Trends in Irish hip fracture surgery over a 7-year period and international registry comparison

BackgroundHip fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. Timely surgical fixation and early mobilisation are the cornerstone to successful outcomes. The Irish Hip Fracture Database (IHFD) was established in 2012 and publishes annual reports on hip fracture care. This paper describes the trends in surgical fixation in Ireland during a 7-year period (2013–2019), assesses for compliance with guidelines and compares the most recent published reports from ten international hip fracture registries.MethodsAll published IHFD reports were systematically reviewed and tabulated. Data corresponding to demographics, fracture type, surgical fixation and post-operative management was plotted and analysed. Ten international hip fracture registries were identified and reviewed. Data was extracted corresponding to the IHFD dataset.ResultsA total of 21,684 hip fractures were recorded during this period. The majority of patients were female (70.16%), >80 years old (58.26%), admitted from their own home (82.13%) and ASA grade 3 (53%). The majority of undisplaced and displaced intracapsular fractures were treated with hemiarthroplasty, 62% and 88% respectively. There has been a decline in the use of dynamic hip screw (DHS) for intertrochanteric fractures with intramedullary nails being favoured.ConclusionDespite greater awareness of hip fracture care through the IHFD and the introduction of Best Practice Tariffs (BPT), further improvements are needed. Ireland compares well to international standards but has low rates of compliance to NICE guidelines for surgical fixation.     

Major trauma associated with mobility scooters: An analysis of the trauma audit research network

AimsTo establish the incidence and nature of injuries seen in patients following mobility scooter incidents.MethodsThe Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) database was used to collect data concerning injuries associated with mobility scooters. The data was taken from incidents that occurred between February 2014 and November 2020. The data analysed included: patient demographics, injury mechanism and patterns and associated mortality rates.Results1,504 patients were identified of which 61.4% were male. The median age was 76.2 years (IQR 63.5–84.9). The median injury severity score (ISS) was 9 (IQR 9–17), with major trauma (ISS ≥16) being observed in 29.4% of patients. Injuries to the limb were most common, although injuries to the head were most severe. Vehicle collisions accounted for 65.4% of injuries and were most closely associated with the most severe incidents. The median length of stay in hospital was 12 days, excluding the patients who died. Overall, mortality following injury was 10.6%, but the mortality rate was 15.4% in those aged 75 years and over, and 24.2% in those sustaining severe trauma.ConclusionAs the population ages, injury characteristics of those with both major and non-major trauma changes. Mobility scooter use is prevalent amongst older people, and we provided a detailed analysis of injuries sustained with their use across a national database. The length of stay and the inherent resource use, because of admission following mobility scooter trauma, is considerable. These injuries particularly affect the ‘most elderly’ and carry a considerable mortality burden.     

Transparency about internal audit results to reduce the supervisory burden: A qualitative study on the preconditions of sharing audit results

Many working hours of healthcare professionals are spent on administrative tasks. Administrative burden is caused by political choices, legislation, the requirements of health insurers and supervisors. Coordination between the parties involved, is lacking. Therefore, we studied to what extent sharing internal audit results of hospitals with external supervisors is possible and the necessary preconditions. We interviewed 42 individuals from six hospitals and the Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate.The interviewees expressed that there is no coordination in timing and content between internal audits and external supervision. They were in favour of sharing internal audit results with external supervisors to reduce the supervisory burden. They stated that internal audits give insight into quality problems and improvements, how hospital directors govern quality and safety, and the culture of improvement within healthcare provider teams. With this information, the inspectorate can judge to what extent hospitals are learning organisations. The interviewees mentioned the following preconditions for sharing audit results: reliable and risk-based information about quality and safety, collected by expert, trained auditors, and careful use of this information by the inspectorate in order to maintain openness among audited healthcare professionals.In conclusion, internal audit results can be shared conditionally with external supervisors. When internal audit results show that hospitals are open, learning and self-reflecting organisations, the healthcare inspectorate can reduce their supervisory burden.     

Long-term prevention of diabetic nephropathy: an audit

Aims/hypothesis In type 1 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria not receiving antihypertensive treatment, an increase in urinary AER (UAER) of 6–14%/year and a risk of developing diabetic nephropathy (DN) of 3–30%/year have been reported. We audited the long-term effect of blocking the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) with an ACE inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) in microalbuminuric type 1 diabetic patients on progression of microalbuminuria and development of DN. Methods All patients with type 1 diabetes and persistent microalbuminuria (30–300 mg/24 h) were identified (n = 227) in 1995 at Steno Diabetes Center and followed for 11 years. Development of DN was defined as a UAER of >300 mg/24 h in two of three consecutive urine samples. Results Age and duration of diabetes at baseline (mean ± SD) were 46 ± 15 and 28 ± 13 years, respectively. During follow-up 14 patients emigrated and 58 (26%) died. Over the same period 79% were treated with an ACEI or ARB. There was a mean decline in UAER of 4%/year. Sixty-five patients (29%) progressed to overt DN, corresponding to 3.1%/year. However, 29 of them regressed to normo- or microalbuminuria on intensified antihypertensive treatment. Glycaemic control and blood pressure remained nearly unchanged. Conclusions/interpretation In our outpatient clinic, the implementation of RAAS-blocking treatment in type 1 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria successfully reduced long-term progression to overt DN to a rate similar to those previously reported in randomised, double-blind intervention trials of shorter duration using RAAS blockade. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.     

Laparoscopic-assisted resection of colorectal carcinoma

INTRODUCTION: The place of laparoscopic-assisted colectomy for colorectal carcinoma is controversial. This study reviewed a consecutive series of patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted resection of colorectal carcinoma in the past five years. METHODS: Two hundred seventeen laparoscopic-assisted resections of colorectal carcinoma were attempted starting in April 1992. Initially, we only selected patients with metastatic disease or patients who were older than 65 years. Subsequently, both palliative and curative resections were attempted in patients with a suitable tumor, with no age limitation. Thus, all suitable patients were randomly assigned to received either laparoscopic-assisted or conventional open surgery. RESULTS: Data collection was completed in 201 patients. In 22 patients open surgery was performed after a diagnostic laparoscopy. In the remaining 179 patients (90 males) in whom laparoscopic dissection was actually performed, the mean follow-up was 19.8 months, and the mean age was 66.3 years. The procedures performed included right hemicolectomy or extended right hemicolectomy (30 patients), transverse colectomy (2 patients), left hemicolectomy (3 patients), sigmoidectomy (48 patients), anterior resection (59 patients), and abdominoperineal resection (37 patients). Thirty-two (17.7 percent) procedures were converted to open surgery. The mean operation time was 203 minutes. The median blood loss was negligible, and the median requirement of transfusion was zero. The median number of postoperative parenteral analgesic injections was three. The median time to resume diet and hospital discharge were four and six days, respectively. The operative mortality was 1.7 percent. The survival rates at four years were 100, 88.3, and 64.5 percent for patients with Dukes A, B, and C disease, respectively. There was only one (0.65 percent) port-site recurrence. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic-assisted resection of colorectal carcinoma was technically feasible and safe. It allowed early postoperative recovery with satisfactory long-term survival. This is at the expense of a long operation. Its benefits over the conventional open technique await the results of the randomized trials.     

ICU患者身体约束循证护理审查指标的制订及障碍因素分析

目的 开展ICU成人患者规范化身体约束的循证护理,制订护理质量审查指标,并分析循证护理过程中的障碍因素和促进因素。方法 以Johns Hopkins循证护理实践模式为理论指导,组建团队,系统检索、评价并汇总证据,确立审查指标及审查方法,逐条进行质量审查,并根据审查指标及基线审查结果分析障碍因素及促进因素,制订行动策略。结果 本研究共纳入23条最佳证据,依据最佳证据制订了12条质量审查指标,障碍因素主要为系统层面流程和工具缺乏、实践者层面护士知信行水平不高等。结论 本研究基于循证并结合临床专业人员的判断,制订的质量审查指标具有科学性、可操作性和实用性,可为循证护理奠定基础。     

血站质量管理体系不合格项回顾性分析

目的验证质量管理体系对不合格项管理的有效性。方法通过回顾性分析2015年-2017年不合格项的分布情况,评价质量管理体系是否持续改进。结果2015年-2017年不合格项分别有28项、31项、37项,均为一般不合格 项,后续全部落实了纠正预防措施。不合格项主要分布在体采科（市区）及郊区县采血点、计供科,主要涉及要素是献血服务、血液保存、发放与运输及记录。结论日常工作中识别的不合格项及质管科识别的不合格项逐年增 多,说明工作人员质量意识逐年增强,这有利于质量管理体系的持续改进,也有利于血站质量管理水平的逐步提高。