Catheter manipulation analysis for objective performance and technical skills assessment in transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Purpose Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) demands precise and efficient handling of surgical instruments within the confines of the aortic anatomy. Operational performance and dexterous skills are critical for patient safety, and objective methods are assessed with a number of manipulation features, derived from the kinematic analysis of the catheter/guidewire in fluoroscopy video sequences. Methods A silicon phantom model of a type I aortic arch was used for this study. Twelve endovascular surgeons, divided into two experience groups, experts (n=6) and novices (n=6), performed cannulation of the aorta, representative of valve placement in TAVI. Each participant completed two TAVI experiments, one with conventional catheters and one with the Magellan robotic platform. Video sequences of the fluoroscopic monitor were recorded for procedural processing. A semi-automated tracking software provided the 2D coordinates of the catheter/guidewire tip. In addition, the aorta phantom was segmented in the videos and the shape of the entire catheter was manually annotated in a subset of the available video frames using crowdsourcing. The TAVI procedure was divided into two stages, and various metrics, representative of the catheter’s overall navigation as well as its relative movement to the vessel wall, were developed. Results Experts consistently exhibited lower values of procedure time and dimensionless jerk, and higher average speed and acceleration than novices. Robotic navigation resulted in increased average distance to the vessel wall in both groups, a surrogate measure of safety and reduced risk of embolisation. Discrimination of experience level and types of equipment was achieved with the generated motion features and established clustering algorithms. Conclusions Evaluation of surgical skills is possible through the analysis of the catheter/guidewire motion pattern. The use of robotic endovascular platforms seems to enable more precise and controlled catheter navigation

Intensive care unit team perception of palliative care: the discourse of the collective subject

OBJECTIVE To learn the perception of health professionals in an intensive care unit towards palliative care. METHOD This was a descriptive and qualitative study based on the converging care approach conducted at an intensive care unit in the South of Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the understanding of the professionals about palliative care in this unit. The data were organized and analyzed using the discourse of the collective subject method with the help of Qualiquantisoft® software. RESULTS Participants included 37 professionals (12 nurses, 11nursing technicians, 5 physical therapists and 9 doctors). The key ideas extracted from the interviews were: care in the end stage of life that avoids futile measures; comfort care; lack of standardized care and lack of team training. CONCLUSION The professionals perceived palliative care as appropriate in the last stages of life, with no need for futile treatment or as comfort measures. However, they are aware of the lack of standardization and lack of capacity building in this area, which leads them to conceive palliative care as terminal care, and measures are recommended to break with this stigma.OBJETIVO Conocer la percepción de los profesionales sanitarios de una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos acerca del cuidado paliativo. MÉTODO Investigación descriptiva, cualitativa del tipo Convergente Asistencial realizada en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de la región sur de Brasil. Se empleó entrevista semiestructurada que investigó el entendimiento y la comprensión acerca del cuidado paliativo en esa unidad. Los datos fueron organizados y analizados por la técnica del discurso del sujeto colectivo con auxilio del software Qualiquantisoft®. RESULTADOS Participaron en el estudio 37 profesionales (12 enfermeros, 11 técnicos de enfermería, cinco fisioterapeutas y nueve médicos). Las ideas centrales extraídas de los relatos: cuidado en la fase terminal de la vida sin medidas fútiles; cuidados de confort; ausencia de uniformización de la asistencia y de capacitación para el equipo. CONCLUSIÓN Los profesionales perciben el cuidado paliativo apropiado en la fase terminal de la vida, sin necesidad de medidas fútiles de tratamiento y promotoras de confort. Sin embargo, están enterados de la falta de uniformización y de su capacitación en esa materia, lo que lleva a concebir el paliativismo como cuidado de terminalidad, por lo que se recomiendan medidas para romper dicho estigma.OBJETIVO Conhecer a percepção dos profissionais de saúde de uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva acerca do cuidado paliativo. MÉTODO Pesquisa descritiva, qualitativa do tipo Convergente Assistencial realizada em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva da região sul do Brasil. Utilizou-se de entrevista semiestruturada que investigou o entendimento e a compreensão sobre cuidado paliativo nesta unidade. Os dados foram organizados e analisados pela técnica do discurso do sujeito coletivo com auxílio do software Qualiquantisoft®. RESULTADOS Participaram do estudo 37 profissionais (12 enfermeiros, 11 técnicos de enfermagem, cinco fisioterapeutas e nove médicos). As ideias centrais extraídas dos relatos: cuidado na fase terminal da vida sem medidas fúteis; cuidados de conforto; falta uniformizar a assistência e falta capacitação para a equipe. CONCLUSÃO Os profissionais percebem o cuidado paliativo apropriado na fase terminal da vida, sem necessidade de medidas fúteis de tratamento e promotoras de conforto. No entanto, estão conscientes da falta de uniformização e da sua capacitação nesta matéria, o que os leva a conceber o paliativismo como cuidado de terminalidade, pelo que se recomendam medidas para romper com este estigma