The effect of various doses of infusion solutions on the endothelial glycocalyx layer in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

BACKGROUND: The endothelial glycocalyx is located on the luminal side of blood vessels and maintains vessel integrity. This study analysed how various dosages of infusion affected the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and potential glycocalyx damage in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We hypothesised that the liberal administration of Ringer's solution during the operation can cause iatrogenic hypervolemia with releasing of ANP and glycocalyx damage. METHODS: The study included 90 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) class I and II, in good cardiopulmonary health, who were assigned to one of three groups: Restrictive group, which received 1 mL/kg/hr intraoperatively and six hours postoperatively; Low liberal group, which received 5 mL/kg/hr of Ringer's solution intraoperatively and six hours postoperatively and High liberal group, which received 15 mL/kg/hr intraoperatively and 10 mL/kg/hr six hours postoperatively. We measured patients' concentrations of glycocalyx constituents, ANP, markers of kidney and liver function, C-reactive protein (CRP), and albumine at three time points. We also measured noinvasive hemodynamics, the correlation between ANP secretion and the concentration of glycocalyx components. RESULTS: We found a significantly higher concentrations of hyaluronic acid and syndecan-1 and more ANP secretion in the High liberal group than in the other groups. We also observed a positive correlation between ANP secretion and glycocalyx constituent concentration. Markers of kidney and liver function were normal, suggesting preservation of splanchnic perfusion and global hemodynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Measuring the endothelial glycocalyx constituents in circulating blood could be a marker of intraoperative volume overload during laparoscopic operations.

General versus spinal anaesthesia in proximal femoral fracture surgery - treatment outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Proximal femoral fractures are a major public health problem because of the increasing proportion of elderly individuals in the general population. The mode of choice for anaesthesia in surgical treatment of these fractures is still debated in terms of better postoperative outcome. The aim of our study was to compare the effect of general over spinal anaesthesia on mortality in proximal femoral fracture surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of 115 patients aged at least 70 years who underwent surgery for proximal femoral fracture. The survey was conducted from 1 January to 31 December 2015 at the General Hospital Karlovac, Croatia. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 - general anaesthesia and group 2 - spinal anaesthesia. The primary outcome measure was the effect of mode of anaesthesia, general versus spinal, on mortality within 30 days, six months and one year after surgery. RESULTS: General anaesthesia (EndoTracheal Anaesthesia) was administered in 77 patients (67%; group I - ETA) and spinal anaesthesia in 38 patients (33%; group 2 - SPIN). Both groups had more female than male patients: 69 patients (89.6%) in the ETA group and 32 patients (84.2%) in the SPIN group were female. The mean age in the ETA group was 82.91 years and in the SPIN group was 80.18 years. ASA II status was more common in patients in the SPIN group (25 patients [65.8%]). The average time from hospitalisation to surgery was 53.44 hours in the ETA group and 53.33 hours in the SPIN group. There was no significant difference between groups in the number of comorbidities, or intraoperative and postoperative complications. There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between the groups. Mortality after surgery in the ETA and SPIN groups, respectively, was as follows: 10.4% and 10.5% at 30 days, 23.4% and 15.8% at six months, and 32.5% and 31.6% at one year. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the mode of anaesthesia (general vs spinal) has no effect on postoperative mortality, and that the mode of anaesthesia should be applied on an individual basis in correlation with associated comorbidities.

PRACTICAL CHRONIC PAIN ASSESSMENT TOOLS IN CLINICAL PRACTICE.

The aim of the study was to show the role of tools in the evaluation of chronic pain (CP) in general practitioner (GP) everyday clinical practice. The study was done by analyzing electronic database of the first visits of 1090 CP patients referred to the Pain Clinic of the Karlovac General Hospital, Karlovac, Croatia, by their GPs. All patient records were analyzed according to the cause of CP, strongest pain a week before the examination, quality of sleep, and the Patients' Global Impression of Change scale. All statistical analyses were done using the IBM SPSS Statistics version 19.0.0.1 (www.spss.com). CP predominantly occurs in older age group. Patients with musculoskeletal pain accounted for the highest percentage (n = 316; 29%), followed by those with neuropathic pain (n = 253; 23.20%) and those with low back pain (n = 225; 20.60%). The mean pain intensity rating scale score was 8.3 ± 1.8 a week before the examination and the mean quality of sleep score was 6.8 ± 1.9. Moderate and severe sleep quality disorder was significantly present in patients over 65 years of age (p = 0.007), patients with musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain, back pain, and those having rated Patients' Global Impression of Change scale as worsening (p = 0.001). The severity of pain and poor quality of sleep are the leading causes of deterioration of the Patients' Global Impression of Change scale in patients suffering from musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain. In order to treat CP comprehensively, it is important for GPs to evaluate the outcomes of clinical treatment using tools for CP assessment.

[Performance Assessment Tool for Quality Improvement in Hospitals (PATH): first experiences in Croatia]. / Alat za ocjenu rada u cilju poboljsanja kvalitete u bolnicama: prva iskustva u provodenju programa PATH u hrvatskim bolnicama.

PATH (Performance Assessment Tool for Quality Improvement in Hospitals), a project of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe offers hospitals a comprehensive and standardized tool (a set of indicators) to evaluate their own performance and development of measures for quality improvement. PATH Program was launched in Croatia in 2008, and it was conducted in 2009 in hospitals that have voluntarily decided to be involved. Here we present the results of the first phase of pilot experience of establishing the program, based on data collected in 22 Croatian hospitals. Analysis of the first results indicated the existence of marked differences among the hospitals that have taken the example of the percentage of cesarean sections ranging from 1.1% to 21.4%. The mortality rate of myocardial infarction ranged from 1.9 to 21.4%, while the mortality of stroke ranged from 12.5 to 45.5%. The highest percentage of needle-stick injuries reported for physicians was 16.2% of entire hospital staff in one year, 6.1% for nurses and 4.6% for the supportive staff. The result suggests the existence of many problems and limitations in data collection at hospital level, limitations in their analysis and creates recommendations for quality improvements, which must be taken into account when hospitals are compared on the national or international level.

Resuscitation of a polytraumatized patient with large volume crystalloid-colloid infusions--correlation between global and regional hemodynamics: case report.

Aggressive large volume resuscitation is obligatory to achieve necessary tissue oxygenation. An adequate venous preload normalizes global hemodynamics and avoids multiorgan failure (MOF) and death in patients with multiple injuries. Large volume resuscitation is associated with complications in minimally monitored patients. A properly guided resuscitation procedure will finally prevent MOF and patient death. Transpulmonary thermodilution technique and gastric tonometry are used in venous preload monitoring, calculating volumetric hemodynamic variables and estimating splanchnic perfusion as well. We present a 24-year-old man with multiple injuries resuscitated with large volume infusions and monitored by transpulmonary thermodilution technique and gastric tonometry. It is very important to monitor regional hemodynamics that enables clinician to maintain the required relations between global and regional hemodynamics. It prevents the development of MOF and patient death.