scholarly journals Hernia rationing: an assessment of commissioning guidelines

2021 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 192-195
Author(s):  
W Gewanter ◽  
T Hubbard ◽  
D Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Hernia Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall ◽  
Surgical Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia ◽  
Emergency Repair ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Surgical Hernia Repair ◽  
The Impact

Introduction Hernias are a common surgical condition. Most guidelines recommend repair in almost all cases. NHS Devon clinical commissioning group (CCG) guidelines restrict the commissioning of hernia repair. The aim of this study was to follow up a cohort of patients referred for hernia repair to assess the impact of commissioning guidelines on clinical outcomes. Methods All patients referred to a single UK surgeon with an abdominal wall hernia over a 12-month period were followed up to determine whether CCG criteria were initially met. If they were not, time to any subsequent surgical intervention was recorded. Results After exclusions, 106 patients referred for abdominal wall hernia repair were followed up. Of these, 53 (49%) fulfilled commissioning guidelines for surgical repair. Thirty-one patients (23%) who had an indication for surgical repair did not fulfil commissioning criteria. This group was followed up for a median of 1,112 days (range: 962–1,287 days). Twelve patients (39%) required an operation within 900 days with one of these (3%) requiring emergency repair. These 12 patients waited a mean of 232 days before being accepted for surgery. Conclusions A large number of patients who did not initially meet NHS Devon CCG’s criteria ultimately required surgery. Three per cent of this ‘watch and wait’ group required emergency repair. NHS Devon CCG guidelines do not effectively identify patients who can be managed safely without surgical hernia repair. The incidence of emergency repair in this group should inform the prioritisation of hernia repairs when restarting elective services that have been halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Perioperative Tablet-Based Telemonitoring After Abdominal Wall Hernia Surgery: Pilot Prospective Observational Cohort Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Gräfitsch ◽  
Philipp Kirchhoff ◽  
Henry Hoffmann ◽  
Ralph F Staerkle ◽  
Savas D Soysal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abdominal Wall ◽  
Surgical Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Hernia Surgery ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Median Proportion ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Outpatient Settings

BACKGROUND Hernia repairs account for millions of general surgical procedures performed each year worldwide, with a notable shift to outpatient settings over the last decades. As technical possibilities such as smartphones, tablets, and different kinds of probes are becoming more and more available, such systems have been evaluated for applications in various clinical settings. However, there have been few studies conducted in the surgical field, especially in general surgery. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the feasibility of a tablet-based follow up to monitor activity levels after repair of abdominal wall hernias and to evaluate a possible reduction of adverse events by their earlier recognition. METHODS Patients scheduled for elective surgical repair of minor abdominal wall hernias (eg, inguinal, umbilical, or trocar hernias) were equipped with a telemonitoring system, including a tablet, pulse oximeter, and actimeter, for a monitoring phase of 7 days before and 30 days after surgery. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS We enrolled 16 patients with a mean overall age of 48.75 (SD 16.27) years. Preoperative activity levels were reached on postoperative day 12 with a median of 2242 (IQR 0-4578) steps after plunging on the day of surgery. The median proportion of available activity measurements over the entire study period of 38 days was 69% (IQR 56%-81%). We observed a gradual decrease in the proportion of available data for all parameters during the postoperative course. Six out of ten patients (60%) regained preoperative activity levels within 3 weeks after surgery. Overall, patients rated the usability of the system as relatively easy. CONCLUSIONS Tablet-based follow up is feasible after surgical repair of minor abdominal wall hernias, with good adherence rates during the first couple of weeks after surgery. Thus, such a system could be a useful tool to supplement or even replace traditional outpatient follow up in selected general surgical patients.

scholarly journals Perioperative Tablet-Based Telemonitoring After Abdominal Wall Hernia Surgery: Pilot Prospective Observational Cohort Study

10.2196/15672 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e15672
Author(s):  
Alexander Gräfitsch ◽  
Philipp Kirchhoff ◽  
Henry Hoffmann ◽  
Ralph F Staerkle ◽  
Savas D Soysal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abdominal Wall ◽  
Surgical Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Hernia Surgery ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Median Proportion ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Outpatient Settings

Background Hernia repairs account for millions of general surgical procedures performed each year worldwide, with a notable shift to outpatient settings over the last decades. As technical possibilities such as smartphones, tablets, and different kinds of probes are becoming more and more available, such systems have been evaluated for applications in various clinical settings. However, there have been few studies conducted in the surgical field, especially in general surgery. Objective We aimed to assess the feasibility of a tablet-based follow up to monitor activity levels after repair of abdominal wall hernias and to evaluate a possible reduction of adverse events by their earlier recognition. Methods Patients scheduled for elective surgical repair of minor abdominal wall hernias (eg, inguinal, umbilical, or trocar hernias) were equipped with a telemonitoring system, including a tablet, pulse oximeter, and actimeter, for a monitoring phase of 7 days before and 30 days after surgery. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Results We enrolled 16 patients with a mean overall age of 48.75 (SD 16.27) years. Preoperative activity levels were reached on postoperative day 12 with a median of 2242 (IQR 0-4578) steps after plunging on the day of surgery. The median proportion of available activity measurements over the entire study period of 38 days was 69% (IQR 56%-81%). We observed a gradual decrease in the proportion of available data for all parameters during the postoperative course. Six out of ten patients (60%) regained preoperative activity levels within 3 weeks after surgery. Overall, patients rated the usability of the system as relatively easy. Conclusions Tablet-based follow up is feasible after surgical repair of minor abdominal wall hernias, with good adherence rates during the first couple of weeks after surgery. Thus, such a system could be a useful tool to supplement or even replace traditional outpatient follow up in selected general surgical patients.

Intraperitoneal Tension-free Repair of a Small Midline Ventral Abdominal Wall Hernia: Randomized Study with a Mean Follow-up of 3 Years

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hocine Bensaadi ◽  
Luca Paolino ◽  
Antonio Valenti ◽  
Claude Polliand ◽  
Christophe Barrat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hernia Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall ◽  
Randomized Study ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia ◽  
Late Complications ◽  
Abdominal Wall Defects ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Surgeon Experience

Funding received from Cousin Biotech, Wervicq Sud, France, and CR Bard Inc., Cranston, RI. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to determine the long-term recurrence and complication rates after small abdominal wall hernia repair with two different bilayer prostheses. Hernia repair using prosthetic mesh material has become the preferred method of repair, because the recurrence rates are much lower than with conventional repair techniques. The use of a hernia bilayer patch, composite expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)-polypropylene, with intraperitoneal placement behind the hernia defect, through a small incision, may be efficient, safe, and cost-effective. This study is a randomized, single-institution trial, including 83 selected consecutive patients with primary (umbilical, epigastric) or incisional anterior abdominal wall defects from 2 to 5 cm. Hernia repair was performed by direct local access in ambulatory surgery; the prosthesis used was a circular bilayer with an inner face in ePTFE to avoid bowel adhesion. One group was treated with a Ventralex® Hernia Patch (Bard USA). The second group was treated with a Cabs'Air® Composite (Cousin Biotech France), which was delivered with two to four fixation sutures and a balloon to properly deploy the mesh intraperitoneally. Patients’ characteristics and operative and postoperative data were prospectively collected. The primary outcome was late recurrence. Secondary outcomes included, pain, discomfort and quality of life before and after (3 months) surgery using the SF-12 questionnaire, patient-surgeon satisfaction, and early and late complications. Among 98 patients, 83 were included in the study protocol between January 2007 and August 2011. The two groups were comparable according to pre- and intraoperative data. According to surgeon experience, placement of the Cabs'Air® device was significantly faster ( P = 0.01) and easier. At 3 months, there was significantly less pain and less discomfort for the Cabs'Air® group and patient satisfaction rate was higher. This was confirmed by all components of the SF-12 questionnaire. Long-term follow-up was available for 77 patients. The mean follow-up was similar for the two groups (42 months; range, 14 to 70 months). At this point, for the Ventralex® group, there were four recurrences (11.7%); one mesh infection; one small bowel obstruction; and six cases (15.7%) of severe pain resulting from a mass syndrome (shrinkage) with a sense of the presence of a foreign body. Six reoperations (15.6%) were required with explant of the prosthesis. There were no recurrences or late complications in the comparative group. The Ventralex® Hernia Patch is associated with inconsistent deployment, spreading, or shrinkage, which account for late complications and decreases the overlap, which contributes to the recurrence rate. The Cabs'Air®-associated balloon facilitates superior deployment of the prosthesis allowing for good fixation with four sutures.

MO701COMBINED PROCEDURE OF PRE- EXISTING ABDOMINAL WALL HERNIA REPAIR AND PERITONEAL CATHETER INSERTION. LONG TERM FOLLOW- UP IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS TREATMENT

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Tanasiychuk ◽  
Daniel Kushnir ◽  
Oleg Sura ◽  
Husein Darawsha ◽  
Ariel Chami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peritoneal Dialysis ◽  
Hernia Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia ◽  
Catheter Insertion ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Hernia Formation ◽  
Catheter Implantation

Abstract Background and Aims Successful peritoneal dialysis (PD) program requires a combination of optimal peritoneal access and low incidence of complications. Between pitfalls of this modality are early mechanical complications such as leak, malfunction, and new abdominal wall hernia formation in the long term of PD treatment. Pre-existing abdominal wall hernia is a relative contraindication for PD. Hernias are also a known and not uncommon complication over the course of PD and one of the causes of technique failure. In our center, a physical examination and an ultrasound for hernias detection are routine procedures before the start of PD. If a hernia is discovered, combined hernia repair and catheter implantation are performed. The aim of this study was to assess to long- term results of this approach. Method The current study presents the retrospective analysis of 10 years' experience of our PD program (1.01.2009 – 31.12. 2018) including all incident PD patients who underwent their first peritoneal catheter placement procedure during the study period. The primary endpoints of the study were the rate of hernia formation in the course of PD treatment, type of hernias, identification risk factors for hernia formation and rate of hernia recurrence after previous repair. The secondary endpoint was the rate of procedure-related complications: infectious, leaks and primary catheter malfunction in patients who underwent surgical catheter insertion compared to percutaneous technique. Patients were followed until the end of PD treatment or until 31.10.2019. Results A total of 211 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 24.5% underwent surgical procedures and 75.5% percutaneous insertion. Mean follow-up was 23.3 ± 25 months (2 to 96 months). About half (53.1%) of the patients were diabetic, aged 64.2±13 years. In 32 patients (15%) a preventive hernia repair with a simultaneous catheter implantation were performed. Patients who underwent a preventive hernia repair were significantly older than other patients (69.4±11.1 years versus 63.2±13.1 years, P=0.013). During the study period, 203 of 211 patients were treated by PD. Thirty three (16.1%) have developed 38 new hernias. Patients suffering from a new hernia during PD were predominantly male, with longer dialysis vintage than patients without new hernia formation (35.3±22.8 months versus 23±22.9, respectively. P=0.001). Five of 33 patients suffered multiple hernias, including recurrent hernias at the same site. Most common types were inguinal and umbilical (44.7% each other), while only few were incisional or ventral. None of our patients suffered from a pericatheter one. The overall rate of new hernias development was 0.09/patient/years. Neither age, comorbidities, obesity nor polycystic kidney disease did not increase the rate of hernia formation during the course of PD treatment. There was no significant association between type of catheter insertion procedure (surgical/percutaneous) and infections, leakages or catheter function. Leak incidence in diabetic patients was significantly higher in comparison with nondiabetic patients (8% versus 1%, P=0.021). Infectious complications were not different between diabetic and not diabetics patients (5.4% among diabetic patients versus 2% nondiabetic, P=0.29). Conclusion Our findings show that male gender and prolonged peritoneal dialysis duration are the main risk factors for the appearance of hernias in the course of PD therapy. Our data also confirm previous observations that the placement of PD catheter using a paramedian incision approach significantly reduces the incidences of exit site and incision hernias. We suggest that early diagnosis of latent asymptomatic hernias and hernia repair prior to starting PD can improve technique survival.

scholarly journals Biomarkers-based personalized follow-up in chronic heart failure improves patient’s outcomes and reduces care associate cost

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Leon-Justel ◽  
Jose I. Morgado Garcia-Polavieja ◽  
Ana Isabel Alvarez-Rios ◽  
Francisco Jose Caro Fernandez ◽  
Pedro Agustin Pajaro Merino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) is a major and growing medical and economic problem, with high prevalence and incidence rates worldwide. Cardiac Biomarker is emerging as a novel tool for improving management of patients with HF with a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF). Methods This is a before and after interventional study, that assesses the impact of a personalized follow-up procedure for HF on patient’s outcomes and care associated cost, based on a clinical model of risk stratification and personalized management according to that risk. A total of 192 patients were enrolled and studied before the intervention and again after the intervention. The primary objective was the rate of readmissions, due to a HF. Secondary outcome compared the rate of ED visits and quality of life improvement assessed by the number of patients who had reduced NYHA score. A cost-analysis was also performed on these data. Results Admission rates significantly decreased by 19.8% after the intervention (from 30.2 to 10.4), the total hospital admissions were reduced by 32 (from 78 to 46) and the total length of stay was reduced by 7 days (from 15 to 9 days). The rate of ED visits was reduced by 44% (from 64 to 20). Thirty-one percent of patients had an improved functional class score after the intervention, whereas only 7.8% got worse. The overall cost saving associated with the intervention was € 72,769 per patient (from € 201,189 to € 128,420) and €139,717.65 for the whole group over 1 year. Conclusions A personalized follow-up of HF patients led to important outcome benefits and resulted in cost savings, mainly due to the reduction of patient hospitalization readmissions and a significant reduction of care-associated costs, suggesting that greater attention should be given to this high-risk cohort to minimize the risk of hospitalization readmissions.

scholarly journals 288. Follow-Up Blood Cultures in Gram-Negative Bacteremia: How Do They Impact Outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S144-S144
Author(s):  
Azza Elamin ◽  
Faisal Khan ◽  
Ali Abunayla ◽  
Rajasekhar Jagarlamudi ◽  
aditee Dash
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Readmission Rate ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background As opposed to Staphylococcus. aureus bacteremia, there are no guidelines to recommend repeating blood cultures in Gram-negative bacilli bacteremia (GNB). Several studies have questioned the utility of follow-up blood cultures (FUBCs) in GNB, but the impact of this practice on clinical outcomes is not fully understood. Our aim was to study the practice of obtaining FUBCs in GNB at our institution and to assess it’s impact on clinical outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective, single-center study of adult patients, ≥ 18 years of age admitted with GNB between January 2017 and December 2018. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes in those with and without FUBCs. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, presumed source of bacteremia and need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Presence of fever, hypotension /shock and white blood cell (WBC) count on the day of FUBC was recorded. The primary objective was to compare 30-day mortality between the two groups. Secondary objectives were to compare differences in 30-day readmission rate, hospital length of stay (LOS) and duration of antibiotic treatment. Mean and standard deviation were used for continuous variables, frequency and proportion were used for categorical variables. P-value < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant. Results 482 patients were included, and of these, 321 (67%) had FUBCs. 96% of FUBCs were negative and 2.8% had persistent bacteremia. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality between those with and without FUBCs (2.9% and 2.7% respectively), or in 30-day readmission rate (21.4% and 23.4% respectively). In patients with FUBCs compared to those without FUBCs, hospital LOS was longer (7 days vs 5 days, P < 0.001), and mean duration of antibiotic treatment was longer (14 days vs 11 days, P < 0.001). A higher number of patients with FUBCs needed ICU care compared to those without FUBCs (41.4% and 25.5% respectively, P < 0.001) Microbiology of index blood culture in those with and without FUBCs Outcomes in those with and without FUBCs FUBCs characteristics Conclusion Obtaining FUBCs in GNB had no impact on 30-day mortality or 30-day readmission rate. It was associated with longer LOS and antibiotic duration. Our findings suggest that FUBCs in GNB are low yield and may not be recommended in all patients. Prospective studies are needed to further examine the utility of this practice in GNB. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Arterial Stiffness Assessed by Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Patients With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Its Alterations After Treatment

2021 ◽  
pp. 153857442110232
Author(s):  
Spyridon N. Mylonas ◽  
Konstantinos G. Moulakakis ◽  
Nikolaos Kadoglou ◽  
Constantinos Antonopoulos ◽  
Thomas E. Kotsis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arterial Stiffness ◽  
Surgical Repair ◽  
Open Repair ◽  
Abdominal Aortic ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Baseline Values ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Repair Group

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate a potential difference on the arterial stiffness among aneurysm patients and non-aneurysm controls, as well as to explore potential changes between patients treated either with endovascular or open repair. Materials and Methods: A 110 patients with an infrarenal AAA were prospectively enrolled in this study. Fifty-six patients received an EVAR, whereas 54 patients received an open surgical repair. Moreover, 103 gender and age-matched subjects without AAA served as controls. The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was applied for measurement of the arterial stiffness. Results: CAVI values were statistically higher in the AAA patients when compared with control subjects. Although at 48 hours postoperatively the CAVI values were increased in both groups when compared to baseline values, the difference in CAVI had a tendency to be higher in the open group compared to the endovascular group. At 6 months of follow up the CAVI values returned to the baseline for the patients of the open repair group. However, in the endovascular group CAVI values remained higher when compared with the baseline values. Conclusion: Patients with AAAs demonstrated a higher value of CAVI compared to healthy controls. A significant increase of arterial stiffness in both groups during the immediate postoperative period was documented. The increase in arterial stiffness remained significant at 6 months in EVAR patients. Further studies are needed to elucidate the impact of a decreased aortic compliance after stentgraft implantation on the cardiac function of patients with AAA.

scholarly journals Commentary: Evidence for Replacement of an Infected Synthetic by a Biological Mesh in Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterini Christina Tampaki ◽  
Athanasios Tampakis ◽  
Konstantinos Kontzoglou ◽  
Gregory Kouraklis
Keyword(s):  
Hernia Repair ◽  
Abdominal Wall ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia ◽  
Biological Mesh ◽  
Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document