A novel global safe surgery mentorship program using a multidisciplinary team approach.

BACKGROUND: The global surgery movement aims to provide equitable surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and attempts to address a wide range of issues around the lack of access and poor-quality. In response, the Lifebox McCaskey Safe Surgery Fellowship was established in Ethiopia to train a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. We conducted this study to evaluate the outcome of this training program. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted to evaluate the implementations and outcomes of the first three cohorts of the McCaskey Fellowship. Interviews with fellows, mentors, and program staff reveal valuable insights into the program's strengths and challenges. RESULTS: Key findings include positive feedback on the program's curriculum highlighting its multidisciplinary nature. Challenges were noted in maintaining schedules, communication with healthcare facilities, and budget constraints, suggesting the need for improved program management. The fellowship's impact was evident in altering participants' perceptions of teamwork and enhancing their research and leadership skills. Fellows initiated quality improvement projects impacting surgical practices positively. However, challenges, such as hospital resistance and the COVID-19 pandemic, affected program implementation. CONCLUSION: Despite various challenges, the program's unique approach combining multidisciplinary training and local mentorship proves promising. It fosters a culture of teamwork, equips participants with essential skills, and encourages fellows to become advocates for safe surgery. As surgical quality champions emerge from this fellowship, there is optimism for lasting positive impacts on surgical care in LMICs.

Exploring the Use of a Fit-for-Purpose Surgical Headlight in Sub-Saharan Africa: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: High-quality surgical lighting is often lacking in low-resource settings. Commercial surgical headlights are unavailable due to high cost and supply and maintenance challenges. We aimed to understand user needs of a surgical headlight for low-resource settings by evaluating a preselected robust but relatively inexpensive headlight and lighting conditions. METHODS: We observed headlight use by ten surgeons in Ethiopia and six in Liberia. All surgeons completed surveys about their lighting environment and experience using headlight, and were subsequently interviewed. Twelve surgeons completed logbooks on headlight use. We distributed headlights to 48 additional surgeons, and all surgeons were surveyed for feedback. RESULTS: In Ethiopia, five surgeons ranked operating room light quality as poor or very poor; seven delayed or cancelled operations within the last year and five described intraoperative complications due to poor lighting. In Liberia, lighting was rated as "good", however fieldnotes, and interviews noted generator fuel-rationing, and poor lighting conditions. In both countries, the headlight was considered extremely useful. Surgeons recommended nine improvements, including comfort, durability, affordability and availability of multiple rechargeable batteries. Thematic analysis identified factors influencing headlight use, specifications and feedback, and infrastructure challenges. CONCLUSION: Lighting in surveyed operating rooms was poor. Although conditions and need for the headlights differed between Ethiopia and Liberia, headlights were considered highly useful. However, discomfort was a major limiting factor for ongoing use, and the hardest to objectively characterise for specification and engineering purposes. Specific needs for surgical headlights include comfort and durability. Refinement of a fit-for-purpose surgical headlight is ongoing.

A case report of Hirschsprung's disease presenting as sigmoid volvulus and literature review, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Sigmoid volvulus is an uncommon problem in children and adolescents, and is rarely considered a diagnosis in this group. A high index of suspicion is necessary to reach a diagnosis and avoid morbidity and mortality. Sigmoid volvulus is a rare complication of Hirschsprung's disease, which has been reported in neonates, children, and adults. Here we report a case of sigmoid volvulus accompanied by undiagnosed Hirschsprung's disease. CASE PRESENTATION: A 9 years old boy who presented with sudden onset of colicky abdominal pain of 4 h duration associated with gross abdominal distension and 2 episodes of non-bilious vomiting. A plain abdominal radiographs showed single hugely dilated bowel loops in the left lower quadrant with single air fluid level. Sigmoid volvulus was considered and rectal tube deflation was done and it was successful. Full thickness rectal biopsy was done and it was consistent with aganglionic megacolon. A primary trans-anal Soave endo-rectal pull through was done 3 weeks later, after biopsy result arrived, which yielded loss of symptoms and regular bowel movement. CONCLUSIONS: Sigmoid volvulus should be considered in the differential for children presenting with acute onset of abdominal obstruction. It should be known that when its's diagnosed in children, it is often associated with Hirschsprung's disease. Therefore, a proper diagnostic and treatment algorithm should be followed in order not to miss associated HD and to give optimum care to such patients.

Qualitative outcomes of Clean Cut: implementation lessons from reducing surgical infections in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Clean Cut is a six month, multi-modal, adaptive intervention aimed at reducing surgical infections through improving six critical perioperative processes: 1) handwashing/skin preparation, 2) surgical gown/drape integrity, 3) antibiotic administration, 4) instrument sterility, 5) gauze counts, and 6) WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use. The aim of this study was to elucidate themes across Clean Cut implementation sites in Ethiopia to improve implementation at future hospitals. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews of 20 clinicians involved in Clean Cut at four hospitals. Participation was limited to Clean Cut team members and included surgeons, anesthetists, operating room (OR) nurses, ward nurses, OR managers, quality improvement personnel, and hospital administrators. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded using qualitative software. A codebook was inductively and iteratively derived between two researchers, tested for inter-rater reliability, and applied to all transcripts. We conducted thematic analysis to derive our final qualitative results. RESULTS: The interviews revealed barriers and facilitators to the implementation of Clean Cut, as well as strategies for future implementation sites. Key barriers included material resource limitations, feelings of job burden, existing gaps in infection prevention education, and communication errors during data collection. Common facilitators included strong hospital leadership support, commitment to improved patient outcomes, and organized Clean Cut training sessions. Future strategies include resource assessments, creating a sense of responsibility among staff, targeted training sessions, and incorporating new standards into daily routine. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlight the importance of engaging hospital leadership, providers and staff in quality improvement programs, and understanding their work contexts. The identified barriers and facilitators will inform future initiatives in the field of perioperative infection prevention.

Outcomes of early relaparotomy in pediatric patients at Tikur Anbessa teaching hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a five-year retrospective review.

BACKGROUND: Early relaparotomy is defined as relaparotomy within the first 30 days following surgery. The aim of this study is to explore the indications, outcomes and factors associated with relaparotomy in our pediatric population. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of pediatric surgical patients (< 13 yrs.) who underwent relaparotomy at Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital between September 1, 2011 and August 31, 2016. All children who had relaparotomy within the first 30 days of the initial surgery were included. We collected patient data including demographics, operative indication, and postoperative outcomes. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 23. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to report outcomes stratified by patient characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify patient variables associated with relaparotomy and other outcomes. RESULTS: In our patient population, relaparotomy rate was 17.2%. Patient age ranged from 2 days to 12 years with mean age of 37.5 months. Male to female ratio was 1.2:1. Thirty-one (58.5%) relaparotomies were performed between the 5th and 8th postoperative days. The two most common indications for relaparotomy were postoperative intra-abdominal collection and anastomotic leak, accounting for 18 (34.0%) and 17 (32.1%) respectively. Mortality rate following relaparotomy was 26.4%. The most common cause of mortality was sepsis with multi-system organ failure (90.6%). Neonatal age was found to be the independent risk factors for death following relaparotomy, (AOR = 27.59, 95% CI [2.0-379.9]). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of relaparotomy in pediatric patients is high (17.2%) in our patient population. Neonatal age was associated with increased mortality following relaparotomy.

Ganglioneuroma of the Neck: A case report.

Ganglioneuroma (GN) is benign tumor arising from sympathetic ganglion which commonly occurs at posterior mediastinum, retroperitoneum and adrenal gland. Rarely, it may also present in cervical region as slow growing painless neck mass. Here we present a 7 years old female child with 4 years duration of slow growing left lateral neck mass. After proper investigations the patient was prepared & taken to the operation room for complete excision of the mass. Post operation biopsy settled the definitive diagnosis as Ganglioneuroma. Thus ganglioneuroma should be considered in patients with neck mass.

Long-Term Sustainability of Peri-Operative Infection Control Practices: Implementation of "Clean Cut," a Checklist-Based Quality Improvement Program in India.

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a substantial healthcare burden in low- and middle- income countries. "Clean Cut" is a checklist-based infection prevention and control (IPC) program intended to improve compliance to peri-operative IPC standards. We aim to study the short-term and long-term impact of its implementation in a tertiary care cancer referral center. Methods: This was a single institute, prospective interventional study. Patients undergoing elective head-neck surgical procedures were included. The "Clean Cut" program consisting of surveillance, audits, and IPC training was implemented for 6 months, after which there was no active oversight. Post-intervention (T2) and 1-year follow-up (T3) data regarding compliance to core IPC practices and SSI rates were compared with baseline (T1). Results: One hundred eighty six patients were included with 50 (26.9%), 86 (46.2%), and 50 (26.9%) patients at T1, T2, and T3, respectively. At baseline, teams complied with a mean of 3.56 of the six critical components of infection control processes which rose to 4.66 (p < 0.001) at T2, but decreased to 4.02 at T3 (p = 0.053). The SSI rate at baseline decreased significantly after Clean Cut implementation [16 (32%) vs. 12 (13.95%), p = 0.012], but returned to baseline levels after 1 year [17 (34%), p = 0.006]. Conclusion: Implementation of the "Clean Cut" program increases compliance to infection control processes and reduces SSI rates in the short term. Without continuing oversight, these rates return to baseline values after 1 year.

Outcomes of Tubularized Incised Plate Urethroplasty (TIPU) for Hypospadias at Tikur Anbesa Specialized and Menelik II Referral Hospitals: One-year Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results and related factors of tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty at two institutions. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort analytical study conducted over a period of 12 months. All patients who underwent TIP urethroplasty in the specified period were studied. Quantitative and qualitative data of the intrinsic parameters of the penis were obtained and patients were followed for an average period of 14.72 ± 3.67 months (range 9-21months) after surgery. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-nine patients (N = 129) were included in the study. The mean age at surgery was 50.93 months. The mean glans size and pre-incised urethral plate width were 14.34 mm and 8.38mm respectively. The post-operative results were satisfactory with the meatus in a glanular position in 122(94.6%) patients. Overall, 49 patients (38%) developed complications. Eighteen patients (14%) developed early complications whereas forty-two (32.6%) patients had late complications. UCF and Meatal stenosis occurred in 27 (20.9%) & 14 (10.9%) patients respectively. Seven patients developed recurrent hypospadias and dehiscence of glans occurred in eight patients (6.2%). CONCLUSION: TIP can be used to repair for all types of hypospadias in the absence of severe penile curvature. It has more complication rate in proximal than distal hypospadias. Distal hypospadias were the most common type of hypospadias corrected with TIP. UCF and meatal stenosis were the most common complication followed by glans dehiscence and recurrent hypospadias. Glans size, age at surgery, plate width, location of meatus and stretched penile length were the most determinant factors for the outcome.

Early Outcome of Laparotomy Wounds in Pediatric Patients in TASH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Six-Months Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical Site Infection (SSI) and wound dehiscence are two early complications of laparotomy causing significant morbidity and mortality. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of SSI and wound dehiscence in pediatric surgical patients. METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study of all pediatric surgical patients who underwent laparotomy at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia, from December 2017 to May 2018. Data collected included demographics, operative indication, nutritional status, prophylactic antibiotics administration, and duration of operation. Primary outcome was SSI; secondary outcomes were hospital stay and other postoperative complications, including wound dehiscence and mortality. Data were analyzed using SPSS, Version 23. Fisher's exact and Chi-squared tests used to report outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with SSI, wound dehiscence and other outcomes. RESULTS: Of 114 patients, median age was 46 months [range: 1day-13 years]; 77(67.5 %) were males. Overall SSI rate was 21.05%. Nine (7.9%) developed wound dehiscence while 3(2.6%) had abdominal contents evisceration. Overall mortality rate was 2.6%. In multivariate analysis, prophylactic antibiotics administration (AOR=13.05, (p=0.006)), duration of procedure (AOR=8.62, (p=0.012)) and wound class (AOR=16.63, (p=0.034)) were independent risk factors for SSI while SSI was an independent predictor of prolonged hospital stay, >1 week (AOR=4.7, p=.003,) and of wound dehiscence (AOR=33. 96, p=0.003). Age (p=0.004) and malnutrition (p<0.001) were significantly associated with wound dehiscence. CONCLUSION: SSI and wound dehiscence are common in this setting. Wound contamination, antibiotics administration >1 hour before surgery and operative time >2 hours are independent predictors of SSI.

Unusual variant of choledochal cyst in a child: A case report, in Tertiary Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Choledochal cyst (CC) is an uncommon congenital disease of the biliary tract. There are five main types of CC with several recognized sub-types. However, occasional variants with a difficulty in diagnosis and management do occur. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: We report a case of a nine years old female child diagnosed with CC who presented with right quadrant abdominal pain with unremarkable physical findings. Investigation using abdominal CT scan suggested type II choledochal cyst. The intraoperative finding revealed an unusual site of the cyst that is at the confluence of common hepatic duct (CHD) posteriorly. The cyst was successfully excised and the child is doing well on her follow ups. DISCUSSION: In the management of choledochal cyst the anatomy should be clearly defined with detailed investigations like Abdominal CT Scan or cholangiography before surgical excision as abnormal variants which usually do not fit into the known classification types and subtypes. This might confuse with other differentials like gall bladder duplication. Surgical excision is the gold standard management option. CONCLUSION: This case report will alert surgeons that there are different anatomic variant of choledochal cysts out of the known classifications and with meticulous dissection will help proper excision and avoid unnecessary complications.

Value and Feasibility of Telephone Follow-Up in Ethiopian Surgical Patients.

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. Lack of post-discharge follow-up, including identification of SSIs, is a barrier to continued patient care, often because of financial and travel constraints. As part of a surgical quality improvement initiative, we aimed to assess patient outcomes at 30 days post-operative with a telephone call. Patients and Methods: We conducted mobile telephone follow-up as part of Lifebox's ongoing Clean Cut program, which aims to improve compliance with intra-operative infection prevention standards. One urban tertiary referral hospital and one rural district general hospital in Ethiopia were included in this phase of the study; hospital nursing staff called patients at 30 days post-operative inquiring about signs of SSIs, health-care-seeking behavior, and treatments provided if patients had any healthcare encounters since discharge. Results: A total of 701 patients were included; overall 77% of patients were reached by telephone call after discharge. The rural study site reached 362 patients (87%) by telephone; the urban site reached 176 patients (62%) (p < 0.001). Of the 39 SSIs identified, 19 (49%) were captured as outpatient during the telephone follow-up (p < 0.001); 22 (34%) of all complications were captured following discharge (p < 0.001). Telephone follow-up improved from 65%-78% in the first half of project implementation to 77%-89% in the second half of project implementation. Conclusion: Telephone follow-up after surgery in Ethiopia is feasible and valuable, and identified nearly half of all SSIs and one-third of total complications in our cohort. Follow-up improved over the course of the program, likely indicating a learning curve that, once overcome, is a more accurate marker of its practicability. Given the increasing use of mobile telephones in Ethiopia and ease of implementation, this model could be practical in other low-resource surgical settings.