Adrenaline autoinjectors for Australian out-of-hospital anaphylaxis: where to from here?

Intramuscular adrenaline autoinjectors are accepted as first-line treatment for out-of-hospital anaphylaxis but face ongoing issues of patient nonadherence related to drug expiry, availability, correct administration, and public recognition of the disease. Adrenaline is associated with possible harms in patients with defined comorbidities but is still considered preferable. Further research and policy is required to facilitate the effective treatment of anaphylaxis.

Pre-stroke anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in primary English speakers and non-primary English speakers: a multicentre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Anticoagulation can prevent most strokes in individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF); however, many people presenting with stroke and known AF are not anticoagulated. Language barriers and poor health literacy have previously been associated with decreased patient medication adherence. The association between language barriers and initiation of anticoagulation therapy for AF is uncertain. AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine whether demographic factors, including non-English primary language, were (1) associated with not being initiated on anticoagulation for known AF prior to admission with stroke, and (2) associated with non-adherence to anticoagulation in the setting of known AF prior to admission with stroke. METHODS: A multicentre retrospective cohort study was conducted for consecutive individuals admitted to the three South Australian tertiary hospitals with stroke units over a 5-year period. RESULTS: There were 6829 individuals admitted with stroke. These cases included 5835 ischaemic stroke patients, 1333 of whom had pre-existing AF. Only 40.0% presenting with ischaemic stroke in the setting of known pre-existing AF were anticoagulated. When controlling for demographics, socioeconomic status and past medical history (including the components of the CHADS2VASC score and anticoagulation contraindications), having a primary language other than English was associated with a lower likelihood of having been commenced on anticoagulant for known pre-stroke AF (odds ratio: 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.36-0.77, P = 0.001), but was not associated with a differing likelihood of anticoagulation adherence. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients with stroke have pre-existing unanticoagulated AF; these rates are substantially higher if the primary language is other than English. Targeted research and interventions to minimise evidence-treatment gaps in this cohort may significantly reduce stroke burden.

Surgical interhospital transfer mortality: national analysis.

BACKGROUND: Interhospital transfers of surgical patients are an independent risk factor for mortality. The Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM) aims to improve surgical care through assessment of all cases of surgical mortality. This study aimed to describe common clinical management issues that contributed to interhospital transfer patient mortality. METHODS: Data for all surgical patient mortality in Australia (except New South Wales) that underwent interhospital transfer between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019 were extracted from ANZASM. The surgeons' reports and assessors' evaluations were examined to identify clinical management issues. Thematic analysis was performed to develop pertinent themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Some 8679 patients were identified over the 10-year period. Of these, 2171 (25.0 per cent) had 3259 clinical management issues identified. Prominent themes were operative design (n = 466, 14.3 per cent), decision to operate (n = 425, 13.0 per cent), medical conditions (n = 344, 10.6 per cent), diagnosis (n = 326, 10 per cent), transfer (n = 293, 10.0 per cent), intraoperative issues (n = 278, 8.5 per cent), inadequate assessment (n = 238, 7.3 per cent), communication (n = 224, 6.9 per cent), delay in recognizing complications (n = 180, 5.5 per cent), coagulopathy (n = 151, 4.6 per cent), insufficient monitoring (n = 127, 3.9 per cent), infection (n = 107, 3.3 per cent), and hospital resources (n = 100, 3.1 per cent). Assessors considered 58.4 per cent of clinical management issues (n = 1903) probably or definitely preventable. CONCLUSION: This study identified 13 themes of potentially avoidable management issues present in surgical mortality following interhospital transfers. Quality-improvement initiatives targeting these areas may improve surgical patient outcomes.

Evolving challenges of leadership in surgery to improve inclusivity, representation, and well-being.

BACKGROUND: Leadership is a complex and demanding process crucial to maintaining quality in surgical systems of care. Once an autocratic practice, modern-day surgical leaders must demonstrate inclusivity, flexibility, emotional competence, team-building, and a multidisciplinary approach. The complex healthcare environment challenges those in leadership positions. The aim of this narrative review was to consolidate the major challenges facing surgeons today and to suggest evidence-based strategies to support surgical leaders. METHODS: Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Ovid databases were searched to review literature on the challenges faced by surgical leaders. The commonly identified areas that compromise inclusivity and productive leadership practices were consolidated into 10 main subheadings. Further research was conducted using the aforementioned databases to outline the importance of addressing such challenges, and to consolidate evidence-based strategies to resolve them. RESULTS: The importance of increasing representation of marginalized groups in leadership positions, including women, ethnic groups, the queer community, and ageing professionals, has been identified by surgical colleges in many countries. Leaders must create a collegial environment with proactive, honest communication and robust reporting pathways for victims of workplace harassment. The retention of diverse, empowering, and educating leaders relies on equitable opportunities, salaries, recognition, and support. Thus, it is important to implement formal training and mentorship, burnout prevention, conflict management, and well-being advocacy. CONCLUSION: There are two aspects to addressing challenges facing surgical leadership; improving advocacy by and for leaders. Systems must be designed to support surgical leaders through formal education and training, meaningful mentorship programmes, and well-being advocacy, thus enabling them to proactively and productively advocate and care for their patients, colleagues, and professional communities.

Optimizing electrophysiology studies to prevent sudden cardiac death after myocardial infarction.

AIMS: This study assessed associations of minimum final extrastimulus coupling interval utilized within electrophysiology study (EPS) after myocardial infarction (MI) and possible site of origin of induced ventricular tachycardia (VT) with long-term occurrence of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia and long-term survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective study recruited consecutive patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40% who underwent EPS days 3-5 after MI between 2004 and 2017. Positive EPS was defined as sustained monomorphic VT cycle length ≥200 ms for ≥10 s or shorter duration if haemodynamic compromise occurred. Each of the four extrastimuli was shortened by 10 ms at a time, until it failed to capture the ventricle (ventricular refractoriness) or induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Outcomes included spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia occurrence and all-cause mortality. Shorter coupling interval length of final extrastimulus that induced VT was associated with higher risk of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia (P < 0.001). Significantly higher rates of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia (65.2% vs. 23.2%; P < 0.001) were observed for final coupling interval at EPS <200 ms vs. >200 ms. Right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology of induced VT, with possible site of origin from the left ventricle, was associated with all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 3.2, P = 0.044] and a composite of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia recurrence or mortality (HR 1.8, P = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Ventricular tachycardia induced with shorter coupling intervals was associated with higher risk of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythymia on follow-up, indicating that the final extrastimulus coupling interval at EPS early after MI should be determined by ventricular refractoriness. Induced VT with possible origin from left ventricle was associated with increased risk of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia recurrence or death.

Isopropyl alcohol inhalation versus 5-HT3 antagonists for treatment of nausea: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Nausea is a common and unpleasant sensation for which current therapies such as serotonin (5-HT3) antagonists are often ineffective, while also conferring a risk of potential adverse events. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) has been proposed as a treatment for nausea. We aimed to compare IPA with 5-HT3 antagonists for the treatment of nausea across all clinical settings. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CENTRAL and CINAHL were searched from inception to 17 July 2023 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing inhaled IPA and a 5-HT3 antagonist for treatment of nausea. Severity and duration of nausea, rescue antiemetic use, adverse events and patient satisfaction were the outcomes sought. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2. Random-effects model was used for meta-analysis. Combination of meta-analyses and narrative review was used to synthesise findings. The evidence was appraised using GRADE. RESULTS: From 1242 records, 4 RCTs were included with 382 participants. Participants receiving IPA had a significantly lower mean time to 50% reduction in nausea (MD - 20.06; 95% CI - 26.26, - 13.85). Nausea score reduction at 30 min was significantly greater in the IPA group (MD 21.47; 95% CI 15.47, 27.47). IPA led to significantly reduced requirement for rescue antiemetics (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.37, 0.95; p = 0.03). IPA led to no significant difference in patient satisfaction when compared with a 5-HT3 antagonist. The overall GRADE assessment of evidence quality ranged from very low to low. CONCLUSION: IPA may provide rapid, effective relief of nausea when compared with 5-HT3 antagonists.

Sociocultural and Demographic Factors Predict Readmissions for General Surgery Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Readmission is a poor outcome for both patients and healthcare systems. The association of certain sociocultural and demographic characteristics with likelihood of readmission is uncertain in general surgical patients. METHOD: A multi-centre retrospective cohort study of consecutive unique individuals who survived to discharge during general surgical admissions was conducted. Sociocultural and demographic variables were evaluated alongside clinical parameters (considered both as raw values and their proportion of change in the 1-2 days prior to admission) for their association with 7 and 30 days readmission using logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 12,701 individuals included, with 304 (2.4%) individuals readmitted within 7 days, and 921 (7.3%) readmitted within 30 days. When incorporating absolute values of clinical parameters in the model, age was the only variable significantly associated with 7-day readmission, and primary language and presence of religion were the only variables significantly associated with 30-day readmission. When incorporating change in clinical parameters between the 1-2 days prior to discharge, primary language and religion were predictive of 30-day readmission. When controlling for changes in clinical parameters, only higher comorbidity burden (represented by higher Charlson comorbidity index score) was associated with increased likelihood of 30-day readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Sociocultural and demographic patient factors such as primary language, presence of religion, age, and comorbidity burden predict the likelihood of 7 and 30-day hospital readmission after general surgery. These findings support early implementation a postoperative care model that integrates all biopsychosocial domains across multiple disciplines of healthcare.

Depression after stoma surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Depression is the leading cause of global disability and can develop following the change in body image and functional capacity associated with stoma surgery. However, reported prevalence across the literature is unknown. Accordingly, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming to characterise depressive symptoms after stoma surgery and potential predictive factors. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Library were searched from respective database inception to 6 March 2023 for studies reporting rates of depressive symptoms after stoma surgery. Risk of bias was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist for non-randomised studies of interventions (NRSIs), and Cochrane RoB2 tool for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Meta-analysis incorporated meta-regressions and a random-effects model. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42021262345. RESULTS: From 5,742 records, 68 studies were included. According to Downs and Black checklist, the 65 NRSIs were of low to moderate methodological quality. According to Cochrane RoB2, the three RCTs ranged from low risk of bias to some concerns of bias. Thirty-eight studies reported rates of depressive symptoms after stoma surgery as a proportion of the respective study populations, and from these, the median rate across all timepoints was 42.9% 42.9% (IQR: 24.2-58.9%). Pooled scores for respective validated depression measures (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)) across studies reporting those scores were below clinical thresholds for major depressive disorder according to severity criteria of the respective scores. In the three studies that used the HADS to compare non-stoma versus stoma surgical populations, depressive symptoms were 58% less frequent in non-stoma populations. Region (Asia-Pacific; Europe; Middle East/Africa; North America) was significantly associated with postoperative depressive symptoms (p = 0.002), whereas age (p = 0.592) and sex (p = 0.069) were not. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms occur in almost half of stoma surgery patients, which is higher than the general population, and many inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer populations outlined in the literature. However, validated measures suggest this is mostly at a level of clinical severity below major depressive disorder. Stoma patient outcomes and postoperative psychosocial adjustment may be enhanced by increased psychological evaluation and care in the perioperative period.

Intravenous immunoglobulin alteration in response to adverse reactions in neurological conditions: A retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is an important treatment in a range of neurological conditions. There is currently limited evidence regarding the frequency and management of IVIg-associated adverse reactions (AR) in neurological disorders. METHODS: A single-centre 18-month retrospective cohort study was conducted for all patients at a single tertiary hospital receiving IVIg as an inpatient or the medical day unit. Electronic medical record AR and alerts were reviewed for entries relating to IVIg, and prescribing records associated with recent IVIg administration were reviewed for the use of premedications. Case note review was undertaken to identify AR associated with alterations in IVIg treatment (such as reduction in rate, use of premedications or cessation of IVIg). Demographic, patient, and treatment factors were analysed for associations with AR necessitating alteration in IVIg treatment. RESULTS: This study included 98 individuals who received IVIg during the study period. Of these, 12 (12.1%) patients required an alteration in their IVIg treatment. In total, 3 (3.1%) of the 98 included patients required a reduced rate of IVIg, and 10 (10.2%) patients received premedication. The most common premedications were normal saline at the time of the infusion, cetirizine, and hydrocortisone. No demographic factors, indications or comorbidities were found to be associated with an increased likelihood of AR. However, an IVIg daily dose of >35 g and >45 g were associated with an increased likelihood of requiring IVIg treatment alteration due to AR. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations to IVIg treatment due to AR are commonly required in neurology patients, and may be associated with higher daily doses of IVIg.

Why do we evaluate 30-day readmissions in general medicine? A historical perspective and contemporary data.

Reducing preventable readmissions is important to help manage current strains on healthcare systems. The metric of 30-day readmissions is commonly cited in discussions regarding this topic. While such thresholds have contemporary funding implications, the rationale for individual cut-off points is partially historical in nature. Through the examination of the basis for the analysis of 30-day readmissions, greater insight into the possible benefits and limitations of such a metric may be obtained.

The geographic diversity of authorship in leading general surgery journals; A study of 24,332 authors.

BACKGROUND: Research guides evidence-based general surgery practice, advocacy, policy and resource allocation, but is seemingly lacking representation from those countries with greatest disease burden and mortality. Accordingly, we conducted a geographic study of publications in the most impactful general surgery journals worldwide. METHODS: The six general surgery journals with the highest 2020 impact factors were selected. Only journals specific to general surgery were included. For all original articles over the past five years, the affiliated country and city were extracted for the first, second and last author. Number of publications were adjusted per capita, and compared to Human Development Index (HDI) using logistic regression. RESULTS: 8274 original articles were published in the top six ranked general surgery journals over 2016-2020, with 24,332 affiliated authors. Authors were most commonly associated with the US (27.88%), Japan (9.09%) and China (8.46%), or per capita, The Netherlands, Sweden and Singapore. There is a linear association between publishing in a top six journal and HDI of country of affiliation. Just four publications were from medium or low HDI countries over the period. CONCLUSION: Authorship in leading general surgery journals is predominantly from wealthy, Western countries. Authorship is associated with affiliation with a high HDI country, with few authors from medium or low HDI countries. There is a lack of representation in literature from Africa, Russia, and parts of Southeast Asia, and thus a lack of locally relevant evidence to guide surgical practice in these areas of high disease burden and low life expectancy.

Factors associated with delay to carotid endarterectomy for acute ischaemic stroke in South Australia: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The greatest benefits of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) accrue when performed within two weeks of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) due to symptomatic carotid stenosis. Previous studies have identified multiple factors contributing to CEA delay. AIMS: To determine factors associated with delayed CEA in patients admitted to tertiary stroke centres within a major metropolitan region with AIS METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, consecutive patients admitted to the tertiary hospitals with stroke units within South Australia (Lyell McEwin Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre) between 2016 to 2020 were included. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify individual factors associated with time from symptom onset to CEA of over two weeks. RESULTS: A total of 174 patients were included. The median time to CEA was 5 days (IQR 3-9.75). Delayed CEA beyond 14 days occurred in 28/174 (16%). Factors most associated with delayed CEA included presentation to a tertiary hospital without onsite Vascular Surgical Unit (OR 3.71, 95%CI 1.31-10.58), history of previous stroke (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.11-9.84) and presenting NIHSS above 6 (OR 5.16, 95% CI 1.60-16.39). CONCLUSION: This study identified that presentation to a tertiary hospital without a Vascular Surgery Unit, history of previous stroke and presenting NIHSS above 6 were associated with delay to CEA in AIS patients in South Australia. Interventional studies aiming to improve the proportion of patients that receive CEA within 14 days are required.

Can Checklists Solve Our Ward Round Woes? A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Accurate and thorough surgical ward round documentation is crucial for maintaining quality clinical care. Accordingly, checklists have been proposed to improve ward round documentation. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the literature investigating the use of checklists to improve surgical ward round documentation. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO were searched on August 16, 2021. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were performed in duplicate. We included English studies that investigated the use of checklists during ward rounds in various surgical subspecialties compared to routine care, where the rates of documentation were reported as outcomes. We excluded studies that used checklists in outpatient, non-surgical, or pediatric settings. Due to heterogeneity of outcome measures, meta-analysis was precluded. This study was registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021273735) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020) reporting guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 206 studies were identified, only 9 were suitable for inclusion. All included studies were single-center observational studies, spanning across seven surgical specialties. Rates of documentation on 4-23 parameters were reported. Documentation for all measured outcomes improved in 8/9 studies; however, statistical analyses were not included. There was a high risk of bias due to the nature of observational studies. CONCLUSION: Ward round checklists can serve as a useful tool to improve inpatient care and safety. Currently, there is no high-level evidence showing the effectiveness of checklists on ward round documentation. The synthesis of results indicates that further high-quality research is imperative.

Emergency Neurosurgery Performed by General Surgeons: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: In under-resourced settings, general surgeons may be called upon to perform emergency operations within other specialties. Accordingly, we aimed to characterise patient outcomes after emergency neurosurgery performed by a general surgeon or general surgery trainee. METHODS: PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched to 30 May 2021 for observational studies reporting outcomes after emergency neurosurgery performed by a general surgeon. Study screening, data extraction, and risk of bias using the Downs and Black checklist were performed in duplicate. Data on setting, operation undertaken, mortality rates and complications were extracted. Meta-analysis was planned but not possible due to heterogeneity. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021258097. RESULTS: From 632 records, 14 retrospective observational studies were included, covering a total sample of 1,988 operations. Four studies were from Australia, and the remaining 10 were, respectively, from 10 other countries. Most common operations performed were decompressive surgery with burr holes or craniectomy for head trauma and insertion of intracranial pressure monitors. Rural hospitals were the most common settings. Mortality rates for procedures performed by general surgeons at latest follow-up were heterogenous, ranging from 5% for evacuation of chronic subdural haematoma in Kenya to 81% in head injured patients in a Hong Kong study. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review that synthesises the literature to characterise patient outcomes after neurosurgical operations performed by a general surgeon. Findings from this study may benefit global surgery performed in rural, remote, military or humanitarian settings.

Paradigm shift: Beyond the COVID-19 era, is YouTube the future of education for CABG patients?

INTRODUCTION: Patients commonly use YouTube for education, and this may have increased due to COVID-19 related restrictions on access to healthcare professionals. However, YouTube videos lack peer review and regulation. To assess patient education in the COVID-19 era, we analyzed the quality of YouTube videos on coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS: We searched YouTube using the phrase "coronary artery bypass graft." Two authors individually used the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), DISCERN, and Health on the Net (HON) systems, to rate the first 50 videos retrieved. Data collected for each video included; number of views, duration since upload, percentage positivity (proportion of likes relative to total likes plus dislikes), number of comments, and video author. Interobserver reliability was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Associations between video characteristics and quality were tested using linear regression or t-tests. RESULTS: The average number of views was 575,571. Average quality was poor, with mean scores of 1.93/4 (ICC 0.54) for JAMA criteria, 2.52/5 (ICC 0.78) for DISCERN criteria, and 4.04/8 (ICC 0.66) for HON criteria. Videos uploaded by surgeons scored highest overall (p < .05). No other factors demonstrated significant association with video quality. CONCLUSION: YouTube videos on CABG surgery are of poor quality and may be inadequate for patient education. Given the complexity of the procedure and that beyond the COVID-19 era, patients are more likely to seek education from digital sources, treating surgeons should advise of YouTube's limitations and direct patients to reliable sources of information.

Geographical distribution of authorship for leading cardiothoracic surgery journals.

BACKGROUND: Evolution of surgical practice is influenced by publications in the leading journals of that field. If the authorship of a publication lacks geographical diversity, this could create bias and limit generalizability of the evidence. Accordingly, we conducted a geographical analysis of the leading Cardiothoracic Surgery journals worldwide. METHODS: Using 2020 Impact Factor, we searched the leading Cardiothoracic Surgery journals over the past decade. Only original articles were included. Data regarding first, second and last authors were extracted from every article. From this, we analysed country of affiliation, highest academic degree obtained and author location by metropolitan or rural setting. RESULTS: A total of 12,706 original articles were published in the top 5 ranked Cardiothoracic journals between 2011 and 2020. Authors originated from 69 countries, with the majority being from North America and Western Europe. The United States was the most common country of affiliation (42.8%) in all five journals, with New York City the most prominent city. A total of  63.7% of the authorship originated from large metropolitan areas (estimated as population greater than 500,000 residents), and the most common degrees obtained by authors were MD and PhD. CONCLUSION: The prominent Cardiothoracic authorship is predominantly located in Western countries, most commonly large metropolitan centers in the United States. This raises questions as to whether the literature adequately reflects populations in other geographical areas such as the continents of South America and Africa and rural settings. Leading journals should consider policies which encourage publication by authors from geographical locations that are underrepresented globally.

Endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke after cardiac surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can be a catastrophic complication of cardiac surgery previously without effective treatment. Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a potentially life-saving intervention. We examined patients at our institution who had EVT to treat AIS post cardiac surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a stroke database from January 1, 2016 to October 31, 2021 to identify patients who had undergone EVT to treat AIS following cardiac surgery. Demographic data, operation type, stroke severity, imaging features, management and outcomes (mortality and modified Rankin Score (mRS)) were assessed. RESULTS: Of 5022 consecutive patients with AIS, 870 underwent EVT. Seven patients (0.8%) had EVT following cardiac surgery. Operations varied: two coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), two transcatheter AVR, one redo surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR), one mitral valve repair and one patient with combined aortic and mitral valve replacements and CABG. Meantime postsurgery to stroke symptoms onset was 3 days (range 0-9 days). Median NIHSS was 26 (range 10-32). Five patients had middle cerebral artery occlusion and two internal carotid artery (n = 2). Median time between onset of symptoms and recanalization was 157 min (range 97-263). Two patients received Intra-arterial Thrombolysis. All patients survived and were discharged to another hospital (n = 3), home (n = 2), or rehabilitation facility (n = 2). Median 3-month mRS was 3 (range 0-6). CONCLUSION: We report the largest case series of EVT after cardiac surgery. EVT can be associated with excellent outcomes in these patients. Close neurological monitoring postoperatively to identify patients who may benefit from intervention is key.

Trends in the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis in the COVID-19 Era.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) was first used in the 1970s. Its use is increasingly common in critical care and perioperative settings and has gained newfound prominence during COVID-19. To guide future research, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of ECMO literature. Thomson Reuters Web of Science was searched to March 7, 2021. Articles were ranked by total number of citations. Data was extracted from the 100 most cited papers relevant to ECMO for study design, topic, author, year, and institution. Journal impact factor for 2019 and Eigenfactor scores were also recorded. Our search retrieved a total of 18,802 articles. Median number of citations for the top 100 articles was 220 (range 157-1,819). These were published in 34 journals, with first authors originating from 15 countries. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery had the highest number of articles (n = 9) while Lancet publications had the most citations (n = 3,191). Use of ECMO was most commonly observed in cardiogenic shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome. United States had the greatest article output (n = 49). With 10 publications, 2013 was the most prolific year. Using linear regression, when controlled for time since publication, there was no statistically significant relationship between 2019 journal impact factor and number of article citations (p = .09). Top articles in the ECMO literature are of considerable impact and quality. As the United States produced the bulk of the prominent evidence base, and most data were regarding respiratory issues, outsized advances in ECMO may be possible within the United States during the COVID-19 era.

Clinician-Created Educational Video Resources for Shared Decision-making in the Outpatient Management of Chronic Disease: Development and Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: The provision of reliable patient education is essential for shared decision-making. However, many clinicians are reluctant to use commonly available resources, as they are generic and may contain information of insufficient quality. Clinician-created educational materials, accessed during the waiting time prior to consultation, can potentially benefit clinical practice if developed in a time- and resource-efficient manner. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the utility of educational videos in improving patient decision-making, as well as consultation satisfaction and anxiety, within the outpatient management of chronic disease (represented by atrial fibrillation). The approach involves clinicians creating audiovisual patient education in a time- and resource-efficient manner for opportunistic delivery, using mobile smart devices with internet access, during waiting time before consultation. METHODS: We implemented this educational approach in outpatient clinics and collected patient responses through an electronic survey. The educational module was a web-based combination of 4 short videos viewed sequentially, followed by a patient experience survey using 5-point Likert scales and 0-100 visual analogue scales. The clinician developed the audiovisual module over a 2-day span while performing usual clinical tasks, using existing hardware and software resources (laptop and tablet). Patients presenting for the outpatient management of atrial fibrillation accessed the module during waiting time before their consultation using either a URL or Quick Response (QR) code on a provided tablet or their own mobile smart devices. The primary outcome of the study was the module's utility in improving patient decision-making ability, as measured on a 0-100 visual analogue scale. Secondary outcomes were the level of patient satisfaction with the videos, measured with 5-point Likert scales, in addition to the patient's value for clinician narration and the module's utility in improving anxiety and long-term treatment adherence, as represented on 0-100 visual analogue scales. RESULTS: This study enrolled 116 patients presenting for the outpatient management of atrial fibrillation. The proportion of responses that were "very satisfied" with the educational video content across the 4 videos ranged from 93% (86/92) to 96.3% (104/108) and this was between 98% (90/92) and 99.1% (107/108) for "satisfied" or "very satisfied." There were no reports of dissatisfaction for the first 3 videos, and only 1% (1/92) of responders reported dissatisfaction for the fourth video. The median reported scores (on 0-100 visual analogue scales) were 90 (IQR 82.5-97) for improving patient decision-making, 89 (IQR 81-95) for reducing consultation anxiety, 90 (IQR 81-97) for improving treatment adherence, and 82 (IQR 70-90) for the clinician's narration adding benefit to the patient experience. CONCLUSIONS: Clinician-created educational videos for chronic disease management resulted in improvements in patient-reported informed decision-making ability and expected long-term treatment adherence, as well as anxiety reduction. This form of patient education was also time efficient as it used the sunk time cost of waiting time to provide education without requiring additional clinician input.