Implementation of multimodal computed tomography in a telestroke network : five-year experience

Aims: Penumbral selection is best-evidence practice for thrombectomy in the 6-24 hour window. Moreover, it helps to identify the best responders to thrombolysis. Multimodal computed tomography (mCT) at the primary centre—including noncontrast CT, CT perfusion, and CT angiography—may enhance reperfusion therapy decision-making. We developed a network with five spoke primary stroke sites and assessed safety, feasibility, and influence of mCT in rural hospitals on decision-making for thrombolysis. Methods: Consecutive patients assessed via telemedicine from April 2013 to June 2018. Clinical outcomes were measured, and decision-making compared using theoretical models for reperfusion therapy applied without mCT guidance. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) was assessed according to Safe Implementation of Treatments in Stroke Thrombolysis Registry criteria. Results: A total of 334 patients were assessed, 240 received mCT, 58 were thrombolysed (24.2%). The mean age of thrombolysed patients was 70 years, median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 10 (IQR 7-18) and 23 (39.7%) had a large vessel occlusion. 1.7% had sICH and 3.5% parenchymal hematoma. Three months poststroke, 55% were independent, compared with 70% in the non-thrombolysed group. Conclusion: Implementation of CTP in rural centers was feasible and led to high thrombolysis rates with low rates of sICH. © 2019 The Authors. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

From the ICU to the operating room : how to manage the patient.

International audienc

The impact of minor trauma during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes: A tertiary centre experience

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of minor trauma during pregnancy on maternal and fetal outcomes in patients managed in a tertiary setting. Materials and methods: A retrospective single centre case-controlled study was performed between 2005 and 2017 in a university affiliated tertiary obstetric and trauma centre. All pregnant women of 13–36 weeks gestation that presented to the department of emergency medicine with an Injury Severity Score of <9 were identified. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared with a control group of non-trauma pregnant women during the study at a ratio of 1:4. Variables found significant on univariate analysis were included in a multivariate regression analysis. Results: There were 388 patients allocated to the study group and 2528 to the control group. The groups were demographically similar, however trauma was more common amongst first-time mothers and those pregnant with twins. On univariate analysis, minor trauma was associated with lower gestation age at delivery, lower birth weight, more caesarean sections, lower Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min, longer neonatal hospital admissions and an increased incidence of neonatal intensive care admission. On multivariate analysis, minor trauma remained associated with an earlier gestational age at birth (OR 0.863, 95% CI 0.787-0.946, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Pregnant women who sustained minor trauma during pregnancy should be considered at high-risk of early labour

The impact of caregiver support on mortality following burn injury in the elderly

Advances in burn care have decreased mortality in the past 20 years, but affecting elderly mortality rates (>65 years) remain challenging. This study evaluates the impact of home caregiver support on elderly burn patients' mortality. The authors retrospectively reviewed patients aged 65 and older admitted to their burn center from July 1995 to October 2004. Patient demographics, Injury Severity Score, TBSA, and patients' primary caregiver were collected. The outcomes were mortality, disposition, and length of stay and these were evaluated using univariate and subsequently multivariate regression. Significance was calculated at P ≤ .05. A total of 112 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age was 76±8. Male patients constituted 47%, whereas 53% were female patients, and mean TBSA was 21±16%. Thirty patients' primary caregiver was a spouse, for 38 it was a child, and 44 had no caregiver. Fifty-eight patients survived (51.7%), and 54 patients died (48.3%). Only 21% of the survivors had a child as their primary caregiver; however, 48% of the nonsurvivors had a child as the primary caregiver (P ≤ 0.05). On multivariate analysis, age, TBSA, and child as primary caregiver were all independent predictors of mortality. Having a child as a caregiver provided the largest impact, with an odds ratio of 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-15.62; P = .02)

Report from the 24th Annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference on Colorectal Cancer, Richmond, British Columbia, 28–29, October 2022

The 24th annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference (WCGCCC) was held in Richmond, British Columbia, on 28–29 October 2022. The WCGCCC is an interactive multidisciplinary conference attended by healthcare professionals from across Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) who are involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists; pathologists; radiologists; and allied health care professionals such as dieticians, nurses and a genetic counsellor participated in presentation and discussion sessions for the purpose of developing the recommendations presented here. This consensus statement addresses current issues in the management of colorectal cancer.Non UBCReviewedFacultyResearche

A randomised controlled trial of intramuscular vs. intravenous antivenom for latrodectism - the RAVE study

Background: Widow spider-bite causes latrodectism and is associated with significant morbidity worldwide. Antivenom is given by both the intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) routes and it is unclear which is more effective. Aim: To compare the effectiveness of IV vs. IM redback spider antivenom. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Patients with latrodectism were given either IV or IM antivenom according to a randomized double-dummy, double-blind protocol. The first antivenom treatment was followed by another identical treatment after two hours if required. The primary outcome was a clinically significant reduction in pain two hours after the last treatment. A fully Bayesian analysis was used to estimate the probability of the desired treatment effect, predetermined as an absolute difference of 20%. Results: We randomly allocated 126 patients to receive antivenom IV (64) and IM (62). After antivenom treatment pain improved in 40/64(62%) in the IV group vs. 33/62(53%) in the IM group (+9%; 95% Credible Interval [CrI]: -8% to +26%). The probability of a difference greater than zero (IV superior) was 85% but the probability of a difference >20% was only 10%. In 55 patients with systemic effects, these improved in 58% after IV antivenom vs. 65% after IM antivenom (-8%; 95% CrI: -32% to +17%). Twenty-four hours after antivenom pain had improved in 84% in the IV group vs. 71% in the IM group (+13%; 95% CrI: -2% to +27%). A meta-analysis including data from a previous trial found no difference in the primary outcome between IV and IM administration. Discussion: The difference between IV and IM routes of administration of widow spider antivenom is, at best, small and does not justify routinely choosing one route over the other. Furthermore, antivenom may provide no benefit over placebo

Ultra-early initiation of postoperative rehabilitation in the post-anaesthesia care unit after major thoracic surgery: case-control study.

peer reviewed[en] BACKGROUND: Physiotherapy is a major cornerstone of enhanced rehabilitation after surgery (ERAS) and reduces the development of atelectasis after thoracic surgery. By initiating physiotherapy in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU), the aim was to evaluate whether the ultra-early initiation of rehabilitation (in the first hour following tracheal extubation) would improve the outcomes of patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery. METHODS: A case-control study with a before-and-after design was conducted. From a historical control group, patients were paired at a 3:1 ratio with an intervention group. This group consisted of patients treated with the ultra-early rehabilitation programme after elective thoracic surgery (clear fluids, physiotherapy, and ambulation). The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative atelectasis and/or pneumonia during the hospital stay. RESULTS: After pairing, 675 patients were allocated to the historical control group and 225 patients to the intervention group. A significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative atelectasis and/or pneumonia was found in the latter (11.4 versus 6.7 per cent respectively; P = 0.042) and remained significant on multivariate analysis (OR 0.53, 95 per cent c.i. 0.26 to 0.98; P = 0.045). A subgroup analysis of the intervention group showed that early ambulation during the PACU stay was associated with a further significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative atelectasis and/or pneumonia (2.2 versus 9.5 per cent; P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Ultra-early rehabilitation in the PACU was associated with a decrease in the incidence of postoperative atelectasis and/or pneumonia after major elective thoracic surgery

A randomised controlled trial of intramuscular vs. intravenous antivenom for latrodectism - the RAVE study

Background: Widow spider-bite causes latrodectism and is associated with significant morbidity worldwide. Antivenom is given by both the intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) routes and it is unclear which is more effective. Aim: To compare the effectiveness of IV vs. IM redback spider antivenom. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Patients with latrodectism were given either IV or IM antivenom according to a randomized double-dummy, double-blind protocol. The first antivenom treatment was followed by another identical treatment after two hours if required. The primary outcome was a clinically significant reduction in pain two hours after the last treatment. A fully Bayesian analysis was used to estimate the probability of the desired treatment effect, predetermined as an absolute difference of 20%. Results: We randomly allocated 126 patients to receive antivenom IV (64) and IM (62). After antivenom treatment pain improved in 40/64(62%) in the IV group vs. 33/62(53%) in the IM group (+9%; 95% Credible Interval [CrI]: –8% to +26%). The probability of a difference greater than zero (IV superior) was 85% but the probability of a difference >20% was only 10%. In 55 patients with systemic effects, these improved in 58% after IV antivenom vs. 65% after IM antivenom ( 8%; 95% CrI: –32% to +17%). Twenty-four hours after antivenom pain had improved in 84% in the IV group vs. 71% in the IM group (+13%; 95% CrI: –2% to +27%). A meta-analysis including data from a previous trial found no difference in the primary outcome between IV and IM administration. Discussion: The difference between IV and IM routes of administration of widow spider antivenom is, at best, small and does not justify routinely choosing one route over the other. Furthermore, antivenom may provide no benefit over placebo