Demographics, clinical characteristics, and recurrence rate of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax at a tertiary care center in Qatar.

INTRODUCTION: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common medical emergency. Its treatment includes simple observation, needle thoracentesis, pleural catheter, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS), and open surgery. We aimed to establish the demographic, clinical characteristics, and 12-month recurrence rate of patients with PSP in four hospitals of the Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients >14 years old who were admitted with PSP from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. The patients were followed up for 12 months for the recurrence of PSP. RESULTS: Out of 246 patients enrolled in this study, 223 (90.7%) were males and 23 (9.3%) were females. Their mean age was 29.1 ± 9.59 years and their mean body mass index (BMI) was 21.7 ± 4.22 kg/m2. Of these, 123 (51.2%) patients were smokers. Chest pain was the most common presenting complaint (82.5%). A total of 59 (23.98%) patients had a small pneumothorax, whereas 187 (76.01%) patients had a large pneumothorax. Among the patients with small pneumothorax, 16 (28.33%) were managed through observation alone, 2 (3.33%) required needle aspiration, 15 (25%) required pleural catheter insertion, and 26 (44.06%) underwent surgical intervention for management. Out of 187 patients with large pneumothorax, 16 (8.6%) were managed through observation, 7 (3.76%) required needle aspiration, 73 (38.1%) required pleural catheter insertion, and 91 (48.6%) underwent surgery. During the 12-month follow-up, 58 patients were lost to follow-up and 5 patients (5/188; 2.66%) presented with a recurrence of PSP. Out of 108 patients who underwent VATS, 2 (1.85%) had a recurrence of PSP. CONCLUSION: PSP is more common in males than in females, with a tendency for younger age onset. The recurrence rate of PSP in our study was 2.66%. Furthermore, the recurrence rate in our patients who underwent VATS was 1.85%. Prospective studies are warranted to compare the success rates of different treatment interventions.

Science of quality improvement - from vision to reality: Experience from a leading academic healthcare center in Qatar.

Quality improvement and patient safety are cornerstones to the delivery of effective patient care. The introduction of a quality improvement curriculum for medical students and trainee physicians can have a significant effect on their understanding of the science of improvement and its role in improving the quality of healthcare delivery and patient safety. The article describes the development and implementation of a quality improvement curriculum for trainee physicians in the department of internal medicine at a tertiary care center in Qatar through online training courses, workshops, didactic activities, and trainee-led quality improvement projects.

A rare case of spontaneous abdominal aorta thrombosis.

Spontaneous aortic thrombosis is rare, and prompt diagnosis is needed whenever encountering a case of unexplained abdominal pain. The cause of the thrombosis needs to be evaluated thoroughly to rule out any underlying thrombophilias.