[Efecto de un Plan de Mejora de Calidad y Seguridad Clínica en la incidencia de infección de sitio quirúrgico en apendicectomía. Estudio cuasi-experimental]. / Effect of a Plan for Quality Improvement and Clinical Safety in the incidence of surgical site infections in appendectomy. A quasi-experimental study.

OBJETIVO: Las infecciones de sitio quirúrgico se pueden evitar y los programas de control basados en paquetes de medidas preventivas son eficaces para reducir su incidencia. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de un Plan de Mejora de Calidad y Seguridad Clínica del paciente intervenido de apendicectomía en la incidencia de infección del sitio quirúrgico. MÉTODO: Se realizó un estudio cuasi-experimental con análisis antes y después de la introducción de un Plan de Calidad y Seguridad Clínica. Se incluyeron pacientes intervenidos de apendicectomía. Se estudió la incidencia de infección del sitio quirúrgico durante los 30 días posteriores a la cirugía (periodo máximo de incubación de infección quirúrgica). Se evaluó el efecto de la intervención con la odds ratio (OR) ajustada con un modelo de regresión logística. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 606 pacientes, 267 en el periodo 2009-2010 (antes del plan) y 339 durante 2012-2013 (después del plan). La incidencia de infección del sitio quirúrgico descendió después del plan del 6 al 5.6% (OR: 0.72; intervalo de confianza del 95%: 0.33-1.56; p = 0.839). Hubo mayor cumplimiento de la profilaxis antibiótica, de la preparación prequirúrgica y de la adherencia a la higiene de manos tras la introducción de las medidas. CONCLUSIONES: Aunque la reducción de la incidencia de infección del sitio quirúrgico no presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas tras las medidas adoptadas, se ha conseguido mejorar la administración de la profilaxis antibiótica, la adherencia a la higiene de manos y la preparación prequirúrgica. OBJECTIVE: Surgical site infections can be prevented. Control programs based on care bundle have proven to be effective in reducing its incidence. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a Plan for Quality Improvement and Clinical Safety in preventing the incidence of surgical site infection in patients undergoing appendectomy. METHOD: A quasi-experimental study was designed for analysis before and after the introduction of a Plan for Quality and Clinical Safety. Patients undergoing appendectomy were included. The incidence of surgical site infection was studied within 30 days from the time of surgery (maximum incubation period of surgical site infection). The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using the odds ratio (OR) adjusted with a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 606 patients were included, of which 267 were operated in the period 2009-2010 (before the plan) and 339 in 2012-2013 (after the plan). The incidence of surgical site ­infection decreased after the plan from 6 to 5.6% (OR: 0.72; 95% confidence interval: 0.33-1.56; p = 0.839). There was greater compliance of antibiotic prophylaxis, preoperative preparation and adherence to hand hygiene after the introduction of the measures. CONCLUSIONS: Although the reduction in the incidence of surgical site infection after the measures adopted did not show statistical significant differences, important progress has been made in the compliance of antibiotic prophylaxis, adherence to hand hygiene and in the preoperative preparation.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in elective cholecystectomy: Protocol adequacy and related outcomes in a retrospective single-centre analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective tool to reduce surgical infection rates. However, antibiotic prophylaxis in cholecystectomy is controversial when non-high risk patients are considered. This research aims to evaluate the adherence with antibiotic prophylaxis protocol in patients undergoing cholecystectomy, and its impact in the outcomes of surgical infection. METHODS: This single-center observational and retrospective study analyzed all elective cholecystectomy procedures carried out at the Fundación Alcorcón University Hospital in the period 2007-2014. Data were recovered from hospital records; rates of adherence to the available hospital protocols were evaluated for choice, initiation, duration, administration route and dosages of antibiotics, and the starting and duration of the prophylaxis. RESULTS: The overall adequacy rate to protocol was 72%. The adherence rates in both the administration route and dose were 100%. The most common violations of the protocol included the choice of antibiotic agent (19%), followed by the moment of initiating its administration (8.9%). The overall wound infection rate was lower in case of laparoscopy than in laparotomy cholecystectomy (1.4% vs. 4.3%, p < 0.05; odds rate [OR] 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1-0.6). No relationship between adequacy of antibiotic prophylaxis and surgical infection rate was documented, neither considering overall gallbladder surgeries (crude OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.1-2.0), nor laparoscopy vs. open surgery (MH adjusted OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.2-2.1). CONCLUSIONS: The overall adequacy rate to antibiotic prophylaxis protocol recommended for elective cholecystectomy in our hospital was high (72%). No significant association between the adequacy or antibiotic prophylaxis and surgical infection was found.

Initial surgical experience in laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for middle and lower third rectal cancer: short-term results.

INTRODUCTION: Total mesorectal excision (TME) of the rectum has been advocated as the gold standard surgical treatment of middle and lower third rectal cancer. Laparoscopy has gained acceptance among surgeons in the treatment of colon malignancies, while scepticism exists about laparoscopic TME in terms of safety and its oncological adequacy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of laparoscopic TME on surgical and oncological outcome in a group of consecutive unselected patients. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-two patients with middle or inferior rectal cancer were admitted to our unit and underwent TME from December 1998 to February 2008. Eighty-nine patients were approached with laparoscopy. Patients staged cT3/4 cTxN+ or uTxN+ were submitted to neoadjuvant treatment. Postoperative complications and oncological outcomes were registered. RESULTS: In the laparoscopic group 80 anterior resections (including 4 intersphincteric resections and manual colo- anal anastomosis) and 9 abdominal-perineal resections were performed. 33.3% of patients were enrolled in "long-course" neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (partial and complete response rates 88.2% and 11.8%, respectively). Protective lateral ileostomy was performed in 72% of patients. Mean operative time was 254.3+/-38.3 min and mean blood loss was 215+/-180 ml. Conversion rate was 12.7%. Morbidity rate was 39.3% without mortality. The rate of anastomotic leaks was 13.48%, reoperation rate 13.48%, recovery rate 3.1+/-1.4 days and hospital stay 10.4+/-4.6 days. Concerning adequacy of oncologic resection, mean distance of the tumour from the anal verge was 4.3+/-2.2 cm. Nodal sampling of 12.4+/-4.8 were obtained. Six patients (6/89, 6.74%) had a R1 margin: 3 distal and 3 circumferential. Median follow-up was 29 months and local recurrence rate was 5.79%. Four-year cumulative overall survival was 78% and disease-free survival was 63% (Kaplan-Meier method). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic approach for rectal tumour is a technically demanding procedure, but it is oncologically safe.

[Current status of the prognostic value of molecular markers in patients with colorectal cancer and the prediction of response to adjuvant therapy]. / Estado actual del valor pronóstico de los marcadores moleculares en pacientes con cáncer colorrectal y la predicción de respuesta al tratamiento adyuvante.

Colorectal cancer is one of the best studied of all malignant diseases in terms of genetics and/or molecular prognostic factors. These factors, and relationships with prognosis, may have important implications especially in the design of surgical and adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy options. However, the true prognostic significance of all known factors has yet to be realised. We have reviewed the literature with specific focus on the role of molecular markers involved in prognosis and the prediction of response to adjuvant treatment.

Estado actual del valor pronóstico de los marcadores moleculares en pacientes con cáncer colorrectal y la predicción de respuesta al tratamiento adyuvante / Current status of the prognostic value of molecular markers in patients with colorectal cancer and the prediction of response to adjuvant therapy

El cáncer colorrectal es uno de los tumores mejor conocidos de todas las enfermedades malignas en términos genéticos y/o moleculares. Su conocimiento y su relación con el pronóstico puede tener importantes implicaciones, fundamentalmente en el diseño de estrategias quirúrgicas y de quimiorradioterapia adyuvante. Sin embargo, aún desconocemos el verdadero significado pronóstico de todos los factores hasta ahora estudiados. En este trabajo hemos revisado la literatura acerca del papel específico de los marcadores moleculares en cáncer colorrectal y su probable respuesta al tratamiento

Colorectal cancer is one of the best studied of all malignant diseases in terms of genetics and/or molecular prognostic factors. These factors, and relationships with prognosis, may have important implications especially in the design of surgical and adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy options. However, the true prognostic significance of all known factors has yet to be realised. We have reviewed the literature with specific focus on the role of molecular markers involved in prognosis and the prediction of response to adjuvant treatment