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Objective: There is often unfamiliarity with the care of artificial airway devices (ie, endotracheal tubes, tracheostomies, and laryngectomies). The objective of this study was to design an Airway Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) to improve airway care. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of a prospectively-initiated AQIP. The AQIP has 3 parts: 1) Mandatory "airway signs" 2) In-service teaching with a corresponding order set and 3) an overhead "Surgical Airway Emergency" page involving automatic pages to Anesthesia, Otolaryngology, and Respiratory Therapy. Pre- and post-intervention survey data was collected. The incidence of airway emergency was the primary patient outcome and was hypothesized to decrease after AQIP intervention. Results: Airway emergencies decreased 8.4% after AQIP (P =.45). Length of stay decreased after AQIP, 47.0 ± 76.5 days compared to 23.5 ± 23.6 (P =.004). Two hundred eight-one nurses and 76 respiratory therapists were educated. Pre-AQIP comfortability scores improved for the routine care of endotracheal tubes, tracheostomies, and laryngectomies, 4.3 ± 0.9, 4.3 ± 0.8, and 3.5 ± 1.2, compared to 4.7 ± 0.6, 4.5 ± 0.7, and 4.4 ± 0.7 post-AQIP (P =.0006, P =.02, P =.0001). The same improvement was noted for emergency airway care. Tracheostomy vs. laryngectomy recognition increased from 66.5 to 97.0% (P =.0001). Quiz questions regarding emergency airway management for laryngectomies improved from 76.2 to 93.8% (P =.0001). Conclusion: The AQIP was associated with decreased length of hospital stay and improved competency in airway care among hospital staff. Further application of AQIP is needed for replication in other institutions and long-term application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Morbidly obese patients are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) after bariatric surgery. Perioperative chemoprophylaxis is used routinely with bariatric surgery to decrease the risk of VTE. When bleeding occurs, routine chemoprophylaxis is often withheld due to concerns about inciting another bleeding event. We sought to evaluate the relationship between perioperative bleeding and postoperative VTE in bariatric surgery.Methods: The American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) dataset between 2012 and 2014 was queried to identify patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass (n = 28,145), sleeve gastrectomy (n = 30,080), bariatric revision (n = 324), and biliopancreatic diversion procedures (n = 492) were included. Univariate and multivariate regressions were used to determine perioperative factors predictive of postoperative VTE within 30 days in patients who experience a bleeding complication necessitating transfusion.Results: The rate of bleeding necessitating transfusion was 1.3%. Bleeding was significantly more likely to occur in gastric bypass compared to sleeve gastrectomy (1.6 vs. 1.0%) (p < 0.0001). For all surgeries, increased age, length of stay, operative time, and comorbidities including hypertension, dyspnea with moderate exertion, partially dependent functional status, bleeding disorder, transfusion prior to surgery, ASA class III/IV, and metabolic syndrome increased the perioperative bleeding risk (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the rate of VTE was significantly higher after blood transfusion [Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.7; 95% CI 2.9-7.9; p < 0.0001). Predictive risk factors for VTE after transfusion included previous bleeding disorder, ASA class III or IV, and COPD (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Bariatric surgery patients who receive postoperative blood transfusion are at a significantly increased risk for VTE. The etiology of VTE in those who are transfused is likely multifactorial and possibly related to withholding chemoprophylaxis and the potential of a hypercoagulable state induced by the transfusion. In those who bleed, consideration should be given to reinitiating chemoprophylaxis when safe, extending treatment after discharge, and screening ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]