[ADVANCES IN FETAL THERAPY IN COMPLICATED MONOCHORIONIC PREGNANCIES AND IN SEVERE CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA: FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE].

INTRODUCTION: : Minimally invasive fetal therapeutic procedures reduce the morbidity and mortality in monochorionic (MC) twins and in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). MC pregnancies share their blood systems due to communicating vessels over their single placenta and may develop specific complications: Twin-to-Twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), Selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR), Twin Anemia-Polycythemia Sequence (TAPS), Twin Reverse Arterial Perfusion Syndrome (TRAP) or anomalies in one. Half of complicated MC require intrauterine interventions. Severe CDH is linked to a high rate of neonatal death due to pulmonary hypoplasia. Fetoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) with a balloon improves postnatal outcome. AIMS: A fetal therapy center was established in the Hadassah Medical Centers, Jerusalem in 2011 for intrauterine interventions. We report our 5 years' experience. METHODS: This prospective cohort follows the outcome of MC pregnancies and cases of severe CDH which underwent therapeutic fetal procedures in Hadassah between the years 2011-16. RESULTS: Out of 114 procedures, 95 were in MC: 84 monochorionic diamniotic twins, 7 monochorionic monoamniotic twins, 2 dichorionic triamniotic triplets and 2 monochorionic triplets. We treated 65 TTTS cases with fetoscopy and laser ablation of communicating vessels. The survival rate of both twins was 58.5% and at least one survived in 81.5% of the cases. In 2nd/3rd trimesters selective termination of 15 cases the survival rate of the remaining twin was 87%. In 11 cases of TRAP sequence treated with laser ablation of the feeding vessel the survival of the remaining twin was 91%. In 19 fetoscopies in severe CDH, 12 were for balloon insertion and 7 for removal. Endotracheal balloon was successfully placed in 11 of 12 cases (10 left-sided, 1 right-sided CDH). Balloon removal was prenatally performed by elective fetoscopy (n=7) or by intrapartum urgent puncture. There were no intrauterine fetal deaths. In isolated left-sided CDH the survival was 57%, whereas none survived in non-isolated left-sided CDH and right sided CDH. CONCLUSIONS: In-utero procedures are safe for the mother and increase newborn survival in MC pregnancies, thus specialized clinics are life-saving. FETO is a therapeutic option for severe CDH. Our results meet similar achievements reported by other leading world centers.

Preoperative briefing in the operating room: shared cognition, teamwork, and patient safety.

Contemporary preoperative team briefings conducted to improve patient safety focus mainly on supplying identification details regarding the patient and the surgical procedure. Drawing on cognitive theory principles, in this study a briefing protocol was developed that presents a broader perspective model of the patient and the planned procedure. In addition to customary identification details and drug sensitivities, the new briefing also includes review of significant background information, needed equipment, planned surgery stages, and so forth. The briefing content was developed following 130 continuous, nonstructured observations conducted in gynecologic and orthopedic operating rooms. The briefing form was designed as a large poster hung in a visible position on the operating room wall. The poster guides the team members (ie, nurses, surgeons, and anesthesiologists) in their conduct. Briefing is conducted orally, and no written records are required. The number of nonroutine events (ie, situations that, if not corrected, might lead to patient harm) observed in the 130 surgeries conducted without briefing was compared with the number of events in 102 surgeries in which briefing was conducted. There was a 25% reduction in the number of nonroutine events when briefing was conducted and a significant increase in the number of surgeries in which no nonroutine event was observed. Team members evaluated the briefing as most valuable for their own work, the teamwork, and patient safety. Following the study, the new briefing format was accepted and adopted for routine use. Team briefings designed to supply a broader-perspective surgery model may be an easy-to-apply tool to reduce the number of nonroutine events during surgery and increase patient safety.