Mortality of emergency abdominal surgery in high-, middle- and low-income countries

Background: Surgical mortality data are collected routinely in high-income countries, yet virtually no low- or middle-income countries have outcome surveillance in place. The aim was prospectively to collect worldwide mortality data following emergency abdominal surgery, comparing findings across countries with a low, middle or high Human Development Index (HDI). Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study. Self-selected hospitals performing emergency surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive patients from at least one 2-week interval during July to December 2014. Postoperative mortality was analysed by hierarchical multivariable logistic regression. Results: Data were obtained for 10 745 patients from 357 centres in 58 countries; 6538 were from high-, 2889 from middle- and 1318 from low-HDI settings. The overall mortality rate was 1⋅6 per cent at 24 h (high 1⋅1 per cent, middle 1⋅9 per cent, low 3⋅4 per cent; P < 0⋅001), increasing to 5⋅4 per cent by 30 days (high 4⋅5 per cent, middle 6⋅0 per cent, low 8⋅6 per cent; P < 0⋅001). Of the 578 patients who died, 404 (69⋅9 per cent) did so between 24 h and 30 days following surgery (high 74⋅2 per cent, middle 68⋅8 per cent, low 60⋅5 per cent). After adjustment, 30-day mortality remained higher in middle-income (odds ratio (OR) 2⋅78, 95 per cent c.i. 1⋅84 to 4⋅20) and low-income (OR 2⋅97, 1⋅84 to 4⋅81) countries. Surgical safety checklist use was less frequent in low- and middle-income countries, but when used was associated with reduced mortality at 30 days. Conclusion: Mortality is three times higher in low- compared with high-HDI countries even when adjusted for prognostic factors. Patient safety factors may have an important role. Registration number: NCT02179112 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Audit of colonoscopy practice in Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Introduction: Recent procurement of new endoscopies and accessories led to the reactivation of diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy services at our center. A preliminary audit is deemed necessary after a 2-year period of open access colonoscopy. Objective: To assess the pattern of indications, diagnostic yield, and selected key performance indicators in the practice of colonoscopy at our tertiary hospital. Patients and Methods: The endoscopy reports of all patients that underwent colonoscopy from January 2012 to April 2014 were reviewed. The demographic data, indications, and endoscopic findings were recorded. Information on cecal intubation, colonoscopy withdrawal time, polyp detection, adverse events, and bowel preparation quality were also extracted and analyzed. Results: Colonoscopy was performed in 149 patients. They were 81 males and 68 females, aged between 18 and 101 years with a mean of 46.9 ± 22.7 years. 126 (84.5%) patients had a colonoscopy for symptomatic conditions while 5 (4%) were for screening. Bowel preparation was assessed to be excellent in 81 (54.4%), adequate in 42 (28.2%), and inadequate in 26 (17.4%) patients, respectively. The cecal intubation rate (CIR) was 80.2%, polyp detection rate 7.4%, average colonoscopy withdrawal time was 6 min 53 s, overall diagnostic yield 55.9% and there were no adverse events. Tumors were seen in 19 patients (10.1%); 13 were located in the rectum, three in the sigmoid and three in the descending colon. Conclusion: The audit revealed that our CIR could be improved by a more effective bowel preparation, increased expertise, and procedure volume of endoscopists. Tumors of the colorectum were detected in 10.1% of patients

An appraisal of intestinal stomas at a tertiary hospital in South Western, Nigeria

Background: Intestinal stomas are frequently constructed as part of abdominal surgeries in our center especially for colorectal cancer (CRC). There has been no previous documentation of the experience at our tertiary center. Objective: The objective of this study is to document the indications, types, and complications of intestinal stomas in our center to make necessary recommendations. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of all patients who had intestinal stomas constructed during a 4-year period. The demographic data of patients, the information on indications, types, and complications of intestinal stomas were obtained from theatre records, and case notes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: A total of 85 intestinal stomas were constructed during the study period. Forty-four (51.8%) were males and 41 (48.2%) females with a male-female ratio of 1.07 to 1. The common indications were large bowel obstruction due to CRC (21.2%), anastomotic dehiscence (15.3%), and rectal/sigmoid injuries (12.7%). The intestinal stomas constructed in patients included defunctioning stomas (61.2%), decompression stomas (31.8%), permanent end colostomy following abdominoperineal resection of rectum for cancer (3.5%), and palliative sigmoid colostomy (3.5%) in patients with anal cancer. Sigmoid loop was the commonest stoma, constructed in 26 patients (30.6%). The common complications were peristoma skin excoriation (53.5%), retraction (11.6%) pouch leakage (9.3%), and prolapse (9.3%). Conclusion: Malignant intestinal obstruction due to CRC was the most common indication for stoma construction at our institution. Consequently, massive health education campaign to ensure early presentation of CRC is needed to reduce the need for stoma creation

Management and Outcomes Following Surgery for Gastrointestinal Typhoid: An International, Prospective, Multicentre Cohort Study

Background: Gastrointestinal perforation is the most serious complication of typhoid fever, with a high disease burden in low-income countries. Reliable, prospective, contemporary surgical outcome data are scarce in these settings. This study aimed to investigate surgical outcomes following surgery for intestinal typhoid. Methods: Two multicentre, international prospective cohort studies of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal typhoid perforation were conducted. Outcomes were measured at 30 days and included mortality, surgical site infection, organ space infection and reintervention rate. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to adjust for clinically plausible explanatory variables. Effect estimates are expressed as odds ratios (ORs) alongside their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 88 patients across the GlobalSurg 1 and GlobalSurg 2 studies were included, from 11 countries. Children comprised 38.6% (34/88) of included patients. Most patients (87/88) had intestinal perforation. The 30-day mortality rate was 9.1% (8/88), which was higher in children (14.7 vs. 5.6%). Surgical site infection was common, at 67.0% (59/88). Organ site infection was common, with 10.2% of patients affected. An ASA grade of III and above was a strong predictor of 30-day post-operative mortality, at the univariable level and following adjustment for explanatory variables (OR 15.82, 95% CI 1.53–163.57, p = 0.021). Conclusions: With high mortality and complication rates, outcomes from surgery for intestinal typhoid remain poor. Future studies in this area should focus on sustainable interventions which can reduce perioperative morbidity. At a policy level, improving these outcomes will require both surgical and public health system advances

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially