scholarly journals Restoration of elective spine surgery during the first wave of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (12) ◽  
pp. 1096-1101
Author(s):  
Riaz Mohammed ◽  
Pranav Shah ◽  
Alexander Durst ◽  
Naveen J. Mathai ◽  
Alexandru Budu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spine Surgery ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

Aims With resumption of elective spine surgery services in the UK following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a multicentre British Association of Spine Surgeons (BASS) collaborative study to examine the complications and deaths due to COVID-19 at the recovery phase of the pandemic. The aim was to analyze the safety of elective spinal surgery during the pandemic. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted from eight spinal centres for the first month of operating following restoration of elective spine surgery in each individual unit. Primary outcome measure was the 30-day postoperative COVID-19 infection rate. Secondary outcomes analyzed were the 30-day mortality rate, surgical adverse events, medical complications, and length of inpatient stay. Results In all, 257 patients (128 males) with a median age of 54 years (2 to 88) formed the study cohort. The mean number of procedures performed from each unit was 32 (16 to 101), with 118 procedures (46%) done as category three prioritization level. The majority of patients (87%) were low-medium “risk stratification” category and the mean length of hospital stay was 5.2 days. None of the patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, nor was there any mortality related to COVID-19 during the 30-day follow-up period, with 25 patients (10%) having been tested for symptoms. Overall, 32 patients (12%) developed a total of 34 complications, with the majority (19/34) being grade 1 to 2 Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications. No patient required postoperative care in an intensive care setting for any unexpected complication. Conclusion This study shows that safe and effective planned spinal surgical services can be restored avoiding viral transmission, with diligent adherence to national guidelines and COVID-19-secure pathways tailored according to the resources of the individual spinal units. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(12):1096–1101.

scholarly journals Failure in the application of fragility fracture prevention guidelines

2014 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 381-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
MH Elvey ◽  
H Pugh ◽  
G Schaller ◽  
G Dhotar ◽  
B Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hip Fracture ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Fragility Fracture ◽  
Fragility Fractures ◽  
Fracture Prevention ◽  
Consecutive Series ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Fracture Population ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Uk

Introduction The cost of fragility fractures to the UK economy is predicted to reach £2.2 billion by 2025. We studied our hip fracture population to establish whether national guidelines on fragility fracture prevention were being followed, and whether high risk patients were identified and treated by local care services. Methods Data on a consecutive series of trauma hip fracture admissions were collected prospectively over 14 months. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) recommendations and FRAX® risk calculations were applied to patients prior to their admission with a new hip fracture. Results Overall, 94 patients were assessed against national guidelines. The mean population age was 77 years. Almost a quarter (22%) of patients had suffered a previous fragility fracture. The mean FRAX® ten-year probability of hip fracture was 7%. According to guidelines, 45% of the study population required treatment, 35% fulfilled criteria for investigation and reassessment, and 20% needed no further management. In practice, 27% received treatment, 4% had undergone dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and were untreated, and 69% had not been investigated and were untreated. In patients meeting intervention thresholds, only 33% of those who required treatment were receiving treatment in practice. Conclusions In conjunction with NICE and NOGG recommendations, FRAX® was able to identify 80% of our fracture population as intermediate or high risk on the day of fracture. Correct management was evident in a third of cases with a pattern of inferior guideline compliance seen in a London population. There remains a lack of clarity over the duty of care in fragility fracture prevention.

Two Recombinant Tissue Factor Reagents Compared to Conventional Thromboplastins for Determination of International Normalised Ratio: A Thirty-three-laboratory Collaborative Study

1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (03) ◽  
pp. 372-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Kitchen ◽  
I Jennings ◽  
T A L Woods ◽  
I D Walker ◽  
F E Preston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Factor ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Recombinant Technology ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Local Use ◽  
The Relationship

SummaryRecent advances in recombinant technology have led to the development of prothrombin time (PT) reagents containing recombinant tissue factor which has been lipidated to allow expression of procoagulant activity. In this study we have compared International Normalised Ratios (INRs) determined using two such reagents and conventional thromboplastins in widespread use in the UK.Lyophilised plasma samples from eight different warfarinised patients were distributed to 33 laboratories in the UK. Each participant determined prothrombin times on 20 local fresh normal plasmas (used to derive mean normal PT and calculate INR) and the eight lyophilised samples, using manual technique and the following thromboplastins; Recombiplastin (Ortho Diagnostics Ltd); Innovin (Baxter Diagnostics Ltd); the conventional thromboplastin in local use.For eight plasmas the mean INRs determined with different reagents were as follows: Innovin (33 laboratories) - 3.4; Manchester Reagent (MR = 8 laboratories) - 3.4; Recombiplastin (33 laboratories) - 3.7; Instrumentation Laboratory (IL = 13 laboratories) - 4.4.Mean INR results with Recombiplastin were on average 7% greater than those obtained with Innovin, 8% greater than results with MR and 18% less than INRs with IL thromboplastin. There was no significant difference between results obtained with Innovin and MR. In contrast INRs obtained with IL were markedly (mean 28%) greater than results obtained with Innovin.This study employed lyophilised plasma and it is possible that some of the relationships described are influenced by this. However, the lyo-philisation process employed did not influence the relationship between INRs of warfarinised plasmas obtained by the four main reagents described, indicating that the results are relevant to routine clinical practice.In conclusion, our data show some important differences are present between INRs determined using Recombiplastin, Innovin and two conventional thromboplastins.

scholarly journals Role of awake prone positioning in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19: an experience from a developing country

2021 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iffat Khanum ◽  
Fatima Samar ◽  
Yousuf Fatimah ◽  
Awan Safia ◽  
Aziz Adil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Disease ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Major Complication ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Prone Positioning ◽  
Oxygen Requirement ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
The Mean

There is limited evidence on the efficacy of awake prone positioning (PP) in non-ventilated patients with COVID-19 who have hypoxemia. We, therefore, aim to describe our experience with the use of early proning in awake, non-intubated patients with confirmed COVID-19. In our retrospective observational study, 23 patients with confirmed positive PCR test results for Severe Acute respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and hypoxemia that required oxygen therapy with or without non-invasive ventilation were treated with PP. Patients were classified into mild, moderate and severe COVID-19 disease. There were no targeted number of hours for proning per day and patients were kept in prone position according to their tolerance. The primary outcome measure was the avoidance of intubation and secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stays and complications related to PP. The mean (standard deviation) age of our cohort was 54.5 (11.7) years, and the majority were males (21/23, 91.3%). Sixty-one per cent (14/23) of the patients were suffering from severe disease and 82.6% (19/23) had bilateral lung involvement with interstitial infiltrates. Majority of the patients were prone positioned for a median of 6 days (IQR 4 – 8). Only one patient required transfer to ICU for mechanical ventilation and subsequently died due to severe ARDS. All 22 patients showed progressive improvement in oxygen requirement and PF ratio, mostly after 3-5 days of proning. The mean length of hospital stay was 12 days. All patients, except one, were discharged in stable conditions, on room air or on a minimal oxygen requirement of 1-2 liters. No major complication of PP was recorded. Awake prone positioning is a valuable and safe therapeutic adjunct that can be applied in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. It can also be included in the home-based management protocols of COVID-19 to improve patient outcomes and mitigate the burden on health care facilities.

Nutrient content of milk and milk products: water soluble vitamins in baby milk formulae

1985 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. John Scott ◽  
Dinah R. Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Human Milk ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Average Level ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Milk Products ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Recommended Level

SUMMARYA study of the content of water soluble vitamins in the 12 baby milk formulae available in the UK in April 1983 showed that levels of vitamins in the individual brands were generally in excess of those declared by the manufacturer. For cows' milk based formulae the mean excess of vitamins over the declared level was 94%. Vitamin levels in prepared formulae averaged three times the minimum recommended level. The average level of B vitamins in prepared cows' milk based formulae was six times higher than in mature human milk. For the two soya based products, the levels of vitamins were generally in excess of the declared level and levels of vitamin B12, biotin and, in one sample, vitamin B6 were considerably in excess of those found in mature human milk.

Unexpected positive cultures in presumed aseptic revision spine surgery using sonication

2019 ◽  
Vol 101-B (5) ◽  
pp. 621-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pumberger ◽  
J. Bürger ◽  
P. Strube ◽  
D. Akgün ◽  
M. Putzier
Keyword(s):  
Spine Surgery ◽  
Revision Surgery ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Positive Culture ◽  
Adjacent Segment ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Hardware Failure ◽  
Cutibacterium Acnes ◽  
Aseptic Revision ◽  
The Mean

Aims During revision procedures for aseptic reasons, there remains a suspicion that failure may have been the result of an undetected subclinical infection. However, there is little evidence available in the literature about unexpected positive results in presumed aseptic revision spine surgery. The aims of our study were to estimate the prevalence of unexpected positive culture using sonication and to evaluate clinical characteristics of these patients. Patients and Methods All patients who underwent a revision surgery after instrumented spinal surgery at our institution between July 2014 and August 2016 with spinal implants submitted for sonication were retrospectively analyzed. Only revisions presumed as aseptic are included in the study. During the study period, 204 spinal revisions were performed for diagnoses other than infection. In 38 cases, sonication cultures were not obtained, leaving a study cohort of 166 cases. The mean age of the cohort was 61.5 years (sd 20.4) and there were 104 female patients Results Sonication cultures were positive in 75 cases (45.2%). Hardware failure was the most common indication for revision surgery and revealed a positive sonication culture in 26/75 cases (35%) followed by adjacent segment disease (ASD) in 23/75 cases (30%). Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis were the most commonly isolated microorganisms, observed in 45% and 31% of cases, respectively. C. acnes was isolated in 65.2% of cases when the indication for revision surgery was ASD. Conclusion Infection must always be considered as a possibility in the setting of spinal revision surgery, especially in the case of hardware failure, regardless of the lack of clinical signs. Sonication should be routinely used to isolate microorganisms adherent to implants. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:621–624.

scholarly journals The incidence and healthcare costs of persistent postoperative pain following lumbar spine surgery in the UK: a cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e017585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharada Weir ◽  
Mihail Samnaliev ◽  
Tzu-Chun Kuo ◽  
Caitriona Ni Choitir ◽  
Travis S Tierney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spine Surgery ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Clinical Practice Research Datalink ◽  
Lumbar Surgery ◽  
Persistent Postoperative Pain ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mean Cost

ObjectiveTo characterise incidence and healthcare costs associated with persistent postoperative pain (PPP) following lumbar surgery.DesignRetrospective, population-based cohort study.SettingClinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) databases.ParticipantsPopulation-based cohort of 10 216 adults who underwent lumbar surgery in England from 1997/1998 through 2011/2012 and had at least 1 year of presurgery data and 2 years of postoperative follow-up data in the linked CPRD–HES.Primary and secondary outcomes measuresIncidence and total healthcare costs over 2, 5 and 10 years attributable to persistent PPP following initial lumbar surgery.ResultsThe rate of individuals undergoing lumbar surgery in the CPRD–HES linked data doubled over the 15-year study period, fiscal years 1997/1998 to 2011/2012, from 2.5 to 4.9 per 10 000 adults. Over the most recent 5-year period (2007/2008 to 2011/2012), on average 20.8% (95% CI 19.7% to 21.9%) of lumbar surgery patients met criteria for PPP. Rates of healthcare usage were significantly higher for patients with PPP across all types of care. Over 2 years following initial spine surgery, the mean cost difference between patients with and without PPP was £5383 (95% CI £4872 to £5916). Over 5 and 10 years following initial spine surgery, the mean cost difference between patients with and without PPP increased to £10 195 (95% CI £8726 to £11 669) and £14 318 (95% CI £8386 to £19 771), respectively. Extrapolated to the UK population, we estimate that nearly 5000 adults experience PPP after spine surgery annually, with each new cohort costing the UK National Health Service in excess of £70 million over the first 10 years alone.ConclusionsPersistent pain affects more than one-in-five lumbar surgery patients and accounts for substantial long-term healthcare costs. There is a need for formal, evidence-based guidelines for a coherent, coordinated management strategy for patients with continuing pain after lumbar surgery.

Pilonidal Sinus: How to Choose Between Excision and Open Granulation Versus Excision and Primary Closure?

Swiss Surgery ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 255-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perruchoud ◽  
Vuilleumier ◽  
Givel
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Pilonidal Sinus ◽  
Primary Closure ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Healing Time ◽  
Incision And Drainage ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Primary Healing

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate excision and open granulation versus excision and primary closure as treatments for pilonidal sinus. Subjects and methods: We evaluated a group of 141 patients operated on for a pilonidal sinus between 1991 and 1995. Ninety patients were treated by excision and open granulation, 34 patients by excision and primary closure and 17 patients by incision and drainage, as a unique treatment of an infected pilonidal sinus. Results: The first group, receiving treatment of excision and open granulation, experienced the following outcomes: average length of hospital stay, four days; average healing time; 72 days; average number of post-operative ambulatory visits, 40; average off-work delay, 38 days; and average follow-up time, 43 months. There were five recurrences (6%) in this group during the follow-up period. For the second group treated by excision and primary closure, the corresponding outcome measurements were as follows: average length of hospital stay, four days; average healing time, 23 days; primary healing failure rate, 9%; average number of post-operative ambulatory visits, 6; average off-work delay, 21 days. The average follow-up time was 34 months, and two recurrences (6%) were observed during the follow-up period. In the third group, seventeen patients benefited from an incision and drainage as unique treatment. The mean follow-up was 37 months. Five recurrences (29%) were noticed, requiring a new operation in all the cases. Discussion and conclusion: This series of 141 patients is too limited to permit final conclusions to be drawn concerning significant advantages of one form of treatment compared to the other. Nevertheless, primary closure offers the advantages of quicker healing time, fewer post-operative visits and shorter time off work. When a primary closure can be carried out, it should be routinely considered for socio-economical and comfort reasons.

A Simple Method for the Evaluation of Internal Doses in Nuclear Medicine

1974 ◽  
Vol 13 (02) ◽  
pp. 193-206
Author(s):  
L. Conte ◽  
L. Mombelli ◽  
A. Vanoli
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Medicine ◽  
Close Agreement ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Rapid Estimation ◽  
Absorbed Doses ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Estimation Of Risk

SummaryWe have put forward a method to be used in the field of nuclear medicine, for calculating internally absorbed doses in patients. The simplicity and flexibility of this method allow one to make a rapid estimation of risk both to the individual and to the population. In order to calculate the absorbed doses we based our procedure on the concept of the mean absorbed fraction, taking into account anatomical and functional variability which is highly important in the calculation of internal doses in children. With this aim in mind we prepared tables which take into consideration anatomical differences and which permit the calculation of the mean absorbed doses in the whole body, in the organs accumulating radioactivity, in the gonads and in the marrow; all this for those radionuclides most widely used in nuclear medicine. By comparing our results with dose obtained from the use of M.I.R.D.'s method it can be seen that when the errors inherent in these types of calculation are taken into account, the results of both methods are in close agreement.

A Collaborative Study Designed to Establish the 4th International Standard for Heparin

1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (02) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
D P Thomas ◽  
A D Curtis ◽  
T W Barrowcliffe
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Study ◽  
International Standard ◽  
Thrombin Inhibition ◽  
Freeze Dried ◽  
Assay Methods ◽  
The Mean ◽  
International Collaborative ◽  
International Collaborative Study

SummaryAn international collaborative study, in which 22 laboratories participated, was carried out to establish a replacement for the International Standard for Heparin. A total of 248 assays were analyzed, including APTT, thrombin inhibition and anti-Xa assays, as well as pharmacopoeial assays. Overall, there was less than 5% difference in the mean potency estimates of the candidate preparations, by all assay methods. The freeze-dried preparation 82/502 demonstrated the closest parallelism by bioassay to the existing standard and was established by WHO as the 4th International Standard for Heparin, with an assigned unitage of 1780 i.u. per ampoule.

SERUM THYROTROPHIN AND THE RESPONSE TO THYROTROPHIN RELEASING HORMONE IN SYMPTOMLESS AUTOIMMUNE THYROIDITIS AND IN BORDERLINE AND OVERT HYPOTHYROIDISM

1974 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gordin ◽  
P. Saarinen ◽  
R. Pelkonen ◽  
B.-A. Lamberg
Keyword(s):  
Autoimmune Thyroiditis ◽  
Elevated Serum ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Primary Hypothyroidism ◽  
Overt Hypothyroidism ◽  
Thyrotrophin Releasing Hormone ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Serum Tsh

ABSTRACT Serum thyrotrophin (TSH) was determined by the double-antibody radioimmunoassay in 58 patients with primary hypothyroidism and was found to be elevated in all but 2 patients, one of whom had overt and one clinically borderline hypothyroidism. Six (29%) out of 21 subjects with symptomless autoimmune thyroiditis (SAT) had an elevated serum TSH level. There was little correlation between the severity of the disease and the serum TSH values in individual cases. However, the mean serum TSH value in overt hypothyroidism (93.4 μU/ml) was significantly higher than the mean value both in clinically borderline hypothyroidism (34.4 μU/ml) and in SAT (8.8 μU/ml). The response to the thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) was increased in all 39 patients with overt or borderline hypothyroidism and in 9 (43 %) of the 21 subjects with SAT. The individual TRH response in these two groups showed a marked overlap, but the mean response was significantly higher in overt (149.5 μU/ml) or clinically borderline hypothyroidism (99.9 μU/ml) than in SAT (35.3 μU/ml). Thus a normal basal TSH level in connection with a normal response to TRH excludes primary hypothyroidism, but nevertheless not all patients with elevated TSH values or increased responses to TRH are clinically hypothyroid.

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