Hong Kong dentists' preparedness for medical emergency in dental clinics

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the Hong Kong dentists’ and dental clinics’ preparedness for medical emergency in the dental clinic. Methods: Two custom designed questionnaires were developed, one for dentists and another for dental clinics, to collect the required information. The sampling frame for participants was the list of registered dentists published by the Hong Kong Dental Council on its website in January 2016. A total of 434 dentists and 143 dental clinics were selected from the list by systematic random sampling. The latter sample was supplemented by 10 randomly selected government dental clinics. The questionnaires were mailed the selected dentists together with a cover letter and a stamped return envelope. A reminder letter and another copy of the questionnaire were sent out two weeks after the first mailing. Results: 167 (38%) completed dentist questionnaires and 53 (35%) clinic questionnaires were collected. Most of the respondent dentists had some deficient knowledge on basic life support (BLS), their mean score was 3.5 out of a maximum of 5. Most (>60%) of the respondents thought they were competent in performing medical emergency procedures except giving intravenous injection. Moreover, most (>60%) of them held positive attitude towards having immediate availability of essential medical emergency equipment and drugs in their clinic. Dentists who were more recent graduates, those with postgraduate qualifications, and those who work with accompaniment generally had higher mean BLS knowledge scores. In the dental clinics, the most commonly kept medical emergency equipment/drug was instant glucose (70%) and followed by antihistamine (62%). Only a quarter of the clinics were equipped with AED, and 45% were equipped with oxygen cylinder. For 8 out of the 11 items, a higher proportion of the bigger clinics (>2 dental chairs) than the smaller clinics had the medical emergency equipment/drug available (Chi-square test, p<0.05). Conclusion: Hong Kong dentists have a moderate level of knowledge on BLS which should be enhanced through regular attendance at CE courses. Their knowledge level is affected by a number of their background and professional activities factors. Most dental clinics in Hong Kong have only few of the essential medical emergency equipment and drugs while the larger clinics are better equipped than the smaller clinics.published_or_final_versio

A Man with Labile Blood Pressure

Ronald Ma and colleagues discuss the differential diagnosis and management of a patient who presented with recurrent episodes of chest discomfort, palpitations, and labile blood pressure

Speak-up culture in an intensive care unit in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional survey exploring the communication openness perceptions of Chinese doctors and nurses

Objectives Despite growing recognition of the importance of speaking up to protect patient safety in critical care, little research has been performed in this area in an intensive care unit (ICU) context. This study explored the communication openness perceptions of Chinese doctors and nurses and identified their perceptions of issues in ICU communication, their reasons for speaking up and the possible factors and strategies involved in promoting the practice of speaking up. Design A mixed-methods design with quantitative and sequential qualitative components was used. Setting and participants Eighty ICU staff members from a large public hospital in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of communication openness. Ten clinicians whose survey responses indicated support for open communication were then interviewed about their speak-up practices. Results The participating ICU staff members had similar perceptions of their openness to communication. However, the doctors responded more positively than the nurses to many aspects of communication openness. The two groups also had different perceptions of speaking up. The interviewed ICU staff members who indicated a high level of communication openness reported that their primary reasons for speaking up were to seek and clarify information, which was achieved by asking questions. Other factors perceived to influence the motivation to speak up included seniority, relationships and familiarity with patient cases. Conclusions Creating an atmosphere of safety and equality in which team members feel confident in expressing their personal views without fear of reprisal or embarrassment is necessary to encourage ICU staff members, regardless of their position, to speak up. Because harmony and saving face is valued in Chinese culture, training nurses and doctors to speak up by focusing on human factors and values rather than simply addressing conflict management is desirable in this context.This work was supported by funding from the Hospital Authority’s Kowloon Central Cluster Research Grant (grant number: KCC/RC/G/1516-B03)

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background: The EMPA KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all &gt;0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

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

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

Lower Limb Ischaemia Complicating Total Hip Arthroplasty 全髋關節置換手術併發下肢缺血的案例報告

a b s t r a c t This article is about two patients having vascular injuries complicating total hip arthroplasty because of intraoperative indirect injuries. One patient had a delayed presentation of acute lower limb ischaemia, in which he required amputation of his left second toe because of ischaemic gangrene. The other patient had acute lower limb ischaemia leading to permanent muscle and nerve damage because of delayed recognition. Both patients had vascular interventions for the indirect vascular injuries. Preoperative workup for suspicious underlying peripheral vascular disease, intraoperative precautions, and perioperative period of vascular status monitoring are essential for prevention and early detection of such sinister events

Lower Limb Ischaemia Complicating Total Hip Arthroplasty

This article is about two patients having vascular injuries complicating total hip arthroplasty because of intraoperative indirect injuries. One patient had a delayed presentation of acute lower limb ischaemia, in which he required amputation of his left second toe because of ischaemic gangrene. The other patient had acute lower limb ischaemia leading to permanent muscle and nerve damage because of delayed recognition. Both patients had vascular interventions for the indirect vascular injuries. Preoperative workup for suspicious underlying peripheral vascular disease, intraoperative precautions, and perioperative period of vascular status monitoring are essential for prevention and early detection of such sinister events