Risk-based stratification triaging system in pediatric urology: what COVID-19 pandemic has taught us.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: SARS-COV-2 pandemic has affected the population worldwide requiring social distancing, quarantine and isolation as strategies to control virus propagation. Initial measures to reduce the burden to the health care system during the pandemic included deferring elective surgery. These damage control measures did not take into account the mid- and long-term implications. Management of congenital anomalies can be time sensitive with delays resulting in permanent disability, morbidity and increased costs to the healthcare system. This study reports the results of using a novel scoring system that enables triage of time sensitive congenital anomalies and pediatric surgical conditions and how implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) principles allowed optimization of resources and reduced the burden to the system while allowing for appropriate care of pediatric patients with urgent urologic surgical conditions. METHODS: We present a prospective case series of patients with congenital urological conditions scheduled and taken to surgery during COVID-19 pandemic. All pediatric urology cases that were pending and or scheduled for surgery at the moment the pandemic struck as well as all cases that presented to the emergency department with urological conditions were triaged and included for analysis using a modified Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive Procedures: Scoring System (MeNTS). A modified MeNTS was implemented for pediatric patients, giving more priority to the impact of deferring surgical intervention on patient's prognosis. An individualized evaluation using this scoring system was applied to each patient. Intra- and postoperative ERAS® principles were applied to all cases operated during the pandemic between March 20th and April 24th to reduce the burden to the healthcare system. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were triaged and included for analysis with a mean age of 6.47 years of age. Adjusted MeNTS showed that all clinically emergent cases had a score of 12 or less. Cases that could be postponed for 2 weeks but no longer had a score between 13 and 15. The ones that could wait 6 weeks or longer had scores higher than 16. Score results were not the same for similar procedures and individualized assessments resulted in scores based on an individual patient's conditions. From the total cases, implementation of ERAS® principles increased outpatient procedures from 68 to 90.4%. CONCLUSION: Our results provide a novel triaging method to rank pediatric urological surgical management based on individualized patient's clinical conditions. Cutoff values of 12 and 16 allowed appropriate triage preventing the postponement of urgent urologic cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation of ERAS® principles allowed for these procedures to be done in the outpatient setting, preserving valuable healthcare resources. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Postanesthesia evaluation of emotional and psychological satisfaction in a Hispanic population.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction has a positive impact on clinical care. Different strategies, such as questionnaires, have been developed to evaluate and improve patient satisfaction. A validated pediatric anesthesia questionnaire previously showed the importance of perioperative care built upon a relationship of trust between healthcare providers and children and parents, and a comfortable environment in which satisfactory answers are provided. However, the questionnaire was validated in English, and no research exists on the use of satisfaction questionnaires in Spanish. Given that there are 559 million Spanish speakers in the world, of which 53 million live in the United States, we intended to validate a Spanish version of this questionnaire to measure parental and pediatric satisfaction after anesthesia, and facilitate the provision and quality management of anesthesia care in Hispanic populations. METHODS: A questionnaire validated in English was translated to Spanish. Subsequently, it was administered to children who had undergone surgery and their parents to determine reliability, validity, acceptability, and reproducibility. RESULTS: Of the 228 recruited parents, a total of 221 agreed to participate, and 77 questionnaires were filled out completely by both parents and children. Overall response rates of 97% for parents and 90% for children were achieved. The reliability, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were examined, and a McNemar coefficient of 0.97 and a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.82 were obtained. Construct validity was obtained through comparisons of the following items: the child's perception of serenity imparted by the medical staff with the parent's satisfaction with conversations between the anesthesiologist and child, the nurse's ability to make the child feel better with the parent's satisfaction with the nurse's professionalism, and the nurse's kindness toward the child with the parent's perception of the care provided. CONCLUSION: This questionnaire proved to be simple and easy to understand within the literate Spanish-speaking population. It had adequate content validity and high reliability, acceptability, reproducibility, and construct validity. We believe that this Spanish questionnaire can be used with success among Hispanic populations resulting in improved care for those undergoing anesthesia, and therefore, patient satisfaction.

Canalización venosa yugular interna: que tanta seguridad podemos llegar a ofrecer? / Internal jugular vein cannulation: How much safety can we offer?

Introduction: Central venous catheterization, performed by the anatomical landmark technique, has a mechanical complication rate between 5% and 19%. This technique has been modified and new approaches have been implemented aiming to improve patient safety. With the introduction of ultrasonography in the clinical practice, and recently in central venous catheter insertion, the rate of complications has dropped over time. Objective: To measure the clinical application of the algorithm "Successful ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein cannulation". Methods: A descriptive, prospective, case series study. Patients over 18 years of age were selected, and the informed consent documentation was filled out appropriately. Patients with masses, anatomical abnormalities, insertion site infections and coagulopathy (International Normalized Ratio [INR] ≥ 2.0, platelet count ≤50.000) were excluded. Central venous cannulation was performed under ultrasound guidance in accordance with safety of the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá University Hospital (HUFSFB). Adjustment and validation of the algorithm was done according to an expert consensus in our department. A descriptive univariate analysis was conducted, and efficacy was determined on the basis of the number of attempts to achieve successful venous cannulation, and the incidence of complications. Results: This series included 38 patients with a mean age of 62 years. In 97.4% of the cases, successful venous cannulation was achieved on the first attempt. Guidewire displacement was observed in one case, requiring a second attempt. The posterior jugular vein wall was punctured in two patients (5.2%), with no associated arterial vascular injury or pneumoth-orax. Conclusions: This algorithm resulted in a high rate of successful first attempts and the prevention of potential complications, improving operational standards and healthcare quality for the patients.

Introducción: La canulación venosa central por técnica de reparos anatómicos presenta complicaciones mecánicas entre 5-19%, por tal motivo se han modificado e implementado técnicas buscando disminuir los riesgos para el paciente. La introducción de la ultrasonografía en la práctica clínica y más recientemente en la colocación de catéteres venosos centrales, ha disminuido la incidencia de complicaciones. Objetivo: Evaluar la aplicación clínica del algoritmo "Adecuada inserción de catéteres venosos yugulares internos guiados por ultrasonografía". Metodología: Estudio descriptivo prospectivo de serie de casos. Se seleccionaron pacientes mayores de 18 anos de edad, con el consentimiento informado completamente diligenciado. Los criterios de exclusión fueron pacientes con masas, alteraciones anatómicas o infecciones en el sitio de punción, trastornos de coagulación (Índice Normalizado Internacional INR ≥ 2,0 y conteo plaquetario ≤50.000). La canulación venosa central fue realizada con técnica ultrasonofigura considerando las recomendaciones de seguridad que se tienen en el departamento de anestesia del Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (HUFSFB), los ajustes y validación del algoritmo guía se realizaron según el consenso de expertos en procedimientos invasivos y ultrasonografía. Se realizó análisis descriptivo uni-variado y la eficacia fue determinada por el número de punciones necesarias para una adecuada canulación vascular y la incidencia de complicaciones. Resultados: La serie de casos fue de 38 pacientes con una edad promedio de 62 años. En el 97,4% de los casos el paso fue realizado en el primer intento. En un paciente se evidenció desplazamiento inadecuado de la guía por lo que fue necesario repetir la punción. En 2 pacientes (5,2%) se presentó punción de la pared posterior del vaso sin que esto se hubiese correlacionado con presencia de lesión vascular arterial o neumotórax. Conclusiones: La implementación del algoritmo guía, permitió una alta tasa de éxito en el primer intento y la prevención de complicaciones potenciales, mejorando los estándares operacionales, brindando una mayor calidad en el cuidado y atención de los pacientes.