Association of reintubation and hospital costs and its modification by postoperative surveillance: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We estimated hospital costs associated with postoperative reintubation and tested the hypothesis that prolonged surveillance in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) modifies the hospital costs of reintubation. DESIGN: Retrospective observational research study. SETTING: Two tertiary care academic healthcare networks in the Bronx, New York and Boston, Massachusetts, USA. PATIENTS: 68,125 adult non-cardiac surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia between 2016 and 2021. INTERVENTIONS: The exposure variable was unplanned reintubation within 7 days of surgery. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was direct hospital costs associated with patient care related activities. We used a multivariable generalized linear model based on log-transformed costs data, adjusting for pre- and intraoperative confounders. We matched our data with data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS). In the key secondary analysis, we examined if prolonged postoperative surveillance, defined as PACU utilization (≥4 h) modifies the association between reintubation and costs of care. MAIN RESULTS: 1759 (2.6%) of patients were re-intubated within 7 days after surgery. Reintubation was associated with higher direct hospital costs (adjusted model estimate 2.05; 95% CI: 2.00-2.10) relative to no reintubation. In the HCUP-NIS matched cohort, the adjusted absolute difference (ADadj) in costs amounted to US$ 18,837 (95% CI: 17,921-19,777). The association was modified by the duration of PACU surveillance (p-for-interaction <0.001). In patients with a shorter PACU length of stay, reintubation occurred later (median of 2 days; IQR 1, 5) versus 1 days (IQR 0, 2; p < .001), and was associated with magnified effects on hospital costs compared to patients who stayed in the PACU longer (ADadj of US$ 23,444, 95% CI: 21,217-25,799 versus ADadj of US$ 17,615, 95% CI: 16,350-18,926; p < .001). CONCLUSION: Postoperative reintubation is associated with 2-fold higher hospital costs. Prolonged surveillance in the recovery room mitigated this effect. The cost-saving effect of longer PACU length of stay was likely driven by earlier reintubation in patients who needed this intervention.

Validación de la ecografía Point-of-Care para el diagnóstico de hernia diafragmática: a propósito de un caso / Validation of Point-of-Care ultrasound in the diagnosis of a diaphragmatic hernia

La ecografía Point-of-Care (POCUS) es una herramienta sensible y específica para diagnosticar de manera precoz la patología del diafragma en pacientes críticos. Presentamos un caso clínico de un paciente con antecedentes de hernia diafragmática iatrogénica que ingresó en la unidad de reanimación tras una laparotomía exploradora de emergencia. Aprovechando el diagnóstico conocido de hernia diafragmática, describimos los signos clínicos que debemos encontrar en la evaluación POCUS para establecer el diagnóstico de hernia diafragmática: 1)fracción de acortamiento diafragmático normal bilateral; 2)excursión diafragmática reducida, y 3)posición cefálica de la cúpula diafragmática 4)mayor en supino que en sedestación. Igualmente, proponemos una sistemática de exploración ecográfica del diafragma y una clasificación diferencial de la disfunción diafragmática evaluada mediante POCUS en función de la correcta integridad y el buen funcionamiento del músculo periférico y del tendón central diafragmáticos en el paciente crítico.(AU)

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a sensitive, specific tool for early diagnosis of diaphragm pathology in critically ill patients. We report the case of a patient with a history of iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia who was admitted to the Resuscitation Unit after an emergency exploratory laparotomy. As the diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia had already been confirmed, we determined the POCUS features that establish the diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia: (1)normal bilateral diaphragmatic shortening fraction; (2)decreased diaphragmatic excursion, and (3)cephalic position of the diaphragmatic dome (4)greater in supine than in sitting position. We also outline a systematic ultrasound examination of the diaphragm and a POCUS-based differential classification of diaphragmatic dysfunction based on the functional integrity of the peripheral muscle and central diaphragmatic tendon in critically ill patients.(AU)

[Postoperative delirium in the recovery room]. / Postoperatives Delir im Aufwachraum.

Postoperative delirium during emergence from anesthesia is the most frequent neuropsychiatric complication in the post-anesthesia care unit. In addition to increased medical and especially nursing care efforts, affected patients are threatened with delayed rehabilitation with a longer hospital stay and an increased mortality. It is therefore essential to identify risk factors at an early stage and to implement preventive measures; however, should a postoperative delirium occur in the post-anesthesia care unit despite the use of these preventive measures, it should be detected and treated at an early stage using suitable screening procedures. In this context, working instructions for delirium prophylaxis and standardized test procedures for detection of delirium have been shown to be useful. An additional drug treatment can be indicated when all nonpharmacological options have been exhausted.

Review of the Utility of Extended Recovery Room Observation after Adenotonsillectomy.

BACKGROUND: Our institution implemented a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) extended-stay model (Grey Zone model), where the post-operative level of care for high-risk adenotonsillectomy patients (general care vs. intensive care unit) was decided based on the clinical course of 2-4 h of PACU admission. OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between post-tonsillectomy respiratory compromise and the need for respiratory support during an extended stay at PACU. To identify comorbidities associated with a need for intensive care after extended observation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of high-risk children who underwent adenotonsillectomy and were admitted to the Grey Zone following surgery. RESULTS: 274 patients met inclusion criteria. 262 (95.6%) met criteria for general care unit transfer (mean oxygen saturation 94.4 ± 5.1%). Twelve (4.4%) patients were transferred from the PACU to the ICU due to respiratory distress (mean oxygen saturation 86.8 ± 11%). Of the patients admitted to general care, 4 (1.5%) secondarily developed respiratory compromise, requiring escalation of care. Three of these maintained oxygen saturation ≥95% throughout the PACU period. There was no difference between the groups with respect to demographic data, rates of morbid obesity, and severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Neuromuscular disease, chronic lung disease, seizure disorder, and gastrostomy-tube status were more prevalent in those requiring ICU level of care compared to the general care unit. CONCLUSIONS: The Grey Zone model accurately identifies patients requiring ICU-level care following adenotonsillectomy, allowing for a safe reduction in the utilization of ICU resources. Due to rare delayed respiratory events, overnight observation in this cohort is recommended. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:3582-3587, 2023.

Resiliência: avaliação de pacientes queimados em um hospital de urgência e emergência / Resilience: evaluation of burned patients in an urgency and emergency hospital / Resiliencia: evaluación de pacientes quemados en un hospital de urgencias y emergencias

A recuperação de vítimas de queimaduras é longa e dolorosa e afeta diversas esferas da vida do paciente. A resiliência, que se refere à capacidade humana de enfrentar e se adaptar a eventos adversos, exerce grande importância no processo de recuperação da queimadura. Logo, este trabalho objetiva avaliar a capacidade de resiliência de pacientes queimados, no momento da admissão e da alta hospitalar, em um hospital de emergência e urgência de Goiânia. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, quantitativo e transversal que utiliza a Escala de Resiliência de Connor-Davidson (CD-RISC) como instrumento de mensuração. Na admissão hospitalar, a média da resiliência foi de 71,35, tendo sido observada uma relação significativa entre o fator Amparo da escala CD-RISC e a presença do(a) companheiro(a). O escore de resiliência encontrado nesta pesquisa é consistente com outros achados da literatura científica internacional e nacional referente à expressão da resiliência em vítimas de queimaduras e outros adoecimentos. A relação entre o fator Amparo e a presença de um(a) companheiro(a) enfatiza a importância da rede de apoio familiar na reabilitação do paciente queimado.(AU)

The recovery of burned patients is long and painful and impacts on different areas of people's lives. Resilience, which refers to the human capacity to face and adapt to adverse events, plays a major role in the process of recovery from burns. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the resilience of burned patients, on admission and hospital discharge, in an emergency and urgency hospital in Goiânia. This is a descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional study that uses the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD RISC) as a measuring instrument. At hospital admission, the mean resilience was 71.35, with a significant association between the Support factor on the CD RISC scale and the presence of a partner. The resilience score found in the present study is consistent with other findings in the international and national scientific literature regarding the expression of resilience in victims of burns and other illnesses. The relationship between the Support factor and the presence of a partner emphasizes the importance of the family support network in the rehabilitation of the burned patient.(AU)

La recuperación de los pacientes quemados es larga y dolorosa e impacta en diferentes esferas de la vida de las personas. La resiliencia, que se refiere a la capacidad humana para enfrentar y adaptarse a eventos adversos, juega un papel importante en el proceso de recuperación de las quemaduras. Por tanto, el presente estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la resiliencia de los pacientes quemados, en el momento del ingreso y el alta, en un hospital de emergencia y urgencia en Goiânia. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo, cuantitativo y transversal que utiliza la Escala de Resiliencia Connor-Davidson (CD RISC) como instrumento de medida. Al ingreso hospitalario, la resiliencia media fue de 71,35, con associación significativa entre el factor Amparo de la escala CD RISC y la presencia de pareja. El puntaje de resiliencia encontrado en el presente estudio es consistente con otros hallazgos en la literatura científica nacional e internacional sobre la expresión de resiliencia en víctimas de quemaduras y otras enfermedades. La relación entre el factor Amparo y la presencia de pareja enfatiza la importancia de la red de apoyo familiar en la rehabilitación del paciente quemado.(AU)

Effect of Interpectoral-Pectoserratus Plane (PECS II) Block on Recovery Room Discharge Time in Breast Cancer Surgery.

Background and Objectives: The increase in the incidence and diagnosis rate of breast cancer demands the optimization of resources. The aim of this study was to assess whether the supplementation of the interpectoral-pectoserratus plane block (PECS II) reduces surgery and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) time in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective data-analysis study. In 2016, PECS II block was introduced as a supplement to general anesthesia for all mastectomies with or without axillary resections in South Jutland regional hospital, Denmark. The perioperative data of patients operated 3 years before and 3 years after 2016 was retrieved through the Danish anesthesia database and patient journals and systematically analyzed. Female patients aged over 18 years, with no use of muscle relaxant, intubation, and inhalation agents, were included. The eligible data was organized into two groups, i.e., Block and Control, where the Block group received PECS II Block, while the Control group received only general anesthesia. Parameters such as surgery time, anesthesia time, PACU time, opioid consumption, and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in PACU were retrieved and statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 172 patients out of 358 patients met eligibility criteria. After applying exclusion criteria, 65 patients were filtered out. A total of 107 patients, 51 from the Block and 56 from the Control group, were eligible for the final analysis. The patients were comparable in demographic parameters. The median surgery time was significantly less in the Block group (78 min (60-99)) in comparison to the Control group (98.5 min (77.5-139.5) p < 0.0045). Consequently, the median anesthesia time was also shorter in the Block group (140 min (115-166)) vs. the Control group (160 min (131.5 to 188), p < 0.0026). Patients from the Block group had significantly lower intraoperative fentanyl consumption (60 µg (30-100)) as compared with the Control group (132.5 µg (80-232.5), p < 0.0001). The total opioid consumption during the entire procedure (converted to morphine) was significantly lower in the Block group (16.37 mg (8-23.6)) as compared with the Control group (31.17 mg (16-46.5), p < 0.0001). No statistically significant difference was found in the PACU time, incidences of PONV, and postoperative pain. Conclusions: The interpectoral-pectoserratus plane (PECS II) block supplementation reduces surgery time, anesthesia time, and opioid consumption but not PACU time during breast cancer surgery.

Avaliação da intensidade e do desconforto da sede de pacientes em pós-operatório imediato* / Evaluación de la intensidad y malestar de la sed en pacientes en el postoperatorio inmediato / Assessment of the intensity and discomfort of the thirst of patients in the immediate postoperative period

Objetivo: avaliar a intensidade e o desconforto provocados pela sede em pacientes em pós-operatório imediato. Método: estudo exploratório-descritivo, desenvolvido com pacientes internados na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica de um hospital público paranaense. Avaliaram-se indivíduos maiores de 18 anos, de ambos os sexos, com cognitivo preservado, internados de junho de 2021 a janeiro de 2022. A intensidade e o desconforto da sede foram mensurados por escalas específicas. Resultados: avaliaram-se 150 pacientes, com média de 43,9 anos. A maioria era do sexo masculino (65,3%), sem comorbidades (68,7%), submetida à raquianestesia (58%) e cirurgia ortopédica (59,3%), com soroterapia em curso (92,7%). O tempo médio de cirurgia foi 1,5 hora e 14,6 horas de jejum; 72,7% da amostra verbalizou sede, sendo que 37,6% queixaram-se de forma espontânea. Conclusão: os participantes de pesquisa apresentaram intensidade (6,6) e desconforto (7,6) moderados de sede no pós-operatório, tornando-se necessário discutir protocolos institucionais de intervenção para diminuir tal evento.

Objective: to evaluate the intensity and discomfort caused by thirst in patients in the immediate postoperative period. Method: exploratory-descriptive study developed with patients hospitalized in the post-anesthetic recovery room of a public hospital in Paraná. Individuals over 18 years of age, of both sexes, with preserved cognitive function, hospitalized from June 2021 to January 2022, were evaluated. Thirst intensity and discomfort were measured by specific scales. Results: 150 patients were evaluated, with a mean of 43.9 years. Most were male (65.3%), without comorbidities (68.7%), underwent spinal anesthesia (58%) and orthopedic surgery (59.3%), with ongoing serotherapy (92.7%). The mean surgery time was 1.5 hours and 14.6 hours of fasting; 72.7% of the sample verbalized thirst, and 37.6% complained spontaneously. Conclusion: the research participants presented moderate intensity (6.6) and discomfort (7.6) of thirst in the postoperative period, making it necessary to discuss institutional intervention protocols to reduce such event.

Objetivo: evaluar la intensidad y el malestar causado por la sed en pacientes en el postoperatorio inmediato. Método: estudio exploratorio-descriptivo, desarrollado con pacientes internados en la sala de recuperación postanestésica de un hospital público de Paraná. Se evaluaron personas mayores de 18 años, de ambos sexos, con habilidades cognitivas conservadas, hospitalizadas entre junio de 2021 y enero de 2022. Se midió la intensidad y el malestar de la sed mediante escalas específicas. Resultados: Se evaluaron 150 pacientes, con una edad media de 43,9 años. La mayoría eran hombres (65,3%), sin comorbilidades (68,7%), con anestesia espinal (58%) y cirugía ortopédica (59,3%), con sueroterapia en curso (92,7%). El tiempo promedio de cirugía fue de 1,5 horas y 14,6 horas de ayuno; El 72,7% de la muestra verbalizó sed, con un 37,6% quejándose espontáneamente. Conclusión: los participantes de la investigación presentaron moderada intensidad (6,6) y malestar (7,6) de la sed en el postoperatorio, siendo necesario discutir protocolos de intervención institucional para la reducción de ese evento.

Adaptación transcultural y validación del cuestionario STOP-bang del inglés al español como herramienta de detección precoz del síndrome de apnea del sueño en el paciente quirúrgico y en la población general / Cross-cultural adaptation and Validation of the STOP-bang Questionnaire from English to Spanish as a tool for the early detection of sleep apnea syndrome in the surgical patient and in the general population

Introduccion: El síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño (SAOS) o síndrome de apnea-hipoapnea (SAHS) es uno de los trastornos del sueño más prevalentes en la población general. Está asociado a un aumento en la prevalencia de intubación orotraqueal difícil y de las complicaciones postoperatorias. Se recomienda la aplicación de tests de detección precoz validados como el test en inglés de STOP-bang (STBC); un test de alta calidad metodológica, sensibilidad y especificidad en la detección precoz del SAHS tanto en la población quirúrgica como general. Objetivo: La validación, traducción y adaptación cultural del test STBC a la población española. Material y metodos: Se realizó la adaptación transcultural del STBC al español y un estudio de validación posterior con 77 pacientes consecutivos. El análisis estadístico evaluó la fiabilidad, la validez y la factibilidad de la versión traducida y adaptada culturalmente. Resultados: Se incluyeron el 44% de mujeres y el 56% de varones con una edad media de 53,58±12,88 años. Los resultados en la fiabilidad fueron: un coeficiente alfa de Cronbach de 0,767, una correlación de Pearson r=0,777 (p<0,001) y una correlación de Sperman rho=0,455 (p=0,044). La factibilidad del estudio fue del 100%. La validez de criterio se evaluó mediante el coeficiente Kappa que fué de 0,444. Para una puntuación >3 del cuestionario adaptado al español los resultados de sensibilidad y de especificidad según los distintos niveles de corte del índice apnea hipoapnea (IAH)>5, >15 y >30) fueron: sensibilidad del 87, 91 y 100%, respectivamente, y de especificidad del 50, 31 y 22%, respectivamente.(AU)

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) or apnea-hypoapnea syndrome (SAHS) is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders in the general population. It is associated with an increase in the prevalence of difficult orotracheal intubation and postoperative complications. The application of validated early detection tests,such the STOP-Bang test in English (STBC), is recommended; a test of high methodological quality, sensitivity and specificity in the early detection of SAHS in both surgical and general populations. Objective: The validation, translation, cross-cultural adaptation of the STBC to the Spanish population. Material and methods: The transcultural adaptation of the STBC to Spanish was carried out and a subsequent validation study with 77 consecutive patients was carried out. The statistical analysis evaluated the reliability, validity and feasibility of the translated and culturally adapted version. Results: 44% of women and 56% of men were included,with a mean age of 53.58±12.88 years. The reliability results were: a Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient of 0.767, a Pearson correlation r=.777 (P<.001) and a Sperman correlation rho=.455 (P=.044). The feasibility of the study was 100%. Criterion validity was evaluated using the Kappa coefficient, which was 0.444. For a score >3 of the questionnaire adapted to Spanish, the results of sensitivity, specificity according to the different cut-off levels of the apnea hypopnea index (AHI)>5, >15, >30) were: Sensitivity 87%, 91% and 100% respectively and Specificity of 50%, 31% and 22%. Conclusions: The STBC questionnaire translated, adapted and validated into Spanish, evaluated in the present study, is reliable and valid with respect to the original design of the questionnaire. It is a useful tool that is easy to understand and implement, which can be used rigorously to stratify surgical risk and carry out adequate perioperative planning of those patients at risk of SAHS.(AU)

Cell Phone Use in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit Best Practice Project.

PURPOSE: Each year cell phones have evolved in capability and sophistication enticing society to become more dependent on them. Presently, our hospital policy states there is no cell phone use allowed in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) for patients or family members. However, given the almost addictive use of the mobile phone today, a patient connecting with family and friends during a very anxious and personally vulnerable time triggered us to re-evaluate this policy. DESIGN: This was a quality improvement project. METHODS: A literature review of published research on cell phone use in the recovery room in five databases was conducted. Two hundred seventy six articles were screened for eligibility, and seven articles were critically appraised and synthesized. FINDINGS: Evidence supported that cell phone electromagnetic radiation interference with the mechanics of the medical equipment at bedside is negated by distance. CONCLUSION: The sustainability of cell phone use in the PACU will be determined by quality indicators of patient compliance with respectfulness to the atmosphere of the quiet zone of surgery recovery bays, and satisfaction indicators of patient care not being negatively impacted.

Body Mass Index Is Not an Independent Factor Associated With Recovery Room Length of Stay for Patients Undergoing Outpatient Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Prolonged recovery time in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) increases cost and administrative burden of outpatient surgical staff. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether body mass index (BMI) is associated with prolonged recovery in the PACU after outpatient surgery in a freestanding ambulatory surgery center. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 3 years of surgeries performed at a freestanding ambulatory surgery center. Mixed-effects logistic (for binary outcomes) and linear (for continuous outcomes) regressions were performed, in which the random effect was the surgical procedure. Prolonged PACU length of stay was modeled as a binary variable, that is, stay greater than the third quartile, and as a continuous variable, that is, actual duration of stay in minutes. We reported odds ratio and 95% confidence interval from the logistic regression and estimates with standard errors from the linear regression. RESULTS: Patients with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) did not demonstrate increased odds for prolonged PACU length of stay (all P > 0.05). Furthermore, BMI-represented as a continuous variable-was not associated with actual PACU length of stay (estimate = 0.05, standard error = 0.06, P = 0.41). No association was found between obesity and PACU length of stay on a subgroup analysis where only patients with obstructive sleep apnea were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: There was no association between BMI and PACU length of stay among patients who received outpatient surgery at a freestanding ambulatory surgery center.

Machine Learning-Based Models Predicting Outpatient Surgery End Time and Recovery Room Discharge at an Ambulatory Surgery Center.

BACKGROUND: Days before surgery, add-ons may be scheduled to fill unused surgical block time at an outpatient surgery center. At times, outpatient surgery centers have time limitations for end of block time and discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). The objective of our study was to develop machine learning models that predicted the following composite outcome: (1) surgery finished by end of operating room block time and (2) patient was discharged by end of recovery room nursing shift. We compared various machine learning models to logistic regression. By evaluating various performance metrics, including F1 scores, we hypothesized that models using ensemble learning will be superior to logistic regression. METHODS: Data were collected from patients at an ambulatory surgery center. The primary outcome measurement was determined to have a value of 1 (versus 0) if they met both criteria: (1) surgery ends by 5 pm and (2) patient is discharged from the recovery room by 7 pm. We developed models to determine if a procedure would meet both criteria if it were scheduled at 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, or 4 pm. We implemented regression, random forest, balanced random forest, balanced bagging, neural network, and support vector classifier, and included the following features: surgery, surgeon, service line, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, age, sex, weight, and scheduled case duration. We evaluated model performance with Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE). We compared the following performance metrics: F1 score, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), specificity, sensitivity, precision, recall, and Matthews correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Among 13,447 surgical procedures, the median total perioperative time (actual case duration and PACU length stay) was 165 minutes. When SMOTE was not used, when predicting whether surgery will end by 5 pm and patient will be discharged by 7 pm, the average F1 scores were best with random forest, balanced bagging, and balanced random forest classifiers. When SMOTE was used, these models had improved F1 scores compared to no SMOTE. The balanced bagging classifier performed best with F1 score of 0.78, 0.80, 0.82, and 0.82 when predicting our outcome if cases were to start at 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, or 4 pm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated improvement in predicting the outcome at a range of start times when using ensemble learning versus regression techniques. Machine learning may be adapted by operating room management to allow for a better determination whether an add-on case at an outpatient surgery center could be appropriately booked.

Challenges and solutions for the integrated recovery room planning and scheduling problem during COVID-19 pandemic.

This study presents an efficient solution for the integrated recovery room planning and scheduling problem (IRRPSP). The complexity of the IRRPSP is caused by several sources. The problem combines the assignment of patients to recovery rooms and the scheduling of caregivers over a short-term planning horizon. Moreover, a solution of the IRRPSP should respect a set of hard and soft constraints while solving the main problem such as the maximum capacity of recovery rooms, the maximum daily load of caregivers, the treatment deadlines, etc. Thus, the need for an automated tool to support the decision-makers in handling the planning and scheduling tasks arises. In this paper, we present an exhaustive description of the epidemiological situation within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially in Jeddah Governorate. We will highlight the importance of implementing a formal and systematic approach in dealing with the scheduling of recovery rooms during extreme emergency periods like the COVID-19 era. To do so, we developed a mathematical programming model to present the IRRPSP in a formal way which will help in analyzing the problem and lately use its solution for comparison and evaluation of our proposed approach. Due to the NP-hard nature of the IRRPSP, we propose a hybrid three-level approach. This study uses real data instances received from the Department of Respiratory and Chest Diseases of the King Abdulaziz Hospital. The computational results show that our solution significantly outperforms the results obtained by CPLEX software with more than 1.33% of satisfied patients on B1 benchmark in much lesser computation time (36.27 to 1546.79 s). Moreover, our proposed approach can properly balance the available nurses and the patient perspectives.

Implantação do processo de automatização da cobrança no perioperatório / Implementation of billing process automation in the perioperative period / Implementación del proceso de automatización de la facturación en el perioperatorio

Objetivo: Relatar a implantação de um processo de automatização de cobrança de uso de equipamentos e procedimentos no perioperatório. Método: Relato de experiência sobre processo de implantação com automatização de cobrança de uso de equipamentos e procedimentos no periopera-tório com uso do prontuário eletrônico, realizada em abril de 2020 em um hospital de grande porte, filantrópico, localizado no município de São Paulo. Resultados: Realizou-se a inserção de equipamentos com associação de cobrança automatizada no prontuário eletrônico, bem como a cobrança de pro-cedimentos associada à prescrição de enfermagem e anotação de admissão na recuperação anestésica. A construção desse processo automatizado para equipamentos envolveu revisão com auditoria, apresentação da tela com checkbox e cálculo de horas automático. Conclusão: A implantação da auto-matização do processo de cobrança foi concluída com sucesso e contribuiu para o aumento de 13% da receita da unidade, o que levou à ampliação da estratégia para demais unidades da instituição.

Objective: To describe the implementation of an automation process for charging equipment use and procedures in the perioperative period.Method: Experience report on the implementation process with automation of charging for equipment use and procedures in the perioperative period through electronic medical records, carried out in April 2020 in a large, philanthropic hospital, located in the city of São Paulo. Results: The pieces of equipment were associated with automated billing in the electronic medical record, and the billing of procedures was associated with the nursing pre-scription and annotation of admission in the anesthetic recovery room. The creation of this automated process for equipment involved an audit, screen presentation with checkboxes, and automatic calculation of hours. Conclusion: The implementation of billing process automation was successfully completed and contributed to a 13% increase in the unit's revenue, being expanded to other units of the institution.

Objetivo: Relatar la implementación de un proceso de automatización para el cobro del uso de equipos y procedimientos en el período perio-peratorio. Método: Relato de experiencia sobre el proceso de implementación con automatización del cobro por uso de equipos y procedimientos en el período perioperatorio con el uso de la historia clínica electrónica, realizado en abril de 2020 en un gran hospital filantrópico, ubicado en la ciudad de São Paulo. Resultados: Se realizó la inserción de equipos con asociación de facturación automatizada en la historia clínica electrónica, así como la factu-ración de procedimientos asociados a prescripción de enfermería, y anotación de ingreso en la recuperación anestésica. Esa construcción para equipos involucró revisión con auditoría, presentación de pantalla con checkbox y cálculo automático de horas. Conclusión: La implementación de la automati-zación del proceso de cobranza se completó con éxito y contribuyó para un aumento del 13% en los ingresos de la unidad, lo que llevó a la expansión de la estrategia para otras unidades de la institución.

Implantação dos protocolos PEWS e NEWS na unidade de recuperação anestésica / Implementation of the PEWS and NEWS protocols in the post-anesthesia care unit / Implementación de los protocolos PEWS y NEWS en la unidad de recuperación anestésica

Objetivo: Descrever a construção e a implantação dos protocolos PEWS e NEWS na recuperação anestésica com recurso da automação robó-tica. Método: Relato de experiência sobre a construção e a implantação de protocolos de deterioração clínica na recuperação anestésica em um hospital filantrópico de grande porte localizado no município de São Paulo. O processo de trabalho envolveu a determinação dos protocolos, a construção das regras operacionais para o sistema, o desenvolvimento do sistema eletrônico e a implantação com treinamento da equipe assistencial. Resultados: Foi implantado o processo de deterioração clínica com os protocolos PEWS e NEWS de forma automatizada e sinalizado o acionamento por meio de um iconograma no painel da sala de recuperação pós-anestésica. Conclusão: A implantação dos protocolos foi concluída com sucesso; o uso da automação robótica pode simplificar os fluxos de trabalho e o tempo de coleta de sinais vitais para fornecer uma pontuação do escore. Protocolos de deterioração clínica auxiliam na tomada de decisão das enfermeiras da recuperação anestésica, desde que aplicados em conjunto com o julgamento clínico.

Objective: To describe the development and implementation of the PEWS and NEWS protocols in post-anesthesia recovery using robotic automation. Method: Experience report on the development and implementation of clinical deterioration protocols in post-anesthesia recovery in a large philanthropic hospital located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The work involved the determination of protocols, construction of operational rules for the system, development of the electronic system and implementation with training of the assistance team. Results: Prediction of clinical deterio-ration was implemented with the PEWS and NEWS protocols in an automated way, and activation was signaled through an iconogram in the panel of the post-anesthesia care unit. Conclusion: The implementation of the protocols was successfully completed; the use of robotic automation can simplify workflows and reduce the time to collect vital signs to provide a score. Clinical deterioration protocols help nurses' decision-making in anesthesia reco-very, as long as they are applied in conjunction with clinical judgment.

Objetivo: Describir la construcción e implementación de los protocolos PEWS y NEWS en recuperación anestésica utilizando automatiza-ción robótica. Método: Relato de experiencia sobre la construcción e implementación de protocolos de deterioro clínico en la recuperación anestésica en un gran hospital filantrópico de la ciudad de São Paulo. El proceso de trabajo implicó la determinación de protocolos, construcción de reglas de fun-cionamiento del sistema, desarrollo en sistema electrónico e implementación con capacitación del equipo de asistencia. Resultados: Signos de deterioro clínico utilizando los puntajes PEWS y NEWS, lo construimos de forma automatizada e identificamos mediante un signo compuesto por una iconogra-fía en el panel multiprofesional de la unidad, de forma visible para cualquier miembro del equipo. Conclusión: La implementación de los protocolos se completó con éxito, el uso de la automatización robótica puede simplificar los flujos de trabajo y el tiempo de recopilación de signos vitales para pro-porcionar una puntuación. Los protocolos de deterioro clínico auxilian la toma de decisiones del enfermero en la recuperación anestésica, siempre que sean aplicados en conjunto con el juicio clínico.

Clinical practice and procedures for postoperative care in Sweden: Results from a nationwide survey.

A nationwide survey describing Swedish post-anaesthesia care units (PACUs), n = 75 was undertaken. The patients most commonly cared for at PACUs were patients who had undergone laparoscopic surgery, 69.3%, followed by patients who had undergone minor orthopaedic surgery, 68%. At the majority of the PACUs, 86.7%, the staff cared for emergency surgery patients and 48% for day surgery patients. In 31% of the PACUs, a pain relief service was offered through a specific pain service team. During the daytime, the anaesthetist in charge most frequently worked in the operating room 42.7%, and on call in the intensive care unit, 37.3% of the time. In 88% of the PACUs, either all or most registered nurses had a specialist education at an advanced level. The most frequent ratio of registered nurses to patients was 1 to 4, 37.3%. However, Swedish PACUS are also staffed by assistant nurses and the most frequent ratio of registered nurse to assistant nurse was 1:1. Thirty-three (44%) of the PACUs had access to a physiotherapist during the daytime. Almost all PACUs (93.3%) had predetermined discharge criteria but in the majority of PACUs' high-risk patients (68%) were not followed up by an anaesthetist after discharge from the PACU.

Development of a recovery-room discharge checklist (SAMPE checklist) for safe handover and its comparison with Aldrete and White scoring systems.

BACKGROUND: The postoperative care transition from the postanesthetic recovery room (PACU) to the common ward or even home discharge represents a critical step of the surgical patients' handover. Although some systems have been proposed to measure the ability to discharge after an anesthetic-surgical procedure effectively, there is no consensus defining which variables should necessarily be evaluated by these instruments. The instruments routinely used do not evaluate important domains for discharge and are laborious to fill, which compromises the professionals' adhesion. The objectives are to describe the creation of a new recovery room discharge tool (SAMPE checklist) and determine the degree of agreement of the new tool with two classical scales. METHODS: In a cross-sectional observational study, 997 patients were selected from the general population undergoing a wide range of surgical procedures in a quaternary care hospital. At 90 minutes after leaving the operating room (OR), patients were evaluated and information was collected to fill out the new SAMPE checklist and two other scores (Aldrete and White) to examine the degree of agreement between them. RESULTS: SAMPE checklist has presented a satisfactory agreement with the White score and lower agreement with Aldrete modified score. CONCLUSION: This new instrument, as demonstrated in this study with nearly 1000 patients from different contexts, is easy to apply, has high adhesion potential, and can be considered a new option to formalize the discharge from the recovery room.

Prevalência e intensidade da sede de crianças no pós-operatório imediato / Prevalencia e intensidad de la sed de niños en el posoperatorio inmediato / Prevalence and thirst intensity in children in the immediate postoperative period

Resumo Objetivo Identificar a prevalência e intensidade da sede de crianças no pós-operatório imediato e seus fatores associados. Métodos Estudo transversal e analítico. A amostra consistiu-se de 78 crianças de quatro a doze anos em sala de recuperação anestésica no pós-operatório imediato. A presença de sede, bem como seus atributos e sinais foi identificada por questionamento da pesquisadora e/ou autorrelato da criança e seu cuidador. A intensidade de sede foi mensurada por meio da escala de faces. As variáveis desfecho foram presença e intensidade da sede. A razão de prevalência foi calculada por regressão de Poisson, com variância robusta. Resultados A prevalência de sede foi de 88,5% sendo que 39,7% referiram sede no pós-operatório e 48,7% desde o pré-operatório. Quanto à intensidade, 20,5% referiram sede forte e 37,2 % sede intensa. Adicionalmente, mais da metade das crianças (59%) a verbalizou de forma espontânea. Os fatores associados à maior intensidade da sede foram: sexo feminino (RP=1,27); queixa espontânea (RP=1,29); referir sensação de boca seca (RP=1,93) e de saliva grossa (RP=1,43); a idade apresentou associação inversa com a intensidade da sede, ou seja, quanto menor a idade, maior a intensidade da sede (beta= -0,053; p=0,01). Conclusão A sede na criança cirúrgica apresenta elevada prevalência e intensidade. A criança é capaz de identificar os sinais relacionados à sede e a verbaliza espontaneamente. Sexo, queixa espontânea, idade, boca seca e saliva grossa apresentaram associação com a intensidade. Estes resultados sinalizam a necessidade de intervenções intencionais para reduzir a sede da criança na prática clínica.

Resumen Objetivo Identificar la prevalencia e intensidad de la sed de niños en el posoperatorio inmediato y los factores asociados. Métodos Estudio transversal y analítico. La muestra fue formada por 78 niños de 4 a 12 años en sala de recuperación anestésica en el posoperatorio inmediato. La presencia de sed, así como sus atributos y señales, fue identificada mediante cuestionario de la investigadora o autorrelato del niño y su cuidador. La intensidad de la sed fue medida mediante escala de expresiones faciales. Las variables de resultado fueron presencia e intensidad de la sed. La razón de prevalencia fue calculada por regresión de Poisson, con varianza robusta. Resultados La prevalencia de sed fue del 88,5 %, de los cuales el 39,7 % relató sed en el posoperatorio y el 48,7 % desde el preoperatorio. Con relación a la intensidad, el 20,5 % relató sed fuerte y el 37,2 % sed intensa. Además, más de la mitad de los niños (59 %) la verbalizó de forma espontánea. Los factores asociados con una mayor intensidad de sed fueron: sexo femenino (RP=1,27), queja espontánea (RP=1,29), relatar sensación de boca seca (RP=1,93) y de saliva espesa (RP=1,43), la edad presentó asociación inversa respecto a la intensidad de la sed, es decir, cuanto menor la edad, mayor la intensidad de la sed (beta= -0,053; p=0,01). Conclusión La sed en niños quirúrgicos presenta una elevada prevalencia e intensidad. Los niños son capaces de identificar las señales relacionadas con la sed y la verbalizan espontáneamente. Sexo, queja espontánea, edad, boca seca y saliva espesa presentan asociación con la intensidad. Estos resultados indican la necesidad de intervenciones intencionales para reducir la sed de los niños en la práctica clínica.

Abstract Objective To identify the prevalence and thirst intensity in children in the immediate postoperative period and its associated factors. Methods This is a cross-sectional and analytical study. The sample consisted of 78 children aged four to twelve years in the post-anesthesia care unit in the immediate postoperative period. Thirst presence, as well as its attributes and signs, were identified by questioning by the researcher and/or self-report of children and their caregivers. Thirst intensity was measured using the face scale. The outcome variables were thirst presence and intensity. Prevalence ratio was calculated by Poisson regression, with robust variance. Results The prevalence of thirst was 88.5%, with 39.7% reporting thirst in the postoperative period and 48.7% since the preoperative period. As for the intensity, 20.5% reported strong thirst and 37.2% intense thirst. Additionally, more than half of the children (59%) reported it spontaneously. The factors associated with greater thirst intensity were: female sex (PR=1.27); spontaneous complaint (PR=1.29); reporting feeling of dry mouth (PR=1.93) and thick saliva (PR=1.43); age was inversely associated with thirst intensity, i.e., the younger the age, the greater the thirst intensity (beta= -0.053; p=0.01). Conclusion Thirst in surgical children has a high prevalence and intensity. Children are able to identify the signs related to thirst and spontaneously reports it. Sex, spontaneous complaints, age, dry mouth and thick saliva were associated with intensity. These results signal the need for intentional interventions to reduce child thirst in clinical practice.

Prise en charge des patients COVID-19 à l'hôpital de dermatologie de Bamako / Care of COVID-19 patients at the dermatology hospital of Bamako

Aim: To assess the COVID-19 patients' treatment duration according to the place of treatment at the Dermatology Hospital of Bamako (DHB). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study comparing the management of COVID-19 PCR-positive patients in the hospital to that of those managed at home from March 2020 to April 2021 until two consecutive negative PCR 48 hours apart. Results: Among the 1109 patients, 369 were hospitalized, 497 followed at home. As of April 31, 2021, 81.2% (900/1109) of the patients recovered, 1.3% (14/1109) were transferred to another health structure, and 2.5% (28/1109) died. No statisticallysignificant difference was observed between the meanduration of the treatment for patients treated at home (10 days) in (95% CI, 9.69-10.3) and those managedathospital (10 days95% CI, 9.76-10.23) (Mantel-Cox test, p= 0.060). Conclusion: These results suggest that the place of treatment do not influence the time to recovery. This is particularly important given the current burden of COVID-19 management on the health workforce

Objectif: Evaluer la durée du traitement des patients COVID-19 selon le lieu de pris en charge à l'Hôpital de Dermatologie de Bamako (HDB). Méthodologie : Il s'agissait d'une étude transversale comparant la prise en charge des patients COVID-19 PCR-positifs à l'hôpital à celle à domicile de mars 2020 à avril 2021 jusqu'à l'obtention de deux tests PCR négatifs consécutifs à 48 heures d'intervalle. Résultats : Parmi les 1109 patients, 369 ont été hospitalisés, 497 suivis à domicile. Au 31 avril 2021, 81,2% (900/1109) des patients se sont rétablis, 1,3% (14/1109) ont été transférés dans une autre structure de santé et 2,5% (28/1109) sont décédés. Aucune différence statistiquement significative n'a été observée entre la durée moyenne du traitement pour les patients traités à domicile (10 jours) en (IC 95 %, 9,69-10,3) et ceux pris en charge à l'hôpital (10 jours IC 95 %, 9,76-10,23) (test de Mantel Cox, p= 0,060). Conclusion: Ces résultats suggèrent que le lieu de traitement n'influence pas le temps de récupération. Ceci est particulièrement important étant donné la charge actuelle de la gestion des COVID-19 sur le personnel de santé