Staff and Facility Utilization in Direct Patient Transfer to the Comprehensive Stroke Center: Testing a Real-Time Location System for Automatic Patient Pathway Characterization

Introduction: Starting reperfusion therapies as early as possible in acute ischemic strokes are of utmost importance to improve outcomes. The Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSCs) can use surveys, shadowing personnel or perform journal analysis to improve logistics, which can be labor intensive, lack accuracy, and disturb the staff by requiring manual intervention. The aim of this study was to measure transport times, facility usage, and patient–staff colocalization with an automated real-time location system (RTLS).Patients and Methods: We tested IR detection of patient wristbands and staff badges in parallel with a period when the triage of stroke patients was changed from admission to the emergency room (ER) to direct admission to neuroradiology.Results: In total, 281 patients were enrolled. In 242/281 (86%) of cases, stroke patient logistics could be detected. Consistent patient–staff colocalizations were detected in 177/281 (63%) of cases. Bypassing the ER led to a significant decrease in median time neurologists spent with patients (from 15 to 9 min), but to an increase of the time nurses spent with patients (from 13 to 22 min; p = 0.036). Ischemic stroke patients used the most staff time (median 25 min) compared to hemorrhagic stroke patients (median 13 min) and stroke mimics (median 15 min).Discussion: Time spent with patients increased for nurses, but decreased for neurologists after direct triage to the CSC. While lower in-hospital transport times were detected, time spent in neuroradiology (CT room and waiting) remained unchanged.Conclusion: The RTLS could be used to measure the timestamps in stroke pathways and assist in staff allocation.

Emergencies in obese patients: a narrative review

Obesity is associated to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, and neoplastic diseases. The aim of this narrative review is to assess the physio-pathological characteristics of obese patients and how they influence the clinical approach during different emergency settings, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A literature search for published manuscripts regarding emergency and obesity across MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central was performed including records till January 1, 2021. Increasing incidence of obesity causes growth in emergency maneuvers dealing with airway management, vascular accesses, and drug treatment due to both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic alterations. Furthermore, instrumental diagnostics and in/out-hospital transport may represent further pitfalls. Therefore, people with severe obesity may be seriously disadvantaged in emergency health care settings, and this condition is enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when obesity was stated as one of the most frequent comorbidity. Emergency in critical obese patients turns out to be an intellectual, procedural, and technical challenge. Organization and anticipation based on the understanding of the physiopathology related to obesity are very important for the physician to be mentally and physically ready to face the associated issues.

EP.WE.381Daycase Parathyroidectomy for Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Our Experience

Aims Concerns due to postoperative complications following parathyroid surgery have precluded its consideration as a Daycase procedure. However recent BAETS guidelines have supported Daycase parathyroid surgery. To assess the outcomes of Daycase parathyroidectomy pathway we established in our Hospital since April,2018. Methods Retrospective review of all patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for Primary Hyperparathyroidism between April,2018 and October,2020. Patients with ASA 3 and above and patients undergoing total-parathyroidectomies were excluded. Outcome measures include length of stay, prerequisite for overnight stay, complications, and readmission rates. All patients were assessed and counselled for suitability for Daycase in surgical clinic and given detailed information leaflets. Results In this period, 40patients underwent surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. Of these, 30 patients (75%), 8 males and 22 females with a median age of 59years fulfilled the criteria for Daycase surgery. 19 patients (63.3%) were successfully discharged on the day of surgery. 11 patients (36.7%) were discharged the following morning. The reasons for overnight stay are - 5patien ts(16.7%) developed post-anaesthetic nausea and drowsiness; in 5patients(16.7%) surgery started after 2pm and delayed postoperative return to ward lead to inadequate time for safe discharge; 1patient(3.3%) needed hospital transport. The readmission and postoperative complication rates were nil. Conclusions Daycase parathyroidectomy is safe in carefully selected patients. Adequate preoperative counselling, robust perioperative management to minimize postop morbidity and clear patient support package upon discharge are vital for wider acceptance. All Daycase patients should be operated first on the list and prior to 2pm to ensure safe discharge allowing adequate time for postoperative recovery.

Experiences and Challenges Faced During Transportation of Critically Ill Patients

Objective: This study is aimed to assess the incidence of major events during transportation of critically ill patients. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in 200 patients during inter hospital transportation from January 2017 to December 2017 at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Kochi after fulfilling both inclusion and exclusion criteria. The main objective is to assess the incidence of major events during transportation of critically ill patients. The variables recorded in this study includes age, gender, co-morbidities, airway, breathing, circulation - related events during inter hospital transportation and duration of transportation. Inclusion criteria includes critically ill patients in the age group of 18 - 100 years and exclusion criteria includes pregnant patients. Results: On assessing the data of all 200 critically ill patients who had undergone inter hospital transport about 38.5% patients had major events compromising the circulation .In this study Hypertension (27.5%) is the more common baseline disease that deteriorated while transportation.38.5% of study population had major events compromising the circulation ,12.5% had major events in breathing and 35.5% patients had no major events in their airway,breathing and circulation during transportation. Conclusion: During the transportation of critically ill patients under the monitoring of trained medical personnel 38.5% of major events occurred in the circulation part. Respiratory issues were presented in 27% patients (54), of which 30 had desaturation and remaining had tachypnea, which was managed by NIV or Invasive ventilation. 5% of patients had airway compromise, managed by appropriate basic or advanced airway maneuvers. Hence pre transport checklist and continuous monitoring by an experienced medical personnel is necessary for the prevention of adverse events during transportation. Key words: Critically ill patients, Interhospital transportation, major events.

Hyperbaric hyperoxemia as a risk factor for ventilator-acquired pneumonia?

Objectives Ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP) is the leading cause of serious associated infections in Intensive Care Units (ICU) and is associated with significant morbidity. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in patients on mechanical ventilation may increase exposure to certain risk factors such as hyperoxemia and the need for multiple transfers. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between HBOT and VAP. Method This retrospective observational study was performed from March 2017 to March 2018 in a 10-bed ICU using HBOT. All patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) for more than 48 hours were eligible. VAP was defined using clinical and radiological criteria. Data collection was carried out via digital medical records. Risk factors for VAP were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Forty-two (23%) of the 182 patients enrolled developed at least one episode of VAP. One hundred and twenty-four (68%) patients received HBOT. The incidence rate of VAP was 34 per 1000 ventilator days. The occurrence of VAP was significantly associated with immunosuppression (p<0.029), MV duration (5 [3–7] vs 8 [5–11.5] days, p<0.0001), length of stay (8 [5–13] vs 19.5 [13–32] days, p<0.0001), reintubation (p<0.0001), intra-hospital transport (p = 0.001), use of paralytic agents (p = 0.013), tracheotomy (p = 0.003) and prone position (p = 0.003). The use of HBOT was not associated with the occurrence of VAP. Multivariate analysis identified reintubation (OR: 8.3 [2.6–26.6]; p<0.0001), intra-hospital transport (OR: 3.5 [1.3–9.2]; p = 0.011) and the use of paralytic agents (OR: 3.3 [1.3–8.4]; p = 0.014) as independent risk factors for VAP. Conclusion Known risk factors for VAP are to be found within our ICU population. HBOT, however, is not an extra risk factor for VAP within this group. Further experimental and clinical investigations are needed to understand the impact of HBOT on the occurrence of VAP and on physiological microbiome.

Inter-hospital transport on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in various health systems

The feasibility and the recognition of the possibility to transport patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) aroused in the 1970s. The number of transporting facilities worldwide was less than 20 in the beginning of the second Millennium. In 2009 the H1N1 pandemic and a publication showing survival benefit for adult patients transported to a hospital with ECMO resource increased both awareness and interest for ECMO treatment. The number of transport organizations increased rapidly. As of today, the number of transport organizations increases world-wide, though some centers where ECMO is an established treatment report decreasing numbers of transports. Since the introduction of the more user-friendly equipment (ECMO-2 era) increasing numbers of low-volume ECMO centers perform these complex treatments. This overview is based on the current literature, personal experience in the field, and information from the authors’ network on the organization of ECMO transport systems in different settings of health care around the globe. Registry data since the entry into ECMO-2 shows that the number of ECMO treatments matter. The more treatments performed at a given center the better the patient outcome, and the better these resources are spent for the population served. A Hub-and-S poke model for national or regional organization for respiratory ECMO (rECMO) should be advocated where central high-volume ECMO center (Hub) serves a population of 10 to 15 million. Peripheral units (Spokes) play an important part in emergency cannulations keeping the patient on ECMO support till a mobile ECMO team retrieves the patient. This ECMO team is preferably organized from the Hub and brings competencies for assessment and decision to initiate ECMO treatment bedside at any hospital, for cannulation, and a safe transport to any destination.

ECMO Support and Operator Safety in the Context of COVID-19 Outbreak: A Regional Center Experience

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 emergency, the referral Intensive Care Unit for the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support of Piedmont Region (Italy), in cooperation with infectious disease specialists, perfusionists and cardiac surgeons, developed a protocol to guarantee operator safety during invasive procedures, among which the ECMO positioning or inter-hospital transport. The use of powered air-purifying respirators, filtering facepiece particles (FFP) 2–3 masks, protective suits, disposable sterile surgical gowns, and two pairs of sterile gloves as a part of a protocol seemed effective and feasible for trained healthcare workers and allow all the complex activities connected with the positioning of the ECMO support to be completed effectively. The simulation training on donning and doffing procedures and the presence of a dedicated team member to verify the compliance with the safety procedure effectively reassured operators and likely reduced the risk of self-contamination. From 1 March to 31 December 2020, we used the procedure in 35 severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients and one acute respiratory failure caused by neoplastic total tracheal obstruction, all positive to COVID-19, to be connected to veno-venous ECMO in peripheral hospitals and centralized for ECMO management. This preliminary experience seems to confirm that the use of ECMO during COVID-19 outbreaks is feasible and the risks associated with its positioning and management are sustainable for the health-care workers and safe for patients.