Evaluación del desgaste laboral (burnout) y ansiedad en personal de salud burante la pandemia por Covid-19 / Assessment of Burnout and Anxiety in Health Personnel during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objetivo La pandemia por Covid-19 ha tenido consecuencias en la sanidadmental del personal de salud, una población vulnerable que se encuentra en la primera línea de atención contra el virus. Los horarios de trabajo, así como el miedo de contagiarse y contagiar a la familia, generan niveles elevados de ansiedad y desgaste laboral. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la presencia de desgaste laboral y ansiedad en el personal de salud durante la pandemia de Covid-19. Métodos Se aplicaron prospectivamente el Maslach Burnout Inventory y la escala de ansiedad de Hamilton de manera electrónica a 566 trabajadores de salud en Colombia durante marzo y abril del 2020. Adicionalmente, se evaluaron la edad, el nivel educativo, el estado civil, la ocupación, la fuente de ingresos, el tipo de contratación, el número de empleos, y las horas de trabajo del personal anteriormente mencionado. Resultados En total, se evaluaron 566 profesionales de la salud, de los cuales 60,8% eran mujeres, y el 39.2%, hombres. La muestra comprendía 85,3% de médicos, 9,2% de enfermeros, y el 5.5% restante correspondió a personal administrativo, odontólogos y paramédicos. De estos, 19,3% tenía 3 o más empleos. En términos de desgaste laboral, se evidenciaron altos niveles de agotamiento emocional y despersonalización, con bajos niveles de realización personal. Adicionalmente, se evidenció ansiedad leve. Conclusiones Unas de las consecuencias más importantes de la pandemia por Covid- 19 son los efectos a nivel de desgaste laboral y ansiedad en el personal de salud. Dados nuestros resultados, es esencial resaltar la importancia de un acompañamiento psicológico al personal de salud en tiempos de miedo e incertidumbre.

Objective The Covid-19 pandemic has had consequences on the mental health of health personnel, a vulnerable population that is on the front lines of attention. Long working hours, as well as the fear of getting sick and transmitting the virus to their families, generate high levels of anxiety and burnout. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the presence of burnout and anxiety in health personnel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods The Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Hamilton anxiety scale were distributed electronically and prospectively to 566 health workers in Colombia from March to April 2020. Additionally, age, level of schooling, marital status, occupation, source of income, type of contract, and the number of jobs and working hours were evaluated. Results A total of 566 health professionals were evaluated, 60.8% of whom were women, and 39.2% of whom were men. The sample was composed of 85.3% of doctors, 9.2% of nurses, and the other 5.5% corresponded to administrative staff, dentists, and paramedics. Of the aforementioned, 19.3% had 3 or more jobs. The survey reported high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, with low levels of personal fulfillment. Additionally, mild anxiety was evident. Conclusions One of the most important consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic is the effects of burnout and anxiety in health personnel. Given our results, it is essential to highlight the importance of psychological support for health personnel in these times of fear and uncertainty.

Surgical Technique of Supine Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in Children / Técnica quirúrgica de la nefrolitotomía percutánea en supino en niños

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in children has becomemore widely used due to its high efficacy and safety and to the development of miniaturized instruments. A supine approach is promising due to advantages such as better ventilation, reproducibility, and ergonomics. The purpose of the present study is to describe our surgical technique with special considerations in the pediatric population. We used an oblique supine position supported by one silicone gel positioning pad under the hip and another under the ipsilateral flank. The anatomical landmarks used to guide the puncture were the 11th and 12th ribs, the posterior axillary line, and the iliac crest. Initially, a ureteral catheter was introduced endoscopically. A retrograde pyelography was performed to guide the puncture, which was performed using a biplanar technique. A hydrophilic guide wire was then advanced through the needle. Dilation was performed with Alken telescopic dilators until 14 Ch. Fragmentation was performed either with a 13 Ch semirigid cystoscope or a flexible ureteroscope using a holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Ho:Yag) laser.We left a double J catheter. Supine PCNL in the pediatric population has comparable efficacy in terms of stone free rate to that of the prone approach as well as less complications. Certain considerations in children are careful padding and placement of the patient close to the edge of the table. Puncture should be guided by ultrasound to reduce radiation exposure. Miniaturized equipment is not widely available, so adaptation of adult equipment for the pediatric population is sometimes necessary.

La nefrolitotomía percutánea en niños se ha vuelto ampliamente utilizada por su alta efectividad, seguridad, y por la miniaturización de los instrumentos endoscópicos. El abordaje en supino es prometedor por sus ventajas, como mejor ventilación, reproducibilidad, y ergonomía. El propósito es describir nuestra técnica quirúrgica con las consideraciones especiales a tener en cuenta en la población pediátrica. Todos nuestros pacientes han sido intervenidos bajo la siguiente técnica quirúrgica: en una posición oblicua en supino, utilizando soportes de silicona ubicados debajo de la cadera y del flanco ipsilateral, se marcan los reparos anatómicos: las costillas once y doce, la línea axilar posterior y la cresta ilíaca. Inicialmente se introduce un cateter ureteral por vía endoscópica, con el cual se realiza una pielografía retrógrada para guiar la punción con una técnica biplanar. Se avanza una guía hidrofílica y, sobre esta, los dilatadores telescopados de Alken hasta un tracto de 14 Ch. Se realiza la fragmentación con un cistoscopio semirígido de 13 Ch o con un ureteroscopio flexible utilizando el láser Ho:Yag. Se deja un cateter JJ. La nefrolitotomía percutánea en la población pediátrica es comparable en términos de tasa libre de cálculos al abordaje en prono, con menos complicaciones. Una consideración importante en niños es una adecuada posición, cerca al eje de la mesa. La punción debe ser guiada por ultrasonido para disminuir la exposición a radiación. La disponibilidad de equipos miniaturizados es limitada, por lo cual usualmente es necesario adaptar los equipos de adultos.

Risk-based stratification triaging system in pediatric urology: what COVID-19 pandemic has taught us.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: SARS-COV-2 pandemic has affected the population worldwide requiring social distancing, quarantine and isolation as strategies to control virus propagation. Initial measures to reduce the burden to the health care system during the pandemic included deferring elective surgery. These damage control measures did not take into account the mid- and long-term implications. Management of congenital anomalies can be time sensitive with delays resulting in permanent disability, morbidity and increased costs to the healthcare system. This study reports the results of using a novel scoring system that enables triage of time sensitive congenital anomalies and pediatric surgical conditions and how implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) principles allowed optimization of resources and reduced the burden to the system while allowing for appropriate care of pediatric patients with urgent urologic surgical conditions. METHODS: We present a prospective case series of patients with congenital urological conditions scheduled and taken to surgery during COVID-19 pandemic. All pediatric urology cases that were pending and or scheduled for surgery at the moment the pandemic struck as well as all cases that presented to the emergency department with urological conditions were triaged and included for analysis using a modified Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive Procedures: Scoring System (MeNTS). A modified MeNTS was implemented for pediatric patients, giving more priority to the impact of deferring surgical intervention on patient's prognosis. An individualized evaluation using this scoring system was applied to each patient. Intra- and postoperative ERAS® principles were applied to all cases operated during the pandemic between March 20th and April 24th to reduce the burden to the healthcare system. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were triaged and included for analysis with a mean age of 6.47 years of age. Adjusted MeNTS showed that all clinically emergent cases had a score of 12 or less. Cases that could be postponed for 2 weeks but no longer had a score between 13 and 15. The ones that could wait 6 weeks or longer had scores higher than 16. Score results were not the same for similar procedures and individualized assessments resulted in scores based on an individual patient's conditions. From the total cases, implementation of ERAS® principles increased outpatient procedures from 68 to 90.4%. CONCLUSION: Our results provide a novel triaging method to rank pediatric urological surgical management based on individualized patient's clinical conditions. Cutoff values of 12 and 16 allowed appropriate triage preventing the postponement of urgent urologic cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation of ERAS® principles allowed for these procedures to be done in the outpatient setting, preserving valuable healthcare resources. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Minimally invasive nephrectomy for inflammatory renal disease.

OBJECTIVE: Once chronic inflammatory renal disease (IRD) develops, it creates a severe peri-fibrotic process, which makes it a relative contraindication for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Our objective is to show that laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) is a surgical option in IRD with fewer complications and better outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who underwent a modified-surgical laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomy was performed. Data search included all operated patients between May 2013 and May 2018 that had a pathology result with any renal inflammatory condition (xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, chronic nephritis, and renal tuberculosis). We describe intra-operative variables such as operative time, blood loss, conversion rate, postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: There were 51 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with a confirmatory pathology report for IRD. We identified four (8%) major complications; three of them required transfusion and one conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was 233±108 min. Mean estimated blood loss was 206±242 mL excluding the conversion cases and 281±423 mL including them. The mean length of hospital stay was 3.0±2.0 days. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD can safely be done. It is a reproducible technique with low risks and complication rates. Our experience supports that releasing the kidney first and leaving the hilum for the end is a safe approach when vascular structures are embedded into a single block of inflammatory and scar tissue.

Experiencia quirúrgica en el manejo de litiasis urinaria en la población pediátrica: estudio multicéntrico / Surgical Experience in Management of Urinary Lithiasis in Pediatric Population: Multicentric Study

La incidencia de la enfermedad litiásica ha aumentado globalmente en los últimos 25 años. A pesar de que la incidencia de litiasis es baja en la población pediátrica,1 ese aumento no ha sido ajeno a esa población. Se ha visto un incremento importante en su incidencia y prevalencia en los últimos años, alcanzado en países como Estados Unidos de 18,5 por cada 100.000 habitantes.2 La edad de presentación se encuentra entre los 7 y los 8 años de edad.

The incidence of lithium disease has increased globally over the past 25 years. Although the incidence of lithiasis is low in the paediatric population,1 this increase has not been alien to the paediatric population. There has been a significant increase in its incidence and prevalence in recent years, reached in countries such as the United States of 18.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.2 The age of presentation is between 7 and 8 years of age