Nefrolitotricia percutánea ambulatoria: nuestra experiencia en 156 casos / Ambulatory Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: Our experience in 156 cases

OBJETIVOS: analizar y presentar nuestros resultados en el tratamiento de la litiasis renal mediante Nefrolitotricia Percutánea (NLP) ambulatoria en un mismo centro. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: entre agosto de 2013 y mayo de 2017 se realizó una recolección prospectiva de datos de los pacientes sometidos a NLP ambulatoria tubeless con catéter doble J o totally tubeless por litiasis renal. Se excluyeron aquellos pacientes con score de ASA >3. Se analizaron los datos preoperatorios, intra- y posoperatorios. Se clasificaron las complicaciones de acuerdo con el sistema de Clavien modificado. Se compararon los valores de hematocrito, hemoglobina, creatininemia y uremia pre- y posoperatoria a las 48 horas. RESULTADOS: en total, se operaron 156 pacientes, a los cuales se les dio el alta el mismo día de la cirugía. La suma de los diámetros máximos de las litiasis, en promedio, fue de 26,6 mm, 32 casos de litiasis coraliforme. La posición más utilizada fue la ventral, con un tiempo promedio de cirugía de 50 minutos. Se realizó NLP tubeless en 125 pacientes y totally tubeless en 29 casos. A 40 pacientes se les colocó un tapón de Surgicel en el tracto de acceso percutáneo. La tasa libre de cálculos fue del 84%, y en pacientes con litiasis coraliforme fue del 53%. No hubo complicaciones intraoperatorias y el 80% de los pacientes no presentó complicaciones. La tasa de reinternación fue del 3%. Si bien se hallaron diferencias significativas entre los valores pre- y posoperatorios de hematocrito y hemoglobina (40% y 13,3 g/dl vs. 39% y 12,8 g/dl; p=0,0001 y 0,0001, respectivamente), estas no fueron clínicamente significativas y solamente un paciente requirió de transfusión de sangre (0,6%). CONCLUSIONES: en nuestra experiencia, la NLP ambulatoria fue segura, con tasas libres de cálculos y complicaciones similares a las realizadas con internación.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the safety and feasibility of ambulatory percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) at a single institution. METHODS: Data collected prospectively of patients submit for ambulatory PCNL tubeless or totally tubeless between August 2013 and May 2017 were review. Exclusion criteria were patients with ASA score >3. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected. Complications were classified using the Clavien sistem modified for PCNL. Properative and 48hs postoperative value of hematocrit, hemoglobin, creatininemia and uremia were compare. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty five patients underwent ambulatory PCNL. All patients were discharge the same day of surgery. The median of the sum of the maximum stone diameter was 26,6mm, 32 patients had staghorn calculus. We performed the majority of the surgerys in ventral position with a median time of 50 minutes. One hundred and twenty five patients underwent tubeless PCNL and totally tubeless 29 patients. In 40 cases we used Surgicel for sealing the percutaneous tract. Overall stone-free rate was 84% and 53% in staghorn cases. There were no intraoperative complications and 80% of the patients did not have any complications. Readmission rate was 3%. There was a significant decrease in the postoperative hematocrit and hemoglobin level (40% y 13,3 g/dl vs. 39% y 12,8 g/dl; p=0,0001 y 0,0001), this was not clinically significant. Only one patient required blood transfusion (0,6%). CONCLUSION: Ambulatory PCNL is safe with a stone-free rate, readmisions and complications similar to standard PCNL.

Surgery with Limited Resources in Natural Disasters: What Is the Minimum Standard of Care?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In a challenging scenario, such as in the aftermath of a natural disaster, minimum standards of care must be in place from the moment surgical care activities are launched. RECENT FINDINGS: Natural disasters cause destruction and human suffering, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which suffer the most when exposed to their consequences. Health systems can quickly get overwhelmed and can collapse under the burden of injured patients during this event, while qualified surgical care remains crucial. Medécins Sans Frontières (MSF) has a vast experience providing surgical care after natural disasters, and quality is assured through the Donabedian model. Minimum structure standards are put in place from the beginning of an emergency response, together with standard operating procedures providing guidance to professionals working in challenging conditions. SUMMARY: MSF believes that it is always possible to deliver surgical care, ensuring the best possible quality guaranteeing adequate levels of structure and process. The "do no harm" principle must always be respected as adherence to medical ethics is a must in any context, even a challenging one.

Anesthesia Provision in Disasters and Armed Conflicts.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Disasters and armed conflicts are characterized by high numbers of trauma cases, and occur mainly in developing countries where the healthcare response is already impaired, resulting in an inadequate response. Aside of the trauma cases, other surgical health conditions are also still present and require urgent care. Surgical care needs are different from context to context and depend on local means and capabilities. RECENT FINDINGS: Doctors without Borders (MSF) has proven that even in precarious situations, safe administration of anesthesia is possible, and the "do no harm" principle can and must be upheld. Anesthesia providers need to recognize the difficulties linked to these contexts. SUMMARY: Local, spinal and general intravenous (mainly with Ketamine) anesthetics seem to be the most widely accepted. Inhalation anesthesia has constraints; regional is underused and epidural is not recommended. Standard operative procedures should be in place, and an informed consent from the patient must be granted.

An Analysis of Cesarean Section and Emergency Hernia Ratios as Markers of Surgical Capacity in Low-Income Countries Affected by Humanitarian Emergencies from 2008 - 2014 at Médecins sans Frontières Operations Centre Brussels Projects.

BACKGROUND: Surgical capacity assessments in low-income countries have demonstrated critical deficiencies. Though vital for planning capacity improvements, these assessments are resource intensive and impractical during the planning phase of a humanitarian crisis. This study aimed to determine cesarean sections to total operations performed (CSR) and emergency herniorrhaphies to all herniorrhaphies performed (EHR) ratios from Médecins Sans Frontières Operations Centre Brussels (MSF-OCB) projects and examine if these established metrics are useful proxies for surgical capacity in low-income countries affected by crisis. METHODS: All procedures performed in MSF-OCB operating theatres from July 2008 through June 2014 were reviewed. Projects providing only specialty care, not fully operational or not offering elective surgeries were excluded. Annual CSRs and EHRs were calculated for each project. Their relationship was assessed with linear regression. RESULTS: After applying the exclusion criteria, there were 47,472 cases performed at 13 sites in 8 countries. There were 13,939 CS performed (29% of total cases). Of the 4,632 herniorrhaphies performed (10% of total cases), 30% were emergency procedures. CSRs ranged from 0.06 to 0.65 and EHRs ranged from 0.03 to 1.0. Linear regression of annual ratios at each project did not demonstrate statistical evidence for the CSR to predict EHR [F(2,30)=2.34, p=0.11, R2=0.11]. The regression equation was: EHR = 0.25 + 0.52(CSR) + 0.10(reason for MSF-OCB assistance). CONCLUSION: Surgical humanitarian assistance projects operate in areas with critical surgical capacity deficiencies that are further disrupted by crisis. Rapid, accurate assessments of surgical capacity are necessary to plan cost- and clinically-effective humanitarian responses to baseline and acute unmet surgical needs in LICs affected by crisis. Though CSR and EHR may meet these criteria in 'steady-state' healthcare systems, they may not be useful during humanitarian emergencies. Further study of the relationship between direct surgical capacity improvements and these ratios is necessary to document their role in humanitarian settings.

Saving life and limb: limb salvage using external fixation, a multi-centre review of orthopaedic surgical activities in Médecins Sans Frontières.

PURPOSE: While the orthopaedic management of open fractures has been well-documented in developed settings, limited evidence exists on the surgical outcomes of open fractures in terms of limb salvage in low- and middle-income countries. We therefore reviewed the Médecins Sans Frontières-Operational Centre Brussels (MSF-OCB) orthopaedic surgical activities in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and in three non-emergency projects to assess the limb salvage rates in humanitarian contexts in relation to surgical staff skills. METHODS: This was a descriptive retrospective cohort study conducted in the MSF-OCB surgical programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Afghanistan, and Haiti. Routine programme data on surgical procedures were aggregated and analysed through summary statistics. RESULTS: In the emergency post-earthquake response in Haiti, 81% of open fracture cases were treated by amputation. In a non-emergency project in a conflict setting in DRC, relying on non-specialist surgeons receiving on-site supervision and training by experienced orthopaedic surgeons, amputation rates among open fractures decreased by 100 to 21% over seven years of operations. In two trauma centres in Afghanistan (national surgical staff supported from the outset by expatriate orthopaedic surgeons) and Haiti (national musculoskeletal surgeons trained in external fixation), amputation rates among long bone open fracture cases were stable at 20% and <10%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of and training on the proper use of external fixators reduced the amputation rate for open fractures and consequently increased the limb salvage rates in humanitarian contexts where surgical care was provided.