Paper or plastic? Simulation based evaluation of two versions of a cognitive aid for managing pediatric peri-operative critical events by anesthesia trainees: evaluation of the society for pediatric anesthesia emergency checklist.

Cognitive aids (CA), including emergency manuals and checklists, are tools designed to assist users in prioritizing and performing complex tasks during time sensitive, high stress situations (Marshall in Anesth Analgesia 117(5):1162-1171, 2013; Marshall and Mehra in Anaesthesia 69(7):669-677, 2014). The society for pediatric anesthesia (SPA) has developed a series of emergency checklists tailored for use by pediatric perioperative teams that cover a wide range of intraoperative critical events (Shaffner et al. in Anesth Analgesia 117(4):960-979, 2013). In this study, we evaluated user preferences for a CA (SPA checklist) using two different presentation formats, paper and electronic, during management of simulated critical events. Anesthesia trainees managed the simulated critical events under one of three randomized conditions: (1) memory alone, (2) with a paper version of the CA, (3) with an electronic version of the CA. Following participation in the simulated critical events, participants were asked to complete a survey regarding their experience using the different versions of the CA. The percentage of favorable responses for each format of the CA was compared using a mixed effects proportional odds model. There were 143 simulated events managed by 89 anesthesia trainees. Approximately one out of three trainees (electronic 29 %, paper 30 %) assigned to use the CA chose not to use it and completed the scenario from memory alone. The survey was completed by 68 % of participants, 58 % of trainees preferred the paper version and 35 % preferred the electronic version. All survey responses that reached statistical significance favored the paper version. In this study, anesthesia trainees had a favorable opinion of the content and perceived clinical relevance of both versions of the CA. In both quantitative and qualitative analysis, the paper version of the CA was preferred over the electronic version by participants. Despite overall favorable responses to the CA, a sizeable number of participants chose not to use either version the CA during the crisis.

Fluoroscopically guided tunneled trans-caudal epidural catheter technique for opioid-free neonatal epidural analgesia.

Epidural analgesia confers significant perioperative advantages to neonates undergoing surgical procedures but may be very technically challenging to place using a standard interlaminar loss-of-resistance to saline technique given the shallow depth of the epidural space. Thoracic epidural catheters placed via the caudal route may reduce the risk of direct neural injury from needle placement, but often pose higher risks of infection and/or improper positioning if placed without radiographic guidance. We present a detailed method of placing a fluoroscopically guided, tunneled transcaudal epidural catheter, which may reduce both of these risks. The accuracy and precision of this technique often provides adequate analgesia to allow for opioid-free epidural infusions as well as significant reductions in systemic opioids through the perioperative period. Opioid-free analgesia using a regional anesthetic technique allows for earlier extubation and reduced perioperative sedation, which may have a less deleterious neurocognitive effect on the developing brain of the neonate.

Successful utilisation of epidural analgesia for perioperative pain management in a child with sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit (SCN1A) gene mutation.

Sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit (SCN1A) gene mutation is a rare disorder with a large spectrum of clinical presentations. Little is known regarding anaesthetic and analgesic management of these patients. We present a case of a child with SCN1A gene mutation that was successfully managed with an epidural for perioperative analgesia for an abdominal surgery.

Assessment Tools for Use During Anesthesia-Centric Pediatric Advanced Life Support Training and Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric perioperative cardiac arrests are rare events that require rapid, skilled and coordinated efforts to optimize outcomes. We developed an assessment tool for assessing clinician performance during perioperative critical events termed Anesthesia-centric Pediatric Advanced Life Support (A-PALS). Here, we describe the development and evaluation of the A-PALS scoring instrument. METHODS: A group of raters scored videos of a perioperative team managing simulated events representing a range of scenarios and competency. We assessed agreement with the reference standard grading, as well as interrater and intrarater reliability. RESULTS: Overall, raters agreed with the reference standard 86.2% of the time. Rater scores concerning scenarios that depicted highly competent performance correlated better with the reference standard than scores from scenarios that depicted low clinical competence (P < 0.0001). Agreement with the reference standard was significantly (P < 0.0001) associated with scenario type, item category, level of competency displayed in the scenario, correct versus incorrect actions and whether the action was performed versus not performed. Kappa values were significantly (P < 0.0001) higher for highly competent performances as compared to lesser competent performances (good: mean = 0.83 [standard deviation = 0.07] versus poor: mean = 0.61 [standard deviation = 0.14]). The intraclass correlation coefficient (interrater reliability) was 0.97 for the raters' composite scores on correct actions and 0.98 for their composite scores on incorrect actions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the validity of the A-PALS scoring instrument and demonstrates that the scoring instrument can provide reliable scores, although clinician performance affects reliability.

Mode of Information Delivery Does Not Effect Anesthesia Trainee Performance During Simulated Perioperative Pediatric Critical Events: A Trial of Paper Versus Electronic Cognitive Aids.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive aids (CAs), including emergency manuals and checklists, have been recommended as a means to address the failure of healthcare providers to adhere to evidence-based standards of treatment during crisis situations. Unfortunately, users of CAs still commit errors, omit critical steps, fail to achieve perfect adherence to guidelines, and frequently choose to not use CA during both simulated and real crisis events. We sought to evaluate whether the mode in which a CA presents information (ie, paper vs. electronic) affects clinician performance during simulated critical events. METHODS: In a prospective, randomized, controlled trial, anesthesia trainees managed simulated events under 1 of the following 3 conditions: (1) from memory alone (control), (2) with a paper CA, or (3) with an electronic version of the same CA. Management of the events was assessed using scenario-specific checklists. Mixed-effect regression models were used for analysis of overall checklist score and for elapsed time. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-nine simulated events were observed and rated. Approximately, 1 of 3 trainees assigned to use a CA (electronic 29%, paper 36%) chose not to use it during the scenario. Compared with the control group (52%), the overall score was 6% higher in the paper CA group and 8% higher (95% confidence interval, 0.914.5; P = 0.03) in the electronic CA group. The difference between paper and electronic CA was not significant. There was a wide range in time to first use of the CA, but the time to task completion was not affected by CA use, nor did the time to CA use impact CA effectiveness as measured by performance. CONCLUSIONS: The format (paper or electronic) of the CA did not affect the impact of the CA on clinician performance in this study. Clinician compliance with the use of the CA was unaffected by format, suggesting that other factors may determine whether clinicians choose to use a CA or not. Time to use of the CA did not affect clinical performance, suggesting that it may not be when CAs are used but how they are used that determines their impact. The current study highlights the importance of not just familiarizing clinicians with the content of CA but also training clinicians in when and how to use an emergency CA.

The use of telemedicine in primary care for women with cervical cytological abnormalities.

Telemedicine can be used in two different ways in the context of the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme. The first method allows primary health-care providers to offer direct online booking of clinic appointments according to predefined algorithms based on the woman's cytological abnormality. The second method is telecolposcopy, which is designed to be used by nurses in primary care. Preliminary data confirm that such a system can be used reliably to make diagnoses. The technology is easily adaptable for realtime teleconsultation.

Safety and immunogenicity of H1/IC31®, an adjuvanted TB subunit vaccine, in HIV-infected adults with CD4+ lymphocyte counts greater than 350 cells/mm3: a phase II, multi-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Novel tuberculosis vaccines should be safe, immunogenic, and effective in various population groups, including HIV-infected individuals. In this phase II multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the safety and immunogenicity of the novel H1/IC31 vaccine, a fusion protein of Ag85B-ESAT-6 (H1) formulated with the adjuvant IC31, was evaluated in HIV-infected adults. METHODS: HIV-infected adults with CD4+ T cell counts >350/mm3 and without evidence of active tuberculosis were enrolled and followed until day 182. H1/IC31 vaccine or placebo was randomly allocated in a 5:1 ratio. The vaccine was administered intramuscularly at day 0 and 56. Safety assessment was based on medical history, clinical examinations, and blood and urine testing. Immunogenicity was determined by a short-term whole blood intracellular cytokine staining assay. RESULTS: 47 of the 48 randomised participants completed both vaccinations. In total, 459 mild or moderate and 2 severe adverse events were reported. There were three serious adverse events in two vaccinees classified as not related to the investigational product. Local injection site reactions were more common in H1/IC31 versus placebo recipients (65.0% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.015). Solicited systemic and unsolicited adverse events were similar by study arm. The baseline CD4+ T cell count and HIV viral load were similar by study arm and remained constant over time. The H1/IC31 vaccine induced a persistent Th1-immune response with predominately TNF-α and IL-2 co-expressing CD4+ T cells, as well as polyfunctional IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2 expressing CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSION: H1/IC31 was well tolerated and safe in HIV-infected adults with a CD4+ Lymphocyte count greater than 350 cells/mm3. The vaccine did not have an effect on CD4+ T cell count or HIV-1 viral load. H1/IC31 induced a specific and durable Th1 immune response. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR) PACTR201105000289276.