Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Validation of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnoea in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This review presents the predictive parameters of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a screening tool for OSA in this population.Methods A search of databases was performed. The inclusion criteria were: (1) use of the STOP-Bang questionnaire to screen for OSA in adults (>18 years) with cardiovascular risk factors; (2) polysomnography or home sleep apnoea testing performed as a reference standard; (3) OSA defined by either Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index (AHI) or Respiratory Disturbance Index; and (4) data on predictive parameters of the STOP-Bang questionnaire. A random-effects model was used to obtain pooled predictive parameters of the STOP-Bang questionnaire.Results The literature search resulted in 3888 articles, of which 9 papers met the inclusion criteria, involving 1894 patients. The average age of the included patients was 58±13 years with body mass index (BMI) of 30±6 kg/m2, and 64% were male. The STOP-Bang questionnaire has a sensitivity of 89.1%, 90.7% and 93.9% to screen for all (AHI ≥5), moderate-to-severe (AHI ≥15) and severe (AHI≥30) OSA, respectively. The specificity was 32.3%, 22.5% and 18.3% and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.86, 0.65 and 0.52 for all, moderate-to-severe and severe OSA, respectively.Conclusion The STOP-Bang questionnaire is an effective tool to screen for OSA (AHI≥5) with AUC of 0.86 in patients with cardiovascular risk factors

Validation of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a preoperative screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder that is highly associated with postoperative complications. The STOP-Bang questionnaire is a simple screening tool for OSA. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the validity of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for screening OSA in the surgical population cohort. Methods: A systematic search of the following databases was performed from 2008 to May 2021: MEDLINE, Medline-in-process, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Journals @ Ovid, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL. Continued literature surveillance was performed through October 2021. Results: The systematic search identified 4641 articles, from which 10 studies with 3247 surgical participants were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 57.3 ± 15.2 years, and the mean BMI was 32.5 ± 10.1 kg/m2 with 47.4% male. The prevalence of all, moderate-to-severe, and severe OSA were 65.2, 37.7, and 17.0%, respectively. The pooled sensitivity of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for all, moderate-to-severe, and severe OSA was 85, 88, and 90%, and the pooled specificities were 47, 29, and 27%, respectively. The area under the curve for all, moderate-to-severe, and severe OSA was 0.84, 0.67, and 0.63. Conclusions: In the preoperative setting, the STOP-Bang questionnaire is a valid screening tool to detect OSA in patients undergoing surgery, with a high sensitivity and a high discriminative power to reasonably exclude severe OSA with a negative predictive value of 93.2%.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCReviewedFacultyUndergraduateOthe

Comparison of bispectral index and entropy monitoring in patients undergoing internalisation of deep brain stimulators

Introduction: Depth of anaesthesia (DOA) monitors are shown to reduce the intra-operative dose of anaesthetic agents, provide haemodynamic stability and shorten emergence times. Electroencephalography (EEG) based DOA monitors such as bispectral index (BIS) and entropy have been calibrated and validated in healthy subjects. Hence the clinical effectiveness of these monitors may be affected when monitoring patients with neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, dystonia, dementia and Parkinson’s disease). The aim of this study was to determine whether BIS and entropy correlate with each other and with clinical indices of DOA in patients with movement disorders under general anaesthesia (GA). Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study in patients with movement disorders undergoing internalization of deep brain stimulators. All patients received standard GA with age-adjusted mean alveolar concentration (aaMAC) of an inhalational agent between 0.7 and 1.1. BIS and entropy sensors were applied on the patient’s left forehead. Data collected included clinical parameters and EEG-based DOA indices. Correlation analysis was performed between entropy, BIS and the clinical indices of DOA. Bland Altman analysis was performed to determine the agreement between BIS and entropy. Results: Thirty patients were studied (mean age was 58.4 ± 11 years, male: female 18:12 and weight 79.2 ± 17 kg). Indications for deep brain stimulation were Parkinson’s disease (n = 25), essential tremors (n = 2) and dystonia (n = 3). There was a very strong positive correlation between BIS and response entropy (RE) (r = 0.932) and BIS and state entropy (SE) (r = 0.950) and a strong negative correlation among aaMAC and BIS, RE and SE with r values of −0.686, −0.788 and −0.732, respectively. However, there was no correlation between BIS, RE, SE and haemodynamic values. Conclusion: Our study showed that BIS and entropy perform well in patients with movement disorders. There was a good correlation between the BIS and entropy devices. Haemodynamic parameters were not reliable indicators of DOA in these patients

Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation following Noncardiothoracic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of Observational Studies

Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in 16–30% of patients after cardiac and thoracic surgery and can lead to serious complications like hypoperfusion of vital organs, pulmonary edema, and myocardial infarction. The evidence on risk factors and complications associated with perioperative AF after noncardiothoracic surgery is limited. Methods. The primary objective was to determine demographic and clinical risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation associated with noncardiothoracic surgery. A secondary aim was to identify the incidence and odds of perioperative complications associated with the new-onset atrial fibrillation. A systematic search within multiple databases was conducted for studies that explicitly reported on new-onset atrial fibrillation after noncardiothoracic surgery. We reported data on demographics, comorbidities, and perioperative complications as mean difference (MD) or odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) using random effects models. A two-sided P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. We performed meta-regression and sensitivity analysis of various subgroups to confirm the inference of our findings. Results. Eleven studies reporting on 121,517 patients were included, of whom 2,944 developed perioperative AF (incidence rate: 3.7%; 95% CI: 2.3%––6.2%). Advanced age (AF group versus control group: 69.36 ± 10.5 versus 64.37 ± 9.53 years; MD: 4.06; 95% CI: 1.67––6.44; P=0.0009), male gender (52.85% versus 43.59%; OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.54 to 1.62; I2: 84%; P<0.0001), preoperative hypertension (60.42% versus 56.51%; OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.23; I2: 0%; P<0.00001), diabetes mellitus (22.6% versus 23.04%; OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.05; I2: 0; P<0.00001), and cardiac disease (30.64% versus 8.49%; OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 0.28 to 4.31; I2: 93%; P=0.03) were found to be significant predictors for perioperative AF. The AF group was at increased odds of developing postoperative cardiac complications (34.1% versus 5%; OR: 5.44; 95% CI: 0.49 to 10.39; I2: 82%; P=0.03), postoperative stroke (0.5% versus 0.1%; OR: 3; 95% CI: 0.65 to 5.35; I2: 0%; P=0.01), and mortality (7.40% versus 1.92%; OR: 3.58; 95% CI: 0.14 to 7.02; I2: 0%; P=0.04). Study quality assessment by meta-regression and sensitivity analysis of the various subgroups did not affect the final inference of the results. Conclusion. We identified advanced age, male gender, preoperative hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiac disease as important risk factors for perioperative atrial fibrillation. The atrial fibrillation group was at increased odds for postoperative cardiac complications, stroke, and higher mortality, emphasizing the need for risk stratification and close monitoring

Effects of comprehensive geriatric care models on postoperative outcomes in geriatric surgical patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background The elderly population is highly susceptible to develop post-operative complications after major surgeries. It is not clear whether the comprehensive geriatric care models are effective in reducing adverse events. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine whether the comprehensive geriatric care models improved clinical outcomes, particularly in decreasing the prevalence of delirium and length of hospital stay (LOS) in elderly surgical patients. Method We searched Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Emcare Nursing, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials. Gov, and ICTRP between 2009 to January 23, 2020. We included studies on geriatric care models in elderly patients (≥60 years) undergoing elective, non-cardiac high-risk surgery. The outcomes were the prevalence of delirium, LOS, rates of 30-days readmission, and 30-days mortality. We used the Cochrane Review Manager Version 5.3. to estimate the pooled Odds Ratio (OR) and Mean Difference (MD) using random effect model analysis. Results Eleven studies were included with 2672 patients [Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): 4; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials (Non-RCTs): 7]. Data pooled from six studies showed that there was no significant difference in the prevalence of delirium between the intervention and control groups: 13.8% vs 15.9% (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.30–1.96; p = 0.57). Similarly, there were no significant differences in the LOS (MD: -0.55; 95% CI: − 2.28, 1.18; p = 0.53), 30-day readmission (12.1% vs. 14.3%; OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.67–1.77; p = 0.73), and 30-day mortality (3.2% vs. 2.1%; OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 0.66–2.69; p = 0.42). The quality of evidence was very low. Conclusions The geriatric care models involved pre-operative comprehensive geriatric assessment, and intervention tools to address cognition, frailty, and functional status. In non-cardiac high-risk surgeries, these care models did not show any significant difference in the prevalence of delirium, LOS, 30-days readmission rates, and 30-day mortality in geriatric patients. Further RCTs are warranted to evaluate these models on the postoperative outcomes. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number - CRD42020181779

Is obstructive sleep apnea associated with difficult airway? Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND:Difficult airway management and obstructive sleep apnea may contribute to increased risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) is to evaluate the evidence of a difficult airway being associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients undergoing surgery. METHODS:The standard databases were searched from 1946 to April 2017 to identify the eligible articles. The studies which included adult surgical patients with either suspected or diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea must report at least one difficult airway event [either difficult intubation (DI), difficult mask ventilation (DMV), failed supraglottic airway insertion or difficult surgical airway] in sleep apnea and non-sleep apnea patients were included. RESULTS:Overall, DI was 3.46-fold higher in the sleep apnea vs non-sleep apnea patients (OSA vs. non-OSA: 13.5% vs 2.5%; OR 3.46; 95% CI: 2.32-5.16, p <0.00001). DMV was 3.39-fold higher in the sleep apnea vs non-sleep apnea patients (OSA vs. non-OSA: 4.4% vs 1.1%; OR 3.39; 95% CI: 2.74-4.18, p <0.00001). Combined DI and DMV was 4.12-fold higher in the OSA vs. non-OSA patients (OSA vs. non-OSA: 1.1% vs 0.3%; OR 4.12; 95% CI: 2.93-5.79, p <0.00001). There was no significant difference in the supraglottic airway failure rates in the sleep apnea vs non-sleep apnea patients (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 0.70-2.59; p = 0.38). Meta-regression to adjust for various subgroups and baseline confounding factors did not impact the final inference of our results. CONCLUSION:This SRMA found that patients with obstructive sleep apnea had a three to four-fold higher risk of difficult intubation or mask ventilation or both, when compared to non-sleep apnea patients