General Surgery & Trauma
Association of delay of urgent or emergency surgery with mortality and use of health care resources
10 Jul, 2017 | 15:09h | UTCCommentary: Patients whose emergency surgery is delayed are at higher risk of death – Canadian Medical Association Journal, via EurekAlert (free)
Source: STAT News Newsletter
“Delayed operating room access for emergency surgery was associated with increased risk of inhospital mortality, longer length of stay and higher costs”.
Long-term health status and trajectories of seriously injured patients
7 Jul, 2017 | 14:01h | UTCLong-term health status and trajectories of seriously injured patients: A population-based longitudinal study – PLOS Medicine (free) (RT @karimbrohi see Tweet – “Trauma is a chronic disease”)
“The prevalence of reporting problems at 36-months postinjury was 37% for mobility, 21% for self-care, 47% for usual activities, 50% for pain/discomfort, and 41% for anxiety/depression… the prevalence of ongoing problems at 3-years postinjury is high, confirming that serious injury is frequently a chronic disorder”
Evacuation of Hospitals during Disaster, Establishment of a Field Hospital, and Communication
7 Jul, 2017 | 13:27h | UTCReview: Evacuation of Hospitals during Disaster, Establishment of a Field Hospital, and Communication – Eurasian Journal of Medicine (free)
Re-designing the pathway to surgery: better care and added value
3 Jul, 2017 | 17:16h | UTCRe-designing the pathway to surgery: better care and added value – Perioperative Medicine (free)
Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Antibiotics for Smaller Skin Abscesses
29 Jun, 2017 | 13:34h | UTCA Placebo-Controlled Trial of Antibiotics for Smaller Skin Abscesses – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Adding Antibiotics to Incision-and-Drainage of Small Skin Abscesses Helps – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Antibiotics Improve Short-Term Outcomes for Simple Abscesses – Medscape (free registration required) AND Study finds benefit for antibiotic treatment of simple skin wounds – CIDRAP (free)
A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Aspirin, Clopidogrel, and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Bleeding Complications in Noncardiac Surgery
26 Jun, 2017 | 17:32h | UTCA Meta-analysis of the Impact of Aspirin, Clopidogrel, and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Bleeding Complications in Noncardiac Surgery – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Source: EvidenceAlerts (free resource to find articles of interest)
“Antiplatelet therapy at the time of noncardiac surgery confers minimal bleeding risk with no difference in thrombotic complications. In many cases, it is safe to continue antiplatelet therapy in patients with important indications for their use”
Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Coronary Stents Undergoing Elective Noncardiac Surgery
20 Jun, 2017 | 18:23h | UTCInspired by War Zones, Balloon Device May Save Civilians From Fatal Blood Loss
20 Jun, 2017 | 12:25h | UTCInspired by War Zones, Balloon Device May Save Civilians From Fatal Blood Loss – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Surgeon Variation in Complications With Minimally Invasive and Open Colectomy
20 Jun, 2017 | 12:23h | UTCSurgeon Variation in Complications With Minimally Invasive and Open Colectomy: Results From the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative – JAMA Surgery (free) (RT @MaryDixonWoods see Tweet)
Surgeon-level variation in complications among surgeons was nearly twice as great for Minimally Invasive Colectomy than for Open Colectomy, implying a need for improved training in adoption of minimally invasive techniques.
How to fall to your death and live to tell the tale
14 Jun, 2017 | 00:38h | UTCHow to fall to your death and live to tell the tale – Mosaic Science (free)
“Falls—such as slipping in the shower or tripping down stairs—kill over 420,000 people worldwide each year” (RT @ghn_news see Tweet)
Head injury: assessment and early management
9 Jun, 2017 | 16:07h | UTCHead injury: assessment and early management – NICE Guideline (free)
Practice Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting
9 Jun, 2017 | 16:03h | UTCPractice Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting and the Use of Pharmacologic Agents to Reduce the Risk of Pulmonary Aspiration – Anesthesiology, via Medscape (free registration required)
Antibiotics Versus Surgical Therapy for Uncomplicated Appendicitis (again)
7 Jun, 2017 | 15:21h | UTCAntibiotics Versus Surgical Therapy for Uncomplicated Appendicitis: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Antibiotics Versus Surgery: Equally Effective in Treating Appendicitis? – Medscape (free registration required)
This meta-analysis and the author’s conclusions do not favor antibiotics alone for the treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis, contradiction the results of other recent meta-analysis, as well as a recent guideline on the subject, suggesting antibiotics might be an option in selected cases.
Guidelines on the Management of Intra-Abdominal Infection
26 May, 2017 | 15:10h | UTCRelated: Management of intra-abdominal infections: recommendations by the WSES 2016 consensus conference – World Journal of Emergency Surgery (free)
Effect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery
25 May, 2017 | 14:50h | UTCEffect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Surgery (free) (RT @PreetiNMalani see Tweet)
Commentary: Anti-delirium strategy reduces after-surgery confusion in elderly – Reuters Health (free)
Multicomponent nonpharmacologic interventions, including orienting communications, oral and nutritional assistance, and early mobilization reduced postoperative delirium by 56% and length of stay by 2 days.
Perioperative management of patients on direct oral anticoagulants
24 May, 2017 | 14:42h | UTCReview: Perioperative management of patients on direct oral anticoagulants – Thrombosis Journal (free)
New Advice to Move More After a Concussion
19 May, 2017 | 17:55h | UTCNew Advice to Move More After a Concussion – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Related: Consensus statement on concussion in sport—the 5th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016 – British Journal of Sports Medicine (free) AND So, Tom Brady had a concussion. What does that mean? Your guide to the latest science – STAT News (free)
Hip fracture guideline
15 May, 2017 | 19:45h | UTCGuideline: Hip fracture: management – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE – UK) (free)
Management of intra-abdominal infections
15 May, 2017 | 19:41h | UTCSource: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 2017
5 May, 2017 | 20:29h | UTCCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 2017 – JAMA Surgery (free) (RT @jankluytmans and @CIDRAP_ASP see Tweet)
Invited commentary: Surgical Site Infection Prevention – What We Know and What We Do Not Know – JAMA Surgery (free)
Commentary: ‘Long-Awaited’ CDC Guidelines on SSI Prevention Released – Medscape (free registration required)
Related: Global guidelines on the prevention of surgical site infection 2016 – World Health Organization (free)
The World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic
5 May, 2017 | 20:23h | UTCThe World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic – TIME cover story (RT @HealthTalkUMN and @paimadhu see Tweet)
Related: The World Is Completely Unprepared for a Global Pandemic – Harvard Business Review (free) Seven reasons we’re at more risk than ever of a global pandemic – CNN (free)
Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage
27 Apr, 2017 | 16:33h | UTCEditorial: WOMAN: reducing maternal deaths with tranexamic acid (free)
Commentary: Overlooked Drug Could Save Thousands Of Moms After Childbirth – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
“Tranexamic acid reduced deaths of mothers caused by bleeding after childbirth by 1/3” (RT @LSHTMpress see Tweet)
Mortality Trends After Surgical Safety Checklist
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:31h | UTCMortality Trends After a Voluntary Checklist-based Surgical Safety Collaborative – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – free PDF available)
Sources: Global Health NOW Newsletter (free) AND South Carolina Hospitals Saw Surgery Deaths Drop After Implementing WHO Checklist – AJMC News (free) AND A simple checklist prevents deaths after surgery, a large new study suggests – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
See also: WHO Surgical Safety Checklist – World Health Organization (free) AND A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
The wound/burn guidelines – Japanese Dermatological Association
5 Apr, 2017 | 21:55h | UTCThe wound/burn guidelines – Japanese Dermatological Association (all guidelines are free)
Wounds in general / Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment for pressure ulcers / Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment for diabetic ulcer/gangrene / Guidelines for the management of skin ulcers associated with connective tissue disease/vasculitis / Guidelines for the management of lower leg ulcers/varicose veins / Guidelines for the management of burns
American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria Adds Topics
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:19h | UTCACR Appropriateness Criteria Adds Topics, Covers More Clinical Variants Than Ever Before (free)
Browse Appropriateness Criteria Topics (free)
Source: Newswise
This comprehensive guide from American College of Radiology (ACR) covers 230 topics with more than 1,100 clinical indications and has just been updated. It is a very useful resource for doctors in all specialties to guide which exam is most appropriate in each clinical situation.