Current practice in the management of vasectomy reversal and unobstructive azoospermia in Merseyside & North Wales: a questionnaire-based survey

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current incidence of vasectomy reversal procedures, the techniques used and which practitioners use them. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using a questionnaire, 130 general surgeons and urologists practising in Merseyside and North Wales were surveyed. RESULTS: The response rate was 74%, with 24 urological surgeons and 14 general surgeons undertaking vasectomy reversal. Annually, urological surgeons carried out significantly more procedures than did general surgeons, at 8.5 and 5.3 (P = 0.029), respectively. They were also more likely to use double-layer closure and microsurgical techniques, whilst significantly less likely to use stents. Urologists reported significantly greater patency rates, at 76% and 52% (P = 0.017), respectively, with no significant differences in subsequent pregnancy rates (30% vs 25%). Only one practitioner checked tubal patency in the female partner before vasectomy reversal. CONCLUSIONS: The use of vasectomy reversal is a cost-effective treatment for men wanting paternity after vasectomy. The technique used by the clinician and proper audit of the results require close attention; it would also appear to be obvious that all the partners of men seeking a vasectomy reversal should have their fertility status established before reversal, something that is clearly not done at present.     

Pregnancy rate after vasectomy reversal in a contemporary series: influence of smoking, semen quality and post-surgical use of assisted reproductive techniques

Study Type – Outcomes (cohort series) Level of Evidence 2b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Microsurgical vasectomy reversal is an effective and cost‐effective method of reinstating fertility in a man who has previously had a vasectomy. The current literature indicates that the success rate (i.e. potency and pregnancy rates) are dependent primarily on the time elapsed since vasectomy and the age of the female partner. Using a multivariate Cox regression model, evaluation of the influence of preoperative data (including smoking) and semen parameters indicates a significant influence of post‐surgical sperm motility only, on time to first pregnancy. The use of assisted reproductive techniques, when natural pregnancy failed, was successful in ≈50% of couples who attempted this procedure and accounted for an absolute increase in pregnancy rate of 14%.

OBJECTIVE

• ? To determine the influence of smoking, postoperative semen characteristics and the use of an assisted reproductive technique (ART) on pregnancy rate in a contemporary series of men undergoing vasectomy reversal.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• ? Between January 2002 and January 2009, 186 vasectomy reversals were performed. Of the 171 patients who could be contacted for follow‐up, 162 attempted pregnancy and constitute the study group.
• ? Semen analysis was performed 3 months after the procedure and at subsequent 3‐monthly intervals.
• ? Patient characteristics and surgical information were obtained from a computerized database, and follow‐up data were collected by telephone interview.
• ? A multivariate Cox regression model was used to discern possible prognosticators with respect to pregnancy outcome.

RESULTS

• ? The overall patency rate was 91.4%, with a natural pregnancy rate of 44.4% and a subsequent 14.2% of patients conceiving using a ARTs resulting in a total pregnancy rate of 58.6%. Multiple pregnancies were obtained by 20.4% of couples.
• ? Smoking of the male or female partner did not influence the probability of conception.
• ? In a multivariate model that included, among other factors, time since vasectomy, female age and semen characteristics, only sperm motility was significantly related to natural pregnancy outcome.
• ? The probability of obtaining a natural pregnancy within 2 years after surgery is 53% for men with sperm motility >20% (WHO a+b) compared to 19% for men with sperm motility <5% (P= 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

• ? A clear and significant association between sperm motility and the probability of conception was found, whereas smoking, female age and time since vasectomy appeared to have no influence on pregnancy outcome in this patient cohort.
• ? The use of ARTs accounted for an absolute increase in pregnancy rate of 14.2%.

     

Practice patterns in vasectomy reversal surgery: results of a questionnaire study among practicing urologists

Purpose

Although vasectomy reversal surgery is a common procedure for male factor infertility, little is written on the common practice patterns of the practicing urologist. We designed a questionnaire to assess the practice patterns of community and academic urologists with respect to surgical technique, followup care, patient selection and the definition of success.

Materials and Methods

A 20-question survey pertaining to vasectomy reversal surgery was mailed to members of the Western Section, American Urological Association and to members of the Society of Government Service Urologists. Survey results were tabulated in a computer data base and statistical analysis was performed.

Results

A total of 1,508 questionnaires were mailed and 622 completed questionnaires were returned. Of the respondents 367 (59%) indicated that they perform vasectomy reversals, including 29 (8%) who were fellowship trained in infertility, 86 (23%) who were affiliated with residency training and 252 (69%) who practiced in a community setting. As expected, on average fellowship trained urologists performed more reversals yearly than academic or community urologists (26.4, 12.2 and 7, respectively). Patient selection criteria varied. Of fellowship trained urologists 12.5% would elect not to operate if it were greater than 15 years since vasectomy compared with 41.9% for academic and 57.1% of community urologists. Just more than half (50.2%) of respondents indicated they did not recommend routine gynecologic evaluation of the patient partner. When comparing fellowship, academic and community practitioners, an operating microscope was used in 93%, 65% and 56% of procedures (p <0.001), and vasal fluid was examined in 83%, 75% and 67%, respectively. Fellowship trained urologists also used finer suture material (p <0.001). An average of 8 anastomotic sutures were placed in 2 layers but significant differences existed between fellowship trained urologists, and their academic and community counterparts. Most urologists (71%) defined their success by the presence of sperm in the ejaculate. Only 10.9% of urologists recommended sperm cryopreservation at surgery and 90% recommended postoperative sexual abstinence (average 3 weeks). All urologists recommended postoperative semen analysis done at an average of 3 months.

Conclusions

The practice of vasectomy reversal varies among urologists. Differences in surgical technique, postoperative care and selection criteria exist. Knowledge of these variations may assist practicing urologists to tailor their practice patterns in the selection for and performance of vasectomy reversal.     

女性盆底重建术后疼痛管理的最佳证据应用

目的将盆底重建术后疼痛管理最佳证据应用于临床,以缓解患者术后疼痛,提高医护人员对患者疼痛管理的认知及重视度。方法对盆底功能障碍性疾病行盆底重建术后患者疼痛管理相关主题进行系统检索和质量评价,总结生成14条最佳证据,结合临床情景和专业判断,制定12条基于证据的质量审查指标,证据应用前后分别以30例患者及20名护理人员为对象,开展分阶段质量审查和效果评价。结果与基线审查结果相比,证据应用后患者术后疼痛评分、对镇痛管理的满意程度、患者镇痛行为的自主性、患者疼痛知识掌握程度、护士疼痛知识掌握程度显著提升(P0.05,P0.01);证据应用后,医护人员为患者共同制定个性化疼痛管理方案的比率由53.3%升至100%、药物+非药物联合镇痛模式的应用率由10.0%升至53.3%(均P0.01)。结论盆底重建术后患者疼痛管理最佳证据的临床应用,可规范护士的临床行为,促进护理管理质量的持续改进,从而缓解患者术后疼痛程度,提高患者对术后镇痛的正向体验和自我效能。     

Survey of UK practice for management of breast cancer metastases to the neck

INTRODUCTION

Cervical metastases from breast carcinoma are rare and their management is controversial. Between 1987 and 2002 the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staged patients with supraclavicular fossa nodal disease as M1 but the subsequent demonstration that patients with regional stage IV disease had better outcomes than visceral stage IV disease led to a reclassification of the former to stage IIIC in 2003. The literature remains inconsistent regarding the fate of these patients. Despite the attendant morbidity of treatment and lack of knowledge regarding long-term survival, we hypothesised that current practice varies in the UK and a unified approach does not exist. The aim of this study was therefore to determine current practice and opinion of both head and neck specialists and breast cancer clinicians in the UK.

METHODS

Questionnaires were disseminated to 185 head and neck surgeons, breast surgeons and their oncology counterparts. These outlined a clinical scenario of a patient with a history of T3 primary breast cancer presenting with cervical and supraclavicular nodal metastases, with opinion being sought regarding the significance of this status and the individual’s practical approach to the problem. The extent of any proposed neck dissection was also explored.

RESULTS

Of the 117 respondents, a noticeable variation in opinion was evident. Contrary to the current AJCC staging, 61% of clinicians felt that both level V and III metastases represented stage IV disease. There was a tendency towards aggressive surgical treatment with a third recommending comprehensive neck dissection despite a lack of evidence base. A disparity was noted between adjuvant treatments offered and the final pN stage.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that at present there is widespread inconsistency in the management of breast carcinoma cervical metastases in the UK. There is a need to unify practice with an evidence base in order to improve informed multidisciplinary decision making and, ultimately, patient care. This study goes some way to supporting multicentre collaboration in order to achieve that aim.     

Adherence to evidence‐based pressure injury prevention guidelines in routine clinical practice: a longitudinal study

The aim of this longitudinal study was to describe adherence to evidence‐based pressure injury (PI) prevention guidelines in routine clinical practice in Australian hospitals. Data were analysed from four control sites of a larger‐cluster randomised trial of a PI intervention. The sample of 799 included 220 (27·5%) Not at risk, 344 (43·1%) At risk and 110 (13·8%) At high risk patients. A total of 84 (10·5%) patients developed a PI during the study: 20 (9·0% of 220) in the Not at risk group, 45 (13·1% of 344) in the At risk group, 15 (13·6% of 110) in the At high risk group and 4 (3·2% of 125) patients who did not have a risk assessment completed. Of all patients, 165 (20·7%) received only one PI prevention strategy, and 494 (61·8%) received ≥2 strategies at some point during the study period. There was no statistical difference in the proportion of time the three risk groups received ≥1 and ≥2 strategies; on average, this was less than half the time they were in the study. Thus, patients were not receiving PI prevention strategies consistently throughout their hospital stay, although it is possible patients' risk changed over the study period.     

Patterns of practice in the management of prostate cancer: results from multidisciplinary surveys of clinicians in Australia and New Zealand in 1995 and 2000

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and compare patterns of practice in prostate cancer management in Australia and New Zealand from 1995 to 2000, as there are insufficient randomized trials to guide clinicians in the management of prostate cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study represents the two largest published surveys of Australian and New Zealand clinicians dealing with prostate cancer. We sent structured questionnaires on the management of prostate cancer patients to 804 urologists, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists in Australia and New Zealand in December 2000. We compared responses to a similar survey of 579 specialist clinicians in 1995. RESULTS: The response rates were 56% in 1995 and 62% in 2000. In the management of clinically localized disease, the proportion recommending surgery or radiotherapy remained relatively constant between 1995 and 2000, although there was an increase in the use of brachytherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy, and a reduced tendency to treat pelvic nodes. In the treatment of locally advanced disease, there was an increased use of hormonal treatment and local radiotherapy, with a reduction in the use of total androgen blockade and orchidectomy. In managing positive margins after prostatectomy, there was a clear lack of consensus, with a wide variety of treatment options proposed. CONCLUSIONS: Practice has changed in several areas in 2000 compared to 1995, but not all changes were influenced by the publication of randomized trials or evidence-based guidelines.     

Cost‐effectiveness of using Polyheal compared with surgery in the management of chronic wounds with exposed bones and/or tendons due to trauma in France,Germany and the UK

The objective of this study was to assess the cost‐effectiveness of Polyheal compared with surgery in treating chronic wounds with exposed bones and/or tendons (EB&T) due to trauma in France, Germany and the UK, from the perspective of the payers. Decision models were constructed depicting the management of chronic wounds with EB&T and spanned the period up to healing or up to 1 year. The models considered the decision by a plastic surgeon to treat these wounds with Polyheal or surgery and was used to estimate the relative cost‐effectiveness of Polyheal at 2010/2011 prices. Using Polyheal instead of surgery is expected to increase the probability of healing from 0·93 to 0·98 and lead to a total health‐care cost of €7984, €7517 and €8860 per patient in France, Germany and the UK, respectively. Management with surgery is expected to lead to a total health‐care cost of €12 300, €18 137 and €11 330 per patient in France, Germany and the UK, respectively. Hence, initial treatment with Polyheal instead of surgery is expected to lead to a 5% improvement in the probability of healing and a substantial decrease in health‐care costs of 35%, 59% and 22% in France, Germany and the UK, respectively. Within the models' limitations, Polyheal potentially affords the public health‐care system in France, Germany and the UK a cost‐effective treatment for chronic wounds with EB&T due to trauma, when compared with surgery. However, this will be dependent on Polyheal's healing rate in clinical practice when it becomes routinely available.     

A clinician's guide to the management of geriatric musculoskeletal disease: Part 1 - Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition of growing concern in all areas of healthcare, with osteopathic practice no exception. Allied health clinicians and other manual/physical practitioners are well placed to play a role in prevention, early detection and intervention in these patients, as well as in ongoing fall and fracture prevention. This masterclass aims to provide a clinical guide to the management of osteoporosis, with a focus on the role of the allied health clinician in its diagnosis and ongoing treatment. Specifically, it will cover key clinical risk factors, referral guidelines and recommendations for management, to allow for confident, evidence-informed management of these patients in practice. We propose that empowering clinicians with the clinical knowledge to provide support in the management of chronic musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis will advance patient care and outcomes both now and into the future.     

Adherence to clinical practice guidelines among three primary contact professions: a best evidence synthesis of the literature for the management of acute and subacute low back pain

Aim:

To determine adherence to clinical practice guidelines in the medical, physiotherapy and chiropractic professions for acute and subacute mechanical low back pain through best-evidence synthesis of the healthcare literature.

Methods:

A structured best-evidence synthesis of the relevant literature through a literature search of relevant databases for peer-reviewed papers on adherence to clinical practice guidelines from 1995 to 2013. Inclusion of papers was based on selection criteria and appraisal by two reviewers who independently applied a modified Downs & Black appraisal tool. The appraised papers were summarized in tabular form and analysed by the authors.

Results:

The literature search retrieved 23 potentially relevant papers that were evaluated for methodological quality, of which 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The main finding was that no profession in the study consistently attained an overall high concordance rating. Of the three professions examined, 73% of chiropractors adhered to current clinical practice guidelines, followed by physiotherapists (62%) and then medical practitioners (52%).

Conclusions:

This review showed that quality papers in this area of research are very limited. Notwithstanding, chiropractors appear to adhere to clinical practice guidelines more so than physiotherapists and medical practitioners, although there is scope for improvement across all three professions.     

Implementing an internal audit to change practice: Current evidence and review of patient outcomes enabled transition to the relative motion extension approach in the postoperative management of zones IV-VI extensor tendon repairs

BackgroundEvidence supports use of the relative motion extension (RME) approach following extensor tendon repairs in zones V-VI yielding good or excellent outcomes.PurposeTo demonstrate how a 3-year internal audit and regular review of emerging evidence guided our change in practice from our longstanding use of the Norwich Regimen to the RME approach using implementation research methods. We compared the outcomes of both approaches prior to the formal adoption of the RME approach.Study DesignProspective clinical audit.MethodsA prospective audit of all consecutive adult finger extensor tendon repairs in zones IV-VII rehabilitated in our tertiary public health hand centre was undertaken between November 2014 and December 2017. Each audit year, outcomes were reviewed regarding the Norwich regimen and the RME early active motion approaches. As new evidence emerged, adjustments were made to our audit protocol for the RME approach. Discharge measurements of the range of motion of the affected and contralateral fingers and complications were recorded.ResultsDuring the 3-year audit, data was available on 79 patients (56 RME group including 59 fingers with 71 tendon repairs; 23 Norwich group including 28 fingers with 34 tendon repairs) with simple (n = 68) and complex (n = 11) finger extensor tendon zones IV-VI repairs (no zone VII presented during this time). Over time, the practice pattern shifted from the Norwich Regimen approach to the RME approach (and with the use of the RME plus [n = 33] and RME only [n = 23] approaches utilized). All approaches yielded similar good to excellent outcomes per total active motion and Miller’s classification, with no tendon ruptures or need for secondary surgery.ConclusionsAn internal audit of practice provided the necessary information regarding implementation to support a shift in hand therapy practice and to gain therapist or surgeon confidence in adopting the RME approach as another option for the rehabilitation of zone IV-VI finger extensor tendon repairs.     

Relationship of nursing education and care management inpatient rehabilitation interventions and patient characteristics to outcomes following spinal cord injury: The SCIRehab project

Objective

To investigate associations of nursing bedside education and care management activities during inpatient rehabilitation with functional, participation, and quality-of-life outcomes for patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

In a prospective observational study, data were obtained by means of systematic recording of nursing activities by registered nurses (RNs), chart review and patient interview.

Results

Greater patient participation in nursing activities is associated with better outcomes. More time spent by RNs in coordination with other members of the care team, consultants and specialists, along with participation in physician rounds (team process) is associated with patient report of higher life satisfaction and higher CHART mobility at the one-year injury anniversary; more time providing psychosocial support is associated with higher CHART mobility and occupation scores and with greater likelihood of working or being in school at the anniversary. More time spent providing education about specific care needs is associated with several outcomes but not as consistently as might be expected.

Conclusion(s)

Higher levels of patient participation in nursing care activities is associated with multiple better outcomes, and hence, nurses should promote active patient participation during all aspects of care and interactions between themselves and patients with SCI. Time spent providing psychosocial support of patients and their families should be evaluated to ensure that other necessary education or care management interventions are not minimized.

Note

This is the seventh of nine articles in the SCIRehab series.     

Early Conversion From Calcineurin Inhibitor‐ to Everolimus‐Based Therapy Following Kidney Transplantation: Results of the Randomized ELEVATE Trial

In a 24‐month, multicenter, open‐label, randomized trial, 715 de novo kidney transplant recipients were randomized at 10–14 weeks to convert to everolimus (n = 359) or remain on standard calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy (n = 356; 231 tacrolimus; 125 cyclosporine), all with mycophenolic acid and steroids. The primary endpoint, change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from randomization to month 12, was similar for everolimus versus CNI: mean (standard error) 0.3(1.5) mL/min/1.73² versus ?1.5(1.5) mL/min/1.73² (p = 0.116). Biopsy‐proven acute rejection (BPAR) at month 12 was more frequent under everolimus versus CNI overall (9.7% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.014) and versus tacrolimus‐treated patients (2.6%, p < 0.001) but similar to cyclosporine‐treated patients (8.8%, p = 0.755). Reporting on de novo donor‐specific antibodies (DSA) was limited but suggested more frequent anti‐HLA Class I DSA under everolimus. Change in left ventricular mass index was similar. Discontinuation due to adverse events was more frequent with everolimus (23.6%) versus CNI (8.4%). In conclusion, conversion to everolimus at 10–14 weeks posttransplant was associated with renal function similar to that with standard therapy overall. Rates of BPAR were low in all groups, but lower with tacrolimus than everolimus.     

Variations in guideline use and practice relating to diagnosis and management of infection in paediatric burns services in England and Wales: A national survey

Background

Wound infection causes morbidity and mortality in burns. UK National Burns Care Standards state that guidance should be used to diagnose and treat burn wound infection. However, surveys of senior staff about standard operating procedures or guidance in UK burns services indicate that they are infrequently available (Papini et al., 1995; Lymperopoulos et al., 2015). Staff may have differing views and experiences of guidance use according to their role. This survey investigated the extent to which guidance is available, and current practices used for diagnosis and treatment of burn wound infection, both within and between paediatric burns services.