[Unnecessary routine laboratory tests in patients referred for surgical services]. / Exámenes de laboratorio de rutina innecesarios en pacientes referidos para atención por servicios quirúrgicos.

BACKGROUND: To question the usefulness of the lab analysis considered routine testing for the identification of abnormalities in the surgical care. OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of unnecessary laboratory tests in the preoperative assessment as well as to estimate the unnecessary expenses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study of patients referred for surgical evaluation between January 1st and March 31st 2013. The database of laboratory testing and electronic files were reviewed. Reference criteria from surgical services were compared with the tests requested by the family doctor. RESULTS: In 65% of the patients (n=175) unnecessary examinations were requested, 25% (n=68) were not requested the tests that they required, and only 10% of the patients were requested laboratory tests in accordance with the reference criteria (n=27). The estimated cost in unnecessary examinations was $1,129,552 in a year. DISCUSSION: The results were similar to others related to this theme, however, they had not been revised from the perspective of the first level of attention regarding the importance of adherence to the reference criteria which could prevent major expenditures. CONCLUSION: It is a priority for leaders and operational consultants in medical units to establish strategies and lines of action that ensure compliance with institutional policies so as to contain spending on comprehensive services, and which in turn can improve the medical care.

Historia y actualidad del plombaje como tratamiento en la enfermedad pulmonar por tuberculosis multirresistente / History and News on Plombage as Treatment for Pulmonary Disease by Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis

La cirugía torácica para la tuberculosis fue el tratamiento de elección desde comienzos del siglo XIX hasta su sustitución con la llegada de la quimioterapia antifímica. Actualmente, se han documentado múltiples complicaciones tardías de la tisiocirugía, así como sorprendentes resultados a largo plazo. En el presente artículo haremos una breve revisión de la colapsoterapia y uno de sus más importantes representantes el plombaje, su evolución, variantes, efectividad y criterios de aplicación. El plombaje implementó, a través del uso de múltiples materiales injertados en la cavidad torácica, una reacción tisular por hipoxia, que originaba un ambiente donde no puede sobrevivir el bacilo de la tuberculosis, lo que consigue una drástica mejoría inmediata en pacientes en estadios avanzados de la enfermedad. Fue califcado como el acto quirúrgico con menor número de desventajas porque limitaba la deformidad torácica en comparación con las toracoplastias, la necesidad de un menor tiempo de hospitalización, la posibilidad de realizar una delimitación de la zona pulmonar donde se localizaba la lesión por la enfermedad, etc. El procedimiento demostró en múltiples casos una supervivencia mayor a los 40 años. Al considerar los avances actuales en las técnicas quirúrgicas, las mejoras en los métodos de asepsia y esterilización, la mayor disponibilidad de materiales con menor número de complicaciones y la falta de efectividad de la quimioterapia en tuberculosis, la terapia quirúrgica como el plombaje reemerge como una alternativa de tratamiento factible en la actualidad.

Thoracic surgery for tuberculosis was the treatment of choice since the early nineteenth century until its replacement with the arrival of the antifimic chemotherapy. Currently they have documented multiple late complications of tisiosurgery also surprising long-term results. In this article we will briefly review the collapse therapy and one of its most important representant plombage, evolution, variants, effectiveness and application criteria. Plombage implemented through the use of multiple materials grafted into the thoracic cavity, a tissue reaction to hypoxia, which originated an environment where it cannot survive the TB bacillus, getting an immediate drastic improvement in patients in advanced stages of the disease. It was rated the surgery with fewer disadvantages because it restricted the chest deformity compared to thoracoplasty the need for a shorter hospital stay, the possibility of a delimitation of the lung area where the lesion was located by the disease, etc. The procedure demonstrated in many cases increased survival at 40 years. Considering current developments in surgical techniques, improved methods and aseptic sterilization, the increased availability of materials with fewer complications and lack of effectiveness of chemotherapy in tuberculosis, plombage rermerge as current feasible surgical treatment.