Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

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

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

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

Novel management of methylene blue extravasation: A case report and review of literature

Methylene blue is a highly irritant drug and has been used intraoperatively. Its accidental extravasation can lead to tissue necrosis. In this report, a unique management is described, and the patient recovered without any morbidity

Anesthetic management of patient with hemophilia a undergoing emergency ventriculoperitoneal shunting: A case report and review of literature

Hemophilia A is a hemorrhagic trend almost exclusively affecting males (X-related recessive disease). In 85% of cases, it is caused by factor VIII deficiency, called hemophilia A or classic hemophilia. Successful anesthetic management depends on the special care and a multidisciplinary team of health professionals informed about the disease, including qualified hematologist, surgeon, and anesthesiologist

Anesthetic management of patient with hemophilia a undergoing emergency ventriculoperitoneal shunting: A case report and review of literature

Hemophilia A is a hemorrhagic trend almost exclusively affecting males (X-related recessive disease). In 85% of cases, it is caused by factor VIII deficiency, called hemophilia A or classic hemophilia. Successful anesthetic management depends on the special care and a multidisciplinary team of health professionals informed about the disease, including qualified hematologist, surgeon, and anesthesiologist

Incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat: a randomized comparison of Glidescope with Macintosh laryngoscope

Abstract Background Postoperative sore throat (POST) is a common problem following endotracheal (ET) intubation during general anesthesia. The objective was to compare the incidence and severity of POST during routine intubation with Glidescope (GL) and Macintosh laryngoscope (MCL). Methods One hundred forty adult patients ASA I and II with normal airway, scheduled to undergo elective surgery under GA requiring ET intubation were enrolled in this prospective randomized study and were randomly divided in two groups, GL and MCL. Incidence and severity of POST was evaluated at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h after surgery. Results At 0 h, the incidence of POST was more in MCL than GL (n = 41 v.s n = 22, P = 0.001), and also at 6 h after surgery (n = 37 v.s n = 23, P = 0.017). Severity of POST was more at 0, 6 and 12 h after surgery in MCL (P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.004 respectively). Conclusions Routine use of GL for ET tube placement results in reduction in the incidence and severity of POST compared to MCL. Trial regisration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02848365. Retrospectively Registered (Date of registration: July, 2016)

Correction to: Incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat: a randomized comparison of Glidescope with Macintosh laryngoscope

We are thankful to Dr. Deepak Gupta (Clinical Assistant Professor Anesthesiology, Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center) for bringing to our attention a typographical error in our manuscript [1]

Difficulty in the removal of epidural catheter for labor analgesia

For labor pain management epidural analgesia is a popular and an effective method. Difficult removal of epidural catheters occasionally occurs, and several maneuvers have been recommended. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the problem of retained epidural catheter fragments and identify the potential impact of complications