The persistent breach between evidence and practice in the prevention of surgical site infection. Qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the dissemination of guidelines for surgical site infection (SSI) prevention, a gap between the theoretical measures and their compliance persists. Accurate estimates of the implementation of preventative measures is crucial before planning dissemination strategies. METHODS: A web-based survey was distributed to members of 11 Associations of operative nurses and surgeons. Questions aimed to determine their awareness of evidence, personal beliefs and actual use of the main preventative measures. RESULTS: Of 1105 responders, 50.5% receive no feed-back of their SSI rate. Responders show a moderate rate of awareness of the recommendations about not removing hair, hair clipping, skin antisepsis with alcoholic solutions, and normothermia. Antibiotic prophylaxis is given for more than 24 h by 18.8% of respondents. Screening for S. aureus is performed by 27.6%. Hair removal by shaving is used by 16.6% of responders. The most common antiseptic solutions are alcoholic chlorhexidine (57.2%) and aqueous povidone (23.3%). 62.8% of surgeons allow the solution to air dry before applying surgical drapes. Adhesive drapes in the surgical field are used routinely in 33.4% of cases. Perioperative normothermia, glucose control and hyperoxia are used in 84.3%, 65.9% and 23.3% of cases. Antimicrobial sutures and negative pressure therapy are used by 20.2% and 43.5% of teams, respectively. Prior to closing the incision, 83.9% replace surgical instruments always or selectively. Wound irrigation before closing is used in 78.1% of cases, mostly with saline. Check-lists, standardized orders, surveillance, feed-back and educational programs were rated most highly by respondents as a means to improve compliance with preventative guidelines, but few of these strategies were in place at their institutions. CONCLUSION: Gaps in the translation of evidence into practice remain in the prevention of SSI among different surgical specialities. Several areas for improvement have been identified, as some core prevention measures are not in common use.

Avanzando en la toma de decisiones compartida: estenosis carotídea asintomática / Advancing in shared decision making: asymptomatic carotid stenosis

En las últimas décadas ha venido produciéndose un cambio de paradigma en la relación médico-enfermo, que ha pasado de una visión paternalista a una medicina más centrada en el paciente. La toma de decisiones compartidas (TDC) es un proceso que incluye el intercambio de información (personal y médica) entre el paciente y el sanitario respecto a la enfermedad, la deliberación sobre las distintas opciones y, finalmente, la toma de una decisión consensuada. Para facilitar este proceso se han desarrollado distintas herramientas mediante diversos medios y formatos (folletos, texto escrito, vídeos, aplicaciones informáticas...), utilizando en muchas ocasiones ayudas visuales tales como caras sonrientes u otros pictogramas. Desde nuestro grupo de trabajo nos unimos a este proceso evolutivo de la práctica médica y presentamos una herramienta de ayuda visual a la TDC en el caso de pacientes con estenosis carotídea asintomática mayor del 70%. Para su realización nos hemos basado en los cates plots, que ayudan a cuantificar riesgos y beneficios de una intervención de forma estandarizada

In the last decades there has been a paradigm change in the doctor-patient relationship, from a paternalistic model to a patient centered medicine. Shared decision making (SDM) is a process that involves bidirectional communication between physicians and patients about the illness, different treatment options, and, through the deliberation process, reaching an agreement in the ultimate decision made. Various different tools have been developed to promote shared decision making, through different types of support methods (leaflets, books, videos, websites or other interactive media), frequently using visual aids like smiley faces plots or other pictograms. Our Working Group would like to join this evolutionary process. Thus, we have developed a visual aid tool to help in the decision-making process in the case of asymptomatic carotid stenosis > 70%. We have based on Cates plots that help to quantify risks and benefits of specific interventions in a standardized manner

[Clinical and therapeutic characteristics of limb emboli]. / Características clínicas y terapéuticas de las embolias de extremidades.

INTRODUCTION: To treat an extremity embolus seems to be a simple and safe procedure. However, it is not exempt from potentially serious complications. We review our experience of treating acute peripheral arterial occlusion due to emboli. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 127 embolectomies performed during the last five years, in 120 extremities in 116 patients. The mean age of the patients was 80 years and 66% were female. All cases were presented as acute threatened limb ischemia grades IIA or IIB, and the mean evolution time was 27 hours. The patency, limb salvage and morbidity-mortality rates in the postoperative period and the salvage and survival rates in the follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the embolectomies, 55% were femoral and 30% brachial. Although 90% of the cases improved, only 75% of them recovered distal pulses. In the postoperative period the patency, limb salvage, morbidity and mortality rates were 90%, 96%, 13% and 6.4%, respectively. The mean follow-up was 24 months. Up until this time, the patency and survival rates are 91% and 61%, respectively. The only factor related with an increase in the amputation rate was a clinical presentation, such as a threatened immediate ischemia. The factors related with an increase in survival rate were appropriate cardiological treatment and control, and long-term anticoagulation treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Suffering an embolus of the extremities and its treatment causes considerable morbidity-mortality and limb amputation rates. The extremity salvage is associated with the clinical presentation at the time of the treatment. Long-term anticoagulation treatment and appropriate cardiological control increase the survival of these patients.

Características clínicas y terapéuticas de las embolias de extremidades / Clinical and therapeutic characteristics of limb emboli

Introducción. Tratar una embolia arterial de las extremidades resulta un procedimiento sencillo, seguro y resolutivo. Sin embargo, no es un proceso exento de complicaciones potencialmente graves. Material y método. Se han analizado retrospectivamente las 127 embolectomías realizadas, en los últimos 5 años, en 120 extremidades de 116 pacientes. La media de edad fue 80 años y el 66% eran mujeres. La mayoría se manifestó como isquemias agudas con amenaza de la extremidad, de una media de 27 h de evolución. Se han analizado las tasas de permeabilidad, salvamento y morbimortalidad postoperatorias y de salvamento y supervivencia a medio plazo en el seguimiento. Resultados. El 55% de las embolectomías fueron femorales y el 30%, humerales. El 90% de los casos mejoraron clínicamente, aunque sólo el 75% recuperó pulsos distales. En el postoperatorio los resultados fueron: permeabilidad del 90%, salvamento del 96%, morbilidad del 13% y mortalidad del 6,4%. El seguimiento medio fue 24 meses. Al final del seguimiento medio, los resultados fueron: salvamento de extremidad del 91% y supervivencia del 61%. El único factor relacionado con un incremento en la tasa de amputación fue la presentación clínica como una isquemia aguda con amenaza inmediata (frente a amenaza inicial). Los factores relacionados con una mejor supervivencia fueron unos adecuados tratamiento y control cardiológico y una anticoagulación prolongada a dosis ajustadas. Conclusiones. Sufrir una embolia de extremidades y su tratamiento mediante embolectomía producen tasas de morbimortalidad y amputación no desdeñables. El salvamento de la extremidad está relacionado con la clínica en el momento del tratamiento. La anticoagulación prolongada y el control cardiológico aumentan la supervivencia de estos pacientes (AU)

Introduction. To treat an extremity embolus seems to be a simple and safe procedure. However, it is not exempt from potentially serious complications. We review our experience of treating acute peripheral arterial occlusion due to emboli. Patients and method. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 127 embolectomies performed during the last five years, in 120 extremities in 116 patients. The mean age of the patients was 80 years and 66% were female. All cases were presented as acute threatened limb ischemia grades IIA or IIB, and the mean evolution time was 27 hours. The patency, limb salvage and morbidity-mortality rates in the postoperative period and the salvage and survival rates in the follow-up were analyzed. Results. Of the embolectomies, 55% were femoral and 30% brachial. Although 90% of the cases improved, only 75% of them recovered distal pulses. In the postoperative period the patency, limb salvage, morbidity and mortality rates were 90%, 96%, 13% and 6.4%, respectively. The mean follow-up was 24 months. Up until this time, the patency and survival rates are 91% and 61%, respectively. The only factor related with an increase in the amputation rate was a clinical presentation, such as a threatened immediate ischemia. The factors related with an increase in survival rate were appropriate cardiological treatment and control, and long-term anticoagulation treatment. Conclusions. Suffering an embolus of the extremities and its treatment causes considerable morbidity-mortality and limb amputation rates. The extremity salvage is associated with the clinical presentation at the time of the treatment. Long-term anticoagulation treatment and appropriate cardiological control increase the survival of these patients (AU)

Derivaciones femorodistales perimaleolares en pacientes en hemodiálisis / Perimalleolar femorodistal bypasses in haemodialysis patients

Introducción. El incremento en la prevalencia de la enfermedad renal terminal y el aumento de la supervivencia de los pacientes sometidos a hemodiálisis hace que cada vez sean más frecuentes las manifestaciones arterioescleróticas avanzadas en sus miembros inferiores. Objetivo. Comparar los resultados inmediatos y a medio plazo de las derivaciones femorodistales perimaleolares realizadas en pacientes sometidos a hemodiálisis con los de los pacientes sin tratamiento renal sustitutivo. Pacientes y métodos. Se comparan los resultados obtenidos en dos grupos de pacientes: 36 derivaciones en 29 pacientes en hemodiálisis frente a 96 derivaciones en 87 pacientes sin hemodiálisis, realizadas en los últimos 10 años. Las características demográficas y clínicas fueron similares entre ambos grupos, excepto en una mayor presencia de hipertensión arterial en el grupo de pacientes en hemodiálisis. Se analizaron los resultados en el postoperatorio inmediato y durante el seguimiento. Resultados. En ambos grupos, la técnica más utilizada fue la derivación femoropedia con la vena safena invertida. En el postoperatorio inmediato, los pacientes en hemodiálisis presentaron una morbilidad mayor que los pacientes sin hemodiálisis (p = 0,03), debido a una mayor incidencia de complicaciones generales. El seguimiento medio en ambos grupos fue de 36 meses y durante este período los pacientes en hemodiálisis presentaron una menor supervivencia media (p = 0,02), debida a una mayor mortalidad cardiológica. Conclusiones. Las derivaciones femorodistales perimaleolares son técnicas de salvamento de la extremidad factibles en pacientes en hemodiálisis, con resultados vasculares comparables a los de los pacientes sin hemodiálisis. Sin embargo, los pacientes en hemodiálisis presentan una mayor morbilidad postoperatoria y una menor supervivencia media

Introduction. The rise in the prevalence of terminal kidney disease and the increased survival of patients submitted to haemodialysis are making advanced arteriosclerotic manifestations in their lower limbs increasingly more frequent. Aim. To compare the immediate and medium-term outcomes of perimalleolar femorodistal bypasses carried out in patients submitted to haemodialysis with those of patients who do not require renal replacement therapy. Patients and methods. We compared the outcomes obtained in two groups of patients, namely, 36 bypasses in 29 haemodialysis patients versus 96 bypasses carried out in 87 patients who did not require haemodialysis, performed over the last 10 years. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar, except for a greater presence of arterial hypertension in the group of haemodialysis patients. Outcomes in the immediate post-operative period and during the follow-up were analysed. Results. In both groups the most widely used technique was a femoral-dorsalis pedis bypass with inverted saphenous vein. In the immediate post-operative period, patients undergoing haemodialysis presented a higher rate of morbidity than patients who did not require haemodialysis (p = 0.03), owing to a higher incidence of general complications. The mean follow-up time in the two groups was 36 months and during this period the haemodialysis patients presented a lower mean rate of survival (p = 0.02), due to a higher rate of mortality from heart pathologies. Conclusions. Perimalleolar femorodistal bypasses are limb salvage techniques that are feasible in haemodialysis patients, with vascular outcomes that are comparable to those of patients who do not require haemodialysis. Nevertheless, patients undergoing haemodialysis have a higher rate of post-operative morbidity and a lower mean rate of survival