Search

Background and objective of the study: Hospitals, especially surgical departments, are among the largest producers of waste in Germany. Data on waste management in the operating room (OR) are largely lacking. The aim of this study was to assess and discuss the possibilities of reducing waste and recovering recyclable materials in general surgery against the background of current practice. Methodology: Surgical departments throughout Germany were surveyed on waste management. First, the theoretical waste separation possibilities for laparoscopic appendectomy were determined. Subsequently, a simple system for the separation of recyclables was established and practically tested in 35 operations. These were compared with 35 appendectomies without separation. Results: Only 25.7% of hospitals perform waste separation. Theoretically, 20.7% of waste can be recycled, in practice up to 18.9%. Paper, cardboard and plastics, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were separated. This leads to a significant reduction in residual waste without extending the operation time. Discussion: Separation of recyclables can contribute to more sustainable waste management in the OR. High-value recyclables can be recycled and the residual waste mass can be significantly reduced. This is possible without special effort and does not delay the processes in the OR. The opportunities for this have hardly been used in Germany to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The management of patients with suspected appendicitis remains a challenge in daily clinical practice, and the optimal management algorithm is still being debated. Negative appendectomy rates (NAR) continue to range between 10 and 15%. This prospective study evaluated the accuracy of a diagnostic pathway in acute appendicitis using clinical risk stratification (Alvarado score), routine ultrasonography, gynecology consult for females, and selected CT after clinical reassessment. Methods: Patients presenting with suspected appendicitis between November 2015 and September 2017 from age 18 years and above were included. Decision-making followed a clear management pathway. Patients were followed up for 6 months after discharge. The hypothesis was that the algorithm can reduce the NAR to a value of under 10%. Results: A total of 183 patients were included. In 65 of 69 appendectomies, acute appendicitis was confirmed by histopathology, corresponding to a NAR of 5.8%. Notably, all 4 NAR appendectomies had other pathologies of the appendix. The perforation rate was 24.6%. Only 36 patients (19.7%) received a CT scan. The follow-up rate after 30 days achieved 69%, including no patients with missed appendicitis. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic pathway was 100% and 96.6%, respectively. The potential saving in costs can be as much as 19.8 million €/100,000 cases presenting with the suspicion of appendicitis. Conclusion: The risk-stratified diagnostic algorithm yields a high diagnostic accuracy for patients with suspicion of appendicitis. Its implementation can safely reduce the NAR, simultaneously minimizing the use of CT scans and optimizing healthcare-related costs in the treatment of acute appendicitis. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02627781 (December 2015) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]