Centralized Pediatric Surgery in the Nordic Countries: A Role Model for Europe?

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (05) ◽  
pp. 395-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Bjørland ◽  
Niels Qvist ◽  
Tomas Wester ◽  
Mikko Pakarinen
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Surgery ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Surgical Experience ◽  
Surgical Expertise ◽  
Geographical Distances ◽  
Surgical Conditions

AbstractNearly all neonatal surgical conditions are classified as rare diseases in Europe. Due to rapidly developing treatment modalities and novel surgical techniques, as well as increasing demands from patients, there is a growing need for centralization of advanced pediatric surgical care. However, the optimal way to concentrate pediatric surgical experience in each country remains unclear and depends on multiple national features, such as size and distribution of the population, geographical distances, local surgical expertise, organization of the health care system, and political agendas. This review outlines the current practices to concentrate on specialized pediatric surgery in different Nordic countries.

Article Commentary: Rural Pediatric Surgery

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don K. Nakayama
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Surgery ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Surgical Disease ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Telemedicine Consultation ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
Community Facilities

Published outcome studies support regionalization of pediatric surgery, in which all children suspected of having surgical disease are transferred to a specialty center. Transfer to specialty centers, however, is an expensive approach to quality, both in direct costs of hospitalization and the expense incurred by families. A related question is the role of well-trained rural surgeons in an adequately resourced facility in the surgical care of infants and children. Local community facilities provide measurably equivalent results for straightforward emergencies in older children such as appendicitis. With education, training, and support such as telemedicine consultation, rural surgeons and hospitals may be able to care for many more children such as single-system trauma and other cases for which they have training such as pyloric stenosis. They can recognize surgical disease at earlier stages and initiate appropriate treatment before transfer so that patients are in better shape for surgery when they arrive for definitive care. Rural and community facilities would be linked in a pediatric surgery system that covers the spectrum of pediatric surgical conditions for a geographical region.

Current Strategies in the Management of Spinal Metastatic Disease

Swiss Surgery ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartanusz ◽  
Porchet
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Cord Compression ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Surgical Approaches ◽  
Spinal Stabilization ◽  
Management Algorithm ◽  
Specific Manner ◽  
Extensive Surgery ◽  
Selection Of

The treatment of metastatic spinal cord compression is complex. The three treatment modalities that are currently applied (in a histologically non-specific manner) are surgery, radiotherapy and the administration of steroids. The development of new spinal instrumentations and surgical approaches considerably changed the extent of therapeutic options in this field. These new surgical techniques have made it possible to resect these tumours totally, with subsequent vertebral reconstruction and spinal stabilization. In this respect, it is important to clearly identify those patients who can benefit from such an extensive surgery. We present our management algorithm to help select patients for surgery and at the same time identifying those for whom primary non-surgical therapy would be indicated. The retrospective review of surgically treated patients in our department in the last four years reveals a meagre application of conventional guidelines for the selection of the appropriate operative approach in the surgical management of these patients. The reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.

New Trends and Developments in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis – Towards Optimal Treatment?

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martijn WA van Geldorp ◽  
Johanna JM Takkenberg ◽  
Ad JJC Bogers ◽  
A Pieter Kappetein ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aortic Stenosis ◽  
Severe Aortic Stenosis ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Tissue Doppler ◽  
Doppler Imaging ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Transcatheter Valve

Over the next few decades the number of patients diagnosed with aortic stenosis is expected to rise as the population ages and the use of several diagnostic tools expands. This will result in a growing need for both medical and surgical treatment and stimulate the development of new diagnostic and surgical techniques. This article briefly describes the prevalence, pathogenesis and clinical presentation of patients with aortic stenosis and focuses on developments in diagnostic tools, treatment strategies and treatment modalities: the use of echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, stress testing and biomarkers is discussed, as well as timing of surgery and the role microsimulation can play in prosthesis selection. Furthermore, newly developed transcatheter valve implantation techniques and their possible role in treating ‘inoperable’ or ‘elderly’ patients are discussed.

scholarly journals Pediatric Surgical Reentry Strategy Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Tiered and Balanced Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482110111
Author(s):  
Ryan C. Pickens ◽  
Angela M. Kao ◽  
Mark A. Williams ◽  
Andrew C. Herman ◽  
Jeffrey S. Kneisl
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Surgery ◽  
Elective Surgery ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Protocol Development ◽  
Balanced Approach ◽  
Projective Curves ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Emergent Surgery

Background In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s hospitals across the country postponed elective surgery beginning in March 2020. As projective curves flattened, administrators and surgeons sought to develop strategies to safely resume non-emergent surgery. This article reviews challenges and solutions specific to a children’s hospital related to the resumption of elective pediatric surgeries. We present our tiered reentry approach for pediatric surgery as well as report early data for surgical volume and tracking COVID-19 cases during reentry. Methods The experience of shutdown, protocol development, and early reentry of elective pediatric surgery are reported from Levine’s Children’s Hospital (LCH), a free-leaning children’s hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Data reported were obtained from de-identified hospital databases. Results Pediatric surgery experienced a dramatic decrease in case volumes at LCH during the shutdown, variable by specialty. A tiered and balanced reentry strategy was implemented with steady resumption of elective surgery following strict pre-procedural screening and testing. Early outcomes showed a steady thorough fluctuating increase in elective case volumes without evidence of a surgery-associated positive spread through periprocedural tracking. Conclusion Reentry of non-emergent pediatric surgical care requires unique considerations including the impact of COVID-19 on children, each children hospital structure and resources, and preventing undue delay in intervention for age- and disease-specific pediatric conditions. A carefully balanced strategy has been critical for safe reentry following the anticipated surge. Ongoing tracking of resource utilization, operative volumes, and testing results will remain vital as community spread continues to fluctuate across the country.

scholarly journals Ethical considerations and patient safety concerns for cancelling non-urgent surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nolan J. Brown ◽  
Bayard Wilson ◽  
Stephen Szabadi ◽  
Cameron Quon ◽  
Vera Ong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Ethics ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Elective Surgery ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Surgical Safety ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Urgent Surgery ◽  
Starting Point

AbstractAt the time of writing of this article, there have been over 110 million cases and 2.4 million deaths worldwide since the start of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, postponing millions of non-urgent surgeries. Existing literature explores the complexities of rationing medical care. However, implications of non-urgent surgery postponement during the COVID-19 pandemic have not yet been analyzed within the context of the four pillars of medical ethics. The objective of this review is to discuss the ethics of elective surgery cancellation during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. This review hypothesizes that a more equitable decision-making algorithm can be formulated by analyzing the ethical dilemmas of elective surgical care during the pandemic through the lens of these four pillars. This paper’s analysis shows that non-urgent surgeries treat conditions that can become urgent if left untreated. Postponement of these surgeries can cause cumulative harm downstream. An improved algorithm can address these issues of beneficence by weighing local pandemic stressors within predictive algorithms to appropriately increase surgeries. Additionally, the potential harms of performing non-urgent surgeries extend beyond the patient. Non-maleficence is maintained through using enhanced screening protocols and modifying surgical techniques to reduce risks to patients and clinicians. This model proposes a system to transfer patients from areas of high to low burden, addressing the challenge of justice by considering facility burden rather than value judgments concerning the nature of a particular surgery, such as cosmetic surgeries. Autonomy can be respected by giving patients the option to cancel or postpone non-urgent surgeries. However, in the context of limited resources in a global pandemic, autonomy is not absolute. Non-urgent surgeries can ethically be postponed in opposition to the patient’s preference. The proposed algorithm attempts to uphold the four principles of medical ethics in rationing non-urgent surgical care by building upon existing decision models, using additional measures of resource burden and surgical safety to increase health care access and decrease long-term harm as much as possible. The next global health crisis will undoubtedly present its own unique challenges. This model may serve as a comprehensive starting point in determining future guidelines for non-urgent surgical care.

scholarly journals Impact of Acoustic and Interactive Disruptive Factors during Robot-Assisted Surgery—A Virtual Surgical Training Model

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (20) ◽  
pp. 5891
Author(s):  
Magret Krüger ◽  
Johannes Ackermann ◽  
Daniar Osmonov ◽  
Veronika Günther ◽  
Dirk Bauerschlag ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Robotic Surgery ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Training Model ◽  
German Society ◽  
Surgical Experience ◽  
Robot Assisted ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

The use of virtual reality trainers for teaching minimally invasive surgical techniques has been established for a long time in conventional laparoscopy as well as robotic surgery. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of reproducible disruptive factors on the surgeon’s work. In a cross-sectional investigation, surgeons were tested with regard to the impact of different disruptive factors when doing exercises on a robotic-surgery simulator (Mimic Flex VRTM). Additionally, we collected data about the participants’ professional experience, gender, age, expertise in playing an instrument, and expertise in playing video games. The data were collected during DRUS 2019 (Symposium of the German Society for Robot-assisted Urology). Forty-two surgeons attending DRUS 2019 were asked to participate in a virtual robotic stress training unit. The surgeons worked in various specialties (visceral surgery, gynecology, and urology) and had different levels of expertise. The time taken to complete the exercise (TTCE), the final score (FSC), and blood loss (BL) were measured. In the basic exercise with an interactive disruption, TTCE was significantly longer (p < 0.01) and FSC significantly lower (p < 0.05). No significant difference in TTCE, FSC, or BL was noted in the advanced exercise with acoustic disruption. Performance during disruption was not dependent on the level of surgical experience, gender, age, expertise in playing an instrument, or playing video games. A positive correlation was registered between self-estimation and surgical experience. Interactive disruptions have a greater impact on the performance of a surgeon than acoustic ones. Disruption affects the performance of experienced as well as inexperienced surgeons. Disruption in daily surgery should be evaluated and minimized in the interest of the patient’s safety.

scholarly journals Nonoperative Treatment of Appendicitis during Pregnancy in a Remote Area

2018 ◽  
Vol 08 (01) ◽  
pp. e37-e38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Kathrine Carstens ◽  
Lise Fensby ◽  
Luit Penninga
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Treatment Option ◽  
Fetal Loss ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Nonoperative Treatment ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
Bridge To Surgery ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Geographical Distances

AbstractAppendicitis is the most common nonobstetric surgical disease during pregnancy. Appendicitis during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and perforation compared with the general population. Furthermore, it may cause preterm birth and fetal loss, and quick surgical intervention is the established treatment option in pregnant women with appendicitis. In Greenland, geographical distances are very large, and weather conditions can be extreme, and surgical care is not always immediately available. Hence, antibiotic treatment is often initiated as a bridge-to-surgery. We report on a pregnant Greenlandic Inuit woman with appendicitis who was treated with intravenous antibiotics. Antibiotic treatment was successful before surgical care became available and the patient was not operated. No complications occurred, and further pregnancy was uneventful. Our case suggests that antibiotic treatment of appendicitis during pregnancy as a bridge-to-surgery may be a sensible treatment option in remote areas, where no surgical care is immediately available. In some cases, antibiotic treatment may turn out to be definitive treatment.

scholarly journals Tracheal surgery

2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D'Andrilli ◽  
E.A. Rendina ◽  
F. Venuta
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Resection ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Malignant Neoplasms ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Multidisciplinary Cooperation ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Post Intubation ◽  
Near Future

Surgical resection and reconstruction of the trachea can be performed both for benign and malignant diseases. The main indications for surgery include inflammatory (generally post-intubation), congenital or post-traumatic stenoses, degenerative lesions, benign or malignant neoplasms. Success can be pursued only by accurate patient selection and timing, meticulous surgical techniques, careful follow up and, when required, multidisciplinary cooperation. Although surgical resection has now become part of our surgical practice, other treatment modalities are approaching a new clinical application era, in particular tracheal transplantation and bioengineering. These new techniques will certainly offer, in the near future, improved chances to treat difficult cases.

scholarly journals Cytoreductive Surgery for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis from Gastric Cancer: Technical Details

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 5263
Author(s):  
Thomas Boerner ◽  
Pompiliu Piso
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Peritoneal Carcinomatosis ◽  
Cytoreductive Surgery ◽  
Postoperative Morbidity ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Locoregional Treatment ◽  
Surgical Expertise ◽  
Technical Details

Due to limited systemic treatment options, peritoneal carcinomatosis of gastric origin is still associated with a dismal outcome and is claimed a terminal disease. In the past, surgery had not been considered as a potential treatment option. However, there is emerging evidence that in selected patients, locoregional treatment modalities including cytoreductive surgery of peritoneal carcinomatosis can improve survival in patients with gastric cancer. These operative procedures are complex and challenging, and a high surgical expertise of the treating physician is necessary to prevent major postoperative morbidity and mortality with a delay of further systemic therapy. This review summarizes our current knowledge and personal experience regarding the techniques of cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal metastasis of gastric origin.

scholarly journals A Retrospective 05 Years Analysis of Operated Surgical Patients in Bangladesh Level II Hospital, UNMIL

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-18
Author(s):  
MB Uddin ◽  
MU Ahmed ◽  
MA Haque ◽  
MD Hussain ◽  
SME Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Care ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Optimal Outcome ◽  
Level Ii ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Minor Surgery ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Logistic Support ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: There is a paucity of published data on the type of surgical conditions that affect the UN personnel of different countries setup and the spectrum of surgical operations performed for these patients. Such information are necessary for assessing the impact of surgical conditions, both elective and emergency, on the health of UN peacekeepers from different races and nationalities and for setting priority to improve the surgical care. Objectives: To ascertain highest possible standard of surgical care to be ensured in an international arena for optimal outcome. Materials and methods: Five years retrospective study was carried out in Bangladesh level II hospital (BANMED), UNMIL located at Suakoko district of Liberia from April 2007 to April 2012 comprising of all major and minor surgical cases with different types of dressings done. Results: A total 83 major, 567 minor and 3924 dressings were done. The majority of operations were emergency cases of which 73.49% were of major and 78.30% were minor surgery. While 26.50% of major and 21.69% of minor surgery were elective cases. All were male patients in cases of major operations and 93.29% for minor cases as most of the peacekeepers were male personnel. The most frequent cases were acute appendicitis, inguinal hernia and polytrauma cases. Highest number of patients was 28 (33.73%) from 26-30 years age group. There were 3 minor postoperative complications with nil mortality rates. Conclusion: The surgical unit of a level-II hospital has to work in an adverse situation of a conflict area with various limitations. So it is very important to provide highest possible standard of surgical care to be ensured in terms of staff, equipments, logistic support and with a motivated surgical team in an international arena for optimal outcome. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jafmc.v9i1.18720 Journal of Armed Forces Medical College Bangladesh Vol.9(1) 2013: 14-19

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