Regional anesthesia global health collaborations- a scoping review of current intervention methods.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Perioperative anesthesia-related mortality is significantly higher in low-resource compared to high-resource countries. Regional anesthesia techniques can provide safety, cost, and access benefits when compared to general anesthesia in these settings but is underutilized primarily due to a lack of experienced educators and training opportunities. Academic institutions and international organizations are attempting to fill this educational gap through collaborations, but these efforts need examination for best practices going forward. RECENT FINDINGS: Most collaborative anesthesia interactions between high and low resource areas have occurred between North America or Europe, and Africa or Asia and a majority have involved an educational intervention. Only 7% of the studies used a recognized framework to evaluate the intervention used in their research, such as the Kirkpatrick, REAIM or CFIR method. All recent studies reviewed reported a positive impact from educational collaborations. Only 7% of interventions have had a primary focus on regional anesthesia and most were reported between 2016 and 2022. SUMMARY: Robust reports on international collaborations providing capacity enhancing educational interventions in regional anesthesia have increased in recent years but are still rare and should be encouraged going forward. Short courses supported by high-resource countries can be effective in low-resource areas when partnerships produce curricula that are well designed.

Peripheral nerve block anesthesia/analgesia for patients undergoing primary hip and knee arthroplasty: recommendations from the International Consensus on Anesthesia-Related Outcomes after Surgery (ICAROS) group based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of current literature.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based international expert consensus regarding the impact of peripheral nerve block (PNB) use in total hip/knee arthroplasty surgery. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis: randomized controlled and observational studies investigating the impact of PNB utilization on major complications, including mortality, cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, renal, thromboembolic, neurologic, infectious, and bleeding complications.Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library including Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, were queried from 1946 to August 4, 2020.The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to assess evidence quality and for the development of recommendations. RESULTS: Analysis of 122 studies revealed that PNB use (compared with no use) was associated with lower ORs for (OR with 95% CIs) for numerous complications (total hip and knee arthroplasties (THA/TKA), respectively): cognitive dysfunction (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.53/OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.80), respiratory failure (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.74/OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.75), cardiac complications (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.93/OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.86), surgical site infections (OR 0.55 95% CI 0.47 to 0.64/OR 0.86 95% CI 0.80 to 0.91), thromboembolism (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.96/OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.96) and blood transfusion (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.86/OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the current body of evidence, the consensus group recommends PNB use in THA/TKA for improved outcomes. RECOMMENDATION: PNB use is recommended for patients undergoing THA and TKA except when contraindications preclude their use. Furthermore, the alignment of provider skills and practice location resources needs to be ensured. Evidence level: moderate; recommendation: strong.

Regional anesthesia training model for resource-limited settings: a prospective single-center observational study with pre-post evaluations.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Educational initiatives are a sustainable means to address provider shortages in resource-limited settings (RLS), yet few regional anesthesia curricula for RLS have been described. We sought to design a reproducible training model for RLS called Global Regional Anesthesia Curricular Engagement (GRACE), implement GRACE at an RLS hospital in Ghana, and measure training and practice-based outcomes associated with GRACE implementation. METHODS: Fourteen of 15 physician anesthesiologists from the study location and three from an outside orthopedic specialty hospital consented to be trainees and trainers, respectively, for this prospective single-center observational study with pre-post evaluations. We conducted an initial needs assessment to determine current clinical practices, participants' learning preferences, and available resources. Needs assessment findings, expert panel recommendations, and investigator consensus were then used to generate a site-specific curriculum that was implemented during two 3-week periods. We evaluated trainee satisfaction and changes in knowledge, clinical skill, and peripheral nerve block (PNB) utilization using the Kirkpatrick method. RESULTS: The curriculum consisted of didactic lectures, simulations, and clinical instruction to teach ultrasound-guided PNB for limb injuries. Pre-post evaluations showed trainees were satisfied with GRACE, median knowledge examination score improved from 62.5% (15/24) to 91.7% (22/24) (p<0.001), clinical examination pass rate increased from 28.6% (4/14) to 85.7% (12/14) (p<0.01), and total PNB performed in 3 months grew from 48 to 118. CONCLUSIONS: GRACE applied in an RLS hospital led to the design, implementation, and measurement of a regional anesthesia curriculum tailored to institutional specifications that was associated with positive Kirkpatrick outcomes.

Anaesthetic care of patients undergoing primary hip and knee arthroplasty: consensus recommendations from the International Consensus on Anaesthesia-Related Outcomes after Surgery group (ICAROS) based on a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based international expert consensus regarding anaesthetic practice in hip/knee arthroplasty surgery is needed for improved healthcare outcomes. METHODS: The International Consensus on Anaesthesia-Related Outcomes after Surgery group (ICAROS) systematic review, including randomised controlled and observational studies comparing neuraxial to general anaesthesia regarding major complications, including mortality, cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, renal, genitourinary, thromboembolic, neurological, infectious, and bleeding complications. Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library including Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, from 1946 to May 17, 2018 were queried. Meta-analysis and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was utilised to assess evidence quality and to develop recommendations. RESULTS: The analysis of 94 studies revealed that neuraxial anaesthesia was associated with lower odds or no difference in virtually all reported complications, except for urinary retention. Excerpt of complications for neuraxial vs general anaesthesia in hip/knee arthroplasty, respectively: mortality odds ratio (OR): 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57-0.80/OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.60-1.15; pulmonary OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.52-0.80/OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.58-0.81; acute renal failure OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.59-0.81/OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.65-0.82; deep venous thrombosis OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.42-0.65/OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64-0.93; infections OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.67-0.79/OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.76-0.85; and blood transfusion OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.82-0.89/OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.82-0.87. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendation: primary neuraxial anaesthesia is preferred for knee arthroplasty, given several positive postoperative outcome benefits; evidence level: low, weak recommendation. RECOMMENDATION: neuraxial anaesthesia is recommended for hip arthroplasty given associated outcome benefits; evidence level: moderate-low, strong recommendation. Based on current evidence, the consensus group recommends neuraxial over general anaesthesia for hip/knee arthroplasty. TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42018099935.

Anesthesia Capacity in Ghana: A Teaching Hospital's Resources, and the National Workforce and Education.

BACKGROUND: Quality anesthetic care is lacking in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global health leaders call for perioperative capacity reports in limited-resource settings to guide improved health care initiatives. We describe a teaching hospital's resources and the national workforce and education in this LMIC capacity report. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana, during 4 weeks in August 2016. Teaching hospital data were generated from observations of hospital facilities and patient care, review of archival records, and interviews with KATH personnel. National data were obtained from interviews with KATH personnel, correspondence with Ghana's anesthesia society, and review of public records. RESULTS: The practice of anesthesia at KATH incorporated preanesthesia clinics, intraoperative management, and critical care. However, there were not enough physicians to consistently supervise care, especially in postanesthesia care units (PACUs) and the critical care unit (CCU). Clean water and electricity were usually reliable in all 16 operating rooms (ORs) and throughout the hospital. Equipment and drugs were inventoried in detail. While much basic infrastructure, equipment, and medications were present in ORs, patient safety was hindered by hospital-wide oxygen supply failures and shortage of vital signs monitors and working ventilators in PACUs and the CCU. In 2015, there were 10,319 anesthetics administered, with obstetric and gynecologic, general, and orthopedic procedures comprising 62% of surgeries. From 2011 to 2015, all-cause perioperative mortality rate in ORs and PACUs was 0.65% or 1 death per 154 anesthetics, with 99% of deaths occurring in PACUs. Workforce and education data at KATH revealed 10 anesthesia attending physicians, 61 nurse anesthetists (NAs), and 7 anesthesia resident physicians in training. At the national level, 70 anesthesia attending physicians and 565 NAs cared for Ghana's population of 27 million. Providers were heavily concentrated in urban areas, and NAs frequently practiced independently. Two teaching hospitals provided accredited postgraduate training modeled after European curricula to 22 anesthesia resident physicians. CONCLUSIONS: While important limitations to capacity exist in Ghana, the overall situation is good compared to other LMICs. Many of the challenges encountered resulted from insufficient PACU and CCU provisions and few providers. Inadequate outcomes reporting made analysis and resolution of problem areas difficult. While many shortcomings stemmed from limited funding, strengthening physician commitment to overseeing care, ensuring oxygen supplies are uninterrupted, keeping ventilators in working order, and making vital signs monitors ubiquitously available are feasible ways to increase patient safety with the tools currently in place.

Orthopedic surgery in the developing world: workforce and operative volumes in Ghana compared to those in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disease is a growing burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet little research exists to describe the problem. The purposes of this study were to characterize orthopedic surgery in an LMIC and compare the findings to those from a developed country. METHODS: The study location was the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. Orthopedic surgeon, resident, and postgraduate training program numbers were compared to analogous data from a developed nation, the United States. Annual surgical volumes were compared to those at a level I trauma center in the United States, the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). RESULTS: There were 24 surgeons in Ghana compared to 23,956 in the United States. There were 7 orthopedic residents and 1 residency program in Ghana versus 3,371 residents and 155 residencies in the United States. Annual case volume was 2,161 at KATH and 2,132 at SFGH. Trauma accounted for 95 % of operations at KATH compared to 65 % at SFGH. The proportion of surgeries devoted to severe fractures was 29 % at KATH compared to 12 % at SFGH. Infections comprised 15 % of procedures at KATH and 5 % at SFGH. CONCLUSIONS: Annual case volume at a referral hospital in an LMIC is equivalent to that of a level I trauma center in an industrialized country. Total case volume is similar, but the LMIC institution manages a disproportionately large number of trauma cases, severe fractures, and infections. There is a large burden of orthopedic disease in the developing nation, and there are too few providers and training programs to address these conditions.