Nine-year audit of post-dural puncture headache in a tertiary obstetric hospital in Singapore

BackgroundThe KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital is a tertiary obstetric unit with approximately 11 000 deliveries per year. Epidural analgesia is used in about 40% of laboring women. We reviewed the incidence and management of post-dural puncture headache over a nine-year period.MethodsA retrospective audit of labor epidural analgesia database records from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2014 was conducted, identifying an “event” as an accidental dural puncture, an inadvertent intrathecal catheter insertion and/or development of a post-dural puncture headache.ResultsA total of 43 434 epidural records were reviewed. Sixty-three events were identified (an incidence of 0.15%). Women had median age of 30 years and median body mass index of 27.6 kg/m²; 69.8% (44/63) delivered vaginally. Procedures performed by less experienced anesthesiologists and those performed outside office hours were associated with a higher incidence of accidental dural puncture. An intrathecal catheter was inserted in 52 of 58 women (89.7%). Headache developed in 24 of 38 (63.1%) women in whom there was a witnessed accidental dural puncture. Most women who developed post-dural puncture headache presented during the primary admission (36/39; 92.3%). Paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the most commonly prescribed medications. Six women (9.5%) received an epidural blood patch which led to resolution of headache.ConclusionA retrospective audit over a nine-year period at a tertiary teaching hospital found the overall incidence of post-dural puncture headache and associated events to be 0.15%, with a decreasing trend coinciding with improvement in the teaching and supervision of trainees in labor epidural procedures.     

The role of alternative medicine in rhinology

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes treatments from traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, herbal medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, mind-body medicine, chiropractic or osteopathic manipulations, and massage. More than 40% of patients in the United States use CAM, with 17% of CAM use related to otolaryngology diagnoses, but nearly half of CAM users do not communicate their use of these medications to their physicians. Perioperative risk of bleeding is a particular concern in surgical specialties, and knowledge of these therapies and their potential adverse effects is critical.     

Changing patterns of transfusion practice in a tertiary care hospital from 1977 to 1984

Patterns of blood transfusion practice over an eight-year-period (1977-1984) are described. Use of blood and blood products increased annually as did the number of patients crossmatched and transfused. Programs such as the "Blood Group & Antibody Screen" and the "Maximum Surgical Blood Order Schedule" were important in improving transfusion practices. There was improvement in blood use by all subspecialties; the overall C:T (crossmatched:transfused blood) ratio declined from 4.4 to 2.8. Approximately a quarter of both crossmatches performed and transfusions of red cells were associated with cardiac surgery. Incidence of outdated units of blood declined markedly (2.6 per cent in 1984), as did requests for and administration of single unit transfusions. Seven per cent of patients received one unit of blood during hospitalization; since 85 per cent of these were associated with surgery (57 per cent cardiac surgery), it is suggested that single unit transfusions may sometimes be more appropriate than inappropriate. Two per cent of patients had clinically significant alloantibodies. About two per cent of patients had positive direct antiglobulin tests; nine per cent of the sera of these patients contained both auto and alloantibodies. Such data are important for transfusion quality assurance as well as for optimal logistical use of facilities both at hospital Blood Bank and blood collection agency levels.     

A prospective cohort study of awake fibreoptic intubation practice at a tertiary centre

Contemporary data are lacking for procedural practice, training provision and outcomes for awake fibreoptic intubation in the UK. We performed a prospective cohort study of awake fibreoptic intubations at a tertiary centre to assess current practice. Data from 600 elective or emergency awake fibreoptic intubations were collected to include information on patient and operator demographics, technical performance and complications. This comprised 1.71% of patients presenting for surgery requiring a general anaesthetic, with the majority occurring in patients presenting for head and neck surgery. The most common indication was reduced mouth opening (26.8%), followed by previous airway surgery or head and neck radiotherapy (22.5% each). Only five awake fibreoptic intubations were performed with no sedation, but the most common sedative technique was combined target‐controlled infusions of remifentanil and propofol. Oxygenation was achieved with high‐flow, heated and humidified oxygen via nasal cannula in 49.0% of patients. Most operators had performed awake fibreoptic intubation more than 20 times previously, but trainees were the primary operator in 78.6% of awake fibreoptic intubations, of which 86.8% were directly supervised by a consultant. The failure rate was 1.0%, and 11.0% of awake fibreoptic intubations were complicated, most commonly by multiple attempts (4.2%), over‐sedation (2.2%) or desaturation (1.5%). The only significant association with complications was the number of previous awake fibreoptic intubations performed, with fewer complications occurring in the hands of operators with more awake fibreoptic intubation experience. Our data demonstrate that awake fibreoptic intubation is a safe procedure with a high success rate. Institutional awake fibreoptic intubation training can both develop and maintain trainee competence in performing awake fibreoptic intubation, with a similar incidence of complications and success compared with consultants.     

遵义地区二三级医院护理高危风险管理现状调查

目的了解遵义地区护理高危风险管理现状,为针对性制定对口帮扶培训模式提供参考。方法采用自制调查表,对遵义地区48所二三级医院的107名参与护理安全工作的护理人员进行问卷调查。结果遵义地区护理人员对住院患者潜在风险预测预控相关知识得分(37.78±10.19)分,≥60分仅占2.8%。48所医院中,仅16.7%的医院开展住院危急重症患者预测预控护理管理工作, 29.2%设立医院危急重症护理管理质量小组。遵义地区护理人员对护理高危风险培训有强烈的需求(≥98.1%),但接受培训较少(22.4%～53.3%),应用能力较低(0.9%～5.6%)。结论遵义地区护理人员对住院患者潜在风险预测预控相关知识知晓度较差,在护理质量、安全及危急重症患者护理方面开展培训较少,高危风险预测相关工具在临床应用较少,需加强对口帮扶,提高遵义地区护理高危风险管理水平。     

The influence of unrestricted use of sugammadex on clinical anaesthetic practice in a tertiary teaching hospital

This retrospective casenote audit involving 374 patients requiring intubation for an anaesthetic found that when the availability of sugammadex became unrestricted, its use increased from 7.1 to 65.3% (P <0.0001) of all muscle relaxant reversals, while neostigmine use decreased from 59.6 to 12.5%. Rocuronium use decreased slightly (90.8 to 79.2%, P=0.006) but vecuronium use increased (2.1 to 8.3%, P=0.02). Cisatracurium and suxamethonium use were unchanged. Total rocuronium dose (55.9 ± 24.1 vs 60.4 ± 22.3 mg) and the number of doses (1.9 ± 1.48 to 1.96 ± 1.27) were unchanged, but the time between the last dose and reversal decreased (91.7 ± 68.1 to 62 ± 52.4 minutes, P=0.0002). There appeared to be no change in postoperative nausea and vomiting, or post-anaesthesia care unit time or oxygen saturation levels. Anaesthetic theatre time fell from 143.5 ± 85.8 to 120 ± 71.2 minutes (P=0.01) and remained significant when adjusted for confounding variables (ratio of means 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.34, P=0.02), although inferences in relation to causality are limited by the retrospective and observational design of the study. Hospital stay also appeared to fall (4.2 ± 3.5 to 3.4 ± 3.0 days, P=0.035), but was not statistically significant when adjusted for confounding variables (ratio of means 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.89 to 1.2, P=0.59). These observations suggest that the unrestricted availability of sugammadex will change how steroid-based neuromuscular blocking drugs are used and reversed, but further research is needed to determine if patient outcomes will improve.     

Methacholine induced headache.

A lung function technician developed episodes of headache, probably related to the use of methacholine. The headache disappeared with breathing 100% oxygen. Cholinergic agents are known to induce headaches but the mechanism remains unclear. Vascular factors could be implicated.     

三级甲等医院医护合作关系及影响因素调查

目的探讨医生与护士感知的医护合作行为及其影响因素,为提高医护人员合作意识和工作质量提供依据。方法采用自行设计的医护合作行为相关因素问卷和临床实务合作量表对3所三级甲等医院144名临床医生和149名护士进行调查。结果护士临床合作行为量表得分为3.96±0.69,医生为3.83±0.69,两者均处于中等偏上水平,且差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。护士合作得分最高的前三项是与医生沟通医嘱、明确责任、与医生有共同理念;医生合作得分最高的前三项分别为明确责任、站在护理角度看问题、主动沟通护理措施;医护人员在共同讨论医疗护理知识条目得分均最低。科室、管理者重视程度、医护配置、合作意愿是护士临床合作行为的影响因素;职称、科室、角色期望、文化程度、合作意愿是医生临床合作行为的影响因素。结论医护合作需要进一步加强,重视双方沟通,关注影响合作的因素,为患者提供高质量的医疗护理服务。     

Congenital heart disease at a tertiary care center in Lebanon.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To study the epidemiology of congenital heart disease (CHD) at the American University of Beirut-Medical Center, we reviewed the medical records of all cardiac patients seen at our outpatient cardiology clinic (OPD) between 1980 and 1995. The charts of all patients with CHD seen as inpatients and/or outpatients at our center during the year 1995 were also reviewed. A cardiologist evaluated all patients and the diagnosis was confirmed at least by echocardiography. The frequency of CHD was reported among three groups: 1980-1995 OPD groups (Group A); the group with CHD seen during the year 1995 (Group B); and (Group C), a subgroup of group B, included all newborns with CHD born at our hospital during the year 1995. Stillbirth and premature infants with the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Group A included 883 patients. 344 patients were evaluated in Group B, with a mean age of 3.8 years. The incidence of CHD was 11.5/1,000 live births at our center. There was a relatively low prevalence of complex lesions (i.e., hypoplastic left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries) and a relatively high prevalence of the simpler cardiac malformation (i.e., ventricular and atrial septal defects, pulmonary stenosis) in Groups A and B. CONCLUSION: The relatively low prevalence of complex cardiac lesions in our study is probably related to the age of the studied patients, and reflects the high mortality of these complex lesions in our country early in life. The incidence of CHD of 11.5/1,000 live births at our center is higher than that reported in the literature, with evidence of more frequent ventricular septal defects and pulmonary atresia lesions. This may be related to high rate of consanguinity in our population. This review underscores the need for a national cardiac registry center for children in a developing country like Lebanon. Such a database will allow referral and care of complex cardiac lesions.     

三甲医院ICU护士对患者实施身体约束护理现状调查

目的了解三甲医院ICU护士对患者实施身体约束护理的现状,为患者身体约束规范干预提供参考。方法自设观察记录表,对乌鲁木齐3所三甲医院160名ICU护士日间8h身体约束实践进行直接观察并记录。结果ICU护士实施身体约束的主要对象是气管插管(41.25%)及躁动患者(20.00%),常用的约束用具为约束带(89.38%)、乒乓球约束手套(12.50%)等。身体约束致非计划拔管、肢体末端水肿、约束部位皮下淤斑、骶尾部压疮加重发生率为2.50%~8.75%;护士对患者身体约束护理过程中存在推、拽、拉、吼等状况。结论ICU护理人员对患者实施身体约束护理质量亟待改善,护理管理者应针对暴露的问题做出系统方面与机制方面的改进,切实维护患者利益。     

Post-delivery postural headache: not always a classical post-dural puncture headache

We report a parturient complaining of headache after spinal and epidural labour analgesia with neurological deterioration following an epidural blood patch. Further investigation revealed a medulloblastoma within the fourth ventricle. The patient underwent an operation 4 days after the diagnosis, but died 2 years later. The consequences of the use of neuraxial analgesia and epidural blood patch in the treatment of post-dural puncture headache in this kind of pathology are discussed.     

Radical prostatectomy in a community practice.

PURPOSE: We report the experience of a community based urologist with anatomical retropubic radical prostatectomy. We compared outcome data with that reported experience at several well-known academic institutions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1986 and December 2000, 382 consecutive patients underwent anatomical radical retropubic prostatectomy performed by a single community based urologist. Charts were reviewed to determine the positive margin rate, urinary continence, potency, hospitalization and the prostate specific antigen (PSA) recurrence rate. RESULTS: The positive margin rate was 9% overall but in the last 5 years it was 7% compared with 7% to 40% in previous studies at academic institutions. The urinary continence rate was 90% overall and 93% in the last 5 years when excluding men older than 70 years old, compared with 85% to 94% in the academic urological literature. The potency rate after the bilateral nerve sparing technique was 79% compared with 54% to 86% in academic series. Average hospitalization in the last 5 years was 1.5 days. Overall PSA recurrence rate and the rate of PSA recurrence as a function of preoperative PSA, postoperative stage and grade were similar to those at academic institutions. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical radical prostatectomy can be performed at nonacademic institutions with results comparable to those at academic institutions.