Eighteen semi-structured interviews with experts from different disciplines such as medicine and nursing in surgical departments as well as patients who have undergone surgical treatment constitute the data. By content analysis four categories of patient participation were identified: information dissemination, formulation of options, integration of information, and control. To meet the increasing demands of patient participation, this categorization with four identified critical areas for participation in decision-making has important implications in guiding information support for patients prior to surgery and during hospitalization.

  18. Evaluating the effects of increasing surgical volume on emergency department patient access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, S; Dittus, R; Aronsky, D; Weinger, M; France, D

    2011-02-01

    To determine how increases in surgical patient volume will affect emergency department (ED) access to inpatient cardiac services. To compare how strategies to increase cardiology inpatient throughput can either accommodate increases in surgical volume or improve ED patient access. A stochastic discrete event simulation was created to model patient flow through a cardiology inpatient system within a US, urban, academic hospital. The simulation used survival analysis to examine the relationship between anticipated increases in surgical volume and ED patient boarding time (ie, time interval from cardiology admission request to inpatient bed placement). ED patients boarded for a telemetry and cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) bed had a mean boarding time of 5.3 (median 3.1, interquartile range 1.5-6.9) h and 2.7 (median 1.7, interquartile range 0.8-3.0) h, respectively. Each 10% incremental increase in surgical volume resulted in a 37 and 33 min increase in mean boarding time to the telemetry unit and CVICU, respectively. Strategies to increase cardiology inpatient throughput by increasing capacity and decreasing length of stay for specific inpatients was compared. Increasing cardiology capacity by one telemetry and CVICU bed or decreasing length of stay by 1 h resulted in a 7-9 min decrease in average boarding time or an 11-19% increase in surgical patient volume accommodation. Simulating competition dynamics for hospital admissions provides prospective planning (ie, decision making) information and demonstrates how interventions to increase inpatient throughput will have a much greater effect on higher priority surgical admissions compared with ED admissions.

  19. Surgical Site Infection in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butt, U. I.; Khan, A.; Nawaz, A.; Mansoor, R.; Malik, A. A.; Sher, F.; Ayyaz, M.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To compare the frequency of surgical site infections in patients with type II diabetes undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy as compared with non-diabetic patients. Study Design: Cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Unit 2, Services Hospital, Lahore, from May to October 2012. Methodology: Patients were divided into two groups of 60 each, undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Group A comprised non-diabetic patients and group B comprised type II diabetic patients. Patients were followed postoperatively upto one month for the development of SSIs. Proportion of patients with surgical site infections or otherwise was compared between the groups using chi-square test with significance of p < 0.05. Results: In group A, 35 patients were above the age of 40 years. In group B, 38 patients were above the age of 40 years. Four patients in group A developed a surgical site infection. Seven patients in group B developed SSIs (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Presence of diabetes mellitus did not significantly affect the onset of surgical site infection in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. (author)

  20. Adult surgical emergencies in a developing country: the experience of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chianakwana, Gabriel U; Ihegihu, Chima C; Okafor, Pius I S; Anyanwu, Stanley N C; Mbonu, Okechukwu O

    2005-06-01

    The goal of this study was to examine the adult surgical emergencies seen at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, with a view to proffering preventive solutions where appropriate and improving outcome. From the register of patients seen at the Casualty department and from the operations register in the main operation room of NAUTH, names and hospital numbers of adult patients treated as emergencies over a 5-year period, from 7 September 1998 to 6 September 2003, were obtained. The hospital folders were then retrieved from the Records Department. From each folder, the following details about each patient were extracted: age, sex, diagnosis at presentation, causative factors, treatment given, and outcome. A total of 902 adult patients were treated during the period. The commonest emergency operation was appendectomy for acute appendicitis in 139 patients (97 women and 42 men), followed closely by road traffic accidents (RTAs) involving 137 patients (103 men and 34 women). Gunshot injuries, which resulted mainly from armed robbery attacks, accounted for 127 cases. More men (113) sustained gunshot injuries than women (14). Of the 92 cases of acute intestinal obstruction seen, 62 occurred in women and 30 in men. Some 126 men presented with acute urinary retention, and two others presented with priapism. Governments at various levels should provide modern diagnostic tools for the accurate preoperative diagnosis of surgical emergencies in hospitals. Governments should also inculcate strict discipline into drivers using the highways, particularly in relation to abuse of alcohol and drugs. Good roads and adequate security should be provided for the people. The need for Pre-Hospital Care for the efficient evacuation of accident victims is emphasized. These measures will help to improve the management and outcome of surgical emergencies, and decrease the number of surgical emergencies resulting from RTAs and gunshot wounds.

  1. Unlicensed and off-label use of drugs in pediatric surgical units at tertiary care hospitals of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aamir, Muhammad; Khan, Jamshaid Ali; Shakeel, Faisal; Asim, Syed Muhammad

    2017-08-01

    Background Unlicensed and off-label prescribing practice is global dilemma around the world. This pioneering study was designed to determine unlicensed and off-label use of drug in surgical wards of tertiary care hospitals of Pakistan. Objective To assess unlicensed and off-label use of drugs in pediatric surgical unit at three tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan. Setting Two government and one private tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Method Drug profiles of 895 patients from three different clinical settings were evaluated for unlicensed and off-label use of drugs using Micromedex DRUGDEX. Main outcome measure Characteristics of the unlicensed and off-label drug prescriptions. Result Total of 3168 prescribed drugs were analyzed in this study. Indication (38.7%) and dose (34.8%) were the most frequent off-label categories. In comparison with the corresponding reference categories, infants and children, male patients and having less than five prescribed drugs were significant predictors of unlicensed prescriptions. In comparison with the corresponding reference categories, significant predictors of off-label drug prescribing were children younger than two year, children between 2-12 years, patient staying at hospital less than 5 days and patients having less than five prescribed drugs. Conclusion The prevalence of unlicensed and off-label drug prescriptions are high at pediatric surgical ward of tertiary care hospitals. More awareness of the efficacy and safety of drugs are required in pediatrics. In addition, new formulations with advanced dosing for children are also required to minimize the risk of adverse outcomes.

  2. Anaesthesia for Surgical Outreach in a Rural Nigerian Hospital | Ilori ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Surgical outreach to rural areas is aimed at improving access to surgical treatment to a deprived community. The study reports the experience of a team consisting of specialist surgical and anaesthetic manpower during a five day surgical outreach at Ogoja General Hospital, Nigeria in 2010. This was on the ...

  3. Adherence to the use of the surgical checklist for patient safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane Cristina Sanches Maziero

    Full Text Available Objective: Evaluate adherence to the checklist of the Programa Cirurgias Seguras (safe surgery programme at a teaching hospital. Methods: Evaluative study conducted at a teaching hospital in the south of Brazil in 2012. Data were collected by means of non-participant observation in 20 hip and knee replacement surgeries and an instrument that was created for research based on the checklist and used by the institution. Results: In the observed procedures (n = 20 there was significant adhesion (p<0.05 to the instrument in relation to the verification of documentation, fasting, hair removal in the surgical site, absence of nail varnish and accessories, identification of the patient and surgical site on admission to the surgical unit, availability of blood and functionality of materials. However, there was no significant adherence to the checklist in the operating room in relation to patient identification, procedure and laterality, team introduction, surgical break and materials count. Conclusion: The results showed that the items on the checklist were verified nonverbally and there was no significant adherence to the instrument.

  4. Surgical treatment of peritonitis due to typhoid fever in a Hospital in Mozambique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arnulfo Gallego Mariño

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Typhoid fever is a cause of peritonitis by perforation of the intestinal loops and provokes the death of many people; therefore it constitutes a health problem in Mozambique.Objective: To describe the patients operated on, with the diagnosis of peritonitis resulting from typhoid fever, at the surgery department of the Provincial Hospital in Quelimane, Zambezia Province, Mozambique, from November 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012.Methods: A descriptive study of the patients operated on with the diagnosis of peritonitis resulting from typhoid fever, at the hospital and period herein mentioned, was performed. The study population consisted of 96 patients who were operated on. The variables that were measured were: age, sex, onset of symptoms, total perforations, performed surgical treatment and complications.Results: Male patients of the 25 to 50 age group prevailed; most of them visited the service after 72 hours of the onset of symptoms; in 66 patients only one perforation was found and the surgical procedure mostly used was the suture of the perforation and the washout of the abdominal cavity.Conclusions: Most of the patients visited the service 72 hours after the onset of symptoms; they underwent surgery; and wound infection was the most frequent complication.

  5. Large Variability in the Diversity of Physiologically Complex Surgical Procedures Exists Nationwide Among All Hospitals Including Among Large Teaching Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dexter, Franklin; Epstein, Richard H; Thenuwara, Kokila; Lubarsky, David A

    2017-11-22

    Multiple previous studies have shown that having a large diversity of procedures has a substantial impact on quality management of hospital surgical suites. At hospitals with substantial diversity, unless sophisticated statistical methods suitable for rare events are used, anesthesiologists working in surgical suites will have inaccurate predictions of surgical blood usage, case durations, cost accounting and price transparency, times remaining in late running cases, and use of intraoperative equipment. What is unknown is whether large diversity is a feature of only a few very unique set of hospitals nationwide (eg, the largest hospitals in each state or province). The 2013 United States Nationwide Readmissions Database was used to study heterogeneity among 1981 hospitals in their diversities of physiologically complex surgical procedures (ie, the procedure codes). The diversity of surgical procedures performed at each hospital was quantified using a summary measure, the number of different physiologically complex surgical procedures commonly performed at the hospital (ie, 1/Herfindahl). A total of 53.9% of all hospitals commonly performed 3-fold larger diversity (ie, >30 commonly performed physiologically complex procedures). Larger hospitals had greater diversity than the small- and medium-sized hospitals (P 30 procedures (lower 99% CL, 71.9% of hospitals). However, there was considerable variability among the large teaching hospitals in their diversity (interquartile range of the numbers of commonly performed physiologically complex procedures = 19.3; lower 99% CL, 12.8 procedures). The diversity of procedures represents a substantive differentiator among hospitals. Thus, the usefulness of statistical methods for operating room management should be expected to be heterogeneous among hospitals. Our results also show that "large teaching hospital" alone is an insufficient description for accurate prediction of the extent to which a hospital sustains the

  6. Steering patients to safer hospitals? The effect of a tiered hospital network on hospital admissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scanlon, Dennis P; Lindrooth, Richard C; Christianson, Jon B

    2008-10-01

    To determine if a tiered hospital benefit and safety incentive shifted the distribution of admissions toward safer hospitals. A large manufacturing company instituted the hospital safety incentive (HSI) for union employees. The HSI gave union patients a financial incentive to choose hospitals that met the Leapfrog Group's three patient safety "leaps." The analysis merges data from four sources: claims and enrollment data from the company, the American Hospital Association, the AHRQ HCUP-SID, and a state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Changes in hospital admissions' patterns for union and nonunion employees using a difference-in-difference design. We estimate the probability of choosing a specific hospital from a set of available alternatives using conditional logistic regression. Patients affiliated with the engineers' union and admitted for a medical diagnosis were 2.92 times more likely to select a hospital designated as safer in the postperiod than in the preperiod, while salaried nonunion (SNU) patients (not subject to the financial incentive) were 0.64 times as likely to choose a compliant hospital in the post- versus preperiod. The difference-in-difference estimate, which is based on the predictions of the conditional logit model, is 0.20. However, the machinists' union was also exposed to the incentive and they were no more likely to choose a safer hospital than the SNU patients. The incentive did not have an effect on patients admitted for a surgical diagnosis, regardless of union status. All patients were averse to travel time, but those union patients selecting an incentive hospital were less averse to travel time. Patient price incentives and quality/safety information may influence hospital selection decisions, particularly for medical admissions, though the optimal incentive level for financial return to the plan sponsor is not clear.

  7. Comparison of CDE data in phacoemulsification between an open hospital-based ambulatory surgical center and a free-standing ambulatory surgical center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ming; Chen, Mindy

    2010-11-12

    Mean CDE (cumulative dissipated energy) values were compared for an open hospital- based surgical center and a free-standing surgical center. The same model of phacoemulsifier (Alcon Infiniti Ozil) was used. Mean CDE values showed that surgeons (individual private practice) at the free-standing surgical center were more efficient than surgeons (individual private practice) at the open hospital-based surgical center (mean CDE at the hospital-based surgical center 18.96 seconds [SD = 12.51]; mean CDE at the free-standing surgical center 13.2 seconds [SD = 9.5]). CDE can be used to monitor the efficiency of a cataract surgeon and surgical center in phacoemulsification. The CDE value may be used by institutions as one of the indicators for quality control and audit in phacoemulsification.

  8. Identifying gaps in the surgical training curriculum in Rwanda through evaluation of operative activity at a teaching hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickard, Jennifer L; Ntakiyiruta, Georges; Chu, Kathryn M

    2015-01-01

    To define the operations performed by surgical residents at a tertiary referral hospital in Rwanda to help guide development of the residency program. Cross-sectional study of all patients operated by surgical residents from October 2012 to September 2013. University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali [CHUK]), a public, tertiary referral hospital in Kigali, Rwanda. All patient data were entered into the operative database by surgical residents at CHUK. A total of 2833 cases were entered into the surgical database. Of them, 53 cases were excluded from further analysis because no surgical resident was listed as the primary or assistant surgeon, leaving 2780 cases for analysis. There were 2780 operations involving surgical residents. Of them, 51% of procedures were classified under general surgery, 38% orthopedics, 7% neurosurgery, and 4% urology. Emergency operations accounted for 64% of the procedures, with 56% of those being general surgery and 35% orthopedic. Further, 50% of all operations were trauma, with 71% of those orthopedic and 21% general surgery. Surgical faculty were involved in 45% of operations as either the primary or the assistant surgeons, while the remainder of operations did not involve surgical faculty. Residents were primary surgeons in 68% of procedures and assistant surgeons in 84% of procedures. The operative experience of surgery residents at CHUK primarily involves emergency and trauma procedures. Although this likely reflects the demographics of surgical care within Rwanda, more focus should be placed on elective procedures to ensure that surgical residents are broadly trained. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. SURGICAL SITE INFECTION: REVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. H. M. Bonai

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Nosocomial infection or nosocomial infection (NI is one of the factors that increase the cost of maintaining patients in the health system, even in processes that should safely occur, such as hospital patients and performing simple and routine surgical procedures surgical centers and clinics leading to complications resulting from these infections that prolong hospital stay and promote pain and suffering to the patient, resulting in the defense of the quality of services and influencing negatively the hospitals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the factors that result in surgical site infection, with the purpose of better understanding of the subject and the possibility of preventive actions to better treatment outcome of the patient.

  10. Comparison between transcatheter and surgical closure of secundum atrial septal defect in patients over 40 years old

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Cheng; Zhao Shihua; Jiang Shiliang; Huang Lianjun; Xu Zhongying; Ling Jian; Zheng Hong; Zhang Gejun; Lv Bin; Zhang Yan; Jin Jinglin; Yan Chaowu; Dai Ruping

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) with surgical closure in patients over 40 years old. Methods: A single center, nonrandomized concurrent study was performed in 233 consecutive adults from January, 2004 to December, 2005. The patients were assigned to either the device or surgical closure group according to the patients options. Technical success rate, complications, residual shunt, hospital stay, amount of blood transfusion and cost were compared. Results: A total of 137 patients were in the group undergoing device closure, whereas 96 patients were in the surgical group. There was no differences in age, sex distribution or baseline cardiac function between the two groups. The sizes of the ASD were(18.9±5.4) mm for the device group and (24.9 ± 6.8)mm for the surgical group (P<0.001). The technical success rates were 97.1% for the device group and 100% for the surgical group (P=0.151). The residual shunt rates were 0.7% for the device group and 0% for the surgical group (P=0.583). Mortality was zero for both groups. The complication rates were 16.1% for the device group and 30.2% for the surgical group (P=0.015). The blood transfusion amounts were (273.1 ± 491.5)ml for the surgical group and 0 ml for the device group (P<0.001). The lengths of hospital stay were (4.6 ± 3.3)days for the device group and (12.0 ± 4.0) days for the surgical group (P<0.001). The costs of hospital stay were 39 570.0±5 929.5 RMB for the device group and 29 839.6±7 533.1 RMB for the surgical group (p<0.001). Conclusions: The technical success rates for surgical versus device closure of ASD were of significantly different, however, the complication rate was lower and the length of hospital stay was shorter for device closure than those for surgical repair. Transcatheter closure of secundum ASD is a safe and effective alternative to surgical repair in selected patients. (authors)

  11. Presence of gingivitis and periodontitis significantly increases hospital charges in patients undergoing heart valve surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allareddy, Veerasathpurush; Elangovan, Satheesh; Rampa, Sankeerth; Shin, Kyungsup; Nalliah, Romesh P; Allareddy, Veerajalandhar

    2015-01-01

    To examine the prevalence and impact of gingivitis and periodontitis in patients having heart valve surgical procedures. Nationwide Inpatient Sample for the years 2004-2010 was used. All patients who had heart valve surgical procedures were selected. Prevalence of gingivitis/periodontitis was examined in these patients. Impact of gingivitis/periodontitis on hospital charges, length of stay, and infectious complications was examined. 596,190 patients had heart valve surgical procedures. Gingivitis/periodontitis was present in 0.2 percent. Outcomes included: median hospital charges ($175,418 with gingivitis/ periodontitis versus $149,353 without gingivitis/periodontitis) and median length of stay (14 days with gingivitis/periodontitis versus 8 days without gingivitis/periodontitis). After adjusting for the effects of patient- and hospital-level confounding factors, hospital charges and length of stay were significantly higher (p gingivitis/periodontitis compared to their counterparts. Further, patients with gingivitis/periodontitis had significantly higher odds for having bacterial infections (OR = 3.41, 95% CI = 2.33-4.98, p gingivitis/periodontitis. Presence of gingivitis and periodontitis is associated with higher risk for bacterial infections and significant hospital resource utilization.

  12. Introduction of clerking pro forma for surgical spinal patients at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust (London): an audit cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pace, Valerio; Farooqi, Omar; Kennedy, James; Park, Chang; Cowan, Joseph

    2018-05-01

    As a tertiary referral centre of spinal surgery, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) handles hundreds of spinal cases a year, often with complex pathology and complex care needs. Despite this, issues were raised at the RNOH following lack of sufficient documentation of preoperative and postoperative clinical findings in spinal patients undergoing major surgery. This is not in keeping with guidelines provided by the Royal College of Surgeons. The authors believe that a standardised clerking pro forma for surgical spinal patients admitted to RNOH would improve the quality of care provided. Therefore, the use of a standard clerking pro forma for all surgical spinal patients could be a useful tool enabling improvements in patients care and safety in keeping with General Medical Council/National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. An audit (with closure of loop) looking into the quality of the preoperative and postoperative clinical documentation for surgical spinal patients was carried out at the RNOH in 2016 (retrospective case note audit comparing preintervention and postintervention documentation standards). Our standardised pro forma allows clinicians to best utilise their time and standardises examination to be compared in a temporal manner during the patients admission and care. It is the authors understanding that this work is a unique study looking at the quality of the admission clerking for surgical spinal patients. Evidently, there remains work to be done for the widespread utilisation of the pro forma. Early results suggest that such a pro forma can significantly improve the documentation in admission clerking with improvements in the quality of care for patients. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  13. Factors associated with the risk of falls in hospitalized adult patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivian Lemes Lobo Bittencourt

    Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE Analyzing factors related to the risk of falls in hospitalized adult patients. METHOD A cross-sectional, analytical and quantitative study, developed in Clinical and Surgical Hospitalization Units from June to August 2015. Data collection instruments were sociodemographic and clinical forms, and the Morse Scale. Data were obtained with the patients and from medical records. Absolute and relative frequencies were used in the univariate statistical analysis, and chi-square test in the bivariate analysis. RESULTS 612 patients participated in the study. An association (p<0.001 was found between the high risk of falls and clinical neurological hospitalization, surgical trauma (hospitalization and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, visual impairment, vertigo and fear of falling. CONCLUSION An association between the risk of falls was found due to hospitalization, comorbidities and intrinsic factors. Regarding extrinsic factors, an association between mats/carpets and risk of falls was found. No association between the risk of falls with other extrinsic factors was found.

  14. Surgical resident education in patient safety: where can we improve?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putnam, Luke R; Levy, Shauna M; Kellagher, Caroline M; Etchegaray, Jason M; Thomas, Eric J; Kao, Lillian S; Lally, Kevin P; Tsao, KuoJen

    2015-12-01

    Effective communication and patient safety practices are paramount in health care. Surgical residents play an integral role in the perioperative team, yet their perceptions of patient safety remain unclear. We hypothesized that surgical residents perceive the perioperative environment as more unsafe than their faculty and operating room staff despite completing a required safety curriculum. Surgeons, anesthesiologists, and perioperative nurses in a large academic children's hospital participated in multifaceted, physician-led workshops aimed at enhancing communication and safety culture over a 3-y period. All general surgery residents from the same academic center completed a hospital-based online safety curriculum only. All groups subsequently completed the psychometrically validated safety attitudes questionnaire to evaluate three domains: safety culture, teamwork, and speaking up. Results reflect the percent of respondents who slightly or strongly agreed. Chi-square analysis was performed. Sixty-three of 84 perioperative personnel (75%) and 48 of 52 surgical residents (92%) completed the safety attitudes questionnaire. A higher percentage of perioperative personnel perceived a safer environment than the surgical residents in all three domains, which was significantly higher for safety culture (68% versus 46%, P = 0.03). When stratified into two groups, junior residents (postgraduate years 1-2) and senior residents (postgraduate years 3-5) had lower scores for all three domains, but the differences were not statistically significant. Surgical residents' perceptions of perioperative safety remain suboptimal. With an enhanced safety curriculum, perioperative staff demonstrated higher perceptions of safety compared with residents who participated in an online-only curriculum. Optimal surgical education on patient safety remains unknown but should require a dedicated, systematic approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Multidisciplinary in-hospital teams improve patient outcomes: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein, Nancy E

    2014-01-01

    The use of multidisciplinary in-hospital teams limits adverse events (AE), improves outcomes, and adds to patient and employee satisfaction. Acting like "well-oiled machines," multidisciplinary in-hospital teams include "staff" from different levels of the treatment pyramid (e.g. staff including nurses' aids, surgical technicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, attending physicians, and others). Their enhanced teamwork counters the "silo effect" by enhancing communication between the different levels of healthcare workers and thus reduces AE (e.g. morbidity/mortality) while improving patient and healthcare worker satisfaction. Multiple articles across diverse disciplines incorporate a variety of concepts of "teamwork" for staff covering emergency rooms (ERs), hospital wards, intensive care units (ICUs), and most critically, operating rooms (ORs). Cohesive teamwork improved communication between different levels of healthcare workers, and limited adverse events, improved outcomes, decreased the length of stay (LOS), and yielded greater patient "staff" satisfaction. Within hospitals, delivering the best medical/surgical care is a "team sport." The goals include: Maximizing patient safety (e.g. limiting AE) and satisfaction, decreasing the LOS, and increasing the quality of outcomes. Added benefits include optimizing healthcare workers' performance, reducing hospital costs/complications, and increasing job satisfaction. This review should remind hospital administrators of the critical need to keep multidisciplinary teams together, so that they can continue to operate their "well-oiled machines" enhancing the quality/safety of patient care, while enabling "staff" to optimize their performance and enhance their job satisfaction.

  16. Reporting surgical site infections following total hip and knee arthroplasty: impact of limiting surveillance to the operative hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoe, Deborah S; Avery, Taliser R; Platt, Richard; Huang, Susan S

    2013-11-01

    Public reporting of surgical site infections (SSIs) by hospitals is largely limited to infections detected during surgical hospitalizations or readmissions to the same facility. SSI rates may be underestimated if patients with SSIs are readmitted to other hospitals. We assessed the impact of readmissions to other facilities on hospitals' SSI rates following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent primary THA or TKA at California hospitals between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2009. SSIs were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes predictive of SSI assigned at any California hospital within 365 days of surgery using a statewide repository of hospital data that allowed tracking of patients between facilities. We used statewide data to estimate the fraction of each hospital's THA and TKA SSIs identified at the operative hospital versus other hospitals. A total of 91 121 THA and 121 640 TKA procedures were identified. Based on diagnosis codes, SSIs developed following 2214 (2.3%) THAs and 2465 (2.0%) TKAs. Seventeen percent of SSIs would have been missed by operative hospital surveillance alone. The proportion of hospitals' SSIs detected at nonoperative hospitals ranged from 0% to 100%. Including SSIs detected at nonoperative hospitals resulted in better relative ranking for 61% of THA hospitals and 61% of TKA hospitals. Limiting SSI surveillance to the operative hospital caused varying degrees of SSI underestimation and substantially impacted hospitals' relative rankings, suggesting that alternative methods for comprehensive postdischarge surveillance are needed for accurate benchmarking.

  17. Interhospital Variability in Perioperative Red Blood Cell Ordering Patterns in United States Pediatric Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Rachel M; Thurm, Cary W; Rothstein, David H

    2016-10-01

    To evaluate perioperative red blood cell (RBC) ordering and interhospital variability patterns in pediatric patients undergoing surgical interventions at US children's hospitals. This is a multicenter cross-sectional study of children aged blood type and crossmatch were included when done on the day before or the day of the surgical procedure. The RBC transfusions included were those given on the day of or the day after surgery. The type and crossmatch-to-transfusion ratio (TCTR) was calculated for each surgical procedure. An adjusted model for interhospital variability was created to account for variation in patient population by age, sex, race/ethnicity, payer type, and presence/number of complex chronic conditions (CCCs) per patient. A total of 357 007 surgical interventions were identified across all participating hospitals. Blood type and crossmatch was performed 55 632 times, and 13 736 transfusions were provided, for a TCTR of 4:1. There was an association between increasing age and TCTR (R(2) = 0.43). Patients with multiple CCCs had lower TCTRs, with a stronger relationship (R(2) = 0.77). There was broad variability in adjusted TCTRs among hospitals (range, 2.5-25). The average TCTR in US children's hospitals was double that of adult surgical data, and was associated with wide interhospital variability. Age and the presence of CCCs markedly influenced this ratio. Studies to evaluate optimal preoperative RBC ordering and standardization of practices could potentially decrease unnecessary costs and wasted blood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Outcome of anesthesia in elective surgical patients with comorbidities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eyelade, Olayinka; Sanusi, Arinola; Adigun, Tinuola; Adejumo, Olufemi

    2016-01-01

    Presence of comorbidity in surgical patients may be associated with adverse perioperative events and increased the risk of morbidity and mortality. This audit was conducted to determine the frequencies of comorbidities in elective surgical patients and the outcome of anesthesia in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria. Observational study of a cross-section of adult patients scheduled for elective surgery over a 6-month period. A standardized questionnaire was used to document patients' demographics, the presence of comorbidity and type, surgical diagnosis, anesthetic technique, intraoperative adverse events, and outcome of anesthesia. The questionnaire was administered pre- and post-operatively to determine the effects of the comorbidities on the outcome of anesthesia. One hundred and sixty-five adult patients aged between 18 and 84 years were studied. There were 89 (53.9%) females and 76 (46.1%) males. Forty-five (27.3%) have at least one comorbidity. Hypertension was the most common (48.8%) associated illness. Other comorbidities identified include anemia (17.8%), asthma (8.9%), diabetes mellitus (6.7%), chronic renal disease (6.7%), and others. The perioperative period was uneventful in majority of patients (80.6%) despite the presence of comorbidities. Intraoperative adverse events include hypotension, hypertension, shivering, and vomiting. No mortality was reported. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity in this cohort of patients. The presence of comorbidity did not significantly affect the outcome of anesthesia in elective surgical patients.

  19. Comparison of laparoscopic and open appendectomy in terms of operative time, hospital stay and frequency of surgical site infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrahim, T.; Saleem, M.R.; Aziz, O.B.; Arshad, A.

    2014-01-01

    To compare laparoscopic and conventional open appendectomy in terms of operative time, hospital stay and frequency of surgical site infection (SSI). Patient and Methods: A total of 417 patients underwent appendectomy during this period. 137 patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (group A) while 280 patient had open appendectomy (group B). The samples include all patients who were operated open between the time span of june 2010 to september 2011. A chi square-test was performed to compare the data for statistical significance. Result: Mean operative time for group A was 79.21+-23.42 minitues where as in group B, the mean operative time was 41.49+-20.86 minitues. Group A patients had a shorter hospital 1 stay (3.6+-1 day) but in group B it was (5.2+-3 days). Seven patients (5.1 %) developed surgical site infection (SSI) in group A and 34 patients (12.14 %)developed postoperative SSI in group B. Conclusion: Laparoscopic appendectomy is superior to open appendectomy because of shorter hospital stay and laser-operative SSI, but requires longer operative time. (author)

  20. Surgical Face Masks Worn by Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mphahlele, Matsie; Stoltz, Anton; Venter, Kobus; Mathebula, Rirhandzu; Masotla, Thabiso; Lubbe, Willem; Pagano, Marcello; First, Melvin; Jensen, Paul A.; van der Walt, Martie; Nardell, Edward A.

    2012-01-01

    Rationale: Drug-resistant tuberculosis transmission in hospitals threatens staff and patient health. Surgical face masks used by patients with tuberculosis (TB) are believed to reduce transmission but have not been rigorously tested. Objectives: We sought to quantify the efficacy of surgical face masks when worn by patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Methods: Over 3 months, 17 patients with pulmonary MDR-TB occupied an MDR-TB ward in South Africa and wore face masks on alternate days. Ward air was exhausted to two identical chambers, each housing 90 pathogen-free guinea pigs that breathed ward air either when patients wore surgical face masks (intervention group) or when patients did not wear masks (control group). Efficacy was based on differences in guinea pig infections in each chamber. Measurements and Main Results: Sixty-nine of 90 control guinea pigs (76.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 68–85%) became infected, compared with 36 of 90 intervention guinea pigs (40%; 95% CI, 31–51%), representing a 56% (95% CI, 33–70.5%) decreased risk of TB transmission when patients used masks. Conclusions: Surgical face masks on patients with MDR-TB significantly reduced transmission and offer an adjunct measure for reducing TB transmission from infectious patients. PMID:22323300

  1. Extended thromboprophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparins after hospital discharge in high-risk surgical and medical patients: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huo, Michael H; Muntz, James

    2009-06-01

    Prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism (VTE) is routinely administered during the hospital stay in at-risk surgical and medical patients. However, in high-risk groups, the risk of deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism may persist for several weeks after discharge. The standard duration of thromboprophylaxis (6-14 days) may not provide adequate protection against such events. This article reviews published data on the efficacy and safety profile of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis in patients at high risk for VTE, the potential cost-effectiveness of such treatment, and practical aspects of ensuring an effective transition from the inpatient to the outpatient setting. MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched through January 2009 for relevant English-language reports of clinical trials, abstracts, and case reports. The search terms included, but were not limited to, venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation, thromboprophylaxis, prolonged duration, and extended duration. The reference lists of the identified articles were reviewed for additional relevant publications. Congress Web sites were also consulted. The principal criteria for inclusion of a study were that it have a prospective, randomized design and include a control group. Case series and retrospective analyses were excluded. Studies have found that extended-duration thromboprophylaxis (28-45 days) with low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) can reduce the risk of VTE in high-risk patients. In separate meta-analyses, extended-duration thromboprophylaxis with LMWH was associated with significant reductions in the likelihood of symptomatic VTE compared with standard-duration thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery (odds ratio [OR] = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.24-0.61) or major abdominal or pelvic surgery (Peto OR = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.06-0.80). There was large heterogeneity in the reported rates of major and minor bleeding. The occurrence of

  2. Nursing Diagnosis Risk for falls: prevalence and clinical profile of hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luzia, Melissa de Freitas; Victor, Marco Antonio de Goes; Lucena, Amália de Fátima

    2014-01-01

    to identify the prevalence of the Nursing Diagnosis (ND) Risk for falls in the hospitalizations of adult patients in clinical and surgical units, to characterize the clinical profile and to identify the risk factors of the patients with this ND. a cross-sectional study with 174 patients. The data was collected from the computerized nursing care prescriptions system and on-line hospital records, and analyzed statistically. the prevalence of the ND Risk for falls was 4%. The patients' profile indicated older adults, males (57%), those hospitalized in the clinical units (63.2%), with a median length of hospitalization of 20 (10-24) days, with neurological illnesses (26%), cardio-vascular illnesses (74.1%) and various co-morbidities (3±1.8). The prevalent risk factors were neurological alterations (43.1%), impaired mobility (35.6%) and extremes of age (10.3%). the findings contributed to evidencing the profile of the patients with a risk of falling hospitalized in clinical and surgical wards, which favors the planning of interventions for preventing this adverse event.

  3. Do Robotic Surgical Systems Improve Profit Margins? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of California Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Ya-Chen Tina; Shen, Chan; Hu, Jim C

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the association between ownership of robotic surgical systems and hospital profit margins. This study used hospital annual utilization data, annual financial data, and discharge data for year 2011 from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. We first performed bivariate analysis to compare mean profit margin by hospital and market characteristics and to examine whether these characteristics differed between hospitals that had one or more robotic surgical systems in 2011 and those that did not. We applied the t test and the F test to compare mean profit margin between two groups and among three or more groups, respectively. We then conducted multilevel logistic regression to determine the association between ownership of robotic surgical systems and having a positive profit margin after controlling for other hospital and market characteristics and accounting for possible correlation among hospitals located within the same market. The study sample included 167 California hospitals with valid financial information. Hospitals with robotic surgical systems tended to report more favorable profit margins. However, multilevel logistic regression showed that this relationship (an association, not causality) became only marginally significant (odds ratio [OR] = 6.2; P = 0.053) after controlling for other hospital characteristics, such as ownership type, teaching status, bed size, and surgical volumes, and market characteristics, such as total number of robotic surgical systems owned by other hospitals in the same market area. As robotic surgical systems become widely disseminated, hospital decision makers should carefully evaluate the financial and clinical implications before making a capital investment in this technology. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Critical roles of orthopaedic surgeon leadership in healthcare systems to improve orthopaedic surgical patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, Calvin C; Robb, William J

    2013-06-01

    The prevention of medical and surgical harm remains an important public health problem despite increased awareness and implementation of safety programs. Successful introduction and maintenance of surgical safety programs require both surgeon leadership and collaborative surgeon-hospital alignment. Documentation of success of such surgical safety programs in orthopaedic practice is limited. We describe the scope of orthopaedic surgical patient safety issues, define critical elements of orthopaedic surgical safety, and outline leadership roles for orthopaedic surgeons needed to establish and sustain a culture of safety in contemporary healthcare systems. We identified the most common causes of preventable surgical harm based on adverse and sentinel surgical events reported to The Joint Commission. A comprehensive literature review through a MEDLINE(®) database search (January 1982 through April 2012) to identify pertinent orthopaedic surgical safety articles found 14 articles. Where gaps in orthopaedic literature were identified, the review was supplemented by 22 nonorthopaedic surgical references. Our final review included 36 articles. Six important surgical safety program elements needed to eliminate preventable surgical harm were identified: (1) effective surgical team communication, (2) proper informed consent, (3) implementation and regular use of surgical checklists, (4) proper surgical site/procedure identification, (5) reduction of surgical team distractions, and (6) routine surgical data collection and analysis to improve the safety and quality of surgical patient care. Successful surgical safety programs require a culture of safety supported by all six key surgical safety program elements, active surgeon champions, and collaborative hospital and/or administrative support designed to enhance surgical safety and improve surgical patient outcomes. Further research measuring improvements from such surgical safety systems in orthopaedic care is needed.

  5. TextWithSurgeryPatients - A Research Hypothesis in Enhancing Education and Physical Assessment for Abdominal Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Margaret

    2016-01-01

    Medical surgical nurses may not have the time or resources to provide effective pre- and post-operative instructions for patients in today's healthcare system. And, making timely physical assessments following discharge from the hospital is not always straightforward. Therefore, the risk for readmission associated with post-surgical complications is a concern. At present, mobile healthcare technologies and patient care are precipitously evolving and may serve as a resource to enhance communication between the healthcare provider and patient. A mobile telephone text message (short message service [SMS]) intervention for abdominal surgical patients may foster effective education (communication) and timely self-reported physical assessment in the home environment hence preventing deleterious outcomes. The aim of this research proposal is to identify the feasibility of using a SMS intervention via smart phones to improve health outcomes via timely communication, reach large numbers of at-risk surgical patients and, establish and sustain uniform protocols in a cost-efficient manner.

  6. Discharges with surgical procedures performed less often than once per month per hospital account for two-thirds of hospital costs of inpatient surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neill, Liam; Dexter, Franklin; Park, Sae-Hwan; Epstein, Richard H

    2017-09-01

    Most surgical discharges (54%) at the average hospital are for procedures performed no more often than once per month at that hospital. We hypothesized that such uncommon procedures would be associated with an even greater percentage of the total cost of performing all surgical procedures at that hospital. Observational study. State of Texas hospital discharge abstract data: 4th quarter of 2015 and 1st quarter of 2016. Inpatients discharged with a major therapeutic ("operative") procedure. For each of N=343 hospitals, counts of discharges, sums of lengths of stay (LOS), sums of diagnosis related group (DRG) case-mix weights, and sums of charges were obtained for each procedure or combination of procedures, classified by International Classification of Diseases version 10 Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS). Each discharge was classified into 2 categories, uncommon versus not, defined as a procedure performed at most once per month versus those performed more often than once per month. Major procedures performed at most once per month per hospital accounted for an average among hospitals of 68% of the total inpatient costs associated with all major therapeutic procedures. On average, the percentage of total costs associated with uncommon procedures was 26% greater than expected based on their share of total discharges (Pcosts among surgical patients can be attributed to procedures performed at most once per month per hospital. The finding that such uncommon procedures account for a large percentage of costs is important because methods of cost accounting by procedure are generally unsuitable for them. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Pattern of pathogens and their sensitivity isolated from superficial surgical site infections in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, S.A.; Tahir, S.M.; Shaikh, N.A.

    2009-01-01

    Infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. Rapidly emerging nosocomial pathogens and the problem of multi-drug resistance necessitates periodic review of isolation patterns and sensitivity in surgical practice. Surgical site infections (SSI) are defined as an infections that occurs at the incision site within thirty days after surgery. Objectives of the study were to determine the pattern of pathogens involved and their antibiotic sensitivity isolated from superficial surgical site infections in a teaching hospital. This observational study was conducted for 1 year from January 2008 to December 2008 in all 4 surgical units of Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad which caters to patients from low socioeconomic status. Pus culture and sensitivity reports were collected prospectively from hospitalised patients who developed postoperative wound infection. The patients who developed fecal/biliary/urinary fistula or operated for malignancies, and with negative cultures were excluded from the study. Analysis was carried out using SPSS 10. During the study period 112 pus culture and sensitivity reports were analyzed. E. coli 68 (60.7%) was the most common organism isolated followed by Klebsiella 23 (20.5%). The least frequent organism was staph. Epidermidis 1 (0.9%). All isolates were sensitive to penicillin derivatives and carbapenem. Quinolones, Aminoglycosides and Monobactum were also showing some promise in our study. However, Cephalosporins were ineffective against most of the important isolates in our study. E. coli and klebsiella were the most important isolates form SSI in our study, and penicillin derivatives and carbapenem were showing 100% antibiotic sensitivity to all of the isolates. (author)

  8. Early experience with the da Vinci® surgical system robot in gynecological surgery at King Abdulaziz University Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sait KH

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Khalid H SaitObstetrics and Gynecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Gynecology Oncology Unit, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaBackground: The purpose of this study was to review our experience and the challenges of using the da Vinci® surgical system robot during gynecological surgery at King Abdulaziz University Hospital.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to review all cases of robot-assisted gynecologic surgery performed at our institution between January 2008 and December 2010. The patients were reviewed for indications, complications, length of hospital stay, and conversion rate, as well as console and docking times.Results: Over the three-year period, we operated on 35 patients with benign or malignant conditions using the robot for a total of 62 surgical procedures. The docking times averaged seven minutes. The mean console times for simple hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy were 125, 47, and 62 minutes, respectively. In four patients, laparoscopic procedures were converted to open procedures, giving a conversion rate of 6.5%. All of the conversions were among the first 15 procedures performed. The average hospital stay was 3 days. Complications occurred in five patients (14%, and none were directly related to the robotic system.Conclusion: Our early experience with the robot show that with proper training of the robotic team, technical difficulty with the robotic system is limited. There is definitely a learning curve that requires performance of gynecological surgical procedures using the robot.Keywords: da Vinci robot, gynecological surgery, laparoscopy

  9. PATIENT SAFETY IN SURGERY: THE QUALITY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PATIENT SAFETY CHECKLISTS IN A REGIONAL HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Karyadinata

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Patient safety and the avoidance of inhospital adverse events is a key focus of clinical practice and medical audit. A large of proportion of medical errors affect surgical patients in the peri-operative setting. Safety checklists have been adopted by the medical profession from the aviation industry as a cheap and reliable method of avoiding errors which arise from complex or stressful situations. Current evidence suggests that the use of periooperative checklists has led to a decrease in surgical morbidity and hospital costs. Aim. To assess the quality of implementation of a modified patient safety checklist in a UK district general hospital. Methods. An observational tool was designed to assess in real time the peri-operative performance of the surgical safety checklist in patients undergoing general surgical, urological or orthopaedic procedures. Initiation of the checklist, duration of performance and staff participation were audited in real time. Results. 338 cases were monitored. Nurses were most active in initiating the safety checklist. The checklist was performed successfully in less than a minute in most cases. 11-24% of staff (according to professional group present in the operating room did not participate in the checklist. Critical safety checks (patient identity and procedure name were performed in all cases across all specialties. Variations were noted in checking other categories, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT prophylaxis or patient warming. Conclusions. There is still a potential for improving the practice and culture of surgical patient safety activities. Staff training and designation of patient safety leadership roles is needed in increasing compliance and implementation of patient safety mechanism, such as peri-operative checklists. There is significant data to advocate the need to implement patient safety surgical checklists internationally

  10. Nursing Diagnosis Risk for falls: prevalence and clinical profile of hospitalized patients1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luzia, Melissa de Freitas; Victor, Marco Antonio de Goes; Lucena, Amália de Fátima

    2014-01-01

    Objectives to identify the prevalence of the Nursing Diagnosis (ND) Risk for falls in the hospitalizations of adult patients in clinical and surgical units, to characterize the clinical profile and to identify the risk factors of the patients with this ND. Method a cross-sectional study with 174 patients. The data was collected from the computerized nursing care prescriptions system and on-line hospital records, and analyzed statistically. Results the prevalence of the ND Risk for falls was 4%. The patients' profile indicated older adults, males (57%), those hospitalized in the clinical units (63.2%), with a median length of hospitalization of 20 (10-24) days, with neurological illnesses (26%), cardio-vascular illnesses (74.1%) and various co-morbidities (3±1.8). The prevalent risk factors were neurological alterations (43.1%), impaired mobility (35.6%) and extremes of age (10.3%). Conclusion the findings contributed to evidencing the profile of the patients with a risk of falling hospitalized in clinical and surgical wards, which favors the planning of interventions for preventing this adverse event. PMID:26107834

  11. The first successful laparoscopic Whipple procedure at Hat Yai Hospital: surgical technique and a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaimook, Araya; Borkird, Jumpot; Alapach, Sakda

    2010-09-01

    Whipple procedure is the most complex abdominal surgical procedure to treat periampullary carcinoma. With the benefit of minimally invasive approach, many institutes attempt to do Whipple procedure laparoscopically. However, only 146 cases of laparoscopic Whipple procedure have yet been reported in the literature worldwide between 1994 and 2008. The authors reported the first laparoscopic Whipple procedure at Hat Yai Hospital in December 2009. The patient was a 40-year-old, Thai-Muslim female, with the diagnosis of ampullary carcinoma. The operating time was 685 minutes. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 14 without serious complication. The surgical technique and postoperative progress of the patient were described.

  12. Information Needs of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgical Oncology Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillespie, Jacqueline; Kacikanis, Anna; Nyhof-Young, Joyce; Gallinger, Steven; Ruthig, Elke

    2017-09-01

    A marked knowledge gap exists concerning the information needs of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgical oncology patients. We investigated the comprehensive information needs of this patient population, including the type and amount of information desired, as well as the preferred method of receiving information. A questionnaire was administered to patients being treated surgically for cancers of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, or bile ducts at Toronto General Hospital, part of the University Health Network, in Toronto, Canada. The questionnaire examined patients' information needs across six domains of information: medical, practical, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Among 36 respondents, the importance of information and amount of information desired differed significantly by domain (both p < 0.001). This group of patients rated information in the medical and physical domains as most important, though they also desired specific items of information from the emotional, practical, and social domains. Patients' overwhelming preference was to receive information via a one-on-one consultation with a healthcare provider. It is important for healthcare providers working with HPB surgical oncology patients to be comprehensive when providing information related to patients' cancer diagnosis, prognosis, associated symptoms, and side effects of treatment. Certain emotional, practical, and social issues (e.g., fears of cancer recurrence, drug coverage options, relationship changes) should be addressed as well. Face-to-face interactions should be the primary mode of delivering information to patients. Our findings are being used to guide the training of healthcare providers and the development of educational resources specific to HPB surgical oncology patients.

  13. Pediatric Surgical Care in a Dutch Military Hospital in Afghanistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idenburg, Floris J; van Dongen, Thijs T C F; Tan, Edward C T H; Hamming, Jaap H; Leenen, Luke P H; Hoencamp, Rigo

    2015-10-01

    From August 2006-August 2010, as part of the ISAF mission, the Armed Forces of the Netherlands deployed a role 2 enhanced Medical Treatment Facility (R2E-MTF) to Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. Although from the principle doctrine not considered a primary task, care was delivered to civilians, including many children. Humanitarian aid accounted for a substantial part of the workload, necessitating medical, infrastructural, and logistical adaptations. Particularly pediatric care demanded specific expertise and equipment. In our pre-deployment preparations this aspect had been undervalued. Because these experiences could be influential in future mission planning, we analyzed our data and compared them with international reports. This is a retrospective, descriptive study. Using the hospital's electronic database, all pediatric cases, defined as patients Afghanistan were analyzed. Of the 2736 admissions, 415 (15.2 %) were pediatric. The majority (80.9 %, 336/415) of these admissions were for surgical, often trauma-related, pathology and required 610 surgical procedures, being 26 % of all procedures. Mean length of stay was 3.1 days. The male to female ratio was 70:30. Girls were significantly younger of age than boys. In-hospital mortality was 5.3 %. Pediatric patients made up a considerable part of the workload at the Dutch R2E-MTF in Uruzgan, Afghanistan. This is in line with other reports from the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but used definitions in reported series are inconsistent, making comparisons difficult. Our findings stress the need for a comprehensive, prospective, and coalition-wide patient registry with uniformly applied criteria. Civilian disaster and military operational planners should incorporate reported patient statistics in manning documents, future courses, training manuals, logistic planning, and doctrines, because pediatric care is a reality that cannot be ignored.

  14. Myocardial Revascularization in Dyalitic Patients: In-Hospital Period Evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miranda, Matheus; Hossne, Nelson Américo Jr.; Branco, João Nelson Rodrigues; Vargas, Guilherme Flora; Fonseca, José Honório de Almeida Palma da; Pestana, José Osmar Medina de Abreu; Juliano, Yara; Buffolo, Enio

    2014-01-01

    Coronary artery bypass grafting currently is the best treatment for dialytic patients with multivessel coronary disease, but hospital morbidity and mortality related to procedure is still high. Evaluate results and in-hospital outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in dialytic patients. Retrospective unicentric study including 50 consecutive and not selected dialytic patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in a tertiary university hospital from 2007 to 2012. High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was observed (100% hypertensive, 68% diabetic and 40% dyslipidemic). There was no intra-operative death and 60% of the procedures were performed off-pump. There were seven (14%) in-hospital deaths. Postoperative infection, previous heart failure, cardiopulmonary bypass, abnormal ventricular function and surgical re-exploration were associated with increased mortality. Coronary artery bypass grafting is feasible to dialytic patients although high in-hospital morbidity and mortality. It is necessary better understanding about metabolic aspects to plan adequate interventions

  15. Myocardial Revascularization in Dyalitic Patients: In-Hospital Period Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miranda, Matheus, E-mail: matheus10miranda@gmail.com; Hossne, Nelson Américo Jr.; Branco, João Nelson Rodrigues; Vargas, Guilherme Flora; Fonseca, José Honório de Almeida Palma da; Pestana, José Osmar Medina de Abreu [Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Juliano, Yara [Universidade de Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Buffolo, Enio [Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2014-02-15

    Coronary artery bypass grafting currently is the best treatment for dialytic patients with multivessel coronary disease, but hospital morbidity and mortality related to procedure is still high. Evaluate results and in-hospital outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in dialytic patients. Retrospective unicentric study including 50 consecutive and not selected dialytic patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in a tertiary university hospital from 2007 to 2012. High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was observed (100% hypertensive, 68% diabetic and 40% dyslipidemic). There was no intra-operative death and 60% of the procedures were performed off-pump. There were seven (14%) in-hospital deaths. Postoperative infection, previous heart failure, cardiopulmonary bypass, abnormal ventricular function and surgical re-exploration were associated with increased mortality. Coronary artery bypass grafting is feasible to dialytic patients although high in-hospital morbidity and mortality. It is necessary better understanding about metabolic aspects to plan adequate interventions.

  16. Epidemiology of Surgically Managed Mandibular Condylar Fractures at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Urban Southwest China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thapa, Swosti; Wang, Jun; Hu, Hong-Tao; Zhang, Fu-Gui; Ji, Ping

    2017-01-01

    Mandibular condylar fracture is one of the commonest maxillofacial fractures treated by maxillofacial surgeons. Demography of the patients, causation, and characteristics of the fracture depends on various socio-economic factors. Hence, maxillofacial surgeons should be familiar with epidemiology of mandibular condylar fracture. This study retrospectively describes the demography, etiology, fracture characteristics, and hospital utilization of surgically treated mandibular condylar fractures in a tertiary referral hospital in urban China in past five years. Data of all patients who underwent surgical management between 2011 and 2015 were collected. This included aetiology, characteristics of fracture, time, age, sex, associated injuries, and hospital utilization of 166 patients with 208 mandibular condylar fractures. These patients had undergone open reduction and internal fixation with either miniplates or lag screws. Among the fracture of head of mandibular condyle, 21.28% of the patients had the fracture segments removed. These data were statistically analyzed to describe the epidemiology of mandibular condylar fracture. Most of the patients had unilateral mandibular condylar fractures (74.7%). Male patients (76.51%) outnumbered female patients (23.49%) in this cohort. The average age of the patients was 37 years. The fractures were mostly caused by fall from height (60.84%) and were located at the condylar neck (53.61%). Most of the patients had other associated maxillofacial injuries (71.08%) which were mostly located at symphysis and parasymphysis (44.59%). It took 12.58 +/- 0.35 days of hospitalization for the treatment. Fall from height was the most prevalent cause of mandibular condylar injury in mountainous urban China. The people at highest risk were middle-aged men. Mandibular condylar fracture was mostly located at the condylar neck and was usually associated with fracture at the symphysis and parasymphysis.

  17. Awareness and Use of Surgical Checklist among Theatre Users at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogunlusi, Johnson Dare; Yusuf, Moruf Babatunde; Ogunsuyi, Popoola Sunday; Wuraola, Obafemi K; Babalola, Waheed O; Oluwadiya, Kehinde Sunday; Ajogbasile, Oduwole Olayemi

    2017-01-01

    Surgical checklist was introduced by the World Health Organization to reduce the number of surgical deaths and complications. During a surgical conference on "safety in surgical practice," it was noticed that the awareness and the use of surgical checklist are poor in Nigerian hospitals. This study was aimed at determining the awareness and use of surgical checklist among the theater users in our hospital, factors militating against its implementation, and make recommendations. This is a prospective study at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti; questionnaires were distributed to three groups of theater users - surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses. The responses were collated by the lead researcher, entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, exported, and analyzed with SPSS. Eighty-five questionnaires were distributed, 70 were returned, and 4 were discarded due to poor filling. The studied 66 comprised 40, 12, and 14 surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses, respectively. Fifty-five (83.3%) of the responders indicated awareness of the checklist but only 12 (21.8%) correctly stated that the main objective is for patients' safety and for safe surgery. Major barriers to its use include lack of training 58.2%, lack of assertiveness of staff 58.2%, and that its delays operation list 47.2%. The study demonstrated high level of awareness of surgical checklist in our hospital; however, this awareness is based on wrong premises as it is not reflected in the true aim of the checklist. Majority of the responders would want to be trained on the use of checklist despite the highlighted barriers.

  18. Descriptive analysis of sonographic findings, surgical and pathological in patients with acute appendicitis in the Hospital San Juan de Dios in the year 2010

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murillo Arguello, Fabiola

    2012-01-01

    The Hospital San Juan de Dios has found without studies correlating the ultrasound findings, with the pathology of acute appendicitis by surgery and histological analysis, especially that meets in the same study the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis. For that reason, the ultrasonographic findings, pathological and surgical of patients with appendiceal pathology are described in the Servicio de Radiologia of Hospital San Juan de Dios in the year 2010. A revision of 324 dossiers in patients with positive biopsy is performed; however, 23% have result without alterations by ultrasound. The female sex has obtained the largest number of diagnosis by ultrasound. The age group for both sexes is found between 21-30 years. The most common transoperative finding has been grade I appendicitis and no perforated appendicitis have prevailed regarding biopsies reported in the pathology service. The validity of ultrasonography is determined to aid in decision making in pathology of acute appendicitis in the emergency room and avoid or reduce complications that can lead a diagnostic doubt, this will inform the surgeon the possible findings when the surgical intervention. Additionally, the diagnosis of acute appendicitis may be discarded when are encountered other pathologies such as ovarian cysts, kidney stones, among others, avoiding unnecessary surgeries. The costs to the institution are reduced by decreasing the hospital stay and the use of operating rooms [es

  19. [Importance of medical treatment in second echelon during war in Croatia, example--war surgical hospital in Garesnica].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gverić, Tugomir; Huljev, Dubravko; Zdilar, Boris; Kolak, Toni; Barisic, Jadranko; Ahmetasovic, Snjezana Gveric; Trajbar, Dubravka; Lojo, Nermin; Sever, Marko

    2009-05-01

    At beginning of 1991, the increasing necessity of emergency surgical treatment of wounded persons in Croatia led to the formation of mobile surgical teams. However, this system was abandoned due to many problems and echelon health division was formed. One of the war surgical hospitals (second echelon) was the War Surgical Hospital Garesnica. In this study, materials of the Croatian War Veterans Ministry, Ministry of Defense, Garesnica War Surgical Hospital and Garesnica Defense Office archive were used. We analyzed the number and localization of wounds, and describe the organization, work and results of the War Surgical Hospital in Garesnica. During the work of the War Surgical Hospital in Garesnica, 909 surgical examinations were performed, 521 wounded were surgically treated (45% civilians and 55% soldiers), 331 wounded were operated on, 5 lethal outcomes were recorded, 68% of wounds were localized on the extremities, 19% on the thorax and abdomen, and 13% on the head end neck. In this article the organization and work of the War Surgical Hospital in Garesnica is described, which had a major role in providing emergency medical care to people wounded in west Slavonia.

  20. Health care staffs’ perception of patient safety culture in hospital settings and factors of importance for this

    OpenAIRE

    Nordin, Anna; Theander, Kersti; Wilde-Larsson, Bodil; Nordström, Gun

    2013-01-01

    Vitenskapelig, fagfellevurdert artikkel Many hospital patients are affected by adverse events. Managers are important when improving safety. The perception of patient safety culture varies among health care staff. Health care staff (n = 1023) working in medical, surgical or mixed medical-surgical health care divisions answered the 51 items (14 dimensions) Swedish Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (S-HSOPSC). Respondents with a managerial func- tion scored higher than non-managers f...

  1. Surgical education and training in an outer metropolitan hospital: a qualitative study of surgical trainers and trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nestel, Debra; Harlim, Jennifer; Bryant, Melanie; Rampersad, Rajay; Hunter-Smith, David; Spychal, Bob

    2017-08-01

    The landscape of surgical training is changing. The anticipated increase in the numbers of surgical trainees and the shift to competency-based surgical training places pressures on an already stretched health service. With these pressures in mind, we explored trainers' and trainees' experiences of surgical training in a less traditional rotation, an outer metropolitan hospital. We considered practice-based learning theories to make meaning of surgical training in this setting, in particular Actor-network theory. We adopted a qualitative approach and purposively sampled surgical trainers and trainees to participate in individual interviews and focus groups respectively. Transcripts were made and thematically analysed. Institutional human research ethics approval was obtained. Four surgical trainers and fourteen trainees participated. Almost without exception, participants' report training needs to be well met. Emergent inter-related themes were: learning as social activity; learning and programmatic factors; learning and physical infrastructure; and, learning and organizational structure. This outer metropolitan hospital is suited to the provision of surgical training with the current rotational system for trainees. The setting offers experiences that enable consolidation of learning providing a rich and varied overall surgical training program. Although relational elements of learning were paramount they occurred within a complex environment. Actor-network theory was used to give meaning to emergent themes acknowledging that actors (both people and objects) and their interactions combine to influence training quality, shifting the focus of responsibility for learning away from individuals to the complex interactions in which they work and learn.

  2. Patient views on financial relationships between surgeons and surgical device manufacturers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camp, Mark W; Gross, Allan E; McKneally, Martin F

    2015-10-01

    Over the past decade, revelations of inappropriate financial relationships between surgeons and surgical device manufacturers have challenged the presumption that surgeons can collaborate with surgical device manufacturers without damaging public trust in the surgical profession. We explored postoperative Canadian patients' knowledge and opinions about financial relationships between surgeons and surgical device manufacturers. This complex issue was explored using qualitative methods. We conducted semistructured face-to-face interviews with postoperative patients in follow-up arthroplasty clinics at an academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed. Patient-derived concepts and themes were uncovered. We interviewed 33 patients. Five major themes emerged: 1) many patients are unaware of the existence of financial relationships between surgeons and surgical device manufacturers; 2) patients approve of financial relationships that support innovation and research but are opposed to relationships that involve financial incentives that benefit only the surgeon and the manufacturer; 3) patients do not support disclosure of financial relationships during the consent process as it may shift focus away from the more important risks; 4) patients support oversight at the professional level but reject the idea of government involvement in oversight; and 5) patients entrust their surgeons to make appropriate patient-centred choices. This qualitative study deepens our understanding of financial relationships between surgeons and industry. Patients support relationships with industry that provide potential benefit to current or future patients. They trust our ability to self-regulate. Disclosure combined with appropriate oversight will strengthen public trust in professional collaboration with industry.

  3. Outcome among patients suffering from in-hospital cardiac arrest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trpković Sladjana

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. In relation to pre-hospital treatment of patients with cardiac arrest (CA in the field where resuscitation is often started by nonprofessionals, resuscitation in hospital is most commonly performed by well-trained personnel. Objective. The aim was to define the factors associated with an improved outcome among patients suffering from the inhospital CA (IHCA. Methods. The prospective study included a total of 100 patients in the Emergency Center over two-year period. The patterns by the Utstein-Style guidelines recorded the following: age, sex, reason for hospital admission, comorbidity, cause and origin of CA, continuous monitoring, time of arrival of the medical emergency team and time of delivery of the first defibrillation shock (DC. Results. Most patients (61% had cardiac etiology. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC was achieved in 58% of patients. ROSC was more frequently achieved in younger patients (57.69±11.37, (p<0.05, non-surgical patients (76.1%, (p<0.01 and in patients who were in continuous monitoring (66.7% (p<0.05. The outcome of CPR was significantly better in patients who received advanced life support (ALS (76.6% (p<0.01. Time until the delivery of the first DC shock was significantly shorter in patients who achieved ROSC (1.67±1.13 min, (p<0.01. A total of 5% of IHCA patients survived to hospital discharge. Conclusion. In our study, the outcome of CPR was better in patients who were younger and with non-surgical diseases, which are prognostic factors that we cannot control. Factors associated with better outcome of IHCA patients were: continuous monitoring, shorter time until the delivery of the first DC and ALS. This means that better education of medical staff, better organization and up-to-dated technical equipment are needed.

  4. Preoperative Hospitalization Is Independently Associated With Increased Risk for Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greaves, Spencer W; Holubar, Stefan D

    2015-08-01

    An important factor in the pathophysiology of venous thromboembolism is blood stasis, thus, preoperative hospitalization length of stay may be contributory to risk. We assessed preoperative hospital length of stay as a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent colorectal operations using univariate and multivariable propensity score analyses. This study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital. Data on patients was obtained from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2005-2011 Participant Use Data Files. Short-term (30-day) postoperative venous thromboembolism was measured. Our analysis included 242,670 patients undergoing colorectal surgery (mean age, 60 years; 52.9% women); of these, 72,219 (29.9%) were hospitalized preoperatively. The overall rate of venous thromboembolism was 2.07% (1.4% deep vein thrombosis, 0.5% pulmonary embolism, and 0.2% both). On multivariable analysis, the most predictive independent risk factors for venous thromboembolism were return to the operating room (OR, 1.62 (95% CI, 1.44-1.81); p relationship between preoperative lengths of stay and risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism (p risk factor for venous thromboembolism and its associated increase in mortality after colorectal surgery, whereas laparoscopy is a strong protective variable. Further research into preoperative screening for highest-risk patients is indicated.

  5. Implementation of patient safety strategies in European hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suñol, R; Vallejo, P; Groene, O; Escaramis, G; Thompson, A; Kutryba, B; Garel, P

    2009-02-01

    This study is part of the Methods of Assessing Response to Quality Improvement Strategies (MARQuIS) research project on cross-border care, investigating quality improvement strategies in healthcare systems across the European Union (EU). To explore to what extent a sample of acute care European hospitals have implemented patient safety strategies and mechanisms and whether the implementation is related to the type of hospital. Data were collected on patient safety structures and mechanisms in 389 acute care hospitals in eight EU countries using a web-based questionnaire. Subsequently, an on-site audit was carried out by independent surveyors in 89 of these hospitals to assess patient safety outputs. This paper presents univariate and bivariate statistics on the implementation and explores the associations between implementation of patient safety strategies and hospital type using the chi(2) test and Fisher exact test. Structures and plans for safety (including responsibilities regarding patient safety management) are well developed in most of the hospitals that participated in this study. The study found greater variation regarding the implementation of mechanisms or activities to promote patient safety, such as electronic drug prescription systems, guidelines for prevention of wrong patient, wrong site and wrong surgical procedure, and adverse events reporting systems. In the sample of hospitals that underwent audit, a considerable proportion do not comply with basic patient safety strategies--for example, using bracelets for adult patient identification and correct labelling of medication.

  6. Understanding the relationship between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital Compare star rating, surgical case volume, and short-term outcomes after major cancer surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaye, Deborah R; Norton, Edward C; Ellimoottil, Chad; Ye, Zaojun; Dupree, James M; Herrel, Lindsey A; Miller, David C

    2017-11-01

    Both the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Hospital Compare star rating and surgical case volume have been publicized as metrics that can help patients to identify high-quality hospitals for complex care such as cancer surgery. The current study evaluates the relationship between the CMS' star rating, surgical volume, and short-term outcomes after major cancer surgery. National Medicare data were used to evaluate the relationship between hospital star ratings and cancer surgery volume quintiles. Then, multilevel logistic regression models were fit to examine the association between cancer surgery outcomes and both star rankings and surgical volumes. Lastly, a graphical approach was used to compare how well star ratings and surgical volume predicted cancer surgery outcomes. This study identified 365,752 patients undergoing major cancer surgery for 1 of 9 cancer types at 2,550 hospitals. Star rating was not associated with surgical volume (P cancer surgery outcomes (mortality, complication rate, readmissions, and prolonged length of stay). The adjusted predicted probabilities for 5- and 1-star hospitals were 2.3% and 4.5% for mortality, 39% and 48% for complications, 10% and 15% for readmissions, and 8% and 16% for a prolonged length of stay, respectively. The adjusted predicted probabilities for hospitals with the highest and lowest quintile cancer surgery volumes were 2.7% and 5.8% for mortality, 41% and 55% for complications, 12.2% and 11.6% for readmissions, and 9.4% and 13% for a prolonged length of stay, respectively. Furthermore, surgical volume and the star rating were similarly associated with mortality and complications, whereas the star rating was more highly associated with readmissions and prolonged length of stay. In the absence of other information, these findings suggest that the star rating may be useful to patients when they are selecting a hospital for major cancer surgery. However, more research is needed before these ratings can

  7. Defining Prolonged Length of Acute Care Stay for Surgically and Conservatively Treated Patients with Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Population-Based Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Stein

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The definition of prolonged length of stay (LOS during acute care remains unclear among surgically and conservatively treated patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH. Methods. Using a population-based quality assessment registry, we calculated change points in LOS for surgically and conservatively treated patients with ICH. The influence of comorbidities, baseline characteristics at admission, and in-hospital complications on prolonged LOS was evaluated in a multivariate model. Results. Overall, 13272 patients with ICH were included in the analysis. Surgical therapy of the hematoma was documented in 1405 (10.6% patients. Change points for LOS were 22 days (CI: 8, 22; CL 98% for surgically treated patients and 16 days (CI: 16, 16; CL: 99% for conservatively treated patients. Ventilation therapy was related to prolonged LOS in surgically (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.5–3.1; P<0.001 and conservatively treated patients (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 2.2–2.9; P<0.001. Two or more in-hospital complications in surgical patients (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 2.1–3.5 and ≥1 in conservative patients (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 2.7–3.3 were predictors of prolonged LOS. Conclusion. The definition of prolonged LOS after ICH could be useful for several aspects of quality management and research. Preventing in-hospital complications could decrease the number of patients with prolonged LOS.

  8. Usefulness of administrative databases for risk adjustment of adverse events in surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigo-Rincón, Isabel; Martin-Vizcaíno, Marta P; Tirapu-León, Belén; Zabalza-López, Pedro; Abad-Vicente, Francisco J; Merino-Peralta, Asunción; Oteiza-Martínez, Fabiola

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of clinical-administrative databases for the development of risk adjustment in the assessment of adverse events in surgical patients. The study was conducted at the Hospital of Navarra, a tertiary teaching hospital in northern Spain. We studied 1602 hospitalizations of surgical patients from 2008 to 2010. We analysed 40 comorbidity variables included in the National Surgical Quality Improvement (NSQIP) Program of the American College of Surgeons using 2 sources of information: The clinical and administrative database (CADB) and the data extracted from the complete clinical records (CR), which was considered the gold standard. Variables were catalogued according to compliance with the established criteria: sensitivity, positive predictive value and kappa coefficient >0.6. The average number of comorbidities per study participant was 1.6 using the CR and 0.95 based on CADB (p<.0001). Thirteen types of comorbidities (accounting for 8% of the comorbidities detected in the CR) were not identified when the CADB was the source of information. Five of the 27 remaining comorbidities complied with the 3 established criteria; 2 pathologies fulfilled 2 criteria, whereas 11 fulfilled 1, and 9 did not fulfil any criterion. CADB detected prevalent comorbidities such as comorbid hypertension and diabetes. However, the CABD did not provide enough information to assess the variables needed to perform the risk adjustment proposed by the NSQIP for the assessment of adverse events in surgical patients. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  9. Sources of healthcare financing among surgical patients in a rural Niger Delta practice in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dienye, P O; Brisibe, S F; Eke, R

    2011-01-01

    The environmental degradation following crude oil exploration in the Niger Delta has resulted in poverty for local rural dwellers. For those who are ill, if herbal treatments and/or self-medication with orthodox drugs are unsuccessful, the only alternative is expensive medical treatment in clinics. Surgical patients in a rural clinic may have to stay beyond than the normal 7 days if they are unable to pay their hospital bill; because this limits bed availability, there is an impacts on the hospital's economic management. This study aimed to determine the pattern of hospital bill payment among rural surgical patients in a rural Nigerian community, including the sources of finance for bill payment, in order to determine ways to resolve this issue. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural community in the Niger Delta area (Bethesda Clinic Ngo) over 5 years (2005-2009). In the 5 year study period, 3712 patients were seen, of which 229 were surgical patients who consented to the study. Their ages ranged from 4 to 97 years (mean 45.6 ± 13.5 years) and most were fish farmers (79.91%), secondary-school leavers (56.33%) and of the Christian religion (86.03%). The association of these characteristics with a greater than 7 day hospital stay was statistically significant (p sources of finance for the hospital bill were multiple but mainly personal savings (71.18%). Few (3.06%) had knowledge of the National Health Insurance Scheme, but when informed about it 84.28% were willing to enroll. The sources of finance for payment of hospital bills were multiple but the most common were personal savings and family members.

  10. Evolution of general surgical problems in patients with left ventricular assist devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKellar, Stephen H; Morris, David S; Mauermann, William J; Park, Soon J; Zietlow, Scott P

    2012-11-01

    Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly used to treat patients with end-stage heart failure. These patients may develop acute noncardiac surgical problems around the time of LVAD implantation or, as survival continues to improve, chronic surgical problems as ambulatory patients remote from the LVAD implant. Previous reports of noncardiac surgical problems in LVAD patients included patients with older, first-generation devices and do not address newer, second-generation devices. We describe the frequency and management of noncardiac surgical problems encountered during LVAD support with these newer-generation devices to assist noncardiac surgeons involved in the care of patients with LVADs. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients receiving LVADs at our institution. We collected data for any consultation by noncardiac surgeons within the scope of general surgery during LVAD support and subsequent treatment. Ninety-nine patients received implantable LVADs between 2003 and 2009 (first-generation, n = 19; second-generation, n = 80). Excluding intestinal hemorrhage, general surgical opinions were rendered for 34 patients with 49 problems, mostly in the acute recovery phase after LVAD implantation. Of those, 27 patients underwent 28 operations. Respiratory failure and intra-abdominal pathologies were the most common problems addressed, and LVAD rarely precluded operation. Patients with second-generation LVADs were more likely to survive hospitalization (P = .04) and develop chronic, rather than emergent, surgical problems. Patients with LVADs frequently require consultation from noncardiac surgeons within the scope of general surgeons and often require operation. Patients with second-generation LVADs are more likely to become outpatients and develop more elective surgical problems. Noncardiac surgeons will be increasingly involved in caring for patients with LVADs and should anticipate the problems unique to this patient

  11. Awareness and use of surgical checklist among theatre users at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johnson Dare Ogunlusi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Surgical checklist was introduced by the World Health Organization to reduce the number of surgical deaths and complications. During a surgical conference on “safety in surgical practice,” it was noticed that the awareness and the use of surgical checklist are poor in Nigerian hospitals. This study was aimed at determining the awareness and use of surgical checklist among the theater users in our hospital, factors militating against its implementation, and make recommendations. Methods: This is a prospective study at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti; questionnaires were distributed to three groups of theater users – surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses. The responses were collated by the lead researcher, entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, exported, and analyzed with SPSS. Results: Eighty-five questionnaires were distributed, 70 were returned, and 4 were discarded due to poor filling. The studied 66 comprised 40, 12, and 14 surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses, respectively. Fifty-five (83.3% of the responders indicated awareness of the checklist but only 12 (21.8% correctly stated that the main objective is for patients' safety and for safe surgery. Major barriers to its use include lack of training 58.2%, lack of assertiveness of staff 58.2%, and that its delays operation list 47.2%. Conclusion: The study demonstrated high level of awareness of surgical checklist in our hospital; however, this awareness is based on wrong premises as it is not reflected in the true aim of the checklist. Majority of the responders would want to be trained on the use of checklist despite the highlighted barriers.

  12. Marginal Hospital Cost of Surgery-related Hospital-acquired Pressure Ulcers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spector, William D; Limcangco, Rhona; Owens, Pamela L; Steiner, Claudia A

    2016-09-01

    Patients who develop hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) are more likely to die, have longer hospital stays, and are at greater risk of infections. Patients undergoing surgery are prone to developing pressure ulcers (PUs). To estimate the hospital marginal cost of a HAPU for adults patients who were hospitalized for major surgeries, adjusted for patient characteristics, comorbidities, procedures, and hospital characteristics. Data are from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases and the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System for 2011 and 2012. PU information was obtained using retrospective structured record review from trained MPMS data abstractors. Costs are derived using HCUP hospital-specific cost-to-charge ratios. Marginal cost estimates were made using Extended Estimating Equations. We estimated the marginal cost at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of the cost distribution using Simultaneous Quantile Regression. We find that 3.5% of major surgical patients developed HAPUs and that the HAPUs added ∼$8200 to the cost of a surgical stay after adjusting for comorbidities, patient characteristics, procedures, and hospital characteristics. This is an ∼44% addition to the cost of a major surgical stay but less than half of the unadjusted cost difference. In addition, we find that for high-cost stays (75th percentile) HAPUs added ∼$12,100, whereas for low-cost stays (25th percentile) HAPUs added ∼$3900. This paper suggests that HAPUs add ∼44% to the cost of major surgical hospital stays, but the amount varies depending on the total cost of the visit.

  13. Diagnóstico nutricional de pacientes cirúrgicos Nutritional diagnosis of surgical patients

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    Celina de Azevedo Dias

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available RACIONAL: A desnutrição pode afetar pacientes cirúrgicos, aumentando o tempo de permanência hospitalar, a incidência de complicações pós-operatórias e retardo na cicatrização de feridas, levando ao aumento da morbimortalidade. OBJETIVO: Diagnosticar o estado nutricional de pacientes cirúrgicos. MÉTODO: Avaliaram-se 70 pacientes através de parâmetros antropométricos (peso, altura, Índice de Massa Corporal e percentual de perda de peso e bioquímicos (albumina, hematócrito e hemoglobina na admissão e em dois períodos do internamento hospitalar. RESULTADOS: Na admissão detectarou-se maior percentual de desnutrição em idosos (32,4% e de excesso de peso em adultos (33,4%. Na evolução ponderal durante os 15 dias de internamento, 88,6% teve perda de peso BACKGROUND: Malnutrition can affect surgical patients by increasing length of hospital stay, the incidence of postoperative complications and delayed wound healing, in addition to higher mortality rate. AIM: To diagnose nutritional status of surgical patients. METHODS: Seventy patients were evaluated by anthropometric parameters (weight, height, Body Mass Index and percentage of weight loss and biochemical (albumin, hemoglobin and hematocrit in admission and in two periods of hospitalization. RESULTS: On admission malnutrition percentage was higher in the elderly (32.4% and excess weight in adults (33.4%. Weight during the 15 days of hospitalization presented 88.6% weight loss and significant reduction of Body Mass Index, while remaining within the normal range. Patients with malignant disease had higher nutritional risk in admission, positive association with hypoalbuminemia and weight loss (63%, Body Mass Index (38% and albumin (17.1%. CONCLUSIONS: 1. There was no severe weight loss throughout the hospitalization; 2 - on admission and during the hospital stay, the weight loss was the best tool for assessing the nutritional status of surgical patients, compared with Body Mass

  14. Methods for identifying surgical wound infection after discharge from hospital: a systematic review

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    Moore Peter J

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Wound infections are a common complication of surgery that add significantly to the morbidity of patients and costs of treatment. The global trend towards reducing length of hospital stay post-surgery and the increase in day case surgery means that surgical site infections (SSI will increasingly occur after hospital discharge. Surveillance of SSIs is important because rates of SSI are viewed as a measure of hospital performance, however accurate detection of SSIs post-hospital discharge is not straightforward. Methods We conducted a systematic review of methods of post discharge surveillance for surgical wound infection and undertook a national audit of methods of post-discharge surveillance for surgical site infection currently used within United Kingdom NHS Trusts. Results Seven reports of six comparative studies which examined the validity of post-discharge surveillance methods were located; these involved different comparisons and some had methodological limitations, making it difficult to identify an optimal method. Several studies evaluated automated screening of electronic records and found this to be a useful strategy for the identification of SSIs that occurred post discharge. The audit identified a wide range of relevant post-discharge surveillance programmes in England, Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; however, these programmes used varying approaches for which there is little supporting evidence of validity and/or reliability. Conclusion In order to establish robust methods of surveillance for those surgical site infections that occur post discharge, there is a need to develop a method of case ascertainment that is valid and reliable post discharge. Existing research has not identified a valid and reliable method. A standardised definition of wound infection (e.g. that of the Centres for Disease Control should be used as a basis for developing a feasible, valid and reliable approach to defining post

  15. A contemporary, single-institutional experience of surgical versus expectant management of congenital heart disease in trisomy 13 and 18 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costello, John P; Weiderhold, Allison; Louis, Clauden; Shaughnessy, Conner; Peer, Syed M; Zurakowski, David; Jonas, Richard A; Nath, Dilip S

    2015-06-01

    The objective of this study was to examine a large institutional experience of patients with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 in the setting of comorbid congenital heart disease and present the outcomes of surgical versus expectant management. It is a retrospective single-institution cohort study. Institutional review board approved this study. Thirteen consecutive trisomy 18 patients and three consecutive trisomy 13 patients (sixteen patients in total) with comorbid congenital heart disease who were evaluated by our institution's Division of Cardiovascular Surgery between January 2008 and December 2013 were included in the study. The primary outcome measures evaluated were operative mortality (for patients who received surgical management), overall mortality (for patients who received expectant management), and total length of survival during follow-up. Of the thirteen trisomy 18 patients, seven underwent surgical management and six received expectant management. With surgical management, operative mortality was 29 %, and 80 % of patients were alive after a median follow-up of 116 days. With expectant management, 50 % of patients died before hospital discharge. Of the three patients with trisomy 13, one patient underwent surgical management and two received expectant management. The patient who received surgical management with complete repair was alive at last follow-up over 2 years after surgery; both patients managed expectantly died before hospital discharge. Trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 patients with comorbid congenital heart disease can undergo successful cardiac surgical intervention. In this population, we advocate that nearly all patients with cardiovascular indications for operative congenital heart disease intervention should be offered complete surgical repair over palliative approaches for moderately complex congenital cardiac anomalies.

  16. Medical and surgical ward rounds in teaching hospitals of Kuwait University: students’ perceptions

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    AlMutar S

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Sara AlMutar,1 Lulwa AlTourah,1 Hussain Sadeq,2 Jumanah Karim,2 Yousef Marwan3 1Department of Medicine, 2Department of Pediatrics, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, 3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Al-Razi Orthopedic Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait Background: Teaching sessions for medical students during ward rounds are an essential component of bedside teaching, providing students with the opportunity to regard patients as actual people, and to observe their physical conditions directly, allowing a better understanding of illnesses to be developed. We aim to explore medical students’ perceptions regarding medical and surgical ward rounds within the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University, and to evaluate whether this teaching activity is meeting the expectation of learners. Methods: A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from 141 medical students during the 2012–2013 academic year. They were asked to provide their current and expected ratings about competencies that were supposed to be gained during ward rounds, on a scale from 1 (lowest to 5 (highest. Mean scores were calculated, and the Student t-test was used to compare results. P < 0.05 was the cut-off level for significance. Results: Only 17 students (12.1% declined to participate in the study. The students' current competency scores (for competencies taught within both disciplines – medical and surgical were significantly lower than the scores indicating students’ expectations (P < 0.001. The best-taught competency was bedside examination, in both medical (mean: 3.45 and surgical (mean: 3.05 ward rounds. However, medical ward rounds were better than surgical rounds in covering some competencies, especially the teaching of professional attitude and approach towards patients (P < 0.001. Conclusion: Both medical and surgical ward rounds were deficient in meeting the students’ expectations. Medical educators should utilize the available literature to improve the bedside

  17. [Audit of general hospitals and private surgical clinics in Israel].

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    Freund, Ruth; Dor, Michael; Lotan, Yoram; Haver, Eitan

    2007-12-01

    Supervision and inspection of medical facilities are among the responsibilities of the Ministry of Health (MOH) anchored in the "Public Health Act 1940". In order to implement the law, the General Medical Division of the MOH began the process of auditing hospitals and private surgical clinics prior to considering the reissue of their license. The audit aimed to implement the law, activate supervision on general hospitals and private surgical clinics, provide feed-back to the audited institution and upgrade quality assurance, regulate medical activities according to the activities elaborated in the license and recommend the license renewal. Prior to the audits, 20 areas of activity were chosen for inspection. For each activity a check list was developed as a tool for inspection. Each area was inspected during a 4-5 hour visit by a MOH expert, accompanied by the local service manager in the institution under inspection. A comprehensive report, summarizing the findings was sent to the medical institute, requesting correction in those areas where improvements were needed. Recommendation for license renewal was sent to the Director of Licensing Division Ministry of Health. Between June 2003 and July 2006, 91 structured audits took place. A total of 47 general hospitals and 24 private surgical clinics were visited at least once. Most general hospitals were found abiding, functioning according to the required standards and eligible for license renewal. Licenses of institutions that complied with the standards determined by the audit teams, were renewed. Two private hospitals in central Israel, that were given an overall poor evaluation, were issued with a temporary license and subsequently re-audited 4 times over the next two years. Generally, the standards in private surgical clinics were lower than those found in general public hospitals. In one clinic the license was not renewed, and in another an order was issued to cease surgical procedures requiring general

  18. CONTINUOUS THROMBOPROPHYLAXIS DURING SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PATIENT WITH POLYTRAUMA IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY HOSPITAL (CASE REPORT

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    I. G. Belenky

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents  a clinical case of a staged surgical treatment according  to damage control  protocol  for a patient with multiple limb fractures, sternum  trauma as well as brain injury due to traffic accident. Following temporary external fixation during emergency treatment, 6 internal fixation procedures were performed on the patient during three surgical sessions. 4,5 months  postoperatively the authors  observed  consolidation of all fractures  with good restoration of joints function. Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolic events included low molecular heparins administration prior to the first and consequent surgical  sessions as well as oral anticoagulants during  intervals between  procedures and for extended prophylaxis. Apart from medicinal prophylaxis  the authors  utilized therapeutic exercises at all treatment stages.

  19. Shared decision-making during surgical consultation for gallstones at a safety-net hospital.

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    Mueck, Krislynn M; Leal, Isabel M; Wan, Charlie C; Goldberg, Braden F; Saunders, Tamara E; Millas, Stefanos G; Liang, Mike K; Ko, Tien C; Kao, Lillian S

    2018-04-01

    Understanding patient perspectives regarding shared decision-making is crucial to providing informed, patient-centered care. Little is known about perceptions of vulnerable patients regarding shared decision-making during surgical consultation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a validated tool reflects perceptions of shared decision-making accurately among patients seeking surgical consultation for gallstones at a safety-net hospital. A mixed methods study was conducted in a sample of adult patients with gallstones evaluated at a safety-net surgery clinic between May to July 2016. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after their initial surgical consultation and analyzed for emerging themes. Patients were administered the Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire and Autonomy Preference Scale. Univariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with shared decision-making and to compare the results of the surveys to those of the interviews. The majority of patients (N = 30) were female (90%), Hispanic (80%), Spanish-speaking (70%), and middle-aged (45.7 ± 16 years). The proportion of patients who perceived shared decision-making was greater in the Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire versus the interviews (83% vs 27%, P decision for operation was not associated with shared decision-making. Contributory factors to this discordance include patient unfamiliarity with shared decision-making, deference to surgeon authority, lack of discussion about different treatments, and confusion between aligned versus shared decisions. Available questionnaires may overestimate shared decision-making in vulnerable patients suggesting the need for alternative or modifications to existing methods. Furthermore, such metrics should be assessed for correlation with patient-reported outcomes, such as satisfaction with decisions and health status. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Cardiac myxoma: A surgical experience of 38 patients over 9 years, at SSKM hospital Kolkata, India

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    Mohammad Shahbaaz Khan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cardiac myxoma is the most common benign intracardiac tumor. We studied its clinical presentation, morbidity, mortality and recurrence following surgery over a period of 9 years. Materials and Methods: This study was performed at cardiothoracic and vascular surgery department of a tertiary level hospital of eastern India, Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial hospital, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research Kolkata. Near 6000 cardiac cases were operated at our center over this period. Preoperative diagnosis was made with clinical presentation and preoperative echocardiography. Complete tumor excision was done and all patients were followed up for recurrence and complications. Result: A total of 38 cases of cardiac myxoma were operated over a period from October 2002 to October 2011. Cardiac myxoma constituted about 0.6% of all cardiac cases operated at our institute. This most commonly presented at fifth decade of life. Of these, 35 cases were left atrial and 2 cases were right atrial, and 1 case was having both atrial involvements. The left atrial myxoma mostly presented as mitral stenosis and very few presented with embolic and constitutional symptoms. No death or recurrence was observed during the follow up period. Conclusion: Cardiac myxomas form a very small percentage of the cardiac cases. A high index of suspicion is essential for diagnosis. Echocardiography is the ideal diagnostic tool as also for follow-up. Immediate surgical treatment is indicated in all patients. Cardiac myxomas can be excised with a low rate of mortality and morbidity.

  1. Risk management: correct patient and specimen identification in a surgical pathology laboratory. The experience of Infermi Hospital, Rimini, Italy.

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    Fabbretti, G

    2010-06-01

    Because of its complex nature, surgical pathology practice is prone to error. In this report, we describe our methods for reducing error as much as possible during the pre-analytical and analytical phases. This was achieved by revising procedures, and by using computer technology and automation. Most mistakes are the result of human error in the identification and matching of patient and samples. To avoid faulty data interpretation, we employed a new comprehensive computer system that acquires all patient ID information directly from the hospital's database with a remote order entry; it also provides label and request forms via-Web where clinical information is required before sending the sample. Both patient and sample are identified directly and immediately at the site where the surgical procedures are performed. Barcode technology is used to input information at every step and automation is used for sample blocks and slides to avoid errors that occur when information is recorded or transferred by hand. Quality control checks occur at every step of the process to ensure that none of the steps are left to chance and that no phase is dependent on a single operator. The system also provides statistical analysis of errors so that new strategies can be implemented to avoid repetition. In addition, the staff receives frequent training on avoiding errors and new developments. The results have been shown promising results with a very low error rate (0.27%). None of these compromised patient health and all errors were detected before the release of the diagnosis report.

  2. Effect of Chlorhexidine Bathing Every Other Day on Prevention of Hospital-Acquired Infections in the Surgical ICU: A Single-Center, Randomized Controlled Trial.

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    Swan, Joshua T; Ashton, Carol M; Bui, Lan N; Pham, Vy P; Shirkey, Beverly A; Blackshear, Jolene E; Bersamin, Jimmy B; Pomer, Rubie May L; Johnson, Michael L; Magtoto, Audrey D; Butler, Michelle O; Tran, Shirley K; Sanchez, Leah R; Patel, Jessica G; Ochoa, Robert A; Hai, Shaikh A; Denison, Karen I; Graviss, Edward A; Wray, Nelda P

    2016-10-01

    To test the hypothesis that compared with daily soap and water bathing, 2% chlorhexidine gluconate bathing every other day for up to 28 days decreases the risk of hospital-acquired catheter-associated urinary tract infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, incisional surgical site infection, and primary bloodstream infection in surgical ICU patients. This was a single-center, pragmatic, randomized trial. Patients and clinicians were aware of treatment-group assignment; investigators who determined outcomes were blinded. Twenty-four-bed surgical ICU at a quaternary academic medical center. Adults admitted to the surgical ICU from July 2012 to May 2013 with an anticipated surgical ICU stay for 48 hours or more were included. Patients were randomized to bathing with 2% chlorhexidine every other day alternating with soap and water every other day (treatment arm) or to bathing with soap and water daily (control arm). The primary endpoint was a composite outcome of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, incisional surgical site infection, and primary bloodstream infection. Of 350 patients randomized, 24 were excluded due to prior enrollment in this trial and one withdrew consent. Therefore, 325 were analyzed (164 soap and water versus 161 chlorhexidine). Patients acquired 53 infections. Compared with soap and water bathing, chlorhexidine bathing every other day decreased the risk of acquiring infections (hazard ratio = 0.555; 95% CI, 0.309-0.997; p = 0.049). For patients bathed with soap and water versus chlorhexidine, counts of incident hospital-acquired infections were 14 versus 7 for catheter-associated urinary tract infection, 13 versus 8 for ventilator-associated pneumonia, 6 versus 3 for incisional surgical site infections, and 2 versus 0 for primary bloodstream infection; the effect was consistent across all infections. The absolute risk reduction for acquiring a hospital-acquired infection was 9.0% (95% CI, 1.5-16.4%; p

  3. Reducing maternal mortality in conflict areas: Surgical-anesthetic experience in Boost Hospital - Afghanistan

    OpenAIRE

    Izquierdo, Gilda; Trelles, Miguel; Khan, Nasrullah

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Helmand province, whose capital is Lashkar-Gah, is one of the most volatile provinces affected by the conflict in Afghanistan. Doctors without Borders began to work in Boost Hospital in 2009. Method: Retrospective review of surgical procedures at the Doctors without Borders Operational Center in Brussels, February 11, 2010 to September 30, 2012. Results: 5719 surgeries were performed on 4334 patients. 47% were emergency interventions and 75% were first interventions. 39.7% (n = ...

  4. Patterns of Daily Costs Differ for Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gershengorn, Hayley B; Garland, Allan; Gong, Michelle N

    2015-12-01

    Published studies suggest hospital costs on Day 1 in the intensive care unit (ICU) far exceed those of subsequent days, when costs are relatively stable. Yet, no study stratified patients by ICU type. To determine whether daily cost patterns differ by ICU type. We performed a retrospective study of adults admitted to five ICUs (two surgical: quaternary surgical ICU [SICU quat] and quaternary cardiac surgical ICU [CSICU quat]; two medical: tertiary medical ICU [MICU tertiary] and quaternary medical ICU [MICU quat]; one general: community medical surgical ICU [MSICU comm]) at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York during 2013. After excluding costs clearly accrued outside the ICU, daily hospital costs were merged with clinical data. Patterns of daily unadjusted costs were evaluated in each ICU using median regression. Generalized estimating equations with first-order autocorrelation were used to identify factors independently associated with daily costs. Unadjusted daily costs were higher on Day 1 than on subsequent days only for surgical ICUs-SICU quat (median [interquartile range], $2,636 [$1,834-$4,282] on Day 1 vs. $1,840 [$1,501-$2,332] on Day 2; P cost from Days 1 to 2. After multivariate adjustment, there remained a significant decrease in cost from ICU Day 1 to 2 in surgical units with statistically similar Day 1 and 2 costs for other ICUs. Higher Day 1 costs are not seen in patients admitted to medical/nonsurgical ICUs.

  5. [Evaluations by hospital-ward physicians of patient care management quality for patients hospitalized after an emergency department admission].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartiaux, M; Mols, P

    2017-01-01

    patient management in the acute and sub-acute setting of an Emergency Department is challenging. An assessment of the quality of provided care enables an evaluation of failings. It contributes to the identification of areas for improvement. to obtain an analysis, by hospital-ward physicians, of adult patient care management quality, as well as of the correctness of diagnosis made during emergency admissions. To evaluate the consequences of inadequate patient care management on morbidity, mortality and cost and duration of hospitalization. prospective data analysis obtained between the 1/12/2009 and the 21/12/2009 from physicians using a questionnaire on adult-patient emergency admissions and subsequent hospitalization. questionnaires were completed for 332 patients. Inadequate management of patient care were reported for 73/332 (22 %) cases. Incorrect diagnoses were reported for 20/332 (6 %) cases. 35 cases of inadequate care management (10.5 % overall) were associated with morbidity (34 cases) or mortality (1 case), including 4 cases (1.2 % ) that required emergency intensive-care or surgical interventions. this quality study analyzed the percentage of patient management cases and incorrect diagnoses in the emergency department. The data for serious outcome and wrong diagnosis are comparable with current literature. To improve performance, we consider the process for establishing a diagnosis and therapeutic care.

  6. Ventricular tachycardia in post-myocardial infarction patients. Results of surgical therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viganò, M; Martinelli, L; Salerno, J A; Minzioni, G; Chimienti, M; Graffigna, A; Goggi, C; Klersy, C; Montemartini, C

    1986-05-01

    This report addresses the problems related to surgical treatment of post-infarction ventricular tachycardia (VT) and is based on a 5 year experience of 36 consecutive patients. In every case the arrhythmia was unresponsive to pharmacological therapy. All patients were operated on after the completion of a diagnostic protocol including preoperative endocardial, intra-operative epi-endocardial mapping, the latter performed automatically when possible. Surgical techniques were: classical Guiraudon's encircling endocardial ventriculotomy (EEV); partial EEV, endocardial resection (ER); cryoablation or a combination of these procedures. The in-hospital mortality (30 days) was 8.3% (3 patients). During the follow-up period (1-68 months), 3 patients (9%) died of cardiac but not VT related causes. Of the survivors, 92% are VT-free. We consider electrophysiologically guided surgery a safe and reliable method for the treatment of post-infarction VT and suggest its more extensive use. We stress the importance of automatic mapping in pleomorphic and non-sustained VT, and the necessity of tailoring the surgical technique to the characteristics of each case.

  7. Trends in Hospital Admission and Surgical Procedures Following ED visits for Diverticulitis

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    Margaret B. Greenwood-Ericksen

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Diverticulitis is a common diagnosis in the emergency department (ED. Outpatient management of diverticulitis is safe in selected patients, yet the rates of admission and surgical procedures following ED visits for diverticulitis are unknown, as are the predictive patient characteristics. Our goal is to describe trends in admission and surgical procedures following ED visits for diverticulitis, and to determine which patient characteristics predict admission. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional descriptive analysis using data on ED visits from 2006-2011 to determine change in admission and surgical patterns over time. The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database, a nationally representative administrative claims dataset, was used to analyze ED visits for diverticulitis. We included patients with a principal diagnosis of diverticulitis (ICD-9 codes 562.11, 562.13. We analyzed the rate of admission and surgery in all admitted patients and in low-risk patients, defined as age <50 with no comorbidities (Elixhauser. We used hierarchical multivariate logistic regression to identify patient characteristics associated with admission for diverticulitis. Results: From 2006 to 2011 ED visits for diverticulitis increased by 21.3% from 238,248 to 302,612, while the admission rate decreased from 55.7% to 48.5% (-7.2%, 95% CI [–7.78 to -6.62]; p<0.001 for trend. The admission rate among low-risk patients decreased from 35.2% in 2006 to 26.8% in 2011 (-8.4%, 95% CI [–9.6 to –7.2]; p<0.001 for trend. Admission for diverticulitis was independently associated with male gender, comorbid illnesses, higher income and commercial health insurance. The surgical rate decreased from 6.5% in 2006 to 4.7% in 2011 (-1.8%, 95% CI [–2.1 to –1.5]; p<0.001 for trend, and among low-risk patients decreased from 4.0% to 2.2% (- 1.8%, 95% CI [–4.5 to –1.7]; p<0.001 for trend. Conclusion: From 2006 to 2011 ED visits for diverticulitis increased

  8. The power of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program--achieving a zero pneumonia rate in general surgery patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchshuber, Pascal R; Greif, William; Tidwell, Chantal R; Klemm, Michael S; Frydel, Cheryl; Wali, Abdul; Rosas, Efren; Clopp, Molly P

    2012-01-01

    The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) of the American College of Surgeons provides risk-adjusted surgical outcome measures for participating hospitals that can be used for performance improvement of surgical mortality and morbidity. A surgical clinical nurse reviewer collects 135 clinical variables including preoperative risk factors, intraoperative variables, and 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity outcomes for patients undergoing major surgical procedures. A report on mortality and complications is prepared twice a year. This article summarizes briefly the history of NSQIP and how its report on surgical outcomes can be used for performance improvement within a hospital system. In particular, it describes how to drive performance improvement with NSQIP data using the example of postoperative respiratory complications--a major factor of postoperative mortality. In addition, this article explains the benefit of a collaborative of several participating NSQIP hospitals and describes how to develop a "playbook" on the basis of an outcome improvement project.

  9. Prognostic Factors for Persistent Leg-Pain in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Sciatica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fjeld, Olaf; Grotle, Margreth; Siewers, Vibeke; Pedersen, Linda M; Nilsen, Kristian Bernhard; Zwart, John-Anker

    2017-03-01

    Prospective cohort study. To identify potential prognostic factors for persistent leg-pain at 12 months among patients hospitalized with acute severe sciatica. The long-term outcome for patients admitted to hospital with sciatica is generally unfavorable. Results concerning prognostic factors for persistent sciatica are limited and conflicting. A total of 210 patients acutely admitted to hospital for either surgical or nonsurgical treatment of sciatica were consecutively recruited and received a thorough clinical and radiographic examination in addition to responding to a comprehensive questionnaire. Follow-up assessments were done at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. Potential prognostic factors were measured at baseline and at 6 weeks. The impact of these factors on leg-pain was analyzed by multiple linear regression modeling. A total of 151 patients completed the entire study, 93 receiving nonrandomized surgical treatment. The final multivariate models showed that the following factors were significantly associated with leg-pain at 12 months: high psychosocial risk according to the Örebro Musculosceletal Pain Questionnaire (unstandardized beta coefficient 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-2.38, P sciatica. 2.

  10. Differential diagnostic value of procalcitonin in surgical and medical patients with septic shock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clec'h, Christophe; Fosse, Jean-Philippe; Karoubi, Philippe; Vincent, Francois; Chouahi, Imad; Hamza, Lilia; Cupa, Michel; Cohen, Yves

    2006-01-01

    To assess whether different diagnostic and prognostic cutoff values of procalcitonin should be considered in surgical and in medical patients with septic shock. Prospective observational study. Intensive care unit of the Avicenne teaching hospital, France. All patients with septic shock or noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome within 48 hrs after admission. None. Patients were allocated to one of the following groups: group 1 (surgical patients with septic shock), group 2 (surgical patients with noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome), group 3 (medical patients with septic shock), and group 4 (medical patients with noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome). Procalcitonin at study entry was compared between group 1 and group 2 and between group 3 and group 4 to determine the diagnostic cutoff value in surgical and in medical patients, respectively. Procalcitonin was compared between survivors and nonsurvivors from group 1 and group 3 to determine its prognostic cutoff value. One hundred forty-three patients were included: 31 in group 1, 36 in group 2, 36 in group 3, and 40 in group 4. Median procalcitonin levels (ng/mL [interquartile range]) were higher in group 1 than in group 3 (34.00 [7.10-76.00] vs. 8.40 [3.63-24.70], p = .01). In surgical patients, the best diagnostic cutoff value was 9.70 ng/mL, with 91.7% sensitivity and 74.2% specificity. In medical patients, the best diagnostic cutoff value was 1.00 ng/mL, with 80% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Procalcitonin was a reliable early prognostic marker in medical but not in surgical patients with septic shock. A cutoff value of 6.00 ng/mL had 76% sensitivity and 72.7% specificity for separating survivors from nonsurvivors. The diagnostic cutoff value of procalcitonin was higher in surgical than in medical patients. Early procalcitonin was of prognostic interest in medical patients.

  11. Oral potassium supplementation in surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hainsworth, Alison J; Gatenby, Piers A

    2008-08-01

    Hospital inpatients are frequently hypokalaemic. Low plasma potassium levels may cause life threatening complications, such as cardiac arrhythmias. Potassium supplementation may be administered parenterally or enterally. Oral potassium supplements have been associated with oesophageal ulceration, strictures and gastritis. An alternative to potassium salt tablets or solution is dietary modification with potassium rich food stuffs, which has been proven to be a safe and effective method for potassium supplementation. The potassium content of one medium banana is equivalent to a 12 mmol potassium salt tablet. Potassium supplementation by dietary modification has been shown to be equally efficacious to oral potassium salt supplementation and is preferred by the majority of patients. Subsequently, it is our practice to replace potassium using dietary modification, particularly in surgical patients having undergone oesophagogastrectomy or in those with peptic ulcer disease.

  12. Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Approach for Apoplectic Pituitary Tumor: Surgical Outcomes and Complications in 45 Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Rucai; Li, Xueen; Li, Xingang

    2016-02-01

    Objective To assess the safety and effectiveness of the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach (EETA) for apoplectic pituitary adenoma. Design A retrospective study. Setting Qilu Hospital of Shandong University; Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University. Participants Patients admitted to Qilu Hospital of Shandong University who were diagnosed with an apoplectic pituitary tumor and underwent EETA for resection of the tumor. Main Outcome Measures In total 45 patients were included in a retrospective chart review. Data regarding patient age, sex, presentation, lesion size, surgical procedure, extent of resection, clinical outcome, and surgical complications were obtained from the chart review. Results In total, 38 (92.7%) of 41 patients with loss of vision obtained visual remission postoperatively. In addition, 16 patients reported a secreting adenoma, and postsurgical hormonal levels were normal or decreased in 14 patients. All other symptoms, such as headache and alteration of mental status, recovered rapidly after surgery. Two patients (4.4%) incurred cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Six patients (13.3%) experienced transient diabetes insipidus (DI) postoperatively, but none of these patients developed permanent DI. Five patients (11.1%) developed hypopituitarism and were treated with replacement of hormonal medicine. No cases of meningitis, carotid artery injury, or death related to surgery were reported. Conclusion EETA offers a safe and effective surgical option for apoplectic pituitary tumors and is associated with low morbidity and mortality.

  13. Preoperative weight loss in super-obese patients: study of the rate of weight loss and its effects on surgical morbidity

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    Marco Aurelio Santo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: The incidence of obesity and particularly super obesity, has increased tremendously. At our institution, super obesity represents 30.1% of all severely obese individuals in the bariatric surgery program. In super obesity, surgical morbidity is higher and the results are worse compared with morbid obesity, independent of the surgical technique. The primary strategy for minimizing complications in these patients is to decrease the body mass index before surgery. Preoperative weight reduction can be achieved by a hypocaloric diet, drug therapy, an intragastric balloon, or hospitalization. The objective of this study was to analyze the results of a period of hospitalization for preoperative weight loss in a group of super-obese patients. METHODS: Twenty super-obese patients were submitted to a weight loss program between 2006 and 2010. The mean patient age was 46 years (range 21-59. The mean BMI was 66 kg/m2 (range 51-98 and 12 were women. The average hospital stay was 19.9 weeks and the average weight loss was 19% of the initial weight (7-37%. The average caloric intake was 5 kcal/kg/day. After the weight loss program, the patients underwent gastric bypass surgery. RESULTS: The statistical analysis revealed that after 14 weeks of treatment (15% loss of initial weight, the weight loss was not significant. All patients had satisfactory surgical recovery and were discharged after an average of 4.6 days. CONCLUSION: In super obesity, preoperative weight loss is an important method for reducing surgical risks. Hospitalization and a hypocaloric diet are safe and effective. After 14 weeks, the weight loss rate stabilized, signaling the time of surgical intervention in our study.

  14. Characterization of colonizing Staphylococcus aureus isolated from surgical wards' patients in a Nigerian university hospital.

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    Deboye O Kolawole

    Full Text Available In contrast to developed countries, only limited data on the prevalence, resistance and clonal structure of Staphylococcus aureus are available for African countries. Since S. aureus carriage is a risk factor for postoperative wound infection, patients who had been hospitalized in surgical wards in a Nigerian University Teaching Hospital were screened for S. aureus carriage. All S. aureus isolates were genotyped (spa, agr and assigned to multilocus sequence types (MLST. Species affiliation, methicillin-resistance, and the possession of pyrogenic toxin superantigens (PTSAg, exfoliative toxins (ETs and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL were analyzed. Of 192 patients screened, the S. aureus carrier rate was 31.8 % (n = 61. Of these isolates, 7 (11.5% were methicillin-resistant (MRSA. The isolates comprised 24 spa types. The most frequent spa types were t064, t084, t311, and t1931, while the most prevalent MLST clonal complexes were CC5 and CC15. The most frequent PTSAg genes detected were seg/sei (41.0% followed by seb (29.5%, sea (19.7%, seh (14.7% and sec (11.5. The difference between the possession of classical and newly described PTSAg genes was not significant (63.9% versus 59.0% respectively; P = 0.602. PVL encoding genes were found in 39.3% isolates. All MRSA isolates were PVL negative, SCCmec types I and VI in MLST CC 5 and CC 30, respectively. Typing of the accessory gene regulator (agr showed the following distribution: agr group 1 (n = 20, group II (n = 17, group III (n = 14 and group IV (n = 10. Compared to European data, enterotoxin gene seb and PVL-encoding genes were more prevalent in Nigerian methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates, which may therefore act as potential reservoir for PVL and PTSAg genes.

  15. Factors influencing the outcome of paediatric cardiac surgical patients during extracorporeal circulatory support

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    Peek Giles J

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO is a common modality of circulatory assist device used in children. We assessed the outcome of children who had ECMO following repair of congenital cardiac defects (CCD and identified the risk factors associated with hospital mortality. Methods From April 1990 to December 2003, 53 patients required ECMO following surgical correction of CCD. Retrospectively collected data was analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Median age and weight of the patients were 150 days and 5.4 kgs respectively. The indications for ECMO were low cardiac output in 16, failure to wean cardiopulmonary bypass in 13, cardiac arrest in 10 and cardio-respiratory failure in 14 patients. The mean duration of ECMO was 143 hours. Weaning off from ECMO was successful in 66% and of these 83% were survival to hospital-discharge. 37.7% of patients were alive for the mean follow-up period of 75 months. On univariate analysis, arrhythmias, ECMO duration >168 hours, bleeding complications, renal replacement therapy on ECMO, arrhythmias and cardiac arrest after ECMO were associated with hospital mortality. On multivariate analysis, abnormal neurology, bleeding complications and arrhythmias after ECMO were associated with hospital mortality. Extra and intra-thoracic cannulations were used in 79% and 21% of patients respectively and extra-thoracic cannulation had significantly less bleeding complications (p = 0.031. Conclusion ECMO provides an effective circulatory support following surgical repair of CCD in children. Extra-thoracic cannulation is associated with less bleeding complications. Abnormal neurology, bleeding complications on ECMO and arrhythmias after ECMO are poor prognostic indicators for hospital survival.

  16. The Influence of Hospital Volume on Circumferential Resection Margin Involvement: Results of the Dutch Surgical Colorectal Audit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gietelink, Lieke; Henneman, Daniel; van Leersum, Nicoline J; de Noo, Mirre; Manusama, Eric; Tanis, Pieter J; Tollenaar, Rob A E M; Wouters, Michel W J M

    2016-04-01

    This population-based study evaluates the association between hospital volume and CRM (circumferential resection margin) involvement, adjusted for other confounders, in rectal cancer surgery. A low hospital volume (risk of CRM involvement (odds ratio=1.54; 95% CI: 1.12-2.11). To evaluate the association between hospital volume and CRM (circumferential resection margin) involvement in rectal cancer surgery. To guarantee the quality of surgical treatment of rectal cancer, the Association of Surgeons of the Netherlands has stated a minimal annual volume standard of 20 procedures per hospital. The influence of hospital volume has been examined for different outcome variables in rectal cancer surgery. Its influence on the pathological outcome (CRM) however remains unclear. As long-term outcomes are best predicted by the CRM status, this parameter is of essential importance in the debate on the justification of minimal volume standards in rectal cancer surgery. Data from the Dutch Surgical Colorectal Audit (2011-2012) were used. Hospital volume was divided into 3 groups, and baseline characteristics were described. The influence of hospital volume on CRM involvement was analyzed, in a multivariate model, between low- and high-volume hospitals, according to the minimal volume standards. This study included 5161 patients. CRM was recorded in 86% of patients. CRM involvement was 11% in low-volume group versus 7.7% and 7.9% in the medium- and high-volume group (P≤0.001). After adjustment for relevant confounders, the influence of hospital volume on CRM involvement was still significant odds ratio (OR) = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.12-2.11). The outcomes of this pooled analysis support minimal volume standards in rectal cancer surgery. Low hospital volume was independently associated with a higher risk of CRM involvement (OR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.12-2.11).

  17. Angioplasty treatment and stent implant vs. surgical treatment in patients with stenosis of the cervical carotid artery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamdan, Nabil; Castro, Pablo; Calderon, Luis I; Gomez, German; Estrada, Gilberto; Hurtado, Edgar; Echeverria, Rene

    2006-01-01

    Angioplasty with stent implant is a less invasive procedure than surgical intervention in the treatment of significant stenosis of the common cervical carotid artery (common and internal) (5). Currently the major published studies, in which angioplasty and surgical treatment are compared, show similar results in the major events, as cerebrovascular accidents and mortality, but a greater significant difference in the apparition of acute myocardial infarction, during surgical intervention (5,11). The objective of this study is to compare in both treatment methods the major and minor clinical events, like cerebrovascular accident, acute myocardial infarction, death, bradycardia, hypotension and encephalopathy during the intervention, the hospitalization and the follow-up year, as well as the re-intervention, the time of hospital stay and the complications of the surgical incision. Materials and methods: in this study of historical cohort, 46 patients with significant stenosis of the cervical carotid arteries, who were subjected to intervention from January 1st 2001 to December 31st 2003, were included. 21 patients were treated with angioplasty and stent implant and 25 with surgery (endarterectomy) Results: 1 (4.8%) major cerebrovascular accident occurred during angioplasty, whereas none occurred in the patients treated with surgery. 1 (4%) acute myocardial infarction occurred during intervention in the group of patients treated with surgery, and none in the patients treated with angioplasty. No deaths occurred in any of the groups during intervention, hospitalization and the follow-up year. After 8 months 1 (4%) patient treated with surgery was intervened again with angioplasty and stent implant. There were no statistically significant differences between both groups during hospitalization, and in the apparition of minor complications as bradycardia and hypotension. 2 (8%) complications related to the incision of the neck compromising cranial nerves, occurred in the

  18. Impact of body mass index on surgical outcomes, narcotics consumption, and hospital costs following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narain, Ankur S; Hijji, Fady Y; Haws, Brittany E; Kudaravalli, Krishna T; Yom, Kelly H; Markowitz, Jonathan; Singh, Kern

    2018-02-01

    OBJECTIVE Given the increasing prevalence of obesity, more patients with a high body mass index (BMI) will require surgical treatment for degenerative spinal disease. In previous investigations of lumbar spine pathology, obesity has been associated with worsened postoperative outcomes and increased costs. However, few studies have examined the association between BMI and postoperative outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes, postoperative narcotics consumption, complications, and hospital costs among BMI stratifications for patients who have undergone primary 1- to 2-level ACDF procedures. METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed a prospectively maintained surgical database of patients who had undergone primary 1- to 2-level ACDF for degenerative spinal pathology between 2008 and 2015. Patients were stratified by BMI as follows: normal weight (costs. Regression analyses were controlled for preoperative demographic and procedural characteristics. RESULTS Two hundred seventy-seven patients were included in the analysis, of whom 20.9% (n = 58) were normal weight, 37.5% (n = 104) were overweight, 24.9% (n = 69) were obese I, and 16.6% (n = 46) were obese II-III. A higher BMI was associated with an older age (p = 0.049) and increased comorbidity burden (p = 0.001). No differences in sex, smoking status, insurance type, diagnosis, presence of neuropathy, or preoperative VAS pain scores were found among the BMI cohorts (p > 0.05). No significant differences were found among these cohorts as regards operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and number of operative levels (p > 0.05). Additionally, no significant differences in postoperative narcotics consumption, VAS score improvement, complication rates, arthrodesis rates, reoperation rates, or total direct costs existed across BMI stratifications (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Patients with a

  19. Management and Outcomes of Acute Surgical Patients at a District Hospital in Uganda with Non-physician Emergency Clinicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dresser, Caleb; Periyanayagam, Usha; Dreifuss, Brad; Wangoda, Robert; Luyimbaazi, Julius; Bisanzo, Mark

    2017-09-01

    Acute surgical care services in rural Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from human resource and systemic constraints. Developing emergency care systems and task sharing aspects of acute surgical care addresses many of these issues. This paper investigates the degree to which specialized non-physicians practicing in a dedicated Emergency Department contribute to the effective and efficient management of acute surgical patients. This is a retrospective review of an electronic quality assurance database of patients presenting to an Emergency Department in rural Uganda staffed by non-physician clinicians trained in emergency care. Relevant de-identified clinical data on patients admitted directly to the operating theater from 2011 to 2014 were analyzed in Microsoft Excel. Overall, 112 Emergency Department patients were included in the analysis and 96% received some form of laboratory testing, imaging, medication, or procedure in the ED, prior to surgery. 72% of surgical patients referred by ED received preoperative antibiotics, and preoperative fluid resuscitation was initiated in 65%. Disposition to operating theater was accomplished within 3 h of presentation for 73% of patients. 79% were successfully followed up to assess outcomes at 72 h. 92% of those with successful follow-up reported improvement in their clinical condition. The confirmed mortality rate was 5%. Specialized non-physician clinicians practicing in a dedicated Emergency Department can perform resuscitation, bedside imaging and laboratory studies to aid in diagnosis of acute surgical patients and arrange transfer to an operating theater in an efficient fashion. This model has the potential to sustainably address structural and human resources problems inherent to Sub-Saharan Africa's current acute surgical care model and will benefit from further study and expansion.

  20. Critical care admission of South African (SA surgical patients: Results of the SA Surgical Outcomes Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Lee Skinner

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background. Appropriate critical care admissions are an important component of surgical care. However, there are few data describing postoperative critical care admission in resource-limited low- and middle-income countries. Objective. To describe the demographics, organ failures, organ support and outcomes of non-cardiac surgical patients admitted to critical care units in South Africa (SA. Methods. The SA Surgical Outcomes Study (SASOS was a 7-day national, multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study of all patients ≥16 years of age undergoing inpatient non-cardiac surgery between 19 and 26 May 2014 at 50 government-funded hospitals. All patients admitted to critical care units during this study were included for analysis. Results. Of the 3 927 SASOS patients, 255 (6.5% were admitted to critical care units; of these admissions, 144 (56.5% were planned, and 111 (43.5% unplanned. The incidence of confirmed or strongly suspected infection at the time of admission was 35.4%, with a significantly higher incidence in unplanned admissions (49.1 v. 24.8%, p<0.001. Unplanned admission cases were more frequently hypovolaemic, had septic shock, and required significantly more inotropic, ventilatory and renal support in the first 48 hours after admission. Overall mortality was 22.4%, with unplanned admissions having a significantly longer critical care length of stay and overall mortality (33.3 v. 13.9%, p<0.001. Conclusion. The outcome of patients admitted to public sector critical care units in SA is strongly associated with unplanned admissions. Adequate ‘high care-dependency units’ for postoperative care of elective surgical patients could potentially decrease the burden on critical care resources in SA by 23%. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02141867.

  1. Costs analysis of surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence in a brazilian public hospital, comparing burch and synthetic sling techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limberger, Leo Francisco; Faria, Fernanda Pacheco; Campos, Luciana Silveira; Anzolch, Karin Marise Jaeger; Fornari, Alexandre

    2018-01-01

    Surgical treatment of urinary incontinence progressed significantly with the introduction of synthetic slings. However, in some public Brazilian hospitals, the costs of these materials prevent their routine use. To compare the costs of ambulatory synthetic sling surgery with an historical series of patients submitted to Burch surgery in a Brazilian public hospital. Twenty nine incontinent patients were selected to synthetic sling surgery. Demographic data were prospectively collected and also the costs of the procedure, including drugs and materials, use of surgical and recovery wards, medical staff and hospitalization. These data were compared to the costs of 29 Burch surgeries performed before the introduction of synthetic slings. Demographic data were similar, although median age was lower in the group submitted to Burch surgery (46.3±8.6 versus 56.2±11.3 (pCost was significantly lower in patients submitted to sling in all items, except for time spent in recovery ward. Total value of 29 Burch surgeries was R$ 217.766.12, and of R$ 68.049.92 of 29 patients submitted to sling surgery (pcost of the synthetic sling was considered. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

  2. Surgical therapies for corneal perforations: 10 years of cases in a tertiary referral hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yokogawa H

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Hideaki Yokogawa, Akira Kobayashi, Natsuko Yamazaki, Toshinori Masaki, Kazuhisa Sugiyama Department of Ophthalmology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, JapanPurpose: To report surgical therapies for corneal perforations in a tertiary referral hospital.Methods: Thirty-one eyes of 31 patients (aged 62.4±18.3 years with surgically treated corneal perforations from January 2002 to July 2013 were included in this study. Demographic data such as cause of corneal perforation, surgical procedures, and visual outcomes were retrospectively analyzed.Results: The causes of corneal perforation (n=31 were divided into infectious (n=8, 26% and noninfectious (n=23, 74% categories. Infectious causes included fungal ulcer, herpetic stromal necrotizing keratitis, and bacterial ulcer. The causes of noninfectious keratopathy included corneal melting after removal of a metal foreign body, severe dry eye, lagophthalmos, canaliculitis, the oral anticancer drug S-1, keratoconus, rheumatoid arthritis, neurotrophic ulcer, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, and unknown causes. Initial surgical procedures included central large corneal graft (n=17, small corneal graft (n=7, and amniotic membrane transplantation (n=7. In two cases the perforation could not be sealed during the first surgical treatment and required subsequent procedures. All infectious keratitis required central large penetrating keratoplasty to obtain anatomical cure. In contrast, several surgical options were used for the treatment of noninfectious keratitis. After surgical treatment, anatomical cure was obtained in all cases. Mean postoperative best corrected visual acuity was better at 6 months (logMAR 1.3 than preoperatively (logMAR 1.8.Conclusion: Surgical therapies for corneal perforations in our hospital included central large lamellar/penetrating keratoplasty, small peripheral patch graft, and amniotic membrane transplantation. All treatments were effective. Corneal

  3. Hospital Patient Room Design: The Issues Facing 23 Occupational Groups Who Work in Medical/Surgical Patient Rooms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavender, Steven A; Sommerich, Carolyn M; Patterson, Emily S; Sanders, Elizabeth B-N; Evans, Kevin D; Park, Sanghyun; Umar, Radin Zaid Radin; Li, Jing

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to learn from a wide range of hospital staff members about how the design of the patient room in which they work adversely affects their ergonomics or hinders their job performance. In addition to providing a healing space for patients, hospital patient rooms need to serve as functional workplaces for the people who provide clinical care, to clean, or to maintain room functions. Therefore, from a design perspective, it is important to understand the needs of all the users of hospital patient rooms with regard to room design. One hundred forty-seven people, representing 23 different occupational stakeholder groups, participated in either focus groups or interviews in which they were asked to identify room design issues that affect the performance of their work tasks. Key issues shared across multiple stakeholder groups included an inability to have eye contact with the patient when entering the room, inadequate space around the bed for the equipment used by stakeholders, the physical demands experienced as stakeholders move furnishings to accomplish their activities or access equipment, and a lack of available horizontal surfaces. Unique issues were also identified for a number of stakeholder groups. There are a number of issues that should be addressed in the next generation of hospital patient rooms, or when refurbishing existing facilities, so that all occupational stakeholder groups can work effectively, efficiently, and without undue physical stress. © The Author(s) 2015.

  4. Costs of disposable material in the operating room do not show high correlation with surgical time: Implications for hospital payment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delo, Caroline; Leclercq, Pol; Martins, Dimitri; Pirson, Magali

    2015-08-01

    The objectives of this study are to analyze the variation of the surgical time and of disposable costs per surgical procedure and to analyze the association between disposable costs and the surgical time. The registration of data was done in an operating room of a 419 bed general hospital, over a period of three months (n = 1556 surgical procedures). Disposable material per procedure used was recorded through a barcode scanning method. The average cost (standard deviation) of disposable material is €183.66 (€183.44). The mean surgical time (standard deviation) is 96 min (63). Results have shown that the homogeneity of operating time and DM costs was quite good per surgical procedure. The correlation between the surgical time and DM costs is not high (r = 0.65). In a context of Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) based hospital payment, it is important that costs information systems are able to precisely calculate costs per case. Our results show that the correlation between surgical time and costs of disposable materials is not good. Therefore, empirical data or itemized lists should be used instead of surgical time as a cost driver for the allocation of costs of disposable materials to patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Evaluation of APACHE II system among intensive care patients at a teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Antonio Chiavone

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: The high-complexity features of intensive care unit services and the clinical situation of patients themselves render correct prognosis fundamentally important not only for patients, their families and physicians, but also for hospital administrators, fund-providers and controllers. Prognostic indices have been developed for estimating hospital mortality rates for hospitalized patients, based on demographic, physiological and clinical data. OBJECTIVE: The APACHE II system was applied within an intensive care unit to evaluate its ability to predict patient outcome; to compare illness severity with outcomes for clinical and surgical patients; and to compare the recorded result with the predicted death rate. DESIGN: Diagnostic test. SETTING: Clinical and surgical intensive care unit in a tertiary-care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The study involved 521 consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit from July 1998 to June 1999. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: APACHE II score, in-hospital mortality, receiver operating characteristic curve, decision matrices and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 50 ± 19 years and the APACHE II score was 16.7 ± 7.3. There were 166 clinical patients (32%, 173 (33% post-elective surgery patients (33%, and 182 post-emergency surgery patients (35%, thus producing statistically similar proportions. The APACHE II scores for clinical patients (18.5 ± 7.8 were similar to those for non-elective surgery patients (18.6 ± 6.5 and both were greater than for elective surgery patients (13.0 ± 6.3 (p < 0.05. The higher this score was, the higher the mortality rate was (p < 0.05. The predicted death rate was 25.6% and the recorded death rate was 35.5%. Through the use of receiver operating curve analysis, good discrimination was found (area under the curve = 0.80. From the 2 x 2 decision matrix, 72.2% of patients were correctly classified (sensitivity = 35.1%; specificity = 92.6%. Linear

  6. Variation in case-mix between hospitals treating colorectal cancer patients in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kolfschoten, N. E.; Marang van de Mheen, P. J.; Gooiker, G. A.; Eddes, E. H.; Kievit, J.; Tollenaar, R. A. E. M.; Wouters, M. W. J. M.; Bemelman, W. A.; Busch, O. R. C.; van Dam, R. M.; van der Harst, E.; Jansen-Landheer, M. L. E. A.; Karsten, Th M.; van Krieken, J. H. J. M.; Kuijpers, W. G. T.; Lemmens, V. E.; Manusama, E. R.; Meijerink, W. J. H. J.; Rutten, H. J. T.; Wiggers, T.; van de Velde, C. J. H.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine how expected mortality based on case-mix varies between colorectal cancer patients treated in non-teaching, teaching and university hospitals, or high, intermediate and low-volume hospitals in the Netherlands. We used the database of the Dutch Surgical

  7. Reducing Hospital Toxicity: Impact on Patient Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milani, Richard V; Bober, Robert M; Lavie, Carl J; Wilt, Jonathan K; Milani, Alexander R; White, Christopher J

    2018-05-02

    Circadian rhythms are endogenous 24-hour oscillations in biologic processes that drive nearly all physiologic and behavioral functions. Disruption in circadian rhythms can adversely impact short and long-term health outcomes. Routine hospital care often causes significant disruption in sleep-wake patterns that is further compounded by loss of personal control of health information and health decisions. We wished to evaluate measures directed at improving circadian rhythm and access to daily health information on hospital outcomes. We evaluated 3,425 consecutive patients admitted to a medical-surgical unit comprised of an intervention wing (n=1,185) or standard control wing (n=2,240) over a 2.5-year period. Intervention patients received measures to improve sleep that included reduction of nighttime noise, delay of routine morning phlebotomy, passive vital sign monitoring, and use of red-enriched lighting after sunset, as well as access to daily health information utilizing an inpatient portal. Intervention patients accessed the inpatient portal frequently during hospitalization seeking personal health and care team information. Measures impacting the quality and quantity of sleep were significantly improved. LOS was 8.6 hours less (p=0.04), 30 and 90-day readmission rates were 16% and 12% lower, respectively (both p≤ 0.02), and self-rated emotional/mental health was higher (69.2% vs. 52.4%; p=0.03) in the intervention group compared to controls. Modest changes in routine hospital care can improve the hospital environment impacting sleep and access to health knowledge, leading to improvements in hospital outcomes. Sleep-wake patterns of hospitalized patients represent a potential avenue for further enhancing hospital quality and safety. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Pharmacoeconomics of parenteral nutrition in surgical and critically ill patients receiving structured triglycerides in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Guo Hao; Ehm, Alexandra; Bellone, Marco; Pradelli, Lorenzo

    2017-01-01

    A prior meta-analysis showed favorable metabolic effects of structured triglyceride (STG) lipid emulsions in surgical and critically ill patients compared with mixed medium-chain/long-chain triglycerides (MCT/LCT) emulsions. Limited data on clinical outcomes precluded pharmacoeconomic analysis. We performed an updated meta-analysis and developed a cost model to compare overall costs for STGs vs MCT/LCTs in Chinese hospitals. We searched Medline, Embase, Wanfang Data, the China Hospital Knowledge Database, and Google Scholar for clinical trials comparing STGs to mixed MCT/LCTs in surgical or critically ill adults published between October 10, 2013 and September 19, 2015. Newly identified studies were pooled with the prior studies and an updated meta-analysis was performed. A deterministic simulation model was used to compare the effects of STGs and mixed MCT/LCT's on Chinese hospital costs. The literature search identified six new trials, resulting in a total of 27 studies in the updated meta-analysis. Statistically significant differences favoring STGs were observed for cumulative nitrogen balance, pre- albumin and albumin concentrations, plasma triglycerides, and liver enzymes. STGs were also associated with a significant reduction in the length of hospital stay (mean difference, -1.45 days; 95% confidence interval, -2.48 to -0.43; p=0.005) versus mixed MCT/LCTs. Cost analysis demonstrated a net cost benefit of ¥675 compared with mixed MCT/LCTs. STGs are associated with improvements in metabolic function and reduced length of hospitalization in surgical and critically ill patients compared with mixed MCT/LCT emulsions. Cost analysis using data from Chinese hospitals showed a corresponding cost benefit.

  9. Robert R. Shaw, MD: thoracic surgical hero, Afghanistan medical pioneer, champion for the patient, never a surgical society president.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urschel, Harold C; Urschel, Betsey Bradley

    2012-06-01

    Dr Robert R. Shaw arrived in Dallas to practice Thoracic Surgery in 1937, as John Alexander's 7th Thoracic Surgical Resident from Michigan University Medical Center. Dr Shaw's modus operandi was, "You can accomplish almost anything, if you don't care who gets the credit." He was a remarkable individual who cared the most about the patient and very little about getting credit for himself. From 1937 to 1970, Dr Shaw established one of the largest lung cancer surgical centers in the world in Dallas, Texas. It was larger than M.D. Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospitals put together regarding the surgical treatment of lung cancer patients. To accomplish this, he had the help of Dr Donald L. Paulson, who trained at the Mayo Clinic and served as Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brook Army Hospital during the Second World War. Following the War, because of his love for Texas, he ended up as a partner of Dr Shaw in Dallas. Together, they pursued the development of this very large surgical lung cancer center. Dr Shaw and his wife Ruth went to Afghanistan with Medico multiple times to teach men modern cardiac and thoracic surgery. They also served as consultants on Medico's Ship of Hope in Africa. Dr Shaw initiated multiple new operations including: 1) resection of Pancoast's cancer of the lung after preoperative irradiation; 2) upper lobe of the lung bronchoplasty, reattaching (and saving) the lower lobe to prevent the "disabling" pneumonectomy; and 3) resections of pulmonary mucoid impaction of the lung in asthmatics. Because of his humility and giving "the credit to others," Dr Shaw was never President of a major medical or surgical association. Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Long-term outcome and quality of life of patients treated in surgical intensive care: a comparison between sepsis and trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korosec Jagodic, Helena; Jagodic, Klemen; Podbregar, Matej

    2006-01-01

    Our aim was to determine long-term survival and quality of life of patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) because of sepsis or trauma. This was an observational study conducted in an 11-bed, closed surgical ICU at a 860-bed teaching general hospital over a 1-year period (January 2003 to December 2003). Patients were divided into two groups according to admission diagnoses: group 1 included patients with sepsis; and group 2 included patients with trauma (polytrauma, multiple trauma, head injury, or spinal injury). Quality of life was assessed after 2 years following ICU admission using the EuroQol 5D questionnaire. A total of 164 patients (98 trauma patients and 66 patients with sepsis) were included in the study. Trauma patients were younger than patients with sepsis (53 +/- 21 years versus 64 +/- 13 years; P Trauma patients stayed longer on the general ward (35 +/- 44 days versus 17 +/- 24 days; P trauma group (surgical ICU survival: 60% versus 74%; in-hospital survival: 42% versus 62%; post-hospital survival: 78% versus 92%; cumulative 2-year survival: 33% versus 57%; P quality of life in all five dimensions of the EuroQol 5D between groups: 60% of patients had signs of depression, almost 60% had problems in usual activities and 56% had pain. Patients with sepsis treated in a surgical ICU have higher short-term and long-term mortality than do trauma patients. However, quality of life is reduced to the same level in both groups.

  11. Surgical Site Infection among Patients Undergone Orthopaedic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ADMIN

    with surgical site infection at Muhimbili Orthopedic Institute. ... Determination of the relationship between outcome and exposure variables ... determined by more than 2 hours length of surgical procedure (AOR= 1.4; 95%CI 1.14-6.69; ... hospital, those with metastatic fractures, back, spine were not included as they fall under.

  12. [Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy for Patients with Prostatic Cancer and Factors Promoting Installation of the Robotic Surgical Equipment-Questionnaire Survey].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukamoto, Taiji; Tanaka, Shigeru

    2015-08-01

    We conducted a questionnaire survey of hospitals with robot-assisted surgical equipment to study changes of the surgical case loads after its installation and the managerial strategies for its purchase. The study included 154 hospitals (as of April 2014) that were queried about their radical prostatectomy case loads from January 2009 to December 2013, strategies for installation of the equipment in their hospitals, and other topics related to the study purpose. The overall response rate of hospitals was 63%, though it marginally varied according to type and area. The annual case load was determined based on the results of the questionnaire and other modalities. It increased from 3,518 in 2009 to 6,425 in 2013. The case load seemed to be concentrated in hospitals with robot equipment since the increase of their number was very minimal over the 5 years. The hospitals with the robot treated a larger number of newly diagnosed patients with the disease than before. Most of the patients were those having localized cancer that was indicated for radical surgery, suggesting again the concentration of the surgical case loads in the hospitals with robots. While most hospitals believed that installation of a robot was necessary as an option for treatment procedures, the future strategy of the hospital, and other reasons, the action of the hospital to gain prestige may be involved in the process of purchasing the equipment. In conclusion, robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy has become popular as a surgical procedure for prostate cancer in our society. This may lead to a concentration of the surgical case load in a limited number of hospitals with robots. We also discuss the typical action of an acute-care hospital when it purchases expensive clinical medical equipment.

  13. Assessment of surgical and obstetrical care at 10 district hospitals in Ghana using on-site interviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Fizan; Choo, Shelly; Hesse, Afua A J; Abantanga, Francis; Sory, Elias; Osen, Hayley; Ng, Julie; McCord, Colin W; Cherian, Meena; Fleischer-Djoleto, Charles; Perry, Henry

    2011-12-01

    For most of the population in Africa, district hospitals represent the first level of access for emergency and essential surgical services. The present study documents the number and availability of surgical and obstetrical care providers as well as the types of surgical and obstetrical procedures being performed at 10 first-referral district hospitals in Ghana. After institutional review board and governmental approval, a study team composed of Ghanaian and American surgeons performed on-site surveys at 10 district hospitals in 10 different regions of Ghana in August 2009. Face-to-face interviews were conducted documenting the numbers and availability of surgical and obstetrical personnel as well as gathering data relating to the number and types of procedures being performed at the facilities. A total of 68 surgical and obstetrical providers were interviewed. Surgical and obstetrical care providers consisted of Medical Officers (8.5%), nurse anesthetists (6%), theatre nurses (33%), midwives (50.7%), and others (4.5%). Major surgical cases represented 37% of overall case volumes with cesarean section as the most common type of major surgical procedure performed. The most common minor surgical procedures performed were suturing of lacerations or episiotomies. The present study demonstrates that there is a substantial shortage of adequately trained surgeons who can perform surgical and obstetrical procedures at first-referral facilities. Addressing human resource needs and further defining practice constraints at the district hospital level are important facets of future planning and policy implementation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. [Successful patient-activated help call for a doctor during in-hospital stay].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Mette Mejlby; Hasselkvist, Birgith; Thordal, Sofie; Riiskjær, Erik; Kelsen, Jens

    2014-09-29

    Department of Medicine, Randers Regional Hospital, conducted a study of patient-activated help call, involving 1,050 patients with nearly 3,700 days in-hospital stay. Patients were encou-raged to bypass traditional clinical hierarchy of communication when they felt, that their concern was not met by the staff. Three help calls were related to the management of pain. In two cases it resulted in a surgical procedure. A survey including 104 patients revealed that one third reported that patient safety was improved by the initiative and nearly three quarters re-ported that they would be willing to activate the call.

  15. Consumer Choice Between Hospital-Based and Freestanding Facilities for Arthroscopy: Impact on Prices, Spending, and Surgical Complications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, James C; Brown, Timothy T; Whaley, Christopher; Bozic, Kevin J

    2015-09-16

    Hospital-based outpatient departments traditionally charge higher prices for ambulatory procedures, compared with freestanding surgery centers. Under emerging reference-based benefit designs, insurers establish a contribution limit that they will pay, requiring the patient to pay the difference between that contribution limit and the actual price charged by the facility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of reference-based benefits on consumer choices, facility prices, employer spending, and surgical outcomes for orthopaedic procedures performed at ambulatory surgery centers. We obtained data on 3962 patients covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) who underwent arthroscopy of the knee or shoulder in the three years prior to the implementation of reference-based benefits in January 2012 and on 2505 patients covered by CalPERS who underwent arthroscopy in the two years after implementation. Control group data were obtained on 57,791 patients who underwent arthroscopy and were not subject to reference-based benefits. The impact of reference-based benefits on consumer choices between hospital-based and freestanding facilities, facility prices, employer spending, and surgical complications was assessed with use of difference-in-differences multivariable regressions to adjust for patient demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and geographic location. By the second year of the program, the shift to reference-based benefits was associated with an increase in the utilization of freestanding ambulatory surgery centers by 14.3 percentage points (95% confidence interval, 8.1 to 20.5 percentage points) for knee arthroscopy and by 9.9 percentage points (95% confidence interval, 3.2 to 16.7 percentage points) for shoulder arthroscopy and a corresponding decrease in the use of hospital-based facilities. The mean price paid by CalPERS fell by 17.6% (95% confidence interval, -24.9% to -9.6%) for knee procedures and by 17

  16. Management of perforated peptic ulcer in patients at a teaching hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bin-Taleb, Ali K; Razzaq, Riyadh A; Al-Kathiri, Zaki O

    2008-02-01

    To explore and analyze the current status in management of patients with perforated peptic ulcers (PPU). A retrospective study carried out at the Surgical Department, Al-Gamhouria Teaching Hospital, Aden, Yemen. Patients admitted with perforated benign peptic ulcers from January 1997 to December 2006 were included in the study. A total of 156 patients, 138 (88.5%) male and 18 (11.5%) female, with an overall mean age of 39.08 years (range 14-75 years) and a higher frequency of PPU was noted in patients 21-40 years (58.3%). The perforated duodenal ulcer and perforated gastric ulcer ratio was 4.38:1. The mean time of presentation was 16.5 hours, and operative intervention after admission was 5.25 hours. Simple perforation closure was used in 91.7% of the patients. Postoperative complication rate was 41% (statistically significant in cases admitted later than 12 hours), wound sepsis making the majority at 55.2%, 6 deaths (3.9%), the correlation with presentation time was not significant. The overall mean post-operative hospitalization period was 12.76 days; 14.7% of the patients stayed more than 3 weeks. Younger patients (21-40 years) were frequently affected. Emphasis should be placed on shortening the time to surgery. Simple closure remains the selected treatment in the majority of patients. Overall post-operative mortality was low (3.9%). Improving the surgical skills, wound care, administrative regulations, hospital environment, and equipment are needed to reduce the high rate of complications.

  17. A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS, RUPTURED APPENDICITIS AND THE LEVEL OF LEUKOCYTOSIS IN PAEDIATRIC SURGICAL PATIENTS OF NELSON MANDELA CENTRAL HOSPITAL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mtimba, L; Dhaffala, A; Molaoa, S Z

    2017-06-01

    Appendicectomy is the most commonly performed operation worldwide. The diagnosis is predominantly based on clinical findings. Some patients will clinically be unclear if ruptured or acute inflamed appendicitis; the level of white cell count has been used as the predictor for ruptured appendicitis. This was a retrospective chart review of paediatric surgical patients admitted at Nelson Mandela Central Hospital, Mthatha South Africa. A total of 214 patients with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Overall, the ruptured appendicitis was 62% and 38% were inflamed appendicitis. Nature of the acute appendicitis: White cell count, Inflamed, Ruptured, Total p-value 30 0 4 4. This study has demonstrated that in patients who are diagnosed with acute appendicitis clinically, the normal white cell count does not necessarily rule out ruptured acute appendicitis. But the risks of ruptured acute appendicitis increase with the increase level of white cell count.

  18. Is hospital information system relevant to detect surgical site infection? Findings from a prospective surveillance study in posterior instrumented spinal surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boetto, J; Chan-Seng, E; Lonjon, G; Pech, J; Lotthé, A; Lonjon, N

    2015-11-01

    Spinal instrumentation has a high rate of surgical site infection (SSI), but results greatly vary depending on surveillance methodology, surgical procedures, or quality of follow-up. Our aim was to study true incidence of SSI in spinal surgery by significant data collection, and to compare it with the results obtained through the hospital information system. This work is a single center prospective cohort study that included all patients consecutively operated on for spinal instrumentation by posterior approach over a six-month period regardless the etiology. For all patients, a "high definition" prospective method of surveillance was performed by the infection control (IC) department during at least 12 months after surgery. Results were then compared with findings from automatic surveillance though the hospital information system (HIS). One hundred and fifty-four patients were included. We found no hardly difference between "high definition" and automatic surveillance through the HIS, even if HIS tended to under-estimate the infection rate: rate of surgical site infection was 2.60% and gross SSI incidence rate via the hospital information system was 1.95%. Smoking and alcohol consumption were significantly related to a SSI. Our SSI rates to reflect the true incidence of infectious complications in posterior instrumented adult spinal surgery in our hospital and these results were consistent with the lower levels of published infection rate. In-house surveillance by surgeons only is insufficiently sensitive. Further studies with more patients and a longer inclusion time are needed to conclude if SSI case detection through the HIS could be a relevant and effective alternative method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Determinantes de la elección del hospital por parte de los pacientes Factors determining patients' choice of hospital

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    José Joaquín Mira

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Determinar cuál es la mejor forma de informar a un paciente para que elija responsablemente el centro y el servicio sanitario, e identificar los principales factores que actuarían como motivadores de esta decisión. Sujetos y método: Se elaboró la información sobre 3 hospitales ficticios y 3 procesos patológicos (cáncer de mama, hipertrofia benigna de próstata y cataratas en 4 modalidades de presentación: 1 folleto con tablas, 1 folleto con gráficos, 3 folletos con tablas y 3 folletos con gráficos, que incluían datos acerca del personal, sobre los resultados médicos y quirúrgicos, los efectos secundarios, la satisfacción de otros pacientes y familiares, y las demandas y reclamaciones efectuadas contra el hospital. La información se suministró a una muestra de 1.259 sujetos, que cumplimentaron un cuestionario con su valoración de la información recibida. Resultados: Ante la elección de tratamiento, la mayoría de los pacientes (88% preferiría que se les informara y tomar la decisión conjuntamente con el médico. Un 64% eligió el hospital con mejores resultados clínicos. La información en un solo folleto resultó más clara mediante tablas (p Objective: To identify the best way to inform patients about centers and services so that they can make a responsible choice, and to identify which factors determine patients' decisions. Subjects and methods: Data on three illnesses (breast cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and cataracts in three fictitious hospitals were shown to patients. The data were presented to 1,259 subjects through four different means: a brochure including a table, a brochure with a bar graph, three brochures with tables, and three brochures with bar graphs. Data on each of the hospitals included: professional profiles, medical and surgical outcomes, side effects, patients' and relatives' satisfaction, and hospital complaints. The subjects completed a questionnaire evaluating the information

  20. Technology advances in hospital practices: robotics in treatment of patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosiek, Anna; Leksowski, Krzysztof

    2015-06-01

    Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is widely considered as the treatment of choice for acute cholecystitis. The safety of the procedure and its minimal invasiveness made it a valid treatment option for a patient not responding to antibiotic therapy. Our research shows that patients positively assess this treatment method, but the world's tendency is to turn to a more sophisticated method utilizing robot-assisted surgery as a gold standard. Providing patient with minimally invasive surgical procedures that utilize the state-of-the-art equipment like the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System underscores the commitment to high-quality patient care while enhancing patient safety. The advantages include minimal invasive scarring, less pain and bleeding, faster recovery time, and shorter hospital stay. The move toward less invasive and less morbid procedures and a need to re-create the true open surgical experience have paved the way for the development and application of robotic and computer-assisted systems in surgery in Poland as well as the rest of the world. © The Author(s) 2014.

  1. AUDIT OF SURGICAL EMERGENCY AT LAHORE GENERAL HOSPITAL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalid, Sadaf; Bhatti, Afsar Ali; Burhanulhuq

    2015-01-01

    Audit is a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care and outcomes through systematic review of care against explicit criteria and the review of change. Objective of this study was to report the patterns of admissions in our surgical emergency and the comparison of results with the available data. All the patients presented in the surgical emergency of Unit III from April to December 2014. Detail of all surgical patients admitted during the period was recorded from the emergency entry register maintained by the staff nurse. Demographic data, mode of admission, diagnosis and outcomes were recorded on a pro forma. Total number of patients were 11140, out of which 5998 (53.8%) were males and 5142 (46%) were females, mostly were between 18-56 years of age. Emergency surgeries were performed in 650 of our cases whereas the rest of the patients were managed conservatively, treated at minor operation theatre (MOT), referred to their concerned emergencies or discharged. The most common presentation was road traffic accidents followed by trauma, urological emergencies and intestinal obstruction. Overall mortality was estimated as 1.5%. Surgical audit should be made a regular practice to serve as an important and effective tool of accountibilty on clinical outcomes and self evaluation and in improving the quality of our health care system.

  2. Audit of surgical emergency at lahore general hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalid, S.; Bhatti, A.A.; Burhanulhuq, A.

    2015-01-01

    Audit is a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care and outcomes through systematic review of care against explicit criteria and the review of change. Objective of this study was to report the patterns of admissions in our surgical emergency and the comparison of results with the available data Methods: All the patients presented in the surgical emergency of Unit III from April to December 2014. Detail of all surgical patients admitted during the period was recorded from the emergency entry register maintained by the staff nurse. Demographic data mode of admission, diagnosis and outcomes were recorded on proforma. Results: Results: Total number of patients were 11140, out of which 5998 (53.8%) were males and 5142 (46%) were females, mostly were between 18-56 years of age. Emergency surgeries were performed in 650 of our cases whereas the rest of the patients were managed conservatively, treated at minor operation theatre (MOT), referred to their concerned emergencies or discharged. The most common presentation was road traffic accidents followed by trauma, urological emergencies and intestinal obstruction. Overall mortality was estimated as 1.5%. Conclusions: Surgical audit should be made a regular practice to serve as an important and effective tool of accountibilty on clinical outcomes and self evaluation and in improving the quality of our health care system. (author)

  3. Postoperative adverse outcomes in intellectually disabled surgical patients: a nationwide population-based study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jui-An Lin

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Intellectually disabled patients have various comorbidities, but their risks of adverse surgical outcomes have not been examined. This study assesses pre-existing comorbidities, adjusted risks of postoperative major morbidities and mortality in intellectually disabled surgical patients. METHODS: A nationwide population-based study was conducted in patients who underwent inpatient major surgery in Taiwan between 2004 and 2007. Four controls for each patient were randomly selected from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Preoperative major comorbidities, postoperative major complications and 30-day in-hospital mortality were compared between patients with and without intellectual disability. Use of medical services also was analyzed. Adjusted odds ratios using multivariate logistic regression analyses with 95% confidence intervals were applied to verify intellectual disability's impact. RESULTS: Controls were compared with 3983 surgical patients with intellectual disability. Risks for postoperative major complications were increased in patients with intellectual disability, including acute renal failure (odds ratio 3.81, 95% confidence interval 2.28 to 6.37, pneumonia (odds ratio 2.01, 1.61 to 2.49, postoperative bleeding (odds ratio 1.35, 1.09 to 1.68 and septicemia (odds ratio 2.43, 1.85 to 3.21 without significant differences in overall mortality. Disability severity was positively correlated with postoperative septicemia risk. Medical service use was also significantly higher in surgical patients with intellectual disability. CONCLUSION: Intellectual disability significantly increases the risk of overall major complications after major surgery. Our findings show a need for integrated and revised protocols for postoperative management to improve care for intellectually disabled surgical patients.

  4. Pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization costs of patients with neurocysticercosis treated at the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN in Mexico City, Mexico

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    Rachana Bhattarai

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to estimate the direct costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of neurocysticercosis (NCC during pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization periods for 108 NCC patients treated at the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN in Mexico City, Mexico. Information on clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, hospitalizations, surgical procedures, prescription medication, and other treatments was collected via medical chart reviews. Uncertain values for costs and frequency of treatments were imputed using bootstrap techniques. The average per-patient pre-hospitalization and hospitalization costs were US$ 257 (95% CI: 185 – 329 and US$ 2,576 (95% CI: 2,244 – 2,908, respectively. Post-hospitalization costs tended to decrease over time, with estimates for the first five years post-hospitalization of US$ 475 (95% CI: 423 – 527, US$ 228 (95% CI: 167 – 288, US$ 157 (95% CI: 111 – 202, US$ 150 (95% CI: 106 – 204, and US$ 91 (95% CI: 27 – 154, respectively. NCC results in a significant economic burden for patients requiring hospitalization, with this burden continuing years post-hospitalization.

  5. Predictors of long-term cataract surgical patient satisfaction found in cell-phone follow-up in a primarily Tibetan region of China

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    Danba Jiachu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To evaluate predictors of patient satisfaction with vision and comfort following cataract surgery in Kandze Prefecture People's Hospital, in Dartsedo, the capital of a Tibetan region of China.METHODS:Prospective observational study of all patients undergoing cataract surgery in Kandze Hospital in 2012. Patients categorized in terms of ocular pathology and/or surgical complications at discharge, were contacted at 3mo postoperatively by cell-phone to determine satisfaction with vision and presence of discomfort.RESULTS:In 2012, Kandze Hospital conducted 888 cataract operations on 678 patients, 364(54%women. Most patients(93%presented with severe visual impairment or blindness(P=0.037.CONCLUSION:The need forcataract surgical patient follow-up advice at 3mo is predictable at discharge and increasingly possible with cell-phone technology. However, the ability to assist patients with complications or ocular pathology depends on improving eye care services in the region.

  6. Evaluation of the effect of cognitive therapy on perioperative anxiety and depression among Nigerian surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osinowo, H O; Olley, B O; Adejumo, A O

    2003-12-01

    Surgical paients have been known to benefit immensely from psychological interventions. This study set out to assess the pre and postoperative anxiety levels and depression and the effect of cognitive therapy among Nigerian surgical patients. The effects of gender and educational status on perioperative anxiety and depression were also evaluated. The study utilized a controlled outcome design to evaluate the efficacy of self-instructional training (SIT) and rational emotive therapy (RET) in surgical patients. Preoperative anxiety and depression scores were used as co-variants. Thirty-three (33) elective surgical patients were sampled randomly, divided into 3 groups of eleven (11) patients each. Eight (8) subjects underwent gynaecological procedures while the remaining 25 subjects had general surgical procedures. The mean age was 32.72 +/- 15.83 years (range = 17-16 years.) The major instruments used in the study were the State Anxiety Subscale of the Speilberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Inventory. SIT had the potential to reduce anxiety level among subjects postoperatively (t = 2.06; df = 10; p < 0.05). The use of RET reduced depression among surgical patients (t = 1.23; df = 10; p < 0.05). It was concluded that surgical patients manifest varying degrees of anxiety preoperatively and postoperatively. Patient's pre and postoperative anxiety and depression can be reduced by the introduction of SIT and RET.

  7. Universal isolation precautions for patients at an academic hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Maziero,Vanessa Gomes; Vannuchi,Marli Terezinha Oliveira; Vituri,Dagmar Willamourius; Haddad,Maria do Carmo Lourenço; Tada,Cristiane Nakaya

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To apply universal isolation precautions for patients at an academic hospital by a nursing team. METHODS: This descriptive and prospective study used data from advice service of quality control and nursing care that were gathered in observational reports of universal isolation precautions for patients admitted in two surgical inpatient units during 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: The mean general classification for both units was between desirable and adequate in the observational analysis...

  8. Epidemiological profile of patients seen in the pre-anesthetic assessment clinic of a university hospital

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    Monica Loureiro Santos

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective Assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of surgical patients seen in the Pre-anesthetic Assessment Clinic of the Hospital Universitário Gaffrée e Guinle (APA/HUGG, in order to assist in the pursuit for quality, effectiveness, and resource rationalization of hospital management. Method Cross-sectional descriptive study with 491 patients undergoing elective surgery, treated at APA/HUGG Clinic from March to December 2014. The following variables were assessed: sex, age, BMI, smoking status, associated diseases, classification of MET's and ASA, presence of decompensated disease, medical associated appointments interconsultation, specialty and surgical risk, history of prior anesthetic-surgical procedure, and complications. Results There was a predominance of female (64.8% and overweight patients (55.9%, aged 18-59 years. The prevalence of associated diseases was high (71.3%, with hypertension pressure prevailing (50.1%. Most patients had clinically compensated morbidity (96.3% and long-term use of medication (77.4%. Regarding the surgical characteristics, the most frequent specialty was general and medium risk surgeries. The analysis of the characteristics by age showed that the elderly have more associated diseases and long-term use of medication, in addition to predominance of ASA II-III. Conclusion The epidemiological profile of surgical patients seen at the APA/HUGG was female, age 18-59 years, overweight, with associated diseases, long-term use of medication, without clinical decompensation, ASA II and MET's ≥4. Knowledge of the clinical characteristics of surgical patients is critical to schedule the perioperative care, allowing the improvement of quality and safety in anesthesia and surgery.

  9. Lack of patients? A hypothesis for understanding discrepancies between hospital resources and productivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bratlid, Dag

    2006-04-02

    Despite a substantial increase in hospital resources, increased hospital admissions and out-patient visits, long waiting lists have been a significant problem in Norwegian health care. A detailed analysis of the development in resource allocation and productivity at St. Olavs University Hospital in central Norway was therefore undertaken. Resource allocation and patient volume was analysed during the period 1995 to 2001. Data were analysed both for emergency and elective admissions as well as outpatient visits specified into new referrals and follow-up consultations. Full time employee equivalents for doctors and nurses increased by 36.6% and 25.9%, respectively, and all employees by 28.1%. However, admitted patients, outpatient consultations and surgical procedures only increased by 10%, 15% and 8.3%, respectively. Thus, the productivity for each hospital employee, defined as operations pr. surgeon, outpatient consultations pr. doctor etc. was significantly reduced. A striking finding was that although the number of outpatient consultations increased, the number of new referrals actually went down and the whole increase in activity at the outpatient clinics could be explained by a substantial increase in follow-up consultations. This trend was more evident in the surgical departments, where some departments actually showed a reduction in total outpatient consultations. In view of the slow increase in hospital activity in spite of a significant increase in resources, it can be speculated that patient volume might be a limiting factor for hospital activity. The health market (patient population) might not be big enough in relation to the investments in increased production capacity (equipment and manpower).

  10. Surgical adverse outcomes and patients' evaluation of quality of care: inherent risk or reduced quality of care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marang-van de Mheen, Perla J; van Duijn-Bakker, Nanny; Kievit, Job

    2007-12-01

    Previous research has shown that sicker patients are less satisfied with their healthcare, but specific effects of adverse health outcomes have not been investigated. The present study aimed to assess whether patients who experience adverse outcomes, in hospital or after discharge, differ in their evaluation of quality of care compared with patients without adverse outcomes. In hospital adverse outcomes were prospectively recorded by surgeons and surgical residents as part of routine care. Four weeks after discharge, patients were interviewed by telephone about the occurrence of post-discharge adverse outcomes, and their overall evaluation of quality of hospital care and specific suggestions for improvements in the healthcare provided. Of 2145 surgical patients admitted to the Leiden University Medical Center in 2003, 1876 (88%) agreed to be interviewed. Overall evaluation was less favourable by patients who experienced post-discharge adverse outcomes only (average 19% lower). These patients were also more often dissatisfied (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.31) than patients without adverse outcomes, and they more often suggested that improvements were needed in medical care (OR 2.07, 1.45 to 2.95) and that patients were discharged too early (OR 3.26, 1.72 to 6.20). The effect of in hospital adverse outcomes alone was not statistically significant. Patients with both in hospital and post-discharge adverse outcomes also found the quality of care to be lower (on average 33% lower) than patients without adverse outcomes. Post-discharge adverse outcomes negatively influence patients' overall evaluation of quality of care and are perceived as being discharged too early, suggesting that patients need better information at discharge.

  11. Oncology patients hospitalized in the Clinicas Hospital Dr. Manuel Quintela

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arostegui, M.; Borba, M.; Caldarelli, D.; Eguiia, A.; Fernandez, E.; Peleteiro, M.; Pereira, C.; Vico, M.

    2004-01-01

    This work was carried out by a nursery licensed group in the Clinicas Hospital - Dr. Manuel Quintela.The nature and functioning of Services and the allocation of resources, are essential for the analysis of the Survey of the hospitalized oncology patients in the Institution. To develop a model of care that constitutes a health care as well as teaching and research in the country regarding the quality of care was defined the following topics: lower risks for the patient, safer care, personal trained and specialized to promote relationship between the offering and the person receiving the service. The assessment and management performance of the services involved in the operation are the result of the degree of user satisfaction. Objective: To determine the human and material necessary for the care of cancer resources users, considering their number, treatment, complications and nursing care derived from each pathology and stage of disease. Methodology: A comparative descriptive study of the same population was conducted in two transverse sections in relation to two different times which are based on the design of a form that allowed hospitalized to collect information on users 6/12/03 and 6/16/04. Other instruments used were the clinical history and the daily census staff Patients and Nursing Division. Results and conclusions: A comparative descriptive analysis already mentioned are: increased internships and cancer patients; between 50 and 64 is the highest number of patients; diagnoses Face and Neck and maintain the Digestive System more cases; the number of patients doubles and Hematology Neurological from one to another period. Chemotherapy is the treatment choice and there is a decrease in the surgical and medical; more patients in the study; in the origin, Montevideo has the largest number of patients followed by Canelones. Line of nursing intervention will be carried out in short, medium and long term

  12. Surgical emergencies in obstetrics and gynaecology in a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pokharel, Hanoon P; Dahal, Prerana; Rai, Rubina; Budhathoki, ShyamSundar

    2013-01-01

    The management of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Emergency is directed at the preservation of life, health, sexual function and the perpetuation of fertility. Main aim of the study was to access the burden of Surgical Emergency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and their course of management at BPKIHS. A total of 314 women presenting at the emergency admission room of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of BPKIHS over two years, who required surgical intervention were included in this hospital based descriptive study. Clinical assessment and routine laboratory investigations were performed in all cases. All patients who presented with shock were resuscitated and surgery was done at earliest possible time. The age of patients ranged from 15- 55 years with approximately 43% in the 25-34 years category. Ninety two percent of them were married. Among the unmarried, 64% came with problems related to unsafe abortion. About 61% of females presenting as acute surgical abdomen had ruptured ectopic pregnancy, 7.64% had twisted ovarian cyst, and 6.26% had haemoperitoneum and pyoperitoneum following vaginal hysterectomies, total abdominal hysterectomies and caesarean section. Almost half (47.8%) of the cases underwent salphingectomy. Women present with wide range of complaints and conditions in the admission room of Obstetrics and Gynecology department of BPKIHS. Skilled clinicians, immediate investigation facilities and experienced specialty Obstetrical and Gynaecological surgeons are the main backbone of the emergency case management and saving lives. Study indicates there is need of some prospective study to establish the causes of rising trend in Ectopic Pregnancies.

  13. Predictors of Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Infections in Surgical Intensive Care Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

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    Aynur Camkıran

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB is an important cause of hospital acquired infection and leads to an increasing morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICU. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of MRAB infection in surgical ICU patients. Material and Method: The charts of the patients who were admitted to the ICU between January 2008 and August 2010 were reviewed to identify patients with MRAB infection. Recorded data were as follows: age, sex, medical history, underlying surgical pathology, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (APACHE II and Glasgow Coma Score on ICU admission,presence of invasive procedures (intubation, arterial, central venous lines, urinary catheters, and renal replacement therapy, days in ICU and white blood cells (WBC and lactate count on infection day, infection site, complications (such as organ/system failure, length of stay (LOS in the ICU and hospital, and final outcome. Results: During the study period 25 patients with MRAB infection were identified. When compared with their matched control group (n=25, patients with MRAB infection had a significantly higher mean APACHE II score (p=0.001 and more frequently had an open wound (p=0.002 or required mechanical ventilation (p=0.005, with respiratory system disease (p=0.03, arterial catheterization (p=0.006, and central venous catheterization (p=0.004. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that APACHE II score (OR,1.155; CI, 1.008-1.324; p= 0.038 and open wound (OR, 27.77; CI, 2.020-333.333; p=0.018 were predictors of MRAB infection in these patients. Compared to their controls, patients with MRAB infection hand a longer LOS in ICU (36.44±30.44 days vs 7.80±8.13 days, p<0.000 and hospital (55.12±40.81 days vs 19.04±13.44 days, p<0.000. In hospital mortality rates for patients with MRAB infection and their controls were 56% and 32%, respectively (p=0.154. Conclusion: Our results indicate

  14. Clinical outcome in acute small bowel obstruction after surgical or conservative management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Raphael P H; de Saussure, Wassila Oulhaci; Orci, Lorenzo A; Gutzwiller, Eveline M; Morel, Philippe; Ris, Frédéric; Schwenter, Frank

    2014-12-01

    Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is characterized by a high rate of recurrence. In the present study, we aimed to compare the outcomes of patients managed either by conservative treatment or surgical operation for an episode of SBO. The outcomes of all patients hospitalized at a single center for acute SBO between 2004 and 2007 were assessed. The occurrence of recurrent hospitalization, surgery, SBO symptoms at home, and mortality was determined. Among 221 patients admitted with SBO, 136 underwent a surgical procedure (surgical group) and 85 were managed conservatively (conservative group). Baseline characteristics were similar between treatment groups. The median follow-up time (interquartile range) was 4.7 (3.7-5.8) years. Nineteen patients (14.0 %) of the surgical group were hospitalized for recurrent SBO versus 25 (29.4 %) of the conservative group [hazard ratio (HR), 0.5; 95 % CI, 0.3-0.9]. The need for a surgical management of a new SBO episode was similar between the two groups, ten patients (7.4 %) in the surgical group and six patients (7.1 %) in the conservative group (HR, 1.1; 95 % CI, 0.4-3.1). Five-year mortality from the date of hospital discharge was not significantly different between the two groups (age- and sex-adjusted HR, 1.1; 95 % CI, 0.6-2.1). A follow-up evaluation was obtained for 130 patients. Among them, 24 patients (34.8 %) of the surgical group and 35 patients (57.4 %) of the conservative group had recurrent SBO symptoms (odds ratio, 0.4; 95 % CI, 0.2-0.8). The recurrence of SBO symptoms and new hospitalizations were significantly lower after surgical management of SBO compared with conservative treatment.

  15. The cost of hospitalization in Crohn's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, R D; Larson, L R; Roth, J M; Becker, R V; Mummert, L L

    2000-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the demographics, resource use, and costs associated with hospitalization of Crohn's disease patients. All patients hospitalized at our institution from 7/1/96 to 6/30/97 with a primary diagnosis of "Crohn's Disease" were analyzed using a computerized database. Data are presented "per hospitalization." A total of 175 hospitalizations (147 patients) were identified. Mean patient age was 36.5 yr; 61% were female; 82% Caucasian. Payer mix was most commonly contracted (57%), commercial (21%), or Medicare (13%). 57% of hospitalizations had a primary surgical procedure; the remainder were medical. Average length of stay was 8.7 days (surgical, 9.6 days; medical, 7.5 days). The average cost of hospitalization, excluding physician fees, was $12,528 (surgical, $14,409; medical, $10,020), whereas average charges were $35,378 (surgical, $46,354; medical, $20,744), including physician fees, which averaged $7,249 (surgical, $11,217; medical, $1,959). Mean reimbursements were $21,968 (surgical, $28,946; medical, $12,666) with average weighted reimbursement rates of 60.17% of hospital charges, 69.57% of physician fees. The distribution of costs across subcategories was: Surgery (39.6%), Pharmacy (18.6%), Laboratory (3.8%), Radiology (2.1%), Pathology (0.8%), Endoscopy (0.3%), and Other Hospital Costs (34.9%). Of the hospitalizations, 87% included treatment with steroids, 23% with immunomodulators, and 14% with aminosalicylates; 27% included the administration of total parenteral nutrition, which accounted for 63% of the total pharmacy costs. Surgery accounts for the majority of hospitalizations, nearly 40% of their total costs, and 75% of overall charges and reimbursements. Therapy that decreases the number of surgical hospitalizations should substantially reduce inpatient Crohn's disease costs, as well as overall costs.

  16. Reduction of operative mortality after implementation of Surgical Outcomes Monitoring and Improvement Programme by Hong Kong Hospital Authority.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuen, W C; Wong, K; Cheung, Y S; Lai, P Bs

    2018-04-01

    Since 2008, the Hong Kong Hospital Authority has implemented a Surgical Outcomes Monitoring and Improvement Programme (SOMIP) at 17 public hospitals with surgical departments. This study aimed to assess the change in operative mortality rate after implementation of SOMIP. The SOMIP included all Hospital Authority patients undergoing major/ultra-major procedures in general surgery, urology, plastic surgery, and paediatric surgery. Patients undergoing liver or renal transplantation or who had multiple trauma or massive bowel ischaemia were excluded. In SOMIP, data retrieval from the Hospital Authority patient database was performed by six full-time nurse reviewers following a set of precise data definitions. A total of 230 variables were collected for each patient, on demographics, preoperative and operative variables, laboratory test results, and postoperative complications up to 30 days after surgery. In this study, we used SOMIP cumulative 5-year data to generate risk-adjusted 30-day mortality models by hierarchical logistic regression for both emergency and elective operations. The models expressed overall performance as an annual observed-to-expected mortality ratio. From 2009/2010 to 2015/2016, the overall crude mortality rate decreased from 10.8% to 5.6% for emergency procedures and from 0.9% to 0.4% for elective procedures. From 2011/2012 to 2015/2016, the risk-adjusted observed-to-expected mortality ratios showed a significant downward trend for both emergency and elective operations: from 1.126 to 0.796 and from 1.150 to 0.859, respectively (Mann- Kendall statistic = -0.8; PAuthority's overall crude mortality rates and risk-adjusted observed-to-expected mortality ratios for emergency and elective operations significantly declined after SOMIP was implemented.

  17. Scored patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment: Length of hospital stay and mortality in cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexsandro Ferreira dos SANTOS

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To determine the association of a scored patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment with mortality and length of hospital stay in cancer patients. Methods Cross-sectional study carried out between July and September 2014 using secondary data collection using data from 366 medical records of patients admitted to a hospital recognized as a cancer center of excellence. The present study included patients with hospital stay over than or equal three days and minimum age of 20 years. The patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment scores were calculated and compared with the patients’ clinical and anthropometric characteristics and outcomes (death and long length of stay in hospital. Results Of the 366 patients evaluated, 36.0% were malnourished. The presence of malnutrition, according to the scored patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment, was statistically associated with the presence of metastasis (52.4%. On the other hand, malnutrition, according to the body mass index in adults (55.8% and in older elderly patients (54.2%, was associated with death (55.0%. The adjusted logistic regression model showed that the following factors were associated with prolonged hospitalization: early nutritional screening, presence of severe malnutrition, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and surgical procedures. As for mortality, the associated factors were: male reproductive system tumor, presence of metastasis, clinical treatment, prolonged hospitalization, and the presence of some degree of malnutrition. Conclusion The patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment score is an important risk marker of prolonged hospitalization and mortality rates. It is a useful tool capable of circumventing significant biases in the nutritional evaluation of cancer patients.

  18. Discrete-choice experiment to measure patient preferences for the surgical management of colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salkeld, G; Solomon, M; Butow, P; Short, L

    2005-06-01

    Establishing trust between a patient and his or her surgeon is of paramount importance. The aim of this study was to assess the relative importance of the 'attributes of trust' between surgeon and patient with colorectal cancer. A discrete-choice questionnaire was conducted with 60 men and 43 women who had completed primary treatment for colorectal cancer in two teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Forty-seven of the 103 patients based their choice of surgical management on a single attribute and the remainder were willing to trade between different attributes. In order of importance, patients based their choice of surgical management on specialty training (beta coefficient = 0.83), surgeon's communication (beta = 0.82), type of hospital (beta = 0.72) and who decides treatment (beta = 0.01). Patients who were vigilant in their decision-making style and those who did not have tertiary education were more likely to change their preferences in the repeat interview. Clinicians may have a better chance of meeting a patient's expectations about the process of care if they assess the patient's desire for knowledge and give those who do not have tertiary education more time to assimilate information about their treatment. Copyright (c) 2005 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Management of perforated peptic ulcer in patients at a teaching hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bin-Taleb, Ali K.; Razzaq, Riyadh A.; Al-Kathiri, Zaki O.

    2008-01-01

    Objective was to explore and analyze the current status in management of patients with perforated peptic ulcers (PPU). A retrospective study carried out at the Surgical Department, Al-Gamhouria Teaching Hospital, Aden, Yemen. Patients admitted with perforated benign peptic ulcers from January 1997 to December 2006 were included in the study. A total of 156 patients, 138 (88.5%) male and 18 (11.5%) female, with an overall mean age of 39.08 years (range 14-75 years) and a higher frequency of PPU were noted in patients 21-40 years (58.3%). The perforated duodenal ulcer and perforated gastric ulcer ratio was 4.8:1. The mean time of presentation was 16.5 hours, and operative intervention after admission was 5.25 hours. Simple perforation closure was used in 91.7% of the patients. Postoperative complication rate was 41% (statistically significant in cases admitted later than 12 hours) wound sepsis making the majority at 55.2%, 6 deaths (3.9%), the correlation with presentation time was not significant. The overall mean post-operative hospitalization period was 12.76 days; 14.7% of the patients stayed more than 3 weeks. Younger patients (21-40 years) were frequently affected. Emphasis should be placed on shortening the time to surgery. Simple closure remains the selected treatment in the majority of patients. Overall post-operative mortality was low (3.9%). Improving the surgical skills, wound care, administrative regulations, hospital environment and the equipments are needed to reduce the high rate of complications. (author)

  20. Herbal medications for surgical patients: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arruda, Ana Paula Nappi; Ayala, Ana Patricia; Lopes, Luciane C; Bergamaschi, Cristiane C; Guimarães, Caio; Grossi, Mariana Del; Righesso, Leonardo A R; Agarwal, Arnav; El Dib, Regina

    2017-07-26

    Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) affect approximately 80% of surgical patients and is associated with increased length of hospital stay and systemic costs. Preoperative and postoperative pain, anxiety and depression are also commonly reported. Recent evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness has not been synthesised. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of herbal medications for the treatment and prevention of anxiety, depression, pain and PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic, obstetrical/gynaecological and cardiovascular surgical procedures. The following electronic databases will be searched up to 1 October 2016 without language or publication status restrictions: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and LILACS. Randomised clinical trials enrolling adult surgical patients undergoing laparoscopic, obstetrical/gynaecological and cardiovascular surgeries and managed with herbal medication versus a control group (placebo, no intervention or active control) prophylactically or therapeutically will be considered eligible. Outcomes of interest will include the following: anxiety, depression, pain, nausea and vomiting. A team of reviewers will complete title and abstract screening and full-text screening for identified hits independently and in duplicate. Data extraction, risk of bias assessments and evaluation of the overall quality of evidence for each relevant outcome reported will be conducted independently and in duplicate using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation classification system. Dichotomous data will be summarised as risk ratios; continuous data will be summarised as standard average differences with 95% CIs. This is one of the first efforts to systematically summarise existing evidence evaluating the use of herbal medications in laparoscopic, obstetrical/gynaecological and cardiovascular surgical patients. The findings of this review will be disseminated

  1. Prospective validation of a surgical complications grading system in a cohort of 2114 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazeh, Haggi; Cohen, Oded; Mizrahi, Ido; Hamburger, Tamar; Stojadinovic, Alexander; Abu-Wasel, Bassam; Alaiyan, Bilal; Freund, Herbert R; Eid, Ahmed; Nissan, Aviram

    2014-05-01

    We recently reported a grading system for surgical complications. This system proved to have a high sensitivity for recording minor but meaningful complications prolonging hospital stay in patients after colorectal surgery. We aimed to prospectively validate the complication grading system in a general surgery department over 1 year. All surgical procedures and related complications were prospectively recorded between January 1st and December 31st, 2009. Surgical complications were graded on a severity scale of 1-5. The system classifies short-term outcome by grade emphasizing intensity of therapy required for treatment of the defined complication. During the study period, 2114 patients underwent surgery. Elective and oncological surgeries were performed in 1606 (76%) and 465 (22%) patients, respectively. There were 422 surgical complications in 304 (14%) patients (Grade 1/2: 203 [67%]; Grade 3/4: 90 [29%]; Grade 5: 11 [4%]). Median length of stay correlated significantly with complication severity: 2.3 d for no complication, 6.2 and 11.8 d for Grades 1/2 and 3/4, respectively (P 2 (OR 2.07, P Grade (OR 1.85, P = 0.001), oncological (OR 2.82, P 120 min (OR 2.08, P grading surgical complications permits standardized reporting of surgical morbidity according to the severity of impact. Prospective validation of this system supports its use in a general surgery setting as a tool for surgical outcome assessment and quality assurance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluating Surgical Residents' Patient-Centered Communication Skills: Practical Alternatives to the "Apprenticeship Model".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newcomb, Anna; Trickey, Amber W; Lita, Elena; Dort, Jonathan

    2017-10-06

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires residency programs to assess communication skills and provide feedback to residents. We aimed to develop a feasible data collection process that generates objective clinical performance information to guide training activities, inform ACGME milestone evaluations, and validate assessment instruments. Residents care for patients in the surgical clinic and in the hospital, and participate in a communication curriculum providing practice with standardized patients (SPs). We measured perception of resident communication using the 14-item Communication Assessment Tool (CAT), collecting data from patients at the surgery clinic and surgical wards in the hospital, and from SP encounters during simulated training scenarios. We developed a handout of CAT example behaviors to guide patients completing the communication assessment. Independent academic medical center. General surgery residents. The primary outcome is the percentage of total items patients rated "excellent;" we collected data on 24 of 25 residents. Outpatient evaluations resulted in significantly higher scores (mean 84.5% vs. 68.6%, p communication assessments in their concurrent patient population (p = 0.017), and (2) receiving CAT example instructions was associated with a lower percentage of excellent ratings by 9.3% (p = 0.047). Our data collection process provides a model for obtaining meaningful information about resident communication proficiency. CAT evaluations of surgical residents by the inpatient population had not previously been described in the literature; our results provide important insight into relationships between the evaluations provided by inpatients, clinic patients, and SPs in simulation. Our example behaviors guide shows promise for addressing a common concern, minimizing ceiling effects when measuring physician-patient communication. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by

  3. Poor Performance on a Preoperative Cognitive Screening Test Predicts Postoperative Complications in Older Orthopedic Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culley, Deborah J; Flaherty, Devon; Fahey, Margaret C; Rudolph, James L; Javedan, Houman; Huang, Chuan-Chin; Wright, John; Bader, Angela M; Hyman, Bradley T; Blacker, Deborah; Crosby, Gregory

    2017-11-01

    The American College of Surgeons and the American Geriatrics Society have suggested that preoperative cognitive screening should be performed in older surgical patients. We hypothesized that unrecognized cognitive impairment in patients without a history of dementia is a risk factor for development of postoperative complications. We enrolled 211 patients 65 yr of age or older without a diagnosis of dementia who were scheduled for an elective hip or knee replacement. Patients were cognitively screened preoperatively using the Mini-Cog and demographic, medical, functional, and emotional/social data were gathered using standard instruments or review of the medical record. Outcomes included discharge to place other than home (primary outcome), delirium, in-hospital medical complications, hospital length-of-stay, 30-day emergency room visits, and mortality. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Fifty of 211 (24%) patients screened positive for probable cognitive impairment (Mini-Cog less than or equal to 2). On age-adjusted multivariate analysis, patients with a Mini-Cog score less than or equal to 2 were more likely to be discharged to a place other than home (67% vs. 34%; odds ratio = 3.88, 95% CI = 1.58 to 9.55), develop postoperative delirium (21% vs. 7%; odds ratio = 4.52, 95% CI = 1.30 to 15.68), and have a longer hospital length of stay (hazard ratio = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42 to 0.95) compared to those with a Mini-Cog score greater than 2. Many older elective orthopedic surgical patients have probable cognitive impairment preoperatively. Such impairment is associated with development of delirium postoperatively, a longer hospital stay, and lower likelihood of going home upon hospital discharge.

  4. Evaluation of a Progressive Mobility Protocol in Postoperative Cardiothoracic Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floyd, Shawn; Craig, Sarah W; Topley, Darla; Tullmann, Dorothy

    2016-01-01

    Cardiothoracic surgical patients are at high risk for complications related to immobility, such as increased intensive care and hospital length of stay, intensive care unit readmission, pressure ulcer development, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus. A progressive mobility protocol was started in the thoracic cardiovascular intensive care unit in a rural academic medical center. The purpose of the progressive mobility protocol was to increase mobilization of postoperative patients and decrease complications related to immobility in this unique patient population. A matched-pairs design was used to compare a randomly selected sample of the preintervention group (n = 30) to a matched postintervention group (n = 30). The analysis compared outcomes including intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, intensive care unit readmission occurrence, pressure ulcer prevalence, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism prevalence between the 2 groups. Although this comparison does not achieve statistical significance (P mobility. This study has implications for nursing, hospital administration, and therapy services with regard to staffing and cost savings related to fewer complications of immobility. Future studies with a larger sample size and other populations are warranted.

  5. The surgical safety checklist and patient outcomes after surgery: a prospective observational cohort study, systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbott, T E F; Ahmad, T; Phull, M K; Fowler, A J; Hewson, R; Biccard, B M; Chew, M S; Gillies, M; Pearse, R M

    2018-01-01

    The surgical safety checklist is widely used to improve the quality of perioperative care. However, clinicians continue to debate the clinical effectiveness of this tool. Prospective analysis of data from the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), an international observational study of elective in-patient surgery, accompanied by a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. The exposure was surgical safety checklist use. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was postoperative complications. In the ISOS cohort, a multivariable multi-level generalized linear model was used to test associations. To further contextualise these findings, we included the results from the ISOS cohort in a meta-analysis. Results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. We included 44 814 patients from 497 hospitals in 27 countries in the ISOS analysis. There were 40 245 (89.8%) patients exposed to the checklist, whilst 7508 (16.8%) sustained ≥1 postoperative complications and 207 (0.5%) died before hospital discharge. Checklist exposure was associated with reduced mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.49 (0.32-0.77); P<0.01], but no difference in complication rates [OR 1.02 (0.88-1.19); P=0.75]. In a systematic review, we screened 3732 records and identified 11 eligible studies of 453 292 patients including the ISOS cohort. Checklist exposure was associated with both reduced postoperative mortality [OR 0.75 (0.62-0.92); P<0.01; I 2 =87%] and reduced complication rates [OR 0.73 (0.61-0.88); P<0.01; I 2 =89%). Patients exposed to a surgical safety checklist experience better postoperative outcomes, but this could simply reflect wider quality of care in hospitals where checklist use is routine. Copyright © 2017 British Journal of Anaesthesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Reliability of risk-adjusted outcomes for profiling hospital surgical quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krell, Robert W; Hozain, Ahmed; Kao, Lillian S; Dimick, Justin B

    2014-05-01

    Quality improvement platforms commonly use risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality to profile hospital performance. However, given small hospital caseloads and low event rates for some procedures, it is unclear whether these outcomes reliably reflect hospital performance. To determine the reliability of risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality for hospital performance profiling using clinical registry data. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, 2009. Participants included all patients (N = 55,466) who underwent colon resection, pancreatic resection, laparoscopic gastric bypass, ventral hernia repair, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, and lower extremity bypass. Outcomes included risk-adjusted overall morbidity, severe morbidity, and mortality. We assessed reliability (0-1 scale: 0, completely unreliable; and 1, perfectly reliable) for all 3 outcomes. We also quantified the number of hospitals meeting minimum acceptable reliability thresholds (>0.70, good reliability; and >0.50, fair reliability) for each outcome. For overall morbidity, the most common outcome studied, the mean reliability depended on sample size (ie, how high the hospital caseload was) and the event rate (ie, how frequently the outcome occurred). For example, mean reliability for overall morbidity was low for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (reliability, 0.29; sample size, 25 cases per year; and event rate, 18.3%). In contrast, mean reliability for overall morbidity was higher for colon resection (reliability, 0.61; sample size, 114 cases per year; and event rate, 26.8%). Colon resection (37.7% of hospitals), pancreatic resection (7.1% of hospitals), and laparoscopic gastric bypass (11.5% of hospitals) were the only procedures for which any hospitals met a reliability threshold of 0.70 for overall morbidity. Because severe morbidity and mortality are less frequent outcomes, their mean

  7. [Nutritional risk screening and its clinical significance in 706 children hospitalized in the surgical department].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Lu-Ting; Li, Rong; Zhao, Wei-Hua; Chen, Yin-Hua; Li, Xiao-Mei; Chen, Meng-Ying; Cao, Jia; Li, Xiao-Nan

    2013-10-01

    To investigate nutritional risk and its relationship with clinical outcome in children hospitalized in the surgical department, and to provide a scientific basis for clinical nutrition management. Nutritional risk screening was performed on 706 children hospitalized in the surgical department using the Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth. The data on nutritional support during hospitalization, incidence of infectious complications, length of hospital stay, post operative length of hospital stay and total hospital expenses were recorded. Of the 706 cases, 11.5% had high nutritional risk, 46.0% had moderate nutritional risk, and 42.5% had low nutritional risk. Congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, intestinal obstruction and congenital heart disease were the three most common types of high nutritional risk. The incidence of high nutritional risk was significantly higher in infants than in other age groups (Pnutritional risk received parenteral nutrition. Children with high nutritional risk were significantly more likely to have weight loss than children with low nutritional risk (Pnutritional risk had significantly increased incidence of infectious complications, length of hospital stay, post operative length of hospital stay and total hospital expenses compared with those with moderate or low nutritional risk (Pnutritional risk is seen in children hospitalized in the surgical department. Nutritional risk score is correlated with clinical outcome. Nutritional support for these children is not yet properly provided. Nutritional risk screening and standard nutritional support should be widely applied among hospitalized children.

  8. Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Rheumatic Valve Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernesto Koehler Chavez

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To assess heart rhythm and predictive factors associated with sinus rhythm after one year in patients with rheumatic valve disease undergoing concomitant surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. Operative mortality, survival and occurrence of stroke after one year were also evaluated. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of 103 patients undergoing rheumatic mitral valve surgery and ablation of atrial fibrillation using uni- or bipolar radiofrequency between January 2013 and December 2014. Age, gender, functional class (NYHA, type of atrial fibrillation, EuroSCORE, duration of atrial fibrillation, stroke, left atrial size, left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiopulmonary bypass time, myocardial ischemia time and type of radiofrequency were investigated. Results: After one year, 66.3% of patients were in sinus rhythm. Sinus rhythm at hospital discharge, lower left atrial size in the preoperative period and bipolar radiofrequency were associated with a greater chance of sinus rhythm after one year. Operative mortality was 7.7%. Survival rate after one year was 92.3% and occurrence of stroke was 1%. Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation ablation surgery with surgical approach of rheumatic mitral valve resulted in 63.1% patients in sinus rhythm after one year. Discharge from hospital in sinus rhythm was a predictor of maintenance of this rhythm. Increased left atrium and use of unipolar radiofrequency were associated with lower chance of sinus rhythm. Operative mortality rate of 7.7% and survival and stroke-free survival contribute to excellent care results for this approach.

  9. Using the AUDIT-PC to predict alcohol withdrawal in hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pecoraro, Anna; Ewen, Edward; Horton, Terry; Mooney, Ruth; Kolm, Paul; McGraw, Patty; Woody, George

    2014-01-01

    Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) occurs when alcohol-dependent individuals abruptly reduce or stop drinking. Hospitalized alcohol-dependent patients are at risk. Hospitals need a validated screening tool to assess withdrawal risk, but no validated tools are currently available. To examine the admission Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-(Piccinelli) Consumption (AUDIT-PC) ability to predict the subsequent development of AWS among hospitalized medical-surgical patients admitted to a non-intensive care setting. Retrospective case–control study of patients discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of AWS. All patients with AWS were classified as presenting with AWS or developing AWS later during admission. Patients admitted to an intensive care setting and those missing AUDIT-PC scores were excluded from analysis. A hierarchical (by hospital unit) logistic regression was performed and receiver-operating characteristics were examined on those developing AWS after admission and randomly selected controls. Because those diagnosing AWS were not blinded to the AUDIT-PC scores, a sensitivity analysis was performed. The study cohort included all patients age ≥18 years admitted to any medical or surgical units in a single health care system from 6 October 2009 to 7 October 2010. After exclusions, 414 patients were identified with AWS. The 223 (53.9 %) who developed AWS after admission were compared to 466 randomly selected controls without AWS. An AUDIT-PC score ≥4 at admission provides 91.0 % sensitivity and 89.7 % specificity (AUC=0.95; 95 % CI, 0.94–0.97) for AWS, and maximizes the correct classification while resulting in 17 false positives for every true positive identified. Performance remained excellent on sensitivity analysis (AUC=0.92; 95 % CI, 0.90–0.93). Increasing AUDIT-PC scores were associated with an increased risk of AWS (OR=1.68, 95 % CI 1.55–1.82, pAUDIT-PC score is an excellent discriminator of AWS and could be an important component

  10. 'It's a matter of patient safety': understanding challenges in everyday clinical practice for achieving good care on the surgical ward - a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jangland, Eva; Nyberg, Berit; Yngman-Uhlin, Pia

    2017-06-01

    Surgical care plays an important role in the acute hospital's delivery of safe, high-quality patient care. Although demands for effectiveness are high in surgical wards quality of care and patient safety must also be secured. It is therefore necessary to identify the challenges and barriers linked to quality of care and patient safety with a focus on this specific setting. To explore situations and processes that support or hinder good safe patient care on the surgical ward. This qualitative study was based on a strategic sample of 10 department and ward leaders in three hospitals and six surgical wards in Sweden. Repeated reflective interviews were analysed using systematic text condensation. Four themes described the leaders' view of a complex healthcare setting that demands effectiveness and efficiency in moving patients quickly through the healthcare system. Quality of care and patient safety were often hampered factors such as a shift of care level, with critically ill patients cared for without reorganisation of nurses' competencies on the surgical ward. There is a gap between what is described in written documents and what is or can be performed in clinical practice to achieve good care and safe care on the surgical ward. A shift in levels of care on the surgical ward without reallocation of the necessary competencies at the patient's bedside show consequences for quality of care and patient safety. This means that surgical wards should consider reviewing their organisation and implementing more advanced nursing roles in direct patient care on all shifts. The ethical issues and the moral stress on nurses who lack the resources and competence to deliver good care according to professional values need to be made more explicit as a part of the patient safety agenda in the surgical ward. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  11. Mobile emergency (surgical hospital: Development and application in medical relief of “4.20” Lushan earthquake in Sichuan Province, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Bin

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In the 21st century, natural disasters and emergencies occur frequently worldwide, which leads to the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives as well as the direct and indirect economic losses. China has a vast territory frequently struck by natural disasters. However, the reality is not optimistic. Poor organization and management during the rescue actions, the lack of large-scale, systematic medical rescue equipment were all great barriers to the outcomes. Mobile hospitals are expected to provide better health care. We were inspired by the concept of mobile hospital. Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, has set up trauma care system since 1988, in which prehospital care, intensive care, and in-hospital treatment is fully integrated. As a major advantage, such a system provided assurance of “golden hour” rescue treatment. Providing mobile intensive care and prehospital surgical service for severe trauma patients could reduce mortality significantly. Based on the civilian experiences in Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, the mobile emergency (surgical hospital was developed.

  12. Surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis in young patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Feng; Gou, Shan-Miao; Xiong, Jiong-Xin; Wu, He-Shui; Wang, Chun-You; Liu, Tao

    2014-10-01

    The main treatment strategies for chronic pancreatitis in young patients include therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) intervention and surgical intervention. Therapeutic ERCP intervention is performed much more extensively for its minimally invasive nature, but a part of patients are referred to surgery at last. Historical and follow-up data of 21 young patients with chronic pancreatitis undergoing duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection were analyzed to evaluate the outcomes of therapeutic ERCP intervention and surgical intervention in this study. The surgical complications of repeated therapeutic ERCP intervention and surgical intervention were 38% and 19% respectively. During the first therapeutic ERCP intervention to surgical intervention, 2 patients developed diabetes, 5 patients developed steatorrhea, and 5 patients developed pancreatic type B pain. During the follow-up of surgical intervention, 1 new case of diabetes occurred, 1 case of steatorrhea recovered, and 4 cases of pancreatic type B pain were completely relieved. In a part of young patients with chronic pancreatitis, surgical intervention was more effective than therapeutic ERCP intervention on delaying the progression of the disease and relieving the symptoms.

  13. Implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program on the medical-surgical service of a 100-bed community hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Storey Donald F

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Antimicrobial stewardship has been promoted as a key strategy for coping with the problems of antimicrobial resistance and Clostridium difficile. Despite the current call for stewardship in community hospitals, including smaller community hospitals, practical examples of stewardship programs are scarce in the reported literature. The purpose of the current report is to describe the implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program on the medical-surgical service of a 100-bed community hospital employing a core strategy of post-prescriptive audit with intervention and feedback. Methods For one hour twice weekly, an infectious diseases physician and a clinical pharmacist audited medical records of inpatients receiving systemic antimicrobial therapy and made non-binding, written recommendations that were subsequently scored for implementation. Defined daily doses (DDDs; World Health Organization Center for Drug Statistics Methodology and acquisition costs per admission and per patient-day were calculated monthly for all administered antimicrobial agents. Results The antimicrobial stewardship team (AST made one or more recommendations for 313 of 367 audits during a 16-month intervention period (September 2009 – December 2010. Physicians implemented recommendation(s from each of 234 (75% audits, including from 85 of 115 for which discontinuation of all antimicrobial therapy was recommended. In comparison to an 8-month baseline period (January 2009 – August 2009, there was a 22% decrease in defined daily doses per 100 admissions (P = .006 and a 16% reduction per 1000 patient-days (P = .013. There was a 32% reduction in antimicrobial acquisition cost per admission (P = .013 and a 25% acquisition cost reduction per patient-day (P = .022. Conclusions An effective antimicrobial stewardship program was implemented with limited resources on the medical-surgical service of a 100-bed community hospital.

  14. Long-term outcome and quality of life of patients treated in surgical intensive care: a comparison between sepsis and trauma

    OpenAIRE

    Korošec Jagodič, Helena; Jagodič, Klemen; Podbregar, Matej

    2006-01-01

    Introduction Our aim was to determine long-term survival and quality of life of patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) because of sepsis or trauma. Methods This was an observational study conducted in an 11-bed, closed surgical ICU at a 860-bed teaching general hospital over a 1-year period (January 2003 to December 2003). Patients were divided into two groups according to admission diagnoses: group 1 included patients with sepsis; and group 2 included patients with trauma ...

  15. Incidence and predictors of surgical site infection in Ethiopia: prospective cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legesse Laloto, Tamrat; Hiko Gemeda, Desta; Abdella, Sadikalmahdi Hussen

    2017-02-03

    Surgical site infections are commonest nosocomial infections and responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality as well as increased hospitalizations and treatment cost related to surgical operations. The aim of this study was to determine incidence and predictors of surgical site infections at surgical ward of Hawassa University Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia. We performed prospective study involving 105 patients that undergone major surgical procedure at Hawassa University Referral Hospital from March 2 to May 2, 2015. Data were extracted from paper based medical charts, operational and anesthesia note, by direct observation and patients' interview. All patients were followed daily before, during and after operation for 30 days starting from the date of operation. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for window version 20.0 software. Predictors of Surgical site infections were identified using multivariable logistic regression model. P-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. We studied 105 patients. Sixty four patients (61%) were males. The mean age of the patients was 30.85 ± 17.72 years. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 21.6 ± 4 kg/m 2 . Twenty patients (19.1%) developed surgical site infections. Age greater than 40 years, AOR = 7.7(95% CI [1.610-40.810 p = 0.016,]), preoperative hospital stay more than 7 days, AOR = 22.4(95% CI [4.544-110.780, p = 0.001]), duration of operation more than 1 hour, AOR = 8.01(95% CI [1.562-41.099, p = 0.013]) and administering antimicrobial prophylaxis before 1 hour of operation, AOR = 11.1 (95% CI [1.269-75.639, p = 0.014]) were independent predictors for surgical site infections. Surgical site infection is relatively high.

  16. Health-related quality of life and expectations of patients before surgical treatment of lumbar stenosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lílian Maria Pacola

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expectations of patients awaiting surgical treatment of lumbar canal stenosis and the association of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL with symptoms of anxiety and depression. METHODS: The sample included 49 patients from a university hospital. HRQoL was assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI and 36-item Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form (SF-36 and symptoms of anxiety and depression by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS. Expectations were investigated by means of questions used in international studies. Data were analyzed descriptively and by Student's t test. RESULTS: The mean time of disease progression was 34.5 months, the mean age was 58.8 years and 55.1% of the patients were women. Most patients had the expectation of improving with surgical treatment and 46.9% expected to be "much better" with regard to leg pain, walking ability, independence in activities and mental well being. The scores of anxiety and depression were respectively, 34.7% and 12.2%. We observed statistically significant differences between the groups with and without anxiety in the domains: General Health, Mental Health, and Vitality. Between the groups with and without depression there were statistically significant differences in the General Health and Mental Health domains. CONCLUSION: Patients showed great expectation to surgical treatment and the symptoms of anxiety and depression were related to some domains of HRQoL. Thus, the study contributes to broaden our knowledge and we can therefore guide the patients as to their expectations with respect to the real possibilities arising from surgery.

  17. [A surgical safety checklist implementation: experience of a start-up phase of a collaborative project in hospitals of Catalonia, Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Secanell, Mariona; Orrego, Carola; Vila, Miquel; Vallverdú, Helena; Mora, Núria; Oller, Anna; Bañeres, Joaquim

    2014-07-01

    Surgical patient safety is a priority in the national and international quality healthcare improvement strategies. The objective of the study was to implement a collaborative intervention with multiple components and to evaluate the impact of the patient surgical safety checklist (SSC) application. This is a prospective, longitudinal multicenter study with a 7-month follow-up period in 2009 based on a collaborative intervention for the implementation of a 24 item-SSC distributed in 3 different stages (sign in, time out, sign out) for its application to the surgical patient. A total number of 27 hospitals participated in the strategy. The global implementation rate was 48% (95%CI, 47.6%-48.4%) during the evaluation period. The overall compliance with all the items of the SSC included in each stage (sign in, time out, sign out) was 75,1% (95%CI, 73.5%-76.7%) for the sign in, 77.1% (95%CI, 75.5%-78.6%) for the time out and 88.3% (95%CI, 87.2%-89.5%) for the sign out respectively. The individual compliance with each item of the SSC has remained above 85%, except for the surgical site marking with an adherence of 67.4% (95%CI, 65.7%-69.1%)] and 71.2% (95%CI, 69.6%-72.9%)] in the sign in and time out respectively. The SSC was successfully implemented to 48% of the surgeries performed to the participating hospitals. The global compliance with the SSC was elevated and the intervention trend was stable during the evaluation period. Strategies were identified to allow of a higher number of surgeries with application of the SSC and more professional involvement in measures compliance such as surgical site marking. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Espana.

  18. Surgical site infections in Italian Hospitals: a prospective multicenter study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ippolito Giuseppe

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Surgical site infections (SSI remain a major clinical problem in terms of morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs. Nearly 60% of SSI diagnosis occur in the postdischarge period. However, literature provides little information on risk factors associated to in-hospital and postdischarge SSI occurrence. A national prospective multicenter study was conducted with the aim of assessing the incidence of both in-hospital and postdisharge SSI, and the associated risk factors. Methods In 2002, a one-month, prospective national multicenter surveillance study was conducted in General and Gynecological units of 48 Italian hospitals. Case ascertainment of SSI was carried out using standardized surveillance methodology. To assess potential risk factors for SSI we used a conditional logistic regression model. We also reported the odds ratios of in-hospital and postdischarge SSI. Results SSI occurred in 241 (5.2% of 4,665 patients, of which 148 (61.4% during in-hospital, and 93 (38.6% during postdischarge period. Of 93 postdischarge SSI, sixty-two (66.7% and 31 (33.3% were detected through telephone interview and questionnaire survey, respectively. Higher SSI incidence rates were observed in colon surgery (18.9%, gastric surgery (13.6%, and appendectomy (8.6%. If considering risk factors for SSI, at multivariate analysis we found that emergency interventions, NNIS risk score, pre-operative hospital stay, and use of drains were significantly associated with SSI occurrence. Moreover, risk factors for total SSI were also associated to in-hospital SSI. Additionally, only NNIS, pre-operative hospital stay, use of drains, and antibiotic prophylaxis were associated with postdischarge SSI. Conclusion Our study provided information on risk factors for SSI in a large population in general surgery setting in Italy. Standardized postdischarge surveillance detected 38.6% of all SSI. We also compared risk factors for in-hospital and postdischarge SSI

  19. Characteristics of the patients undergoing surgical treatment for pneumothorax: A descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cakmak, Muharrem; Yuksel, Melih; Kandemir, Mehmet Nail

    2016-05-01

    To identify the characteristic features of pneumothorax patients treated surgically. The retrospective study was conducted at Gazi Yasargil Education and Research Hospital Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Diyarbakir, Turkey and comprised records of pneumothorax patients from January 2004 to December 2014. They were divided into two groups as spontaneous and traumatic. Patients who had not undergone any surgical intervention were excluded. Mean age, gender distribution, location of the disease, type of pneumothorax, and treatment method were noted. Among patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, age and months distribution, smoking habits, pneumothorax size, and treatment method were assessed. The effect of gender, location, comorbid disease, smoking, subgroup of disease, and pneumothorax size on surgical procedures were also investigated. The mean age of the 672 patients in the study was 34.5±6.17 years. There were 611(91%) men and 61(9%) women. Disease was on the right side in 360(53.6%) patients, on the left side in 308(45.8%), and bilateral in 4(0.59%). Besides, 523(77.8%) patients had spontaneous, and 149(22.7%) had traumatic pneumothorax. Overall, 561(83.5%) patients had been treated with tube thoracostomy, whereas 111(16.5%) were treated with thoracotomy/thoracoscopic surgery. The presence of comorbid diseases, being primary, and being total or subtotal according to partial were found to create predisposition to thoracotomy/ thoracoscopic surgery (ppneumothorax being total, the presence of comorbid diseases, and the increase in pneumothorax size, thoracotomy or thoracoscopic surgery is preferred.

  20. Effects of intensivist coverage in a post-anaesthesia care unit on surgical patients' case mix and characteristics of the intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kastrup, Marc; Seeling, Matthes; Barthel, Stefan; Bloch, Andy; le Claire, Marie; Spies, Claudia; Scheller, Matthias; Braun, Jan

    2012-07-18

    There is an increasing demand for intensive care in hospitals, which can lead to capacity limitations in the intensive care unit (ICU). Due to postponement of elective surgery or delayed admission of emergency patients, outcome may be negatively influenced. To optimize the admission process to intensive care, the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) was staffed with intensivist coverage around the clock. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the impact of the PACU on the structure of ICU-patients and the contribution to overall hospital profit in terms of changes in the case mix index for all surgical patients. The administrative data of all surgical patients (n = 51,040) 20 months prior and 20 months after the introduction of a round-the-clock intensivist staffing of the PACU were evaluated and compared. The relative number of patients with longer length of stay (LOS) (more than seven days) in the ICU increased after the introduction of the PACU. The average monthly number of treatment days of patients staying less than 24 hours in the ICU decreased by about 50% (138.95 vs. 68.19 treatment days, P case mix index (CMI) per hospital day for all surgical patients was significantly higher after the introduction of a PACU: 0.286 (± 0.234) vs. 0.309 (± 0.272) P case mix index of the patients per hospital day, increased after the implementation of a PACU and more patients can be treated in the same time, due to a better use of resources.

  1. Nursing assessment of continuous vital sign surveillance to improve patient safety on the medical/surgical unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watkins, Terri; Whisman, Lynn; Booker, Pamela

    2016-01-01

    Evaluate continuous vital sign surveillance as a tool to improve patient safety in the medical/surgical unit. Failure-to-rescue is an important measure of hospital quality. Patient deterioration is often preceded by changes in vital signs. However, continuous multi-parameter vital sign monitoring may decrease patient safety with an abundance of unnecessary alarms. Prospective observational study at two geographically disperse hospitals in a single hospital system. A multi-parameter vital sign monitoring system was installed in a medical/surgical unit in Utah and one in Alabama providing continuous display of SpO2, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate on a central station. Alarm thresholds and time to alert annunciations were set based on prior analysis of the distribution of each vital sign. At the end of 4 weeks, nurses completed a survey on their experience. An average alert per patient, per day was determined retrospectively from the saved vital signs data and knowledge of the alarm settings. Ninety-two per cent of the nurses agreed that the number of alarms and alerts were appropriate; 54% strongly agreed. On average, both units experienced 10·8 alarms per patient, per day. One hundred per cent agreed the monitor provided valuable patient data that increased patient safety; 79% strongly agreed. Continuous, multi-parameter patient monitoring could be performed on medical/surgical units with a small and appropriate level of alarms. Continuous vital sign assessment may have initiated nursing interventions that prevented failure-to-rescue events. Nurses surveyed unanimously agreed that continuous vital sign surveillance will help enhance patient safety. Nursing response to abnormal vital signs is one of the most important levers in patient safety, by providing timely recognition of early clinical deterioration. This occurs through diligent nursing surveillance, involving assessment, interpretation of data, recognition of a problem and meaningful

  2. Monitoring Cataract Surgical Outcome in a Public Hospital in Orlu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To determine the proportion and causes of poor visual outcome of cataract operations done in a public hospital in southeast Nigeria and propose actions to improve the cataract surgical outcome. Method: A prospective observational analysis of the initial hundred cases of cataract operations done in Imo State ...

  3. Performance indicators for quality in surgical and laboratory services at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbembati, Naboth A; Mwangu, Mugwira; Muhondwa, Eustace P Y; Leshabari, Melkizedek M

    2008-04-01

    Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), a teaching and national referral hospital, is undergoing major reforms to improve the quality of health care. We performed a retrospective descriptive study using a set of performance indicators for the surgical and laboratory services of MNH in years 2001 and 2002, to help monitor and evaluate the impact of reforms on the quality of health care during and after the reform process. Hospital records were reviewed and information recorded for planned and postponed operations, laboratory equipment, reagents, laboratory tests and quality assurance programmes. In the year 2001 a total of 4332 non-emergency operations were planned, 3313 operations were performed and 1019 (23.5%) operations were postponed. In the year 2002, 4301 non-emergency operations were planned, 3046 were performed and 1255 (29%) were postponed. The most common reasons for operation postponement were "time-barred", interference by emergency operations, no show of patients and inoperable anaesthetic machines. Equipment problems and supply and staff shortages together accounted for one quarter of postponements. In the laboratory, a lack of equipment prevented some tests, but quality assurance was performed for most tests. Current surgical services at MNH are inadequate; operating theatres require modern, functioning equipment and adequate supplies of consumables to provide satisfactory care.

  4. Microbial Contamination on Used Surgical Masks among Hospital Personnel and Microbial Air Quality in their Working Wards: A Hospital in Bangkok.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luksamijarulkul, Pipat; Aiempradit, Natkitta; Vatanasomboon, Pisit

    2014-09-01

    To assess the relationship of bacterial and fungal contamination on used surgical masks worn by the hospital personnel and microbial air quality in their working wards. This is a cross-sectional study of 230 used surgical masks collected from 214 hospital personnel, and 215 indoor air samples collected from their working wards to culture for bacterial and fungal counts. This study was carried out at the hospital in Bangkok. Group or genus of isolated bacteria and fungi were preliminarily identified by Gram's stain and lacto-phenol cotton blue. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient at the significant level of pcontamination on inside area of the used masks were 47 ± 56 and 15 ± 9 cfu/ml/piece, and on outside area were 166 ± 199 and 34 ± 18 cfu/ml/piece, respectively, pcontamination on used masks from hospital personnel working in the male and female medical wards and out-patient department, as well as the bacterial and fungal counts of the indoor air sample collected from the same area were relatively higher than the other wards. The predominant isolated bacteria and fungi contaminated on inside and outside areas of the used masks and air samples were similar (Staphylococcus spp. and Aspergillus spp.; respectively). For its relationship, results found that bacterial and fungal counts in air samples showed significantly positive correlation with the bacterial contamination load on outside area of the used masks, r=0.16, p=0.018 and r=0.21, p=0.003, respectively. High bacterial contamination on outside area of the used masks was demonstrated, and it showed a significant correlation with microbial air quality of working wards.

  5. A Targeted E-Learning Program for Surgical Trainees to Enhance Patient Safety in Preventing Surgical Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHugh, Seamus Mark; Corrigan, Mark; Dimitrov, Borislav; Cowman, Seamus; Tierney, Sean; Humphreys, Hilary; Hill, Arnold

    2010-01-01

    Introduction: Surgical site infection accounts for 20% of all health care-associated infections (HCAIs); however, a program incorporating the education of surgeons has yet to be established across the specialty. Methods: An audit of surgical practice in infection prevention was carried out in Beaumont Hospital from July to November 2009. An…

  6. Clinical relevance of routinely measured vital signs in hospitalized patients: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Storm-Versloot, Marja N.; Verweij, Lotte; Lucas, Cees; Ludikhuize, Jeroen; Goslings, J. Carel; Legemate, Dink A.; Vermeulen, Hester

    2014-01-01

    Conflicting evidence exists on the effectiveness of routinely measured vital signs on the early detection of increased probability of adverse events. To assess the clinical relevance of routinely measured vital signs in medically and surgically hospitalized patients through a systematic review.

  7. Strategies to Prevent Surgical Site Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Deverick J.; Podgorny, Kelly; Berríos-Torres, Sandra I.; Bratzler, Dale W.; Dellinger, E. Patchen; Greene, Linda; Nyquist, Ann-Christine; Saiman, Lisa; Yokoe, Deborah S.; Maragakis, Lisa L.; Kaye, Keith S.

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE Previously published guidelines are available that provide comprehensive recommendations for detecting and preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The intent of this document is to highlight practical recommendations in a concise format designed to assist acute care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing their surgical site infection (SSI) prevention efforts. This document updates “Strategies to Prevent Surgical Site Infections in Acute Care Hospitals,”1 published in 2008. This expert guidance document is sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and is the product of a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and The Joint Commission, with major contributions from representatives of a number of organizations and societies with content expertise. The list of endorsing and supporting organizations is presented in the introduction to the 2014 updates.2 PMID:24799638

  8. Preoperative renal function and surgical outcomes in patients with acute type A aortic dissection†.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imasaka, Ken-ichi; Tayama, Eiki; Tomita, Yukihiro

    2015-04-01

    There are few data concerning the impact of preoperative renal function, assessed using estimated glomerular filtration rate, on surgical outcomes following acute type A aortic dissection. We investigated the accuracy of estimated glomerular filtration rate (in ml/min/1.73 m(2)) in predicting in-hospital mortality and postoperative renal replacement therapy in such cases. We reviewed 114 consecutive patients with non-dialysis-dependent renal dysfunction who underwent thoracic aortic surgery for acute type A aortic dissection between 1997 and 2012. Preoperative renal function was categorized as normal (estimated glomerular filtration rate >90; n = 15) or as mild (60-89; n = 39), moderate I (45-59; n = 39), moderate II (30-44; n = 14) or severe (15-29; n = 7) renal dysfunction. In-hospital mortality was 14.9%. Eighteen (15.8%) of 114 patients required renal replacement therapy. A more severe stage stratified by preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate levels could effectively predict postoperative renal replacement therapy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.786). The best cut-off value of estimated glomerular filtration rate for predicting postoperative renal replacement therapy was 60 (sensitivity 95%, specificity 59%). On multiple regression analysis, the independent preoperative and intraoperative risk factors for postoperative renal replacement therapy were estimated glomerular filtration rate (P replacement (P replacement therapy (OR, 5.47; P regression analysis. Preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate can effectively predict the need for renal replacement therapy after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. However, it is not an effective diagnostic tool to predict in-hospital mortality. The complexity of the characteristics of patients who undergo surgical procedures may make prediction of surgical outcomes difficult. Risk models to predict hospital mortality and morbidities are needed to assist clinicians in

  9. Nominal group technique: a brainstorming tool for identifying areas to improve pain management in hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña, Adolfo; Estrada, Carlos A; Soniat, Debbie; Taylor, Benjamin; Burton, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Pain management in hospitalized patients remains a priority area for improvement; effective strategies for consensus development are needed to prioritize interventions. To identify challenges, barriers, and perspectives of healthcare providers in managing pain among hospitalized patients. Qualitative and quantitative group consensus using a brainstorming technique for quality improvement-the nominal group technique (NGT). One medical, 1 medical-surgical, and 1 surgical hospital unit at a large academic medical center. Nurses, resident physicians, patient care technicians, and unit clerks. Responses and ranking to the NGT question: "What causes uncontrolled pain in your unit?" Twenty-seven health workers generated a total of 94 ideas. The ideas perceived contributing to a suboptimal pain control were grouped as system factors (timeliness, n = 18 ideas; communication, n = 11; pain assessment, n = 8), human factors (knowledge and experience, n = 16; provider bias, n = 8; patient factors, n = 19), and interface of system and human factors (standardization, n = 14). Knowledge, timeliness, provider bias, and patient factors were the top ranked themes. Knowledge and timeliness are considered main priorities to improve pain control. NGT is an efficient tool for identifying general and context-specific priority areas for quality improvement; teams of healthcare providers should consider using NGT to address their own challenges and barriers. Copyright © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  10. Abdominal surgical site infections: incidence and risk factors at an Iranian teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabouri Kashani Ahmad

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Abdominal surgical site infections are among the most common complications of inpatient admissions and have serious consequences for outcomes and costs. Different risk factors may be involved, including age, sex, nutrition and immunity, prophylactic antibiotics, operation type and duration, type of shaving, and secondary infections. This study aimed to determine the risk factors affecting abdominal surgical site infections and their incidence at Imam Khomeini, a major referral teaching hospital in Iran. Methods Patients (n = 802 who had undergone abdominal surgery were studied and the relationships among variables were analyzed by Student's t and Chi-square tests. The subjects were followed for 30 days and by a 20-item questionnaire. Data were collected through pre- and post-operative examinations and telephone follow-ups. Results Of the 802 patients, 139 suffered from SSI (17.4%. In 40.8% of the cases, the wound was dirty infected. The average age for the patients was 46.7 years. The operations were elective in 75.7% of the cases and 24.7% were urgent. The average duration of the operation was 2.24 hours, the average duration of pre-operative hospital stay 4.31 days and the average length of (pre- and post-operation hospital stay 11.2 days. Three quarters of the cases were shaved 12 hours before the operation. The increased operation time, increased bed stay, electivity of the operation, septicity of the wound, type of incision, the administration of prophylactic antibiotic, type of operation, background disease, and the increased time lapse between shaving and operation all significantly associated with SSI with a p-value less than 0.001. Conclusion In view of the high rate of SSI reported here (17.4% compared with the 14% quoted in literature, this study suggests that by reducing the average operation time to less than 2 hours, the average preoperative stay to 4 days and the overall stay to less than 11 days, and

  11. Changing use of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in Thika Hospital, Kenya: a quality improvement intervention with an interrupted time series design.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander M Aiken

    Full Text Available In low-income countries, Surgical Site Infection (SSI is a common form of hospital-acquired infection. Antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective method of preventing these infections, if given immediately before the start of surgery. Although several studies in Africa have compared pre-operative versus post-operative prophylaxis, there are no studies describing the implementation of policies to improve prescribing of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in African hospitals.We conducted SSI surveillance at a typical Government hospital in Kenya over a 16 month period between August 2010 and December 2011, using standard definitions of SSI and the extent of contamination of surgical wounds. As an intervention, we developed a hospital policy that advised pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis and discouraged extended post-operative antibiotics use. We measured process, outcome and balancing effects of this intervention in using an interrupted time series design.From a starting point of near-exclusive post-operative antibiotic use, after policy introduction in February 2011 there was rapid adoption of the use of pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis (60% of operations at 1 week; 98% at 6 weeks and a substantial decrease in the use of post-operative antibiotics (40% of operations at 1 week; 10% at 6 weeks in Clean and Clean-Contaminated surgery. There was no immediate step-change in risk of SSI, but overall, there appeared to be a moderate reduction in the risk of superficial SSI across all levels of wound contamination. There were marked reductions in the costs associated with antibiotic use, the number of intravenous injections performed and nursing time spent administering these.Implementation of a locally developed policy regarding surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is an achievable quality improvement target for hospitals in low-income countries, and can lead to substantial benefits for individual patients and the institution.

  12. Changing use of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in Thika Hospital, Kenya: a quality improvement intervention with an interrupted time series design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Alexander M; Wanyoro, Anthony K; Mwangi, Jonah; Juma, Francis; Mugoya, Isaac K; Scott, J Anthony G

    2013-01-01

    In low-income countries, Surgical Site Infection (SSI) is a common form of hospital-acquired infection. Antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective method of preventing these infections, if given immediately before the start of surgery. Although several studies in Africa have compared pre-operative versus post-operative prophylaxis, there are no studies describing the implementation of policies to improve prescribing of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in African hospitals. We conducted SSI surveillance at a typical Government hospital in Kenya over a 16 month period between August 2010 and December 2011, using standard definitions of SSI and the extent of contamination of surgical wounds. As an intervention, we developed a hospital policy that advised pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis and discouraged extended post-operative antibiotics use. We measured process, outcome and balancing effects of this intervention in using an interrupted time series design. From a starting point of near-exclusive post-operative antibiotic use, after policy introduction in February 2011 there was rapid adoption of the use of pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis (60% of operations at 1 week; 98% at 6 weeks) and a substantial decrease in the use of post-operative antibiotics (40% of operations at 1 week; 10% at 6 weeks) in Clean and Clean-Contaminated surgery. There was no immediate step-change in risk of SSI, but overall, there appeared to be a moderate reduction in the risk of superficial SSI across all levels of wound contamination. There were marked reductions in the costs associated with antibiotic use, the number of intravenous injections performed and nursing time spent administering these. Implementation of a locally developed policy regarding surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is an achievable quality improvement target for hospitals in low-income countries, and can lead to substantial benefits for individual patients and the institution.

  13. Measuring patient participation in surgical treatment decision-making from healthcare professionals' perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heggland, Liv-Helen; Mikkelsen, Aslaug; Øgaard, Torvald; Hausken, Kjell

    2014-02-01

    To develop, empirical test, and validate an instrument measuring patient participation in surgical treatment decision-making from healthcare professionals' perspective. Since the advent of New Public Management in many Western countries, patient participation in healthcare decision-making has been considered to be a best practice. A common notion is that well-educated and well-informed public want to choose their own treatments and providers and want to ask questions about the quality of their health services. Survey. A self-report-measuring instrument was designed and administered to 620 healthcare professionals. Items were developed, validated and tested by 451 nurses and physicians working in six surgical wards in a University Hospital in Norway. A 16-item scale with the following four dimensions was developed: information dissemination, formulation of options, integration of information and control. Factor analysis procedures and reliability testing were performed. A one-way, between-groups analysis of variance was conducted to compare doctors' and nurses' opinions on four dimensions of patient participation in surgical treatment decision-making. This article shows that patient participation in surgical treatment decision-making can be measured by a 16-item scale and four distinct dimensions. The analysis demonstrated a reasonable level of construct validity and reliability. Nurses and physicians have a positive attitude towards patient participation overall, but the two groups differ in the extent to which they accept the idea of patient participation in treatment decision-making. The instrument can be a tool for managers and healthcare professionals in the implementation of patient participation in clinical practice. Data from the instrument can be useful to identify health services being provided and what areas that could strengthen patient participation. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Acute suppurative parotitis: a dreadful complication in elderly surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampropoulos, Pavlos; Rizos, Spyros; Marinis, Athanasios

    2012-08-01

    Acute suppurative parotitis (ASP) is a severe infection seen particularly in elderly surgical patients. Factors that increase the risk of ASP include post-operative dehydration, debilitating conditions, and immunosuppressed states. Case report and literature review. An 82-year-old female patient was admitted because of paralytic ileus, dehydration, and poor oral hygiene, and was in distress. After two days of hospitalization, the patient developed a progressive painful swelling of her right parotid gland and fever up to 39.0°C. Computed tomography scanning showed an abscess in the parotid gland. Because of her progressive clinical deterioration, the patient underwent operative drainage of the abscess and removal of the necrotic material. Unfortunately, she suffered multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and died. Acute suppurative parotitis requires prompt aggressive treatment that nevertheless may fail.

  15. Cost-effectiveness analyses of elective orthopaedic surgical procedures in patients with inflammatory arthropathies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osnes-Ringen, H.; Kvamme, M. K.; Sønbø Kristiansen, Ivar

    2011-01-01

    . The health benefit from surgery was subsequently translated into QALYs. The direct treatment costs in the first year were, for each patient, derived from the hospital's cost per patient accounting system (KOSPA). The costs per QALY were estimated and future costs and benefits were discounted at 4%. Results......Objective: To examine the costs per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained for surgical interventions in patients with inflammatory arthropathies, and to compare the costs per QALY gained for replacement versus non-replacement surgical interventions. Methods: In total, 248 patients [mean age 57......: Improvement in utility at 1-year follow-up was 0.10 with EQ-5D and 0.03 with SF-6D (p cost per QALY gained was EUR 5000 for hip replacement surgery (EUR18 600 using SF-6D) and EUR 10 500 (EUR 48 500 using SF-6D) for all replacement procedures. The 5-year cost per QALY was EUR 17...

  16. Robotic surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Or, Sharon; Nifong, L Wiley; Chitwood, W Randolph

    2013-01-01

    In July 2000, the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc) received Food and Drug Administration approval for intracardiac applications, and the first mitral valve repair was done at the East Carolina Heart Institute in May 2000. The system is now approved and used in many surgical specialties. With this disruptive technology and accepted use, surgeons and hospitals are seeking the most efficacious training pathway leading to safe use and responsible credentialing.One of the most important issues related to safe use is assembling the appropriate team of professionals involved with patient care. Moreover, proper patient selection and setting obtainable goals are also important.Creation and maintenance of a successful program are discussed in the article focusing on realistic goals. This begins with a partnership between surgeon leaders, hospital administrators, and industry support. Through this partnership, an appropriate training pathway and clinical pathway for success can be outlined. A timeline can then be created with periods of data analysis and adjustments as necessary. A successful program is attainable by following this pathway and attending to every detail along the journey.

  17. Surgical checklist application and its impact on patient safety in pediatric surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S N Oak

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Surgical care is an essential component of health care of children worldwide. Incidences of congenital anomalies, trauma, cancers and acquired diseases continue to rise and along with that the impact of surgical intervention on public health system also increases. It then becomes essential that the surgical teams make the procedures safe and error proof. The World Health Organization (WHO has instituted the surgical checklist as a global initiative to improve surgical safety. Aims: To assess the acceptance, application and adherence to the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist in Pediatric Surgery Practice at a university teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: In a prospective study, spanning 2 years, the checklist was implemented for all patients who underwent operative procedures under general anesthesia. The checklist identified three phases of an operation, each corresponding to a specific period in the normal flow of work: Before the induction of anesthesia ("sign in", before the skin incision ("time out" and before the patient leaves the operating room ("sign out". In each phase, an anesthesiologist,-"checklist coordinator," confirmed that the anesthesia, surgery and nursing teams have completed the listed tasks before proceeding with the operation and exit. The checklist was used for 3000 consecutive patients. Results: No major perioperative errors were noted. In 54 (1.8% patients, children had the same names and identical surgical procedure posted on the same operation list. The patient identification tag was missing in four (0.1% patients. Mention of the side of procedures was missing in 108 (3.6% cases. In 0.1% (3 of patients there was mix up of the mention of side of operation in the case papers and consent forms. In 78 (2.6% patients, the consent form was not signed by parents/guardians or the side of the procedure was not quoted. Antibiotic orders were missing in five (0.2% patients. In 12 (0.4% cases, immobilization of the

  18. Acute limb ischemia in cancer patients: should we surgically intervene?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Tsang, Julian S

    2012-02-01

    BACKGROUND: Cancer patients have an increased risk of venous thromboembolic events. Certain chemotherapeutic agents have also been associated with the development of thrombosis. Reported cases of acute arterial ischemic episodes in cancer patients are rare. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery for acute limb ischemia associated with malignancy in a university teaching hospital over a 10-year period were identified. Patient demographics, cancer type, chemotherapy use, site of thromboembolism, treatment and outcome were recorded. RESULTS: Four hundred nineteen patients underwent surgical intervention for acute arterial ischemia, 16 of these patients (3.8%) had associated cancer. Commonest cancer sites were the urogenital tract (n = 5) and the lungs (n = 5). Eight patients (50%) had been recently diagnosed with cancer, and four (25%) of these cancers were incidental findings after presentation with acute limb ischemia. Four patients (25%) developed acute ischemia during chemotherapy. The superficial femoral artery was the most frequent site of occlusion (50%), followed by the brachial (18%) and popliteal (12%) arteries. All patients underwent thromboembolectomy, but two (12%) patients subsequently required a bypass procedure. Six patients (37%) had limb loss, and in-patient mortality was 12%. Histology revealed that all occlusions were due to thromboembolism, with no tumor cells identified. At follow-up, 44% of patients were found to be alive after 1 year. CONCLUSION: Cancer and chemotherapy can predispose patients to acute arterial ischemia. Unlike other reports that view this finding as a preterminal event most appropriately treated by palliative measures, in this series, early diagnosis and surgical intervention enabled limb salvage and patient survival.

  19. Benchmarking of surgical complications in gynaecological oncology: prospective multicentre study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnell, M; Iyer, R; Gentry-Maharaj, A; Nordin, A; Liston, R; Manchanda, R; Das, N; Gornall, R; Beardmore-Gray, A; Hillaby, K; Leeson, S; Linder, A; Lopes, A; Meechan, D; Mould, T; Nevin, J; Olaitan, A; Rufford, B; Shanbhag, S; Thackeray, A; Wood, N; Reynolds, K; Ryan, A; Menon, U

    2016-12-01

    To explore the impact of risk-adjustment on surgical complication rates (CRs) for benchmarking gynaecological oncology centres. Prospective cohort study. Ten UK accredited gynaecological oncology centres. Women undergoing major surgery on a gynaecological oncology operating list. Patient co-morbidity, surgical procedures and intra-operative (IntraOp) complications were recorded contemporaneously by surgeons for 2948 major surgical procedures. Postoperative (PostOp) complications were collected from hospitals and patients. Risk-prediction models for IntraOp and PostOp complications were created using penalised (lasso) logistic regression using over 30 potential patient/surgical risk factors. Observed and risk-adjusted IntraOp and PostOp CRs for individual hospitals were calculated. Benchmarking using colour-coded funnel plots and observed-to-expected ratios was undertaken. Overall, IntraOp CR was 4.7% (95% CI 4.0-5.6) and PostOp CR was 25.7% (95% CI 23.7-28.2). The observed CRs for all hospitals were under the upper 95% control limit for both IntraOp and PostOp funnel plots. Risk-adjustment and use of observed-to-expected ratio resulted in one hospital moving to the >95-98% CI (red) band for IntraOp CRs. Use of only hospital-reported data for PostOp CRs would have resulted in one hospital being unfairly allocated to the red band. There was little concordance between IntraOp and PostOp CRs. The funnel plots and overall IntraOp (≈5%) and PostOp (≈26%) CRs could be used for benchmarking gynaecological oncology centres. Hospital benchmarking using risk-adjusted CRs allows fairer institutional comparison. IntraOp and PostOp CRs are best assessed separately. As hospital under-reporting is common for postoperative complications, use of patient-reported outcomes is important. Risk-adjusted benchmarking of surgical complications for ten UK gynaecological oncology centres allows fairer comparison. © 2016 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  20. Patients Attitude towards Surgeons Attire in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Babak Meshkat

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background A doctor’s competence and professionalism is often judged on the basis of attire. Our Lady of Lourdes (OLOL is a leading Irish hospital in the implementation of Bare Below the Elbows (BBTE policy, however surgical attire is not standardised and there is great variability in attire worn on wards. We aimed to evaluate patients attitude towards surgeons attire in OLOL. Methods A prospective survey of adult surgical in-patients was conducted from October 2013 to February 2014. A twelve-question questionnaire was used as data collection tool, using a five point Likert scale to assess patients response to each question. Data were collected on patient demographics, patients level of trust and confidence based on different surgical attire, and patients perception of different attire worn by surgical teams. Results There were 150 completed surveys during the study period with a male to female ratio of 44% to 56% respectively. The mean patient length of in-hospital stay (LOS was 4.7 days (range 1–22. The most commonly represented age group was 30–40 years (18%, with a comparable spread among all age groups. The majority of patients found the attire worn by surgeons on the ward to be very appropriate (93%. Majority of responders believed scrubs to be the most appropriate attire for surgeons on wards (39%, followed by shirt and tie with white coat (38% followed by short sleeved shirt and no tie (18%. Shirt and tie with white coat had a positive effect on patients trust in 63% of responders, a negative effect in 10% and no effect in 26%. Scrubs had a positive effect on patients trust in 63%, negative effect in 11% and no effect in 25%. Short sleeved shirt and no tie had a positive effect in 44%, negative effect in 25% and no effect in 30% of patients. Conclusion Patients in OLOL find attire worn by surgeons to be appropriate. Shirt and tie with white coat or scrubs remains the patient’s choice attire for surgeons. Shirt and tie with white

  1. Costs of hospital malnutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Lori Jane; Bernier, Paule; Jeejeebhoy, Khursheed; Allard, Johane; Duerksen, Donald; Gramlich, Leah; Laporte, Manon; Keller, Heather H

    2017-10-01

    Hospital malnutrition has been established as a critical, prevalent, and costly problem in many countries. Many cost studies are limited due to study population or cost data used. The aims of this study were to determine: the relationship between malnutrition and hospital costs; the influence of confounders on, and the drivers (medical or surgical patients or degree of malnutrition) of the relationship; and whether hospital reported cost data provide similar information to administrative data. To our knowledge, the last two goals have not been studied elsewhere. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on data from the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force prospective cohort study combined with administrative data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Subjective Global Assessment was used to assess the relationship between nutritional status and length of stay and hospital costs, controlling for health and demographic characteristics, for 956 patients admitted to medical and surgical wards in 18 hospitals across Canada. After controlling for patient and hospital characteristics, moderately malnourished patients' (34% of surveyed patients) hospital stays were 18% (p = 0.014) longer on average than well-nourished patients. Medical stays increased by 23% (p = 0.014), and surgical stays by 32% (p = 0.015). Costs were, on average, between 31% and 34% (p-values < 0.05) higher than for well-nourished patients with similar characteristics. Severely malnourished patients (11% of surveyed patients) stayed 34% (p = 0.000) longer and had 38% (p = 0.003) higher total costs than well-nourished patients. They stayed 53% (p = 0.001) longer in medical beds and had 55% (p = 0.003) higher medical costs, on average. Trends were similar no matter the type of costing data used. Over 40% of patients were found to be malnourished (1/3 moderately and 1/10 severely). Malnourished patients had longer hospital stays and as a result cost more than well

  2. AQUACEL® Ag Surgical Dressing Reduces Surgical Site Infection and Improves Patient Satisfaction in Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng-Chih Kuo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of modern surgical dressings to prevent wound complications and surgical site infection (SSI after minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA is lacking. In a prospective, randomized, controlled study, 240 patients were randomized to receive either AQUACEL Ag Surgical dressing (study group or a standard dressing (control group after MIS-TKA. The primary outcome was wound complication (SSI and blister. The secondary outcomes were wear time and number of dressing changes in the hospital and patient satisfaction (pain, comfort, and ease of use. In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was a significant reduction in the incidence of superficial SSI (0.8%, 95% CI∶ 0.00–2.48 in the study group compared to 8.3% (95% CI∶ 3.32–13.3 in the control group (p=0.01. There were no differences in blister and deep/organ-space SSIs between the two groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that AQUACEL Ag Surgical dressing was an independent risk factor for reduction of SSI (odds ratio: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01–0.58, p=0.01. The study group had longer wear time (5.2±0.7 versus 1.7±0.4 days, p<0.0001 and lower number of dressing changes (1.0±0.2 versus 3.6±1.3 times, p<0.0001. Increased patient satisfaction (p<0.0001 was also noted in the study group. AQUACEL Ag Surgical dressing is an ideal dressing to provide wound care efficacy, patient satisfaction, reduction of SSI, and cost-effectiveness following MIS-TKA.

  3. Effects of the Smartphone Application "Safe Patients" on Knowledge of Patient Safety Issues Among Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Sumi; Lee, Eunjoo

    2017-12-01

    Recently, the patient's role in preventing adverse events has been emphasized. Patients who are more knowledgeable about safety issues are more likely to engage in safety initiatives. Therefore, nurses need to develop techniques and tools that increase patients' knowledge in preventing adverse events. For this reason, an educational smartphone application for patient safety called "Safe Patients" was developed through an iterative process involving a literature review, expert consultations, and pilot testing of the application. To determine the effect of "Safe Patients," it was implemented for patients in surgical units in a tertiary hospital in South Korea. The change in patients' knowledge about patient safety was measured using seven true/false questions developed in this study. A one-group pretest and posttest design was used, and a total of 123 of 190 possible participants were tested. The percentage of correct answers significantly increased from 64.5% to 75.8% (P effectively improve patients' knowledge of safety issues. This will ultimately empower patients to engage in safe practices and prevent adverse events related to surgery.

  4. Patient-reported dietetic care post hospital for free-living patients: a Canadian Malnutrition Task Force Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, H; Payette, H; Laporte, M; Bernier, P; Allard, J; Duerksen, D; Gramlich, L; Jeejeebhoy, K

    2018-02-01

    Transitions out of hospital can influence recovery. Ideally, malnourished patients should be followed by someone with nutrition expertise, specifically a dietitian, post discharge from hospital. Predictors of dietetic care post discharge are currently unknown. The present study aimed to determine the patient factors independently associated with 30-days post hospital discharge dietetic care for free-living patients who transitioned to the community. Nine hundred and twenty-two medical or surgical adult patients were recruited in 16 acute care hospitals in eight Canadian provinces on admission. Eligible patients could speak English or French, provide their written consent, were anticipated to have a hospital stay of ≥2 days and were not considered palliative. Telephone interviews were completed with 747 (81%) participants using a standardised questionnaire to determine whether dietetic care occurred post discharge; 544 patients discharged to the community were included in the multivariate analyses, excluding those who were admitted to nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities. Covariates during and post hospitalisation were collected prospectively and used in logistic regression analyses to determine independent patient-level predictors. Dietetic care post discharge was reported by 61/544 (11%) of participants and was associated with severe malnutrition [Subjective Global Assessment category C: odd's ratio (OR) 2.43 (1.23-4.83)], weight loss post discharge [(OR 2.86 (1.45-5.62)], comorbidity [(OR 1.09 (1.02-1.17)] and a dietitian consultation on admission [(OR 3.41 (1.95-5.97)]. Dietetic care post discharge occurs in few patients, despite the known high prevalence of malnutrition on admission and discharge. Dietetic care in hospital was the most influential predictor of post-hospital care. © 2017 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  5. Ranking Hospitals Based on Colon Surgery and Abdominal Hysterectomy Surgical Site Infection Outcomes: Impact of Limiting Surveillance to the Operative Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoe, Deborah S; Avery, Taliser R; Platt, Richard; Kleinman, Ken; Huang, Susan S

    2018-03-16

    Hospital-specific surgical site infection (SSI) performance following colon surgery and abdominal hysterectomies can impact hospitals' relative rankings around quality metrics used to determine financial penalties. Current SSI surveillance largely focuses on SSI detected at the operative hospital. Retrospective cohort study to assess the impact on hospitals' relative SSI performance rankings when SSI detected at non-operative hospitals are included. We utilized data from a California statewide hospital registry to assess for evidence of SSI following colon surgery or abdominal hysterectomies performed 3/1/2011-11/30/2013 using previously validated claims-based SSI surveillance methods. Risk-adjusted hospital-specific rankings based on SSI detected at operative hospitals versus any California hospital were generated. Among 60,059 colon surgeries at 285 hospitals and 64,918 abdominal hysterectomies at 270 hospitals, 5,921 (9.9%) colon surgeries and 1,481 (2.3%) abdominal hysterectomies received a diagnosis code for SSI within the 30 days following surgery. 7.2% of colon surgery and 13.4% of abdominal hysterectomy SSI would have been missed by operative hospital surveillance alone. The proportion of individual hospital's SSI detected during hospitalizations at other hospitals varied widely. Including non-operative hospital SSI resulted in improved relative ranking of 11 (3.9%) colon surgery and 13 (4.8%) hysterectomy hospitals so that they were no longer in the worst performing quartile, mainly among hospitals with relatively high surgical volumes. Standard SSI surveillance that mainly focuses on infections detected at the operative hospital causes varying degrees of SSI under-estimation, leading to inaccurate assignment or avoidance of financial penalties for approximately one in eleven to sixteen hospitals.

  6. Clinical and nutritional status of surgical patients with and without malignant diseases: cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vânia Aparecida Leandro-Merhi

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: Malnutrition is frequently observed in inpatients with malignant diseases and may contribute to longer hospital stays. OBJECTIVE: To compare the nutritional status, lymphocyte count, hemoglobin values and length of hospital stay of patients with and without malignant diseases. METHODS: This comparative study assessed indicators of nutritional status, namely body mass index, recent weight loss, lymphocyte count, hemoglobin and length of hospital stay, of 928 surgical patients with and without malignant diseases (50.2% females and 49.8% males. The chi-square test was used to compare proportions and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare continuous measurements between two groups. The significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: Patients with malignant diseases had longer hospital stays (P<0.0001, furthermore, a higher percentage of patients with malignant diseases had body mass index <18.5 (P<0.0001 and experienced recent weight changes (P<0.0002. Lymphocyte count also differed statistically between the groups (P = 0.0131, which lower levels were identified among patients with malignant diseases. CONCLUSION: The lymphocyte count, hemoglobin values and weight loss are important findings of nutritional depletion in patients with malignant diseases.

  7. Should lower limb fractures be treated surgically in patients with chronic spinal injuries? Experience in a reference centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrera-Ochoa, S; Haddad, S; Rodríguez-Alabau, S; Teixidor, J; Tomás, J; Molero, V

    To report the outcomes of surgical treatment of lower limb fractures in patients with chronic spinal cord injuries. A total of 37 lower limb fractures were treated from 2003 to 2010, of which 25 fractures were treated surgically and 12 orthopaedically. Patients of the surgical group had better clinical results, range of motion, bone consolidation, and less pressure ulcers and radiological misalignment. No differences were detected between groups in terms of pain, hospital stay, and medical complications. There is no currently consensus regarding the management of lower limb fractures in patients with chronic spinal cord injuries, but the trend has been conservative treatment due to the high rate of complications in surgical treatment. Chronic spinal cord injuries patients with lower limb fractures who are treated surgically achieved a more reliable consolidation, practically a free range of motion, low rate of cutaneous complications, and pain associated with the fracture. This allows a quick return to the previous standard of living, and should be considered as an alternative to orthopaedic treatment in these patients. Copyright © 2016 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  8. Incidences and variations of hospital acquired venous thromboembolism in Australian hospitals: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assareh, Hassan; Chen, Jack; Ou, Lixin; Hillman, Ken; Flabouris, Arthas

    2016-09-22

    Data on hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE) incidence, case fatality rate and variation amongst patient groups and health providers is lacking. We aim to explore HA-VTE incidences, associated mortality, trends and variations across all acute hospitals in New South Wales (NSW)-Australia. A population-based study using all admitted patients (aged 18-90 with a length of stay of at least two days and not transferred to another acute care facility) in 104 NSW acute public and private hospitals during 2002-2009. Poisson mixed models were used to derive adjusted rate ratios (IRR) in presence of patient and hospital characteristics. Amongst, 3,331,677 patients, the incidence of HA-VTE was 11.45 per 1000 patients and one in ten who developed HA-VTE died in hospital. HA-VTE incidence, initially rose, but subsequently declined, whereas case fatality rate consistently declined by 22 % over the study period. Surgical patients were 128 % (IRR = 2.28, 95 % CI: 2.19-2.38) more likely to develop HA-VTE, but had similar case fatality rates compared to medical patients. Private hospitals, in comparison to public hospitals had a higher incidence of HA-VTE (IRR = 1.76; 95 % CI: 1.42-2.18) for medical patients. However, they had a similar incidence (IRR = 0.91; 95 % CI: 0.75-1.11), but a lower mortality (IRR = 0.59; 95 % CI: 0.47-0.75) amongst surgical patients. Smaller public hospitals had a lower HA-VTE incidence rate compared to larger hospitals (IRR  1.71). Hospitals with a lower reported HA-VTE incidence tended to have a higher HA-VTE case fatality rate. Despite the decline in HA-VTE incidence and case fatality, there were large variations in incidents between medical and surgical patients, public and private hospitals, and different hospital groups. The causes of such differences warrant further investigation and may provide potential for targeted interventions and quality improvement initiatives.

  9. Cataract Surgical Outreach in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria: An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Odarosa M Uhumwangho

    the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. ... There is a great need to improve access to eye care services in general and cataract surgical ... world.[1] In Nigeria, 42.9% of blindness is caused by cataract. [2] A large number of the cataract blind have not had surgery ..... Change the definition of blindness.

  10. Microbial Contamination on Used Surgical Masks among Hospital Personnel and Microbial Air Quality in their Working Wards: A Hospital in Bangkok

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pipat Luksamijarulkul

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess the relationship of bacterial and fungal contamination on used surgical masks worn by the hospital personnel and microbial air quality in their working wards. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 230 used surgical masks collected from 214 hospital personnel, and 215 indoor air samples collected from their working wards to culture for bacterial and fungal counts. This study was carried out at the hospital in Bangkok. Group or genus of isolated bacteria and fungi were preliminarily identified by Gram’s stain and lacto-phenol cotton blue. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient at the significant level of p<0.050. Results: Means and standard deviation of bacterial and fungal contamination on inside area of the used masks were 47 ± 56 and 15 ± 9 cfu/ml/piece, and on outside area were 166 ± 199 and 34 ± 18 cfu/ml/piece, respectively, p<0.001. The bacterial and fungal contamination on used masks from hospital personnel working in the male and female medical wards and out-patient department, as well as the bacterial and fungal counts of the indoor air sample collected from the same area were relatively higher than the other wards. The predominant isolated bacteria and fungi contaminated on inside and outside areas of the used masks and air samples were similar (Staphylococcus spp. and Aspergillus spp.; respectively. For its relationship, results found that bacterial and fungal counts in air samples showed significantly positive correlation with the bacterial contamination load on outside area of the used masks, r=0.16, p=0.018 and r=0.21, p=0.003, respectively. Conclusion: High bacterial contamination on outside area of the used masks was demonstrated, and it showed a significant correlation with microbial air quality of working wards.

  11. Surgical intervention in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Besselink, MG; de Bruijn, MT; Rutten, JP; Boermeester, MA; Hofker, HS; Gooszen, HG

    Background: This study evaluated the various surgical strategies for treatment of (suspected) infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP) and patient referrals for this condition in the Netherlands. Methods: This retrospective study included all 106 consecutive patients who had surgical treatment for

  12. Prevalence and risk factors of metallo β-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species in burns and surgical wards in a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simit H Kumar

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The production of Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs is one of the resistance mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species. There is not much Indian data on the prevalence of MBLs in burns and surgical wards. Materials and Methods: A total of 145 non-duplicate isolates of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species, isolated from pus/wound swabs and endotracheal secretions from burns and surgical wards, were tested for MBL production by modified ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA disc synergy and double disc synergy tests. Results: Prevalence of MBLs was 26.9% by both the above tests. All MBL-positive isolates were multidrug resistant. Only 6.06% (2/33 P.aeruginosa and 16.67% (1/06 Acinetobacter species were susceptible to piperacillin-tazobactam and netilmycin, respectively. These patients had multiple risk factors like >8 days hospital stay, catheterization, IV lines, previous antibiotic use, mechanical ventilation, etc. Graft application and surgical intervention were significant risk factors in MBL-positive patients. Overall mortality in MBL-positive patients was 34.21%. Conclusion: Emergence of MBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species in this hospital is alarming, which reflect excessive use of carbapenems and at the same time, pose a therapeutic challenge to clinicians as well as to microbiologists. Therefore, a strict antibiotic policy and implementation of proper infection control practices will go a long way to prevent further spread of MBLs. Detection of MBLs should also become mandatory in all hospitals.

  13. Feasibility and Design of an Electronic Surgical Safety Checklist in a Teaching Hospital: A User-Based Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiefel, Karin; Donsa, Klaus; Tiefenbacher, Peter; Mischak, Robert; Brunner, Gernot; Sendlhofer, Gerald; Pieber, Thomas

    2018-01-01

    The Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) is routinely used in operating rooms (OR) but its acceptance is low. One promising way to improve acceptance of the SSC and thus quality of patient care is digitalization. To investigate how a digitalization of the SSC could be implemented in a teaching hospital. Based on the identified user requirements we designed a first user interface (UI). We performed a literature review, identified user perceptions and requirements during 12 interviews including a standardized questionnaire in surgical departments at the University Hospital Graz (Austria). Subsequently a first prototype of a UI was designed. Seven different approaches for digital SSC were identified in literature. Our interviews showed that 90% of the participants had a positive attitude towards a digitalization of SSC. The most favoured version of a digitalized SSC was a tablet-based client-server system with integration in the EHR and projection on an OR monitor. Digitalization of the SSC is requested by medical and nursing personnel. Based on the identified user requirements we designed a process oriented UI of a digital SSC.

  14. Effects of resident duty hour reform on surgical and procedural patient safety indicators among hospitalized Veterans Health Administration and Medicare patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, Amy K; Loveland, Susan A; Romano, Patrick S; Itani, Kamal M F; Silber, Jeffrey H; Even-Shoshan, Orit O; Halenar, Michael J; Teng, Yun; Zhu, Jingsan; Volpp, Kevin G

    2009-07-01

    Improving patient safety was a strong motivation behind duty hour regulations implemented by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on July 1, 2003. We investigated whether rates of patient safety indicators (PSIs) changed after these reforms. Observational study of patients admitted to Veterans Health Administration (VA) (N = 826,047) and Medicare (N = 13,367,273) acute-care hospitals from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005. We examined changes in patient safety events in more versus less teaching-intensive hospitals before (2000-2003) and after (2003-2005) duty hour reform, using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for patient age, gender, comorbidities, secular trends, baseline severity, and hospital site. Ten PSIs were aggregated into 3 composite measures based on factor analyses: "Continuity of Care," "Technical Care," and "Other" composites. Continuity of Care composite rates showed no significant changes postreform in hospitals of different teaching intensity in either VA or Medicare. In the VA, there were no significant changes postreform for the technical care composite. In Medicare, the odds of a Technical Care PSI event in more versus less teaching-intensive hospitals in postreform year 1 were 1.12 (95% CI; 1.01-1.25); there were no significant relative changes in postreform year 2. Other composite rates increased in VA in postreform year 2 in more versus less teaching-intensive hospitals (odds ratio, 1.63; 95% CI; 1.10-2.41), but not in Medicare in either postreform year. Duty hour reform had no systematic impact on PSI rates. In the few cases where there were statistically significant increases in the relative odds of developing a PSI, the magnitude of the absolute increases were too small to be clinically meaningful.

  15. Surgical Site Infection Rate and Risk Factors among Obstetric Cases ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2009-04-01

    Among surgical patients in obstetrics, Surgical Site Infections were the most ... for delivery from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 in obstetric ward of the Hospital. ... applying improved surgical techniques and improving infection prevention ...

  16. Understanding inappropriate hospital admissions of patients presenting to the Emergency Department.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Siliquini

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available

    Objectives. To identify 1 the characteristics of patients receiving non acute (inappropriate care and 2 the variables associated to inappropriate hospital use, in order to 3 estimate the relevance of the problem and to 4 focus future concurrent reviews and efforts to allocate patients to alternative health care settings.

    Design. A prospective review of a random sample of adult patients who presented to the Emergency Department of the Molinette Hospital. Patients were assessed at admission and on day 3, 5and 8 using the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (Italian validated version. Patients: 490 overall; 312 (64 % medical and 178 (36 % surgical.

    Outcome measures. Acute (appropriate and non acute (inappropriate admissions, Major Disease Category, costs, mean weights of Diagnosis Related Groups, and length of stay (days.

    Results. The proportion of patients requiring acute care declined rapidly from presentation (84.5% to the fifth day of admission (60.9%. Patients admitted during weekends showed a higher rate of inappropriate stay on day 5 (P=0.04. The proportion of inappropriate admissions was higher for medical rather than surgical patients (P=0.07 at presentation and at day 5 (P < 0.01. Traditional social-demographic variables were not significant risk indicators for inappropriate admissions. The likelihood ratio for inappropriate admission at presentation was significantly higher for minor illnesses and disturbances (P=0.03.

    Inappropriate stay on day 5 was significantly associated with lower cost (P < 0.01, lower mean DRG weight (P < 0.01 and shorter length of stay (P=0.05 for medical but not for surgical admissions.

    Conclusions. Traditional epidemiological indicators are inadequate to target prospective concurrent reviews. Qualitative studies focusing on patient physician dialogue in different situations and contexts could

  17. Management of leg and pressure ulcer in hospitalized patients: direct costs are lower than expected.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assadian, Ojan; Oswald, Joseph S; Leisten, Rainer; Hinz, Peter; Daeschlein, Georg; Kramer, Axel

    2011-01-01

    In Germany, cost calculations on the financial burden of wound treatment are scarce. Studies for attributable costs in hospitalized patients estimate for pressure ulcer additional costs of € 6,135.50 per patient, a calculation based on the assumption that pressure ulcers will lead to prolonged hospitalization averaging 2 months. The scant data available in this field prompted us to conduct a prospective economical study assessing the direct costs of treatment of chronic ulcers in hospitalized patients. The study was designed and conducted as an observational, prospective, multi-centre economical study over a period of 8 months in three community hospitals in Germany. Direct treatment costs for leg ulcer (n=77) and pressure ulcer (n=35) were determined observing 67 patients (average age: 75±12 years). 109 treatments representing 111 in-ward admissions and 62 outpatient visits were observed. During a total of 3,331 hospitalized and 867 outpatient wound therapies, 4,198 wound dressing changes were documented. Costs of material were calculated on a per item base. Direct costs of care and treatment, including materials used, surgical interventions, and personnel costs were determined. An average of € 1,342 per patient (€ 48/d) was spent for treatment of leg ulcer (staff costs € 581, consumables € 458, surgical procedures € 189, and diagnostic procedures € 114). On average, each wound dressing change caused additional costs of € 15. For pressure ulcer, € 991 per patient (€ 52/d) was spent on average (staff costs € 313, consumables € 618, and for surgical procedures € 60). Each wound dressing change resulted in additional costs of € 20 on average. When direct costs of chronic wounds are calculated on a prospective case-by-case basis for a treatment period over 3 months, these costs are lower than estimated to date. While reduction in prevalence of chronic wounds along with optimised patient care will result in substantial cost saving, this

  18. Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria Isolated From Surgical Site Infection of Hospitalized Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhi, Mohammad Taghi; Ghotaslou, Reza; Beheshtirouy, Samad; Asgharzadeh, Mohammad; Pirzadeh, Tahereh; Asghari, Babak; Alizadeh, Naser; Toloue Ostadgavahi, Ali; Sorayaei Somesaraei, Vida; Memar, Mohammad Yousef

    2015-07-01

    Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are infections of incision or deep tissue at operation sites. These infections prolong hospitalization, delay wound healing, and increase the overall cost and morbidity. This study aimed to investigate anaerobic and aerobic bacteria prevalence in surgical site infections and determinate antibiotic susceptibility pattern in these isolates. One hundred SSIs specimens were obtained by needle aspiration from purulent material in depth of infected site. These specimens were cultured and incubated in both aerobic and anaerobic condition. For detection of antibiotic susceptibility pattern in aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, we used disk diffusion, agar dilution, and E-test methods. A total of 194 bacterial strains were isolated from 100 samples of surgical sites. Predominant aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria isolated from these specimens were the members of Enterobacteriaceae family (66, 34.03%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26, 13.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (24, 12.37%), Acinetobacter spp. (18, 9.28%), Enterococcus spp. (16, 8.24%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. (14, 7.22%) and nonhemolytic streptococci (2, 1.03%). Bacteroides fragilis (26, 13.4%), and Clostridium perfringens (2, 1.03%) were isolated as anaerobic bacteria. The most resistant bacteria among anaerobic isolates were B. fragilis. All Gram-positive isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid while most of Enterobacteriaceae showed sensitivity to imipenem. Most SSIs specimens were polymicrobial and predominant anaerobic isolate was B. fragilis. Isolated aerobic and anaerobic strains showed high level of resistance to antibiotics.

  19. Improved patient selection by stratified surgical intervention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Miao; Bünger, Cody E; Li, Haisheng

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Choosing the best surgical treatment for patients with spinal metastases remains a significant challenge for spine surgeons. There is currently no gold standard for surgical treatments. The Aarhus Spinal Metastases Algorithm (ASMA) was established to help surgeons choose...... the most appropriate surgical intervention for patients with spinal metastases. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of stratified surgical interventions based on the ASMA, which combines life expectancy and the anatomical classification of patients with spinal metastases...... survival times in the five surgical groups determined by the ASMA were 2.1 (TS 0-4, TC 1-7), 5.1 (TS 5-8, TC 1-7), 12.1 (TS 9-11, TC 1-7 or TS 12-15, TC 7), 26.0 (TS 12-15, TC 4-6), and 36.0 (TS 12-15, TC 1-3) months. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.5%. Postoperative neurological function was maintained...

  20. Effect of high up front charges on access to surgery for poor patients at a public hospital in New Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skipper Betty

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A public hospital in New Mexico required collection of 50% of estimated costs prior to elective surgeries for self-pay patients. This study assesses the impact of this policy on access to elective surgical procedures. Methods Chi-square tests determined if there was a statistically significant difference between the number of self-pay and insured patient cancellations for financial reasons. A multivariate binomial regression model was used to calculate risk ratios and confidence limits for effects of race/ethnicity, and insurance status, controlling for gender, on these cancellations. Results Of the 667 cancellations, there were 99 self-pay and 568 insured patients. Cancellations for financial reasons occurred in 55.6% of self-pay and 9.3% of insured patients (p Conclusion Self-pay patients, regardless of race/ethnicity, have elective surgical procedures cancelled for financial reasons significantly more often than insured patients. The hospital's 50% up-front payment policy represents a significant financial barrier to accessing elective surgical procedures for self-pay patients.

  1. Multimodal strategies to improve surgical outcome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kehlet, Henrik; Wilmore, Douglas W

    2002-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of modifying perioperative care in noncardiac surgical patients on morbidity, mortality, and other outcome measures. BACKGROUND: New approaches in pain control, introduction of techniques that reduce the perioperative stress response, and the more frequent use...... anesthesia in elective operations, and pilot studies of fast track surgical procedures using the multimodality approach. RESULTS: The introduction of newer approaches to perioperative care has reduced both morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. In the future, most elective operations will become day...... surgical procedures or require only 1 to 2 days of postoperative hospitalization. Reorganization of the perioperative team (anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurses, and physical therapists) will be essential to achieve successful fast track surgical programs. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding perioperative...

  2. Determining the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized paediatric patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino, L V; Goddard, E; Workman, L

    2006-09-01

    To determine the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalised paediatric patients at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. A 1-day cross-sectional survey was completed in all medical and surgical wards and some specialist outpatient clinics. A total of 227 children participated in the study. Thirty-five per cent of patients were moderately malnourished (malnutrition seen, a nutrition risk-screening tool, identifying risk factors for malnutrition such as food access and vulnerability, should be developed. The tool should be used to assess nutrition status and risk during the course of hospitalisation, in addition to planning appropriate nutrition care plan interventions for discharge.

  3. War Wounded and Victims of Traffic Accidents in a Surgical Hospital in Africa: An Observation on Injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Martin

    2015-12-01

    Weapon injuries in armed conflict are likely to receive medical attention. Other types of injuries, like traffic accidents, continue to occur during armed conflict. Injuries caused by weapons and by traffic accidents require treatment, but reports and figures to help in prioritizing care are scarce. In a prospective observational study, all emergency patients admitted to the surgical ward in a public hospital of the Central African Republic were evaluated for the cause of their main injury. The proportion of patients injured by weapons and by traffic accidents was analyzed with respect to the level of violence. Seventy-eight patients were included in this study. Weapon injuries accounted for 50 (64%) admissions and traffic accidents for 28 (36%). These proportions varied significantly according to the weekly level of violence (χ(2)=46.8; Ptraffic accidents are an important, but overlooked, drain on surgical resources in low-income countries with armed conflict. Their proportion in relation to weapon wounded fluctuates with the level of violence. Humanitarian medical organizations might prepare themselves not only for weapon injuries, but also for wounds caused by traffic accidents.

  4. Surgical Outcome in Patients with Spontaneous Supratentorial Intracerebral Hemorrhage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rendevski Vladimir

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the paper was to evaluate the surgical outcome in patients with spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH after surgical intervention, in respect to the initial clinical conditions, age, sex, hemispheric side and anatomic localization of ICH. Thirty-eight surgically treated patients with spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage were included in the study. The surgical outcome was evaluated three months after the initial admission, according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS. The surgical treatment was successful in 14 patients (37%, whereas it was unsuccessful in 24 patients (63%. We have detected a significant negative correlation between the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS scores on admission and the GOS scores after three months, suggesting worse neurological outcome in patients with initially lower GCS scores. The surgical outcome in patients with ICH was not affected by the sex, the hemispheric side and the anatomic localization of ICH, but the age of the patients was estimated as a significant factor for their functional outcome, with younger patients being more likely to be treated successfully. The surgical outcome is affected from the initial clinical state of the patients and their age. The treatment of ICH is still an unsolved clinical problem and the development of new surgical techniques with larger efficiency in the evacuation of the hematoma is necessary, thus making a minimal damage to the normal brain tissue, as well as decreasing the possibility of postoperative bleeding.

  5. Changes in patient's quality of life comparing conservative and surgical treatment of venous leg ulcers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jankūnas, Vytautas; Rimdeika, Rytis; Jasenas, Marius; Samsanavicius, Donatas

    2004-01-01

    Leg ulcers of different etiology disable up to 1% of total population, and up to 15% individuals over 70 years old. It is an old disease, which troubles the patients and medical personnel and is hard to cure. It might take several years to cure the ulcer fully. Most of the patients with leg ulcers are being treated at home, not in the outpatient departments or hospitals; therefore there is not much information on how the ulcer affects the patient's everyday life and its quality. The researchers often analyze only the financial part of this disorder forgetting its human part: pain, social isolation, and decreased mobility. There are many questionnaires and methods to analyze the quality of life of the patients with leg ulceration. It is often unclear if we should treat the ulcer conservatively for a long time or if part of resources should be used for operation (skin grafting) and the time of treatment should be shortened. To see the advantage of both methods and the influence of the ulcer treatment to the quality of life we decided to estimate the functionality of surgical and conservative treatment. We have analyzed the case histories and the data of special questionnaires of 44 patients, which were treated in Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns of Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital in the period of 2001 January-2004 February and had large trophic leg ulcers (m=254 cm2) for 6 months or more. Ten patients were treated conservatively and 34 patients were treated by skin grafting. All of them were interviewed after 3-6 months. We found that the pain in the place of the ulcers has decreased for the patients, who were treated surgically. By making the differences of the pain more exact we found out, that the patients have been feeling pain before the operation and when interviewing them the second time they told that they felt discomfort, not pain. The intensity of pain remained the same for the patients treated conservatively. The regression of pain also

  6. Determinants and time to blood transfusion among thermal burn patients admitted to Mulago Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilyewala, C; Alenyo, R; Ssentongo, R

    2017-07-06

    Blood transfusion, a practice under re-evaluation in general, remains common among thermal burn patients due to the hematological alterations associated with burns that manifest as anemia. Today advocacy is for restrictive blood transfusion taking into account individual patient characteristics. We went out to identify the parameters that may determine transfusion requirement and the time to blood transfusion for thermal burn patients in Mulago Hospital in order to build statistics and a basis to standardize future practice and Hospital protocol. 112 patients with thermal burns were enrolled into a prospective cohort study conducted in the Surgical Unit of the Accidents and Emergency Department and Burns Unit of Mulago Hospital. Relevant data on pre-injury, injury and post-injury factors was collected including relevant laboratory investigations and treatment modalities like surgical intervention. Patients were clinically followed up for a maximum period of 28 days and we identified those that were transfused. 22.3% of patients were transfused. The median time to transfusion was 17 days from time of injury and varied with different patient characteristics. The median pre-transfusion hemoglobin (Hb) level was 8.2 g/dL. Transfusion was significantly related to; admission to the intensive care unit (p = 0.001), a body mass index (BMI) burn surface area (TBSA) >20 (p = 0.049), pre-existing illness (p = 0.046), and white blood cell (WBC) count 12,000/μL (p = 0.05). Pre-existing illnesses, a low BMI, TBSA of >20%, admission to the intensive care unit and abnormalities in the WBC count are useful predictors of blood transfusion among thermal burns patients admitted to Mulago Hospital. The precise time to transfusion from time of burns injury cannot be generalized. With close monitoring of each individual patient lies the appropriateness and timeliness of their management.

  7. Efficacy of Management for Rational Use of Antibiotics in Surgical Departments at a Multi-Disciplinary Hospital: Results of a 7-year Pharmacoepidemiological Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korableva, A A; Yudina, E V; Ziganshina, L E

    Irrational medicine use including excessive use and abuse of antibiotics remains a crucial problem for the healthcare systems. In this regard, studies examining approaches to improving the clinical use of medicines are highly important. to assess the efficacy rate of management for the rational use of antibiotics in surgical departments of a multi-disciplinary hospital. The intervention complex combined the research, educational, and methodological activities: local protocols for perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PABP) for various surgical departments were developed; local PABP protocols were discussed with the physicians of specialized surgical departments; official order on implementation of PABP was issued; the list of drug prescriptions for registration of the first pre-operative antibiotic dose was changed; audit and feedback processes were introduced as well as consultations of a clinical pharmacologist were implemented. We assessed the efficacy rate of the interventions basing on the changes in consumption of antibiotics (both quantitatively and qualitatively) at surgical departments of a hospital using ATC/DDD methodology. Comparison of the studied outcomes was performed before and after the intervention implementation and between the departments (vascular and abdominal surgery). The consumption of antibacterial agents (ATCJ01) was measured as a number of defined daily doses (DDD) per 100 bed-days (DDD/100 bed-days, indicator recommended by the World Health Organization, WHO) and DDD per 100 treated patients (DDD/100 treated patients). From 2006 to 2012, a decrease in antibacterial consumption in surgical departments by 188 DDD/100 treated patients was observed. We obtained the opposite results when using an indicator of DDD/100 bed-days (increase by 2.5 DDD/100 bed-days) which could be explained by the dependence on indices of overall hospital work and its changes during the examined period. Observed changes in antibacterial consumption varied in

  8. Metabolic Syndrome is Associated with Increased Postoperative Morbidity and Hospital Resource Utilization in Patients Undergoing Elective Pancreatectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tee, May C; Ubl, Daniel S; Habermann, Elizabeth B; Nagorney, David M; Kendrick, Michael L; Sarr, Michael G; Truty, Mark J; Que, Florencia G; Reid-Lombardo, Kmarie; Smoot, Rory L; Farnell, Michael B

    2016-01-01

    In patients undergoing elective partial pancreatectomy, our aim was to evaluate the effect of metabolic syndrome (MS) on postoperative mortality, morbidity, and utilization of hospital resources. Our hypothesis was that MS is associated with worse surgical outcomes after pancreatectomy. Fifteen thousand eight hundred thirty-one patients undergoing elective pancreatectomy from 2005 to 2012 were identified in the Participant User File of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP). Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed examining the association of MS (defined as body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2), hypertension requiring medications, and diabetes requiring medications and/or insulin) and risk of 30-day mortality, morbidity, and utilization of hospital resources (risk of blood transfusion in the first 72 h after pancreatectomy and prolonged hospital stay, defined as ≥13 days, which was the 75th percentile of this cohort). Multivariable logistic regression models controlled for age, sex, race, pancreatectomy type (distal versus proximal), smoking status, alcohol consumption, functional status, dyspnea, cardiovascular disease, hematocrit, INR, serum albumin, bilirubin, and creatinine. Stratified analyses were conducted by type of pancreatectomy and indication for pancreatectomy (benign versus malignant). On univariate analysis, 1070 (6.8%) patients had MS. MS was associated with increased postoperative morbidity, major morbidity, surgical site infection, septic shock, cardiac event, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, blood transfusion, and prolonged duration of hospital stay (P pancreatectomy (P = 0.465). When stratified by distal versus proximal pancreatectomy and benign versus malignant disease, the effect of MS on outcomes appears to be modified by type of pancreatectomy and indication with poorer outcomes observed for distal pancreatectomies and benign indications for resection. MS is an under

  9. Surgical pathology of excised heart valves in a referral hospital in iran

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yaghoubi, A.R.; Raeesi, K.

    2007-01-01

    Assessment of surgical pathology of excised heart valves in a referral hospital in Iran in a five years period. This retrospective descriptive study was done from 2002 to 2005 in Rajaie heart center in Tehran, Iran. Surgery and pathology records of patients who underwent valve replacement or repair surgery were reviewed. Of 1563 patients 738 (47.2%) underwent mitral, 565 (36.1%) aortic, and 215 (14%) multivalve operation. Most common pathology of mitral valve was rheumatic (68%), while degenerative calcific pathology was dominant in aortic valve (52%). Rheumatic involvement was 46%, and degenerative pathology was common in tricuspid and pulmonary valves (50% and 67%, respectively). Time trend analysis shows no significant variation in excised valves pathology or pattern from 2002 to 2005 (p=0.112). Rheumatic pathology in excised heart valves is still common in this referral heart center in Iran, and no obvious change in this pattern was found during a 5 years period. (author)

  10. Teaching surgery takes time: the impact of surgical education on time in the operating room

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinden, Christopher; Malthaner, Richard; McGee, Jacob; McClure, J. Andrew; Winick-Ng, Jennifer; Liu, Kuan; Nash, Danielle M.; Welk, Blayne; Dubois, Luc

    2016-01-01

    Background It is generally accepted that surgical training is associated with increased surgical duration. The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of this increase for common surgical procedures by comparing surgery duration in teaching and nonteaching hospitals. Methods This retrospective population-based cohort study included all adult residents of Ontario, Canada, who underwent 1 of 14 surgical procedures between 2002 and 2012. We used several linked administrative databases to identify the study cohort in addition to patient-, surgeon- and procedure-related variables. We determined surgery duration using anesthesiology billing records. Negative binomial regression was used to model the association between teaching versus nonteaching hospital status and surgery duration. Results Of the 713 573 surgical cases included in this study, 20.8% were performed in a teaching hospital. For each procedure, the mean surgery duration was significantly longer for teaching hospitals, with differences ranging from 5 to 62 minutes across individual procedures in unadjusted analyses (all p surgery duration, adjusting for patient-, surgeon- and procedure-related variables as well as the clustering of patients within surgeons and hospitals. Conclusion Our results show that a wide range of surgical procedures require significantly more time to perform in teaching than nonteaching hospitals. Given the magnitude of this difference, the impact of surgical training on health care costs and clinical outcomes should be a priority for future studies. PMID:27007088

  11. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality following open surgical repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Wanpin; Wang, Yan; Yao, Kai; Wang, Zheng; Wu, Hao

    2016-01-01

    Open surgical repair (OSR) is a conventional surgical method used in the repair a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA); however, OSR results in high perioperative mortality rates. The level of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been reported to be an independent risk factor for postoperative in-hospital mortality following major cardiopulmonary surgery. In the present study, the association of serum ACE2 levels with postoperative in-hospital mortality was investigated in patients undergoing OSR for ruptured AAA. The study enrolled 84 consecutive patients underwent OSR for ruptured AAA and were subsequently treated in the intensive care unit. Patients who succumbed postoperatively during hospitalization were defined as non-survivors. Serum ACE2 levels were measured in all patients prior to and following the surgery using ELISA kits. The results indicated that non-survivors showed significantly lower mean preoperative and postoperative serum ACE2 levels when compared with those in survivors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis also showed that, subsequent to adjusting for potential confounders, the serum ACE2 level on preoperative day 1 showed a significant negative association with the postoperative in-hospital mortality. This was confirmed by multivariate hazard ratio analysis, which showed that, subsequent to adjusting for the various potential confounders, the risk of postoperative in-hospital mortality remained significantly higher in the two lowest serum ACE2 level quartiles compared with that in the highest quartile on preoperative day 1. In conclusion, the present study provided the first evidence supporting that the serum ACE2 level is an independent risk factor for the in-hospital mortality following OSR for ruptured AAA. Furthermore, low serum ACE2 levels on preoperative day 1 were found to be associated with increased postoperative in-hospital mortality. Therefore, the serum ACE2 level on preoperative day 1 may be a potential

  12. [Comparative effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical treatment for pediatric mandibular condylar fractures].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Min; Wang, Yanyi; Zhang, Lihai; Yao, Jun

    2010-12-01

    To compare the effectiveness of open reduction and conservative treatment for pediatric mandibular condylar fractures and to provide the evidence for the selection of clinical therapy. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from 25 patients with the mandibular condylar fractures between January 1988 and December 2006. Of them, 8 patients (11 fractures) were treated with surgical treatment (surgical group) and 17 patients (22 fractures) with non-surgical treatment (non-surgical group). In surgical group, there were 6 males (9 fractures) and 2 females (2 fractures) with an age range of 8-13 years; fracture was caused by tumbling in 7 cases and by traffic accident in 1 with an interval of 1-6 days between injury and hospitalization; and 5 cases were identified as unilateral condylar fractures (3 complicated by mental fractures) and 3 cases as bilateral condylar fractures complicated by mental fractures. In non-surgical group, there were 12 males (15 fractures) and 5 females (7 fractures) with an age range of 3-12 years; fracture was caused by falling from height in 4 cases, by tumbling in 10, and by traffic accident in 3 with an interval of 1-25 days between injury and hospitalization; and 12 cases were identified as unilateral condylar fractures (3 complicated by mental fractures) and 5 cases as bilateral condylar fractures (1 complicated by mental fracture). Incision healed by first intention in surgical group, and 25 cases were followed up 1-6 years with an average of 3.5 years. At 12 months after treatment, no temporomandibular joint pain, eating disorder, or limited mandibular movement occurred in 2 groups. No significant difference was observed in opening mouth extent, protrusive and lateral movements between 2 groups at 6 and 12 months (P > 0.05). During centric occlusion, mental point located at the midline with symmetric face figure. Two patients in surgical group and 3 in non-surgical group had slight snap when opening their mouths. Mandible

  13. Planning for patient privacy and hospitability: a must do in oncology care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Easter, James G

    2003-01-01

    The number one design challenge in the healthcare environment is the patient room. This space is one of the primary functional areas impacting hospital design and, quite often, the place of greatest controversy. This controversy is due to the length of time the patient spends in the room (compared to other areas), the amount of overall space required and the time dedicated to patient room utilization, maintenance, general arrangement and overall efficiency. In addition, there is a growing list of room types to be considered, many are of the ambulatory care, short stay and observation category. Other room types beyond the routine medical/surgical room include Intensive Care, Coronary Care, Surgical Intensive Care, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation and Oncology Care as well as more intensive Bone Marrow Transplantation, for example. Major features of the traditional acute care patient room require the space to be flexible, convertible, expandable and, most importantly, hospitable. For many, many years the patient room was considered a shared space with multiple beds and multiple users. The term semi-private has been used to describe the traditional two-bed and, sometimes 4-bed patient room. This article will address the programmatic elements of an inpatient area, the room and its functional components along with some examples for comparative purposes. For the oncology patient, the development of a family-focused, private room is mandatory. The private room is more flexible, less expensive to operate, safer and environmentally more appealing for the patient, family and staff.

  14. Social and hospital costs of patients admitted to a university hospital in Brazil due to motorcycle crashes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos Anjos, Katia Campos; de Rezende, Marcelo Rosa; Mattar, Rames

    2017-08-18

    This study aimed to investigate the social and hospital costs of patients treated at a public hospital who were motorcycle crash victims. This prospective study was on 68 motorcycle riders (drivers or passengers), who were followed up from hospital admission to 6 months after the crash. A questionnaire covering quantitative and qualitative questions was administered. Motorcycle crash victims were responsible for 12% of the institution's hospital admissions; 54.4% were young (18-28 years of age); 92.6% were the drivers; 91.2% were male; and 50% used their motorcycles as daily means of transportation. Six months afterward, 94.1% needed help from someone; 83.8% had changed their family dynamics; and 73.5% had not returned to their professional activities. Among the injuries, 94.7% had some type of fracture, of which 53.5% were exposed fractures; 35.3% presented temporary sequelae; and 32.4% presented permanent sequelae. They used the surgical center 2.53 times on average, with a mean hospital stay of 18 days. The per capita hospital cost of these victims' treatment was US$17,481.50. The social and hospital costs were high, relative to the characteristics of a public institution. Temporary or permanent disability caused changes to family dynamics, as shown by the high numbers of patients who were still away from their professional activities more than 6 months afterward.

  15. Disregarded use of herbal medical products and dietary supplements among surgical and medical patients as estimated by home inspection and interview

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Glintborg, Bente; Andersen, Stig Ejdrup; Spang-Hanssen, Eva

    2005-01-01

    and DS among patients recently discharged from two hospital departments. METHODS: Patients were visited within 1 week after discharge and interviewed about their use of HMP and DS. Stored products were inspected and registered. Hospital files and discharge letters were examined to establish the frequency...... of registration. RESULTS: Totally, 83 surgical and 117 medical patients were included (n = 200), 139 patients (70%) were women. 53 patients (27%) stored no HMP or DS, whereas the home inventories of 147 patients (74%) comprised 343 products. 116 patients (58%) used HMP or DS daily and 25 patients (13%) used...

  16. Surgical site infection and pattern of antibiotic use in a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jan, W.A.; Khan, M.; Jehanzeb, M.

    2010-01-01

    Surgical site infection (SSI) is most common complication following surgical procedures. The objective of the study was to collect information on SSI regarding the most frequent pathogen in cases operated in casualty of Lady Read ing Hospital (LRH) Peshawar, and sensitivity of the isolated pathogens to different antibiotics used. Methods: The study was carried out at surgical 'B' unit (SBU) LRH from Jan 1, 2009 till Dec 31, 2009. A total of 100 patients who developed SSI after being operated for peritonitis following traumatic gut perforations, perforated appendix and enteric perforation. The patients included presented to casualty, operated in casualty OT and were shifted to the SBU, LRH. Children and patients operated on the elective list were excluded. Data was collected on specially designed proforma. Demographic details, details of SSI, culture/sensitivity reports and antibiotic used for prophylaxis and after C/S report were recorded. Results: Out of a total of 100, 72 had superficial, 20 had organ/space and 8 had deep SSI. Organisms were isolated in 77 cases (77%). E. coli being most common pathogen (46%), followed by Pseudomonas (23%), mixed growth of Staph. Aureus or MRSA (13%), MRSA (5%) and Staph aureus (4%) in descending order. No growth was reported in 23% of cases. Conclusion: E.coli was the most common organism involved in SSI in SBU LRH. The incidence of infection with MRSA in our unit is high. Combination of antibiotics like pipreacillin/Tazobactam, Cefoperazone/Sulbactam, were most effective against the isolated organisms, except MRSA where Linezolid, vancomycin and Tiecoplanin were effective. (author)

  17. Anastomotic pseudoaneurysms after surgical reconstruction: Outcomes after endovascular repair of symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nolz, Richard; Gschwendtner, Manfred; Jülg, Gregor; Plank, Christina; Beitzke, Dietrich; Teufelsbauer, Harald; Wibmer, Andreas; Kretschmer, Georg; Lammer, Johannes

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To compare perioperative and follow-up outcomes of symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients following endovascular repair of anastomotic pseudoaneurysms (APAs) of the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 17 patients (two women), with a mean age of 66.2 years (range 30–83 years). Endovascular treatment was performed in ten symptomatic, and seven asymptomatic patients electively. Data included technical success, perioperative (within 30 days) mortality and morbidity, as well as stent graft-related complications, reinterventions, and survival in follow-up. Results: Bifurcated (n = 13), aortomonoiliac (n = 3) endoprosthesis and one aortic cuff were implanted with a primary technical success rate of 100%. The overall in-hospital mortality and morbidity rate was 11.8% and 35.3%. The mean survival was 36.5 (range 0–111) months. There was a clear trend toward a lower overall survival within hospital and at one and three years for symptomatic patients compared to asymptomatic patients. (47.7 (CI: 0–138.8) versus 52.6 (CI: 28.5–76.8) months (p = 0.274)). During follow-up, late stent graft related complications were observed in six patients (35.3%) necessitating eight endovascular reinterventions. Additional three patients with primary fistulas between the APA and the intestine were treated by late surgical revision. Conclusion: Endovascular therapy of APAs represents a considerable alternative to open surgical repair. Short proximal anchoring zones still pose a risk for endoleaks and unintentional overstenting of side branches with commercially available devices, but this might be overcome by use of fenestrated and branched stent grafts in elective cases.

  18. Direct and indirect costs of surgically treated pelvic fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aprato, Alessandro; Joeris, Alexander; Tosto, Ferdinando; Kalampoki, Vasiliki; Stucchi, Alessandro; Massè, Alessandro

    2016-03-01

    Pelvic fractures requiring surgical fixation are rare injuries but present a great societal impact in terms of disability, as well as economic resources. In the literature, there is no description of these costs. Main aim of this study is to describe the direct and indirect costs of these fractures. Secondary aims were to test if the type of fracture (pelvic ring injury or acetabular fracture) influences these costs (hospitalization, consultation, medication, physiotherapy sessions, job absenteeism). We performed a retrospective study on patients with surgically treated acetabular fractures or pelvic ring injuries. Medical records were reviewed in terms of demographic data, follow-up, diagnosis (according to Letournel and Tile classifications for acetabular and pelvic fractures, respectively) and type of surgical treatment. Patients were interviewed about hospitalization length, consultations after discharge, medications, physiotherapy sessions and absenteeism. The study comprised 203 patients, with a mean age of 49.1 ± 15.6 years, who had undergone surgery for an acetabular fracture or pelvic ring injury. The median treatment costs were 29.425 Euros per patient. Sixty percent of the total costs were attributed to health-related work absence. Median costs (in Euros) were 2.767 for hospitalization from trauma to definitive surgery, 4.530 for surgery, 3.018 for hospitalization in the surgical unit, 1.693 for hospitalization in the rehabilitation unit, 1.920 for physiotherapy after discharge and 402 for consultations after discharge. Total costs for treating pelvic ring injuries were higher than for acetabular fractures, mainly due to the significant higher costs of pelvic injuries regarding hospitalization from trauma to definitive surgery (p fractures are associated with both high direct costs and substantial productivity loss.

  19. Impact of surgical complications on length of stay after hip fracture surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foss, Nicolai Bang; Palm, Henrik; Krasheninnikoff, Michael

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation after hip fracture may be lengthy, with bed-day consumption accounting for up to 85% of the total cost of admission to hospital. Data suggest that surgical complications requiring reoperation may lead to an excessively long in-patient stays. However, the overall impact...... of surgical complications has not been examined in detail. METHODS: All 600 consecutive patients included were admitted with primary hip fracture and received primary surgical intervention with multimodal rehabilitation. Surgical complications were audited and classified as being due to a patient fall...... showed that 64 complications (55%) were due to suboptimal surgery, 18 (16%) to infection, 6 (5%) to falls and 28 (24%) to no obvious cause. CONCLUSION: Surgical complications secondary to primary hip fracture surgery account for 27.1% of total hospital bed consumption within 6 months. Approximately, 50...

  20. Validation of patient and nurse short forms of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale and their relationship to return to the hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Marianne E; Costa, Linda L; Yakusheva, Olga; Bobay, Kathleen L

    2014-02-01

    To validate patient and nurse short forms for discharge readiness assessment and their associations with 30-day readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits. A total of 254 adult medical-surgical patients and their discharging nurses from an Eastern US tertiary hospital between May and November, 2011. Prospective longitudinal design, multinomial logistic regression analysis. Nurses and patients independently completed an eight-item Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale on the day of discharge. Patient characteristics, readmissions, and ED visits were electronically abstracted. Nurse assessment of low discharge readiness was associated with a six- to nine-fold increase in readmission risk. Patient self-assessment was not associated with readmission; neither was associated with ED visits. Nurse discharge readiness assessment should be added to existing strategies for identifying readmission risk. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  1. Comparison of homecare costs of local wound care in surgical patients randomized between occlusive and gauze dressings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ubbink, Dirk Th; Vermeulen, Hester; van Hattem, Jarne

    2008-01-01

    AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the material and nursing costs and outcome of wound care at home comparing two dressing groups (occlusive vs. gauze-based) in surgical patients after hospital dismissal. BACKGROUND: The large variety in dressing materials and lack of convincing evidence make the choice

  2. Surgical Excision of Benign Papillomas Diagnosed with Core Biopsy: A Community Hospital Approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rozentsvayg, Eka; Carver, Kristen; Borkar, Sunita; Mathew, Melvy; Enis, Sean; Friedman, Paul

    2011-01-01

    Our goal was to assess the value of surgical excision of benign papillomas of the breast diagnosed on percutaneous core biopsy by determining the frequency of upgrade to malignancies and high risk lesions on a final surgical pathology. We reviewed 67 patients who had biopsies yielding benign papilloma and underwent subsequent surgical excision. Surgical pathology of the excised lesions was compared with initial core biopsy pathology results. 54 patients had concordant benign core and excisional pathology. Cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma) was diagnosed in five (7%) patients. Surgery revealed high-risk lesions in 8 (12%) patients, including atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia, and lobular carcinoma in situ. Cancer and high risk lesions accounted for 13 (19%) upstaging events from benign papilloma diagnosis. Our data suggests that surgical excision is warranted with core pathology of benign papilloma

  3. Quality of surgical scrub in a heart hospital: Do not take it for granted.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdollahi, Leila; Tabrizi, Jafar Sadegh; Jodati, Ahmadreza; Safaie, Naser; Moradi-Joo, Mohammad; Daemi, Amin

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The role of scrub in the prevention of post-surgery infections is well-known. This study aimed to investigate the inputs and process of surgical scrub in operating rooms of the largest heart hospital of northwest Iran. Methods: This study took place with a before-after design as a clinical audit in 2014. A check list developed based on national and international standards of surgical hand scrub was used as the study instrument. Checklists were completed by observation of surgical team scrubbing in real situation. Descriptive statistics and graphs were used to describe the results. Results: A compliance degree with the standards for prerequisites, equipment, general items, process and time of scrub was observed as 58%, 55%, 33%, 68% and 22%, respectively. The compliance degree after the intervention was 72%, 66%, 66%, 85% and 61%, respectively. Improvement was observed in all studied aspects of scrub. The total score of compliance with the standards changed from 47% to 70%. The main issues were incorrect order of scrubbing the areas of the hands, incorrect way of scrubbing the arms, insufficient scrubbing the arms (not above elbow), and lack of awareness about hospital's policy on scrub time. Conclusion: The results showed defects in the surgical scrub of the studied hospital and that the compliance with the standards can be improved by simple interventions. Periodical audit and observation of the scrub and then feedback is recommended.

  4. CORRELATION BETWEEN TIME UNTIL SURGICAL TREATMENT AND MORTALITY AMONG ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH FRACTURES AT THE PROXIMAL END OF THE FEMUR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arliani, Gustavo Gonçalves; da Costa Astur, Diego; Linhares, Glauber Kazuo; Balbachevsky, Daniel; Fernandes, Hélio Jorge Alvachian; Dos Reis, Fernando Baldy

    2011-01-01

    The primary aim of this study was to analyze the possible association between delay in receiving surgical treatment and mortality among elderly patients with fractures at the proximal end of the femur. 269 patients with fractures at the proximal end of the femur (femur neck and intertrochanteric fractures) who were treated surgically at Hospital São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, between January 2003 and December 2007, were studied. The following attributes were analyzed and compared with the literature relating to this subject: sex, age, type of fracture, classification of the fracture, affected side, synthesis used, trauma mechanism, length of hospitalization, waiting time for surgery, associated comorbidities, hemogram on admission, type of anesthesia, need for blood transfusion, day of the week and season of the year of the fracture. The study showed that higher mortality correlated with higher numbers of clinical comorbidities, longer hospitalization and use of general anesthesia during the surgery. There was no association between the time spent waiting for surgery and mortality.

  5. Effects of hospital care environment on patient mortality and nurse outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Linda H; Clarke, Sean P; Sloane, Douglas M; Lake, Eileen T; Cheney, Timothy

    2008-05-01

    The objective of this study was to analyze the net effects of nurse practice environments on nurse and patient outcomes after accounting for nurse staffing and education. Staffing and education have well-documented associations with patient outcomes, but evidence on the effect of care environments on outcomes has been more limited. Data from 10,184 nurses and 232,342 surgical patients in 168 Pennsylvania hospitals were analyzed. Care environments were measured using the practice environment scales of the Nursing Work Index. Outcomes included nurse job satisfaction, burnout, intent to leave, and reports of quality of care, as well as mortality and failure to rescue in patients. Nurses reported more positive job experiences and fewer concerns with care quality, and patients had significantly lower risks of death and failure to rescue in hospitals with better care environments. Care environment elements must be optimized alongside nurse staffing and education to achieve high quality of care.

  6. [Establishment of a trauma surgical department at the Diospi Suyana missionary hospital in Curahuasi, Peru].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boeker, T

    2017-10-01

    The confusingly structured and in many areas corrupt health system in Peru even today provides only a fragmentary and insufficient medical treatment especially for the indigenous population (mainly Quechua Indians). Since October 2007 the Diospi Suyana missionary hospital in Curahuasi (State of Apurímac) has provided an affordable medical treatment at a high level mainly for these indigenous people of Peru; however, so far the hospital could only insufficiently meet the traumatological needs of the region. The establishment of a surgical trauma department aims to meet those needs but is also encumbered by special problems and challenges. Some patients, for example only present at the hospital after the fractures have already incorrectly healed, sometimes many weeks or even months after the trauma either due to a long journey through the country to different hospitals where treatment was not possible or they could not pay for the treatment and sometimes because of inadequate prior treatment, for example by traditional healers. Cultural and infrastructural particularities of the country must be included in the process of choosing the right method of treatment.

  7. Aetiological agents of surgical site infection in a specialist hospital in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Despite the advances made in asepsis, antimicrobial drugs, sterilization and operative techniques, surgical site infections (SSI) continue to be a major problem in all branches of surgery in the hospitals. The objective of this study was to establish the incidence of SSI, the type and frequency of various pathogens and their ...

  8. GYNOTEL: telephone advice to gynaecological surgical patients after discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caljouw, Monique A A; Hogendorf-Burgers, Marja E H J

    2010-12-01

    To investigate in surgical gynaecological patients the types of health problems arising or persisting up to six weeks after discharge and the effectiveness of telephone advice. The decreasing length of hospital stay has increased the need for specific instructions about the postdischarge period. Telephone advice could be a valuable tool to address this problem. To our knowledge, postdischarge health problems and the value of telephone advice have not been investigated among gynaecological patients. Randomised controlled trial. Gynaecological patients expected to stay in the ward longer than 24 hour were invited to participate. A pilot study showed that wound healing, pain, mobility, urination, defecation and vaginal bleeding were the most common health problems postdischarge. Based on that information, guidelines were formulated that were used by trained nurses to give telephone advice to the intervention group (n=235), in addition to the usual care. The control group of gynaecological patients (n=233) received usual care only. Of all 468 participants, about 50% were operated for general gynaecology. At discharge, wound pain (56%), mobility problems (54%) and constipation (27%) were the most frequently mentioned problems in both groups. Participants who completely followed the advice with regard to wound healing (p=0.02), pain (p=0.01), vaginal bleeding (p=0.03) and mobility (p=0.04) experienced greater improvement than participants who did not follow, or only partly followed, the advice. The telephone advice appears to make a significant contribution to help gynaecological surgical patients to solve or reduce their postdischarge health problems. The positive effect of such advice can be interpreted as an improvement in the quality of life of the postoperative gynaecological patient. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  9. Fast-track surgery: A new concept of perioperative management of surgical patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Rodrigues

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In the past few decades, surgery has advanced greatly because of an improved understanding of perioperative pathophysiology, development of minimally invasive operative techniques and advanced anaesthetic techniques. Fewer operations are requiring extended periods of hospital stay and a growing number of procedures are performed on an ambulatory basis. The pressure on medical systems is continuously growing as a result of economic constraints, increasing numbers of patients undergoing surgical procedures and greater patient autonomy. Patient awareness is steadily increasing along with their participation in their own care, leading to expectations of a higher standard of care. This has led to the development of a new concept of fast-track surgery.

  10. Thiopurines are associated with a reduction in surgical re-resections in patients with Crohn's disease: a long-term follow-up study in a regional and academic cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Loo, Ellen S; Vosseberg, Ninke W; van der Heide, Frans; Pierie, Jean-Pierre E N; van der Linde, Klaas; Ploeg, Rutger J; Dijkstra, Gerard; Nieuwenhuijs, Vincent B

    2013-12-01

    Combination therapy of thiopurines and anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) antibodies is the most effective medical treatment of Crohn's disease (CD). Data on thiopurines and anti-TNF-α antibodies in preventing surgical recurrence (need for re-resection) of CD are scarce. Therefore, we analyzed which factors were involved in surgical recurrence of CD in a large cohort of patients with CD operated in a regional and a university hospital. This is a retrospective cohort study of 567 patients who underwent surgery for CD. Clinical data and risk factors for surgical recurrence were analyzed, focusing on medical therapy and hospital type. Overall, 237 (41.8%) patients developed a surgical recurrence, after a median of 70 (2-482) months. Before surgical recurrence, 235 patients (41.4%) and 116 patients (20.5%) used thiopurines and anti-TNF-α antibodies, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified 3 independent risk factors associated with surgical recurrence of CD. A higher risk was seen in patients with colonic disease compared with patients with ileal disease (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.21; P = 0.012) and in patients using multiple types of medication (hazard ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-1.54; P < 0.001). However, a lower risk was seen in patients using thiopurines (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.77; P = 0.001). Thiopurines are effective in preventing surgical recurrence of CD. The role of anti-TNF-α antibodies seems promising as well. Combination therapy of thiopurines and anti-TNF-α antibodies for prevention of surgical recurrence of CD should be studied in a randomized trial.

  11. Surgical treatment of colorectal cancer complicated with acute intestinal obstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. N. Schaeva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The main reason for urgent complications of colon cancer is an acute intestinal obstruction (AIO. This is complex pathological condition in 90 % of cases caused by colorectal cancer (CRC.Objective – to evaluate radicality of the performed operations in complicated colorectal cancer in general surgical hospitals. Dependence of the severity of intestinal obstruction by tumor localization, its morphological characteristics, determine dependence of the type of the surgical operation performed on the severity of intestinal obstruction.Materials and methods. We have studied the data on 667 patients with colorectal cancer complicated by acute intestinal obstruction. These patients were treated in the period from 2001 to 2013 in general surgical hospital in the territory of Smolensk and Smolensk region. For the processing of the obtained results we have used software Statistica 6.1. Differences were considered statistically at p ≤ 0.05.Results. All the patients were divided into 3 groups by the expression of intestinal obstruction. Group 1 (n = 279 consisted of patients with the presence of decompensated intestinal obstruction (DIO, group 2 (n = 313 consisted of patients with subcompensated intestinal obstruction (SIO, group 3 (n = 75 included patients with compensated intestinal obstruction (CIO. In case of tumor localization in right halfof the colon we most commonly observed clinical picture of acute development of decompensated intestinal obstruction (p = 0.041. Subcompensated intestinal obstruction prevailed in case of tumor localization in left half of the colon and rectal localization. In general surgical hospitals it is not always possible to speak about radicality of surgical treatment, as in a large number of cases (62.5 % the number of examined lymph nodes was less than 4. When DIO patients are admitted in the clinic, the percentage of singlestage operations is equal to 7.5 % (n = 21. In case of DIO and SIO there was a high

  12. Teaching hospital financial status and patient outcomes following ACGME duty hour reform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navathe, Amol S; Silber, Jeffrey H; Small, Dylan S; Rosen, Amy K; Romano, Patrick S; Even-Shoshan, Orit; Wang, Yanli; Zhu, Jingsan; Halenar, Michael J; Volpp, Kevin G

    2013-04-01

    To examine whether hospital financial health was associated with differential changes in outcomes after implementation of 2003 ACGME duty hour regulations. Observational study of 3,614,174 Medicare patients admitted to 869 teaching hospitals from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005. Interrupted time series analysis using logistic regression to adjust for patient comorbidities, secular trends, and hospital site. Outcomes included 30-day mortality, AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs), failure-to-rescue (FTR) rates, and prolonged length of stay (PLOS). All eight analyses measuring the impact of duty hour reform on mortality by hospital financial health quartile, in postreform year 1 ("Post 1") or year 2 ("Post 2") versus the prereform period, were insignificant: Post 1 OR range 1.00-1.02 and Post 2 OR range 0.99-1.02. For PSIs, all six tests showed clinically insignificant effect sizes. The FTR rate analysis demonstrated nonsignificance in both postreform years (OR 1.00 for both). The PLOS outcomes varied significantly only for the combined surgical sample in Post 2, but this effect was very small, OR 1.03 (95% CI 1.02, 1.04). The impact of 2003 ACGME duty hour reform on patient outcomes did not differ by hospital financial health. This finding is somewhat reassuring, given additional financial pressure on teaching hospitals from 2011 duty hour regulations. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  13. Pattern of surgical procedures performed in the orthopaedic units of a tertiary hospital in South West Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas O Adekoya-Cole

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH is one of the foremost teaching institutions in Nigeria. It is a recognized training institution for residency training in Nigeria. However, a thorough evaluation of the procedures being undertaken by the orthopaedic teams in this centre and the impact on the type of training being passed on to the resident doctors in training is the focus of this paper. Objectives: To determine the pattern of procedures performed by the orthopaedic units of the Department of Surgery, LUTH with a view to import the findings in re-organizing its structure based on service requirement, manpower allocation and to make recommendation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data including age, sex, procedures and leading surgeons retrieved from all our operating theatres over a period from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2011. The data retrieved was analyzed. Results: A total 741 procedures were performed over the 2 year period. More male patients (58.5% had procedures performed on them than the female patients. The mean age of patients treated was 37.2±15.5 years. Trauma related procedures accounted for 68.8% of the total procedures. Open reduction and internal fixation surgical operations were the most common trauma related procedure while ablative surgical operations following Diabetic Mellitus foot syndrome were the most common non-trauma related procedure performed. Conclusion: Trauma related surgery remains the most common procedures in our teaching hospital. Efforts should be made to increase the number of elective operations like Arthroplasties, Arthroscopic operations and Spinal axis correction operations being performed.

  14. Patient-specific surgical simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soler, Luc; Marescaux, Jacques

    2008-02-01

    Technological innovations of the twentieth century have provided medicine and surgery with new tools for education and therapy definition. Thus, by combining Medical Imaging and Virtual Reality, patient-specific applications providing preoperative surgical simulation have become possible.

  15. The introduction of an acute physiological support service for surgical patients is an effective error reduction strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, D L; Kong, V Y; Naidoo, L C; Furlong, H; Aldous, C

    2013-01-01

    Acute surgical patients are particularly vulnerable to human error. The Acute Physiological Support Team (APST) was created with the twin objectives of identifying high-risk acute surgical patients in the general wards and reducing both the incidence of error and impact of error on these patients. A number of error taxonomies were used to understand the causes of human error and a simple risk stratification system was adopted to identify patients who are particularly at risk of error. During the period November 2012-January 2013 a total of 101 surgical patients were cared for by the APST at Edendale Hospital. The average age was forty years. There were 36 females and 65 males. There were 66 general surgical patients and 35 trauma patients. Fifty-six patients were referred on the day of their admission. The average length of stay in the APST was four days. Eleven patients were haemo-dynamically unstable on presentation and twelve were clinically septic. The reasons for referral were sepsis,(4) respiratory distress,(3) acute kidney injury AKI (38), post-operative monitoring (39), pancreatitis,(3) ICU down-referral,(7) hypoxia,(5) low GCS,(1) coagulopathy.(1) The mortality rate was 13%. A total of thirty-six patients experienced 56 errors. A total of 143 interventions were initiated by the APST. These included institution or adjustment of intravenous fluids (101), blood transfusion,(12) antibiotics,(9) the management of neutropenic sepsis,(1) central line insertion,(3) optimization of oxygen therapy,(7) correction of electrolyte abnormality,(8) correction of coagulopathy.(2) CONCLUSION: Our intervention combined current taxonomies of error with a simple risk stratification system and is a variant of the defence in depth strategy of error reduction. We effectively identified and corrected a significant number of human errors in high-risk acute surgical patients. This audit has helped understand the common sources of error in the general surgical wards and will inform

  16. Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score as predictor of survival of patients with digestive system cancer who have undergone surgical resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Yaohua; Jian, Zhong; Xu, Beibei; Liu, Hui

    2017-10-03

    Comorbidities have considerable effects on survival outcomes. The primary objective of this retrospective study was to examine the association between age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) score and postoperative in-hospital mortality in patients with digestive system cancer who have undergone surgical resection of their cancers. Using electronic hospitalization summary reports, we identified 315,464 patients who had undergone surgery for digestive system cancer in top-rank (Grade 3A) hospitals in China between 2013 and 2015. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was applied to evaluate the effect of ACCI score on postoperative mortality, with adjustments for sex, type of resection, anesthesia methods, and caseload of each healthcare institution. The postoperative in-hospital mortality rate in the study cohort was 1.2% (3,631/315,464). ACCI score had a positive graded association with the risk of postoperative in-hospital mortality for all cancer subtypes. The adjusted HRs for postoperative in-hospital mortality scores ≥ 6 for esophagus, stomach, colorectum, pancreas, and liver and gallbladder cancer were 2.05 (95% CI: 1.45-2.92), 2.00 (95% CI: 1.60-2.49), 2.54 (95% CI: 2.02-3.21), 2.58 (95% CI: 1.68-3.97), and 4.57 (95% CI: 3.37-6.20), respectively, compared to scores of 0-1. These findings suggested that a high ACCI score is an independent predictor of postoperative in-hospital mortality in Chinese patients with digestive system cancer who have undergone surgical resection.

  17. The activities of hospital nursing unit managers and quality of patient care in South African hospitals: a paradox?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan J. Armstrong

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Improving the quality of health care is central to the proposed health care reforms in South Africa. Nursing unit managers play a key role in coordinating patient care activities and in ensuring quality care in hospitals. Objective: This paper examines whether the activities of nursing unit managers facilitate the provision of quality patient care in South African hospitals. Methods: During 2011, a cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in nine randomly selected hospitals (six public, three private in two South African provinces. In each hospital, one of each of the medical, surgical, paediatric, and maternity units was selected (n=36. Following informed consent, each unit manager was observed for a period of 2 hours on the survey day and the activities recorded on a minute-by-minute basis. The activities were entered into Microsoft Excel, coded into categories, and analysed according to the time spent on activities in each category. The observation data were complemented by semi-structured interviews with the unit managers who were asked to recall their activities on the day preceding the interview. The interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: The study found that nursing unit managers spent 25.8% of their time on direct patient care, 16% on hospital administration, 14% on patient administration, 3.6% on education, 13.4% on support and communication, 3.9% on managing stock and equipment, 11.5% on staff management, and 11.8% on miscellaneous activities. There were also numerous interruptions and distractions. The semi-structured interviews revealed concordance between unit managers’ recall of the time spent on patient care, but a marked inflation of their perceived time spent on hospital administration. Conclusion: The creation of an enabling practice environment, supportive executive management, and continuing professional development are needed to enable nursing managers to lead the provision

  18. Pattern of Bacterial Pathogens and Their Susceptibility Isolated from Surgical Site Infections at Selected Referral Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walelign Dessie

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The emergence of multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens in hospitals is becoming a challenge for surgeons to treat hospital acquired infections. Objective. To determine bacterial pathogens and drug susceptibility isolated from surgical site infections at St. Paul Specialized Hospital Millennium Medical College and Yekatit 12 Referral Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2013 and March 2014 on 107 surgical site infected patients. Wound specimens were collected using sterile cotton swab and processed as per standard operative procedures in appropriate culture media; and susceptibility testing was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. The data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Result. From a total of 107 swabs collected, 90 (84.1% were culture positive and 104 organisms were isolated. E. coli (24 (23.1% was the most common organism isolated followed by multidrug resistant Acinetobacter species (23 (22.1%. More than 58 (75% of the Gram negative isolates showed multiple antibiotic resistance (resistance ≥ 5 drugs. Pan-antibiotic resistance was noted among 8 (34.8% Acinetobacter species and 3 (12.5% E. coli. This calls for abstinence from antibiotic abuse. Conclusion. Gram negative bacteria were the most important isolates accounting for 76 (73.1%. Ampicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, cephazoline, and tetracycline showed resistance while gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were relatively effective antimicrobials.

  19. Patient Satisfaction with Surgical Outcome after Hypospadias Correction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dokter, E.M.J.; Moues, C.M.; Rooij, I.A.L.M. van; Biezen, J.J. van der

    2017-01-01

    Background: Hypospadias is a congenital malformation in which surgical correction is indicated in most cases. Postoperative patient satisfaction is important because of its influence on the child's psychological development. Objective: To evaluate patient satisfaction with surgical outcome after

  20. Patients' views of patient-centred care: a phenomenological case study in one surgical unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Amy; Kitson, Alison; Zeitz, Kathryn

    2012-12-01

    To report a study of patients' views of patient-centred care. The study aimed to explore patients' understanding and conceptualization of patient-centred care and link it to existing literature on the topic. Patient-centred care currently lacks a widely accepted definition, with much of the literature based on definitions formulated by health professionals and researchers. Qualitative research study grounded in phenomenology. Interpersonal interviews were conducted with ten participants who were patients in a surgical ward in a large metropolitan hospital in South Australia in 2010. Participants were unfamiliar with the concept of patient-centred care, but despite this, were able to describe what the term meant to them and what they wanted from their care. Patients equated the type and quality of care they received with the staff that provided it and themes of connectedness, involvement and attentiveness were prevalent in their descriptions of what they wanted from their care. Ensuring that patients have a voice in the definition and conceptualization of patient-centred care is essential and further and regular consultation with patients about their needs and priorities will ensure an integrated approach to patient-centred care. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  1. Assessment with Oswestry disability index in surgically treated patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis: experience in 96 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasha, Ibrahim Farooq; Qureshi, Muhammad Asad; Farooq, Maheen; Talha, Muhammed; Ahmed, Naveed; Ismail, Junaid

    2015-11-01

    To assess the outcome of surgical treatment in spondylolisthesis of lumbosacral region using Oswestry disability Index. The quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from 2006 to 2013 and comprised surgically treated patients with spondylolisthesis. The patients with degenerative and isthmic types with follow-up of at least two years were included. A performa was designed for each patient and records were kept in a custom-built database. Oswestry disability index was used as the assessment tool and assessment was done pre-operatively, at 1, 3 and 6 months and then at 1 year and 2 years. There were 96 patients with mean pre-op Oswestry disability index score of 81.06% (range 42.22-100, SD ±11.99). L5-S1 was affected in 44 (45.83%) patients, L4-L5 in 30 (31.25%), L4-5-S1 in 7 (7.29%) and multi or high level was found in the rest of the cases. One level was involved in 77 (80.2%), 2 in 11 (11.45%), 3 in 7 (7.29%) and 4 in 1 (1.04%). The slip grade as per Meyerding grades was 1 in 31 (32.29%), II in 39 (40.62%), III in 19 (19.79%), IV in 5 (5.2%) and 2 (2.08%) had spondyloptosis. Mean follow-up was 42 months (range 24-63). Mean Oswestry disability score at 1 month was 38.51% (range 11- 62.22%, SD ±11.75); at 6 months 10.02% (range 0-40%, SD ±6.99); at 1 year 4.62% (range 0-24%, SD ±5.36) and at 2 years 4.21% (range 0-15%, SD ±4.2). Surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis gives excellent long-term result in most patients.

  2. Fluoroscopy-Guided Percutaneous Gallstone Removal Using a 12-Fr Sheath in High-Risk Surgical Patients with Acute Cholecystitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Young Hwan; Kim, Yong Joo; Shin, Tae Beom

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate the technical feasibility and clinical efficacy of percutaneous transhepatic cholecystolithotomy under fluoroscopic guidance in high-risk surgical patients with acute cholecystitis. Sixty-three consecutive patients of high surgical risk with acute calculous cholecystitis underwent percutaneous transhepatic gallstone removal under conscious sedation. The stones were extracted through the 12-Fr sheath using a Wittich nitinol stone basket under fluoroscopic guidance on three days after performing a percutaneous cholecystostomy. Large or hard stones were fragmented using either the snare guide wire technique or the metallic cannula technique. Gallstones were successfully removed from 59 of the 63 patients (94%). Reasons for stone removal failure included the inability to grasp a large stone in two patients, and the loss of tract during the procedure in two patients with a contracted gallbladder. The mean hospitalization duration was 7.3 days for acute cholecystitis patients and 9.4 days for gallbladder empyema patients. Bile peritonitis requiring percutaneous drainage developed in two patients. No symptomatic recurrence occurred during follow-up (mean, 608.3 days). Fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous gallstone removal using a 12-Fr sheath is technically feasible and clinically effective in high-risk surgical patients with acute cholecystitis

  3. Fluoroscopy-Guided Percutaneous Gallstone Removal Using a 12-Fr Sheath in High-Risk Surgical Patients with Acute Cholecystitis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Young Hwan [Keimyung University, College of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yong Joo [Andong General Hospital, Andong (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Tae Beom [Gyeonsang National University, College of Medicine, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-04-15

    To evaluate the technical feasibility and clinical efficacy of percutaneous transhepatic cholecystolithotomy under fluoroscopic guidance in high-risk surgical patients with acute cholecystitis. Sixty-three consecutive patients of high surgical risk with acute calculous cholecystitis underwent percutaneous transhepatic gallstone removal under conscious sedation. The stones were extracted through the 12-Fr sheath using a Wittich nitinol stone basket under fluoroscopic guidance on three days after performing a percutaneous cholecystostomy. Large or hard stones were fragmented using either the snare guide wire technique or the metallic cannula technique. Gallstones were successfully removed from 59 of the 63 patients (94%). Reasons for stone removal failure included the inability to grasp a large stone in two patients, and the loss of tract during the procedure in two patients with a contracted gallbladder. The mean hospitalization duration was 7.3 days for acute cholecystitis patients and 9.4 days for gallbladder empyema patients. Bile peritonitis requiring percutaneous drainage developed in two patients. No symptomatic recurrence occurred during follow-up (mean, 608.3 days). Fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous gallstone removal using a 12-Fr sheath is technically feasible and clinically effective in high-risk surgical patients with acute cholecystitis

  4. Uncommon surgical emergencies in neonatology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Angotti

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Over the past decade, multiple factors have changed the pattern of neonatal surgical emergencies. An increase in prenatal screenings and the development of neonatal tertiary care centres have changed the clinical approach to these kids. Materials and methods. Between 1995 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed 34 patients with diagnosis of uncommon rare neonatal surgical emergencies at our institute. We analyzed: sex, gestational age, weight at birth, primary pathology, prenatal diagnosis, associated anomalies, age and weight at surgery, clinical presentation, start of oral feeding and hospitalization. The follow-up was performed at 6,12, 24 and 36 months. Results. There were 21 male and 13 female. The gestational age ranged between 28 and 36 weeks. The weight at birth ranged between 700 and 1400 grams. Oral feeding was started between 4th and 10th postoperative day. The average hospitalization was about 70.47 days. To date, all patients have finished the followup. They are healthy. Conclusion. The outcome of the patients with uncommon surgical emergencies is different based on the etiology. Overall survival is generally good but is influenced by the associated anomalies.

  5. uniportal vats for surgical repair

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2017-03-23

    Mar 23, 2017 ... aDepartamet of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Teresa Herrera, Complejo Hospitalario. Universitario de A ... Advances in anesthesia, neonatal intensive, surgical, and cardiac care have ... First, these patients are at risk of airway ...

  6. Case Study: Evidence-Based Interventions Enhancing Diabetic Foot Care Behaviors among Hospitalized DM Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Titis Kurniawan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Improving diabetic patients’ foot care behaviors is one of the most effective strategies in minimizing diabetic foot ulceration and its further negative impacts, either in diabetic hospitalized patients or outpatients.Purpose: To describe foot care knowledge and behaviors among hospitalized diabetic patients, to apply selected foot care knowledge and behaviors improvement evidence, and to evaluate its effectiveness.Method: Four diabetic patients who were under our care for at least three days and could communicate in Thai language were selected from a surgical ward in a university hospital. The authors applied educational program based on patients’ learning needs, provided diabetic foot care leaflet, and assisted patients to set their goal and action plans. In the third day of treatment, we evaluated patients’ foot care knowledge and their goal and action plan statements in improving foot care behaviors.Result: Based on the data collected among four hospitalized diabetic patients, it was shown that all patients needed foot care behaviors improvement and the educational program improved hospitalized patients’ foot care knowledge and their perceived foot care behaviors. The educational program that combined with goal setting and action plans method was easy, safe, and seemed feasibly applicable for diabetic hospitalized patients.Conclusion: The results of this study provide valuable information for improvement of hospitalized diabetic patients’ foot care knowledge and behaviors. The authors recommend nurses to use this evidence-based practice to contribute in improving the quality of diabetic care.Keywords: Intervention, diabetic foot care, hospitalized diabetic patients

  7. Risk Factors and Predictive Model Development of Thirty-Day Post-Operative Surgical Site Infection in the Veterans Administration Surgical Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xinli; Nylander, William; Smith, Tracy; Han, Soonhee; Gunnar, William

    2018-04-01

    Surgical site infection (SSI) complicates approximately 2% of surgeries in the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Surgical site infections are responsible for increased morbidity, length of hospital stay, cost, and mortality. Surgical site infection can be minimized by modifying risk factors. In this study, we identified risk factors and developed accurate predictive surgical specialty-specific SSI risk prediction models for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) surgery population. In a retrospective observation study, surgical patients who underwent surgery from October 2013 to September 2016 from 136 VA hospitals were included. The Veteran Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) database was used for the pre-operative demographic and clinical characteristics, intra-operative characteristics, and 30-day post-operative outcomes. The study population represents 11 surgical specialties: neurosurgery, urology, podiatry, otolaryngology, general, orthopedic, plastic, thoracic, vascular, cardiac coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and cardiac valve/other surgery. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed for the 30-day post-operative SSIs. Among 354,528 surgical procedures, 6,538 (1.8%) had SSIs within 30 days. Surgical site infection rates varied among surgical specialty (0.7%-3.0%). Surgical site infection rates were higher in emergency procedures, procedures with long operative duration, greater complexity, and higher relative value units. Other factors associated with increased SSI risk were high level of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (level 4 and 5), dyspnea, open wound/infection, wound classification, ascites, bleeding disorder, chemotherapy, smoking, history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), radiotherapy, steroid use for chronic conditions, and weight loss. Each surgical specialty had a distinct combination of risk factors. Accurate SSI risk-predictive surgery specialty

  8. Assessment of Educational Environment of Surgical Theatre at a Teaching Hospital of a Saudi University: Using Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mona Faisal Al-Qahtani

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This study was aimed to determine how medical interns perceive the important factors of the learning environment the surgical theatre at the teaching hospital of the medical school, University of Dammam (UoD. The study also investigated the relationships between the learning environment and academic achievements. Finally, it determined the role and significance of gender on the above perceptions and relationships.Methods: The Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measure (STEEM was used to identify the perceptions of interns on the most important factors prevalent in the surgical theatre as an educational environment. STEEM was administered to all interns during the period of June-September 2009. Ninety-one out of 145 students completed the questionnaire representing a response rate of 63%. Non-parametric statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 17.Results: The STEEM was shown to be internally consistent for the assessment of the overall educational environment in the surgical theatre of UoD. The overall STEEM mean score was 110. For male and female students, the mean scores were 114 and 107 respectively. There were statistically significant gender differences in the perceptions of "learning opportunities" and "teaching and training". Females rated these subscales lower than males. There were no significant associations between academic achievements and perceptions of the educational environment.Conclusion: The interns perceived the learning environment of the surgical theatre as less than satisfactory. In comparison with the males; the perception of the females was less positive, particularly in the areas of learning opportunities, and teaching and training. The study also revealed some other problematic areas in the learning environment of surgical theatre of the teaching hospital of UoD. The results imply that there is much room for improvement. They also indicate that

  9. IMPACT OF AGGRESSIVE SURGICAL INTERVENTION IN FOURNIER’S GANGRENE AND ITS CORRELATION TO THE OUTCOME IN PATIENTS AT A RURAL HOSPITAL

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    Shaikh MH, Singh Puneet, Kamal Tausif Syed, Shaikh Simran

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Fournier’s gangrene is rare and rapidly spreading aggressive and progressive infection of the perineum in which fascial necrosis is more extensive than the visible gangrene.Early surgical debridement prompt antibiotic administration, are essential for a better prognosis. Delay in diagnosis or treatment increase the mortality rate. This could be because of the multi factorial and poly microbial association of the disease. Aim: We attempt to describe the importance of early radical debridement and its effect on the outcome of the disease. Methodology: We conducted an analytical study on 26 patients of Fournier gangrene admitted in the rural hospital from July 2011 to July2014. On admission their Fournier gangrene severity index was calculated. The broad spectrum antibiotics were started and radical debridement was done in all patients on the same day within 6 hours of admission. Daily dressing was done till the wound showed healthy granulation tissue. The scrotal skin was mobilized and suturing was done. Result: In our studies there was no mortality. This indicates that early aggressive resuscitation to correct the dehydration and early radical debridement improves the outcome in this rare and fatal disease.

  10. Spectrum of clinical presentation and surgical management of intestinal tuberculosis at tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abro, A.; Siddiqui, F.G.; Memon, A.S.; Akhtar, S.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Tuberculosis can involve gastrointestinal tract anywhere from mouth to anus, the peritoneum and pancreato biliary system. It has varied clinical presentations sometimes mimicking other common abdominal diseases. Tuberculosis continues to be a major problem especially in developing countries, being responsible for 7 - 10 million new cases and 6 per cent of deaths worldwide annually. Objective was to assess and evaluate various clinical presentations and management of intestinal tuberculosis at Liaquat University Hospital, Jamshoro/Hyderabad. Methods: This 3-year descriptive study was conducted on patients with diagnosed intestinal tuberculosis (by histopathology) in Surgical Unit-I, from January 2006 to December 2008. Detailed history and clinical examination was performed in all the cases. Investigations like Blood CP and ESR, Urea, RBS Electrolytes, Serum A/G Ratio, Ultrasound abdomen, X-Ray chest and abdomen were carried out in all the cases while barium meal, follow through and CT Scan abdomen were performed in selected cases. Preoperative assessment of anatomical site and variety of lesions were also noted. Results: A total of 60 patients with diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis were admitted and operated. Diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology. Among these, 28 (46.7%) were male, and 32 (54.1%) were female. Variable clinical presentations were seen. Majority of patients (46, 76.7%) had abdominal pain, 26 (43.3%) had vomiting; abdominal distension was seen in 22 (36.7%) cases, diarrhoea and constipation in 16 patients (26.7%) and abdominal mass in 14 patients (23.3%). Majority of patients had ulcerostenotic type of tuberculosis. Single stricture of ileum was seen in 15 (25%) while multiple strictures were seen in 13 (21.7%). Ileal perforation was seen in 6 (10%) patients. Weight lo ss was seen in 40 (66.7%) patients, fever 36 (60%), night sweats 30 (50%), anorexia in 30 (50%) and pulmonary tuberculosis in 18 (30%) patients. Resection and

  11. On-call emergency workload of a general surgical team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jawaid, Masood; Raza, Syed Muhammad; Alam, Shams Nadeem; Manzar, S

    2009-01-01

    To examine the on-call emergency workload of a general surgical team at a tertiary care teaching hospital to guide planning and provision of better surgical services. During six months period from August to January 2007; all emergency calls attended by general surgical team of Surgical Unit II in Accident and Emergency department (A and E) and in other units of Civil, Hospital Karachi, Pakistan were prospectively recorded. Data recorded includes timing of call, diagnosis, operation performed and outcome apart from demography. Total 456 patients (326 males and 130 females) were attended by on-call general surgery team during 30 emergency days. Most of the calls, 191 (41.9%) were received from 8 am to 5 pm. 224 (49.1%) calls were of abdominal pain, with acute appendicitis being the most common specific pathology in 41 (9.0%) patients. Total 73 (16.0%) calls were received for trauma. Total 131 (28.7%) patients were admitted in the surgical unit for urgent operation or observation while 212 (46.5%) patients were discharged from A and E. 92 (20.1%) patients were referred to other units with medical referral accounts for 45 (9.8%) patients. Total 104 (22.8%) emergency surgeries were done and the most common procedure performed was appendicectomy in 34 (32.7%) patients. Major workload of on-call surgical emergency team is dealing with the acute conditions of abdomen. However, significant proportion of patients are suffering from other conditions including trauma that require a holistic approach to care and a wide range of skills and experience. These results have important implications in future healthcare planning and for the better training of general surgical residents.

  12. Peroral endoscopic myotomy is a viable option for failed surgical esophagocardiomyotomy instead of redo surgical Heller myotomy: a single center prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onimaru, Manabu; Inoue, Haruhiro; Ikeda, Haruo; Yoshida, Akira; Santi, Esperanza Grace; Sato, Hiroki; Ito, Hiroaki; Maselli, Roberta; Kudo, Shin-ei

    2013-10-01

    Surgical Heller myotomy has high rates of successful long-term results, but failed cases still remain. Moreover, the treatment strategy in patients with surgical myotomy failure is controversial. Recently, peroral endscopic myotomy (POEM) was reported to be efficient and safe in primary treatment of achalasia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of POEM for surgical myotomy failure as a rescue second-line treatment, and we discuss the treatment options adapted in achalasia recurrence. A total of 315 consecutive achalasia patients received POEM from September 2008 to December 2012 in our hospital. Eleven (3.5%) patients who had persistent or recurrent achalasia and had received surgical myotomy as a first-line treatment from other hospitals were included in this study. Patient background, barium swallow studies, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), manometry, and symptom scores were prospectively evaluated. In principle, all patients in whom surgical myotomy failed received pneumatic balloon dilatation (PBD) as the first line "rescue" treatment, and only if PBD failed were patients considered for rescue POEM. The PBD alone was effective in 1 patient, and in the remaining 10 patients, rescue POEM was performed successfully without complications. Three months after rescue POEM, significant reduction in lower esophageal sphincter (LES) resting pressures (22.1 ± 6.6 mmHg vs 10.9 ± 4.5 mmHg, p myotomy were excellent. Long-term results are awaited. Copyright © 2013 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. [Hospital variation in anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer surgery in the Spanish Association of Surgeons project: The contribution of hospital volume].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz, Héctor; Biondo, Sebastiano; Codina, Antonio; Ciga, Miguel Á; Enríquez-Navascués, José; Espín, Eloy; García-Granero, Eduardo; Roig, José Vicente

    2016-04-01

    This multicentre observational study aimed to determine the anastomotic leak rate in the hospitals included in the Rectal Cancer Project of the Spanish Society of Surgeons and examine whether hospital volume may contribute to any variation between hospitals. Hospital variation was quantified using a multilevel approach on prospective data derived from the multicentre database of all adenocarcinomas of the rectum operated by an anterior resection at 84 surgical departments from 2006 to 2013. The following variables were included in the analysis; demographics, American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification, use of defunctioning stoma, tumour location and stage, administration of neoadjuvant treatment, and annual volume of elective surgical procedures. A total of 7231 consecutive patients were included. The rate of anastomotic leak was 10.0%. Stratified by annual surgical volume hospitals varied from 9.9 to 11.3%. In multilevel regression analysis, the risk of anastomotic leak increased in male patients, in patients with tumours located below 12 cm from the anal verge, and advanced tumour stages. However, a defunctioning stoma seemed to prevent this complication. Hospital surgical volume was not associated with anastomotic leak (OR: 0.852, [0.487-1.518]; P=.577). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant variation in anastomotic leak between all departments (MOR: 1.475; [1.321-1.681]; P<0.001). Anastomotic leak varies significantly among hospitals included in the project and this difference cannot be attributed to the annual surgical volume. Copyright © 2015 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. Day of Surgery Impacts Outcome: Rehabilitation Utilization on Hospital Length of Stay in Patients Undergoing Elective Meningioma Resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkiss, Christopher A; Papin, Joseph A; Yao, Amy; Lee, James; Sefcik, Roberta K; Oermann, Eric K; Gordon, Errol L; Post, Kalmon D; Bederson, Joshua B; Shrivastava, Raj K

    2016-09-01

    Meningiomas account for approximately one third of all brain tumors in the United States. In high-volume medical centers, the average length of stay (LOS) for a patient is 6.8 days compared with 8.8 days in low-volume centers with median total admission charges equaling approximately $55,000. To our knowledge, few studies have evaluated day of surgery and its effect on hospital LOS. Our primary goal was to analyze patient outcome as a direct result of surgical date, as well as to characterize the individual variables that may impact their hospital course, early access to rehabilitation, and long-term functional status. A retrospective database was generated for cranial meningioma patients who underwent elective surgical resection at our institution over a 3-year study period (2011-2014). Inclusion criteria included any patient who underwent elective meningioma resection and was discharged either home or to a rehabilitation facility with at least 6 months of follow-up. Exclusion criteria included any patient who was not discharged after resection (i.e., expired). Each patient's medical record was evaluated for a subset of demographics and clinical variables. Given that patients who undergo surgical resection of meningiomas have a national median LOS of 6 days, we subdivided the patients into 2 cohorts: early discharge (LOS Whitney test). Day of surgery may play a significant role in LOS for meningioma patients. Clinicians should remain aware of those factors that may delay optimal patient discharge and early access to rehabilitation facilities. Further studies will need to be performed to assess the social variables that may affect LOS, as well as the financial implications for such extended hospital courses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Surgical Treatment of Pressure Ulcers with a Fibrin Sealant in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: A Cost-Consequence Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velasco, Jose Manuel Arévalo; Lozano, Virginia; Oyagüez, Itziar; Casado, Miguel Angel

    2015-11-01

    A comparative study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness and costs of a fibrin sealant (Tissucol Duo [known as Tisseel in the United States], Baxter International, Deerfield, Illinois) to improve postoperative outcomes in patients with spinal cord injury undergoing surgical treatment for pressure ulcers (PrUs). Between January and June 2011, 27 patients underwent surgical treatment for PrUs with the direct application of Tissucol Duo sprayed before closure. The costs and outcomes obtained in this cohort were compared with those obtained in a previous retrospective study where 71 patients underwent conventional surgery. Lower rates of hematoma-seroma were observed in the study group (3.7% vs 33.8%; P costs. The application of Tissucol Duo during surgical treatment of PrUs in patients with spinal cord injury has been shown to be effective in reducing postoperative complications and in shortening the duration of the hospital stay with a consequent savings in costs.

  16. A large Venous-Arterial PCO2 Is Associated with Poor Outcomes in Surgical Patients

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    João M. Silva

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. This study evaluated whether large venous-arterial CO2 gap (PCO2 gap preoperatively is associated to poor outcome. Method. Prospective study which included adult high-risk surgical patients. The patients were pooled into two groups: wide [P(v-aCO2] versus narrow [P(v-aCO2]. In order to determine the best value to discriminate hospital mortality, it was applied a ROC (receiver operating characteristic curve for the [P(v-aCO2] values collected preoperatively, and the most accurate value was chosen as cut-off to define the groups. Results. The study included 66 patients. The [P(v-aCO2] value preoperatively that best discriminated hospital mortality was 5.0 mmHg, area=0.73. Preoperative patients with [P(v-aCO2] more than 5.0 mmHg presented a higher hospital mortality (36.4% versus 4.5% P=0.004, higher prevalence of circulatory shock (56.8% versus 22.7% P=0.01 and acute renal failure postoperatively (27.3% versus 4.5% P=0.02, and longer hospital length of stays 20.0 (14.0–30.0 versus 13.5 (9.0–25.0 days P=0.01. Conclusions. The PCO2 gap values more than 5.0 mmHg preoperatively were associated with worse postoperatively outcome.

  17. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting vs. surgical bypass in advanced malignant biliary obstruction: cost- effectiveness analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Li Qin; Tang, Cheng Wu; Zheng, Yin Yuan; Feng, Wen Ming; Huang, San Xiong; Bao, Ying

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes and costs between percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting (PTBS) and surgical bypass. We randomly assigned 142 patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction between 2005 and 2010 to receive PTBS or surgical bypass as palliative treatment. PTBS was successfully performed in 70 patients who formed the PTBS group (failed in 7 patients). Sixty five patients underwent surgical bypass treatment. Additional gastrojejunostomy was performed in five patients. The effectiveness of biliary drainage, hospital stay, complications, cost, survival time and mortality were compared. Patients in PTBS group had shorter hospital stay and lower initial and overall expense than the surgical group (pPTBS group was significantly lower than surgical group (3/75 vs. 11/65, p=0.0342). Late complication in PTBS group did not differ significantly from surgical group (9/70 vs. 6/65, p=0.6823). The survival curves in the two groups showed no significant difference (p=0.1032). PTBD is a better palliative treatment than surgical bypass for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction for its high effectiveness of biliary drainage and acceptable expense and complication.

  18. Clinical bacterial isolates from hospital environment as agents of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The relationship between bacteria isolated from the hospital environment and those from wounds of operated patients was investigated to determine the causal agents of surgical site nosocomial infections. The study was carried out on bacterial species isolated from the theatre, surgical ward and patients' surgical wounds ...

  19. The use of over-the-counter drugs among surgical and medical patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Glintborg, Bente; Andersen, Stig Ejdrup; Spang-Hanssen, Eva

    2004-01-01

    and discharge letters were examined. RESULTS: In totally, 83 surgical and 117 medical patients were included (n=200). Whereas the home inventories of 187 patients comprised 587 OTCs, 13 patients (7%) stored no OTCs. Of the patients, 134 (67%) used OTCs daily and 132 patients (66%) used OTCs on demand; 79...... patients (40%) stored a total of 157 OTCs not currently used. Analgesics were used by 138 patients (78%). Acetaminophen was the OTC used most frequently. Of the 240 OTCs used daily, 238 (99%) had been purchased from pharmacies and 169 (70%) had been prescribed. Of the 430 OTCs used daily or on demand, 348...... daily. Most OTCs are used with the consent of health care professionals and are purchased from pharmacies. Pre-admission OTC use is incompletely recorded in the hospital files. If information was systematically collected from pharmacies and general practitioners, the number of recall biases concerning...

  20. Combined enteral feeding and total parenteral nutritional support improves outcome in surgical intensive care unit patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Min-Hui; Yu, Ying E; Tsai, Yueh-Miao; Lee, Hui-Chen; Huang, Ying-Che; Hsu, Han-Shui

    2012-09-01

    For intensive care unit (ICU) patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction and in need of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) support, the benefit of additional enteral feeding is not clear. This study aimed to investigate whether combined TPN with enteral feeding is associated with better outcomes in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. Clinical data of 88 patients in SICU were retrospectively collected. Variables used for analysis included route and percentage of nutritional support, total caloric intake, age, gender, body weight, body mass index, admission diagnosis, surgical procedure, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, blood glucose values and hospital mortality. Wound dehiscence and central catheter infection were observed more frequently in the group of patients receiving TPN calories less than 90% of total calorie intake (p = 0.004 and 0.043, respectively). APACHE II scores were higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (p = 0.001). More nonsurvivors received TPN calories exceeding 90% of total calorie intake and were in need of dialysis during ICU admission (p = 0.005 and 0.013, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that the percentage of TPN calories over total calories and APACHE II scores were independent predictors of ICU mortality in patients receiving supplementary TPN after surgery. In SICU patients receiving TPN, patients who could be fed enterally more than 10% of total calories had better clinical outcomes than patients receiving less than 10% of total calorie intake from enteral feeding. Enteral feeding should be given whenever possible in severely ill patients. 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V

  1. Incidence and risk factors for surgical site infections in obstetric and gynecological surgeries from a teaching hospital in rural India

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    Ashish Pathak

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Surgical site infections (SSI are one of the most common healthcare associated infections in the low-middle income countries. Data on incidence and risk factors for SSI following surgeries in general and Obstetric and Gynecological surgeries in particular are scare. This study set out to identify risk factors for SSI in patients undergoing Obstetric and Gynecological surgeries in an Indian rural hospital. Methods Patients who underwent a surgical procedure between September 2010 to February 2013 in the 60-bedded ward of Obstetric and Gynecology department were included. Surveillance for SSI was based on the Centre for Disease Control (CDC definition and methodology. Incidence and risk factors for SSI, including those for specific procedure, were calculated from data collected on daily ward rounds. Results A total of 1173 patients underwent a surgical procedure during the study period. The incidence of SSI in the cohort was 7.84% (95% CI 6.30–9.38. Majority of SSI were superficial. Obstetric surgeries had a lower SSI incidence compared to gynecological surgeries (1.2% versus 10.3% respectively. The risk factors for SSI identified in the multivariate logistic regression model were age (OR 1.03, vaginal examination (OR 1.31; presence of vaginal discharge (OR 4.04; medical disease (OR 5.76; American Society of Anesthesia score greater than 3 (OR 12.8; concurrent surgical procedure (OR 3.26; each increase in hour of surgery, after the first hour, doubled the risk of SSI; inappropriate antibiotic prophylaxis increased the risk of SSI by nearly 5 times. Each day increase in stay in the hospital after the surgery increased the risk of contacting an SSI by 5%. Conclusions Incidence and risk factors from prospective SSI surveillance can be reported simultaneously for the Obstetric and Gynecological surgeries and can be part of routine practice in resource-constrained settings. The incidence of SSI was lower for Obstetric surgeries

  2. Heterogeneity among hospitals statewide in percentage shares of the annual growth of surgical caseloads of inpatient and outpatient major therapeutic procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dexter, Franklin; Jarvie, Craig; Epstein, Richard H

    2018-04-18

    Suppose that it were a generalizable finding, in both densely populated and rural states, that there is marked heterogeneity among hospitals in the percentage change in surgical caseload and/or in the total change in caseload. Then, individual hospitals should not simply rely on federal and state forecasts to infer their expected growth. Likewise, individual hospitals and their anesthesiology groups would best not rely on national or US regional surgical trends as causal reasons for local trends in caseload. We examined the potential utility of using state data on surgical caseload to predict local growth by using 6 years of data for surgical cases performed at hospitals in the States of Florida and Iowa. Observational cohort study. 303 hospitals in Iowa and Florida. Cases with major therapeutic procedures in 2010 or 2011 were compared pairwise by hospital with such cases in 2015 and 2016. Changes in counts of cases were decreases or increases, while study of growth set decreases equal to zero. Hospitals in Iowa had slightly lesser percentage changes than did hospitals in Florida (Mann-Whitney P = 0.016). Hospitals in Iowa had greater variability among hospitals in the change in counts of cases with a major therapeutic procedure than did hospitals in Florida (P < 0.0001). The 10% of hospitals with the largest growths in counts of cases accounted for approximately half of the total growth in Iowa (70%) and Florida (54%). The large share of total growth attributable to the upper 10th percentile of hospitals was not caused solely by the hospitals having large percentage growths, based on there being weak correlation between growth and percentage growth, among the hospitals that grew (Iowa: Kendall's tau = 0.286 [SE 0.120]; Florida tau = 0.253 [SE 0.064]). Even if the data from states or federal agencies reported growth in surgical cases, there is too much concentration of growth at a few hospitals for statewide growth rates to be useful for

  3. Effect of high up front charges on access to surgery for poor patients at a public hospital in New Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaufman, Will; Chavez, Augustine S; Skipper, Betty; Kaufman, Arthur

    2006-06-23

    A public hospital in New Mexico required collection of 50% of estimated costs prior to elective surgeries for self-pay patients. This study assesses the impact of this policy on access to elective surgical procedures. Chi-square tests determined if there was a statistically significant difference between the number of self-pay and insured patient cancellations for financial reasons. A multivariate binomial regression model was used to calculate risk ratios and confidence limits for effects of race/ethnicity, and insurance status, controlling for gender, on these cancellations. Of the 667 cancellations, there were 99 self-pay and 568 insured patients. Cancellations for financial reasons occurred in 55.6% of self-pay and 9.3% of insured patients (p pay 50% up front accounted for 76.4% of self-pay patient cancellations for financial reasons. Self-pay, non-Hispanic whites and minority race/ethnicities were 8.76 and 8.61 times more likely to cancel for financial reasons, respectively, than insured non-Hispanic whites. Self-pay patients, regardless of race/ethnicity, have elective surgical procedures cancelled for financial reasons significantly more often than insured patients. The hospital's 50% up-front payment policy represents a significant financial barrier to accessing elective surgical procedures for self-pay patients.

  4. Presentation and outcome of surgically managed liver trauma: experience at a tertiary care teaching hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saaiq, M.; Din, N. U.; Zubair, M.; Shah, S. A.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To document and analyse the presentation and outcome of surgical management of liver trauma. Methods: The study was a retrospective review of records of all surgeries carried out at the Department of General Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, from January 2003 to December 2010. The study included all adult patients of either gender who presented with liver trauma and underwent operative management. Convenience sampling technique was employed. The study excluded patients who were managed conservatively. The data were collected through a proforma and analysed through SPSS 10. Results: Out of 113 cases of liver trauma, 91 (80.5%) were males and 22 (19.4%) were females. The mean age was 34.8+-9.7 years. Road traffic accidents were the leading cause (n=75; 66.3%) of injuries. There were 37 (32.7%) patients with grade I injury; 41 (36.2%) with grade II injury; 29 (25.6%) with grade III injury; and 7 (6.1%) patients with grade IV injury. Besides, 62 (54.8%) patients had associated extra-hepatic injuries. Majority of the patients presented with haemodynamic compromise (n= 97; 85.8%). Perihepatic packing was the commonest operative procedure instituted (n=43;38%). The in-hospital mortality was 9.7% (n=11). Conclusion: Liver trauma constitutes an important cause of emergency hospitalisation, morbidity and in-hospital mortality in our population. It predominantly affects the younger males and road traffic accidents are the leading cause. Majority of the patients are successfully managed with perihepatic packing. (author)

  5. Prevalence of malnutrition among older people in medical and surgical wards in hospital and quality of nutritional care: A multicenter, cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonetti, Loris; Terzoni, Stefano; Lusignani, Maura; Negri, Marina; Froldi, Marco; Destrebecq, Anne

    2017-12-01

    To determine and compare the prevalence of malnutrition in medical and surgical hospital units; to assess quality of nutritional care and patients' perception about quality of food and nutritional care. Hospital malnutrition in older people leads to increased mortality, length of stay, risk of infections and pressure ulcers. Several studies show that malnutrition is often caused by hospitalisation and related to poor nutritional care. Few studies report data on surgical older patients. A cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in 12 hospitals in northern Italy. Malnutrition prevalence was determined according to the Mini Nutritional Assessment full-version. Head nurses were interviewed in 80 units, through a validated questionnaire regarding quality of nutritional care. Semi-structured interviews were administered to a sample of patients, to investigate their perception about quality of food and nutritional care. Two hundred twenty-eight patients of 1,066 were malnourished (21.4%). Medical patients were at higher risk, so were women, patients aged 85 or more, with impaired autonomy, pressure ulcers or taking more than three drugs. The lack of personnel impacts on quality of care: in 55% of the units, no nutritional screening is performed; nutritional history is investigated in 48% only. No protocols for nutritional problems exist in 70% of the wards; hardly ever the intake is measured. Patients are mostly satisfied, even though they report that food has no taste and is not well presented. They remark the need for more personnel. Prevalence was high, as found in other studies. Medical patients were at higher risk. Nutritional care was inadequate, and often no measures were adopted to prevent malnutrition. Staffing should be increased during meals. These findings will provide indications on the strategies needed to overcome such barriers. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Surgical management of adrenal cysts: a single-institution experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao Lyu

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective To analyze surgical methods and evaluate treatment efficacy and safety for managing adrenal cystic lesions. Materials and methods All patients presenting with adrenal lesions of the West China Hospital were reviewed retrospectively from January 2003 to April 2013 and 47 were diagnosed as adrenal cysts. Basic information, clinical history, physical examination, laboratory investigations, abdominal ultrasound and enhanced computed tomography were detailed noted. Cysts with different surgical management were analyzed and surgery option operative time, postoperative complications and after-surgery hospital stay were all noted. The final diagnosis was judged by histopathology. Patients were followed from 3 month to 10 years. Results All the 47 patients with a mean age of 43.8 years were managed by surgical intervention. Compared laparoscopic technology with open technology, the laparoscopic has the advantage of a shorter operation time, shorter hospital stay after surgery and enhanced cosmesis. The histopathologic result was: 23 (50% were endothelial cysts and 16 (35% were pseudocysts. One patient had evidence to recurrence at the followed-up stage. Conclusion Adrenal cysts are rare and with the development of imaging techniques many of these are diagnosed incidentally. CT has advantages in detecting the cysts with haemorrhage, intracystic debris, calcification and mixed adrenal mass. Minimally invasive surgery offers equivalent efficacy to traditional open procedures, while providing a shorter operation time, shorter convalescence and improved cosmesis. Patients after surgical resection should be followed up closely especially if functional cysts and histopathology of cystic tumor are present.

  7. Duration of orthognathic-surgical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paunonen, Jaakko; Helminen, Mika; Peltomäki, Timo

    2017-07-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the duration of orthognathic-surgical treatment conducted with conventional pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment phases. The study material was comprised of the files of 185 consecutive patients treated in Oral and Maxillofacial Unit, Tampere University Hospital, Finland, in 2007-2014. The files were reviewed and the following data was obtained: gender and age of patients, ICD-10 diagnosis, type of malocclusion, duration of pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment and type of operation. Total treatment duration (median) from placement of separating rings for banding until fixed orthodontic appliances were removed and retention period started was 31.1 months, of which pre-surgical orthodontics took 24.4 months and postsurgical 6.4 months. Treatment duration (median) was in BSSO was 32.1, LeFort 1 30.1 and bimaxillary osteotomy 29.7 months. Orthodontic extractions were performed in 35 patients (19%). If the orthodontic treatment included tooth extraction, the duration of pre-surgical treatment was on average 10 months longer, which is a statistically highly significant difference (p pre-surgical orthodontic treatment prolong treatment time by an average of 8-9 months.

  8. The Hidden Story of Innovation: Charity Hospital, Angola Prison, and the Challenging of Surgical Dogma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiffenstein, Patrick; Hastings, Paul R

    2017-02-01

    The late 1960s was a period of significant upheaval of social, cultural, and scientific norms. The generally accepted notion of mandatory laparotomy for all penetrating abdominal injuries was among those norms being called into question across the country and many advocated expectant management of selected patients presenting with this type of injury. Leaders of the surgical community published opinions on either side of the argument. The house staff at Charity Hospital during this period was among the busiest in the nation in treating these injuries, many of them inmates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary who used self-inflicted stab wounds to the abdomen as a means of temporary respite from the inhumane conditions in the prison. Inspired, in part, by the overabundance of negative laparotomies among this group, F. Carter Nance went on to systematically challenge the standard of care. This effort constitutes one of the major forces for change of the surgical dogma of mandatory laparotomy for all abdominal stab wounds. It is the first major study to show conclusively that delayed laparotomy for perforated viscous was not significantly detrimental and posed less of a risk than unnecessary laparotomy. The circumstances surrounding this initiative constitute a powerful and heretofore unknown chapter in the history of surgical innovation.

  9. On-call emergency workload of a general surgical team

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jawaid Masood

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: To examine the on-call emergency workload of a general surgical team at a tertiary care teaching hospital to guide planning and provision of better surgical services. Patients and Methods: During six months period from August to January 2007; all emergency calls attended by general surgical team of Surgical Unit II in Accident and Emergency department (A and E and in other units of Civil, Hospital Karachi, Pakistan were prospectively recorded. Data recorded includes timing of call, diagnosis, operation performed and outcome apart from demography. Results: Total 456 patients (326 males and 130 females were attended by on-call general surgery team during 30 emergency days. Most of the calls, 191 (41.9% were received from 8 am to 5 pm. 224 (49.1% calls were of abdominal pain, with acute appendicitis being the most common specific pathology in 41 (9.0% patients. Total 73 (16.0% calls were received for trauma. Total 131 (28.7% patients were admitted in the surgical unit for urgent operation or observation while 212 (46.5% patients were discharged from A and E. 92 (20.1% patients were referred to other units with medical referral accounts for 45 (9.8% patients. Total 104 (22.8% emergency surgeries were done and the most common procedure performed was appendicectomy in 34 (32.7% patients. Conclusion: Major workload of on-call surgical emergency team is dealing with the acute conditions of abdomen. However, significant proportion of patients are suffering from other conditions including trauma that require a holistic approach to care and a wide range of skills and experience. These results have important implications in future healthcare planning and for the better training of general surgical residents.

  10. Knowledge about complementary, alternative and integrative medicine (CAM) among registered health care providers in Swedish surgical care: a national survey among university hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjerså, Kristofer; Stener Victorin, Elisabet; Fagevik Olsén, Monika

    2012-04-12

    Previous studies show an increased interest and usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the general population and among health care workers both internationally and nationally. CAM usage is also reported to be common among surgical patients. Earlier international studies have reported that a large amount of surgical patients use it prior to and after surgery. Recent publications indicate a weak knowledge about CAM among health care workers. However the current situation in Sweden is unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to explore perceived knowledge about CAM among registered healthcare professions in surgical departments at Swedish university hospitals. A questionnaire was distributed to 1757 registered physicians, nurses and physiotherapists in surgical wards at the seven university hospitals in Sweden from spring 2010 to spring 2011. The questionnaire included classification of 21 therapies into conventional, complementary, alternative and integrative, and whether patients were recommended these therapies. Questions concerning knowledge, research, and patient communication about CAM were also included. A total of 737 (42.0%) questionnaires were returned. Therapies classified as complementary; were massage, manual therapies, yoga and acupuncture. Alternative therapies; were herbal medicine, dietary supplements, homeopathy and healing. Classification to integrative therapy was low, and unfamiliar therapies were Bowen therapy, iridology and Rosen method. Therapies recommended by > 40% off the participants were massage and acupuncture. Knowledge and research about CAM was valued as minor or none at all by 95.7% respectively 99.2%. Importance of possessing knowledge about it was valued as important by 80.9%. It was believed by 61.2% that more research funding should be addressed to CAM research, 72.8% were interested in reading CAM-research results, and 27.8% would consider taking part in such research. Half of the participants (55.8%) were

  11. Knowledge about complementary, alternative and integrative medicine (CAM among registered health care providers in Swedish surgical care: a national survey among university hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bjerså Kristofer

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies show an increased interest and usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM in the general population and among health care workers both internationally and nationally. CAM usage is also reported to be common among surgical patients. Earlier international studies have reported that a large amount of surgical patients use it prior to and after surgery. Recent publications indicate a weak knowledge about CAM among health care workers. However the current situation in Sweden is unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to explore perceived knowledge about CAM among registered healthcare professions in surgical departments at Swedish university hospitals. Method A questionnaire was distributed to 1757 registered physicians, nurses and physiotherapists in surgical wards at the seven university hospitals in Sweden from spring 2010 to spring 2011. The questionnaire included classification of 21 therapies into conventional, complementary, alternative and integrative, and whether patients were recommended these therapies. Questions concerning knowledge, research, and patient communication about CAM were also included. Result A total of 737 (42.0% questionnaires were returned. Therapies classified as complementary; were massage, manual therapies, yoga and acupuncture. Alternative therapies; were herbal medicine, dietary supplements, homeopathy and healing. Classification to integrative therapy was low, and unfamiliar therapies were Bowen therapy, iridology and Rosen method. Therapies recommended by > 40% off the participants were massage and acupuncture. Knowledge and research about CAM was valued as minor or none at all by 95.7% respectively 99.2%. Importance of possessing knowledge about it was valued as important by 80.9%. It was believed by 61.2% that more research funding should be addressed to CAM research, 72.8% were interested in reading CAM-research results, and 27.8% would consider taking part in

  12. Higher surgical training opportunities in the general hospital setting; getting the balance right.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, I; Traynor, O; Khan, W; Waldron, R; Barry, K

    2013-12-01

    The general hospital can play an important role in training of higher surgical trainees (HSTs) in Ireland and abroad. Training opportunities in such a setting have not been closely analysed to date. The aim of this study was to quantify operative exposure for HSTs over a 5-year period in a single institution. Analysis of electronic training logbooks (over a 5-year period, 2007-2012) was performed for general surgery trainees on the higher surgical training programme in Ireland. The most commonly performed adult and paediatric procedures per trainee, per year were analysed. Standard general surgery operations such as herniae (average 58, range 32-86) and cholecystectomy (average 60, range 49-72) ranked highly in each logbook. The most frequently performed emergency operations were appendicectomy (average 45, range 33-53) and laparotomy for acute abdomen (average 48, range 10-79). Paediatric surgical experience included appendicectomy, circumcision, orchidopexy and hernia/hydrocoele repair. Overall, the procedure most commonly performed in the adult setting was endoscopy, with each trainee recording an average of 116 (range 98-132) oesophagogastroduodenoscopies and 284 (range 227-354) colonoscopies. General hospitals continue to play a major role in the training of higher surgical trainees. Analysis of the electronic logbooks over a 5-year period reveals the high volume of procedures available to trainees in a non-specialist centre. Such training opportunities are invaluable in the context of changing work practices and limited resources.

  13. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN INFERTILE PATIENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrej Vogler

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. Endometriosis is nowadays probably the most frequent cause of infertility or subfertility and is revealed in approximately 30–40% of infertile women. The association between fertility and minimal or mild endometriosis remains unclear and controversial. Moderate and severe forms of the disease distort anatomical relations in the minor pelvis, resulting in infertility. The goals of endometriosis treatment are relief of pain symptoms, prevention of the disease progression and fertility improvement. Treatment of stages I and II endometriosis (according to the R-AFS classification may be expectative, medical or surgical. In severely forms of the disease (stage III and IV the method of choice is surgical treatment. Combined medical and surgical treatment is justified only in cases, in which the complete endometriotic tissue removal is not possible or recurrence of pain symptoms occur. Nowadays, laparoscopic surgical treatment is the golden standard being the diagnostic and therapeutic tool during the same procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fertility rate after surgical treatment of different stages of endometriosis.Patients and methods. In prospectively designed study 100 infertile women were included. The only known cause of infertility was endometriosis. In group A there were 51 patients with stage I and II endometriosis, whereas in group B there were 49 patients with stage III and IV of the disease. Endometriosis was diagnosed and treated laparoscopically. Endometriotic implants were removed either with bipolar coagulation or CO2 laser vaporisation, whereas adhesions were sharp or blunt dissected, and endometriomas stripped out of ovaries. Pregnancy rates were calculated for both groups of patients, and statistically compared between the groups.Results. Mean age of patients was 29.25 (SD ± 4.08 years and did not significantly differ between the groups of patients (29.5 years in group A and 29 years in group B. In

  14. Long-term causes of death in patients with infective endocarditis who undergo medical therapy only or surgical treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Lauge; Oestergaard, Louise Bruun; Lauridsen, Trine Kiilerich

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: It is known that patients surviving infective endocarditis have a poor long-term prognosis; however, few studies have addressed the long-term causes of death in patients surviving the initial hospitalization. METHODS: Using Danish administrative registries, we identified patients...... admitted to a hospital with 1st time infective endocarditis in the period from January 1996 to December 2014, who were alive at the time of discharge. The study population was categorized into (i) patients undergoing medical therapy only and (ii) patients undergoing surgical and medical treatment. We...... examined the cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes of death. Using the Cox analysis, we investigated the associated risk of dying from a specific prespecified cause of death (heart failure, infective endocarditis and stroke) within the surgery group when compared with the medically treated group...

  15. Antibiotic stewardship in the newborn surgical patient: A quality improvement project in the neonatal intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Sarah; Datta, Ankur; Massoumi, Roxanne L; Gross, Erica R; Uhing, Michael; Arca, Marjorie J

    2017-12-01

    There is significant diversity in the utilization of antibiotics for neonates undergoing surgical procedures. Our institution standardized antibiotic administration for surgical neonates, in which no empiric antibiotics were given to infants with surgical conditions postnatally, and antibiotics are given no more than 72 hours perioperatively. We compared the time periods before and after implementation of antibiotic protocol in an institution review board-approved, retrospective review of neonates with congenital surgical conditions who underwent surgical correction within 30 days after birth. Surgical site infection at 30 days was the primary outcome, and development of hospital-acquired infections or multidrug-resistant organism were secondary outcomes. One hundred forty-eight infants underwent surgical procedures pre-protocol, and 127 underwent procedures post-protocol implementation. Surgical site infection rates were similar pre- and post-protocol, 14% and 9% respectively, (P = .21.) The incidence of hospital-acquired infections (13.7% vs 8.7%, P = .205) and multidrug-resistant organism (4.7% vs 1.6%, P = .143) was similar between the 2 periods. Elimination of empiric postnatal antibiotics did not statistically change rates of surgical site infection, hospital-acquired infections, or multidrug-resistant organisms. Limiting the duration of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis to no more than 72 hours after surgery did not increase the rate of surgical site infection, hospital-acquired infections, or multidrug-resistant organism. Median antibiotic days were decreased with antibiotic standardization for surgical neonates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Surgical packages for laparoscopic surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhattacharya K

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available ′Packages′ are in fashion today for most surgical procedures in various corporate hospitals and this has included laparoscopic procedures too. A package system enables the hospitals to get cost settlements done more easily. Also, it is more convenient for the patients who are aware upfront of the charges. The principal disadvantages seems to be for the surgeon, who may face displeasure of the patient, hospital or insurance agencies apart from forfeiting his personal charges if (a he is a novice in laparoscopic surgery and takes extra time to complete a procedure, (b unforeseen problems occur during surgery, or (c new pathologies are discovered on exploration.

  17. An audit of generic prescribing in a general surgical department.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Gleeson, M

    2013-01-17

    BACKGROUND: The Health Service Executive introduced a generic prescription policy to reduce costs. Despite this, generic prescription rates remain low. AIM: To audit in-patient prescription practice in a single surgical department and identify potential savings which could be realised by adherence to the generic prescribing policy. METHODS: Surgical in-patient charts were obtained at the point of discharge and their drug prescription information was recorded. RESULTS: 51 % of prescriptions involved a trade-name prescription where an appropriate generic equivalent existed. The cost implications for hospital and community patients were found to be greatly affected by substitution policies that exist at hospital pharmacy level. CONCLUSION: There is a need to promote greater adherence to generic prescribing amongst hospital doctors in line with international best practice. It can have a positive impact in terms of safe prescribing and can have cost implications at both hospital and community level.

  18. Prevention of Surgical Site Infection After Ankle Surgery Using Vacuum-Assisted Closure Therapy in High-Risk Patients With Diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Zhen-Yu; Liu, Ya-Ke; Chen, Hong-Lin; Liu, Fan

    2016-01-01

    Patients with diabetes have a high risk of surgical site infection (SSI) after ankle surgery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) in the prevention of SSI after ankle surgery compared with the efficacy of standard moist wound care (SMWC). A retrospective study was performed of unstable ankle fractures for surgical fixation in patients with diabetes from January 2012 to December 2014. VAC and SMWC were used for surgical incision coverage. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI, and the secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay and crude hospital costs. The data from 76 patients were analyzed, with 22 (28.95%) in the VAC group and 54 (71.05%) in the SMWC group. The incidence of SSI was 4.6% in the VAC group compared with 27.8% in the SMWC group (chi-square 5.076; p = .024), and the crude odds ratio for SSI in the VAC group was 0.124 (95% confidence interval 0.002 to 0.938). The length of hospital stay was lower in the VAC group than in the SMWC group (12.6 ± 2.7 days and 15.2 ± 3.5 days, respectively; t = 3.122, p = .003). The crude hospital costs were also lower in the VAC group than in the SMWC group (Chinese yuan 8643.2 ± 1195.3 and 9456.2 ± 1106.3, respectively; t = 2.839, p = .006). After logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratio for the total SSI rate comparing VAC and SMWC was 0.324 (95% confidence interval 0.092 to 0.804; p = .021). Compared with SMWC, VAC can decrease the SSI rate after ankle surgery in patients with diabetes. This finding should be confirmed by prospective, randomized controlled clinical trials. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. A prospective randomised trial of isolated pathogens of surgical site infections (SSI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konstantinos Alexiou

    2017-09-01

    Conclusions: In conclusion, surgical site infections are important complications affecting the healthcare services, the cost of hospitalization and the patient himself. Future thorough studies are expected to reveal much more data, regarding predisposing and precautionary patient and hospital characteristics.

  20. Unmet home healthcare needs and quality of life in cancer patients: a hospital-based Turkish sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ataman, Gülsen; Erbaydar, Tugrul

    2017-07-01

    Home healthcare services in Turkey are provided primarily to patients that are bedridden or seriously disabled. There are no such services integrated with hospital services that are specifically designed for cancer patients. The present study aimed to explore the home healthcare needs of cancer patients and their experiences related to unmet home healthcare needs. The study included 394 adult cancer patients who were followed up at the surgical oncology department of a university hospital. A 37-item, study-specific questionnaire and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for cancer patients (EORTC-QLQ-C30) were administered, and patient clinical records were evaluated. Home healthcare was provided primarily by the patients' immediate family members; the professional home healthcare usage rate was only 2.8%. Patient quality of life (QoL) was negatively affected by cancer, especially those with stage three and four disease. The frequency of the need for home healthcare services due to disease-related health problems during the 30 days prior to administration of the questionnaires was as follows: pain (62.9%), surgical wound care (44.9%), injection of therapeutics (52.3%), gastrointestinal complaints (51.8%), anxiety (87.1%), psychosocial assistance (77.2%) and information about cancer (94.4%). In the absence of home healthcare services, the patients primarily used institutional healthcare services to meet their needs; otherwise, their needs were not met. The physical and psychosocial problems that cancer patients experience could be solved in most cases by professional home healthcare services. Hospital-integrated home healthcare services might not only improve cancer patient QoL but might also increase the effectiveness of hospital-based healthcare services. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. [Chest Injury and its Surgical Treatment in Polytrauma Patients. Five-Year Experience].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vodička, J; Doležal, J; Vejvodová, Š; Šafránek, J; Špidlen, V; Třeška, V

    2016-01-01

    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Thoracic trauma, one of the most frequent injuries in patients with multiple traumata, is found in 50 to 80% of these patients and it is crucial for the patient's prognosis. It accounts for 25% of all death from polytraumatic injuries. The aim of this retrospective study was an analysis of the occurrence of chest injuries in polytrauma patients and their surgical treatment in the Trauma Centre or Department of Surgery of the University Hospital Pilsen in a five-year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with injuries meeting the definition of polytrauma and an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥16 were included. The demographic characteristics, mechanism of multiple trauma, ISS value and chest injury were recorded in each patient. The number of injured patients in each year of the study was noted. In the patients with chest injury, the type of injury and method of treatment were assessed. The therapy was further analysed including its timing. The number of deaths due to polytrauma involving chest injury, the cause of death and its time in relation to the patient's admission to the Trauma Centre were evaluated. RESULTS In the period 2010-14, 513 polytrauma patients were treated; of them 371 (72.3%) were men with an average age of 40.5 years. The most frequent cause of injury was a traffic accident (74%). The average ISS of the whole group was 35 points. Chest injury was diagnosed in 469 patients (91.4%) of whom only five (1.1%) had penetrating injury. Pulmonary contusion was most frequent (314 patients; 67%). A total of 212 patients with chest injury underwent surgery (45.2%); urgent surgery was performed in 143 (67.5%), acute surgery in 49 (23.1%) and delayed surgery in 63 (29.7%) patients. Chest drainage was the major surgical procedure used in the whole group. Of 61 patients who died, 52 had chest injury. In this subgroup the most frequent cause of death was decompensated traumatic shock (26 patients; 50%). In the whole group, 32 polytrauma

  2. Pattern of postoperative pain management among adult surgical patients in a low-resource setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogboli-Nwasor E

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Elizabeth Ogboli-Nwasor,1 Sa’adatu T Sule,2 Lazarus MD Yusufu31Department of Anaesthesia, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria; 3Department of Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, NigeriaObjective: Postoperative pain is one of the most common complications of surgery. The pattern of management varies between centers. The current study aimed to study the prescription pattern and the common drugs used in the management of postoperative pain in adult surgical patients at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH; Zaria, Nigeria.Methods: Following ethical approval, a prospective observational study of consecutive adult patients who had surgery at the ABUTH Zaria was performed from January to December 2005. The data were entered into a proforma and analyzed using the Minitab statistical package.Results: One hundred and thirty-eight patients were included in the study. The age range was 17 to 80 years, with a mean age of 41 years. One hundred and thirty-two (95.7% of the prescriptions were written solely by the surgeon or surgical resident; passive suggestions were given by the anesthetists for only six patients (4.3%. Intermittent intramuscular injections of opioids/opiates were prescribed for 126 patients (91.3%, while nine patients (6.5% received intermittent intramuscular injections with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Oral paracetamol was prescribed for six patients (4.3%, while three patients (2.1% received no postoperative analgesic. Moderate pain was recorded in 48 patients (34.8%, and 90 patients (65.2% had mild pain 8 hours after their operation before subsequent doses of analgesics were given. More females (81 patients [58.7%], than males (42 patients [29.7%] suffered moderate to severe pain. The reported side effects were nausea (reported by 32.6% of patients, dry mouth (21

  3. Standardization of spedalized medical care to patients with shin fractures in multifield city hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. M. Tikhilov

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the investigation was development of science-based recommendations for increasing efficiency of operative treatment of adult patients with shin fractures in multiprofile city hospital. Investigation was made in Saint-Petersburg Alexandrovskiy City Hospital. Clinical material was presented by official hospital reports, individual medical documentation and results of direct survey of patients treated in this hospital in period 1999-2010 years. All patients had follow up treatment in outpatient department of this hospital. Information was completed following federal and local laws. Recommendations for standardization of modern specialized medical care of patients with shin fractures, based on methods of internal fixation, were performed. We took into consideration possibilities of conventional and minimally invasive fixation of closed and open fractures including politrauma injuries. Models of patients with shin fractures depending on method of internal fixation and list of basic diagnostic procedures and treatment were formed. Operations classifier of internal shin fractures fixation was developed. This classifier includes calculation of hospital costs in process of specialized medical care considering actual correction coefficients. Calculation of each surgical procedure component was performed. List and composition of instrument sets and expense materials for such operations were formed. Analisis of organizational, medico-technological, economica aspect and expert evaluation of clinical results of different methods of long bones fractures fixation have provided conceptual approach to treatment standardization. On this base we have developed medico-economical standards of long bones fractures treatment in city multiprofile hospital.

  4. Association of Safety Culture with Surgical Site Infection Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Caleb J; Pawlik, Timothy M; Daniels, Tania; Vernon, Nora; Banks, Katie; Westby, Peggy; Wick, Elizabeth C; Sexton, J Bryan; Makary, Martin A

    2016-02-01

    Hospital workplace culture may have an impact on surgical outcomes; however, this association has not been established. We designed a study to evaluate the association between safety culture and surgical site infection (SSI). Using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and National Healthcare Safety Network definitions, we measured 12 dimensions of safety culture and colon SSI rates, respectively, in the surgical units of Minnesota community hospitals. A Pearson's r correlation was calculated for each of 12 dimensions of surgical unit safety culture and SSI rate and then adjusted for surgical volume and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification. Seven hospitals participated in the study, with a mean survey response rate of 43%. The SSI rates ranged from 0% to 30%, and surgical unit safety culture scores ranged from 16 to 92 on a scale of 0 to 100. Ten dimensions of surgical unit safety culture were associated with colon SSI rates: teamwork across units (r = -0.96; 95% CI [-0.76, -0.99]), organizational learning (r = -0.95; 95% CI [-0.71, -0.99]), feedback and communication about error (r = -0.92; 95% CI [-0.56, -0.99]), overall perceptions of safety (r = -0.90; 95% CI [-0.45, -0.99]), management support for patient safety (r = -0.90; 95% CI [-0.44, -0.98]), teamwork within units (r = -0.88; 95% CI [-0.38, -0.98]), communication openness (r = -0.85; 95% CI [-0.26, -0.98]), supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety (r = -0.85; 95% CI [-0.25, -0.98]), non-punitive response to error (r = -0.78; 95% CI [-0.07, -0.97]), and frequency of events reported (r = -0.76; 95% CI [-0.01, -0.96]). After adjusting for surgical volume and ASA classification, 9 of 12 dimensions of surgical unit safety culture were significantly associated with lower colon SSI rates. These data suggest an important role for positive safety and teamwork culture and engaged hospital management in producing high-quality surgical

  5. Critical care admission of South African (SA) surgical patients ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Methods. The SA Surgical Outcomes Study (SASOS) was a 7-day national, multicentre, prospective, ...... L R Math ivha, T R Mokoena, S Monokoane, R Moreno, D F Morrell, ... stone Hospital: L Friedman, D Schmidt*, S Venter; Nelson Mandela.

  6. Nurses experiences regarding staffing patterns in the surgical wards of a private hospital in Gauteng South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moloko Malatji

    2017-12-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe nurses' experiences regarding staffing patterns in the surgical wards of a private hospital in Gauteng in order to develop recommendations for staffing patterns in these wards. Methodology: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used. Data was collected by means of in-depth semi structured individual interviews from a purposive sample of professional nurses working in the surgical wards of this hospital. Data was analysed using Tesch's method of qualitative thematic analysis. Principles of trustworthiness and ethical principles to ensure the protection of human rights were applied throughout the study. Results: The findings of the study revealed one central theme which reflected that participants experienced the staffing patterns of the surgical wards negatively. Two main themes emerged as, nurses had negative experiences in the surgical wards as well as negative emotional experiences related to the staffing patterns. Conclusion: It is evident from the findings of the study that nurses are experiencing staffing patterns negatively.

  7. Active prospective surveillance study with post-discharge surveillance of surgical site infections in Cambodia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Guerra

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Barriers to the implementation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC guidelines for surgical site infection (SSI surveillance have been described in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to estimate the SSI incidence rate in a Cambodian hospital and to compare different modalities of SSI surveillance. We performed an active prospective study with post-discharge surveillance. During the hospital stay, trained surveyors collected the CDC criteria to identify SSI by direct examination of the surgical site. After discharge, a card was given to each included patient to be presented to all practitioners examining the surgical site. Among 167 patients, direct examination of the surgical site identified a cumulative incidence rate of 14 infections per 100 patients. An independent review of medical charts presented a sensitivity of 16%. The sensitivity of the purulent drainage criterion to detect SSIs was 83%. After hospital discharge, 87% of the patients provided follow-up data, and nine purulent drainages were reported by a practitioner (cumulative incidence rate: 20%. Overall, the incidence rate was dependent on the surveillance modalities. The review of medical charts to identify SSIs during hospitalization was not effective; the use of a follow-up card with phone calls for post-discharge surveillance was effective. Keywords: Surgical wound infection, Cambodia, Infection control, Developing countries, Follow-up studies, Feasibility studies

  8. Treatment, monitoring, and economic outcomes of venous thromboembolism among hospitalized patients in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Eric Q; Xie, Jipan; Wu, Chun; Du, Ella Xiaoyan; Li, Nanxin; Tan, Ruoding; Liu, Yuanli

    2014-03-01

    The prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been increasing in China. However, the treatment pattern and economic burden of these patients have not been well-understood. The objective of this study was to examine the patient characteristics, treatment pattern, anticoagulant monitoring, and economic burden of VTE among hospitalized patients in China. Hospitalizations with a diagnosis of VTE [including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)] between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2013 were included. Descriptive analysis was conducted for patients' characteristics, anticoagulant treatment, international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring, and hospitalization cost [in 2013 Chinese yuan (Y) and US dollars (US$)]. Multivariate regressions were performed to assess factors associated with oral anticoagulant use and total costs of inpatient care. A total of 1,047 VTE-related hospitalizations were selected. The sample had a mean age of 62.4 years, with 45.9 % female. About 46.3 % of hospitalizations used heparin only, 35.0 % used warfarin, 0.8 % used rivaroxaban, and 18.0 % did not use anticoagulants. Among hospitalizations where warfarin was used, 90.8 % received at least one INR test and only 30 % had the last INR within the target therapeutic range (2-3) before discharge. The mean (standard deviation) total cost per hospitalization was Y29,114 (43,772) [US$4,757 (7,152)]. PE, VTE as primary diagnosis, female, insurance coverage, anticoagulant treatment, co-morbidities, admission condition, and surgical procedure were significantly associated with inpatient costs. Conventional anticoagulants were most commonly used in the study sample. Under-monitoring and suboptimal care may be an issue for patients treated with warfarin. The average total inpatient cost of VTE-related hospitalizations is high.

  9. In-hospital mortality, 30-day readmission, and length of hospital stay after surgery for primary colorectal cancer: A national population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pucciarelli, S; Zorzi, M; Gennaro, N; Gagliardi, G; Restivo, A; Saugo, M; Barina, A; Rugge, M; Zuin, M; Maretto, I; Nitti, D

    2017-07-01

    The simultaneous assessment of multiple indicators for quality of care is essential for comparisons of performance between hospitals and health care systems. The aim of this study was to assess the rates of in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission and length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients who underwent surgical procedures for colorectal cancer between 2005 and 2014 in Italy. All patients in the National Italian Hospital Discharge Dataset who underwent a surgical procedure for colorectal cancer during the study period were included. The adjusted odd ratios for risk factors for in-hospital mortality, 30-day readmission, and LOS were calculated using multilevel multivariable logistic regression. Among the 353 941 patients, rates of in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission were 2.5% and 6%, respectively, and the median LOS was 13 days. High comorbidity, emergent/urgent admission, male gender, creation of a stoma, and an open approach increased the risks of all the outcomes at multivariable analysis. Age, hospital volume, hospital geographic location, and discharge to home/non-home produced different effects depending on the outcome considered. The most frequent causes of readmission were infection (19%) and bowel obstruction (14.6%). We assessed national averages for mortality, LOS and readmission and related trends over a 10-year time. Laparoscopic surgery was the only one that could be modified by improving surgical education. Higher hospital volume was associated with a LOS reduction, but our findings only partially support a policy of centralization for colorectal cancer procedures. Surgical site infection was identified as the most preventable cause of readmission. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

  10. Experiences with surgical treatment of ventricle septal defect as a post infarction complication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stich Kathrin

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI with mechanical defects are associated with poor prognosis. Surgical intervention is indicated for a majority of these patients. The goal of surgical intervention is to improve the systolic cardiac function and to achieve a hemodynamic stability. In this present study we reviewed the outcome of patients with post infarction ventricular septal defect (PVSD who underwent cardiac surgery. Methods We analysed retrospectively the hospital records of 41 patients, whose ages range from 48 to 81, and underwent a surgical treatment between 1990 and 2005 because of PVSD. Results In 22 patients concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CAGB was performed. In 15 patients a residual shunt was found, this required re-op in seven of them. The time interval from infarct to rupture was 8.7 days and from rupture to surgery was 23.1 days. Hospital mortality in PVSD group was 32%. The mortality of urgent repair within 3 days of intractable cardiogenic shock was 100%. The mortality of patients with an anterior VSD and a posterior VSD was 29.6% vs 42.8%, respectively. All patients who underwent the surgical repair later than day 36 survived. Conclusion Surgical intervention is indicated for a majority of patients with mechanical complications. Cardiogenic shock remains the most important factor that affects the early results. The surgical repair of PVSD should be performed 4–5 weeks after AMI. To improve surgical outcome and hemodynamics the choice of surgical technique and surgical timing as well as preoperative management should be tailored for each patient individually.

  11. Long-term patient outcomes after surgical stabilization of rib fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majercik, Sarah; Cannon, Quinn; Granger, Steven R; VanBoerum, Don H; White, Thomas W

    2014-07-01

    Rib fractures are common, and can be disabling. Recently, there has been increased interest in surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF). It is difficult to define long-term benefits of the procedure. This is a descriptive study of patient outcomes after SSRF. SSRF patients between April 2010 and August 2012 at a Level I trauma center were identified. Data were collected from the medical records. A telephone survey asking about pain, satisfaction, and employment was administered to patients after hospital discharge. One hundred-one patients met inclusion criteria. Fifty (50%) patients completed the survey. Indications for SSRF included flail chest, displaced fractures, pain, and inability to wean from mechanical ventilation. Pain was gone at 5.4 ± 1.1 weeks post discharge. Satisfaction with SSRF on a scale of 1 to 10 was 9.2 ± .2. Ninety percent of employed patients returned to the same work at 8.5 ± 1.2 weeks. SSRF patients are satisfied and are able to return to normal activity with few limitations. A prospective study using modern rib fixation technology is needed to further define benefits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Surgical revascularization versus amputation for peripheral vascular disease in dialysis patients: a cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramkumar Nirupama

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Surgical treatment of peripheral vascular disease (PVD in dialysis patients is controversial. Methods We examined the post-operative morbidity and mortality of surgical revascularization or amputation for PVD in a retrospective analysis of United States Renal Data System. Propensity scores for undergoing amputation were derived from a multivariable logistic regression model of amputation. Results Of the Medicare patients initiated on dialysis from Jan 1, 1995 to Dec 31, 1999, patients underwent surgical revascularization (n = 1,896 or amputation (n = 2,046 in the first 6 months following initiation of dialysis were studied. In the logistic regression model, compared to claudication, presence of gangrene had a strong association with amputation [odds ratio (OR 19.0, 95% CI (confidence interval 13.86–25.95]. The odds of dying within 30 days and within1 year were higher (30 day OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.45–2.36; 1 yr OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.25–1.71 in the amputation group in logistic regression model adjusted for propensity scores and other baseline factors. Amputation was associated with increased odds of death in patients with low likelihood of amputation (rd percentile of propensity score and moderate likelihood of amputation (33rd to 66th percentile but not in high likelihood group (>66th percentile. The number of hospital days in the amputation and revascularization groups was not different. Conclusion Amputation might be associated with higher mortality in dialysis patients. Where feasible, revascularization might be preferable over amputation in dialysis patients.

  13. Day of surgery admission for the elective surgical in-patient: successful implementation of the Elective Surgery Programme.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Concannon, E S

    2012-09-11

    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this prospective cross-sectional study was to determine the impact of (1) ring fencing in-patient general surgical beds and (2) introducing a pre-operative assessment clinic (PAC) on the day of surgery admission (DOSA) rate in a single Irish institution. The secondary aim was to analyse the impact of an increased rate of DOSA on cost efficiency and patient satisfaction. METHODS: An 18-month period was examined following ring-fencing of elective and emergency surgical beds. A PAC was established during the study period. Prospectively collected data pertaining to all surgical admissions were retrieved using patient administration system software (Powerterm Pro, Eircom Software) and a database of performance information from Irish Public Health Services (HealthStat). RESULTS: Ring-fencing and PAC establishment was associated with a significant increase in the overall DOSA rate from 56 to 85 %, surpassing the national target rate of DOSA (75 %). Data relating specifically to general surgery admissions mirrored this increase in DOSA rate from a median of 5 patients per month, before the advent of ring-fencing and PAC, to 42 patients per month (p < 0.0387). 100 patient surveys demonstrated high levels of satisfaction with DOSA, with a preference compared to admission one night pre-operatively. Cost analysis demonstrated overall savings of 340,370 Euro from this change in practice. CONCLUSION: The present study supports the practice of DOSA through the introduction of ring-fenced surgical beds and PAC. This has been shown to improve hospital resource utilisation and streamline surgical service provision in these economically challenging times.

  14. A multicenter prospective study of surgical audit systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haga, Yoshio; Ikejiri, Koji; Wada, Yasuo; Takahashi, Tadateru; Ikenaga, Masakazu; Akiyama, Noriyoshi; Koike, Shoichiro; Koseki, Masato; Saitoh, Toshihiro

    2011-01-01

    This study was undertaken to evaluate a modified form of Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS) for surgical audit comparing with other existing models. Although several scoring systems have been devised for surgical audit, no nation-wide survey has been performed yet. We modified our previous E-PASS surgical audit system by computing the weights of 41 procedures, using data from 4925 patients who underwent elective digestive surgery, designated it as mE-PASS. Subsequently, a prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 national hospitals in Japan from April 1, 2005, to April 8, 2007. Variables for the E-PASS and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status-based model were collected for 5272 surgically treated patients. Of the 5272 patients, we also collected data for the Portsmouth modification of Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM) in 3128 patients. The area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate discrimination performance to detect in-hospital mortality. The ratio of observed to estimated in-hospital mortality rates (OE ratio) was defined as a measure of quality. The numbers of variables required were 10 for E-PASS, 7 for mE-PASS, 20 for P-POSSUM, and 4 for the ASA status-based model. The AUC (95% confidence interval) values were 0.86 (0.79-0.93) for E-PASS, 0.86 (0.79-0.92) for mE-PASS, 0.81 (0.75-0.88) for P-POSSUM, and 0.73 (0.63-0.83) for the ASA status-based model. The OE ratios for mE-PASS among large-volume hospitals significantly correlated with those for E-PASS (R = 0.93, N = 9, P = 0.00026), P-POSSUM (R = 0.96, N = 6, P = 0.0021), and ASA status-based model (R = 0.83, N = 9, P = 0.0051). Because of its features of easy use, accuracy, and generalizability, mE-PASS is a candidate for a nation-wide survey.

  15. Approach to Pediatric Patients during Surgical Interventions

    OpenAIRE

    Seher Ünver; Meltem Yıldırım

    2013-01-01

    A child’s surgical period usually contains unpleasant and difficult experiences, for the child and the parents. The child in this period experiences greater anxiety and distress. On the other hand, pediatric patients have complex states that directly effects their perioperative care during. Because their perioperative care includes not only the knowledge of general surgical procedure and care of a patient in the operating room. It also includes the specific understanding of a child’s airway, ...

  16. Level of Digitization in Dutch Hospitals and the Lengths of Stay of Patients with Colorectal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Poelgeest, Rube; van Groningen, Julia T; Daniels, John H; Roes, Kit C; Wiggers, Theo; Wouters, Michel W; Schrijvers, Guus

    2017-05-01

    A substantial amount of research has been published on the association between the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) and quality outcomes in U.S. hospitals, while limited research has focused on the Western European experience. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between the use of EMR technologies in Dutch hospitals and length of stay after colorectal cancer surgery. Two data sets were leveraged for this study; the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM SM ) and the Dutch surgical colorectal audit (DSCA). The HIMSS Analytics EMRAM score was used to define a Dutch hospital's electronic medical records (EMR) capabilities while the DSCA was used to profile colorectal surgery quality outcomes (specifically total length of stay (LOS) in the hospital and the LOS in ICU). A total of 73 hospitals with a valid EMRAM score and associated DSCA patients (n = 30.358) during the study period (2012-2014) were included in the comparative set. A multivariate regression method was used to test differences adjusted for case mix, year of surgery, surgical technique and for complications, as well as stratifying for academic affiliated hospitals and general hospitals. A significant negative association was observed to exist between the total LOS (relative median LOS 0,974, CI 95% 0.959-0,989) of patients treated in advanced EMR hospitals (high EMRAM score cohort) versus patients treated at less advanced EMR care settings, once the data was adjusted for the case mix, year of surgery and type of surgery (laparoscopy or laparotomy). Adjusting for complications in a subgroup of general hospitals (n = 39) yielded essentially the same results (relative median LOS 0,934, CI 95% 0,915-0,954). No consistent significant associations were found with respect to LOS on the ICU. The findings of this study suggest advanced EMR capabilities support a healthcare provider's efforts to achieve desired quality outcomes and efficiency in Western

  17. The Pattern and Surgical Management of Diabetic Foot at Muhimbili ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study aimed at determining the pattern and the surgical management of patients with Diabetic Foot at Muhimbili National Hospital, from March to December 2008. Methods: All in-patients with diabetic foot who were admitted in the hospital during the study period were included into the study. Results: A total of 67 ...

  18. [System for assessing the nutritional status of the surgical patient at admission. Nutritional assessment in surgery].

    Science.gov (United States)

    López Caballero, M; Pérez Suárez, I; Martínez García, C; Román García, I; Martínez Gallego, R M; Ruiz Coracho, P

    1991-01-01

    Many studies have shown that the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitals is high. Our aim in this study is to ensure the systematic use of a preoperative nutritional evaluation (PNE) that ensures simplicity and usefulness in hospital nursing assistance. A total of 96 patients were studied, of whom 31 were diagnosed as having neoplasia and 65 non-neoplasia. For the purpose of this evaluation, the Chang method was used, completed with the application of retarded immunity skin tests. Malnutrition was observed in 71% por patients with neoplasia, mainly corresponding to slight Marasmo grade. In non-neoplasic patients malnutrition was 46%, also corresponding to slight Marasmo grade. In patients with neoplasia, anergy was evident in 54.9% of cases, and accounted for 23.1% in non-neoplasic patients. The development of anergy in both types of patients was significantly greater (p less than 0.05) in patients over 65 years of age. The inclusion of a PNE should form part of the nursing protocols, being used systematically in the study and control of surgical patients.

  19. Real money: complications and hospital costs in trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmila, Mark R; Jakubus, Jill L; Maggio, Paul M; Wahl, Wendy L; Dimick, Justin B; Campbell, Darrell A; Taheri, Paul A

    2008-08-01

    Major postoperative complications are associated with a substantial increase in hospital costs. Trauma patients are known to have a higher rate of complications than the general surgery population. We used the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) methodology to evaluate hospital costs, duration of stay, and payment associated with complications in trauma patients. Using NSQIP principles, patient data were collected for 512 adult patients admitted to the trauma service for > 24 hours at a Level 1 trauma center (2004-2005). Patients were placed in 1 of 3 groups: no complications (none), >or=1 minor complication (minor, eg, urinary tract infection), or >or=1 major complication (major, eg, pneumonia). Total hospital charges, costs, payment, and duration of stay associated with each complication group were determined from a cost-accounting database. Multiple regression was used to determine the costs of each type of complication after adjusting for differences in age, sex, new injury severity score, Glasgow coma scale score, maximum head abbreviated injury scale, and first emergency department systolic blood pressure. A total of 330 (64%) patients had no complications, 53 (10%) had >or= 1 minor complication, and 129 (25%) had >or= 1 major complication. Median hospital charges increased from $33,833 (none) to $81,936 (minor) and $150,885 (major). The mean contribution to margin per day was similar for the no complication and minor complication groups ($994 vs $1,115, P = .7). Despite higher costs, the patients in the major complication group generated a higher mean contribution to margin per day compared to the no complication group ($2,168, P costs when adjusted for confounding variables was $19,915 for the minor complication group (P costs associated with traumatic injury provides a window for assessing the potential cost reductions associated with improved quality care. To optimize system benefits, payers and providers should develop integrated

  20. Increases in Intravenous Magnesium Use among Hospitalized Patients: An Institution Cross-Sectional Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bryce A. Kiberd

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Among hospitalized patients, indications for the measurement of magnesium levels and treatment of hypomagnesemia with intravenous magnesium are not well defined. Recently, there have been reports of worldwide shortages of intravenous magnesium sulphate. Objective: To examine secular trends in the administration of intravenous magnesium on hospital wards at a tertiary care institution. The secondary objective is to identify factors associated with magnesium use among admitted patients. Methods: Retrospective cross-section review of hospitalized patients at a single Canadian tertiary care center. Utilization of non-parental nutrition intravenous magnesium from 2003 to 2013 stratified by hospital ward was examined. In addition, patient level data from select wards (including medical and surgical services was examined at early and more recent time period (4/2006 versus 4/2013. Results: Among the 248,329 hospitalized patients, intravenous magnesium use increased by 2.86 fold from 2003 to 2013. Not all wards had an increase whereas some had nearly a 10 fold increase in use. In the sample ( n = 769, (adjusting for admission magnesium level, presence of an indication for intravenous magnesium, ward location, comorbidity and demographics intravenous magnesium administration was higher (25.8 % versus 5.5 % in 2013 versus 2006 (OR 13.91 (95 % CI, 6.21–31.17, p < 0.001. Despite this increase in intravenous magnesium administration, <3 % of patients were admitted on oral magnesium in 2006 and 2013. For patients receiving intravenous magnesium only a minority were discharged on oral therapy despite low levels. Conclusions: This center has witnessed a considerable increase in the use of in-hospital intravenous magnesium over the last 6 years that cannot be explained for by medical indications. The risks and benefits of this therapy deserve further study. If this change in practice is representative of other North American hospitals, it may be

  1. Impact of hospital infections on patients outcomes undergoing cardiac surgery at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Marília

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucieni Oliveira Conterno

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: this study aimed to determine the incidence of nosocomial infections, the risk factors and the impact of these infections on mortality among patients undergoing to cardiac surgery. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 2060 consecutive patients from 2006 to 2012 at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Marília. Results: 351 nosocomial infections were diagnosed (17%, 227 non-surgical infections and 124 surgical wound infections. Major infections were mediastinitis (2.0%, urinary tract infection (2.8%, pneumonia (2.3%, and bloodstream infection (1.7%. The in-hospital mortality was 6.4%. Independent variables associated with non-surgical infections were age > 60 years (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.31, ICU stay > 2 days (OR 5, 49, 95% CI 2.98 to 10, 09, mechanical ventilation > 2 days (OR11, 93, 95% CI 6.1 to 23.08, use of urinary catheter > 3 days (OR 4.85 95% CI 2.95 -7.99. Non-surgical nosocomial infections were more frequent in patients with surgical wound infection (32.3% versus 7.2%, OR 6.1, 95% CI 4.03 to 9.24. Independent variables associated with mortality were age greater than 60 years (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.4 to3.0, use of vasoactive drugs (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.9 to 6, 0, insulin use (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8, surgical reintervention (OR 4.4; 95% CI 2.1 to 9.0 pneumonia (OR 4.3; 95% CI 2.1 to 8.9 and bloodstream infection (OR = 4.7, 95% CI 2.0 to 11.2. Conclusion: Non-surgical hospital infections are common in patients undergoing cardiac surgery; they increase the chance of surgical wound infection and mortality.

  2. Factors influencing the output of rural cataract surgical facilities in China: the SHARP study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Tingting; Jin, Ling; Zhou, Zhongqiang; Huang, Yiwen; Yan, Xixi; Liu, Tianyu; Ong, Ee Lin; Liu, Bin; Huang, Wenyong; Iezzi, Beatrice; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S; Congdon, Nathan G

    2015-02-03

    To identify factors associated prospectively with increased cataract surgical rate (CSR) in rural Chinese hospitals. Annual cataract surgical output was obtained at baseline and 24 months later from operating room records at 42 rural, county-level hospitals. Total local CSR (cases/million population/y), and proportion of CSR from hospital and local competitors were calculated from government records. Hospital administrators completed questionnaires providing demographic and professional information, and annual clinic and outreach screening volume. Independent cataract surgeons provided clinical information and videotapes of cases for grading by two masked experts using the Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric (OSCAR). Uncorrected vision was recorded for 10 consecutive cataract cases at each facility, and 10 randomly-identified patients completed hospital satisfaction questionnaires. Total value of international nongovernmental development organization (INGDO) investment in the previous three years and demographic information on hospital catchment areas were obtained. Main outcome was 2-year percentage change in hospital CSR. Among the 42 hospitals (median catchment population 530,000, median hospital CSR 643), 78.6% (33/42) were receiving INGDO support. Median change in hospital CSR (interquartile range) was 33.3% (-6.25%, 72.3%). Predictors of greater increase in CSR included higher INGDO investment (P = 0.02, simple model), reducing patient dissatisfaction (P = 0.03, simple model), and more outreach patient screening (P = 0.002, simple and multiple model). Outreach cataract screening was the strongest predictor of increased surgical output. Government and INGDO investment in screening may be most likely to enhance output of county hospitals, a major goal of China's Blindness Prevention Plan. Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  3. [Prevalence of pain in Andalusian public hospitals].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Echevarria Moreno, M; Ortega Garcia, J L; Herrera Silva, J; Galvez Mateo, R; Torres Morera, L M; de la Torre Liebanas, R

    2014-12-01

    To determine the prevalence of pain in medical and surgical patients admitted to reference hospitals in Andalusia, as well as their features and the most population groups most affected. A cross-sectional, multicenter epidemiological study was conducted simultaneously on the population admitted to 5 hospitals. Using a structured questionnaire the demographics, hospital area, presence of pain at the time of the interview, and pre- and post-variables related to the intensity of pain and its treatment at 24h were investigated. All patients over 18 years old were included, except those patients with difficulty in understanding the questionnaire, and psychiatric and obstetric patients. Pain intensity was assessed by simple verbal scale. Of the 1,236 patients included, 54.2% were male, with 51.1% of patients aged 65 years, and 69.17% were admitted to medical areas. Pain was observed in 52.9% of patients admitted to the surgical area compared to 29.4% in the medical area. Of the 19.4% who reported having had pain in the last 24h prior to the questionnaire, 57.7% of them were surgical patients and 32% were medical, PDolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  4. Evaluation of adherence to measures for the prevention of surgical site infections by the surgical team

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Cristina de Oliveira

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available AbstractOBJECTIVEEvaluate pre- and intraoperative practices adopted by medical and nursing teams for the prevention of surgical infections.METHODA prospective study carried out in the period of April to May 2013, in a surgical center of a university hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.RESULTS18 surgeries were followed and 214 surgical gloves were analyzed, of which 23 (10.7% had postoperative glove perforation detected, with 52.2% being perceived by users. Hair removal was performed on 27.7% of patients in the operating room, with the use of blades in 80% of the cases. Antibiotic prophylaxis was administered to 81.8% of patients up to 60 minutes prior to surgical incision. An average of nine professionals were present during surgery and the surgery room door remained open in 94.4% of the procedures.CONCLUSIONPartial adhesion to the recommended measures was identified, reaffirming a need for greater attention to these critical steps/actions in order to prevent surgical site infection.

  5. SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR BONE METASTASES OF KIDNEY CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. Semkov

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The data of 67 kidney cancer (KC patients with bone metastases, who had been treated at Moscow City Cancer Hospital Sixty-Two in 2002 to 2009 and had undergone skeletal bone surgery, were retrospectively analyzed. The role of surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was assessed and the factors influencing the patients survival were determined. Surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was ascertained to yield satisfactory results in improving the quality of life and increasing survival rates in the patients.

  6. SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR BONE METASTASES OF KIDNEY CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. Semkov

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The data of 67 kidney cancer (KC patients with bone metastases, who had been treated at Moscow City Cancer Hospital Sixty-Two in 2002 to 2009 and had undergone skeletal bone surgery, were retrospectively analyzed. The role of surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was assessed and the factors influencing the patients survival were determined. Surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was ascertained to yield satisfactory results in improving the quality of life and increasing survival rates in the patients.

  7. Retained Surgical Foreign Bodies after Surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valon A. Zejnullahu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The problem of retained surgical bodies (RSB after surgery is an issue for surgeons, hospitals and the entire medical team. They have potentially harmful consequences for the patient as they can be life threatening and usually, a further operation is necessary. The incidence of RSB is between 0.3 to 1.0 per 1,000 abdominal operations, and they occur due to a lack of organisation and communication between surgical staff during the process. Typically, the RSB are surgical sponges and instruments located in the abdomen, retroperitoneum and pelvis.

  8. Universal isolation precautions for patients at an academic hospital Precauciones universales en el aislamiento de pacientes en un hospital universitario Precauções universais em isolamentos de pacientes em hospital universitário

    OpenAIRE

    Vanessa Gomes Maziero; Marli Terezinha Oliveira Vannuchi; Dagmar Willamourius Vituri; Maria do Carmo Lourenço Haddad; Cristiane Nakaya Tada

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To apply universal isolation precautions for patients at an academic hospital by a nursing team. METHODS: This descriptive and prospective study used data from advice service of quality control and nursing care that were gathered in observational reports of universal isolation precautions for patients admitted in two surgical inpatient units during 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: The mean general classification for both units was between desirable and adequate in the observational analysis...

  9. Using the Electronic Health Record Data in Real Time and Predictive Analytics to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Postoperative/Surgical Site Infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falen, Thomas; Noblin, Alice M; Russell, O Lucia; Santiago, Nonica

    Of critical concern to hospitals today is the prevention of postoperative (surgical site) infections that often result in increased lengths of stays for patients, increased resource demands and costs, loss of public trust and lawsuits, and needless pain and suffering for patients and their families. While all surgical patients have the potential to develop a postoperative infection, the main challenge is to identify key risk factors (both patient centered and operational) through an electronic early-warning system to reduce the likelihood of a postoperative infection from occurring. Currently, most postoperative infection risk prevention practices encompass limited use of informatics technologies or do not maximize the potential benefits. In addition, from a research perspective, there has been more focus on extrapolating electronically housed data (eg, from progress notes, operative notes, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology) retrospectively to describe poor patient outcomes for benchmarking purposes (revealing poor results and opportunities for improvement) rather than using similar sources of real-time data to prevent poor patient outcomes from occurring. This article proposes that standardized indicators, both patient centered and operational, linked to the patient's electronic health record could allow for implementation of 24/7, "real-time" monitoring/surveillance to implement well-timed preventive interventions scaled to each patient and facility to assist caregivers in reducing the numbers of postoperative infections and improve the overall quality and costs of patient care.

  10. Cost of neurocysticercosis patients treated in two referral hospitals in Mexico City, Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattarai, Rachana; Carabin, Hélène; Proaño, Jefferson V; Flores-Rivera, Jose; Corona, Teresa; Flisser, Ana; Budke, Christine M

    2015-08-01

    To estimate annual costs related to the diagnosis, treatment and productivity losses among patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC) receiving treatment at two referral hospitals, the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN) and the Hospital de Especialidades of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (HE-IMSS), in Mexico City from July 2007 to August 2008. Information on presenting clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, hospitalisations, surgical procedures and other treatments received by NCC outpatients was collected from medical charts, and supplemented by an individual questionnaire regarding productivity losses and out-of-pocket expenses related to NCC. The annual average per-patient direct costs were US$ 503 (95% CI: 414-592) and US$ 438 (95% CI: 322-571) for patients without a history of hospitalisation and/or surgery seen at the INNN and the HE-IMSS, respectively. These costs increased to US$ 2506 (95% CI: 1797-3215) and US$ 2170 (95% CI: 1303-3037), respectively, for patients with a history of hospitalisation and/or surgery. The average annual per-patient indirect costs were US$ 246 (95% CI: 165-324) and US$ 114 (95% CI: 51-178), respectively, using minimum salary wages for individuals not officially employed. The total annual cost for patients who had and had not been hospitalised and/or undergone a surgical procedure for the diagnosis or treatment of NCC corresponded to 212% and 41% of an annual minimum wage salary, respectively. The disease tends to affect rural socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and creates health disparities and significant economic losses in Mexico. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Pancreatic duct stones in patients with chronic pancreatitis: surgical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bo-Nan; Zhang, Tai-Ping; Zhao, Yu-Pei; Liao, Quan; Dai, Meng-Hua; Zhan, Han-Xiang

    2010-08-01

    Pancreatic duct stone (PDS) is a common complication of chronic pancreatitis. Surgery is a common therapeutic option for PDS. In this study we assessed the surgical procedures for PDS in patients with chronic pancreatitis at our hospital. Between January 2004 and September 2009, medical records from 35 patients diagnosed with PDS associated with chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively reviewed and the patients were followed up for up to 67 months. The 35 patients underwent ultrasonography, computed tomography, or both, with an overall accuracy rate of 85.7%. Of these patients, 31 underwent the modified Puestow procedure, 2 underwent the Whipple procedure, 1 underwent simple stone removal by duct incision, and 1 underwent pancreatic abscess drainage. Of the 35 patients, 28 were followed up for 4-67 months. There was no postoperative death before discharge or during follow-up. After the modified Puestow procedure, abdominal pain was reduced in patients with complete or incomplete stone clearance (P>0.05). Steatorrhea and diabetes mellitus developed in several patients during a long-term follow-up. Surgery, especially the modified Puestow procedure, is effective and safe for patients with PDS associated with chronic pancreatitis. Decompression of intraductal pressure rather than complete clearance of all stones predicts postoperative outcome.

  12. Non-vascular surgical mediastinum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schiavon, S.; Trenaghi, P.; Nardini, S.; Pagan, V.

    1989-01-01

    A review was made of the chest X-ray features of 120 patients who underwent surgical treatment for mediastinal non-vascular pathologies over the past 12 years in the Mestre Hospital. A method of analysis is proposed which takes into account not only the differences between the immediate post-operative period and the follow-up, but also the anatomotopographic partition and the surgical practice. Normal and pathological patterns for both of the above periods are described. The ''dimness'' of the arial tracheogram is emphasized as a usefull and early sign of mediastinal recurrence

  13. Better Patient Care At High-Quality Hospitals May Save Medicare Money And Bolster Episode-Based Payment Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Thomas C; Greaves, Felix; Zheng, Jie; Orav, E John; Zinner, Michael J; Jha, Ashish K

    2016-09-01

    US policy makers are making efforts to simultaneously improve the quality of and reduce spending on health care through alternative payment models such as bundled payment. Bundled payment models are predicated on the theory that aligning financial incentives for all providers across an episode of care will lower health care spending while improving quality. Whether this is true remains unknown. Using national Medicare fee-for-service claims for the period 2011-12 and data on hospital quality, we evaluated how thirty- and ninety-day episode-based spending were related to two validated measures of surgical quality-patient satisfaction and surgical mortality. We found that patients who had major surgery at high-quality hospitals cost Medicare less than those who had surgery at low-quality institutions, for both thirty- and ninety-day periods. The difference in Medicare spending between low- and high-quality hospitals was driven primarily by postacute care, which accounted for 59.5 percent of the difference in thirty-day episode spending, and readmissions, which accounted for 19.9 percent. These findings suggest that efforts to achieve value through bundled payment should focus on improving care at low-quality hospitals and reducing unnecessary use of postacute care. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  14. Advance pre-operative chlorhexidine reduces the incidence of surgical site infections in knee arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zywiel, Michael G; Daley, Jacqueline A; Delanois, Ronald E; Naziri, Qais; Johnson, Aaron J; Mont, Michael A

    2011-07-01

    Surgical site infections following elective knee arthroplasties occur most commonly as a result of colonisation by the patient's native skin flora. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of deep surgical site infections in knee arthroplasty patients who used an advance cutaneous disinfection protocol and who were compared to patients who had peri-operative preparation only. All adult reconstruction surgeons at a single institution were approached to voluntarily provide patients with chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated cloths and a printed sheet instructing their use the night before and morning of surgery. Records for all knee arthroplasties performed between January 2007 and December 2008 were reviewed to determine the incidence of deep incisional and periprosthetic surgical site infections. Overall, the advance pre-operative protocol was used in 136 of 912 total knee arthroplasties (15%). A lower incidence of surgical site infection was found in patients who used the advance cutaneous preparation protocol as compared to patients who used the in-hospital protocol alone. These findings were maintained when patients were stratified by surgical infection risk category. No surgical site infections occurred in the 136 patients who completed the protocol as compared to 21 infections in 711 procedures (3.0%) performed in patients who did not. Patient-directed skin disinfection using chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated cloths the evening before, and the morning of, elective knee arthroplasty appeared to effectively reduce the incidence of surgical site infection when compared to patients who underwent in-hospital skin preparation only.

  15. Early surgical intervention and its impact on patients presenting with necrotizing soft tissue infections: A single academic center experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George J Hadeed

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Early diagnosis and emergent surgical debridement of necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs remains the cornerstone of care. We aimed to study the effect of early surgery on patients' outcomes and, in particular, on hospital length of stay (LOS and Intensive Care Unit (ICU LOS. Materials and Methods: Over a 6-year period (January 2003 through December 2008, we analyzed the records of patients with NSTIs. We divided patients into two groups based on the time of surgery (i.e., the interval from being diagnosed and surgical intervention: Early (<6 h and late (≥6 h intervention groups. For these two groups, we compared baseline demographic characteristics, symptoms, and outcomes. For our statistical analysis, we used the Student's t-test and Pearson Chi-square (χ2 test. To evaluate the clinical predictors of early diagnosis of NSTIs, we performed multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: In the study population (n = 87; 62% males and 38% females, age, gender, wound locations, and comorbidities were comparable in the two groups. Except for higher proportion of crepitus, the clinical presentations showed no significant differences between the two groups. There were significantly shorter hospital LOS and ICU LOS in the early than late intervention group. The overall mortality rate in our study patients with NSTIs was 12.5%, but early intervention group had a mortality of 7.5%, but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Our findings show that early surgery, within the first 6 h after being diagnosed, improves in-hospital outcomes in patients with NSTIs.

  16. Surgical apgar score in patients undergoing lumbar fusion for degenerative spine diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ou, Chien-Yu; Hsu, Shih-Yuan; Huang, Jian-Hao; Huang, Yu-Hua

    2017-01-01

    Lumbar fusion is a procedure broadly performed for degenerative diseases of spines, but it is not without significant morbidities. Surgical Apgar Score (SAS), based on intraoperative blood loss, blood pressure, and heart rate, was developed for prognostic prediction in general and vascular operations. We aimed to examine whether the application of SAS in patients undergoing fusion procedures for degeneration of lumbar spines predicts in-hospital major complications. One hundred and ninety-nine patients that underwent lumbar fusion operation for spine degeneration were enrolled in this retrospective study. Based on whether major complications were present (N=16) or not (N=183), the patients were subdivided. We identified the intergroup differences in SAS and clinical parameters. The incidence of in-hospital major complications was 8%. The duration of hospital stay for the morbid patents was significantly prolonged (p=0.04). In the analysis of multivariable logistic regression, SAS was an independent predicting factor of the complications after lumbar fusion for degenerative spine diseases [p=0.001; odds ratio (95% confidence interval)=0.35 (0.19-0.64)]. Lower scores were accompanied with higher rates of major complications, and the area was 0.872 under the receiver operating characteristic curve. SAS is an independent predicting factor of major complications in patients after fusion surgery for degenerative diseases of lumbar spines, and provides good risk discrimination. Since the scoring system is relatively simple, objective, and practical, we suggest that SAS be included as an indicator in the guidance for level of care after lumbar fusion surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Patients at High-Risk for Surgical Site Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueck, Krislynn M; Kao, Lillian S

    Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant healthcare quality issue, resulting in increased morbidity, disability, length of stay, resource utilization, and costs. Identification of high-risk patients may improve pre-operative counseling, inform resource utilization, and allow modifications in peri-operative management to optimize outcomes. Review of the pertinent English-language literature. High-risk surgical patients may be identified on the basis of individual risk factors or combinations of factors. In particular, statistical models and risk calculators may be useful in predicting infectious risks, both in general and for SSIs. These models differ in the number of variables; inclusion of pre-operative, intra-operative, or post-operative variables; ease of calculation; and specificity for particular procedures. Furthermore, the models differ in their accuracy in stratifying risk. Biomarkers may be a promising way to identify patients at high risk of infectious complications. Although multiple strategies exist for identifying surgical patients at high risk for SSIs, no one strategy is superior for all patients. Further efforts are necessary to determine if risk stratification in combination with risk modification can reduce SSIs in these patient populations.

  18. Surgical support of Operation Sea Signal: adaptability of the 59th Air Transportable Hospital in Cuba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelton, Jeffrey J; Buehrer, Jeffrey L; Cull, David L

    2003-12-01

    The attempted migration of approximately 50,000 Cubans in the summer of 1994 created a large patient population detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This study examined the roles and results of the 59th Air Transportable Hospital (ATH) in treating surgical problems within that population during Operation Sea Signal. The surgical case log of the 59th ATH was used to identify all patients operated on at the 59th ATH during the interval of August 1994 to April 1995. These case records and the individual records of the three 59th ATH surgeons were used to determine the types of cases performed, complications, and outcomes. A total of 333 operations were performed at the 59th ATH in three types of surgery: (1) elective (267); (2) emergency for nonself-inflicted conditions (46); and (3) emergency for self-inflicted conditions (20). The total perioperative complication rate was 2.4% (8/333), and the wound infection rate for clean surgical cases was 0.87% (2/229). Elective surgery may be performed in a field environment with acceptable complication and wound infection rates. Humanitarian missions will be faced with considerable pathology from pre-existing conditions within the population cared for. The humanitarian mission may be complicated by political situations that may encourage malingering and self-injurious behavior within the population cared for. The latter events have not been previously encountered in humanitarian missions involving the U.S. military and must be considered by policy makers and mission planners in planning future humanitarian missions.

  19. Surgical inpatient mortality in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-09-10

    Sep 10, 2015 ... Aim: The determination of the pattern of mortality in a surgical unit helps in ... Methods: This is a retrospective study of all patients who died during ... and cancer constitute a great deal of health burden in our region. ... 2011. 2012 mortality rate. Figure 1: Yearly mortality trends. 0. 10. 20 .... in the population.

  20. Quality of surgical scrub in a heart hospital: Do not take it for granted

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leila Abdollahi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The role of scrub in the prevention of post-surgery infections is well-known. This study aimed to investigate the inputs and process of surgical scrub in operating rooms of the largest heart hospital of northwest Iran. Methods: This study took place with a before-after design as a clinical audit in 2014. A check list developed based on national and international standards of surgical hand scrub was used as the study instrument. Checklists were completed by observation of surgical team scrubbing in real situation. Descriptive statistics and graphs were used to describe the results. Results: A compliance degree with the standards for prerequisites, equipment, general items, process and time of scrub was observed as 58%, 55%, 33%, 68% and 22%, respectively. The compliance degree after the intervention was 72%, 66%, 66%, 85% and 61%, respectively. Improvement was observed in all studied aspects of scrub. The total score of compliance with the standards changed from 47% to 70%. The main issues were incorrect order of scrubbing the areas of the hands, incorrect way of scrubbing the arms, insufficient scrubbing the arms (not above elbow, and lack of awareness about hospital’s policy on scrub time. Conclusion: The results showed defects in the surgical scrub of the studied hospital and that the compliance with the standards can be improved by simple interventions. Periodical audit and observation of the scrub and then feedback is recommended.

  1. Nurses caring for ENT patients in a district general hospital without a dedicated ENT ward score significantly less in a test of knowledge than nurses caring for ENT patients in a dedicated ENT ward in a comparable district general hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foxton, C R; Black, D; Muhlschlegel, J; Jardine, A

    2014-12-01

    To assess whether there is a difference in ENT knowledge amongst nurses caring for patients on a dedicated ENT ward and nurses caring for ENT patients in a similar hospital without a dedicated ENT ward. A test of theoretical knowledge of ENT nursing care was devised and administered to nurses working on a dedicated ENT ward and then to nurses working on generic non-subspecialist wards regularly caring for ENT patients in a hospital without a dedicated ENT ward. The test scores were then compared. A single specialist ENT/Maxillo-Facial/Opthalmology ward in hospital A and 3 generic surgical wards in hospital B. Both hospitals are comparable district general hospitals in the south west of England. Nursing staff working in hospital A and hospital B on the relevant wards were approached during the working day. 11 nurses on ward 1, 10 nurses on ward 2, 11 nurses on ward 3 and 10 nurses on ward 4 (the dedicated ENT ward). Each individual test score was used to generate an average score per ward and these scores compared to see if there was a significant difference. The average score out of 10 on ward 1 was 6.8 (+/-1.6). The average score on ward two was 4.8 (+/-1.6). The average score on ward three was 5.5 (+/-2.1). The average score on ward 4, which is the dedicated ENT ward, was 9.7 (+/-0.5). The differences in average test score between the dedicated ENT ward and all of the other wards are statistically significant. Nurses working on a dedicated ENT ward have an average higher score in a test of knowledge than nurses working on generic surgical wards. This difference is statistically significant and persists despite banding or training. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Second branchial cleft fistulae: patient characteristics and surgical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kajosaari, Lauri; Mäkitie, Antti; Salminen, Päivi; Klockars, Tuomas

    2014-09-01

    Second branchial cleft anomalies predispose to recurrent infections, and surgical resection is recommended as the treatment of choice. There is no clear consensus regarding the timing or surgical technique in the operative treatment of these anomalies. Our aim was to compare the effect of age and operative techniques to patient characteristics and treatment outcome. A retrospective study of pediatric patients treated for second branchial sinuses or fistulae during 1998-2012 at two departments in our academic tertiary care referral center. Comparison of patient characteristics, preoperative investigations, surgical techniques and postoperative sequelae. Our data is based on 68 patients, the largest series in the literature. One-fourth (24%) of patients had any infectious symptoms prior to operative treatment. Patient demographics, preoperative investigations, use of methylene blue, or tonsillectomy had no effect on the surgical outcome. There were no re-operations due to residual disease. Three complications were observed postoperatively. Our patient series of second branchial cleft sinuses/fistulae is the largest so far and enables analyses of patient characteristics and surgical outcomes more reliably than previously. Preoperative symptoms are infrequent and mild. There was no difference in clinical outcome between the observed departments. Performing ipsilateral tonsillectomy gave no outcome benefits. The operation may be delayed to an age of approximately three years when anesthesiological risks are and possible harms are best avoided. Considering postoperative pain and risk of postoperative hemorrhage a routine tonsillectomy should not be included to the operative treatment of second branchial cleft fistulae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Evaluation of the effect of an intervention on the nutritional status of hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miguel Montoya, Isabel; Ortí Lucas, Rafael; Ferrer Ferrándiz, Esperanza; Martín Baena, David; Montejano Lozoya, Raimunda

    2017-04-07

    To compare the nutritional status of a population of hospitalized patients, divided into 2 different groups, both at admission and hospital discharge, and to assess the influence of nutritional alteration during the hospital stay. Quasi-experimental study comprising 2 groups of patients (N=581); an intervention group (n=303), in which nurses received specific training on managing care methodology, and a control group (n=278), in which nurses continued their usual dynamics. Each group was made up of 2 care units with patients from both surgical and medical specialties. patients admitted to the selected units with a minimum stay of 5 days. The sample selection was performed prospectively and consecutively after implementing the training. Of the 581 patients studied, 49.4% were women and 50.6% were men. Mean patient age was 68.29 (SD 16.23) years. In the intervention group, the odds ratio (OR) associated with good nutritional status was multiplied by 1.7 (OR=1.67) compared to the control group in the first evaluation and by 1.4 times (OR=1.43) at hospital discharge. The average stay in days was higher in the control group (13.71, SD 10.19) than in the intervention group (10.89, SD 7.49) (Pnutritional alteration and a shorter hospital stay than those admitted to the control units. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  4. Experience in surgical treatment of 19 patients with pancreatic duct stones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZHANG Yahui

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo summarize the experience in the diagnosis and surgical treatment selection of pancreatic duct stones (PDS. MethodsThe medical records of 19 patients with PDS in Rongchang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2006 to September 20l4 were analyzed retrospectively in terms of clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment. All 19 patients were diagnosed with PDS by imaging examinations such as B-ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Besides all cases diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis, 3 cases were accompanied by diabetes, 2 cases by jaundice, 1 case by biliary tract hemorrhage, and 1 case by carcinoma of the pancreatic head. ResultsAll patients received surgeries including 9 cases of pancreatic duodenal resection, 5 cases of both pancreatolithotomy and pancreatic duct jejunum anastomosis, 2 cases of simple resection of pancreatic body and tail, and 2 cases of duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection. ConclusionSurgery is the most commonly used, curative method for PDS patients. Based on fully analyzing the actual situation of patients, personalized operation treatment can ensure operation success rate and improve patients′ quality of life.

  5. Improving surgical weekend handover.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culwick, Caroline; Devine, Chris; Coombs, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    Effective handovers are vital to patient safety and continuity of care, and this is recognised by several national bodies including the GMC. The existing model at Great Western Hospital (GWH) involved three general surgical teams and a urology team placing their printed patient lists, complete with weekend jobs, in a folder for the on-call team to collect at the weekend. We recognised a need to reduce time searching for patients, jobs and reviews, and to streamline weekend ward rounds. A unified weekend list ordering all surgical patients by ward and bed number was introduced. Discrepancies in the layout of each team's weekday list necessitated the design of a new weekday list to match the weekend list to facilitate the easy transfer of information between the two lists. A colour coding system was also used to highlight specific jobs. Prior to this improvement project only 7.1% of those polled were satisfied with the existing system, after a series of interventions satisfaction increased to 85.7%. The significant increase in overall satisfaction with surgical handover following the introduction of the unified weekend list is promising. Locating patients and identifying jobs is easier and weekend ward rounds can conducted in a more logical and timely fashion. It has also helped facilitate the transition to consultant ward rounds of all surgical inpatients at the weekends with promising feedback from a recent consultants meeting.

  6. Surveillance of surgical site infections at a tertiary care hospital in Greece: incidence, risk factors, microbiology, and impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roumbelaki, Maria; Kritsotakis, Evangelos I; Tsioutis, Constantinos; Tzilepi, Penelope; Gikas, Achilleas

    2008-12-01

    In this first attempt to implement a standardized surveillance system of surgical site infections (SSI) in a Greek hospital, our objective was to identify areas for improvement by comparing main epidemiologic and microbiologic features of SSI with international data. The National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system protocols were employed to prospectively collect data for patients in 8 surgical wards who underwent surgery during a 9-month period. SSI rates were benchmarked with international data using standardized infection ratios. Risk factors were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression. A total of 129 SSI was identified in 2420 operations (5.3%), of which 47.3% developed after discharge. SSI rates were higher for 2 of 20 operation categories compared with Spanish and Italian data and for 12 of 20 categories compared with NNIS data. Gram-positive microorganisms accounted for 52.1% of SSI isolates, and Enterococci were predominant. Alarming resistance patterns for Enterococcus faecium and Acinetobacter baumannii were recorded. Potentially modifiable risk factors for SSI included multiple procedures, extended duration of operation, and antibiotic prophylaxis. SSI was associated with prolongation of postoperative stay but not with mortality. Comparisons of surveillance data in our hospital with international benchmarks provided useful information for infection control interventions to reduce the incidence of SSI.

  7. Improving surgical weekend handover

    OpenAIRE

    Culwick, Caroline; Devine, Chris; Coombs, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    Effective handovers are vital to patient safety and continuity of care, and this is recognised by several national bodies including the GMC. The existing model at Great Western Hospital (GWH) involved three general surgical teams and a urology team placing their printed patient lists, complete with weekend jobs, in a folder for the on-call team to collect at the weekend. We recognised a need to reduce time searching for patients, jobs and reviews, and to streamline weekend ward rounds. A unif...

  8. Surgical care of the pediatric Crohn's disease patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Dylan

    2017-12-01

    Despite the significant advances in the medical management of inflammatory bowel disease over the last decade, surgery continues to play a major role in the management of pediatric Crohn's disease (CD). While adult and pediatric Crohn's disease may share many clinical characteristics, pediatric Crohn's patients often have a more aggressive phenotype, and the operative care given by the pediatric surgeon to the newly diagnosed Crohn's patient is very different in nature to the surgical needs of adult patients after decades of disease progression. Children also have the unique surgical indication of growth failure to consider in the overall clinical decision making. While surgery is never curative in CD, it has the ability to transform the disease process in children, and appropriately timed operations may have tremendous impact on a child's physical and mental maturation. This monograph aims to address the surgical care of Crohn's disease in general, with a specific emphasis on the surgical treatment of small intestinal and ileocecal involvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The tropical diabetic hand syndrome: a surgical perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nthumba, Peter; Cavadas, Pedro C; Landin, Luis

    2013-01-01

    Tropical diabetic hand syndrome (TDHS) is an aggressive type of hand sepsis that results in significant morbidity and mortality among patients with diabetes in the tropics. This study set out to establish a protocol for the holistic management of TDHS to improve digit/hand salvage and function at AIC Kijabe Hospital. This prospective study examined the following demographics of patients presenting to the authors institution between October 2009 and September 2010 with TDHS: their sex, age, comorbidities, length of in-hospital stay, surgical and medical treatment, total cost of treatment, and immediate postdischarge outcomes. A total of 10 patients (3 men and 7 women) were presented with TDHS during the study period. Surgical procedures included a thorough debridement of the hand at initial presentation, followed by procedures aimed at preserving length and hand function, with digit or hand amputation when there was no possibility of salvage. Three hands were salvaged, without the need for an amputation; 2 of these, however, developed severe stiffness with resultant poor function. Fifty percent of the patients developed considerable disability; 3 of these patients had disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand, (DASH) scores of >90 at 6 months after treatment. TDHS appears to be more aggressive in some patients than in others; a multidisciplinary approach, with early involvement of the surgical team, and a radical surgical debridement are essential to improved outcomes. Although the goal of medical treatment (ie, glycemic control) is simple and easily achieved, surgical goals (salvage of limb or life, preservation of hand function) are more complex, costly, and difficult to achieve. Educating health care workers, diabetic patients, and their relatives on hand care is an important preventive measure. Diligence in taking antidiabetic medicine, early presentation, and appropriate care of TDHS are required for meaningful improvement in outcomes of patients with

  10. [Satisfaction of hospitalized patients in a hospital in Apurimac, Peru].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sihuin-Tapia, Elsa Yudy; Gómez-Quispe, Oscar Elisban; Ibáñez-Quispe, Vladimiro

    2015-01-01

    In order to determine the satisfaction of hospitalized patients in the Sub-regional Hospital of Andahuaylas, 175 patients were surveyed using the Servqual multidimensional model. The estimate of variables associated with the satisfaction of the hospitalized patients was performed by using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. We found 25.0% satisfaction. Lower levels of satisfaction were associated with having a secondary level education (aOR: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.64) and with having been hospitalized in the surgery department (aOR 0.14, CI: 95%: 0.04 to 0.53). It was concluded that there was a low level of satisfaction with the quality of care received by hospitalized patients and this was associated with the level of education and type of hospital department.

  11. Integrated hospital emergency care improves efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyle, A A; Robinson, S M; Whitwell, D; Myers, S; Bennett, T J H; Hall, N; Haydock, S; Fritz, Z; Atkinson, P

    2008-02-01

    There is uncertainty about the most efficient model of emergency care. An attempt has been made to improve the process of emergency care in one hospital by developing an integrated model. The medical admissions unit was relocated into the existing emergency department and came under the 4-hour target. Medical case records were redesigned to provide a common assessment document for all patients presenting as an emergency. Medical, surgical and paediatric short-stay wards were opened next to the emergency department. A clinical decision unit replaced the more traditional observation unit. The process of patient assessment was streamlined so that a patient requiring admission was fully clerked by the first attending doctor to a level suitable for registrar or consultant review. Patients were allocated directly to specialty on arrival. The effectiveness of this approach was measured with routine data over the same 3-month periods in 2005 and 2006. There was a 16.3% decrease in emergency medical admissions and a 3.9% decrease in emergency surgical admissions. The median length of stay for emergency medical patients was reduced from 7 to 5 days. The efficiency of the elective surgical services was also improved. Performance against the 4-hour target declined but was still acceptable. The number of bed days for admitted surgical and medical cases rose slightly. There was an increase in the number of medical outliers on surgical wards, a reduction in the number of incident forms and formal complaints and a reduction in income for the hospital. Integrated emergency care has the ability to use spare capacity within emergency care. It offers significant advantages beyond the emergency department. However, improved efficiency in processing emergency patients placed the hospital at a financial disadvantage.

  12. Orthopedics nursing patients' profile of a public hospital in Salvador-Bahia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Castro, Renata Reis Matutino; Ribeiro, Natália Fonseca; de Andrade, Aline Mendonça; Jaques, Bruno Dórea

    2013-07-01

    To describe the profile of patients treated in the trauma and orthopedics nursing of a trauma care referral public hospital of in the state of Bahia. Cross-sectional study in which data were collected from medical records of patients in the period from July to December 2008. The profile of the patients involved was formed by subjects mostly male young subjects, victims of trauma from accidents, especially those with motorcycles or car runover. On the other hand,the most frequent traumas associated with urban violence were perforations by gunshot and stab wounds. The primary injury presented by these individuals was exposed fracture of the femur and the most common treatment was external fixation. The most frequent in-hospital complication was wound infection, which required another surgical approach. Most inpatients were discharged and only one death was reported during this period. The results of this study corroborate those from other institutions in the country, which may contribute to elaborate public policies for accidents and violence prevention. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

  13. Surgical dislocation of the hip in patients with femoroacetabular impingement: Surgical techniques and our experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mladenović Marko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Arthrosis of the hip is the most common cause of a hip joint disorders. The aim of this study was to present our experience in the application of a safe surgical dislocation of the hip in patients with minor morphological changes in the hip joint, which, through the mechanism of femoroacetabular impingement, cause damage to the acetabular labrum and adjacent cartilage as an early sign of the hip arthrosis. Methods. We have operated 51 patients with different morphological bone changes in the hip area and resultant soft tissue damage of the acetabular labrum and its adjacent cartilage. Surgical technique that we applied in this group of patients, was adapted to our needs and capabilities and it was minimaly modified compared to the original procedure. Results. The surgical technique presented in this paper, proved to be a good method of treatment of bone and soft tissue pathomorphological changes of the hip in patients with femoroacetabular impingement. We had no cases with avascular necrosis of the femoral head, and two patients had nonunion of the greater trochanter, 9 patients developed paraarticular ossification, without subjective symptoms, while 3 patients suffered from postoperative pain in the groin during more energetic physical activities. Conclusion. Utilization of our partly modified surgical technique of controlled and safe dislocation of the hip can solve all the bone and soft tissue problems in patients with femoroacetibular impingement to stop already developed osteoarthritis of the hip or to prevent mild form of it.

  14. Identifying the Infection Control Areas Requiring Modifications in Thoracic Surgery Units: Results of a Two-Year Surveillance of Surgical Site Infections in Hospitals in Southern Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubiel, Grzegorz; Rogoziński, Paweł; Żaloudik, Elżbieta; Bruliński, Krzysztof; Różańska, Anna; Wójkowska-Mach, Jadwiga

    2017-10-01

    Surgical site infection (SSI) is considered to be a priority in infection control. The objective of this study is the analysis of results of active targeted surveillance conducted over a two-year period in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery Center in Bystra, in southern Poland. The retrospective analysis was carried out on the basis of results of active monitoring of SSI in the 45-bed Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery Center in Bystra between April 1, 2014 and April 30, 2016. Surgical site infections were identified based on the definitions of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) taking into account the time of symptom onset, specifically, whether the symptoms occurred within 30 d after the surgical procedure. Detection of SSI relied on daily inspection of incisions by a trained nurse, analysis of medical and nursing entries in the computer system, and analysis of all results of microbiologic tests taken in the unit and in the operating room. In the study period, data were collected regarding 1,387 treatment procedures meeting the registration criteria. Forty cases of SSI were detected yielding an incidence rate of 3%. Most cases (55%) were found in the course of hospitalization and 45% were detected after the patient's discharge. The SSIs were classified as follows: superficial, 37.5%; deep infections, 7.5%; and organ/space infection, 55%. Among patients who were diagnosed with SSI, most were male (77.5%). For patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score I-II the incidence rate was 2%; ASA score III or more, 3.7%. The incidence rate varied from 0.3% in clean surgical site to 6.5% in clean-contaminated site. The study validated the usefulness of targeted surveillance in monitoring SSIs in patients hospitalized in thoracic surgery departments. Surgical site infection surveillance identified areas of care requiring modifications, namely

  15. Patient-perceived surgical indication influences patient expectations of surgery for degenerative spinal disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Thomas J; Franz, Eric; Vollmer, Carolyn F; Chang, Kate W-C; Upadhyaya, Cheerag; Park, Paul; Yang, Lynda J-S

    2017-06-01

    Patients frequently have misconceptions regarding diagnosis, surgical indication, and expected outcome following spinal surgery for degenerative spinal disease. In this study, we sought to understand the relationship between patient-perceived surgical indications and patient expectations. We hypothesized that patients reporting appendicular symptoms as a primary surgical indication would report a higher rate of having expectations met by surgery compared to those patients reporting axial symptoms as a primary indication. Questionnaires were administered to patients who had undergone surgery for degenerative spinal disease at 2 tertiary care institutions. Questions assessed perception of the primary indication for undergoing surgery (radicular versus axial), whether the primary symptom improved after surgery, and whether patient expectations were met with surgery. Outcomes of interest included patient-reported symptomatic improvement following surgery and expectations met by surgery. Various factors were assessed for their relationship to these outcomes of interest. There were 151 unique survey respondents. Respondents were nearly split between having a patient-perceived indication for surgery as appendicular symptoms (55.6%) and axial symptoms (44.4%). Patient-perceived surgical indication being appendicular symptoms was the only factor predictive of patient-reported symptomatic improvement in our logistic regression model (OR 2.614; 95% CI 1.218-5.611). Patient-perceived surgical indication being appendicular symptoms (OR 3.300; 95% CI 1.575-6.944) and patient-reported symptomatic improvement (OR 33.297; 95% CI 12.186-90.979) were predictive of patients reporting their expectations met with surgery in both univariate and multivariate logistic regression modeling. We found that patient-reported appendicular symptoms as the primary indication for surgery were associated with a higher rate of both subjective improvement following surgery and having expectations met

  16. Impact of smoking habit on surgical outcomes in non-B non-C patients with curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Keita; Koga, Hiroki; Aishima, Shinichi; Kawaguchi, Atsushi; Yamaji, Koutaro; Ide, Takao; Ueda, Junji; Noshiro, Hirokazu

    2017-02-28

    To analyzed the correlation between smoking status and surgical outcomes in patients with non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC), and we investigated the patients' clinicopathological characteristics according to smoking status. We retrospectively analyzed the consecutive cases of 83 NBNC-HCC patients who underwent curative surgical treatment for the primary lesion at Saga University Hospital between 1984 and December 2012. We collected information about possibly carcinogenic factors such as alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, obesity and smoking habit from medical records. Smoking habits were subcategorized as never, ex- and current smoker at the time of surgery. The diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was based on both clinical information and pathological confirmation. Alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, obesity and NASH had no significant effect on the surgical outcomes. Current smoking status was strongly correlated with both overall survival ( P = 0.0058) and disease-specific survival ( P = 0.0105) by multivariate analyses. Subset analyses revealed that the current smokers were significantly younger at the time of surgery ( P = 0.0002) and more likely to abuse alcohol ( P = 0.0188) and to have multiple tumors ( P = 0.023). Current smoking habit at the time of surgical treatment is a risk factor for poor long-term survival in NBNC-HCC patients. Current smokers tend to have multiple HCCs at a younger age than other patients.

  17. [ The new 2010 Ghent criteria for the indication to surgical treatment of patients affected by Marfan syndrome. Experience of a single cardiac surgery center].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grego, Susanna; Nardi, Paolo; Gislao, Valentina; Nicolò, Francesca; D'Annolfo, Antonella; Marcucci, Rosaria; Bovio, Emanuele; Versaci, Francesco; Chiariello, Luigi

    2013-01-01

    The diagnosis and surgical treatment of patients with Marfan syndrome remain controversial. It is of utmost importance to identify patients at risk for acute aortic events to establish the correct surgical timing and the appropriate surgical treatment. From May 2008 to December 2012, 500 patients were screened at the Marfan Presidium of the Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome (Italy). Patients were evaluated by a cardiac surgeon, including echocardiographic, orthopedic, ophthalmologic and dental examinations. All patients received genetic counseling, and genetic sampling was performed if appropriate. The diagnosis of Marfan syndrome was confirmed in 146 patients (29.2%). Fifty-four patients (37%) underwent cardiac surgery on the aortic root, 4 patients had surgery on the mitral valve, 13 patients had combined surgery; 11 cases were emergent surgery for acute aortic dissection. Twenty-eight patients (52%) were operated on at our Division: 13 underwent valve-sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure), 1 underwent Yacoub remodeling procedure and 14 underwent Bentall procedure. Following the establishment of the Marfan Center, the David aortic valve-sparing operation was the most frequently performed procedure compared to the previous period of surgical activity (63 vs 22%, psyndromes. Early surgical treatment is recommended in these patients to achieve optimal results of valve-sparing procedures and life-saving management, especially for patients who live far away from a cardiac surgery center.

  18. Role of ASCA and the NOD2/CARD15 mutation Gly908Arg in predicting increased surgical costs in Crohn's disease patients: a project of the European Collaborative Study Group on Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odes, Shmuel; Friger, Michael; Vardi, Hillel; Claessens, Greet; Bossuyt, Xavier; Riis, Lene; Munkholm, Pia; Wolters, Frank; Yona, Hagit; Hoie, Ole; Beltrami, Marina; Tsianos, Epameinondas; Katsanos, Kostas; Mouzas, Ioannis; Clofent, Juan; Monteiro, Estela; Messori, Andrea; Politi, Patrizia; O'Morain, Colm; Limonard, Charles; Russel, Maurice; Vatn, Morten; Moum, Bjorn; Stockbrugger, Reinhold; Vermeire, Severine

    2007-07-01

    NOD2/CARD15, the first identified susceptibility gene in Crohn's disease (CD), is associated with ileal stenosis and increased frequency of surgery. Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody (ASCA), a serological marker for CD, is associated with ileal location and a high likelihood for surgery. We hypothesized that the presence of ASCA and NOD2/CARD15 mutations could predict increased health care cost in CD. CD patients in a prospectively designed community-based multinational European and Israeli cohort (n = 228) followed for mean 8.3 (SD 2.6) years had blood drawn for measurement of ASCA (IgG, IgA), Arg702Trp, Gly908Arg, and Leu1007fsinsC. Days spent in the hospital and the costs of medical and surgical hospitalizations and medications were calculated. The median duration of surgical hospitalizations was longer in Gly908Arg-positive than -negative patients, 3.5 and 1.5 days/patient-year (P < 0.01), and in ASCA-positive than -negative patients, 1.1 and 0 days/patient-year (P < 0.001). Median surgical hospitalization cost was 1,580 euro/patient-year in Gly908Arg-positive versus 0 euro/patient-year in -negative patients (P < 0.01), and 663 euro/patient-year in ASCA-positive versus 0 euro/patient-year in -negative patients (P < 0.001). Differences in cost of medications between groups were not significant. The effect of Gly908Arg was expressed in countries with higher Gly908Arg carriage rates. ASCA raised surgical costs independently of the age at diagnosis of disease. Arg702Trp and Leu1007fsinsC did not affect the cost of health care. Since CD patients positive for Gly908Arg and ASCA demonstrated higher health care costs, it is possible that measurement of Gly908Arg and ASCA at disease diagnosis can forecast the expensive CD patients.

  19. Surgical resection of highly suspicious pulmonary nodules without a tissue diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heo, Eun-Young; Lee, Kyung-Won; Jheon, Sanghoon; Lee, Jae-Ho; Lee, Choon-Taek; Yoon, Ho-II

    2011-01-01

    The safety and efficacy of surgical resection of lung nodule without tissue diagnosis is controversial. We evaluated direct surgical resection of highly suspicious pulmonary nodules and the clinical and radiological predictors of malignancy. Retrospective analyses were performed on 113 patients who underwent surgical resection without prior tissue diagnosis for highly suspicious pulmonary nodules. Clinical and radiological characteristics were compared between histologically proven benign and malignant nodules after resection. Total costs, length of hospitalization and waiting time to surgery were compared with those of patients who had tissue diagnosis prior to surgery. Among 280 patients with pulmonary nodules suspicious for lung cancer, 113 (40.4%) underwent operation without prior tissue diagnosis. Lung nodules were diagnosed as malignant in 96 (85%) of the 113 patients. Except for forced expiratory volume in 1 s, clinical characteristics were not significantly different according to the pathologic results. Forty-five (90%) of 50 patients with ground-glass opacity nodules had a malignancy. Mixed ground-glass opacity, bubble lucency, irregular margin and larger size correlated with malignancy in ground-glass opacity nodules (P<0.05). Fifty-one (81%) of 67 patients with solid nodules had a malignancy. Spiculation, pre-contrast attenuation and contrast enhancement significantly correlated with malignancy in solid nodules (P<0.05). Surgical resection without tissue diagnosis significantly decreased total costs, hospital stay and waiting time (P<0.05). Direct surgical resection of highly suspicious pulmonary nodules can be a valid procedure. However, careful patient selection and further investigations are required to justify direct surgical resection. (author)

  20. Risk management and errors in the surgical clinic of Serres hospital compared with the requirements of standard OHSAS 18001: 1999

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Eleni Megalomystaka

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the measures implemented to manage risks at work in the surgical clinic of a public hospital in Northern Greece, in relation to the requirements of the standard OHSAS 18001: 1999, and to refer to an integrated program to manage those risks. The right to safe and high-quality patient care and management of adverse events is part of the quality system and must be pursued by every health organization. In recent years, in Greece, there are measures taken by the country to align with European Union directives on matters related to safety in the workplace. In this direction, this hospital takes the initiative to reduce accidents and improve working conditions. The ELOT 1801 is a model for the management of health and safety, it is compatible and has technical equivalence with the corresponding BSI-OHSAS 18001: 1999. Since the relevant investigation found that the implementation of policy on health and safety in the surgical clinic under hospital study showed that there is a will by the authorities to adopt and implement procedures that contribute to the proper management and reduction of upcoming events. However, improvement actions are related to staff training can be made in the provision of health services, while considered necessary staffing the department with personnel and equipping adequate consumables.

  1. Quality of life before surgical ICU admission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abelha, Fernando J; Santos, Cristina C; Barros, Henrique

    2007-11-12

    Examining the quality of life (QOL) of patients before ICU admission will allow outcome variables to be compared and analyzed in relation to it. The objective of this study was to analyze QOL of patients before admission to a surgical ICU and to study its relationship to outcome and to the baseline characteristics of the patients. All adult patients consecutively admitted to the surgical ICU between November 2004 and April 2005, who underwent non-cardiac surgery, were enrolled in this observational and prospective study. The following patient characteristics were recorded: age, gender, body mass index, ASA physical status, type and magnitude of surgical procedure, length of stay (LOS), in ICU and in hospital, mortality, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS), history of co-morbidities and quality of life survey score (QOLSS). The relationships between QOLSS and ICU variables and outcome were evaluated. The relationship between the total QOLSS and each variable or outcome was assessed by multiple linear regression. One hundred eighty seven patients completed the study. The preadmission QOLSS of the patients studied was 4.43 +/- 4.90; 28% of patients had a normal quality of life (0 points), 38% had between 1 and 5 points (considered mild deterioration), 21% had between 6 and 10 points (moderate deterioration), 10% had between 11 and 15 points (considered major deterioration) and 3% had more than 15 points (severe limitation of quality of life). A worse preadmission QOLSS was associated with higher SAPS II scores, with older patients (age> 65 years) and with ASA physical status (ASA III/IV). Total QOLSS was significantly worse in elderly patients and in patients with co-morbidities and in patients more severely ill at ICU admission. Patients who died in the ICU and in hospital had worse QOLSS scores compared to those who survived. However, no statistical differences in QOLSS were found in relation to longer ICU stays (ICU LOS). Preadmission QOL correlates with

  2. Integrating Social Media and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery: An Analysis of Patient, Surgeon, and Hospital Use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramkumar, Prem N; La, Ton; Fisch, Evan; Fabricant, Peter D; White, Alexander E; Jones, Kristofer J; Taylor, Samuel A

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of this observational study of social media in sports medicine was to investigate and analyze the presence and shared content of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) patients, sports surgeons, and top orthopaedic hospitals on popular social media streams. A search of 2 public domains (Instagram and Twitter) was performed over a 6-month period. ACL surgery ("#aclsurgery") was selected for the Instagram-based patient analysis after exclusion of veterinary ACL operations. A binary scoring system was used for media format, time (preoperatively or postoperatively), perioperative period (within 1 week of surgery), tone (positive or negative), return-to-work reference, return-to-play reference, rehabilitation reference, surgical-site reference, satisfaction reference, and dissatisfaction reference; perspective of the media was noted as well. A sample of 97 National Football League team surgeons was used for analysis of physician use in social media outlets and quantified by the number of posts. Hospital analysis categorized a sample of the top 50 orthopaedic hospitals by average number of posts and monthly posting rates with regard to orthopaedics, research, education, and personnel focus. In the patient analysis, 3,145 public posts of human subjects were shared on Instagram. Of these, 92% were personal recovery stories, with an emphasis on postoperative photographs (93%) with a positive tone (88%) more than 1 week after surgery (73%). Posts focused on surgical site (25%), return to play (30%), and postoperative rehabilitation (37%). Of the physicians, 16% had Twitter accounts, with an average of 94 posts per surgeon; none had Instagram accounts. Of the hospitals, 96% had Twitter accounts and 32% had Instagram accounts. Most of the hospital-based Instagram content in the sample was centered on patients or celebrities. Orthopaedic surgery has a large social media presence. Patients emphasize wound appearance, the rehabilitation process, and return to play

  3. Treatment cost of patients with maxillofacial fractures at the University Hospital in Mostar 2002-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurić, Mario; Novakovic, Josip; Carapina, Mirela; Kneiević, Ervin

    2010-03-01

    The aim of this study was to establish the costs structure of medical treatment for the patients with maxillofacial fractures, to perform a treatment cost evaluation, describe the factors which considerably influence the costs and discover the ways of achieving financial savings in treated patients. The study group consisted of patients with maxillofacial fractures who were admitted and treated at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of the University Hospital Mostar in the period from January 2002 until December 2006. Data for the study were collected from the patients' databases, case histories and data obtained on the basis of individual payments for the treatment that was collected by Finance Department of the University Hospital of Mostar Most patients in this study were men (83%), of average age 34 +/- 19 years. Zygomatic bone fracture was the commonest injury. Open surgical procedure was performed in 84.7% of treated cases. The costs for the open procedure were considerably higher than conservative treatment. Medication cost made up a total of 37.9% and cost of hospital accommodation 27.3% out of total hospital charge. Cost reduction in treated patients with maxillofacial fractures should be achieved through protocols of urgent treatment of maxillofacial trauma patients immediately after sustaining an injury and with earlier discharge of the patients when postoperative complications are not expected.

  4. 78 FR 54842 - Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-06

    ... millions) (2) change (3) Total $3,625 1% Eye and ocular adnexa 1,496 -3 Digestive system 743 8 Nervous... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 42 CFR Parts 405...: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality...

  5. Beyond consent--improving understanding in surgical patients.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Mulsow, Jürgen J W

    2012-01-01

    Little is known of the actual understanding that underlies patient choices with regard to their surgical treatment. This review explores current knowledge of patient understanding and techniques that may be used to improve this understanding.

  6. Effects of malnutrition on complication rates, length of hospital stay, and revenue in elective surgical patients in the G-DRG-system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Michael N; Kufeldt, Johannes; Kisser, Ulrich; Hornung, Hans-Martin; Hoffmann, Jessica; Andraschko, Monika; Werner, Jens; Rittler, Peter

    2016-02-01

    Malnutrition is known to independently affect patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of patients at risk for malnutrition in an elective surgery patient cohort and to analyze the effects of malnutrition on morbidity, mortality, and hospital length of hospital (LOS). Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the economic effect of a diligent coding of malnutrition, as a side diagnosis, in a simulation of the German Diagnosis-Related Group system. The nutritional status of 1244 patients undergoing elective surgery was standardized on the day of admission by the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002. To quantify the influence of malnutrition on revenue, the real DRGs of all patients were grouped. In simulation, an appropriate International Classification of Diseases code was used as a secondary diagnosis for all malnourished patients based on the NRS rating. A multivariate logistic regression analysis and a Cox regression were performed to identify potential confounders and to determine the adjusted effect of nutritional status on the occurrence of complications and hospital LOS. The prevalence of patients at risk for malnutrition (NRS ≥3) was 24.1% (300 of 1244). These patients showed a significant increase in hospital LOS (13 versus 7 d). Additionally, postoperative complications were significantly higher in this group (7.23% versus 6.91%). Including malnutrition in the Diagnosis-Related Group coding system resulted in a reimbursement of €1979.67 per patient at risk for malnutrition and a total reimbursement of €79,186.73 for all patients at risk for malnutrition in the present study. Establishment of a structured, comprehensive assessment of the nutritional status of hospitalized patients can repetitiously identify patients at risk for malnutrition. Additionally, the diligent codification of malnutrition can lead to cost compensation in the German Diagnosis-Related Group system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. [Clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of idiopathic congenital nystagmus in 224 patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, J; Zhao, K X; Li, Y P; Ma, H Z; Chen, X; Guo, X; Zhu, L N; Li, N D; Zhang, W

    2016-08-01

    To study clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of idiopathic congenital nystagmus (ICN). A retrospective study was conducted in 224 patients with ICN in Tianjin eye hospital from July 2007 to February 2013. There were 224 patients, 158 (70.54%) males and 66 (29.5%) females, mean age was (11.6±8.4) years and (11.4±6.4) years separately. Horizontal nystgamus happened in 215 cases, 3 cases were vertical type and 6 cases were mixed. 214 cases were with no history of operation and 10 patients had ever underwent surgeries before. Furthermore, 151 patients combined with strabismus and refractive error, anterior segment or retinal disorders, which accounting for 67.4% of all the patients. 48 patients were associated myopia, 30 patients with hyperopia, 43 patients with strabismus. Among them, 153 cases of compensatory head position direction were horizontal with face turn, 43 cases (43/153, 28.1%) showed face turning to the left, 110 cases (110/153, 71.9%) showed face turning to the right. Surgeries were designed according to the compensatory head position and head retroversion angle. For 15 patients with double intermediate zones, the position which was often used with good visual function was chosen for operation design. As for the patients with nystagmus and strabismus, the transfer null zone to primary position for the dominant eye and strabismus surgery for the other eye was chosen. And for complicated patients with compensative head position, the dominant head posture were designed for surgery. ICN is dominated by male with variable clinical manifestations. Surgical choice for ICN depends on the direction of head position and if there is strabismus accompanying it.The aim of ocular muscle surgery is to transfer null zone to primary position. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52: 574-578).

  8. Mentor Tutoring: An Efficient Method for Teaching Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgical Skills in a General Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichikawa, Nobuki; Homma, Shigenori; Yoshida, Tadashi; Ohno, Yosuke; Kawamura, Hideki; Wakizaka, Kazuki; Nakanishi, Kazuaki; Kazui, Keizo; Iijima, Hiroaki; Shomura, Hiroki; Funakoshi, Tohru; Nakano, Shiro; Taketomi, Akinobu

    2017-12-01

    We retrospectively assessed the efficacy of our mentor tutoring system for teaching laparoscopic colorectal surgical skills in a general hospital. A series of 55 laparoscopic colectomies performed by 1 trainee were evaluated. Next, the learning curves for high anterior resection performed by the trainee (n=20) were compared with those of a self-trained surgeon (n=19). Cumulative sum analysis and multivariate regression analyses showed that 38 completed cases were needed to reduce the operative time. In high anterior resection, the mean operative times were significantly shorter after the seventh average for the tutored surgeon compared with that for the self-trained surgeon. In cumulative sum charting, the curve reached a plateau by the seventh case for the tutored surgeon, but continued to increase for the self-trained surgeon. Mentor tutoring effectively teaches laparoscopic colorectal surgical skills in a general hospital setting.

  9. Hospitals with greater diversities of physiologically complex procedures do not achieve greater surgical growth in a market with stable numbers of such procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dexter, Franklin; Epstein, Richard H; Lubarsky, David A

    2018-05-01

    Although having a large diversity of types of procedures has a substantial operational impact on the surgical suites of hospitals, the strategic importance is unknown. In the current study, we used longitudinal data for all hospitals and patient ages in the State of Florida to evaluate whether hospitals with greater diversity of types of physiologically complex major therapeutic procedures (PCMTP) also had greater rates of surgical growth. Observational cohort study. 1479 combinations of hospitals in the State of Florida and fiscal years, 2008-2015. The types of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) procedures studied were PCMT, defined as: a) major therapeutic procedure; b) >7 American Society of Anesthesiologists base units; and c) performed during a hospitalization with a Diagnosis Related Group with a mean length of stay ≥4.0days. The number of procedures of each type of PCMTP commonly performed at each hospital was calculated by taking 1/Herfindahl index (i.e., sum of the squares of the proportions of all procedures of each type of PCMTP). Over the 8 successive years studied, there was no change in the number of PCMTP being performed (Kendall's τ b =-0.014±0.017 [standard error], P=0.44; N=1479 hospital×years). Busier and larger hospitals commonly performed more types of PCMTP, respectively categorized based on performed PCMTP (τ=0.606±0.017, P<0.0001) or hospital beds (τ=0.524±0.017, P<0.0001). There was no association between greater diversity of types of PCMTP commonly performed and greater annual growth in numbers of PCMTP (τ=0.002±0.019, P=0.91; N=1295 hospital×years). Conclusions were the same with multiple sensitivity analyses. Post hoc, it was recognized that hospitals performing a greater diversity of PCMTP were more similar to the aggregate of other hospitals within the same health district (τ=0.550±0.017, P<0.0001). During a period with no overall growth in PCMTP, hospitals with

  10. Patient-controlled hospital admission for patients with severe mental disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Christoffer Torgaard; Benros, Michael Eriksen; Hastrup, Lene Halling

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Patient-controlled hospital admission for individuals with severe mental disorders is a novel approach in mental healthcare. Patients can admit themselves to a hospital unit for a short stay without being assessed by a psychiatrist or contacting the emergency department. Previous...... studies assessing the outcomes of patient-controlled hospital admission found trends towards reduction in the use of coercive measures and length of hospital stay; however, these studies have methodological shortcomings and small sample sizes. Larger studies are needed to estimate the effect of patient-controlled...... hospital admission on the use of coercion and of healthcare services. DESIGN AND METHODS: We aim to recruit at least 315 patients who are offered a contract for patient-controlled hospital admissions in eight different hospitals in Denmark. Patients will be followed-up for at least 1 year to compare...

  11. Standardised metrics for global surgical surveillance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiser, Thomas G; Makary, Martin A; Haynes, Alex B; Dziekan, Gerald; Berry, William R; Gawande, Atul A

    2009-09-26

    Public health surveillance relies on standardised metrics to evaluate disease burden and health system performance. Such metrics have not been developed for surgical services despite increasing volume, substantial cost, and high rates of death and disability associated with surgery. The Safe Surgery Saves Lives initiative of WHO's Patient Safety Programme has developed standardised public health metrics for surgical care that are applicable worldwide. We assembled an international panel of experts to develop and define metrics for measuring the magnitude and effect of surgical care in a population, while taking into account economic feasibility and practicability. This panel recommended six measures for assessing surgical services at a national level: number of operating rooms, number of operations, number of accredited surgeons, number of accredited anaesthesia professionals, day-of-surgery death ratio, and postoperative in-hospital death ratio. We assessed the feasibility of gathering such statistics at eight diverse hospitals in eight countries and incorporated them into the WHO Guidelines for Safe Surgery, in which methods for data collection, analysis, and reporting are outlined.

  12. Detecting adverse events in surgery: comparing events detected by the Veterans Health Administration Surgical Quality Improvement Program and the Patient Safety Indicators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mull, Hillary J; Borzecki, Ann M; Loveland, Susan; Hickson, Kathleen; Chen, Qi; MacDonald, Sally; Shin, Marlena H; Cevasco, Marisa; Itani, Kamal M F; Rosen, Amy K

    2014-04-01

    The Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) use administrative data to screen for select adverse events (AEs). In this study, VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) chart review data were used as the gold standard to measure the criterion validity of 5 surgical PSIs. Independent chart review was also used to determine reasons for PSI errors. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of PSI software version 4.1a were calculated among Veterans Health Administration hospitalizations (2003-2007) reviewed by VASQIP (n = 268,771). Nurses re-reviewed a sample of hospitalizations for which PSI and VASQIP AE detection disagreed. Sensitivities ranged from 31% to 68%, specificities from 99.1% to 99.8%, and positive predictive values from 31% to 72%. Reviewers found that coding errors accounted for some PSI-VASQIP disagreement; some disagreement was also the result of differences in AE definitions. These results suggest that the PSIs have moderate criterion validity; however, some surgical PSIs detect different AEs than VASQIP. Future research should explore using both methods to evaluate surgical quality. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Incidence, causes and pattern of cancellation of Elective surgical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study was carried out to assess the incidence, causes and pattern of cancellation of elective surgical operations in our setting and to find the appropriate solutions for better patient management. Methods: This was a prospective hospital-based study which was conducted in a teaching hospital at Bugando medical ...

  14. Kinetic therapy reduces complications and shortens hospital stay in patients with cardiogenic shock - a retrospective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonis, Gregor; Flemming, Kerstin; Ziegs, Enrico; Haacke, Katrin; Rauwolf, Thomas; Strasser, Ruth H

    2007-03-01

    Kinetic therapy (KT) has been shown to reduce complications and to shorten hospital stay in trauma patients. Data in non-surgical patients are inconclusive, and kinetic therapy has not been tested in patients with cardiogenic shock. The present analysis compares KT with standard care in patients with cardiogenic shock. A retrospective analysis of 133 patients with cardiogenic shock admitted to 1 academic heart center was performed. Patients with standard care (SC, turning every 2 h by the staff) were compared with kinetic therapy (KT, using oscillating air-flotation beds). 68 patients with KT were compared with 65 patients with SC. Length of ventilator therapy was 11 days in KT and 18 days in SC (p=0.048). The mortality was comparable in both groups. Pneumonia occurred in 14 patients in KT and 39 patients in SC (ppatients treated with kinetic therapy. The use of KT shortens hospital stay and reduces rates of pneumonia and pressure ulcers as compared to SC.

  15. Pre-operative antibiotic use reduces surgical site infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toor, Asad Ali; Farooka, Muhammad Waris; Ayyaz, Mahmood; Sarwar, Hassan; Malik, Awais Amjad; Shabbir, Faisal

    2015-07-01

    To assess the efficacy of World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist as a simple, reliable and effective tool to ensure appropriate administration of intravenous antibiotics. The prospective interventional study was conducted in three phases at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from May 2011 to January 2012. The first phase comprised baseline data collection, followed by implementation of World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist, and finally post-implementation data collection. The duration of each phase was 3 months. Primary end points were discharge from hospital, 30 days or death of the patient. Of the 613 patients in the study, 303(49.4%) were in the pre-implementation phase and 310(50.5%) in post-implementation phase. Adherence of optimal administration of antibiotic increased from 114(37.6%) to 282(91%) (poperative infection fell from 99(32.7%) to 47(15.2%) (psite infection by more than half. Hospital stay was shortened by 1.3 days on average which results in considerable reduction in morbidity, mortality and costs.

  16. Variation in markup of general surgical procedures by hospital market concentration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerullo, Marcelo; Chen, Sophia Y; Dillhoff, Mary; Schmidt, Carl R; Canner, Joseph K; Pawlik, Timothy M

    2018-04-01

    Increasing hospital market concentration (with concomitantly decreasing hospital market competition) may be associated with rising hospital prices. Hospital markup - the relative increase in price over costs - has been associated with greater hospital market concentration. Patients undergoing a cardiothoracic or gastrointestinal procedure in the 2008-2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) were identified and linked to Hospital Market Structure Files. The association between market concentration, hospital markup and hospital for-profit status was assessed using mixed-effects log-linear models. A weighted total of 1,181,936 patients were identified. In highly concentrated markets, private for-profit status was associated with an 80.8% higher markup compared to public/private not-for-profit status (95%CI: +69.5% - +96.9%; p markup compared to public/private not-for-profit status in unconcentrated markets (95%CI: +45.4% - +81.1%; p markup. Government and private not-for-profit hospitals employed lower markups in more concentrated markets, whereas private for-profit hospitals employed higher markups in more concentrated markets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Hospital variability in postoperative mortality after rectal cancer surgery in the Spanish Association of Surgeons project: The impact of hospital volume.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz, Héctor; Biondo, Sebastiano; Codina, Antonio; Ciga, Miguel Á; Enríquez-Navascués, José M; Espín, Eloy; García-Granero, Eduardo; Roig, José Vicente

    2016-01-01

    This multicentre observational study examines variation between hospitals in postoperative mortality after elective surgery in the Rectal Cancer Project of the Spanish Society of Surgeons and explores whether hospital volume and patient characteristics contribute to any variation between hospitals. Hospital variation was quantified using a multilevel approach on prospective data derived from the multicentre database of all rectal adenocarcinomas operated by an anterior resection or an abdominoperineal excision at 84 surgical departments from 2006 to 2013. The following variables were included in the analysis; demographics, American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification, tumour location and stage, administration of neoadjuvant treatment, and annual volume of surgical procedures. A total of 9809 consecutive patients were included. The rate of 30-day postoperative mortality was 1.8% Stratified by annual surgical volume hospitals varied from 1.4 to 2.0 in 30-day mortality. In the multilevel regression analysis, male gender (OR 1.623 [1.143; 2.348]; P<.008), increased age (OR: 5.811 [3.479; 10.087]; P<.001), and ASA score (OR 10.046 [3.390; 43.185]; P<.001) were associated with 30-day mortality. However, annual surgical volume was not associated with mortality (OR 1.309 [0.483; 4.238]; P=.619). Besides, there was a statistically significant variation in mortality between all departments (MOR 1.588 [1.293; 2.015]; P<.001). Postoperative mortality varies significantly among hospitals included in the project and this difference cannot be attributed to the annual surgical volume. Copyright © 2015 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. Surgical treatment of diplopia in Graves' Orbitopathy patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jellema, H.M.

    2016-01-01

    This thesis addresses several aspects of the surgical treatment of diplopia in patients with Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO). We evaluated retrospectively the surgical outcome of different types of surgery on eye muscles to correct the diplopia. Each operated muscle seems to have its own dose-effect

  19. [Surgical complications of colostomies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Ameur, Hazem; Affes, Nejmeddine; Rejab, Haitham; Abid, Bassem; Boujelbene, Salah; Mzali, Rafik; Beyrouti, Mohamed Issam

    2014-07-01

    The colostomy may be terminal or lateral, temporary or permanent. It may have psychological, medical or surgical complications. reporting the incidence of surgical complications of colostomies, their therapeutic management and trying to identify risk factors for their occurrence. A retrospective study for a period of 5 years in general surgery department, Habib Bourguiba hospital, Sfax, including all patients operated with confection of a colostomy. Were then studied patients reoperated for stoma complication. Among the 268 patients who have had a colostomy, 19 patients (7%) developed surgical stoma complications. They had a mean age of 59 years, a sex ratio of 5.3 and a 1-ASA score in 42% of cases. It was a prolapse in 9 cases (reconfection of the colostomy: 6 cases, restoration of digestive continuity: 3 cases), a necrosis in 5 cases (reconfection of the colostomy), a plicature in 2 cases (reconfection of the colostomy) a peristomal abscess in 2 cases (reconfection of the colostomy: 1 case, restoration of digestive continuity: 1 case) and a strangulated parastomal hernia in 1 case (herniorrhaphy). The elective incision and the perineal disease were risk factors for the occurrence of prolapse stomial. Surgical complications of colostomies remain a rare event. Prolapse is the most common complication, and it is mainly related to elective approach. Reoperation is often required especially in cases of early complications, with usually uneventful postoperative course.

  20. Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for patients aged over 80 years with pituitary adenomas: Surgical and follow-up results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujimoto, Kenji; Yano, Shigetoshi; Shinojima, Naoki; Hide, Takuichiro; Kuratsu, Jun-Ichi

    2017-01-01

    With the rapid aging of the general population, the number of pituitary adenoma (PA) diagnosed in elderly patients is increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) for PA in patients aged ≥80 years. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients aged ≥80 years who underwent ETSS for PA at our hospital from January 2001 through December 2014. Treatment results were assessed by the extent of surgical removal, symptom improvement, postoperative complications, and Karnofsky performance status (KPS). The results were also compared with the surgical result of PA patients aged <80 years. Twelve patients aged ≥80 years underwent ETSS for PA. Recovery of visual function was observed in 11 patients (91.7%). Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage was observed in 3 patients. New hormonal replacement therapy was required in 2 patients. These complications had not affected patient prognosis. During the follow-up periods, deterioration of KPS was observed in 2 patients due to pneumonia or cerebral infarction. In total, 150 PA patients aged <80 years were compared with the patients aged ≥80 years. The percentage of total removal was significantly higher in the younger patient group than that in the older one (54.0% vs 16.6%, respectively; P = 0.016). Visual improvement was observed in 93.2% of the younger patient group, which was almost equal to that in the older one. ETSS is a safe and effective surgical technique in PA patients aged ≥80 years.

  1. Surgical effects in patients with Duane retraction syndrome

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    Shui-Lian Zhou

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To investigate the clinical characteristics and surgical effects in patients with Duane retraction syndrome(DRS.METHODS: Totally 13 patients with DRS during June 2011 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The data including clinical types and manifestations, surgical methods and outcomes were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 11 male cases and 2 female cases who all had no ocular and systemic anomalies. The left eye was involved in 9 cases, the right eye was involved in 3 cases and 1 case involved in both eyes. Six cases were type Ⅰ,1 case was typeⅡand 6 cases were type Ⅲ. Eleven cases had abnormal head posture(AHP, 9 cases had the up- or down-shoot phenomenon. The surgical treatment was designed according to subtypes and clinical features which included medial rectus recession, lateral rectus recession, recession of both horizontal rectus muscles and lateral rectus recession combined with Y splitting. After surgery, horizontal deviation was less than ±10△ in all patients, and AHP disappeared in 4 cases and improved in 7 cases. The up- or down-shoot and global retraction disappeared in 5 cases and improved in 4 cases. Simultaneously, the restriction of ocular motility was improved in all patients. CONCLUSION: The clinical features of DRS are variant in different types. Detailed examination before surgery and reasonable surgical design are important in treatment of patients with DRS.

  2. Perioperative ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Nutritional Support in Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgical Patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Ying-Jie; Liu, Lian; Xiao, Jing

    2016-01-01

    journals. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of n-3 PUFA intake relative to conventional nutrition in surgical patients were included. The main outcomes were the duration of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), length of hospital stay (LOS), serum C-reactive protein (CRP.......22), and serum CRP levels (MD, -3.97 mg/l; 95% CI, -7.88 to -0.07) compared with consumption of conventional nutrition, as well as reduced incidence of postoperative infectious complications (risk ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49-0.87). This systematic evaluation suggests that n-3 PUFA significantly reduces...

  3. The Prevalence of HIV in Cancer Patients at the Surgical Oncology Unit of Donka University Hospital of Conakry (Guinea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traore, Bangaly; Bah, Thierno Souleymane; Traore, Fode Amara; Sow, Mamadou Saliou; Diane, Solomana; Keita, Mamady; Cisse, Mohamed; Koulibaly, Moussa; Camara, Naby Daouda

    2015-01-01

    Aim. To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among patients seen at the surgical oncology unit of Donka (Conakry, Guinea). Method. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of HIV infection in cancer patients from May 2007 to December 2012. Social characteristics (age, gender, marital status, and education) and immune status (HIV type, CD4 count) were reviewed. Results. Out of 2598 cancer patients, 54 (2.1%) tested positive for HIV. There were 11 (20.4%) defining AIDS and 43 (79.6%) nondefining AIDS cancers. The most frequent cancers were breast (14) (26.0%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (6) (11.1%), liver (6) (11.1%), eye and annexes (6) (11.1%), and cervical cancer (5) (9.3%). These patients were female in 34 (63.0%) and had a median age of 39 years and body mass index was 20,3 Kg/m(2). They were unschooled in 40 (74.1%) and married in 35 (64.8%). CD4 count showed a median of 317 cells/mL. Antiretroviral treatment was performed in 40 (74.1%). Conclusion. HIV prevalence is higher in patients in our unit of surgical oncology. Breast cancer was the most common in this association. A national survey of a large sample is needed to determine the true prevalence and impact of HIV on cancer prognosis.

  4. The Prevalence of HIV in Cancer Patients at the Surgical Oncology Unit of Donka University Hospital of Conakry (Guinea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bangaly Traore

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among patients seen at the surgical oncology unit of Donka (Conakry, Guinea. Method. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of HIV infection in cancer patients from May 2007 to December 2012. Social characteristics (age, gender, marital status, and education and immune status (HIV type, CD4 count were reviewed. Results. Out of 2598 cancer patients, 54 (2.1% tested positive for HIV. There were 11 (20.4% defining AIDS and 43 (79.6% nondefining AIDS cancers. The most frequent cancers were breast (14 (26.0%, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (6 (11.1%, liver (6 (11.1%, eye and annexes (6 (11.1%, and cervical cancer (5 (9.3%. These patients were female in 34 (63.0% and had a median age of 39 years and body mass index was 20,3 Kg/m2. They were unschooled in 40 (74.1% and married in 35 (64.8%. CD4 count showed a median of 317 cells/mL. Antiretroviral treatment was performed in 40 (74.1%. Conclusion. HIV prevalence is higher in patients in our unit of surgical oncology. Breast cancer was the most common in this association. A national survey of a large sample is needed to determine the true prevalence and impact of HIV on cancer prognosis.

  5. The Prevalence of HIV in Cancer Patients at the Surgical Oncology Unit of Donka University Hospital of Conakry (Guinea)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Traore, B.; Diane, S.; Keita, M. S.; Bah, T. S.; Sow, M. S.; Cisse, M.; Koulibaly, M.; Camara, N. D.

    2015-01-01

    To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among patients seen at the surgical oncology unit of Donka (Conakry, Guinea). Method. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of HIV infection in cancer patients from May 2007 to December 2012. Social characteristics (age, gender, marital status, and education) and immune status (HIV type, CD4 count) were reviewed. Results. Out of 2598 cancer patients, 54 (2.1%) tested positive for HIV. There were 11 (20.4%) defining AIDS and 43 (79.6%) non defining AIDS cancers. The most frequent cancers were breast (14) (26.0%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (6) (11.1%), liver (6) (11.1%), eye and annexes (6) (11.1%), and cervical cancer (5) (9.3%). These patients were female in 34 (63.0%) and had a median age of 39 years and body mass index was 20,3 Kg/m 2 . They were unschooled in 40 (74.1%) and married in 35 (64.8%). CD4 count showed a median of 317 cells/mL. Antiretroviral treatment was performed in 40 (74.1%). Conclusion. HIV prevalence is higher in patients in our unit of surgical oncology. Breast cancer was the most common in this association. A national survey of a large sample is needed to determine the true prevalence and impact of HIV on cancer prognosis

  6. Family environment, hobbies and habits as psychosocial predictors of survival for surgically treated patients with breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tominaga, K; Andow, J; Koyama, Y; Numao, S; Kurokawa, E; Ojima, M; Nagai, M

    1998-01-01

    Many psychosocial factors have been reported to influence the duration of survival of breast cancer patients. We have studied how family members, hobbies and habits of the patients may alter their psychosocial status. Female patients with surgically treated breast cancer diagnosed between 1986 and 1995 at the Tochigi Cancer Center Hospital, who provided information on the above-mentioned factors, were used. Their subsequent physical status was followed up in the outpatients clinic. The Cox regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between the results of the factors examined and the duration of the patients' survival, adjusting for the patients' age, stage of disease at diagnosis and curability, as judged by the physician in charge after the treatment. The following factors were revealed to be significant with regard to the survival of surgically treated breast cancer patients: being a widow (hazard ratio 3.29; 95% confidence interval 1.32-8.20), having a hobby (hazard ratio 0.43; 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.82), number of hobbies (hazard ratio 0.64; 95% confidence interval 0.41-1.00), number of female children (hazard ratio 0.64; 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.98), smoker (hazard ratio 2.08; 95% confidence interval 1.02-4.26) and alcohol consumption (hazard ratio 0.10; 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.72). These results suggest that psychosocial factors, including the family environment, where patients receive emotional support from their spouse and children, hobbies and the patients' habits, may influence the duration of survival in surgically treated breast cancer patients.

  7. Patient choice modelling: how do patients choose their hospitals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Honora; Currie, Christine; Chaiwuttisak, Pornpimol; Kyprianou, Andreas

    2018-06-01

    As an aid to predicting future hospital admissions, we compare use of the Multinomial Logit and the Utility Maximising Nested Logit models to describe how patients choose their hospitals. The models are fitted to real data from Derbyshire, United Kingdom, which lists the postcodes of more than 200,000 admissions to six different local hospitals. Both elective and emergency admissions are analysed for this mixed urban/rural area. For characteristics that may affect a patient's choice of hospital, we consider the distance of the patient from the hospital, the number of beds at the hospital and the number of car parking spaces available at the hospital, as well as several statistics publicly available on National Health Service (NHS) websites: an average waiting time, the patient survey score for ward cleanliness, the patient safety score and the inpatient survey score for overall care. The Multinomial Logit model is successfully fitted to the data. Results obtained with the Utility Maximising Nested Logit model show that nesting according to city or town may be invalid for these data; in other words, the choice of hospital does not appear to be preceded by choice of city. In all of the analysis carried out, distance appears to be one of the main influences on a patient's choice of hospital rather than statistics available on the Internet.

  8. Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement in Intermediate-Risk Patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reardon, Michael J; Van Mieghem, Nicolas M; Popma, Jeffrey J

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) is an accepted alternative to surgery in patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at high surgical risk, less is known about comparative outcomes among patients with aortic stenosis who are at intermediate surgical risk. METHO...

  9. [Mortality and length of stay in a surgical intensive care unit.].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abelha, Fernando José; Castro, Maria Ana; Landeiro, Nuno Miguel; Neves, Aida Maria; Santos, Cristina Costa

    2006-02-01

    Outcome in intensive care can be categorized as mortality related or morbidity related. Mortality is an insufficient measure of ICU outcome when measured alone and length of stay may be seen as an indirect measure of morbidity related outcome. The aim of the present study was to estimate the incidence and predictive factors for intrahospitalar outcome measured by mortality and LOS in patients admitted to a surgical ICU. In this prospective study all 185 patients, who underwent scheduled or emergency surgery admitted to a surgical ICU in a large tertiary university medical center performed during April and July 2004, were eligible to the study. The following variables were recorded: age, sex, body weight and height, core temperature (Tc), ASA physical status, emergency or scheduled surgery, magnitude of surgical procedure, anesthesia technique, amount of fluids during anesthesia, use of temperature monitoring and warming techniques, duration of the anesthesia, length of stay in ICU and in the hospital and SAPS II score. The mean length of stay in the ICU was 4.09 +/- 10.23 days. Significant risk factors for staying longer in ICU were SAPS II, ASA physical status, amount of colloids, fresh frozen plasma units and packed erythrocytes units used during surgery. Fourteen (7.60%) patients died in ICU and 29 (15.70%) died during their hospitalization. Statistically significant independent risk factors for mortality were emergency surgery, major surgery, high SAPS II scores, longer stay in ICU and in the hospital. Statistically significant protective factors against the probability of dying in the hospital were low body weight and low BMI. In conclusion, prolonged ICU stay is more frequent in more severely ill patients at admission and it is associated with higher hospital mortality. Hospital mortality is also more frequent in patients submitted to emergent and major surgery.

  10. Effectiveness of direct-current cardioversion for treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, in particular atrial fibrillation, in surgical intensive care patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayr, Andreas; Ritsch, Nicole; Knotzer, Hans; Dünser, Martin; Schobersberger, Wolfgang; Ulmer, Hanno; Mutz, Norbert; Hasibeder, Walter

    2003-02-01

    To evaluate primary success rate and effectiveness of direct-current cardioversion in postoperative critically ill patients with new-onset supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. Prospective intervention study. Twelve-bed surgical intensive care unit in a university teaching hospital. Thirty-seven consecutive, adult surgical intensive care unit patients with new-onset supraventricular tachyarrhythmias without previous history of tachyarrhythmias. Direct-current cardioversion using a monophasic, damped sinus-wave defibrillator. Energy levels used were 50, 100, 200, and 300 J for regular supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (n = 6) and 100, 200, and 360 J for irregular supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (n = 31). None of the patients was hypoxic, hypokalemic, or hypomagnesemic at onset of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. Direct-current cardioversion restored sinus rhythm in 13 of 37 patients (35% primary responders). Most patients responded to the first or second direct-current cardioversion shock. Only one of 25 patients requiring more than two direct-current cardioversion shocks converted into sinus rhythm. Primary responders were significantly younger and demonstrated significant differences in arterial Po2 values at onset of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias compared with nonresponders. At 24 and 48 hrs, only six (16%) and five (13.5%) patients remained in sinus rhythm, respectively. In contrast to recent literature, direct-current cardioversion proved to be an ineffective method for treatment of new-onset supraventricular tachyarrhythmias and, in particular, atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response in surgical intensive care unit patients.

  11. Impact of surgical complications on length of stay after hip fracture surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foss, Nicolai Bang; Palm, Henrik; Krasheninnikoff, Michael

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation after hip fracture may be lengthy, with bed-day consumption accounting for up to 85% of the total cost of admission to hospital. Data suggest that surgical complications requiring reoperation may lead to an excessively long in-patient stays. However, the overall impact...... of surgical complications has not been examined in detail. METHODS: All 600 consecutive patients included were admitted with primary hip fracture and received primary surgical intervention with multimodal rehabilitation. Surgical complications were audited and classified as being due to a patient fall......, infection or suboptimal surgery, stratified into either requiring reoperation or not allowing mobilisation because of instability. RESULTS: Of the 600, 116 (19.3, 95% CI 16-22%) patients underwent reoperation or immobilisation; 27.1% of bed-day consumption resulted from surgical complications. The audit...

  12. Surgical care for the aged: a retrospective cross-sectional study of a national surgical mortality audit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Jennifer; North, John B; Ware, Robert S

    2015-01-01

    Objectives It is assumed that increased age signifies increased surgical care. Few surgical studies describe the differences in care provided to older patients compared with younger patients. We aimed to examine the relationships between increasing age, preoperative factors and markers of postoperative care in adults who died in-hospital after surgery in Australia. Design This retrospective cross-sectional study extracted data from a national surgical mortality audit—an independent, peer-reviewed process. Setting From January 2009 to December 2012, 111 public and 61 private Australian hospitals notified the audit of in-hospital deaths after general anaesthetic surgery or if the patient was admitted under a surgeon. Participants Notified deaths totalled 19 723. We excluded deaths if patients were brain dead, younger than 17 years or never had an operation (n=11 376). From this baseline population, we divided 11 201 deaths into three patient age groups: youngest (17–64 years), medium (65–79 years) and oldest (≥80 years). Outcome measures Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses determined the relationships between increasing age and the measured preoperative factors and postoperative variables. Results The baseline population's median age was 78 years (IQR 66–85), 43.7% (4892/11 201) were 80 years or older and 83.4% (9319/11 173) had emergency admissions. The oldest group had increased trauma and emergency admissions than the medium and youngest age groups. Seven of the eight measured markers of postoperative care demonstrate strong and significant relationships with increasing age. The oldest group compared with the medium group had decreased rates of: unplanned returns to theatre (11.2% (526/4709) vs 20.2% (726/3586)), unplanned intensive care admissions (16.3% (545/3350) vs 24.0% (601/2504)) and treatment in intensive care units (59.7% (2689/4507) vs 76.7% (2754/3590)). Conclusions The oldest patients received

  13. Is sternal rewiring mandatory in surgical treatment of deep sternal wound infections?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashed, Aref; Gombocz, Karoly; Alotti, Nasri; Verzar, Zsofia

    2018-04-01

    Deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs) are a rare but serious complication after median sternotomy, and treatment success depends mainly on surgical experience. We compared treatment outcomes after conventional sternal rewiring and reconstruction with no sternal rewiring in patients with a sternal wound infection. We retrospectively enrolled patients who developed a DSWI after an open-heart procedure with median sternotomy at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, at the St. Rafael Hospital, Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, between 2012 and 2016. All patients received negative pressure wound and antibiotic therapy before surgical reconstruction. Patients were divided into groups determined by the reconstruction technique and compared. Subjects were followed up for 12 months, and the primary end-points were readmission and 90-day mortality. Among 3,177 median sternotomy cases, 60 patients developed a DSWI, 4 of whom died of sepsis before surgical treatment. Fifty-six patients underwent surgical reconstruction with conventional sternal rewiring (23 cases, 41%) or another interventions with no sternal refixation (33 cases, 59%). Eighty-one percent of sternal wound infections followed coronary bypass surgery (alone or combinated with another procedures), and 60% were diagnosed after hospital discharge. Staphylococcus aureus was cultured in 30% of all wounds and, 56.5% of cases reconstructed by sternal rewiring vs. 26.5% with no sternal rewiring, (P=0.022). Hospital readmission occurred in 63.6% of the sternal rewiring group vs. 14.7% of the no sternal rewiring group. The rate of death before wound healing or the 90 th postoperative day was 21.7% in the sternal rewiring group vs. 0% in the no sternal rewiring group. The median hospital stay was longer in the sternal rewiring group than in the other group (51 vs. 30 days, P=0.006). Sternal rewiring may be associated with a higher rate of treatment failure than other forms of treatment for sternal wound infections.

  14. A retrospective study comparing the accuracy of prehistology diagnosis and surgical excision of malignant melanomas by general practitioners and hospital specialists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhai, M; Hopster, D; Wakeel, R

    2010-01-01

    A retrospective study was carried out to compare the overall standard of surgical excision of malignant melanomas (MMs) between general practitioners (GPs) and hospital specialists before and after the introduction of the UK melanoma guidelines between 1989 and 2006. In total, 213 melanoma excision reports were examined and surgical excision margins recorded. The results showed a significant difference in the rate of adequate surgical excision margins (at all levels of Breslow thickness) between GPs and hospital specialists, with hospital specialists excising melanomas with safe surgical excision margins at a significantly higher rate compared with GPs. Since the introduction of the guidelines in 2002, GPs showed a significant improvement in the completeness of melanoma excision but remained poor at prehistology diagnosis and in particular at taking adequate excision margins. Implementation of the guidelines has not produced significant improvements in adequacy of excision margins in both primary and secondary care. The results show that hospital specialists maintained a high standard of prehistological diagnosis and completeness of excision throughout the time of the study, performing at a significantly higher standard compared with GPs. Our conclusions concur with the UK melanoma guidelines and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines, which suggest that lesions suspicious for melanoma should be urgently referred to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for surgical excision and should not be surgically excised in primary care, particularly if lesions have a Breslow thickness > 2 mm. We suggest that the new guidelines need to be more aggressively implemented in primary care and guidance introduced to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, with better training provided for GPs.

  15. Surgical outcome in patients with epilepsy and dual pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, L M; Cendes, F; Andermann, F; Watson, C; Fish, D R; Cook, M J; Dubeau, F; Duncan, J S; Shorvon, S D; Berkovic, S F; Free, S; Olivier, A; Harkness, W; Arnold, D L

    1999-05-01

    High-resolution MRI can detect dual pathology (an extrahippocampal lesion plus hippocampal atrophy) in about 5-20% of patients with refractory partial epilepsy referred for surgical evaluation. We report the results of 41 surgical interventions in 38 adults (mean age 31 years, range 14-63 years) with dual pathology. Three patients had two operations. The mean postoperative follow-up was 37 months (range 12-180 months). The extrahippocampal lesions were cortical dysgenesis in 15, tumour in 10, contusion/infarct in eight and vascular malformation in five patients. The surgical approach aimed to remove what was considered to be the most epileptogenic lesion, and the 41 operations were classified into lesionectomy (removal of an extrahippocampal lesion); mesial temporal resection (removal of an atrophic hippocampus); and lesionectomy plus mesial temporal resection (removal of both the lesion and the atrophic hippocampus). Lesionectomy plus mesial temporal resection resulted in complete freedom from seizures in 11/15 (73%) patients, while only 2/10 (20%) patients who had mesial temporal resection alone and 2/16 (12.5%) who had a lesionectomy alone were seizure-free (P dual pathology removal of both the lesion and the atrophic hippocampus is the best surgical approach and should be considered whenever possible.

  16. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH COLON CANCER IN DEPARTMENT FOR ABDOMINAL AND GENERAL SURGERY AT MARIBOR GENERAL HOSPITAL IN YEARS 1998–2001

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borut Gajzer

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Background. The aim of this paper is to present and assess a surgical treatment of patients with colon cancer.Methods. All patients with colon cancer, who were operated in years 1998–2001, were included in the analysis. We have collected data including patients age, localization and stage of cancer, types of preformed procedures, postoperative mortality, disease recurrence and survival of the patients.Results. We have operated on 308 patients with histological evidence of colon cancer in abovementioned period. The average patients age was 66.5 years (SD = 11.1; 95% CI: 44.3– 88.7. Primary tumor was most commonly (36% located in sigmoid colon. UICC stages were as follows: stage I 34 patients, 11%; stage II 141, 46%; stage III 64, 21%; stage IV 69, 22%. We have performed 287 resections of colon (93% resectabillity, of these 214 (75% were potentially curative R0 resections. Share of urgent procedures was 21%. In the postoperative period 22 patients (7% have died. Postoperative mortality was significantly higher by urgent (19% compared to scheduled procedures (4% ( χ 2 = 16; df = 1; p = 0,005. In the observed time 22% of patients developed recurrent cancer. Mean survival rate of our patients was 1274 days or 3.5 years (SD = 191; 95% CI: 900–1648. Calculated overall five years survival rate was 45%.Conclusions. Planned and registered surgical treatment of patients with colon cancer, surgical specialization in colon surgery and adjuvant oncological treatment have shown the same incentive results, reflected in increased survival rate.

  17. Predictors of hospitalized patients' intentions to prevent healthcare harm: a cross sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, R; Anderson, O; Vincent, C; Miles, K; Sevdalis, N

    2012-04-01

    Patients can play an important role in reducing healthcare harm but little is known about the factors that may affect patients' willingness to participate. In order to encourage the 'active' patient it is critical that we gain a deeper understanding of the antecedents of safety-relevant behaviours. Doing this will enable the implementation of effective interventions aimed at supporting patients to work with healthcare professionals in ensuring safe care. To examine predictors of patients' intentions to engage in two safety behaviours: (1) reminding healthcare staff to wash their hands and; (2) notifying healthcare staff if they are not wearing a hospital identification bracelet. Cross-sectional survey study. A purposive sampling method was employed to recruit 80 medical and surgical hospital inpatients aged 18-80 (mean 48) from one inner city London teaching hospital. A 42 item survey that measured the extent that patients' control beliefs, behavioural beliefs, normative beliefs and perceived susceptibility and severity towards a hospital-acquired infection or a misidentification error could predict their intentions to ask doctors/nurses about their hand washing compliance or notify doctors/nurses if they are not wearing a hospital identification bracelet. Data was analysed using multiple regression analysis. Control beliefs, normative beliefs and perceived severity were the strongest predictors of patients' intentions to participate in both behaviours. The regression models accounted for a smaller percentage of the variance in patients' intentions to ask doctors/nurses if they have washed their hands (42%/37%) than notifying staff if they were not wearing an identification bracelet (54%/56%). If patients understand why a behaviour is beneficial, they perceive it as acceptable to participate in and that they have control over the decision to engage in the behaviour, we hypothesise that more patients will intend to participate in that behaviour. When designing

  18. Characteristics of patients presenting to the vascular emergency department of a tertiary care hospital: a 2-year study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kotsikoris Ioannis

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The structure of health care in Greece is receiving increased attention to improve its cost-effectiveness. We sought to examine the epidemiological characteristics of patients presenting to the vascular emergency department of a Greek tertiary care hospital during a 2-year period. We studied all patients presenting to the emergency department of vascular surgery at Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece between 1st January 2009 and 31st December 2010. Results Overall, 2452 (49.4% out of 4961 patients suffered from pathologies that should have been treated in primary health care. Only 2509 (50.6% needed vascular surgical intervention. Conclusions The emergency department of vascular surgery in a Greek tertiary care hospital has to treat a remarkably high percentage of patients suitable for the primary health care level. These results suggest that an improvement in the structure of health care is needed in Greece.

  19. Use of artificial intelligence to analyze clinical database reduces workload on surgical house staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossi, E A; Steinberg, B M; LeBoutillier, M; Coppa, G F; Roses, D F

    1994-08-01

    The current quantity and diversity of hospital clinical, laboratory, and pharmacy records have resulted in a glut of information, which can be overwhelming to house staff. This study was performed to measure the impact of artificial intelligence analysis of such data on the junior surgical house staff's workload, time for direct patient care, and quality of life. A personal computer was interfaced with the hospital computerized patient data system. Artificial intelligence algorithms were applied to retrieve and condense laboratory values, microbiology reports, and medication orders. Unusual laboratory tests were reported without artificial intelligence filtering. A survey of 23 junior house staff showed a requirement for a total of 30.75 man-hours per day, an average of 184.5 minutes per service twice a day for five surgical services each with an average of 40.7 patients, to manually produce a report in contrast to a total of 3.4 man-hours, an average of 20.5 minutes on the same basis (88.9% reduction, p medical practice has created an explosion of information, which is a burden for surgical house staff. Artificial intelligence preprocessing of the hospital database information focuses attention, eliminates superfluous data, and significantly reduces surgical house staff clerical work, allowing more time for education, research, and patient care.

  20. Comparison of stress and burnout among anesthesia and surgical residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandhi, K; Sahni, N; Padhy, S K; Mathew, P J

    2017-10-23

    The residents undergoing training at hospitals in our country face challenges in terms of infrastructure and high workload with undefined working hours. The aim of the study was to compare the stress and burnout levels in trainee doctors doing residency in surgical fields and anesthesia at a tertiary care academic center in North India. A comparative, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. After Ethics Committee approval, 200 residents (100 each from surgical branches and anesthesia) were required to fill a questionnaire with information about age, sex, year of residency, marital status, and the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire-12. Burnout and perceived stress were compared between residents of anesthesia and surgical specialties. Residents of both surgical and anesthesia branches scored high in perceived stress, namely 21 and 18, respectively. The score was significantly higher in surgical residents (P = 0.03) and increased progressively with the year of residency. The majority of residents (90% surgical, 80% anesthesia) felt that they were being overloaded with work. However, only 20%-30% of respondents felt that there was lack of development of individual skills and still fewer (<10%) reported giving up in view of difficulties. There is high level of stress and overload dimension of burnout among the residents of anesthesia and surgical branches at our tertiary care academic institution and the surgical residents score marginally higher than anesthesia residents.

  1. Surgical instrument biocontaminant fluorescence detection in ambient lighting conditions for hospital reprocessing and sterilization department (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baribeau, François; Bubel, Annie; Dumont, Guillaume; Vachon, Carl; Lépine, André; Rochefort, Stéphane; Massicotte, Martin; Buteau-Vaillancourt, Louis; Gallant, Pascal; Mermut, Ozzy

    2017-03-01

    Hospitals currently rely on simple human visual inspection for assessing cleanliness of surgical instruments. Studies showed that surgical site infections are in part attributed to inadequate cleaning of medical devices. Standards groups recognize the need to objectively quantify the amount of residues on surgical instruments and establish guidelines. We developed a portable technology for the detection of contaminants on surgical instruments through fluorescence following cleaning. Weak fluorescence signals are usually detected in the obscurity only with the lighting of the excitation source. The key element of this system is that it works in ambient lighting conditions, a requirement to not disturb the normal workflow of hospital reprocessing facilities. A biocompatible fluorescent dye is added to the detergent and labels the proteins of organic residues. It is resistant to the harsh environment in a washer-disinfector. Two inspection devices have been developed with a 488nm laser as the excitation source: a handheld scanner and a tabletop station using spectral-domain and time-domain ambient light cancellation schemes. The systems are eye safe and equipped with image processing and interfacing software to provide visual or audible warnings to the operator based on a set of adjustable signal thresholds. Micron-scale residues are detected by the system which can also evaluate soil size and mass. Unlike swabbing, it can inspect whole tools in real-time. The technology has been validated in an independent hospital decontamination research laboratory. It also has potential applications in the forensics, agro-food, and space fields. Technical aspects and results will be presented and discussed.

  2. Psychiatric side effects of ketamine in hospitalized medical patients administered subanesthetic doses for pain control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmussen, Keith G

    2014-08-01

    To assess the psychiatric side effects of ketamine when administered in subanesthetic doses to hospitalized patients. It is hypothesized that such effects occur frequently. In this retrospective study, the medical records of 50 patients hospitalized on medical and surgical units at our facility who had continuous intravenous infusions of ketamine for pain or mild sedation were reviewed. Patient progress in the days following the start of ketamine infusion was reviewed and response to ketamine was noted. Twenty-two percent of the patients were noted to have some type of psychiatric reaction to ketamine, including agitation, confusion, and hallucinations. These reactions were relatively short lived, namely, occurring during or shortly after the infusions. No association was found between patient response to ketamine and gender, age, or infusion rate. Awareness of the psychiatric side effects of ketamine is an important consideration for clinicians administering this medication either for pain control or for depressive illness.

  3. Blunt hepatic trauma: comparison between surgical and nonoperative treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zago, Thiago Messias; Pereira, Bruno Monteiro; Calderan, Thiago Rodrigues Araujo; Hirano, Elcio Shiyoiti; Rizoli, Sandro; Fraga, Gustavo Pereira

    2012-01-01

    To examine the outcomes of blunt hepatic trauma, and compare surgical and non-surgical treatment in patients admitted with hemodynamic stability and with no obvious indications of laparotomy. This is a retrospective study of cases admitted to a university teaching hospital between the years 2000 and 2010. Patients undergoing surgical treatment were divided into two groups: (a) all patients undergoing surgical treatment, and (b) patients with obvious need for surgery. In this period, 120 patients were admitted with blunt hepatic trauma. Sixty five patients (54.1%) were treated non-operatively and fifty five patients were operated upon. Patients treated non-operatively had better physiologic conditions on admission, demonstrated less severe injuries (except the grade of hepatic injury), received less blood components and had lower morbidity and mortality than the patients operated upon. Patients who underwent non-operative treatment had a lower need for blood transfusion but higher rates of complications and mortality than the patients operated upon. Patients who were operated upon, with no obvious indications for surgery, had higher rates of complication and mortality than patients not operated upon. A non-operative approach resulted in lower complications, a lower need for blood transfusions and lower mortality.

  4. Comparison of Outcomes of Pericardiocentesis Versus Surgical Pericardial Window in Patients Requiring Drainage of Pericardial Effusions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horr, Samuel E; Mentias, Amgad; Houghtaling, Penny L; Toth, Andrew J; Blackstone, Eugene H; Johnston, Douglas R; Klein, Allan L

    2017-09-01

    Comparative outcomes of patients undergoing pericardiocentesis or pericardial window are limited. Development of pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery is common but no data exist to guide best management. Procedural billing codes and Cleveland Clinic surgical registries were used to identify 1,281 patients who underwent either pericardiocentesis or surgical pericardial window between January 2000 and December 2012. The 656 patients undergoing an intervention for a pericardial effusion secondary to cardiac surgery were also compared. Propensity scoring was used to identify well-matched patients in each group. In the overall cohort, in-hospital mortality was similar between the group undergoing pericardiocentesis and surgical drainage (5.3% vs 4.4%, p = 0.49). Similar outcomes were found in the propensity-matched group (4.9% vs 6.1%, p = 0.55). Re-accumulation was more common after pericardiocentesis (24% vs 10%, p <0.0001) and remained in the matched cohorts (23% vs 9%, p <0.0001). The secondary outcome of hemodynamic instability after the procedure was more common in the pericardial window group in both the unmatched (5.2% vs 2.9%, p = 0.036) and matched cohorts (6.1% vs 2.0%, p = 0.022). In the subgroup of patients with a pericardial effusion secondary to cardiac surgery, there was a lower mortality after pericardiocentesis in the unmatched group (1.5% vs 4.6%, p = 0.024); however, after adjustment, this difference in mortality was no longer present (2.6% vs 4.5%, p = 0.36). In conclusion, both pericardiocentesis and surgical pericardial window are safe and effective treatment strategies for the patient with a pericardial effusion. In our study there were no significant differences in mortality in patients undergoing either procedure. Observed differences in outcomes with regard to recurrence rates, hemodynamic instability, and in those with postcardiac surgery effusions may help to guide the clinician in management of the patient

  5. [Management of patients with bronchial asthma received general anesthesia and surgical intervention].

    Science.gov (United States)

    To, Masako; Tajima, Makoto; Ogawa, Cyuhei; Otomo, Mamoru; Suzuki, Naohito; Sano, Yasuyuki

    2002-01-01

    Stimulation to bronchial mucosa is one of the major risk factor of asthma attack. When patients receive surgical intervention and general anesthesia, they are always exposed to stimulation to bronchial mucosa. Prevention method of bronchial asthma attack during surgical intervention is not established yet. We investigated that clinical course of patients with bronchial asthma who received general anesthesia and surgical intervention. Seventy-six patients with bronchial asthma were received general anesthesia and surgical intervention from 1993 to 1998. Twenty-four patients were mild asthmatic patients, 39 were moderate asthmatic patients and 13 were severe asthmatic patients. Preoperative treatment for preventing asthma attack was as follows; Eight patients were given intravenous infusion of aminophylline before operation. Fifty-two patients were given intravenous infusion of aminophylline and hydrocortisone before operation. Three patients were given intravenous infusion of hydrocortisone for consecutive 3 days before operation. Thirteen patients were given no treatment for preventing asthma attack. One patient was suffered from asthma attack during operation. She was given no preventing treatment for asthma attack before operation. Three patients were suffered from asthma attack after operation. No wound dehiscence was observed in all patients. To prevent asthma attack during operation, intravenous infusion of steroid before operation is recommended, when patients with asthma receive general anesthesia and surgical intervention.

  6. Prognostic significance of surgical extranodal extension in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Fumihiko; Mori, Taisuke; Matsumura, Satoko; Matsumoto, Yoshifumi; Fukasawa, Masahiko; Teshima, Masanori; Kobayashi, Kenya; Yoshimoto, Seiichi

    2017-08-01

    Lymph node metastasis with extranodal extension represents one of the most important adverse prognostic factors for survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We propose that extranodal extension occurs to differing extents. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of extranodal extension in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Two hundred and ninety-eight patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgical resection and neck dissection were included. Cervical lymph nodes were classified into four categories: (i) pathological N negative, (ii) extranodal extension negative, (iii) non-surgical extranodal extension and (iv) surgical extranodal extension. Lymph node metastases were detected in 67.1% of laryngeal/hypopharyngeal cancer patients and 52.7% of oral cancer patients. The 3-year disease-specific survival rates for patients in the pathological N negative, extranodal extension negative, non-surgical extranodal extension and surgical extranodal extension groups were 90.9%, 79.6%, 63.8% and 48.3%, respectively. In laryngeal/hypopharyngeal cancer patients, surgical extranodal extension was associated with a significantly poorer disease-specific survival than a pathological N negative, extranodal extension negative or non-surgical extranodal extension status. In oral cancer patients, no significant differences were observed between the non-surgical and surgical extranodal extension groups. However, non-surgical extranodal extension was associated with a poorer disease-specific survival than a pathological N negative or extranodal extension negative status. Surgical extranodal extension was a poor prognostic factor in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The prognostic significance of surgical extranodal extension differed between laryngeal/hypopharyngeal and oral cancer patients. The clinical significance of surgical extranodal extension was much greater for

  7. The incidence, root-causes, and outcomes of adverse events in surgical units: implication for potential prevention strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Groenewegen Peter P

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We need to know the scale and underlying causes of surgical adverse events (AEs in order to improve the safety of care in surgical units. However, there is little recent data. Previous record review studies that reported on surgical AEs in detail are now more than ten years old. Since then surgical technology and quality assurance have changed rapidly. The objective of this study was to provide more recent data on the incidence, consequences, preventability, causes and potential strategies to prevent AEs among hospitalized patients in surgical units. Methods A structured record review study of 7,926 patient records was carried out by trained nurses and medical specialist reviewers in 21 Dutch hospitals. The aim was to determine the presence of AEs during hospitalizations in 2004 and to consider how far they could be prevented. Of all AEs, the consequences, responsible medical specialty, causes and potential prevention strategies were identified. Surgical AEs were defined as AEs attributable to surgical treatment and care processes and were selected for analysis in detail. Results Surgical AEs occurred in 3.6% of hospital admissions and represented 65% of all AEs. Forty-one percent of the surgical AEs was considered to be preventable. The consequences of surgical AEs were more severe than for other types of AEs, resulting in more permanent disability, extra treatment, prolonged hospital stay, unplanned readmissions and extra outpatient visits. Almost 40% of the surgical AEs were infections, 23% bleeding, and 22% injury by mechanical, physical or chemical cause. Human factors were involved in the causation of 65% of surgical AEs and were considered to be preventable through quality assurance and training. Conclusions Surgical AEs occur more often than other types of AEs, are more often preventable and their consequences are more severe. Therefore, surgical AEs have a major impact on the burden of AEs during hospitalizations

  8. Results of surgical excision of urethral prolapse in symptomatic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Mary E; Oyesanya, Tola; Cameron, Anne P

    2017-11-01

    Here, we present the clinical presentation and surgical outcomes of women with symptomatic urethral prolapse presenting to our institution over 20 years, and seek to provide treatment recommendations for management of symptomatic urethral prolapse and caruncle. A retrospective review of medical records from female patients who underwent surgery for symptomatic urethral prolapse from June 1995 to August 2015 was performed. Surgical technique consisted of a four-quadrant excisional approach for repair of urethral prolapse. A total of 26 patients were identified with a mean age of 38.8 years (range 3-81). The most common presentations were vaginal bleeding, hematuria, pain, and dysuria. All patients underwent surgical excision of urethral prolapse via a standard approach. Follow-up data was available in 24 patients. Six patients experienced temporary postoperative bleeding, and one patient required placement of a Foley catheter for tamponade. One patient experienced temporary postoperative urinary retention requiring Foley catheter placement. Three patients had visible recurrence of urethral prolapse, for which one later underwent re-excision. Surgical excision of urethral prolapse is a reasonable treatment option in patients who have tried conservative management without relief, as well as in those who present with severe symptoms. Possible complications following excision include postoperative bleeding and recurrence, and patients must be counseled accordingly. In this work, we propose a treatment algorithm for symptomatic urethral prolapse. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Is there a relationship between patient satisfaction and favorable outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Gregory D; Tevis, Sarah E; Kent, K Craig

    2014-10-01

    Patient satisfaction with the health care experience has become a top priority for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. With resources and efforts directed at patient satisfaction, we evaluated whether high patient satisfaction measured by HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) surveys correlates with favorable outcomes. Medical centers were identified from the University HealthSystem Consortium database from 2011 to 2012. Variables included hospital characteristics, process measure compliance, and surgical outcomes. Chi-squared analysis was used to evaluate for variables associated with high patient satisfaction (defined as hospitals that scored above the 50th percentile of top box scores). We identified 171 hospitals with complete data. The following variables were significantly associated with high overall patient satisfaction: large hospitals, high surgical volume, and low mortality (P patient satisfaction. Low mortality index was consistently found to be associated with high satisfaction across 9 of 10 HCAHPS domains. We found that hospital size, surgical volume, and low mortality were associated with high overall patient satisfaction. However, with the exception of low mortality, favorable surgical outcomes were not consistently associated with high HCAHPS scores. With existing satisfaction surveys, we conclude that factors outside of surgical outcomes appear to influence patients' perceptions of their care.

  10. Hospital-Level Variation in Practice Patterns and Patient Outcomes for Pediatric Patients Hospitalized With Functional Constipation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Librizzi, Jamie; Flores, Samuel; Morse, Keith; Kelleher, Kelly; Carter, Jodi; Bode, Ryan

    2017-06-01

    Constipation is a common pediatric condition with a prevalence of 3% to 5% in children aged 4 to 17 years. Currently, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the management of pediatric patients hospitalized with constipation. The primary objective was to evaluate practice patterns and patient outcomes for the hospital management of functional constipation in US children's hospitals. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of children aged 0 to 18 years hospitalized for functional constipation from 2012 to 2014 by using the Pediatric Health Information System. Patients were included by using constipation and other related diagnoses as classified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision . Patients with complex chronic conditions were excluded. Outcome measures included percentage of hospitalizations due to functional constipation, therapies used, length of stay, and 90-day readmission rates. Statistical analysis included means with 95% confidence intervals for individual hospital outcomes. A total of 14 243 hospitalizations were included, representing 12 804 unique patients. The overall percentage of hospitalizations due to functional constipation was 0.65% (range: 0.19%-1.41%, P hospitalization included: electrolyte laxatives: 40% to 96%; sodium phosphate enema: 0% to 64%; mineral oil enema: 0% to 61%; glycerin suppository: 0% to 37%; bisacodyl 0% to 47%; senna: 0% to 23%; and docusate 0% to 11%. Mean length of stay was 1.97 days (range: 1.31-2.73 days, P hospitalized with functional constipation across US children's hospitals. Collaborative initiatives to adopt evidence-based best practices guidelines could help standardize the hospital management of pediatric functional constipation. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  11. Patients "falling through the cracks". The Canterbury Charity Hospital: initial progress report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagshaw, Philip F; Allardyce, Randall A; Bagshaw, Susan N; Stokes, Brian W; Shaw, Carl S; Proffit, Lorraine J; Nicholls, M Gary; Begg, Evan J; Frampton, Christopher M

    2010-08-13

    To present the early experience of establishing a community-funded and volunteer-staffed hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand. This was to provide free selected elective healthcare services to patients in the Canterbury region who were otherwise unable to access treatment in the public health system or afford private healthcare. Data were reviewed relating to the establishment, financing, staffing and running of the Canterbury Charity Hospital. Details were provided of patients referred by their general practitioners who were seen and treated during the first two and a half years of function. Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust, established in 2004, completed the purchase of a residential villa in 2005 and converted it into the Canterbury Charity Hospital, which performed its first operations in 2007. By the end of December 2009, 115 volunteer health professionals and 79 non-medical volunteers had worked at the Hospital, provided a total of 966 outpatient clinic appointments, of which 609 were initial assessments, and performed 610 surgical procedures. Funding of $NZ4.3 million (end of last financial year) came from fundraising events, donations, grants and interest from investments. There has been no government funding. There is a substantial unmet need for elective healthcare in Canterbury, and this has, in part, been addressed by the recently established Canterbury Charity Hospital. The overwhelming community response we have experienced in Canterbury raises the question of whether the current public health system needs attention to be re-focused on unmet need. We contend that unless this occurs it might be necessary to establish charity-type hospitals elsewhere throughout the country.

  12. Evolving issues in the prevention of surgical site infections.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Quinn, A

    2009-06-01

    Surgical site infection is one of the more common causes of post-operative morbidity. Such infections contribute to prolonged recovery, delayed discharge and increasing costs to both patients and the health service. In the current climate increased emphasis is being placed on minimising the risks of acquiring or transmitting these nosocomial infections. This article reviews the current literature obtained from a Pubmed database search in relation to three specific aspects of surgical site infection: compliance with prophylactic antibiotics, post-discharge surveillance and novel methods for preventing surgical site infections. These topics represent areas where many institutions will find room for improvement in the prevention of surgical site infections. Tight adherence to prophylactic antibiotic guidelines, close followup of surgical wounds during and after hospital discharge, and attention to oxygenation status and the body temperature of patients may all prove to be useful adjuncts in significantly decreasing surgical site infections.

  13. Surgical myocardial revascularization in patients with reduced systolic left ventricular function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, Piergiorgio; Iafrancesco, Mauro; Massetti, Massimo

    2018-04-20

    Surgical myocardial revascularization in patients with reduced left ventricular function has been a matter of debate for decades. Recently published 10-years extension follow-up of the STICH trial have conclusively demonstrated benefit of surgical myocardial revascularization in patients with significant coronary artery disease and low left ventricular ejection fraction. However, selection of patients for surgery remains challenging as well as decision to perform percutaneous rather than surgical revascularization in this class of patients. New evidence helped to clarify the role of preoperative patients' characteristics as risk factors for surgery and to identify those patients who may benefit the most from surgery. Focus of this review is to review epidemiology, aetiology and pathophysiology of coronary artery disease in patients with reduced left ventricular function, role of viability and results of observational and investigational studies on revascularization in patients with reduced left ventricular function with a particular emphasis on relative indication of coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention and the surgical implications of development of ischemic mitral regurgitation or ischemic left ventricular aneurysm.

  14. Mobile surgical skills education unit: a new concept in surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikh, Faisal M; Hseino, Hazem; Hill, Arnold D K; Kavanagh, Eamon; Traynor, Oscar

    2011-08-01

    Basic surgical skills are an integral part of surgical training. Simulation-based surgical training offers an opportunity both to trainees and trainers to learn and teach surgical skills outside the operating room in a nonpatient, nonstressed environment. However, widespread adoption of simulation technology especially in medical education is prohibited by its inherent higher cost, limited space, and interruptions to clinical duties. Mobile skills laboratory has been proposed as a means to address some of these limitations. A new program is designed by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), in an approach to teach its postgraduate basic surgical trainees the necessary surgical skills, by making the use of mobile innovative simulation technology in their own hospital settings. In this article, authors describe the program and students response to the mobile surgical skills being delivered in the region of their training hospitals and by their own regional consultant trainers.

  15. Nursing care system development for patients with cleft lip-palate and craniofacial deformities in operating room Srinagarind Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riratanapong, Saowaluck; Sroihin, Waranya; Kotepat, Kingkan; Volrathongchai, Kanittha

    2013-09-01

    For a successful surgical outcome for patients with cleft lip/palate (CLP), the attending nurses must continuously develop their potential, knowledge, capacity and skills. The goal is to meet international standards of patient safety and efficiency. To assess and improve the nursing care system for patients with CLP and craniofacial deformities at the operating room (OR), Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University. Data were collected for two months (between March 1, 2011 and April 30, 2011). Part I was an enquiry regarding the attitude of OR staff on serving patients with CLP; and, Part 2.1) patient and caregiver satisfaction with service from the OR staff and 2.2) patient and caregiver satisfaction with the OR transfer service. The authors interviewed 28 staff in OR unit 2 of the OR nursing division and 30 patients with CLP and his/her caregiver. The respective validity according to the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.87 and 0.93. The OR staff attitude visa-vis service provision for patients with CLP service was middling. Patient and caregiver satisfaction with both OR staff and the transfer service was very satisfactory. Active development of the nursing care system for patients with CLP and craniofacial deformities in the operating room, Srinagarind Hospital improved staff motivation with respect to serving patients with CLP. The operating theater staff was able to co-ordinate the multidisciplinary team through the provision of surgical service for patients with CLP.

  16. Surgical informed consent in obstetric and gynecologic surgeries: experience from a comprehensive teaching hospital in Southern Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teshome, Million; Wolde, Zenebe; Gedefaw, Abel; Tariku, Mequanent; Asefa, Anteneh

    2018-05-24

    Surgical Informed Consent (SIC) has long been recognized as an important component of modern medicine. The ultimate goals of SIC are to improve clients' understanding of the intended procedure, increase client satisfaction, maintain trust between clients and health providers, and ultimately minimize litigation issues related to surgical procedures. The purpose of the current study is to assess the comprehensiveness of the SIC process for women undergoing obstetric and gynecologic surgeries. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was undertaken at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HUCSH) in November and December, 2016. A total of 230 women who underwent obstetric and/or gynecologic surgeries were interviewed immediately after their hospital discharge to assess their experience of the SIC process. Thirteen components of SIC were used based on international recommendations, including the Royal College of Surgeon's standards of informed consent practices for surgical procedures. Descriptive summaries are presented in tables and figures. Forty percent of respondents were aged between 25 and 29 years. Nearly a quarter (22.6%) had no formal education. More than half (54.3%) of respondents had undergone an emergency surgical procedure. Only 18.4% of respondents reported that the surgeon performing the operation had offered SIC, while 36.6% of respondents could not recall who had offered SIC. All except one respondent provided written consent to undergo a surgical procedure. However, 8.3% of respondents received SIC service while already on the operation table for their procedure. Only 73.9% of respondents were informed about the availability (or lack thereof) of alternative treatment options. Additionally, a majority of respondents were not informed about the type of anesthesia to be used (88.3%) and related complications (87.4%). Only 54.2% of respondents reported that they had been offered at least six of the 13 SIC components used by the

  17. Trends in Red Blood Cell Transfusion and 30-Day Mortality among Hospitalized Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roubinian, Nareg H; Escobar, Gabriel J; Liu, Vincent; Swain, Bix E; Gardner, Marla N; Kipnis, Patricia; Triulzi, Darrell J; Gottschall, Jerome L; Wu, Yan; Carson, Jeffrey L; Kleinman, Steven H; Murphy, Edward L

    2014-01-01

    Background Blood conservation strategies have been shown to be effective in decreasing red blood cell (RBC) utilization in specific patient groups. However, few data exist describing the extent of RBC transfusion reduction or their impact on transfusion practice and mortality in a diverse inpatient population. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using comprehensive electronic medical record data from 21 medical facilities in Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC). We examined unadjusted and risk-adjusted RBC transfusion and 30-day mortality coincident with implementation of RBC conservation strategies. Findings The inpatient study cohort included 391,958 patients who experienced 685,753 hospitalizations. From 2009 to 2013, the incidence of RBC transfusion decreased from 14.0% to 10.8% of hospitalizations; this change coincided with a decline in pre-transfusion hemoglobin levels from 8.1 to 7.6 g/dL. Decreased RBC utilization affected broad groups of admission diagnoses and was most pronounced in patients with a nadir hemoglobin level between 8 and 9 g/dL (n=73,057; 50.8% to 19.3%). During the study period, the standard deviation of risk adjusted RBC transfusion incidence across hospitals decreased by 44% (p blood conservation strategies, RBC transfusion incidence and pre-transfusion hemoglobin levels decreased broadly across medical and surgical patients. Variation in RBC transfusion incidence across hospitals decreased from 2010 to 2013. Consistent with clinical trial data, more restrictive transfusion practice did not appear to impact 30-day mortality. PMID:25135770

  18. Surgical-site Infection Following Cesarean Section in Kano, Nigeria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: To determine the prevalence, risk factors and common bacterial pathogens for surgical site infection (SSI), following cesarean section (CS). Materials and Methods: A retrospective case-control study of patients delivered by CS in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. The cases were the patients whose ...

  19. Impact of pharmacists assisting with prescribing and undertaking medication review on oxycodone prescribing and supply for patients discharged from surgical wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, T; Taylor, S E; Hardidge, A; Findakly, D; Aminian, P; Elliott, R A

    2017-10-01

    Overprescribing of oxycodone is a contributor to the epidemic of prescription opioid misuse and deaths. Practice models to optimize oxycodone prescribing and supply need to be evaluated. We explored the impact of pharmacist-assisted discharge prescribing and medication review on oxycodone prescribing and supply for patients discharged from surgical wards. A retrospective audit was conducted on two surgical inpatient wards following a 16-week prospective pre- and post-intervention study. During the pre-intervention period, discharge prescriptions were prepared by hospital doctors and then reviewed by a ward pharmacist (WP) before being dispensed. Post-intervention, prescriptions were prepared by a project pharmacist in consultation with hospital doctors and then reviewed by a WP and dispensed. Proportion of patients who were prescribed, and proportion supplied, oxycodone on discharge; Median amount (milligrams) of oxycodone prescribed and supplied, for patients who were prescribed and supplied at least one oxycodone-containing preparation, respectively. A total of 320 and 341 patients were evaluated pre- and post-intervention, respectively. Pre-intervention, 75.6% of patients were prescribed oxycodone; after WP review, 60.3% were supplied oxycodone (Psupplied was 100 milligrams/patient. Post-intervention, 68.6% of patients were prescribed oxycodone; after WP review, 57.8% were supplied oxycodone (Psupplied was 50 milligrams/patient (difference in amount prescribed and supplied: 50 milligrams, Psupplied oxycodone but not the amount supplied/patient. Having a pharmacist assist with prescribing reduced the amount of oxycodone supplied. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Communication skills among surgical trainees: Perceptions of residents in a teaching hospital in Northern Nigeria

    OpenAIRE

    A Ibrahim; Z I Delia; M E Asuku; T Dahiru

    2011-01-01

    Objective Communication between the surgeon and the patient is a core clinical skill. The ability to communicate with patients and their family members is very important in the optimum care of the surgical patient. Few studies have assessed communication between surgical trainees and their patients in sub-Saharan Africa. In response to this, the communication skills of residents in the department of surgery were evaluated to determine their perception of competency and perceived need for ...

  1. Interfaces for Modular Surgical Planning and Assistance Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Gessat, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Modern surgery of the 21st century relies in many aspects on computers or, in a wider sense, digital data processing. Department administration, OR scheduling, billing, and - with increasing pervasion - patient data management are performed with the aid of so called Surgical Information Systems (SIS) or, more general, Hospital Information Systems (HIS). Computer Assisted Surgery (CAS) summarizes techniques which assist a surgeon in the preparation and conduction of surgical interventions...

  2. Delayed Presentation of Traumatic Diaphragmatic Hernia: The Evaluation of Surgical Treatment Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Sadrizadeh

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Diaphragmatic hernia could be caused by congenital disorders, blunt trauma or penetrating injuries. The diagnosis of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is normally neglected during the first presentation leading to late complications and considerably increased mortality and morbidity among the patients. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, descriptive study, we reviewed the medical records of patients presented with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia who had undergone surgical operations between 1982-2015 in Ghaem Hospital and Omid Hospital affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The studied variables included age, gender, clinical symptoms, location of hernia, involved organs, type of imaging modalities, surgical techniques, length of hospital stay, mortality rate and surgical complications. Results: In this study, 38 patients were diagnosed with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia consisting of 28 men and 10 women. In total, 79% and 21% of the patients suffered from penetrating trauma and blunt trauma, respectively. In addition, left-sided, right-sided and bilateral hernias were present in 33%, 4% and 1% of the patients, respectively. The most frequently herniated organ was the stomach, and the most common clinical symptoms were abdominal pain (84% and dyspnea (53%. Initially, chest radiographs were performed on all the patients, and thoracotomy was performed to repair diaphragmatic tears in all the cases (100%. In this study, 3 patients had previously undergone Hartmann’s operation for gangrenous herniated colon, and devolvulation of gastric volvulus had also been performed on 3 patients. The main post-operative complications were reported to be pneumonia and respiratory insufficiency (2 cases, and the mean length of hospital stay was 6 days (5-8 days which was longer (1-2 months in patients with gangrenous bowel (3 patients. Furthermore, no mortality was reported during the course of hospitalization in these

  3. OPEN SURGICAL VS. MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENT OF THORACOLUMBAR AO FRACTURES TYPE A AND B1 IN A REFERENCE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Enrique Salcedo Oviedo

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: The thoracolumbar spine trauma represents 30% of spinal diseases. To compare the minimally invasive technique with the open technique in lumbar fractures. Method: A prospective, cross-sectional, comparative observational study, which evaluated the following variables: surgery time, length of hospital stay, transoperative bleeding, postoperative pain, analyzed by SPSS software using Student's t test with statistical significance of p ≥ 0.05, with 24 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fractures, randomly treated with percutaneous pedicle screws and by open technique with a transpedicular system. Results: The surgery time was 90 minutes for the minimally invasive technique and 60 minutes for the open technique, the bleeding was on average 50 cm3 vs. 400 cm3. The mean visual analogue scale for pain at 24 hours of surgery was 5 for the minimally invasive group vs. 8 for the open group. The number of fluoroscopic projections of pedicle screws was 220 in the minimally invasive technique vs. 100 in the traditional technique. Quantified bleeding was minimal for percutaneous access vs. 340 cm3 for the traditional system. The hospital discharge for the minimally invasive group was at 24 hours and at 72 hours for those treated with open surgery. Conclusions: It is a technique that requires longer surgical time, with reports of less bleeding, less postoperative pain and less time for hospital discharge, reasons why it is supposed to be a procedure that requires a learning curve, statistical significance with respect to bleeding, visual analogue scale for pain and showed no significant difference in the variables of surgical time.

  4. Comparison of postoperative surgical site infection after preoperative marking done with non-sterile stationary grade markers versus sterile surgical markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mir, Z.A.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: To compare the frequencies of post- operative surgical site infection after preoperative marking done with non-sterile stationary. grade markers versus sterile surgical markers in the same patient. Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: The department of Plastic surgery, Mayo hospital, Lahore from August 2013 to August 2014. Methods: This study was conducted after taking approval from the departmental ethical committee. Forty consecutive patients were included. A sterile surgical marker was used to mark one incision site while an alcohol based stationary grade marker was used to mark another incision site on the same patient. A standard preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative protocol was followed. Cultures were performed on swabs taken from the incision sites and surgical site infection was assessed for 30 days. Results: The study included 40 patients; 17 males and 23 females. The mean age of subjects was 25.32 ± 19.69 years with the minimum age being 2 years and the maximum being 63 years. No growth was seen in cultures taken from all the incision sites after skin preparation in the non sterile stationary grade marker group as well as the sterile surgical grade marker group. Also no surgical site infection appeared during the 30 day postoperative observation period in the non sterile stationary grade marker group as well as the sterile surgical grade marker group. (author)

  5. Differences in characteristics and patient-reported questionnaire responses in patients who choose non-surgical versus surgical treatment for severe hip osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Have, Mads; Overgaard, Søren; Jensen, Carsten

    Background: Preoperative patient characteristics may influence patient choice for participating in RCT’s. Purpose / Aim of Study: This study aimed to compare patient characteristics, level of pain, physical function and joint space width in patients with severe hip osteoarthritis (OA) who accepted...... or refused to participate in a RCT. Materials and Methods: In this prospective cohort study a total of 137 patients with primary hip OA were asked to choose between surgical or non- surgical treatment. We then compared the characteristics of each patient cohort (demographics, pain level and duration......, analgesic use, exercise habits), the radiographic hip OA state and their responses to Hip dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS, 0-100) and European Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires. Findings / Results: The between-group HOOS scores were significantly different in three out...

  6. Seasonality and surgical management of intussusception over 10 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    47.5%of patients had resection and primary anastomosis while 24.0% had manual reduction at laparotomy. Conclusion: Intussusception is one of the most common paediatric surgical emergencies at Harare Central Hospital. The age and sex of patients are the same as those found in literature. In contrast with previous data ...

  7. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program Implementation in 2 Surgical Populations in an Integrated Health Care Delivery System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Vincent X; Rosas, Efren; Hwang, Judith; Cain, Eric; Foss-Durant, Anne; Clopp, Molly; Huang, Mengfei; Lee, Derrick C; Mustille, Alex; Kipnis, Patricia; Parodi, Stephen

    2017-07-19

    Novel approaches to perioperative surgical care focus on optimizing nutrition, mobility, and pain management to minimize adverse events after surgical procedures. To evaluate the outcomes of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program among 2 target populations: patients undergoing elective colorectal resection and patients undergoing emergency hip fracture repair. A pre-post difference-in-differences study before and after ERAS implementation in the target populations compared with contemporaneous surgical comparator groups (patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery and emergency orthopedic surgery). Implementation began in February and March 2014 and concluded by the end of 2014 at 20 medical centers within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California integrated health care delivery system. A multifaceted ERAS program designed with a particular focus on perioperative pain management, mobility, nutrition, and patient engagement. The primary outcome was hospital length of stay. Secondary outcomes included hospital mortality, home discharge, 30-day readmission rates, and complication rates. The study included a total of 3768 patients undergoing elective colorectal resection (mean [SD] age, 62.7 [14.1] years; 1812 [48.1%] male) and 5002 patients undergoing emergency hip fracture repair (mean [SD] age, 79.5 [11.8] years; 1586 [31.7%] male). Comparator surgical patients included 5556 patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery and 1523 patients undergoing emergency orthopedic surgery. Most process metrics had significantly greater changes in the ERAS target populations after implementation compared with comparator surgical populations, including those for ambulation, nutrition, and opioid use. Hospital length of stay and postoperative complication rates were also significantly lower among ERAS target populations after implementation. The rate ratios for postoperative complications were 0.68 (95% CI, 0.46-0.99; P = .04) for patients

  8. Prevention of respiratory complications of the surgical patient: actionable plan for continued process improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruscic, Katarina J; Grabitz, Stephanie D; Rudolph, Maíra I; Eikermann, Matthias

    2017-06-01

    Postoperative respiratory complications (PRCs) increase hospitalization time, 30-day mortality and costs by up to $35 000. These outcomes measures have gained prominence as bundled payments have become more common. Results of recent quantitative effectiveness studies and clinical trials provide a framework that helps develop center-specific treatment guidelines, tailored to minimize the risk of PRCs. The implementation of those protocols should be guided by a local, respected, and visible facilitator who leads proper implementation while inviting center-specific input from surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other perioperative stakeholders. Preoperatively, patients should be risk-stratified for PRCs to individualize intraoperative choices and postoperative pathways. Laparoscopic compared with open surgery improves respiratory outcomes. High-risk patients should be treated by experienced providers based on locally developed bundle-interventions to optimize intraoperative treatment and ICU bed utilization. Intraoperatively, lung-protective ventilation (procedure-specific positive end-expiratory pressure utilization, and low driving pressure) and moderately restrictive fluid therapy should be used. To achieve surgical relaxation, high-dose neuromuscular blocking agents (and reversal agents) as well as high-dose opioids should be avoided; inhaled anesthetics improve surgical conditions while protecting the lungs. Patients should be extubated in reverse Trendelenburg position. Postoperatively, continuous positive airway pressure helps prevent airway collapse and protocolized, early mobilization improves cognitive and respiratory function.

  9. Bodypacking - An increasing problem in the Netherlands: Conservative or surgical treatment?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Geloven, A. A. W.; van Lienden, K. P.; Gouma, D. J.

    2002-01-01

    Objective: Evaluation of diagnostic work-up and treatment of bodypackers. Identification of predictive factors for surgical treatment. Design: Retrospective descriptive study. Setting: Teaching hospital, The Netherlands. Patients: All 40 consecutive patients, admitted during the period 1995-99

  10. Computed tomographic assessment of the surgical risks associated with fibrocavernous pulmonary tuberculosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Ming-Ho; Chang, Jia-Ming; Haung, Tsung-Mao; Cheng, Li-Li; Tseng, Yau-Lin; Lin, Mu-Yen; Lai, Wu-Wei

    2004-01-01

    We evaluated the surgical risks associated with fibrocavernous pulmonary tuberculosis by retrospectively examining chest computed tomography (CT) scans. We reviewed the records of 40 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for fibrocavernous pulmonary tuberculosis, for whom preoperative CT scans were available. The disease was categorized as class I, defined as a cavity within one lobe without remarkable pleural thickness, in 21 patients; class II, defined as a cavity extending beyond one lobe or within one lobe with remarkable pleural thickness, in 10 patients; and class III, defined as bilateral cavities, in 9 patients. Four of the nine patients with bilateral cavities underwent bilateral pulmonary resection and five underwent unilateral pulmonary resection. The study parameters were intraoperative blood loss, operative time, hospital stay, major operative morbidity, and hospital death. Intraoperative blood loss and operative time were significantly greater and hospital stay was significantly longer in patients with advanced disease (P=0.046, P=0.000, and P=0.143, respectively). Major surgical morbidity mainly occurred in association with advanced disease (P=0.028) at the following incidences: class I, 5%; class II, 30%; class III, 44.4%. Two hospital deaths occurred, both following bilateral pulmonary resection for class III disease, accounting for an overall 5% mortality rate. The surgical risks associated with fibrocavernous pulmonary tuberculosis were well correlated with anatomic involvement, according to the extent of cavitation and the severity of pleural thickness, as depicted by CT. Staged pulmonary resection or the combination of one-sided resection with other modalities is recommended for the treatment of bilateral cavities. (author)

  11. Surgical versus non-surgical management for pleural empyema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redden, Mark D; Chin, Tze Yang; van Driel, Mieke L

    2017-03-17

    non-surgical management of pleural empyema for all age groups. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery may reduce length of hospital stay compared to thoracostomy drainage alone.There was insufficient evidence to assess the impact of fibrinolytic therapy.A number of common outcomes were reported in the included studies that were not directly examined in our primary and secondary outcomes. These included duration of chest tube drainage, duration of fever, analgesia requirement, and total cost of treatment. Future studies focusing on patient-centred outcomes, such as patient functional scores, and other clinically relevant outcomes, such as radiographic improvement, treatment failure rates, and amount of fluid drainage, are needed to inform clinical decisions.

  12. Demographics of Patients with Double-headed Pterygium and Surgical Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fulya Duman

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To analyze demographic and ophthalmologic characteristics of patients with double-headed pterygium in the Mediterranean region of Turkey and to evaluate their surgical outcomes. Materials and Methods: Records of all patients who underwent surgery for pterygium in Antalya Atatürk State Hospital between November 2012 and March 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with pterygia on both sides of the cornea (nasal and temporal were included in the study. Patients with less than six months of follow-up were excluded. Age, occupation and smoking status of patients, recurrence of pterygium and any existing complications in records were evaluated. Fibrovascular proliferation more than 0.5 mm over the cornea was accepted as recurrence. Results: Eight (5% of 158 patients who underwent pterygium surgery were diagnosed with double-headed pterygium. Six (75% of the patients were male and two (25% were female. Mean age was 42.63 (26-71 years. It was recorded that all patients had worked under the sun for at least 5 hours a day. No intra-operative or post-operative complications were found. Mean follow-up time after surgery was 12 (6-21 months and no recurrence was detected. Conclusion: Pterygium, especially double-headed pterygium is mostly seen in warm climates and individuals who work outdoors. Dividing the free conjunctival autograft into two and suturing in place of the excised pterygium on both sides of the cornea is a good choice in these patients.

  13. Modified supine versus prone percutaneous nephrolithotomy: Surgical outcomes from a tertiary teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madeleine Nina Jones

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The traditional prone positioning of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL is associated with various anesthetic and logistic difficulties. We aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of PCNLs performed using our modified supine position with those performed in the standard prone position. Materials and Methods: A prospective group of 236 renal units (224 patients undergoing PCNL were included in this 2 site study: 160 were performed in the modified supine position were compared with 76 undergoing PCNL in the prone position. The outcomes of radiation dose, radiation time, stone free rate, body mass index (BMI, stone size, operative time, length of stay (LOS, in hospital and complications were compared. Chi-square and t-tests were used. Results: There were no significant differences in mean radiation time, radiation dose or stone size between the modified supine and prone groups. The supine group had a higher mean BMI (31 kg/m2 vs. 28 kg/m2 , p=0.03, shorter mean surgical time (93 minutes vs. 123 minutes, p<0.001, shorter mean LOS (2 days vs. 3 days, p=0.005 and higher stone free rate (70% vs. 50%, p=0.005. There were no differences in septic or bleeding complications but the prone group had a higher rate of overall complications. Conclusions: Modified supine PCNL has significantly lower operative time, shorter LOS and higher stone-free rate compared with prone in our series, while remaining a safe procedure.

  14. Surveillance of surgical site infection after cholecystectomy using the hospital in Europe link for infection control through surveillance protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogdanic, Branko; Bosnjak, Zrinka; Budimir, Ana; Augustin, Goran; Milosevic, Milan; Plecko, Vanda; Kalenic, Smilja; Fiolic, Zlatko; Vanek, Maja

    2013-06-01

    The third most common healthcare-associated infection is surgical site infection (SSI), accounting for 14%-16% of infections. These SSIs are associated with high morbidity, numerous deaths, and greater cost. A prospective study was conducted to assess the incidence of SSI in a single university hospital in Croatia. We used the Hospital in Europe Link for Infection Control through Surveillance (HELICS) protocol for surveillance. The SSIs were classified using the standard definition of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system. The overall incidence of SSI was 1.44%. The incidence of infection in the open cholecystectomy group was 6.06%, whereas in the laparoscopic group, it was only 0.60%. The incidence density of in-hospital SSIs per 1,000 post-operative days was 5.76. Patients who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy were significantly younger (53.65±14.65 vs. 64.42±14.17 years; pconcept for the monitoring of SSI, but in the case of cholecystectomy, additional factors such as antibiotic appropriateness, gallbladder entry, empyema of the gallbladder, and obstructive jaundice must be considered.

  15. Quality of life before surgical ICU admission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barros Henrique

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Examining the quality of life (QOL of patients before ICU admission will allow outcome variables to be compared and analyzed in relation to it. The objective of this study was to analyze QOL of patients before admission to a surgical ICU and to study its relationship to outcome and to the baseline characteristics of the patients. Methods: All adult patients consecutively admitted to the surgical ICU between November 2004 and April 2005, who underwent non-cardiac surgery, were enrolled in this observational and prospective study. The following patient characteristics were recorded: age, gender, body mass index, ASA physical status, type and magnitude of surgical procedure, length of stay (LOS, in ICU and in hospital, mortality, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS, history of co-morbidities and quality of life survey score (QOLSS. The relationships between QOLSS and ICU variables and outcome were evaluated. The relationship between the total QOLSS and each variable or outcome was assessed by multiple linear regression. Results: One hundred eighty seven patients completed the study. The preadmission QOLSS of the patients studied was 4.43 ± 4.90; 28% of patients had a normal quality of life (0 points, 38% had between 1 and 5 points (considered mild deterioration, 21% had between 6 and 10 points (moderate deterioration, 10% had between 11 and 15 points (considered major deterioration and 3% had more than 15 points (severe limitation of quality of life. A worse preadmission QOLSS was associated with higher SAPS II scores, with older patients (age> 65 years and with ASA physical status (ASA III/IV. Total QOLSS was significantly worse in elderly patients and in patients with co-morbidities and in patients more severely ill at ICU admission. Patients who died in the ICU and in hospital had worse QOLSS scores compared to those who survived. However, no statistical differences in QOLSS were found in relation to longer ICU stays

  16. The readability of psychosocial wellness patient resources: improving surgical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kugar, Meredith A; Cohen, Adam C; Wooden, William; Tholpady, Sunil S; Chu, Michael W

    2017-10-01

    Patient education is increasingly accessed with online resources and is essential for patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. The average American adult reads at a seventh grade level, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA) recommend that information be written at a sixth-grade reading level. Health literacy plays an important role in the disease course and outcomes of all patients, including those with depression and likely other psychiatric disorders, although this is an area in need of further study. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze written, online mental health resources on the Veterans Health Administration (VA) website, and other websites, using readability assessment instruments. An internet search was performed to identify written patient education information regarding mental health from the VA (the VA Mental Health Website) and top-rated psychiatric hospitals. Seven mental health topics were included in the analysis: generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and suicide. Readability analyses were performed using the Gunning Fog Index, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the Coleman-Liau Index, the SMOG Readability Formula, and the Automated Readability Index. These scores were then combined into a Readability Consensus score. A two-tailed t-test was used to compare the mean values, and statistical significance was set at P readability consensus than six of the top psychiatric hospitals (P readability consensus for mental health information on all websites analyzed was 9.52. Online resources for mental health disorders are more complex than recommended by the NIH and AMA. Efforts to improve readability of mental health and psychosocial wellness resources could benefit patient understanding and outcomes, especially in patients with lower literacy. Surgical outcomes are correlated with patient mental

  17. Auckland City Hospital's Ortho-Geriatric Service: an audit of patients aged over 65 with fractured neck of femur.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wimalasena, Bodhi; Harris, Roger

    2016-07-01

    The aims of this audit were to collect the Minimum Data Set outlined by the Australia New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry (ANZHFR), assess patient characteristics, analyse process of care, and evaluate how this compares to NICE guidelines for hip fracture care, as well as to Auckland Hospital data from 2007. Retrospective case record audit of patients with fractured neck of femur aged 65 years and over admitted under Orthopaedics over a 4-month period in 2013. Ninety-one patients were audited; mean age was 83 years, 68% were female. Both inpatient and 30-day mortality was 5%. 120-day mortality was 15%. Seventy-six percent of patients were admitted from ED within the national health target prescribed period of 6 hours. Only one patient was treated non-surgically. Eighty-six percent had surgery within 48 hours of admission. Eighty-two percent of patients had rehabilitation and treatment by Older People's Health. Of those living at home pre-fracture, 76% returned home on discharge. Thirty-seven percent of patients were able to walk unaided prior to hip fracture, but only 1% on discharge. Average overall length of stay was 22 days. Bisphosphonates were prescribed for 56% of patients. Compared to 2007, Auckland City Hospital has demonstrated a significant improvement in the rate of provision of timely surgery for hip fracture patients. Most patients are receiving the guideline recommended fracture-specific surgical interventions. The assessment and treatment of osteoporosis needs further attention.

  18. Development of Service Quality Scale for Surgical Hospitalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-I Teng

    2007-01-01

    Conclusion: The SQSH has sufficient usefulness, reliability and validity. Future research on service quality can apply the SQSH scale to link with utilization intention and patient loyalty and attempt to develop a hospitalization quality scale for other departments.

  19. [Screening for malnutrition among hospitalized patients in a Colombian University Hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Viviana; Bernal, Laura; Buitrago, Giancarlo; Ruiz, Álvaro J

    2017-04-01

    On admission, 30 to 50% of hospitalized patients have some degree of malnutrition, which is associated with longer length of stay, higher rates of complications, mortality and greater costs. To determine the frequency of screening for risk of malnutrition in medical records and assess the usefulness of the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST). In a cross-sectional study, we searched for malnutrition screening in medical records, and we applied the MST tool to hospitalized patients at the Internal Medicine Wards of San Ignacio University Hospital. Of 295 patients included, none had been screened for malnutrition since hospital admission. Sixty one percent were at nutritional risk, with a higher prevalence among patients with HIV (85.7%), cancer (77.5%) and pneumonia. A positive MST result was associated with a 3.2 days increase in length of hospital stay (p = 0.024). The prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalized patients is high, but its screening is inadequate and it is underdiagnosed. The MST tool is simple, fast, low-cost, and has a good diagnostic performance.

  20. Surgical experience with skull base approaches for foramen magnum meningioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin Sanabria, Elio Arnaldo; Ehara, Kazumasa; Tamaki, Norihiko

    2002-11-01

    The surgical treatment of patients with foramen magnum meningioma remains challenging. This study evaluated the outcome of this tumor according to the evolution of surgical approaches during the last 29 years. A retrospective analysis of medical records, operative notes, and neuroimages of 492 meningioma cases from 1972 to 2001 identified seven cases of foramen magnum meningioma (1.4%). All patients showed various neurological symptoms corresponding with foramen magnum syndrome. The tumor locations were anterior in five cases and posterior in two. Surgical removal was performed through a transoral approach in one patient, the suboccipital approach in three, and the transcondylar approach in two. Total removal was achieved in all patients, except for one who refused any surgical treatment. The major complications were tetraparesis and lower cranial nerve paresis for tumors in anterior locations, and minor complications for posterior locations. One patient died of atelectasis and pneumonia after a long hospitalization. The transcondylar approach is recommended for anterior locations, and the standard suboccipital approach for posterior locations.