Total hip arthroplasty using direct anterior approach and dual mobility cup: safe and efficient strategy against post-operative dislocation.

AIM: We hypothesize that a dual mobility cup can be safely used via the direct anterior approach, without increasing the risk of complications or incorrect positioning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study compared 201 primary total hip arthroplasties using a dual mobility cup performed via direct anterior approach without a traction table, to 101 arthroplasties performed via posterolateral approach. Implant positioning, function scores, and early complications were recorded. RESULTS: Implant positioning was appropriate in both groups, with a higher cup anteversion in direct anterior approach. The complications rates were similar in both groups, with no dislocation or infection. CONCLUSION: The direct anterior approach without traction table associated with a dual mobility cup does not increase the risk of complications or non-optimal positioning of implants. This strategy is interesting for patients with high risk of post-operative dislocation.

Usefulness of Adenosinetriphosphate Bioluminescence Assay (ATPmetry) for Monitoring the Reprocessing of Endoscopes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic value of an adenosinetriphosphate bioluminescence assay (ATPmetry) to monitor the effectiveness of the reprocessing of endoscopes compared with microbiologic sampling. DESIGN: Diagnostic study. SETTING: A 2,200-bed teaching hospital performing 5,000 to 6,000 endoscopic procedures annually. INCLUSION CRITERIA: All samples from bronchial or gastrointestinal endoscopes whatever the context. METHODS: Samples for microbiologic analysis and ATPmetry measurements were taken when each endoscope was inspected following reprocessing. Sampling was performed by flushing each endoscope with 300 mL Neutralizing Pharmacopeia Diluent thiosulfate rinsing solution divided equally between the endoscope channels. For each endoscope a series of 3 ATPmetry measurements were made on a vial containing the first jet from each channel and a second series on the whole sample. RESULTS: Of 165 samples from endoscopes, 11 exceeded the acceptability threshold of 25 colony-forming units/endoscope. In the first jet collected, the median (interquartile range) level of ATPmetry was 30.5 (15.3-37.7) relative light units (RLU) for samples with 25 or fewer colony-forming units compared with 37.0 (34.7-39.3) RLU for samples with more than 25 colony-forming units (P=.008). For the whole sample, the median (interquartile range) level of ATPmetry was 24.8 (14.3-36.3) RLU and 36.3 (36.0-38.3) RLU (P=.006), respectively. After adjusting on the batch of cleansing solution used, no difference in ATPmetry values was found between microbiologically acceptable and unacceptable samples. CONCLUSION: ATPmetry cannot be used as an alternative or complementary approach to microbiologic tests for monitoring the reprocessing of endoscopes in France.

Bacteremia caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria in a French university hospital center: 3 years of collection.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to describe the profile of patients and the characteristics of all bacteremias caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains in a teaching hospital and to assess the mortality related to these events. METHODS: A monocentric retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. All patients with bacteremia caused by MDR bacteria between 2011 and 2013 were included. The characteristics of patients and bacteremias, antibiotic therapy within the first day, and 30-day mortality were collected from the electronic medical records database. RESULTS: A total of 228 patients were included with bacteremias caused by Enterobacteriaceae-producing extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (n = 102), Enterobacteriaceae overproducing AmpC ß-lactamase (n = 59), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (n = 3), ceftazidime- or carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 2), ceftazidime- or carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 23), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n = 40), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (n = 2). The median Charlson comorbidity score was 6. Inappropriate antibiotic therapy was prescribed in 41.7% of bacteremias, and 30-day mortality was 23%. For 20.9% of the patients who had had a positive bacteriologic sample in the preceding 2 months, the initial antibiotic therapy was inappropriate. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of bacteremia patients, a high rate of mortality and numerous patient comorbidities were observed. Taking greater account of antecedents of MDR bacterial infections could improve the rate of appropriate initial antibiotic therapy.

Evaluation of the Quality of Reprocessing of Gastrointestinal Endoscopes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of gastrointestinal endoscope reprocessing and discuss the advantages of microbiological surveillance testing of these endoscopes. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the results of endoscope sampling performed from October 1, 2006, through December 31, 2014, in a gastrointestinal endoscopy unit of a teaching hospital equipped with 89 endoscopes and 3 automated endoscope reprocessors, with an endoscopy quality assurance program in place. The compliance rate was defined as the proportion of the results classified at target or alert levels according to the French guidelines. A multivariate analysis (logistic regression) was used to identify the parameters influencing compliance. RESULTS: A total of 846 samples were taken. The overall compliance rate was 86% and differed significantly depending on the sampling context (scheduled or not scheduled), the type of endoscope, and the season. No other parameter was associated with compliance. A total of 118 samples carried indicator microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Enterobacteriaceae, and Candida sp. CONCLUSION: The systematic use of an automated endoscope reprocessor does not provide totally satisfactory compliance. Microbiological surveillance is indispensable to monitor reprocessing, reinforce good practices (endoscopes, reprocessing units), and detect endoscopes requiring early technical maintenance.

Trends in patient perception of hospital care quality.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to investigate trends in patient hospital quality perceptions between 1999 and 2010. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Original data from 11 cross-sectional surveys carried out in a French single university hospital were analyzed. Based on responses to a 29-item survey instrument, overall and subscale perception scores (range 0-10) were computed covering six key hospital care quality dimensions. FINDINGS: Of 16,516 surveyed patients, 10,704 (64.8 percent) participated in the study. The median overall patient perception score decreased from 7.86 (25th-75th percentiles, 6.67-8.85) in 1999 to 7.82 (25th-75th percentiles, 6.67-8.74) in 2010 (p for trend < 0.001). A decreasing trend was observed for the living arrangement subscale score (from 7.78 in 1999 to 7.50 in 2010, p for trend < 0.001). Food service and room comfort perceptions deteriorated over the study period while patients increasingly reported better explanations before being examined. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Patient perception scores may disguise divergent judgments on different care aspect while individual items highlight specific areas with room for improvement. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Despite growing pressure on healthcare expenditure, this single-center study showed only modest reduction in patients' hospital-care perceptions in the 2000s.

Medical record-keeping and patient perception of hospital care quality.

PURPOSE: Medical record represents the main information support used by healthcare providers. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether patient perception of hospital care quality related to compliance with medical-record keeping. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The authors merged the original data collected as part of a nationwide audit of medical records with overall and subscale perception scores (range 0-100, with higher scores denoting better rating) computed for 191 respondents to a cross-sectional survey of patients discharged from a university hospital. FINDINGS: The median overall patient perception score was 77 (25th-75th percentiles, 68-87) and differed according to the presence of discharge summary completed within eight days of discharge (81 v. 75, p = 0.03 after adjusting for baseline patient and hospital stay characteristics). No independent associations were found between patient perception scores and the documentation of pain assessment and nutritional disorder screening. Yet, medical record-keeping quality was independently associated with higher patient perception scores for the nurses' interpersonal and technical skills component. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: First, this was a single-center study conducted in a large full-teaching hospital and the findings may not apply to other facilities. Second, the analysis might be underpowered to detect small but clinically significant differences in patient perception scores according to compliance with recording standards. Third, the authors could not investigate whether electronic medical record contributed to better compliance with recording standards and eventually higher patient perception scores. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Because of the potential consequences of poor recording for patient safety, further efforts are warranted to improve the accuracy and completeness of documentation in medical records. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: A modest relationship exists between the quality of medical-record keeping and patient perception of hospital care.

Health status recovery at one year in children injured in a road accident: a cohort study.

Despite the frequency of traumatic injuries due to road accidents and potential importance of identifying children at risk of impaired recovery one year after a road accident, there is a lack of data on long-term recovery of health status, except in children with severe traumatic brain injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate predictive factors of recovery in children one year after road traffic injuries. The prospective cohort study was composed of children aged <16 years, admitted to public or private sector hospitals in the Rhône administrative area of France following a road accident. Recovery of health status one year after the accident and information concerning quality of life and the consequences of the accident for the child or family 1 year after the accident were collected by questionnaire, usually completed by the parents. Victims were in majority male (64.6%) and had mild or moderate injuries (81.9% with Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (M-AIS) <3). One year after the accident, 75.0% of the mild-to-moderate and 34.8% of the severe cases estimated health status as fully recovered. After adjustment, severity score (M-AIS≥3) and lower limb injury (AIS>1) were associated with incomplete recovery of health status: weighted odds ratio (ORw), 4.3 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.3-14.6] and ORw, 6.5 [95% CI, 1.9-21.7], respectively. Recovery status correlated significantly with quality of life physical scores (r=0.46), especially body pain (r=0.48) and role/social-physical (r=0.50) and, to a lesser extent, quality of life psychosocial scores (r=0.21). In a cohort of children injured in a road accident, those with high injury severity score and those with lower limb injuries are less likely to recover full health status by 1 year. Impaired health status was associated with a lower physical quality of life score at 1 year.

Stillbirth classification in population-based data and role of fetal growth restriction: the example of RECODE.

BACKGROUND: Stillbirth classifications use various strategies to synthesise information associated with fetal demise with the aim of identifying key causes for the death. RECODE is a hierarchical classification of death-related conditions, which grants a major place to fetal growth restriction (FGR). Our objective was to explore how placement of FGR in the hierarchy affected results from the classification. METHODS: In the Rhône-Alpes region, all stillbirths were recorded in a local registry from 2000 to 2010 in three districts (N = 969). Small for gestational age (SGA) was defined as a birthweight below the 10th percentile. We applied RECODE and then modified the hierarchy, including FGR as the penultimate category (RECODE-R). RESULTS: 49.0% of stillbirths were SGA. From RECODE to RECODE-R, stillbirths attributable to FGR decreased from 38% to 14%, in favour of other related conditions. Nearly half of SGA stillbirths (49%) were reclassified. There was a non-significant tendency toward moderate SGA, singletons and full-term stillbirths to older mothers being reclassified. CONCLUSIONS: The position of FGR in hierarchical stillbirth classification has a major impact on the first condition associated with stillbirth. RECODE-R calls less attention to monitoring SGA fetuses but illustrates the diversity of death-related conditions for small fetuses.

One-year effectiveness of a 3-week balneotherapy program for the treatment of overweight or obesity.

Objective. To assess the one-year effectiveness on weight loss of a 3-week balneotherapy program (BT). Method. A Zelen double consent randomised controlled trial to compare one-year BMI loss between a 3-week BT program versus usual care (UC) for overweight or obese patients (BMI: 27-35 kg/m(2)), associated or not with a dietary motivational interview (DMI) during the follow-up, using a 2 × 2 factorial design. Main analysis was a per protocol analysis comparing patients attending BT to patients managed by UC, matched on sex, overweight or obese status, DMI randomisation and a propensity score to attend BT or to be managed by UC. Results. From the 257 patients who completed the follow-up, 70 patients of each group could be matched. Mean BMI loss was 1.91 kg/m(2) [95%CI: 1.46; 2.35] for the BT patients and 0.20 kg/m(2) [-0.24; 0.64] for the UC patients (P < 0.001), corresponding to a significant BT benefit of 1.71 kg/m(2) [1.08; 2.33]. There was no significant effect of DMI and no interaction with BT or UC. No adverse reaction was observed for patients attending BT. Conclusion. A 3-week BT program provided a significant one-year benefit over the usual GP dietary advice for overweight and obese patients.