Intubation and In-Hospital Mortality After Trauma With Glasgow Coma Scale Score Eight or Less-A Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Most trauma societies recommend intubating trauma patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores ≤8 without robust supporting evidence. We examined the association between intubation and 30-d in-hospital mortality in trauma patients arriving with a GCS score ≤8 in an Indian trauma registry. METHODS: Outcomes of patients with a GCS score ≤8 who were intubated within 1 h of arrival (intubation group) were compared with those who were intubated later or not at all (nonintubation group) using various analytical approaches. The association was assessed in various subgroup and sensitivity analyses to identify any variability of the effect. RESULTS: Of 3476 patients who arrived with a GCS score ≤8, 1671 (48.1%) were intubated within 1 h. Overall, 1957 (56.3%) patients died, 947 (56.7%) in the intubation group and 1010 (56.0%) in the nonintubation group, with no significant difference in mortality (odds ratio = 1.2 [confidence interval, 0.8-1.8], P value = 0.467) in multivariable regression and propensity score-matched analysis. This result persisted across subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Patients intubated within an hour of arrival had longer durations of ventilation, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Intubation within an hour of arrival with a GCS score ≤8 after major trauma was not associated with differences in-hospital mortality. The indications and benefits of early intubation in these severely injured patients should be revisited to promote optimal resource utilization in LMICs.

Resuscitation following trauma & role of trauma training programmes in emergency settings: A literature review & survey.

Background & objectives Traumatic injuries, especially in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), present significant challenges in patient resuscitation and healthcare delivery. This study explores the role of trauma training programmes in improving patient outcomes and reducing preventable trauma-related deaths. Methods A dual approach was adopted, first a literature review of trauma training in LMICs over the past decade, along with a situational assessment survey. For the review of literature, we searched the PubMed database to identify key challenges and innovative practices in trauma training programmes in LMIC's. The survey, conducted among healthcare professionals in various LMICs, collected direct insights into the challenges and the status of trauma training programmes in these countries. Results The literature review analysed 68 articles, with a significant focus on the African subcontinent (36 studies), underscoring the region's emphasis on research on trauma training programmes. These studies mainly targeted physicians, clinicians, postgraduate trainees in surgical or anaesthesia fields and medical students (86.8%), highlighting innovations like simulation-based training and the cascading training model. In our survey, we received 34 responses from healthcare professionals in India, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Nepal and Pakistan. Around 52.9 per cent reported the absence of established trauma training programmes in their settings. The majority of respondents advocated for hands-on, simulation-based training (94.1%) and emphasised the need for structured training programmes (85.3%), feedback sessions (70.6%) and updated protocols (61.8%). This combined data underlined the critical gaps and potential improvements in trauma training programmes and resuscitation practices in LMICs. Interpretation & conclusions Effective trauma care in LMICs requires the establishment of comprehensive, tailored training programmes. Key interventions should include subsidization of pre-existing trauma courses and the adoption of World Health Organization Guidelines for essential trauma care, implementation of trauma quality improvement and review processes and the incorporation of focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) in emergency departments. These steps are crucial for equipping healthcare workers with vital skills and knowledge, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement in the realm of trauma care.

Consensus recommendations for acute trauma care & outcomes in LMICs from the transdisciplinary research, advocacy & implementation network for trauma in India.

Background & objectives Injuries profoundly impact global health, with substantial deaths and disabilities, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper presents strategic consensus from the Transdisciplinary Research, Advocacy, and Implementation Network for Trauma in India (TRAIN Trauma India) symposium, advocating for enhanced, system-level trauma care to address this challenge. Methods Five working groups conducted separate literature reviews on pre-hospital trauma care, in-hospital trauma resuscitation and training, trauma systems, trauma registries, and India's Towards Improving Trauma Care Outcomes (TITCO) registry. Using a Delphi approach, the TRAIN Trauma India Symposium generated consensus statements and recommendations for interventions to streamline trauma care and reduce preventable trauma mortality in India and LMICs. Experts prioritized interventions based on cost and difficulty. Results An expert panel agreed on four pre-hospital consensus statements, eight hospital resuscitation consensus statements, six system-level consensus statements, and six trauma registry consensus statements. The expert panel recommended six pre-hospital interventions, four hospital resuscitation interventions, nine system-level interventions, and seven trauma registry interventions applicable to the Indian context. Of these, 14 interventions were ranked as low cost/low difficulty, five high cost/low difficulty, five low cost/high difficulty, and three high cost/high difficulty. Interpretation & conclusions This consensus underscores the urgent need for integrated and efficient trauma systems to reduce preventable mortality, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive care that includes community engagement and robust pre-hospital and acute hospital trauma care pathways. It highlights the critical role of inclusive, system-wide approaches, from enhancing pre-hospital care and in-hospital resuscitation to implementing effective trauma registries to improve outcomes and streamline care across contexts.

Recognising socio-cultural barriers while seeking early detection services for breast cancer: a study from a Universal Health Coverage setting in India.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the commonest cancer among women in India, yet the uptake of early detection programs is poor. This leads to late presentation, advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, and high mortality. Poor accessibility and affordability are the most commonly cited barriers to screening: we analyse socio-cultural factors influencing the uptake of early detection programmes in a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) setting in India, where geographical and financial barriers were mitigated. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-two women engaging in an awareness-based early detection program were recruited by randomization as the participant (P) group. A further 272 women who did not participate in the early detection programme were recruited as non-participants (NP). None of the groups were previously screened for breast cancer. Interviews were conducted using a 19-point questionnaire, consisting of closed-ended questions regarding demographics and social, cultural, spiritual and trust-related barriers. RESULTS: The overall awareness about breast cancer was high among both groups. None of the groups reported accessibility-related barriers. Participants were more educated (58.09% vs 47.43%, p = 0.02) and belonged to nuclear families (83.59% vs 76.75%, p = 0.05). Although they reported more fear of isolation due to stigma (25% vs 14%, p = 0.001), they had greater knowledge about breast cancer and trust in the health system compared to non-participants. CONCLUSIONS: The major socio-cultural barriers identified were joint family setups, lower education and awareness, and lack of trust in healthcare professionals. As more countries progress towards UHC, recognising socio-cultural barriers to seeking breast health services is essential in order to formulate context-specific solutions to increase the uptake of early detection and screening services.

Concerns and coping mechanisms of breast cancer survivor women from Asia: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: The incidence of breast cancer has increased significantly in Asia due to epidemiological transition and changes in human development indices. Advancement in medical technology has improved prognosis with a resultant increase in survivorship issues. The effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are influenced by the patient's cultural beliefs and social systems. This scoping review aims to summarise concerns and coping mechanisms of women with breast cancer in Asia and understand gaps in the existing literature. METHODS: We performed a scoping review using the population-concept-context strategy. A systematic search of MEDLINE (PubMed, Web of Science), CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Embase was conducted for studies conducted in Asia on women diagnosed with breast cancer, identifying their concerns and coping mechanisms, published between January 2011 and January 2021. Data from included studies were reported using frequencies and percentages. RESULTS: We included 163 studies, of which most (81%) were conducted in hospital settings. Emotional and psychological concerns were reported in 80% of studies, followed by physical appearance and body-image concerns in 46%. Social support (59%), emotion-based coping (46%), spirituality, and problem-based coping (37%) were the major coping systems documented. CONCLUSION: The mapped literature documented that anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence dominated women's emotional concerns. Women coped with the help of social support, positive reappraisal, and faith in God and religion. Sensitization of caregivers, including healthcare professionals and family members, to context-specific concerns and inquiry into the patients' available support systems is essential in strengthening breast cancer women's recovery and coping.

Are LMICs Achieving the Lancet Commission Global Benchmark for Surgical Volumes? A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) set the benchmark of 5000 procedures per 100,000 population annually to meet surgical needs adequately. This systematic review provides an overview of the last ten years of surgical volumes in Low and Middle- Income-Countries (LMICs). METHODOLOGY: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases for studies from LMICs addressing surgical volume. The number of surgeries performed per 100,000 population was estimated. We used cesarean sections, hernia, and laparotomies as index cases for the surgical capacities of the country. Their proportions to total surgical volumes were estimated. The association of country-specific surgical volumes and the proportion of index cases with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 26 articles were included in this review. In LMICs, on average, 877 surgeries were performed per 100,000 population. The proportion of cesarean sections was found to be high in all LMICs, with an average of 30.1% of the total surgeries, followed by hernia (16.4%) and laparotomy (5.1%). The overall surgical volumes increased as the GDP per capita increased. The proportions of cesarean section and hernia to total surgical volumes decreased with increased GDP per capita. Significant heterogeneity was found in the methodologies to assess surgical volumes, and inconsistent reporting hindered comparison between countries. CONCLUSION: Most LMICs have surgical volumes below the LCoGS benchmark of 5000 procedures per 100,000 population, with an average of 877 surgeries. The surgical volume increased while the proportions of hernia and cesarean sections reduced with increased GDP per capita. In the future, it's essential to apply uniform and reproducible data collection methods for obtaining multinational data that can be more accurately compared.

Does women's empowerment and their socioeconomic condition affect the uptake of breast cancer screening? Findings from NFHS-5, India.

BACKGROUND: Screening for breast cancer results in early diagnosis of the disease and improves survival. However, increasing participation of women in screening programs is challenging since it is influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors. This study explores the relationship of socioeconomic and women empowerment factors with breast cancer screening uptakes in the states and union territories of India. METHODS: We used summary reports of secondary data from all the states and union territories based on the fifth wave of the National Family Health Survey in India. This ecological study compares the uptake of breast cancer screening across states of India. We considered socioeconomic status (SES) and women empowerment status (WES) indicators from the survey as independent variables and state-wise breast cancer screening uptake as dependent variables for studying their association. The determinants of breast cancer screening were calculated using a simple linear regression model. RESULTS: We found that socioeconomic status and women empowerment status moderately correlated with breast cancer screening uptake (correlation coefficient 0.34 and 0.38, respectively). States with higher rates of literacy among women and of women who had their own bank accounts that they decided how to use reported higher uptake of breast cancer screening (p = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). However, the correlation was not uniform across all the states. The states of Chandigarh, Delhi, Telangana, and Karnataka showed lower participation despite a higher percentage of literate women and women with their own bank accounts. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that women's literacy and having their own bank account may moderately improve their participation in cancer screening. However, higher SES and WES did not translate into better screening in many of the states. More research is needed, especially for states which had low screening uptake despite relatively higher rates of women empowerment.

Ways to improve surgical outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

Global surgery initiatives such as the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery have highlighted the need for increased investment to enhance surgical capacity in low- and middle-income countries. A neglected issue, however, is surgery-related rehabilitation, which is known to optimize functional outcomes after surgery. Increased investment to enhance surgical capacity therefore needs to be complemented by promotion of rehabilitation interventions. We make the case for strengthening surgery-related rehabilitation in lower-resource countries, outlining the challenges but also potential solutions and policy directions. Proposed solutions include greater leadership and awareness, augmented by recent global efforts around the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 initiative, and professionalization of the rehabilitation workforce. More research on rehabilitation is needed in low- and middle-income countries, along with support for system approaches, notably on strengthening and integrating rehabilitation within the health systems. Finally, we outline a set of policy implications and recommendations, aligned to the components of the national surgical plan proposed by the Lancet Commission: infrastructure, workforce, service delivery, financing, and information management. Collaboration and sustained efforts to embed rehabilitation within national surgical plans is key to optimize health outcomes for patients with surgical conditions and ensure progress towards sustainable development goal 3: health and well-being for all.

À l'instar de la Commission Lancet sur la chirurgie mondiale, des initiatives internationales consacrées à ce sujet ont mis en évidence le besoin d'investir davantage dans le renforcement des capacités chirurgicales dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire. Néanmoins, la réadaptation post-chirurgicale, connue pour améliorer les résultats fonctionnels après une intervention, reste un enjeu largement ignoré. Ces investissements accrus visant à renforcer les capacités chirurgicales doivent donc aller de pair avec une promotion des services de réadaptation. Dans le présent document, nous plaidons pour le développement d'une réadaptation post-chirurgicale dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire, en identifiant les défis mais aussi les orientations politiques et les solutions possibles. Parmi elles, un meilleur leadership et une prise de conscience, favorisée par les récents efforts mondiaux qui ont entouré l'initiative Réadaptation 2030 de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé, ainsi qu'une professionnalisation du personnel dédié à la réadaptation. D'autres recherches sur la réadaptation sont nécessaires dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire, tout comme l'apport d'un soutien aux approches systémiques, en particulier pour consolider et intégrer de telles pratiques dans les systèmes de santé. Enfin, nous dégageons une série de recommandations et d'implications politiques inspirés des éléments du plan chirurgical national proposé par la Commission Lancet: infrastructures, main-d'œuvre, prestations de services, financement et gestion des informations. La collaboration et la poursuite des efforts en vue d'inclure la réadaptation dans les plans chirurgicaux nationaux jouent un rôle crucial dans l'amélioration des résultats cliniques chez les patients souffrant de complications post-opératoires. En outre, elles permettront de progresser vers le troisième objectif de développement durable: santé et bien-être pour tous à tout âge.

Las iniciativas de cirugía a nivel mundial, como la Comisión Lancet sobre Cirugía Mundial, han destacado la necesidad de aumentar la inversión para mejorar la capacidad quirúrgica en los países de ingresos bajos y medios. Sin embargo, se ha descuidado la rehabilitación relacionada con la cirugía, que se sabe que optimiza los resultados funcionales después de la intervención. Por lo tanto, el incremento de la inversión para mejorar la capacidad quirúrgica se debe complementar con la promoción de intervenciones de rehabilitación. En este artículo se defiende la necesidad de reforzar la rehabilitación relacionada con la cirugía en los países con menos recursos, y se exponen los desafíos, pero también las posibles soluciones y orientaciones políticas. Las soluciones propuestas incluyen un mayor liderazgo y concienciación, potenciados por los recientes esfuerzos mundiales en torno a la iniciativa Rehabilitación 2030 de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, y la profesionalización del personal de rehabilitación. Se necesita más investigación sobre la rehabilitación en los países de ingresos bajos y medios, junto con el apoyo a los enfoques sistémicos, en particular sobre el fortalecimiento y la integración de la rehabilitación dentro de los sistemas sanitarios. Por último, se expone un conjunto de implicaciones y recomendaciones políticas, alineadas con los componentes del plan quirúrgico nacional que propone la Comisión Lancet: infraestructura, personal, prestación de servicios, financiación y gestión de la información. La colaboración y los esfuerzos sostenidos para integrar la rehabilitación en los planes quirúrgicos nacionales son fundamentales para optimizar los resultados sanitarios de los pacientes con afecciones quirúrgicas y asegurar el progreso hacia el tercer objetivo de desarrollo sostenible: salud y bienestar para todos.

Mortality and Risk Factors in Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Outcomes in patients with isolated traumatic brain injury (iTBI) have not been evaluated comprehensively in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to study the in-hospital iTBI mortality and its associated risk factors in a prospective multicenter Indian trauma registry. METHODS: Patients with iTBI (head and neck Abbreviated Injury Score ≥2 and other region Abbreviated Injury Score ≤2) were included. Study variables comprised age, gender, mechanism of injury, systolic blood pressure (SBP) at arrival, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score - classified as mild (13-15), moderate (9-12), and severe (3-8), transfer status, and time to presentation at any participating hospital. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of these factors on 24-h and 30-d mortality following iTBI. RESULTS: Among 5042 included patients, 24-h and 30-d in-hospital mortalities were 5.9% and 22.4%. On a regression analysis, 30-d mortality was associated with age ≥45 y (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1 [1.6-2.7]), railway injury mechanisms (OR = 2.1 [1.3-3.5]), SBP <90 mmHg (OR = 2.6 [1.6-4.1]), and moderate (OR = 3.8 [3.0-5.0]) to severe (OR = 21.1 [16.8-26.7]) iTBI based on GCS scores. 24-h mortality showed similar trends. Patients transferred to the participating hospitals from other centers had higher odds of 30-d mortality (OR = 1.4 [1.2-1.8]) compared to those arriving directly. Those who received neurosurgical intervention had lower odds of 24-h mortality (0.3 [0.2-0.4]). CONCLUSIONS: Age ≥45 y, GCS score ≤12, and SBP <90 mmHg at arrival increased the risk of in-hospital mortality from iTBI.

Academic Output in Global Surgery after the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) published its seminal report in 2015, carving a niche for global surgery academia. Six years after the LCoGS, a scoping review was conducted to see how the term 'global surgery' is characterized by the literature and how it relates to LCoGS and its domains. METHODS: PubMed was searched for publications between January 2015 and February 2021 that used the term 'global surgery' in the title, abstract, or key words or cited the LCoGS. Variables extracted included LCoGS domains, authorship metrics, geographic scope, and clinical specialty. RESULTS: The search captured 938 articles that qualified for data extraction. Nearly 80% of first and last authors had high-income country affiliations. Africa was the most frequently investigated region, though many countries within the region were under-represented. The World Journal of Surgery was the most frequent journal, publishing 13.9% of all articles. General surgery, pediatric surgery, and neurosurgery were the most represented specialties. Of the LCoGS domains, healthcare delivery and management were the most studied, while economics and financing were the least studied. CONCLUSION: A lack of consensus on the definition of global surgery remains. Additional research is needed in economics and financing, while obstetrics and trauma are under-represented in literature using the term 'global surgery'. Efforts in academic global surgery must give a voice to those carrying the global surgery agenda forward on the frontlines. Focusing on research capacity-building and encouraging contribution by local partners will lead to a stronger, more cohesive global surgery community.

Assessing the Rates and Reasons of Elective Surgical Cancellations on the Day of Surgery: A Multicentre Study from Urban Indian Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Cancellations of elective surgeries on the day of surgery (DOS) can lead to added financial burden and wastage of resources for healthcare facilities; as well as social and emotional problems to patients. These cancellations act as barriers to delivering efficient surgical services. Optimal utilisation of the available resources is necessary for resource-constrained low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). This study investigates the rate and causes of cancellations of elective surgeries on the DOS in various surgical departments across ten hospitals in India. METHODS: A research consortium 'IndSurg' led by World Health Organisation Collaboration Centre (WHOCC) for Research in Surgical Care Delivery in LMICs, India conducted this multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study to analyse the cancellations of elective/planned surgical operations on DOS across urban secondary and tertiary level hospitals. We audited surgical records of a pre-decided period of six weeks for cancellations, documented relevant demographic information and reasons for cancellations. RESULTS: We analysed records from the participating hospitals, with an overall cancellation rate of 9.7% (508/5231) on the DOS for elective surgical operations. Of these, 74% were avoidable cancellations. A majority (30%) of these 508 cancellations were attributed to insufficient resources, 28% due to patient's refusal or failure to show-up, and 22% due to change in patient's medical status. CONCLUSION: We saw a preponderance of avoidable reasons for elective surgery cancellations. A multidisciplinary approach with adequate preoperative patient counselling, timely communication between the patients and caregivers, adequate preoperative anaesthetic assessment, and planning by the surgical team may help reduce the cancellation rate.

How to work with intangible software in public health systems: some experiences from India.

This commentary focuses on "intangible software", defined as the range of ideas, norms, values and issues of power or trust that affect the performance of health systems. While the need to work with intangible software within health systems is increasingly being recognized, the practical hows of doing so have been given less attention. In this commentary, we, a team of researchers and implementers from India, have tried to deliberate on these hows through a practice lens. We engage with four questions of current relevance to intangible software in the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR): (1) Is it possible to rewire intangible software in health systems? (2) What approaches have been attempted in the Indian public health system to rewire intangibles? (3) Have such approaches been evaluated? (4) What practical lessons can we offer from our experience on rewiring intangibles? From our perspective, approaches to rewiring intangible software recognize that people in health systems are capable of visioning, thinking, adapting to and leading change. These approaches attempt to challenge the often-unchallenged power hierarchies in health systems by allowing people to engage deeply with widely accepted norms and routinized actions. In this commentary, we have reported on such approaches from India under six categories: approaches intended to enable visioning and leading; approaches targeted at engaging with evidence better; approaches intended to help health workers navigate contextual complexities; approaches intended to build the cultural competence; approaches that recognize and reward performance; and approaches targeted at enabling collaborative work and breaking power hierarchies. Our collective experiences suggest that intangible software interventions work best when they are codesigned with various stakeholders, are contextually adapted in an iterative manner and are implemented in conjunction with structural improvements. Also, such interventions require long-term investments. Based on our experiences, we highlight the need for the following: (1) fostering more dialogue on this category of interventions among all stakeholders for cross-learning; (2) evaluating and publishing evidence on such interventions in nonconventional ways, with a focus on participatory learning; and (3) building ecosystems that allow experiential learnings on such interventions to be shared.

Academic Global Surgery Curricula: Current Status and a Call for a More Equitable Approach.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to search the literature for global surgical curricula, assess if published resources align with existing competency frameworks in global health and surgical education, and determine if there is consensus around a fundamental set of competencies for the developing field of academic global surgery. METHODS: We reviewed SciVerse SCOPUS, PubMed, African Medicus Index, African Journals Online (AJOL), SciELO, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) and Bioline for manuscripts on global surgery curricula and evaluated the results using existing competency frameworks in global health and surgical education from Consortium of the Universities for Global Health (CUGH) and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) professional competencies. RESULTS: Our search generated 250 publications, of which 18 were eligible: (1) a total of 10 reported existing competency-based curricula that were concurrent with international experiences, (2) two reported existing pre-departure competency-based curricula, (3) six proposed theoretical competency-based curricula for future global surgery education. All, but one, were based in high-income countries (HICs) and focused on the needs of HIC trainees. None met all 17 competencies, none cited the CUGH competency on "Health Equity and Social Justice" and only one mentioned "Social and Environmental Determinants of Health." Only 22% (n = 4) were available as open-access. CONCLUSION: Currently, there is no universally accepted set of competencies on the fundamentals of academic global surgery. Existing literature are predominantly by and for HIC institutions and trainees. Current frameworks are inadequate for this emerging academic field. The field needs competencies with explicit input from LMIC experts to ensure creation of educational resources that are accessible and relevant to trainees from around the world.

Delivering Essential Surgical Care for Lower-limb Musculoskeletal disorders in the Low-Resource Setting.

BACKGROUND: Mismatched surgeon-anesthesiologist ratios often exist in low-resource settings making safe emergency essential surgical care challenging. This study is an audit of emergency essential procedures performed for lower-limb (LL) musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) when an anesthesiologist was unavailable. It aims to identify strategies for safe anesthesia. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective audit of emergency essential LL orthopedic procedures performed at remote mission hospital in Central India was performed. Out of necessity, a regional anesthesia (RA) protocol was developed in collaboration with anesthesiologists familiar with the setting. The incidence of intraoperative surgical and perioperative anesthesia complications when RA was administered by a surgeon was evaluated. RESULTS: During this period, 766 emergency essential LL MSDs procedures were performed. An anesthesiologist was available for only 6/766. RA was administered by a surgeon for 283/766. This included spinal anesthesia (SA) for 267/283 patients, peripheral nerve blocks for 16/283. Local infiltration and/or sedation was administered to 477/766. There were 17 intraoperative surgical complications. Anesthesia-related complications included 37/267 patients who required multiple attempts to localize subarachnoid space and SA failure in 9/267 patients all of whom had successful re-administration. Additional sedation and infiltration of local anesthetic was required in 5/267 patients. CONCLUSION: Remote pre-anesthesia consultation for high-risk patients, local surgeon-anesthesiologist networking, protocol-guided management, and dedicated short duration of training in anesthesia may be considered as an alternative for delivering RA for emergency essential surgery for LL MSDs due to unavailability of anesthesiologists.

Estimation of the National Surgical Needs in India by Enumerating the Surgical Procedures in an Urban Community Under Universal Health Coverage.

BACKGROUND: 11% of the global burden of disease requires surgical care or anaesthesia management or both. Some studies have estimated this burden to be as high as 30%. The Lancet Commission for Global Surgery (LCoGS) estimated that 5000 surgeries are required to meet the surgical burden of disease for 100,000 people in LMICs. Studies from LMICs, estimating surgical burden based on enumeration of surgeries, are sparse. METHOD: We performed this study in an urban population availing employees' heath scheme in Mumbai, India. Surgical procedures performed in 2017 and 2018, under this free and equitable health scheme, were enumerated. We estimated the surgical needs for national population, based on age and sex distribution of surgeries and age standardization from our cohort. RESULT: A total of 4642 surgeries were performed per year for a population of 88,273. Cataract (22.8%), Caesareans (3.8%), surgeries for fractures (3.27%) and hernia (2.86%) were the commonest surgeries. 44.2% of surgeries belonged to the essential surgeries. We estimated 3646 surgeries would be required per 100,000 Indian population per year. One-third of these surgeries would be needed for the age group 30-49 years, in the Indian population. CONCLUSION: A total of 3646 surgeries were estimated annually to meet the surgical needs of Indian population as compared to the global estimate of 5000 surgeries per 100,000 people. Caesarean section, cataract, surgeries for fractures and hernia are the major contributors to the surgical needs. More enumeration-based studies are needed for better estimates from rural as well as other urban areas.

Outcomes of Renal Trauma in Indian Urban Tertiary Healthcare Centres: A Multicentre Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Renal trauma is present in 0.5-5% of patients admitted for trauma. Advancements in radiologic imaging and minimal-invasive techniques have led to decreased need for surgical intervention. We used a large trauma cohort to characterise renal trauma patients, their management and outcomes. METHODS: We analysed "Towards Improved Trauma Care Outcomes in India" cohort from four urban tertiary public hospitals in India between 1st September 2013 and 31st December 2015. The data of patients with renal trauma were extracted using International Classification of Diseases 10 codes and analysed for demographic and clinical details. RESULTS: A total of 16,047 trauma patients were included in this cohort. Abdominal trauma comprised 1119 (7%) cases, of which 144 (13%) had renal trauma. Renal trauma was present in 1% of all the patients admitted for trauma. The mean age was 28 years (SD-14.7). A total of 119 (83%) patients were male. Majority (93%) were due to blunt injuries. Road traffic injuries were the most common mechanism (53%) followed by falls (29%). Most renal injuries (89%) were associated with other organ injuries. Seven of the 144 (5%) patients required nephrectomy. Three patients had grade V trauma; all underwent nephrectomy. The 30-day in-hospital mortality, in patients with renal trauma, was 17% (24/144). CONCLUSION: Most renal trauma patients were managed nonoperatively. 89% of patients with renal trauma had concomitant injuries. The renal trauma profile from this large cohort may be generalisable to urban contexts in India and other low- and middle-income countries.

An Analysis of 30-Day in-Hospital Trauma Mortality in Four Urban University Hospitals Using the Australia India Trauma Registry.

BACKGROUND: India has one-sixth (16%) of the world's population but more than one-fifth (21%) of the world's injury mortality. A trauma registry established by the Australia India Trauma Systems Collaboration (AITSC) Project was utilized to study 30-day in-hospital trauma mortality at high-volume Indian hospitals. METHODS: The AITSC Project collected data prospectively between April 2016 and March 2018 at four Indian university hospitals in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. Patients admitted with an injury mechanism of road or rail-related injury, fall, assault, or burns were included. The associations between demographic, physiological on-admission vitals, and process-of-care parameters with early (0-24 h), delayed (1-7 days), and late (8-30 days) in-hospital trauma mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 9354 patients in the AITSC registry, 8606 were subjected to analysis. The 30-day mortality was 12.4% among all trauma victims. Early (24-h) mortality was 1.9%, delayed (1-7 days) mortality was 7.3%, and late (8-30 days) mortality was 3.2%. Abnormal physiological parameters such as a low SBP, SpO2, and GCS and high HR and RR were observed among non-survivors. Early initiation of trauma assessment and monitoring on arrival was an important process of care indicator for predicting 30-day survival. CONCLUSIONS: One in ten admitted trauma patients (12.4%) died in urban trauma centers in India. More than half of the trauma deaths were delayed, beyond 24 h but within one week following injury. On-admission physiological vital signs remain a valid predictor of early 24-h trauma mortality.

Mapping the health systems response to violence against women: key learnings from five LMIC settings (2015-2020).

BACKGROUND: Violence against women (VAW) is a global challenge, and the health sector is a key entry point for survivors to receive care. The World Health Organization adopted an earlier framework for health systems response to survivors. However, documentation on the programmatic rollout of health system response to violence against women is lacking in low and middle-income countries. This paper studies the programmatic roll out of the health systems response across select five low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and identifies key learnings. METHODS: We selected five LMIC settings with recent or active programming on national-level health system response to VAW from 2015 to 2020. We synthesized publicly available data and program reports according to the components of the WHO Health Systems Framework. The countries selected are Bangladesh, Brazil, Nepal, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. RESULTS: One-stop centers were found to be the dominant model of care located in hospitals in four countries. Each setting has implemented in-service training as key to addressing provider knowledge, attitudes and practice; however, significant gaps remain in addressing frequent staff turnover, provision of training at scale, and documentation of the impact of training. The health system protocols for VAW address sexual violence but do not uniformly include clinical and health policy responses for emotional or economic violence. Providing privacy to survivors within health facilities was a universal challenge. CONCLUSION: Significant efforts have been made to address provider attitudes towards provision of care and to protocolize delivery of care to survivors, primarily through one-stop centers. Further improvements can be made in data collection on training impact on provider attitudes and practices, in provider identification of VAW survivors, and in prioritization of VAW within health system budgeting, staffing, and political priorities. Primary health facilities need to provide first-line support for survivors to avoid delays in response to all forms of VAW as well as for secondary prevention.

Academic Advancement in Global Surgery: Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure: Recommendations From the American Surgical Association Working Group on Global Surgery.

: There is growing interest in global surgery among US academic surgical departments. As academic global surgery is a relatively new field, departments may have minimal experience in evaluation of faculty contributions and how they integrate into the existing academic paradigm for promotion and tenure. The American Surgical Association Working Group on Global Surgery has developed recommendations for promotion and tenure in global surgery, highlighting criteria that: (1) would be similar to usual promotion and tenure criteria (eg, publications); (2) would likely be undervalued in current criteria (eg, training, administrative roles, or other activities that are conducted at low- and middle-income partner institutions and promote the partnerships upon which other global surgery activities depend); and (3) should not be considered (eg, mission trips or other clinical work, if not otherwise linked to funding, training, research, or building partnerships).

Cancer epidemiology literature from India: Does it reflect the reality?

BACKGROUND: The alarming escalation of cancers over infectious diseases in the lower and middle-income countries warrants a better understanding of this epidemiological transition. The epidemiology of cancers in India is sparsely addressed in the literature. Hence, in this manuscript, we present the review done, on research manuscripts, addressing cancer incidence, trends and risk factors from India over the last 12 years. Studies addressing screening, treatment and clinical trials were excluded. METHODS: We evaluated the studies for the theme addressed, study design, sample size, the region of origin and whether it was population or hospital-based study. RESULTS: The studies highlighted a significant shortage of multicenter population-based data in the incidence and risk factors associated with various malignancies in India. Further, we also observed that there was a relative lack of information from the northern and northeastern parts of India. The reviewed articles also indicated the need for a robust design for the studies, large sample size and uniformity in reporting incidence for appropriately drawing conclusions from a study. Reporting of country-specific risk factors with their geographical variations was also sparse. CONCLUSION: Overall, the cancer epidemiology literature from India is sparse. More studies with robust designs representing all parts of the country are currently needed.