Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive Procedures: Scoring System to Ethically and Efficiently Manage Resource Scarcity and Provider Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hospitals have severely curtailed the performance of nonurgent surgical procedures in anticipation of the need to redeploy healthcare resources to meet the projected massive medical needs of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Surgical treatment of non-COVID-19 related disease during this period, however, still remains necessary. The decision to proceed with medically necessary, time-sensitive (MeNTS) procedures in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic requires incorporation of factors (resource limitations, COVID-19 transmission risk to providers and patients) heretofore not overtly considered by surgeons in the already complicated processes of clinical judgment and shared decision-making. We describe a scoring system that systematically integrates these factors to facilitate decision-making and triage for MeNTS procedures, and appropriately weighs individual patient risks with the ethical necessity of optimizing public health concerns. This approach is applicable across a broad range of hospital settings (academic and community, urban and rural) in the midst of the pandemic and may be able to inform case triage as operating room capacity resumes once the acute phase of the pandemic subsides.

[Ethical conflicts in pediatric surgery: high-performance medicine and the economical environment]. / Ethische Konflikte in der Kinderchirurgie : Hochleistungsmedizin und ökonomische Rahmenbedingungen.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare is increasingly influenced by economical constraints which can lead to ethical conflicts for surgeons. The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of these conflicts and the coping strategies of surgeons. METHODS: A prospective, standardized staff survey in an academic pediatric surgical department was performed over a period of 4 weeks. The types of conflict and solution strategies were determined. The agreement with given statements was determined using a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: In 155 returned questionnaires 74 ethical conflicts were identified. Most conflicts concerned decisions relating to diagnosis-related groups (DRG) which were economically based. To resolve the ethical conflict surgeons decided to the detriment of patients in 73  % and to the economical benefit in 72 %. In 8  % a medical disadvantage for the patient was noted and in 62  % a disadvantage for patient comfort was seen. Surgeons were highly dissatisfied with the conflict solutions (2.3/5). CONCLUSIONS: Economical considerations cause ethical conflicts in the daily routine in pediatric surgery. Decisions are made to the benefit of the hospital and cause a decrease in patient comfort. Political solutions for this problem are required in the interest of all those involved.

Infección de sitio quirúrgico en un servicio de cirugía general. Análisis de cinco años y valoración del índice National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) / Surgical site infection in general surgery: 5-year analysis and assessment of the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) index

Introducción. Se describe la tasa de infección de sitio quirúrgico (ISQ) valorando la validez del sistema del índice National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) de estratificación del riesgo y la influencia de los diferentes factores en la aparición de una ISQ. Pacientes y método. Registro prospectivo durante 5 años de incidencia de ISQ según el índice y categoría del NNIS, estancias postoperatorias y gérmenes aislados. Se realizaron pruebas de la X2, de la t de Student y regresión logística múltiple. Resultados. El número de pacientes es de 6.218, y el de ISQ, de 513 (8,25%). La tasa de infecciones en cirugía limpia es del 2,27%, la de limpia-contaminada, del 9,17%, la de contaminada, del 11,40%, y la de sucia, del 19,14%. En pacientes con ASA I: 4,0%, ASA II: 8,23%, ASA III: 13,54%, ASA IV: 19,55% y ASA V: 33,33%; con un tiempo intervención percentil 75 del 23,01%. Con índice NNIS 0: 3,95%, NNIS 1: 8,17%, NNIS 2: 22,08% y NNIS 3: 37,23%. La duración de la intervención es el factor del índice NNIS que más influye en la tasa de infecciones (odds ratio [OR] = 3,43, frente a 2,60 del grado de contaminación y 2,20 del nivel ASA). La tasa de infecciones en la categoría de la cirugía hepatobiliopancreática es del 30,9%; la de intervenciones sobre el intestino delgado, del 24,3%; la de la cirugía colorrectal, del 16,1%; la de la cirugía gastroduodenal, del 15,4%; la de otras intervenciones en partes blandas, del 8,5%; la de laparotomías exploradoras, del 7,7%; la de apendicectomías por apendicitis, del 6,4%; la de colecistectomías, del 5,0%; la de otras intervenciones en el aparato digestivo, del 5,0%; la de la cirugía mamaria, del 3,3%; la de herniorrafias, del 1,5%, y la de intervenciones endocrinológicas, del 0,7%. Conclusiones. El índice NNIS es válido en nuestros pacientes para estratificar el riesgo de presentar una ISQ. El factor tiempo es el que tiene mayor peso en el riesgo de infección, y el nivel ASA, el menor. La categoría NNIS también discrimina diferentes grados de riesgo (AU)

Introduction. The aim of this study was to describe the rate of surgical site infections (SSI), classified according to the NNIS index and its components, as well as to evaluate this scale and assess the importance of several factors that influence the development of an SSI. Patients and method. All episodes of SSI were prospectivelly registered over a 5-year period. All patients (infected or not) were given an NNIS index and an NNIS category. Postoperative hospital stay and bacteria cultured from the surgical site were also analyzed. X2 test, Student's t-test and multiple logistic regression were used. Results. There were 6,218 patients and 513 SSI (8.25%). The infection rate was 2.27% for clean surgery, 9.17% for clean-contaminated surgery, 11.40% for contaminated surgery, and 19.14% for dirty surgery; 4% for ASA I, 8.23% for ASA II, 13.54% for ASA III, 19.55% for ASA IV, and 33.33% for ASA V; 6.97% for length of procedure =75th percentile, and 23.01% for >75th percentile; 3.95% for NNIS 0, 8.17% for NNIS 1, 22.08% for NNIS 2, and 37.23% for NNIS 3. Among the components of the NNIS index, the length of the surgical procedure had the greatest influence on the rate of SSI (OR = 3.43 versus OR = 2.60 for the grade of contamination and OR = 2.20 for ASA index). The infection rates according to the type of intervention were: 30.9% in hepatobiliopancreatic surgery, 24.3% in small bowel surgery, 16.1% in colorectal surgery, 15.4% in gastroduodenal surgery; 8.5% in other soft tissue interventions, 7.7% in exploratory laparotomies, 6.4% in appendicectomies for appendicitis, 5.0% in cholecystectomy, 5.0% in other interventions of the digestive tract, 3.3% in breast surgery, 1.5% in herniorrhaphies, and 0.7% in endocrine surgery. Conclusions. The NNIS index is a valid instrument for classifying surgical patients according to the risk of developing an SSI. Of the three components, the length of the intervention has the greatest influence on increasing the risk of infection. The NNIS categories also distinguish different levels of risk of infection (AU)

Vía clínica para el tratamiento del neumotórax espontáneo primario en un servicio de cirugía general / Clinical pathway for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in a general surgery department

Introducción. El neumotórax espontáneo primario (NEP) es una enfermedad frecuente que se trata de forma variable en los diferentes sistemas sanitarios e incluso entre los médicos dentro de un mismo servicio. En nuestro servicio de cirugía general se atiende a entre 30 y 40 pacientes al año con NEP y hay una significativa variabilidad en su asistencia, lo que motivó la iniciativa de elaborar una vía clínica (VC) basada en el análisis del proceso, la búsqueda de estudios con la mayor evidencia científica y el consenso de los profesionales. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar los resultados tras 1 año de evaluación de la VC. Pacientes y método. Se analizó una serie previa de 34 enfermos tratados durante el año previo a la elaboración de la vía para identificar los puntos débiles y las áreas de mejora. Para dar respuesta y solución a los puntos débiles identificados, la VC incluye protocolos asociados y documentos principales de la VC. Durante un año se ha atendido a 31 pacientes incluidos en la VC, cuyos resultados se han comparado con los de la serie previa. Resultados. La estancia media de los pacientes antes de la implantación de la vía ha sido de 7,3 días y los pacientes incluidos en la vía tuvieron una estancia de 5,0 días. El número de radiografías ha disminuido también de 4,3 a 3,2. La tasa de complicaciones y reingresos es similar en ambos grupos. El coste medio por proceso ha disminuido de 1.863 a 1.168 €. Conclusión. La VC del neumotórax puede disminuir la variabilidad de las actuaciones profesionales y los costes hospitalarios, lo que justifica el esfuerzo de su elaboración e implantación (AU)

Introduction. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common entity. Treatment varies widely across different health systems and even among doctors in the same department. In our general surgery department 30 to 40 patients with PSP are treated each year and there is significant variability in care delivery. This prompted the development of a clinical pathway (CP) based on analysis of the process, a search for studies with the greatest scientific evidence and professional consensus. The aim of this study was to present the results after 1 year's evaluation of the CP. Patients and method. A series of 34 patients treated in the year prior to the design of the pathway was analyzed to identify weak points and areas for improvement. To address these weak points the CP included associated protocols and principal documents. Thirty-one patients included in the CP were treated over 1 year and the results were compared with those of the pre-pathway series. Results. The mean length of stay in the pre-pathway patients was 7.3 days compared with 5.0 days in the pathway patients. The number of radiographs also fell from 4.3 to 3.2. The rate of complications and re-admissions was similar in both groups. The mean cost per process decreased from 1863 € to 1168 €. Conclusion. The CP for pneumothorax reduced both variability in professional care patterns and hospital costs, justifying the work involved in its development and implementation (AU)