Chaotic nature of sepsis and multiple organ failure cannot be explained by linear statistical methods

PubMe

A New Synthetic Conduit for the Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Injuries

Background Peripheral nerve defects (PND) often cause lifelong physical disability, and the available treatment options are often not satisfactory. PND are usually bridged with an autologous nerve transplant or a nerve guidance conduit (NGC), when coaptation as preferred technique is not possible. The aim of this experimental study was to determine the effectiveness of a novel NGC for regeneration in the treatment of PND. Materials and methods A conduit made of gelatin with an innovative interior structure was tested for the repair of a 6-mm gap versus direct microsurgical suture repair without gap. Results We found that bridging the defect with this conduit was as effective as direct microsurgical coaptation without a defect. Conclusions This nerve conduit, effective in bridging neural defects, appears as an alternative to autologous nerve grafts, avoiding the problems related to nerve graft harvesting, host–donor differences in diameter, mismatches in number and pattern of fascicles, cross-sectional shape and area, and morbidity of the donor area

The Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery : defining a model for antimicrobial stewardship-results from an international cross-sectional survey

Background: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections) project and on 658 international experts in the fields of ASPs, infection control, and infections in surgery. Results: The response rate was 19.4%. One hundred fifty-six (98.7%) participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary AST. The median number of physicians working inside the team was five [interquartile range 4-6]. An infectious disease specialist, a microbiologist and an infection control specialist were, respectively, present in 80.1, 76.3, and 67.9% of the ASTs. A surgeon was a component in 59.0% of cases and was significantly more likely to be present in university hospitals (89.5%, p <0.05) compared to community teaching (83.3%) and community hospitals (66.7%). Protocols for pre-operative prophylaxis and for antimicrobial treatment of surgical infections were respectively implemented in 96.2 and 82.3% of the hospitals. The majority of the surgical departments implemented both persuasive and restrictive interventions (72.8%). The most common types of interventions in surgical departments were dissemination of educational materials (62.5%), expert approval (61.0%), audit and feedback (55.1%), educational outreach (53.7%), and compulsory order forms (51.5%). Conclusion: The survey showed a heterogeneous organization of ASPs worldwide, demonstrating the necessity of a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach in the battle against antimicrobial resistance in surgical infections, and the importance of educational efforts towards this goal.Peer reviewe

Survey on worldwide trauma team activation requirement

PURPOSE : trauma team activation (TTA) is thought to be essential for advanced and specialized care of very severely injured patients. However, non-specific TTA criteria may result in overtriage that consumes valuable resources or endanger patients in need of TTA secondary to undertriage. Consequently, criterion standard definitions to calculate the accuracy of the various TTA protocols are required for research and quality assurance purposes. Recently, several groups suggested a list of conditions when a trauma team is considered to be essential in the initial care in the emergency room. The objective of the survey was to post hoc identify trauma-related conditions that are thought to require a specialized trauma team that may be widely accepted, independent from the country’s income level. METHODS : A set of questions was developed, centered around the level of agreement with the proposed post hoc criteria to define adequate trauma team activation. The participants gave feedback before they answered the survey to improve the quality of the questions. The finalized survey was conducted using an online tool and a word form. The income per capita of a country was rated according to the World Bank Country and Lending groups. RESULTS : The return rate was 76% with a total of 37 countries participating. The agreement with the proposed criteria to define post hoc correct requirements for trauma team activation was more than 75% for 12 of the 20 criteria. The rate of disagreement was low and varied between zero and 13%. The level of agreement was independent from the country’s level of income. CONCLUSIONS : The agreement on criteria to post hoc define correct requirements for trauma team activation appears high and it may be concluded that the proposed criteria could be useful for most countries, independent from their level of income. Nevertheless, more discussions on an international level appear to be warranted to achieve a full consensus to define a universal set of criteria that will allow for quality assessment of over- and undertriage of trauma team activation as well as for the validation of field triage criteria for the most severely injured patients worldwide.http://link.springer.com/journal/68am2022Surger

Ten golden rules for optimal antibiotic use in hospital settings: the WARNING call to action

Antibiotics are recognized widely for their benefits when used appropriately. However, they are often used inappropriately despite the importance of responsible use within good clinical practice. Effective antibiotic treatment is an essential component of universal healthcare, and it is a global responsibility to ensure appropriate use. Currently, pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to develop new antibiotics due to scientific, regulatory, and financial barriers, further emphasizing the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. To address this issue, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery established an international multidisciplinary task force of 295 experts from 115 countries with different backgrounds. The task force developed a position statement called WARNING (Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance National/International Network Group) aimed at raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improving antibiotic prescribing practices worldwide. The statement outlined is 10 axioms, or “golden rules,” for the appropriate use of antibiotics that all healthcare workers should consistently adhere in clinical practice

Adverse events, quality of life, and recurrence rates after laparoscopic adhesiolysis and recurrent incisional hernia mesh repair in patients with previous failed repairs.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of laparoscopic adhesiolysis and mesh repair on adverse event rates, quality-of-life (QoL) scores, and recurrence rates in patients with recurrent incisional hernia after failed repairs after multiple laparotomies. STUDY DESIGN: Data on consecutive patients were included prospectively. Recurrent incisional hernia was defined as a fascia defect \u3e 5 cm. Adhesions were classified according to time needed for lysis. A standardized repair with IP polytetrafluoroethylene mesh, transabdominal sutures, and tacks was developed by the surgeons during a pretrial routine. QoL was assessed by the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) before operation and at 24-month followup. Values are median (range). RESULTS: There were 85 consecutive patients aged 55 years (range 29 to 93 years); 45% were men; body mass index, 31 (range 23 to 39); American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I: 27%, II: 70%, III: 2%; comorbidity, 75%; previous laparotomies; 5 (range 2 to 18); previous colectomy, 87%; previous failed repairs, 4 (range 2 to 15); previous mesh repair, 98%; and midline hernia site, 98%. Fascia defect was 255 cm(2) (range 48 to 416 cm(2)), mesh size, 600 cm(2) (range 285 to 884 cm(2)), and operating time 145 minutes (80 to 210 minutes). There was one conversion. Length of stay was 2 days (1 to 9 days). A 15.2% adverse event rate included 1% port-site cellulitis, 7% seroma, and 7% persistent pain. Hernia recurrence rate was 3.5% at 41-month (range 24 to 61 months) followup. GIQLI total scores were significantly improved at followup (98 versus 116; p \u3c 0.001). Domain GIQLI scores were improved at followup for symptoms (54 versus 63; p \u3c 0.001), emotional function (12 versus 16; p \u3c 0.001), and physical function (15 versus 21; p \u3c 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adhesiolysis and recurrent hernia mesh repair resulted in a low rate of adverse events, a substantially improved health-related QoL, and a risk of recurrence similar to the rates associated with first-time hernia repair