Identification of the haemoglobin level associated with a lower risk of complications after total hip and knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anaemia is associated with poor outcomes in surgical patients, but the preoperative haemoglobin cut-off that determines lower morbidity in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) is not well established. METHODS: Planned secondary analysis of data collected during a multicentre cohort study of patients undergoing THA and TKA in 131 Spanish hospitals during a single 2-month recruitment period. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin <12 g dl-1 for females and < 13 g dl-1 for males. The primary outcome was the number of patients with 30-day in-hospital postoperative complications according to European Perioperative Clinical Outcome definitions and specific surgical TKA and THA complications. Secondary outcomes included the number of patients with 30-day moderate-to-severe complications, red blood cell transfusion, mortality, and length of hospital stay. Binary logistic regression models were constructed to assess association between preoperative Hb concentrations and postoperative complications, and variables significantly associated with the outcome were included in the multivariate model. The study sample was divided into 11 groups based on preoperative Hb values in an effort to identify the threshold at which increased postoperative complications occurred. RESULTS: A total of 6099 patients were included in the analysis (3818 THA and 2281 TKA), of whom 8.8% were anaemic. Patients with preoperative anaemia were more likely to suffer overall complications (111/539, 20.6% vs. 563/5560, 10.1%, p < .001) and moderate-to-severe complications (67/539, 12.4% vs. 284/5560, 5.1%, p < .001). Multivariable analysis showed preoperative haemoglobin ≥14 g dl-1 was associated with fewer postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Preoperative haemoglobin ≥14 g dl-1 is associated with a lower risk of postoperative complications in patients undergoing primary TKA and THA.

[Infección necrotizante de la pared abdominal: ¿qué hacer?] / Necrotizing soft tissue infection on the abdominal wall. How to proceed?

El éxito en el tratamiento de las infecciones necrotizantes de los tejidos blandos (INTB) depende de la precocidad diagnóstica y de la agresividad terapéutica, basada en el desbridamiento quirúrgico, la antibioticoterapia de amplio espectro y el soporte intensivo. Se presenta un caso de INTB secundaria a diverticulitis aguda perforada (Hinchey 4) con el fin de ilustrar las consideraciones particulares en el manejo de la INTB de localización en la pared abdominal, apoyadas en la evidencia disponible en la literatura científica. Se identifican como puntos clave la precocidad y la agresividad del desbridamiento quirúrgico, la antibioticoterapia dirigida por el cultivo y su suspensión guiada por la negativización microbiológica; y el empleo de técnicas combinadas de autoplastia y prótesis apoyadas en la terapia de presión negativa en la restauración de la pared abdominal, con lo que se ha obtenido un buen resultado.Successful treatment of necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) depends on early diagnosis and therapeutical aggressiveness, based on surgical debridement, broad spectrum antibiotics and intensive support. A case of perforated diverticulitis (Hinchey 4)-secondary-NSTI is presented in order to illustrate the particular considerations in the management of abdominal wall located NSTI, supported on the evidence available in scientific literature. Several key points are identified, such as prompt and aggressive surgical debridement; culture-guided antibiotherapy and its suspension based on microbiological negativization; and the utilization of combined techniques of autoplastic repair and replacement, also supported on negative pressure therapy in the abdominal wall restoration, which have shown a good outcome.