Daily functioning and self-management in patients with chronic low back pain after an intensive cognitive behavioral programme for pain management

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is associated with persistent or recurrent disability which results in high costs for society. Cognitive behavioral treatments produce clinically relevant benefits for patients with CLBP. Nevertheless, no clear evidence for the most appropriate intervention is yet available. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mid-term effects of treatment in a cohort of patients with CLBP participating in an intensive pain management programme. The programme provided by RealHealth-Netherlands is based on cognitive behavioral principles and executed in collaboration with orthopedic surgeons. Main outcome parameters were daily functioning (Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire and Oswestry Disability Questionnaire), self-efficacy (Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire) and quality of life (Short Form 36 Physical Component Score). All parameters were measured at baseline, last day of residential programme and at 1 and 12 months follow-up. Repeated measures analysis was applied to examine changes over time. Clinical relevance was examined using minimal clinical important differences (MCID) estimates for main outcomes. To compare results with literature effect sizes (Cohen’s d) and Standardized Morbidity Ratios (SMR) were determined. 107 patients with CLBP participated in this programme. Mean scores on outcome measures showed a similar pattern: improvement after residential programme and maintenance of results over time. Effect sizes were 0.9 for functioning, 0.8 for self-efficacy and 1.3 for physical functioning related quality of life. Clinical relevancy: 79% reached MCID on functioning, 53% on self-efficacy and 80% on quality of life. Study results on functioning were found to be 36% better and 2% worse when related to previous research on, respectively, rehabilitation programmes and spinal surgery for similar conditions (SMR 136 and 98%, respectively). The participants of this evidence-based programme learned to manage CLBP, improved in daily functioning and quality of life. The study results are meaningful and comparable with results of spinal surgery and even better than results from less intensive rehabilitation programmes

Methods for specifying the target difference in a randomised controlled trial : the Difference ELicitation in TriAls (DELTA) systematic review

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

Conduta na lesão dural intraoperatória em artrodese da coluna lombar Conducta en lesión de duramadre intraoperatoria en artrodesis de la columna lumbar Management of intraoperatory dural tear in lumbar spine arthrodesis

OBJETIVO: estudo retrospectivo de pacientes com lesão dural intraoperatória de cirurgia da coluna vertebral lombar, conduzido por meio de um protocolo independente da extensão da lesão, complicações associadas e resultados após seguimento mínimo de um ano. MÉTODOS: um total de 10 pacientes com durotomia acidental em cirurgias de descompressão e artrodese da coluna vertebral lombar, no período de Janeiro de 2007 a Janeiro de 2009, para tratamento de doença degenerativa, tiveram seus prontuários revisados, após terem sido tratados por meio de um protocolo embasado em reparo primário da lesão, drenagem subaracnoidea fechada, subfascial e subcutânea aspirativa realizados por cirurgião experiente, associado a repouso relativo com mobilidade precoce e terapia medicamentosa. Suas anotações e exames radiológicos foram verificados com seguimento pós-operatório e direcionados para identificação de sintomas sugestivos de complicações. RESULTADOS: todos os pacientes apresentaram boa evolução, sem ocorrência de fístula liquórica ou infecção pós-operatória; três deles apresentaram cefaleia pós-operatória de leve intensidade. Não houve necessidade de reoperação em nenhum desses pacientes. CONCLUSÃO: concluiu-se que a conduta adotada é segura e de bom resultado para os pacientes quando ocorre esse tipo de lesão, independentemente da extensão da mesma.<br>OBJETIVO: un estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con lesión de la duramadre intraoperatoria de cirugía en la columna lumbar, llevada a cabo por medio de un protocolo independiente de la extensión de la lesión, complicaciones asociadas y los resultados de seguimiento después de un mínimo de un año. MÉTODOS: 10 pacientes con durotomía accidental en la descompresión quirúrgica y artrodesis de la columna vertebral lumbar, en el período de enero de 2007 a enero de 2009, para el tratamiento de enfermedades degenerativas, tuvieron sus registros revisados después de tendieren sido tratados por un protocolo basado en la reparación primaria de la lesión, subaracnoidea drenaje cerrado, aspiración subfascial y subcutánea realizada por cirujanos con experiencia, combinada con el reposo relativo, con la movilización precoz y el tratamiento farmacológico. Sus notas y las imágenes fueron verificadas con el seguimiento postoperatorio y direccionadas para la identificación de síntomas sugestivos de complicaciones. RESULTADOS: todos los pacientes tuvieron buena evolución, sin registro de pérdidas de líquido cefalorraquídeo o infección postoperatoria, tres tuvieron cefalea en el postoperatorio de intensidad leve. No hubo necesidad de reintervención en esos pacientes. CONCLUSIÓN: la conducta adoptada es segura y con buen resultado para pacientes en los que este tipo de lesión se produce, independiente de la extensión de la misma.<br>OBJECTIVE: a retrospective study of patients with spinal dural intraoperative lumbar spine surgery, conducted by means of a protocol regardless of the extent of the injury, associated complications and follow-up results after a minimum of one year. METHODS: a total of 10 patients with accidental durotomy in surgical decompression and arthrodesis of the lumbar spine during the period from January 2007 to January 2009 for treatment of degenerative disease had their records reviewed after being treated by a protocol based in primary repair of the lesion, closed subarachnoid drainage, subfascial and subcutaneous aspiration drainage performed by experienced surgeons, combined with relative rest with early mobilization and drug therapy. Their notes and imaging were verified with follow-up aimed to identify symptoms that could suggest complications. RESULTS: all patients had a good outcome, without occurrence of cerebrospinal fluid leaks or postoperative infection; three had postoperative headache of mild intensity. There was no need for reoperation in these patients. CONCLUSION: we concluded that the conduct adopted is safe and has a good outcome for patients when this type of injury occurs, regardless of its extent