Promoting the dignity of patients in perioperative practice.

UK health policy has increasingly recognised that the quality of patients' experiences is important and there is a clear expectation that patients' dignity should be promoted in healthcare. Patients undergoing surgery are particularly vulnerable to their dignity being diminished. Operating department staff should ensure that dignity is promoted through attention to patients' privacy and through interactions that help patients to feel comfortable, in control and valued. They should also challenge colleagues whose practice compromises patients' dignity.

Standards of surgery beyond metropolitan centers: a fresh look at perioperative quality measures in small-town America.

BACKGROUND: Surgical quality measures have room for improvement in both large- and small-town hospitals. METHODS: We sought concurrence of surgical specialists (general, orthopedic, gynecologic) to study accepted quality and safety parameters using a surgical time-out-based platform. RESULTS: Surgeons and hospitalists participated promptly and actively and recorded enhanced performance measures compared with prior work and within the period of study. Practice patterns varied, and interchange among participating hospitals was helpful. CONCLUSIONS: Smaller institutions are more nimble than larger ones and developed interchangeable ideas for improvement. Surgical process measures improved such that all 4 hospitals are concerned about and committed to maintaining the gains.

Clinical review: practical recommendations on the management of perioperative heart failure in cardiac surgery.

Acute cardiovascular dysfunction occurs perioperatively in more than 20% of cardiosurgical patients, yet current acute heart failure (HF) classification is not applicable to this period. Indicators of major perioperative risk include unstable coronary syndromes, decompensated HF, significant arrhythmias and valvular disease. Clinical risk factors include history of heart disease, compensated HF, cerebrovascular disease, presence of diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency and high-risk surgery. EuroSCORE reliably predicts perioperative cardiovascular alteration in patients aged less than 80 years. Preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide level is an additional risk stratification factor. Aggressively preserving heart function during cardiosurgery is a major goal. Volatile anaesthetics and levosimendan seem to be promising cardioprotective agents, but large trials are still needed to assess the best cardioprotective agent(s) and optimal protocol(s). The aim of monitoring is early detection and assessment of mechanisms of perioperative cardiovascular dysfunction. Ideally, volume status should be assessed by 'dynamic' measurement of haemodynamic parameters. Assess heart function first by echocardiography, then using a pulmonary artery catheter (especially in right heart dysfunction). If volaemia and heart function are in the normal range, cardiovascular dysfunction is very likely related to vascular dysfunction. In treating myocardial dysfunction, consider the following options, either alone or in combination: low-to-moderate doses of dobutamine and epinephrine, milrinone or levosimendan. In vasoplegia-induced hypotension, use norepinephrine to maintain adequate perfusion pressure. Exclude hypovolaemia in patients under vasopressors, through repeated volume assessments. Optimal perioperative use of inotropes/vasopressors in cardiosurgery remains controversial, and further large multinational studies are needed. Cardiosurgical perioperative classification of cardiac impairment should be based on time of occurrence (precardiotomy, failure to wean, postcardiotomy) and haemodynamic severity of the patient's condition (crash and burn, deteriorating fast, stable but inotrope dependent). In heart dysfunction with suspected coronary hypoperfusion, an intra-aortic balloon pump is highly recommended. A ventricular assist device should be considered before end organ dysfunction becomes evident. Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation is an elegant solution as a bridge to recovery and/or decision making. This paper offers practical recommendations for management of perioperative HF in cardiosurgery based on European experts' opinion. It also emphasizes the need for large surveys and studies to assess the optimal way to manage perioperative HF in cardiac surgery.

Understanding cleft lip and palate. 4: Surgery and continuing care.

The fourth paper in this series on cleft lip and palate discusses the surgery involved in the care of children and young people with clefts of the lip and/or palate, orthodontic treatment and psychological support for this group of patients and their families.

Perioperative strategies for decreasing infection: a comprehensive evidence-based approach.

Surgical site infections are a devastating complication of orthopaedic procedures and result in increased morbidity and mortality as well as higher costs. Universally, patients with surgical site infections have a worse outcome than uninfected patients. Payers of health care and regulatory organizations, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Joint Commission, are demanding both accountability and a reduction in the occurrence of surgical site infections. To effectively prevent such infections, the clinician must address preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors, along with interventions. In the areas where evidence-based literature demonstrates a clear best practice, such as prophylactic antibiotic use and surgical scrub techniques, physicians and health care professionals will be held accountable for compliance with these standards. This accountability will be quantified and will be made available to the public. It is also evident that payers will reward and/or penalize physicians for failure to comply with established standards of care. For the health and safety of patients, surgeons are obligated to become familiar with the known best practices and standards of care with respect to the reduction of surgical site infections.

Current pattern of perioperative practice in elective colorectal surgery; a questionnaire survey of ACPGBI members.

INTRODUCTION: Enhanced recovery programmes (ERAS) are safe and have been shown to decrease the length of the hospital stay and complications following colorectal surgery. However implementation of ERAS requires dedicated resources. In addition, the practice of ERAS still varies between different surgeons and in different centres. AIM: The aim of this paper is to investigate the prevailing perioperative practice among members of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (APGBI). METHODS: A questionnaire was developed based on the principles of ERAS. The questionnaire was emailed to all members of the ACPGBI as extracted from the membership directory of the association of the year 2008. A postal questionnaire was subsequently sent to those who did not reply to the initial email. RESULTS: The response rate was 64%. Certain aspects of ERAS such as pre-operative information and assessment, intra-operative warming, avoidance of nasogastric tubes and drains and early initiation of fluid and solid food was in practice by majority of the surgeons. The routine use of bowel preparation for left sided colonic resections is in practice by nearly 60% of the surgeons. The use of carbohydrate loading prior to surgery has not been adopted by more than half of the surgeons. There was no difference between type of hospital and adherence to ERAS. Some surgeons tend to have a slightly different approach to perioperative care in open and laparoscopic surgery. CONCLUSION: Adherence to ERAS among colorectal surgeons is relatively high. Certain aspects of perioperative practice have potential for improvement. Practice of ERAS should be encouraged in both laparoscopic and open surgery.

Comanagement of hospitalized surgical patients by medicine physicians in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Comanagement of surgical patients by medicine physicians (generalist physicians or internal medicine subspecialists) has been shown to improve efficiency and to reduce adverse outcomes. We examined the extent to which comanagement is used during hospitalizations for common surgical procedures in the United States. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries hospitalized for 1 of 15 inpatient surgical procedures from 1996 to 2006 (n = 694 806). We also calculated the proportion of Medicare beneficiaries comanaged by medicine physicians (generalist physicians or internal medicine subspecialists) during hospitalization. Comanagement was defined by relevant physicians (generalist or internal medicine subspecialist) submitting a claim for evaluation and management services on 70% or more of the days that the patients were hospitalized. RESULTS: Between 1996 and 2006, 35.2% of patients hospitalized for a common surgical procedure were comanaged by a medicine physician: 23.7% by a generalist physician and 14% by an internal medicine subspecialist (2.5% were comanaged by both). The percentage of patients experiencing comanagement was relatively unchanged from 1996 to 2000 and then increased sharply. The increase was entirely attributable to a surge in comanagement by generalist physicians. In a multivariable multilevel analysis, comanagement by generalist physicians increased 11.4% per year from 2001 to 2006. Patients with advanced age, with more comorbidities, or receiving care in nonteaching, midsize (200-499 beds), or for-profit hospitals were more likely to receive comanagement. All of the growth in comanagement was attributed to increased comanagement by hospitalist physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Medical comanagement of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for a surgical procedure is increasing because of the increasing role of hospitalists. To meet this growing need for comanagement, training in internal medicine should include medical management of surgical patients.

Fast track program in patients undergoing radical cystectomy: results in 362 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: This article outlines our current perioperative management of patients undergoing cystectomy and urinary diversion using advancements in perioperative care to allow for early institution of an oral diet and early hospital discharge. STUDY DESIGN: Three hundred sixty-two consecutive patients underwent radical cystectomy and urinary diversion with curative intent (2001 through 2008). Each underwent a perioperative care plan ("fast track" program). Throughout our experience, evidence-based modifications to this program were instituted. We analyzed the impact of these modifications and report the outcomes with the most recent 100 patients in whom no additional modification has been used. RESULTS: Mean age of patients is 66.3 years, with 44% of the patients older than age 70 years and 12% older than age 80 years. We found no detrimental effects to immediate removal of the orogastric tube at the end of the procedure, but found a beneficial effect of empiric metoclopramide use, with lower rates of nausea and vomiting. Perioperative antibiotic coverage has been reduced to 24 hours as per American Urological Association guidelines. Gum-chewing has also been shown to be of benefit with regard to a more rapid recovery of bowel function. Use of nonnarcotic analgesics (eg, ketrolac) has also been central in the pathway. Finally, early institution of an oral diet has been an original and central component to our fast track program. CONCLUSIONS: Successful application of a fast track program has been applied to our patients undergoing radical cystectomy and urinary diversion, with the potential to use evidence-based modifications to reduce morbidity and improve recovery.

Management of perioperative hypertensive urgencies with parenteral medications.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the major risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease such as myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. This risk is well known to extend into the perioperative period. Although most perioperative hypertension can be managed with the patient's outpatient regimen, there are situations in which oral medications cannot be administered and parenteral medications become necessary. They include postoperative nil per os status, severe pancreatitis, and mechanical ventilation. This article reviews the management of perioperative hypertensive urgency with parenteral medications. METHODS: A PubMed search was conducted by cross-referencing the terms "perioperative hypertension," "hypertensive urgency," "hypertensive emergency," "parenteral anti-hypertensive," and "medication." The search was limited to English-language articles published between 1970 and 2008. Subsequent PubMed searches were performed to clarify data from the initial search. RESULTS: As patients with hypertensive urgency are not at great risk for target-organ damage (TOD), continuous infusions that require intensive care unit (ICU) monitoring and intraarterial catheters seem to be unnecessary and a possible misuse of resources. CONCLUSIONS: When oral therapy cannot be administered, patients with hypertensive urgency can have their blood pressure (BP) reduced with hydralazine, enalaprilat, metoprolol, or labetalol. Due to the scarcity of comparative trials looking at clinically significant outcomes, the medication should be chosen based on comorbidity, efficacy, toxicity, and cost.

Outcomes in perioperative care.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The present review examines the trends and controversies on how perioperative care can influence outcome after anesthesia and surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies indicate that anesthesia and perioperative care may have a major impact on long-term postoperative mortality and major complications in surgical patients by decreasing the rate of individual decisions. The use of a surgical checklist in the operating room improves postoperative mortality by decreasing the rate of individual decisions and facilitating communication between anesthesiologists, surgeons and intensivists. Antiplatelet therapy should not be discontinued routinely before elective surgery in patients with coronary or vascular occlusive disease. Attenuation of the surgical stress response by beta-blockers decreases long-term major adverse cardiac events, but may increase the incidence of postoperative stroke. The long-term impact on outcome of tight glycemic control and intraoperative hemodynamic optimization requires further investigation. SUMMARY: The use of a surgical checklist may reduce postoperative mortality and complications in surgical patients. The optimal dosing and timing of perioperative beta-blockade should decrease the incidence of postoperative stroke. However, to date, the long-term risk:benefit balance of attenuation of the perioperative stress response remains controversial. Red cell transfusion is unavoidable in some cases, but is associated with worsened outcome in various surgical situations. Future research should focus on the risk:benefit balance of anesthesia and surgery. This will contribute to promoting the role of anesthesiologists as physicians of the perioperative period.

Fast track to recovery.

The support of nurses is enabling patients who have had joint surgery to be discharged from hospital at the earliest opportunity.