11 research outputs found
Interfacility transfers in a non-trauma system setting: an assessment of the Greek reality
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Quality assessment of any trauma system involves the evaluation of the transferring patterns. This study aims to assess interfacility transfers in the absence of a formal trauma system setting and to estimate the benefits from implementing a more organized structure.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The 'Report of the Epidemiology and Management of Trauma in Greece' is a one year project of trauma patient reporting throughout the country. It provided data concerning the patterns of interfacility transfers. We compared the transferred patient group to the non transferred patient group. Information reviewed included patient and injury characteristics, need for an operation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admittance and mortality. Analysis employed descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Interfacility transfers were then assessed according to each health care facility's availability of five requirements; Computed Tomography scanner, ICU, neurosurgeon, orthopedic and vascular surgeon.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data on 8,524 patients were analyzed; 86.3% were treated at the same facility, whereas 13.7% were transferred. Transferred patients tended to be younger, male, and more severely injured than non transferred patients. Moreover, they were admitted to ICU more often, had a higher mortality rate but were less operated on compared to non transferred patients. The 34.3% of transfers was from facilities with none of the five requirements, whereas the 12.4% was from those with one requirement. Low level facilities, with up to three requirements transferred 43.2% of their transfer volume to units of equal resources.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Trauma management in Greece results in a high number of transfers. Patients are frequently transferred between low level facilities. Better coordination could lead to improved outcomes and less cost.</p
Current practice and surgical outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer : UK NeST study
Funding Information: This work was funded by a grant from the Association of Breast SurgeryPeer reviewedPublisher PD
Staple line reinforcement with stitch in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies. Is it useful or harmful?
Background: Reinforcement of the staple line in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a practice that leads to less morbidity, but equivocal results have been reported in the literature. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective randomized study comparing two groups of patients who underwent LSG. In one group LSG was performed with a running absorbable suture placement at the staple line. In the other group the running suture was not placed. General data of the patients, as well as intraoperative and postoperative data, were gathered and statistically analyzed. Results: Overall, 146 patients were subjected to LSG. In 84 patients a running suture was placed, and in 62 patients no suture was placed. No significant differences were found between the two groups in demographic data. No significant differences were found also in the intraoperative data, such as number of trocars, number and type of cartridges, drain placement, and operative time (45±21 versus 40±20 minutes, respectively; P<.05). Intraoperative complications were significantly more in the group with the suture placement (33.3% versus 16.1%, respectively; P<.05). Hematomas developed intraoperatively in more patients after the placement of the running suture (9.5% versus 0.0%, respectively; P<.05). Postoperatively, there was no significant difference in morbidity between the two groups (8.3% versus 9.7%, respectively; P>.05). Conclusions: After this randomized study, final conclusions about the efficacy of this running suture to the staple line cannot be made. To the contrary, problems seem to exist after such reinforcement of the staple line, such as hematomas. Dealing with possible leaks and hemorrhage of the staple line is also problematic after placement of the running suture. © Copyright 2015, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2015
The effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on the antireflux mechanism: Can it be minimized?
Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a promising procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity. The stomach is usually transected near the angle of His; hence, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) may be affected with consequences on postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of LSG on the LES and postoperative GERD. Methods: Severely obese asymptomatic patients submitted to LSG underwent esophageal manometry and GERD evaluation preoperatively and at least 6 weeks postoperatively. Data reviewed included patient demographics, manometric measurements, GERD symptoms, and pathology. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software. Results: Twelve male and eleven female patients participated in the study. Mean age was 38.5 ± 10.9 years, and initial body mass index was 47.9 ± 5.1 kg/m2. At follow-up examination, mean excess body mass index loss was 32.3 ± 12.7 %. The LES total and abdominal length increased significantly postoperatively, whereas the contraction amplitude in the lower esophagus decreased. There was an increase in reflux symptoms postoperatively (p &lt; 0.009). The operating surgeon who mostly approximated the angle of His resulted in an increased abdominal LES length (p &lt; 0.01). The presence of esophageal tissue in the specimen correlated with increased total GERD score (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: LSG weakens the contraction amplitude of the lower esophagus, which may contribute to postoperative reflux deterioration. It also increases the total and the abdominal length of the LES, especially when the angle of His is mostly approximated. However, if this approximation leads to esophageal tissue excision, reflux is again aggravated. Thus, stapling too close to the angle of His should be done cautiously. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
Emergency room management of trauma patients in Greece: Preliminary report of a national study
Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to record and to evaluate
the epidemiology of trauma in Greece and to assess the quality of
management provided for trauma patients in the emergency department in
Greek hospitals.
Methods: The Hellenic Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery invited
all the official representatives of the society throughout the country
to participate in the study. The representatives that responded
positively, met with the Board of the society in succeeding meetings to
establish the reporting form and the inclusion criteria. Inclusion
criteria were defined as trauma patients requiring admission, transfer
to a higher level center or arrived dead or died in the emergency
department of the reporting hospital. All reports were accumulated by
the Hellenic Trauma society, imported in an electronic data base and
analyzed. The design of the study was prospective and observational.
Results: In total 8862 patients were included in the study in 12 months
time. Of them 68.7% (n = 6084) were male, aged 41.8 +/- 20.6 (mean +/-
S.D.) and 31.3% were female (n = 2778), aged 52.7 +/- 24.1 (mean +/-
S.D.). The mean duration of treatment in the emergency room department
was I h and 28 min. Of the total number of patients, 2312 (26.1 %) were
initially assessed and managed by a specialist and 6249 (70.5%) were
initially assessed and managed by a resident.
Conclusions: Data from this study show that there is substantial room
for improvement in the patient care in the emergency department
following trauma. Further evaluation will be required to identify
particular management patterns that can be readily altered. (C) 2008
Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Interfacility transfers in a non-trauma system setting: an assessment of the Greek reality
Background: Quality assessment of any trauma system involves the
evaluation of the transferring patterns. This study aims to assess
interfacility transfers in the absence of a formal trauma system setting
and to estimate the benefits from implementing a more organized
structure.
Methods: The ‘Report of the Epidemiology and Management of Trauma in
Greece’ is a one year project of trauma patient reporting throughout the
country. It provided data concerning the patterns of interfacility
transfers. We compared the transferred patient group to the non
transferred patient group. Information reviewed included patient and
injury characteristics, need for an operation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
admittance and mortality. Analysis employed descriptive statistics and
Chi-square test. Interfacility transfers were then assessed according to
each health care facility’s availability of five requirements; Computed
Tomography scanner, ICU, neurosurgeon, orthopedic and vascular surgeon.
Results: Data on 8,524 patients were analyzed; 86.3% were treated at
the same facility, whereas 13.7% were transferred. Transferred patients
tended to be younger, male, and more severely injured than non
transferred patients. Moreover, they were admitted to ICU more often,
had a higher mortality rate but were less operated on compared to non
transferred patients. The 34.3% of transfers was from facilities with
none of the five requirements, whereas the 12.4% was from those with
one requirement. Low level facilities, with up to three requirements
transferred 43.2% of their transfer volume to units of equal resources.
Conclusion: Trauma management in Greece results in a high number of
transfers. Patients are frequently transferred between low level
facilities. Better coordination could lead to improved outcomes and less
cost
Breast Angiosarcoma Surveillance Study: UK national audit of management and outcomes of angiosarcoma of the breast and chest wall.
BACKGROUND
Breast angiosarcomas are rare tumours of vascular origin. Secondary angiosarcoma occurs following radiotherapy for breast cancer. Angiosarcomas have high recurrence and poor survival rates. This is concerning owing to the increasing use of adjuvant radiotherapy for the treatment of invasive breast cancer and ductal cancer in situ (DCIS), which could explain the rising incidence of angiosarcoma. Outcome data are limited and provide a poor evidence base for treatment. This paper presents a national, trainee-led, retrospective, multicentre study of a large angiosarcoma cohort.
METHODS
Data for patients with a diagnosis of breast/chest wall angiosarcoma between 2000 and 2015 were collected retrospectively from 15 centres.
RESULTS
The cohort included 183 patients with 34 primary and 149 secondary angiosarcomas. Median latency from breast cancer to secondary angiosarcoma was 6 years. Only 78.9 per cent of patients were discussed at a sarcoma multidisciplinary team meeting. Rates of recurrence were high with 14 of 28 (50 per cent) recurrences in patients with primary and 80 of 124 (64.5 per cent) in those with secondary angiosarcoma at 5 years. Many patients had multiple recurrences: total of 94 recurrences in 162 patients (58.0 per cent). Median survival was 5 (range 0-16) years for patients with primary and 5 (0-15) years for those with secondary angiosarcoma. Development of secondary angiosarcoma had a negative impact on predicted breast cancer survival, with a median 10-year PREDICT prognostic rate of 69.6 per cent, compared with 54.0 per cent in the observed cohort.
CONCLUSION
A detrimental impact of secondary angiosarcoma on breast cancer survival has been demonstrated. Although not statistically significant, almost all excess deaths were attributable to angiosarcoma. The increased use of adjuvant radiotherapy to treat low-risk breast cancer and DCIS is a cause for concern and warrants further study