The study developed and tested the Kenya Hospital Assessment Tool (K-HAT) to assess surgical capacity in Kenyan hospitals. The K-HAT collected comprehensive and detailed information, presenting a significant improvement over the World Health Organization’s tools. The pilot test team found the K-HAT easy to administer and understand, taking approximately 1 hour to collect data from […]
Category: Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities
Somatic symptom severity and depression are more prevalent in surgical inpatients with pancreatitis
This study aimed to assess the prevalence of somatic symptom severity (sss), depression, and anxiety in surgical inpatients with different diagnostic groups of abdominal pain. The results showed that somatic symptoms were common, with 52% having moderate and 19.6% having severe sss. There was a significant association between moderate sss and pancreatitis, and between depressive […]
Video-Based Self-Reflection in Laparoscopic Training
Researchers conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of video-based self-assessment in enhancing the surgical performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in trainees. They found that automated video capture and storage could improve adherence, and although the a priori trial feasibility criteria were not achieved, important data were gathered to inform the design of […]
Improved Surgical Outcomes for Female Surgeons in Predominantly Female Patient Surgeries
Preliminary evidence from a retrospective study using the New York State SPARCS database suggests that female surgeons have better post-operative outcomes than their male colleagues in predominantly female patient surgeries. The study examined the impact of patient-surgeon gender discordance on outcomes in bariatric, foregut, and colorectal surgeries. The results showed that patient-surgeon concordance had a […]
Small Financial Incentives Do Not Significantly Increase Smoking Cessation Before Surgery
Offering small financial incentives to smokers on elective surgery wait-lists did not result in clinically significant differences in smoking cessation rates before surgery. A total of 620 adult smokers were randomized, and 404 underwent surgery at the hospital. The offer of a $a70 supermarket voucher resulted in 21.9% registering to quit, increasing to 32.6% with […]
Low-Volume Elective Surgery at US Hospital Networks Associated with Inferior Outcomes
Most US hospital networks have low-volume hospitals performing elective surgeries that are associated with inferior outcomes. However, within these networks, there are other hospitals that meet volume standards and are located within a reasonable distance from patients’ homes. The study found significant variation in rates of low-volume surgery across different procedures. Surgical outcomes, including postoperative […]
Dehydration Slows Laparoscopic Tasks and Reduces Precision in Novices
Prolonged dehydration has limited impact on fundamental laparoscopic tissue handling skills, with no significant differences in force exertion. However, dehydrated participants demonstrated slower task times and increased errors in speed and precision, emphasizing the importance of hydration in maintaining optimal laparoscopic performance. Journal Article by Bereuter JP, Geissler ME (…) Oehme F et 8 al. […]
Speech Communication Interference in the Operating Room: Frequency, Impact, and Causes
Speech communication interference events are common in operating rooms, with significant implications for patient safety. A study of 40 surgeries revealed a mean of 2.58 speech interference events per surgery, primarily involving attending physicians, circulating nurses, residents, and scrub techs. Most events occurred during patient-related tasks, with 17.5% happening at critical moments. Interestingly, 27.2% of […]
Laparoscopic Transverse Abdominis Plane Block Reduces Operation Time and Cost in Pancreatectomy and Gastrectomy
The study compared the efficacy and efficiency of laparoscopic transverse abdominis plane block (lap-tap) versus ultrasound-guided tap (us-tap) in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy and gastrectomy. The lap-tap group showed a significantly shorter median time to skin incision and a reduction in operation cost by $602 compared to the us-tap group. Pain control and opioid use were […]
Gaps in Patient-Centered Decision-Making Related to Complex Surgery
The main result of this study is that surgeons agree that patients prefer to make their own health decisions after considering their physician’s opinion, rather than having the physician make decisions for them. However, the study also revealed gaps in patient-centered decision-making, as only a small percentage of surgeons assessed patient preferences regarding decision-making and […]