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Purpose: Even today, it remains a challenge for healthcare professionals to decide whether a clinically stable patient who is recovering from uncomplicated medium or major surgery would benefit from a postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admission, or whether they would be at least as adequately cared for by a few hours of monitoring in the post-operative care unit (PACU). Methods: In this monocentric retrospective observational study, all adult patients who (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin (DGAI) in Anästh Intensivmed (50):S486–S489, 2009) underwent medium or major surgery between 1 January 1 2014 and 31 December 2018 at the Heidelberg University Surgical Center, and (Vimlati et al. in Eur J Anaesthesiol September 26(9):715–721, 2009) were monitored for 1–12 h in the PACU, and then (De Pietri et al. in World J Gastroenterol 20(9):2304–23207, 2014) transferred to a normal ward (NW) immediately thereafter were included. At the end of the PACU stay, each patient was cleared by both a surgeon and an anesthesiologist to be transferred to a NW. The first objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of relevant early complications (RECs) within the first 24 h on a normal ward. The secondary objective was to determine the prevalence of RECs in the subgroup of included patients who underwent partial pancreaticoduodenectomy. Results: A total of 10,273 patients were included in this study. The prevalence of RECs was 0.50% (confidence interval [CI] 0.40–0.60%), with the median length of stay in the PACU before the patient's first transfer to a NW being 285 min (interquartile range 210–360 min). In the subgroup of patients who underwent partial pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 740), REC prevalence was 1.1% (CI = 0.55–2.12%). Conclusion: Based on a medical case-by-case assessment, it is possible to select patients who after a PACU stay of only up to 12 h have a low risk of emergency readmission to an ICU within the 24 h following the transfer to the NW. Continued research will be needed to further improve transfer decisions in such low-risk subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental hazards may influence health outcomes and be a driver of health inequalities. We sought to characterize the extent to which social–environmental inequalities were associated with surgical outcomes following a complex operation. In this cross-sectional study, patients who underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, coronary artery bypass grafting, colectomy, pneumonectomy, or pancreatectomy between 2016 and 2021 were identified from Medicare claims data. Patient data were linked with social–environmental data sourced from Centers for Disease Control and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry data based on county of residence. The Environmental Justice Index social–environmental ranking (SER) was used as a measure of environmental injustice. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between SER and surgical outcomes. Among 1,052,040 Medicare beneficiaries, 346,410 (32.9%) individuals lived in counties with low SER, while 357,564 (33.9%) lived in counties with high SER. Patients experiencing greater social–environmental injustice were less likely to achieve textbook outcome (odds ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.94-0.96, P < 0.001) and to be discharged to an intermediate care facility or home with a health agency (odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.96-0.98, P < 0.001). Cumulative social and environmental inequalities, as captured by the Environmental Justice Index SER, were associated with postoperative outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing a range of surgical procedures. Policy makers should focus on environmental, as well as socioeconomic injustice to address preventable health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Presurgical optimisation programmes decrease the risk of postoperative complications, reduce hospital stays and speed up patient recovery. They usually involve a multidisciplinary team addressing physical, nutritional and psychosocial issues. The objective of this study was to assess the results of implementing a presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse in patients undergoing major surgery in a primary general hospital. Methods An observational, retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study based on the revision of patients’ health records undergoing major surgery between January 2019 and December 2022. Patients entering the presurgical optimisation programme (intervention group) were compared with patients receiving usual medical care (control group). The presurgical optimisation programme consisted of oral nutritional supplementation, physical exercise, strengthening of lung capacity and psychological and emotional support. Frequency (%) of surgery complications and use of healthcare resources (duration of hospitalisation, time spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), and readmission) at day 30 were recorded. Descriptive statistics were applied. Results Two hundred eleven patients (58.5% men, mean age: 65.76 years (SD 11.5), 75.2%. non-smokers; mean body mass index (BMI): 28.32 (SD 5.38); mean Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) 3.71 (SD 1.35; oncology diagnosis: 88.6%) were included: 135 in the intervention group, and 76 in the control group. The average duration of the presurgical optimisation programme was 20 days (SD 5). Frequency of postoperative complications was 25% (n = 33) in the intervention group and 52.6% (n = 40) in the control group (p

Abstract Background Improving outcomes after surgery is a major public health research priority for patients, clinicians and the NHS. The greatest burden of perioperative complications, mortality and healthcare costs lies amongst the population of patients aged over 50 years who undergo major non-cardiac surgery. The Volatile vs Total Intravenous Anaesthesia for major non-cardiac surgery (VITAL) trial specifically examines the effect of anaesthetic technique on key patient outcomes: quality of recovery after surgery (quality of recovery after anaesthesia, patient satisfaction and major post-operative complications), survival and patient safety. Methods A multi-centre pragmatic efficient randomised trial with health economic evaluation comparing total intravenous anaesthesia with volatile-based anaesthesia in adults (aged 50 and over) undergoing elective major non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia. Discussion Given the very large number of patients exposed to general anaesthesia every year, even small differences in outcome between the two techniques could result in substantial excess harm. Results from the VITAL trial will ensure patients can benefit from the very safest anaesthesia care, promoting an early return home, reducing healthcare costs and maximising the health benefits of surgical treatments. Trial registration ISRCTN62903453. September 09, 2021.

Background: Presurgical optimisation programmes decrease the risk of postoperative complications, reduce hospital stays and speed up patient recovery. They usually involve a multidisciplinary team addressing physical, nutritional and psychosocial issues. The objective of this study was to assess the results of implementing a presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse in patients undergoing major surgery in a primary general hospital. Methods: An observational, retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study based on the revision of patients' health records undergoing major surgery between January 2019 and December 2022. Patients entering the presurgical optimisation programme (intervention group) were compared with patients receiving usual medical care (control group). The presurgical optimisation programme consisted of oral nutritional supplementation, physical exercise, strengthening of lung capacity and psychological and emotional support. Frequency (%) of surgery complications and use of healthcare resources (duration of hospitalisation, time spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), and readmission) at day 30 were recorded. Descriptive statistics were applied. Results: Two hundred eleven patients (58.5% men, mean age: 65.76 years (SD 11.5), 75.2%. non-smokers; mean body mass index (BMI): 28.32 (SD 5.38); mean Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) 3.71 (SD 1.35; oncology diagnosis: 88.6%) were included: 135 in the intervention group, and 76 in the control group. The average duration of the presurgical optimisation programme was 20 days (SD 5). Frequency of postoperative complications was 25% (n = 33) in the intervention group and 52.6% (n = 40) in the control group (p < 0.001) [odds ratio (OR) = 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.8; 6.2)]. 14.5% (n = 19) of patients in the intervention group and 34.2% (n = 26) in the control group had remote postoperative complications [OR = 3.1; 95% CI (1.6; 6.2)]. Patients in the intervention group spent fewer days in the hospital [mean 8.34 (SD 6.70) vs 11.63 (SD 10.63)], and there were fewer readmissions at 30 days (7.6% vs 19.7%) compared with the control group. Conclusions: A presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse decreases the rate of immediate and late surgical complications and reduces hospital stays and readmissions in patients undergoing major surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) manifests as a subtle decline in cognition, potentially leading to unfavourable postoperative outcomes. We explored the impact of POCD on physical function, length of hospital stay (LOS), dementia and mortality outcomes. Methods PubMed and Scopus were searched until May 2023. All studies of major surgical patients that assessed POCD and outcomes of interest were included. POCD effects were stratified by surgery type (cardiac and noncardiac) and time of POCD assessment (<30 and ≥30 days postsurgery). Results Of 2316 studies, 20 met the inclusion criteria. POCD was not associated with functional decline postsurgery. Patients who experienced POCD postcardiac surgery had an increased relative risk (RR) of death of 2.04 [(95% CI: 1.18, 3.50); I 2 = 0.00%]. Sensitivity analyses showed associations with intermediate-term mortality among noncardiac surgical patients, with an RR of 1.84 [(95% CI: 1.26, 2.71); I 2 = 0.00%]. Patients who developed POCD <30 days postcardiac and noncardiac surgeries experienced longer LOS than those who did not [mean difference (MD) = 1.37 days (95% CI: 0.35, 2.39); I 2 = 92.38% and MD = 1.94 days (95% CI: 0.48, 3.40); I 2 = 83.29%, respectively]. Postoperative delirium (POD) may contribute to the heterogeneity observed, but limited data were reported within the studies included. Conclusions Patients undergoing cardiac and noncardiac surgeries who developed POCD <30 days postsurgery had poorer outcomes and an increased risk of premature death. Early recognition of perioperative neurocognitive disorders in at-risk patients may enable early intervention. However, POD may confound our findings, with further studies necessary to disentangle the effects of POD from POCD on clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major surgery is associated with high complication rates. Several risk scores exist to assess individual patient risk before surgery but have limited precision. Novel prognostic factors can be included as additional building blocks in existing prediction models. A candidate prognostic factor, measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, is ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO 2). The aim of this systematic review was to summarise evidence regarding VE/VCO 2 as a prognostic factor for postoperative complications in patients undergoing major surgery. A medical library specialist developed the search strategy. No database-provided limits, considering study types, languages, publication years, or any other formal criteria were applied to any of the sources. Two reviewers assessed eligibility of each record and rated risk of bias in included studies. From 10,082 screened records, 65 studies were identified as eligible. We extracted adjusted associations from 32 studies and unadjusted from 33 studies. Risk of bias was a concern in the domains 'study confounding' and 'statistical analysis'. VE/VCO 2 was reported as a prognostic factor for short-term complications after thoracic and abdominal surgery. VE/VCO 2 was also reported as a prognostic factor for mid- to long-term mortality. Data-driven covariable selection was applied in 31 studies. Eighteen studies excluded VE/VCO 2 from the final multivariable regression owing to data-driven model-building approaches. This systematic review identifies VE/VCO 2 as a predictor for short-term complications after thoracic and abdominal surgery. However, the available data do not allow conclusions about clinical decision-making. Future studies should select covariables for adjustment a priori based on external knowledge. PROSPERO (CRD42022369944). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving outcomes after surgery is a major public health research priority for patients, clinicians and the NHS. The greatest burden of perioperative complications, mortality and healthcare costs lies amongst the population of patients aged over 50 years who undergo major non-cardiac surgery. The Volatile vs Total Intravenous Anaesthesia for major non-cardiac surgery (VITAL) trial specifically examines the effect of anaesthetic technique on key patient outcomes: quality of recovery after surgery (quality of recovery after anaesthesia, patient satisfaction and major post-operative complications), survival and patient safety. Methods: A multi-centre pragmatic efficient randomised trial with health economic evaluation comparing total intravenous anaesthesia with volatile-based anaesthesia in adults (aged 50 and over) undergoing elective major non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia. Discussion: Given the very large number of patients exposed to general anaesthesia every year, even small differences in outcome between the two techniques could result in substantial excess harm. Results from the VITAL trial will ensure patients can benefit from the very safest anaesthesia care, promoting an early return home, reducing healthcare costs and maximising the health benefits of surgical treatments. Trial registration: ISRCTN62903453. September 09, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prehabilitation is of becoming of growing interest in the medical specialist societies, especially before major surgical procedures in older and frail patients. The body of evidence in steadily growing. Objectives: Are there good digital solutions for a remote prehabilitation program at home? Methods: Narrative review of the evidence and current study activities in analogous and digital prehabilitation. Results: Prehabilitation is becoming increasingly more important in the optimal preparation of patients before major surgical procedures. With the help of tailored programs patients can be improved and the risk of complications can be significantly lowered. With an optimal selection, this is not associated with a deterioration of the prognosis for patients with cancer during the intervention lasting for 3–6 weeks. There is still a lack of results and good evidence from well-designed trials for digital solutions. Conclusion: Prehabilitation can be safely implemented in the preparation of patients before major surgical procedures. Digital solutions are currently being developed and tested and could possibly increase the acceptance in the currently intensifying resource shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We sought to define surgical outcomes among elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) following major thoracic and gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was used to identify patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, pneumonectomy, pancreatectomy, and colectomy. Individuals were identified from the Medicare Standard Analytic Files and multivariable regression was utilized to assess the association of ADRD with textbook outcome (TO), expenditures, and discharge disposition. Results: Among 1,175,010 Medicare beneficiaries, 19,406 (1.7%) patients had a preoperative diagnosis of ADRD (CABG: n = 1,643, 8.5%; AAA repair: n = 5,926, 30.5%; pneumonectomy: n = 590, 3.0%; pancreatectomy: n = 181, 0.9%; and colectomy: n = 11,066, 57.0%). After propensity score matching, patients with ADRD were less likely to achieve a TO (ADRD: 31.2% vs. no ADRD: 40.1%) or be discharged to home (ADRD: 26.7% vs. no ADRD: 46.2%) versus patients who did not have ADRD (both p < 0.001). Median index surgery expenditures were higher among patients with ADRD (ADRD: $28,815 [IQR $14,333–$39,273] vs. no ADRD: $27,101 [IQR $13,433–$38,578]; p < 0.001) (p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, patients with ADRD had higher odds of postoperative complications (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.25–1.40), extended length‐of‐stay (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.21–1.32), 90‐day readmission (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.31–1.43), and 90‐day mortality (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.66–1.86) (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: Preoperative diagnosis of ADRD was an independent risk factor for poor postoperative outcomes, discharge to non‐home settings, as well as higher healthcare expenditures. These data should serve to inform discussions and decision‐making about surgery among the growing number of older patients with cognitive deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal dysfunction is a common complication after heart transplantation (Htx). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can be assessed by various estimating equations (eGFR). We evaluated the correlation, agreement, and accuracy between eGFR and mGFR and the ability of eGFR to track changes in mGFR early after Htx. Methods: A single‐center prospective observational study on 55 patients undergoing Htx. Serum creatinine and mGFR (plasma clearance of Cr51‐EDTA or iohexol) were measured preoperatively and on the fourth postoperative day. The accuracy of eGFR to predict true mGFR was calculated as the percentage of patients with an eGFR within 30% of mGFR (P30). The agreement between eGFR and mGFR was assessed according to Bland and Altman. A four‐quadrant plot was made to evaluate the ability of eGFR to track changes in mGFR. Results: The accuracy of eGFR to assess mGFR was 52%. The bias was 11.2 ± 17.4 mL/min/1.72 m2. The limits of agreement were −23.0 to 45.4 mL/min/1.72 m2 and the error 58%. The concordance rate between eGFR and mGFR was 72%. Conclusions: eGFR underestimated mGFR and the agreement between eGFR and mGFR was low with an unacceptably large between‐group error and low accuracy. Furthermore, the ability of eGFR to assess changes in mGFR, postoperatively, was poor. Thus, the use of estimating equations from serum creatinine will not adequately assess renal function early after major heart surgery. To gain adequate information on renal function early after Htx, GFR needs to be measured, not estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative pain is a common complication in patients undergoing major surgical operations, interfering with comfort and recovery and increasing the risk of further complications. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of NSAIDs in managing postoperative pain at Manokwari Regional Hospital. Utilizing qualitative research methods, data was collected through observation and literature study and analyzed via data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that NSAIDs effectively alleviate postoperative pain by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes responsible for prostaglandin production. However, their use is limited by potential systemic side effects, including gastrointestinal disorders, kidney impairment, increased blood pressure, heart attack, and heart failure. Consequently, topical NSAID formulations are recommended to mitigate these risks. The study suggests that while NSAIDs are effective, clinicians should consider their side effects and prefer topical alternatives. Future research should explore the efficacy and safety of topical NSAIDs and alternative pain management strategies to enhance clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a severe postoperative complication in patients undergoing major surgery. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used preoperatively as prophylaxis for postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding. Whether preoperative PPI use is associated with an increased risk of postoperative AKI remains uncertain.Methods This retrospective cohort study used electronic medical records from the clinical data warehouse of Peking University First Hospital to screen all adult hospitalizations undergoing major surgery between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020. Exposure was preoperative PPI use, defined as PPI use within 7 days before major surgery. The primary outcome was postoperative AKI, defined as AKI occurring within 7 days after major surgery; secondary outcomes included in-hospital AKI and in-hospital mortality.Results A total of 21,533 patients were included in the study (mean [SD] age, 57.8 [15.0] years; 51.2% male), of which 944 (4.4%) were prescribed PPI within 7 days before major surgery (PPI users). Overall, 72 PPI users (7.6%) and 356 non-users (1.7%) developed postoperative AKI. After adjustment, preoperative PPI use was associated with an increased risk of postoperative AKI (adjusted OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.04–2.07) and in-hospital AKI (adjusted OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03–1.94). Moreover, subgroup analyses showed that the risk of PPI on postoperative AKI was amplified by the concomitant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or diuretics. No significant difference was observed between preoperative PPI use and in-hospital mortality in the fully adjusted model (adjusted OR 1.63; 95% CI, 0.55–4.85).Conclusions Preoperative PPI use was associated with an increased risk of AKI in patients undergoing major surgery. This risk may be enhanced by the concomitant use of other nephrotoxic drugs. Clinicians should weigh the pros and cons before initiating PPI prophylaxis.

Summary: Complications are common following major surgery and are associated with increased use of healthcare resources, disability and mortality. Continued reliance on mortality estimates risks harming patients and health systems, but existing tools for predicting complications are unwieldy and inaccurate. We aimed to systematically construct an accurate pre‐operative model for predicting major postoperative complications; compare its performance against existing tools; and identify sources of inaccuracy in predictive models more generally. Complete patient records from the UK Peri‐operative Quality Improvement Programme dataset were analysed. Major complications were defined as Clavien–Dindo grade ≥ 2 for novel models. In a 75% train:25% test split cohort, we developed a pipeline of increasingly complex models, prioritising pre‐operative predictors using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operators (LASSO). We defined the best model in the training cohort by the lowest Akaike's information criterion, balancing accuracy and simplicity. Of the 24,983 included cases, 6389 (25.6%) patients developed major complications. Potentially modifiable risk factors (pain, reduced mobility and smoking) were retained. The best‐performing model was highly complex, specifying individual hospital complication rates and 11 patient covariates. This novel model showed substantially superior performance over generic and specific prediction models and scores. We have developed a novel complications model with good internal accuracy, re‐prioritised predictor variables and identified hospital‐level variation as an important, but overlooked, source of inaccuracy in existing tools. The complexity of the best‐performing model does, however, highlight the need for a step‐change in clinical risk prediction to automate the delivery of informative risk estimates in clinical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium is a frequent and debilitating complication following major surgical procedures, with detrimental consequences for patients and healthcare systems. Emerging evidence suggests that the depth of anesthesia may influence the occurrence of postoperative delirium, although this relationship remains poorly understood. Methods: This randomized clinical trial investigated the impact of anaesthetic depth on postoperative delirium. A total of 300 patients, aged 60 years and older, undergoing elective major surgery, were randomly assigned to receive either light or deep anesthesia, with anesthesia depth monitored using the Bispectral Index (BIS). Postoperative delirium was assessed using standardized tools, including the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and the Delirium-O-Meter. Primary outcomes included the incidence of postoperative delirium, while secondary outcomes comprised postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. Results: The deep anesthesia group exhibited a significantly lower incidence of postoperative delirium (8%) compared to the light anesthesia group (17%). Furthermore, patients in the deep anesthesia group had a shorter length of hospital stay. The study did not find a statistically significant difference in postoperative complications between the two groups. Conclusion: This randomized clinical trial suggests that maintaining deeper levels of anesthesia during major surgery may be associated with a reduced incidence of postoperative delirium. These findings hold promising implications for perioperative care, patient safety, and healthcare resource utilization, necessitating further research to confirm and elaborate on these results, explore underlying mechanisms, and inform clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perioperative telemonitoring of patients undergoing major surgery might lead to improved postoperative outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of current perioperative telemonitoring interventions on postoperative clinical, patient-reported, and financial outcome measures in patients undergoing major surgery. Methods: For this systematic review, PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase databases were searched for eligible articles published between January 1, 2009 and March 15, 2021. Studies were eligible as they described: (P) patients aged 18 years or older who underwent major abdominal surgery, (I) perioperative telemonitoring as intervention, (C) a control group receiving usual care, (O) any type of postoperative clinical, patient-reported, or financial outcome measures, and (S) an interventional study design. Results: The search identified 2958 articles of which 10 were eligible for analysis, describing nine controlled trials of 2438 patients. Perioperative telemonitoring comprised wearable biosensors (n = 3), websites (n = 3), e-mail (n = 1), and mobile applications (n = 2). Outcome measures were clinical (n = 8), patient-reported (n = 5), and financial (n = 2). Results show significant improvement of recovery time, stoma self-efficacy and pain in the early postoperative phase in patients receiving telemonitoring. Other outcome measures were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: Evidence for the effectiveness of perioperative telemonitoring in major surgery is scarce. There is a need for good quality studies with sufficient patients while ensuring that the quality and usability of the technology and the adoption in care processes are optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify and prevent perioperative hypothermia, most surgical patients require a non-invasive, accurate, convenient, and continuous core temperature method, especially for patients undergoing major surgery. This study validated the precision and accuracy of a cutaneous zero-heat-flux thermometer and its performance in detecting intraoperative hypothermia. Adults undergoing major non-cardiac surgeries with general anaesthesia were enrolled in the study. Core temperatures were measured with a zero-heat-flux thermometer, infrared tympanic membrane thermometer, and oesophagal monitoring at 15-minute intervals. Taking the average value of temperature measured in the tympanic membrane and oesophagus as a reference, we assessed the agreement using the Bland-Altman analysis and linear regression methods. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of detecting hypothermia were estimated. 103 patients and one thousand sixty-eight sets of paired temperatures were analyzed. The mean difference between zero-heat-flux and the referenced measurements was -0.03 ± 0.25 °C, with 95% limits of agreement (-0.52 °C, 0.47 °C) was narrow, with 94.5% of the differences within 0.5 °C. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was 0.90 (95%CI 0.89–0.92). The zero-heat-flux thermometry detected hypothermia with a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 90%. The zero-heat-flux thermometer is in good agreement with the reference core temperature based on tympanic and oesophagal temperature monitoring in patients undergoing major surgeries, and appears high performance in detecting hypothermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Optimising periprocedural management of direct oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation on chronic treatment undergoing major surgeries is an important aspect of balancing the risk of surgery-related bleeding with the risk of thromboembolic events, which may vary by surgery type. Methods This subanalysis of the prospective EMIT-AF/VTE programme assessed periprocedural-edoxaban management, according to physicians’ decisions, and bleeding and thromboembolic event rates in patients who underwent major vs. nonmajor surgeries. Edoxaban interruption and clinical outcomes were compared between major vs. nonmajor surgeries and between renal function subgroups (creatinine clearance [CrCL] ≤ 50 mL/min vs. > 50 mL/min). Results We included 276 major and 512 nonmajor surgeries. The median pre- and postprocedural duration of edoxaban interruption in major vs. nonmajor surgeries was 4 vs. 1 days, whereas median duration of interruption for those with preprocedural-only and postprocedural-only interruption was 2 vs. 1 days and 2 vs. 0 days, respectively (P

Background: Informed consent for surgery has become a critical component in surgical practice. Patients learn about the diagnosis (disease condition), management options, surgical interventions (indications, risks, and benefits) and then agree to receive treatment through a well-prepared informed consent. In Tanzania, the National Guideline for Safe Care Standards explains that health facilities should have a clearly defined process of getting informed consent and in surgical procedures, it directs that the consent form should state the type of anesthesia and procedure to be performed on the patient. Increased medico-legal litigation and the desire to provide patients with more say concerning their own treatment has highlighted the need to strengthen quality of informed consent in surgical procedures. This study was designed to determine the practice of informed consent among patients undergoing major surgeries in the surgical department at a regional referral hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: A hospital based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Temeke Regional Referral Hospital in Dar es Salaam Tanzania involving seventy-one patients aged 18 years or above who were admitted in surgical wards and had undergone major surgical procedure from July to August 2022. Convenience sampling technique was utilized to recruit the study participants. Data collection was done by using a questionnaire in Swahili and analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) computer software version 23.0. Results: A total of 71 patients were enrolled; 53 (74.6 %) were male and 18 (25.4%) were female. There were more emergency surgeries 37(52.1%) than elective surgeries 34 (47.9%). Most participants (69%) had their consent being taken few hours before surgery and on the operating table. Majority received pre-anesthetic evaluation while at the operating table (56.3%). Information about surgery was delivered by surgeons who performed surgery in 39.4 % of the participants. On the other hand, 84.5% of the participants knew the diagnosis prior surgery, 60.6% reported to have been informed about the benefits of the intended surgery while only 1.4% were informed about the alternative of the surgery. Only 26.9% were informed on the consequences of not undergoing surgery;38% were given time to ask questions, but only 40.8% were involved in making decisions for the intended surgery. Majority of the study participants (84.5%) knew the type of anesthesia to be used and only 8.5% were informed about possible risks for the intended anesthesia and surgery. Conclusion: This study highlighted areas of inadequacy in surgical informed consent practice at Temeke Regional Referral Hospital. Informed consent for surgery was mostly taken few hours before surgery and while on the operating table, preoperative evaluation mostly was done while patients were on the operating table, surgery risks and alternative to treatment options were poorly communicated. Therefore, every aspect of surgical informed consent should be well communicated to patients and given adequate time for decision making. Also, for elective cases surgical informed consent should be taken a day before surgery to allow patients make their own decisions without undue coercion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Optimising periprocedural management of direct oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation on chronic treatment undergoing major surgeries is an important aspect of balancing the risk of surgery-related bleeding with the risk of thromboembolic events, which may vary by surgery type. Methods: This subanalysis of the prospective EMIT-AF/VTE programme assessed periprocedural-edoxaban management, according to physicians' decisions, and bleeding and thromboembolic event rates in patients who underwent major vs. nonmajor surgeries. Edoxaban interruption and clinical outcomes were compared between major vs. nonmajor surgeries and between renal function subgroups (creatinine clearance [CrCL] ≤ 50 mL/min vs. > 50 mL/min). Results: We included 276 major and 512 nonmajor surgeries. The median pre- and postprocedural duration of edoxaban interruption in major vs. nonmajor surgeries was 4 vs. 1 days, whereas median duration of interruption for those with preprocedural-only and postprocedural-only interruption was 2 vs. 1 days and 2 vs. 0 days, respectively (P < 0.0001). Rates of all bleeding and clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding were numerically higher in major vs. nonmajor surgeries. Event rates (number of events per 100 surgeries) were low overall (< 6 events per 100 surgeries), independent of renal function subgroups. Conclusion: In this subanalysis of the EMIT-AF/VTE programme, periprocedural-edoxaban interruption was significantly longer in patients undergoing major vs. nonmajor surgery. This clinician-driven approach was associated with low rates of bleeding and thromboembolic events following both major and nonmajor surgeries. Trial registration: NCT02950168, registered October 31, 2016; NCT02951039, registered November 1, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prehabilitation is a multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach, to prepare patients for surgery, with the aim of improving postoperative outcomes. Worldwide, healthcare systems are facing challenges with a gap between demand and supply of healthcare services. Telehealth is seen as a solution for delivering sustainable and efficient treatments. The effect of providing prehabilitation using telehealth solutions is unclear. This systematic review investigated the existing literature regarding the effects and feasibility of technologies for remotely supporting home-based prehabilitation compared to standard care on pre- and postoperative outcomes in adults undergoing elective major surgery. A literature search identified relevant studies published between 1 January 2012 and December 2022 in PubMed, PsychInfo, Cinahl and the Cochrane Library. We included RCTs, feasibility and pilot studies. The quality of studies was evaluated using Cochrane's Risk of bias assessment and by narratively rating the certainty of evidence. Six randomized controlled trials and 20 pilot/feasibility studies were included. The number and content of the interventions varied, depending on context and resources. Multiple approaches in the use of digital healthcare solutions were applied and the results highlight the potential of providing health services remotely. The use of technologies to support remote home-based prehabilitation in patients undergoing elective major surgery is feasible and has high acceptability, though telehealth is a broad term and wide-ranging strategies are used. Digital technologies for supporting home-based prehabilitation are likely to play an essential role in future health care as resources are scarce and innovative solutions are needed. • Surgical procedures are associated with significant stress to individual patients • Prehabilitation is an approach to prepare patients for surgery and optimize outcome • Home-based prehabilitation delivered using digital solutions can empower patients • Using technologies to remotely support home-based prehabilitation is feasible • Digital technologies are likely to play an essential role in future health care [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery. This study assessed the risk of developing or worsening of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other clinical outcomes in patients experiencing AKI after major surgery. Methods This retrospective observational study used Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart Database to investigate cardiorenal outcomes in adult patients at the first AKI event following major surgery. The primary outcome was CKD stage ≥3; secondary outcomes included myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure, all-cause hospitalization, end-stage kidney disease, need for dialysis or kidney transplant and composite measures. Follow-up was up to 3 years. Additionally, the effect of intercurrent events on the risk of clinical outcomes was assessed. Results Of the included patients (N  = 31 252), most were male (61.9%) and White (68.9%), with a median age of 72 years (interquartile range 64–79). The event rates were 25.5 events/100 patient-years (PY) for CKD stage ≥3, 3.1 events/100 PY for end-stage kidney disease, 3.0 events/100 PY for dialysis and 0.1 events/100 PY for kidney transplants. Additionally, there were 6.9 events/100 PY for MI, 8.7 events/100 PY for stroke and 49.8 events/100 PY for all-cause hospitalization during follow-up. Patients with AKI relapses as intercurrent events were more likely to develop CKD stage ≥3 than those with just one AKI event after major surgery. Conclusion This analysis demonstrated that patients experiencing AKI following major surgery are at high risk of developing severe CKD or worsening of pre-existing CKD and other cardiorenal clinical outcomes such as MI and stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Postoperative systemic inflammation is strongly associated with surgical outcomes, but its relationship with patient‐centred outcomes is largely unknown. Detection of excessive inflammation and patient and surgical factors associated with adverse patient‐centred outcomes should inform preventative treatment options to be evaluated in clinical trials and current clinical care. This retrospective cohort study analysed prospectively collected data from 3000 high‐risk, elective, major abdominal surgery patients in the restrictive vs. liberal fluid therapy for major abdominal surgery (RELIEF) trial from 47 centres in seven countries from May 2013 to September 2016. The co‐primary endpoints were persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery, and quality of recovery using a 15‐item quality of recovery score at days 3 and 30. Secondary endpoints included: 90‐day and 1‐year all‐cause mortality; septic complications; acute kidney injury; unplanned admission to intensive care/high dependency unit; and total intensive care unit and hospital stays. Patients were assigned into quartiles of maximum postoperative C‐reactive protein concentration up to day 3, after multiple imputations of missing values. The lowest (reference) group, quartile 1, C‐reactive protein ≤ 85 mg.l‐1, was compared with three inflammation groups: quartile 2 > 85 mg.l‐1 to 140 mg.l‐1; quartile 3 > 140 mg.l‐1 to 200 mg.l‐1; and quartile 4 > 200 mg.l‐1 to 587 mg.l‐1. Greater postoperative systemic inflammation had a higher adjusted risk ratio (95%CI) of persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery, quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 being 1.76 (1.31–2.36), p < 0.001. Increased inflammation was associated with increasing decline in risk‐adjusted estimated medians (95%CI) for quality of recovery, the quartile 4 to quartile 1 difference being ‐14.4 (‐17.38 to ‐10.71), p < 0.001 on day 3, and ‐5.94 (‐8.92 to ‐2.95), p < 0.001 on day 30. Marked postoperative systemic inflammation was associated with increased risk of complications, poor quality of recovery and persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional risk factors used for predicting poor postoperative recovery have focused on postoperative complications, adverse symptoms (nausea, pain), length of hospital stay, and patient quality of life. Despite these being traditional performance indicators of patient postoperative "status," they may not fully define the multidimensional nature of patient recovery. The definition of postoperative recovery is thus evolving to include patient‐reported outcomes that are important to the patient. Previous reviews have focused on risk factors for the above traditional outcomes after major surgery. Yet, there remains a need for further study of risk factors predicting multidimensional patient‐focused recovery, and investigation beyond the immediate postoperative period after patients are discharged from the hospital. This review aimed to appraise the current literature identifying risk factors for multidimensional patient recovery. Methods: A systematic review without meta‐analysis was performed to qualitatively summarize preoperative risk factors for multidimensional recovery 4–6 weeks after major surgery (PROSPERO, CRD42022321626). We reviewed three electronic databases between January 2012 and April 2022. The primary outcome was risk factors for multidimensional recovery at 4–6 weeks. A GRADE quality appraisal and a risk of bias assessment were completed. Results: In total, 5150 studies were identified, after which 1506 duplicates were removed. After the primary and secondary screening, nine articles were included in the final review. Interrater agreements between the two assessors for the primary and secondary screening process were 86% (k = 0.47) and 94% (k = 0.70), respectively. Factors associated with poor recovery were found to include ASA grade, recovery tool baseline score, physical function, number of co‐morbidities, previous surgery, and psychological well‐being. Mixed results were reported for age, BMI, and preoperative pain. Due to the observational nature, heterogeneity, multiple definitions of recovery, and moderate risk of bias of the primary studies, the quality of evidence was rated from very low to low. Conclusion: Our review found that there were few studies assessing preoperative risk factors as predictors for poor postoperative multidimensional recovery. This confirms the need for higher quality studies assessing risk for poor recovery, ideally with a consistent and multi‐dimensional definition of recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open major abdominal surgery is one of the most risky surgical procedures for acute postoperative pain. Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) has been considered the standard analgesic approach. In different reports, lidocaine i.v. has been shown to have an analgesic efficacy comparable with TEA. We compared the analgesic efficacy of i.v. lidocaine with thoracic epidural analgesia using bupivacaine in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. In this noninferiority clinical trial, 210 patients were randomised to thoracic epidural bupivacaine with morphine or i.v. lidocaine. Dynamic pain at 24 h after surgery was measured using a numerical pain rating scale (NPR), and morphine consumption was also measured. A difference in i.v. the lidocaine-epidural bupivacaine NPR of ≤1 for dynamic pain was considered a noninferiority margin. The NPR for dynamic pain in the lidocaine group at 24 h was between 5.7 (1.8) and 5.2 (1.9) in the epidural group, with a difference of 0.53 (95% confidence interval 0.0–1.0). In the first 24 h, the average difference in morphine consumption was 1.8 mg between the i.v. lidocaine and epidural groups (95% confidence interval 1–3 mg). No differences were found in adverse events or complications associated with the procedures. Intravenous lidocaine is noninferior to thoracic epidural analgesia for acute postoperative pain control in major abdomial surgery at 24 h postoperatively. NCT04017013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute form of brain dysfunction that can result in serious adverse consequences. There has been a link between cognitive dysfunction and poor sleep. The present study aimed to determine the association and prediction of subjective sleep quality and postoperative delirium during major non-cardiac surgery. Methods One hundred and thirty-four patients, aged 60 years or older, were scheduled for elective laparotomy or orthopaedic procedures. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep log were used to assess perioperative subjective sleep quality in participants. Nursing Delirium Screening Checklist (NU-DESC) was used for screening, and the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) was used to diagnose POD during the first seven days following surgery. The association between subjective sleep quality and POD was assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Thereafter, the prediction performance of subjective sleep quality was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results All assessments were completed on 119 patients who had an average PSQI score of 7.0 ± 2.4 before surgery. 23 patients (19.3%) suffered from POD. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of POD was closely related to age, BMI, PSQI and operation time. After adjusting for related factors, there was a statistically significant association between PSQI and POD occurrence (OR = 1.422, 95%CI 1.079–1.873, per 1-point increase in PSQI). The ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal PSQI cutoff value was 8.0 for predicting POD, and the area under the ROC (AUROC) value of PSQI was 0.741 (95%CI 0.635 to 0.817). The AUROC of the model developed by the multivariate logistic regression analysis was 0.870 (95%CI 0.797 to 0.925). Conclusions The study found that preoperative subjective sleep quality was strongly associated with POD during major non-cardiac surgery. Additionally, PSQI combined with age, BMI, and operation time improved POD prediction.

Background: Postoperative depression is not well characterised. We investigated the incidence of postoperative depression with the hypothesis that after controlling for confounders, new onset depression would vary significantly by surgical type. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Optum Clinformatics Datamart. The primary outcome was new onset postoperative depression, defined by a new diagnosis of depression or new prescription for an antidepressant in the year after surgery using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9/10 codes and drug names. Adjustment for preoperative comorbidities and predictors of depression was with multivariable Cox regression and propensity score matching. Sensitivity analyses defining new onset depression as both a new diagnosis of depression and a new prescription for an antidepressant, or either outcome separately, were conducted. Results: Data from 132 390 cardiac surgery, 12 538 thoracotomy, 32 630 video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), 96 750 hip fracture surgery, 157 484 hip replacement, and 347 878 laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients from January 2004 to June 2021 were analysed. The incidence of new onset postoperative depression was 18.8% for hip fracture surgery, 16.1% for thoracotomy, 12.6% for cardiac surgery, 12.4% for VATS, 8.6% for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and 6.8% for hip replacement. After multivariable adjustment, hip fracture surgery patients were most likely to develop new onset postoperative depression (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]) 1.56 [1.45–1.68]), followed by thoracotomy (1.12 [1.03–1.22]), cardiac surgery (1.09 [1.04–1.12]), VATS (0.95 [0.90–1.00]), and hip replacement (0.55 [0.52–0.57]) compared with patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (hazard ratio=1). Results from propensity score matched analyses and sensitivity analyses were similar. Conclusions: The risk of postoperative depression differs by surgical type after controlling for preoperative characteristics.

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute form of brain dysfunction that can result in serious adverse consequences. There has been a link between cognitive dysfunction and poor sleep. The present study aimed to determine the association and prediction of subjective sleep quality and postoperative delirium during major non-cardiac surgery. Methods: One hundred and thirty-four patients, aged 60 years or older, were scheduled for elective laparotomy or orthopaedic procedures. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep log were used to assess perioperative subjective sleep quality in participants. Nursing Delirium Screening Checklist (NU-DESC) was used for screening, and the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) was used to diagnose POD during the first seven days following surgery. The association between subjective sleep quality and POD was assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Thereafter, the prediction performance of subjective sleep quality was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: All assessments were completed on 119 patients who had an average PSQI score of 7.0 ± 2.4 before surgery. 23 patients (19.3%) suffered from POD. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of POD was closely related to age, BMI, PSQI and operation time. After adjusting for related factors, there was a statistically significant association between PSQI and POD occurrence (OR = 1.422, 95%CI 1.079–1.873, per 1-point increase in PSQI). The ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal PSQI cutoff value was 8.0 for predicting POD, and the area under the ROC (AUROC) value of PSQI was 0.741 (95%CI 0.635 to 0.817). The AUROC of the model developed by the multivariate logistic regression analysis was 0.870 (95%CI 0.797 to 0.925). Conclusions: The study found that preoperative subjective sleep quality was strongly associated with POD during major non-cardiac surgery. Additionally, PSQI combined with age, BMI, and operation time improved POD prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Summary: Acute postoperative pain is common, distressing and associated with increased morbidity. Targeted interventions can prevent its development. We aimed to develop and internally validate a predictive tool to pre‐emptively identify patients at risk of severe pain following major surgery. We analysed data from the UK Peri‐operative Quality Improvement Programme to develop and validate a logistic regression model to predict severe pain on the first postoperative day using pre‐operative variables. Secondary analyses included the use of peri‐operative variables. Data from 17,079 patients undergoing major surgery were included. Severe pain was reported by 3140 (18.4%) patients; this was more prevalent in females, patients with cancer or insulin‐dependent diabetes, current smokers and in those taking baseline opioids. Our final model included 25 pre‐operative predictors with an optimism‐corrected c‐statistic of 0.66 and good calibration (mean absolute error 0.005, p = 0.35). Decision‐curve analysis suggested an optimal cut‐off value of 20–30% predicted risk to identify high‐risk individuals. Potentially modifiable risk factors included smoking status and patient‐reported measures of psychological well‐being. Non‐modifiable factors included demographic and surgical factors. Discrimination was improved by the addition of intra‐operative variables (likelihood ratio χ2 496.5, p < 0.001) but not by the addition of baseline opioid data. On internal validation, our pre‐operative prediction model was well calibrated but discrimination was moderate. Performance was improved with the inclusion of peri‐operative covariates suggesting pre‐operative variables alone are not sufficient to adequately predict postoperative pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the opportunities for shared decision-making when older high-risk patients are offered major surgery. This study examines how, when, and why clinicians and patients can share decision-making about major surgery. This was a multi-method qualitative study, combining video recordings of preoperative consultations, interviews, and focus groups (33 patients, 19 relatives, 36 clinicians), with observations and documentary analysis in clinics in five hospitals in the UK undertaking major orthopaedic, colorectal, and/or cardiac surgery. Three opportunities for shared decision-making about major surgery were identified. Resolution-focused consultations (cardiac/colorectal) resulted in a single agreed preferred option related to a potentially life-threatening problem, with limited opportunities for shared decision-making. Evaluative and deliberative consultations offered more opportunity. The former focused on assessing the likelihood of benefits of surgery for a presenting problem that was not a threat to life for the patient (e.g., orthopaedic consultations) and the latter (largely colorectal) involved discussion of a range of options while also considering significant comorbidities and patient preferences. The extent to which opportunities for shared decision-making were available, and taken up by surgeons, was influenced by the nature of the presenting problem, clinical pathway, and patient trajectory. Decisions about major surgery were not always shared between patients and doctors. The nature of the presenting problem, comorbidities, clinical pathways, and patient trajectories all informed the type of consultation and opportunities for sharing decision-making. Our findings have implications for clinicians, with shared decision-making about major surgery most feasible when the focus is on life-enhancing treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trauma and major surgery often lead to low serum albumin level in patients. Several studies have been reported showing depressed serum albumin level in upper, lower extremity and other major surgery. Metabolic stress response from major surgical interventions and prolonged immobility are primarily responsible for low serum albumin level in these patients. Aim: To investigate the preoperative and postoperative serum albumin levels in patients who underwent extremity surgery and compare the changes in albumin levels between those who underwent upper extremities surgery versus lower extremities surgery. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective study. The Study included 120 patients who presented to the Emergency Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics in Deben Mahata Government Medical College and Hospital, Purulia, West Bengal, India due to trauma. This study was conducted on and from November 30, 2018 to November 30, 2021. All the patients underwent either lower or upper extremity surgery (Group 1 and Group 2, respectively) by orthopaedic surgeons and were consecutively selected regardless of their ages. The serum albumin levels at the time of admission and on the third day after surgery were obtained from the hospital patient records. Continuous variables were expressed as mean±standard deviation. The normality test of the numerical variables using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Results: Mean age of population in the upper extremities surgery group was 38.8 years vs 30.5 years in the lower extremities. A statistically significant difference in the preoperative and postoperative serum albumin levels was found in both groups (p<0.05). Moreover, the mean difference between preoperative and postoperative serum albumin levels was found to be significantly higher in the lower extremity group (1.52±0.32 gm/dL) than in the upper extremity group (0.95±0.39 g/dL) (p<0.05) and the coefficient of correlation between these two groups r> 0.7 indicating significant difference between albumin levels in two groups. Conclusion: This study revealed that both upper and lower extremity surgeries caused hypoalbuminemia. The study was novel in finding that lower extremity surgery caused more severe hypoalbuminemia in the patients compared with the patients of upper extremity surgery. A correlation study done between two groups and was found to be significant with p-value <0.05 and r value> 0.7. The reason for this significant difference was the longer duration of lower extremity surgery requiring more fluid support during the surgery and resultant increased metabolic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Patients presenting for major surgery with low cardiorespiratory fitness (deconditioning) and other modifiable risk factors are at increased risk of postoperative complications. This study investigated the feasibility of delivering prehabilitation in high-risk patients scheduled for major abdominal cancer surgery. Methods Eligible patients in this single-center cohort study included patients with poor fitness (objectively assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET) scheduled for elective major abdominal cancer surgery. Patients were recruited to participate in a prehabilitation program that spanned up to 6 weeks pre-operatively and comprised aerobic and resistance exercise training, breathing exercise, and nutritional support. The primary outcome assessed pre-specified feasibility targets: recruitment >70%, retention >85%, and intervention adherence >70%. Secondary outcomes were assessed for improved pre-operative functional status and health-related quality of life and for postoperative complications. Results Eighty-two (34%) out of 238 patients screened between April 2018 and December 2019 were eligible for recruitment. Fifty (61%) patients (52% males) with a median age of 71 (IQR, 63–77) years participated in the study. Baseline oxygen consumption the at anaerobic threshold and at peak exercise (mean±SD: 9.8±1.8 and 14.0±2.9 mL/kg/min, respectively) confirmed the deconditioned state of the study cohort. The retention rate within the prehabilitation program was 84%, with 42 participants returning for repeat CPET testing. While >60% of participants preferred to do home-based prehabilitation, adherence to the intervention was low—with only 12 (28%) and 15 (35%) of patients having self-reported compliance >70% with their exercise prescriptions. Conclusion Our prehabilitation program in high-risk cancer surgery patients did not achieve pre-specified targets for recruitment, retention, and self-reported program adherence. These findings underpin the importance of implementation research and strategies for the prehabilitation programs in major surgery. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12620000073909 ) retrospectively registered.

Delirium is a frequent complication after surgery in older adults and is associated with an increased risk of long-term cognitive impairment and dementia. Disturbances in functional brain networks were previously reported during delirium. We hypothesised that alterations in functional brain networks persist after remission of postoperative delirium and that functional brain network alterations are associated with long-term cognitive impairment. In this prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study, we included older patients who underwent clinical assessments (including the Trail Making Test B [TMT-B]) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) before and 3 months after elective surgery. Delirium was assessed on the first seven postoperative days. Of the 554 enrolled patients, 246 remained after strict motion correction, of whom 38 (16%) developed postoperative delirium. The rs-fMRI functional connectivity strength increased 3 months after surgery in the total study population (β=0.006; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001–0.011; P =0.013), but it decreased after postoperative delirium (β=–0.015; 95% CI: –0.028 to 0.002; P =0.023). No difference in TMT-B scores was found at follow-up between patients with and without postoperative delirium. Patients with decreased functional connectivity strength declined in TMT-B scores compared with those who did not (β=11.04; 95% CI: 0.85–21.2; P =0.034). Postoperative delirium was associated with decreased brain functional connectivity strength after 3 months, suggesting that delirium has a long-lasting impact on brain networks. The decreased connectivity strength was associated with significant cognitive deterioration after major surgery. NCT02265263. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trauma and major surgery often lead to low serum albumin level in patients. Several studies have been reported showing depressed serum albumin level in upper, lower extremity and other major surgery. Metabolic stress response from major surgical interventions and prolonged immobility are primarily responsible for low serum albumin level in these patients. Aim: To investigate the preoperative and postoperative serum albumin levels in patients who underwent extremity surgery and compare the changes in albumin levels between those who underwent upper extremities surgery versus lower extremities surgery. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective study, including 120 patients, who presented to the Emergency Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics, in Deben Mahata Government Medical College and Hospital, Purulia, West Bengal, India, due to trauma included in the present study (on and from November 30 2018 to November 30 2021). All the patients underwent either lower or upper extremity surgery (Group 1 and Group 2, respectively) by orthopaedic surgeons and were consecutively selected regardless of their ages. The serum albumin levels at the time of admission and on the third day after surgery were obtained from the hospital patient records. Continuous variables were expressed as mean±standard deviation. The normality test of the numerical variables using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Results: Mean age of population in the upper extremities surgery group was 38.8 years vs 30.5 years in the lower extremities. A statistically significant difference in the preoperative and postoperative serum albumin levels was found in both groups (p 0.7 indicating significant difference between albumin levels in two groups. Conclusion: This study revealed that both upper and lower extremity surgeries caused hypoalbuminemia. The study was novel in finding that lower extremity surgery caused more severe hypoalbuminemia in the patients compared with the patients of upper extremity surgery. A correlation study done between two groups and was found to be significant with p-value 0.7. The reason for this significant difference was the longer duration of lower extremity surgery requiring more fluid support during the surgery and resultant increased metabolic stress.

Abstract Background In planned major surgery the duration of inpatient hospital care during the last decade has decreased because of a combination of different perioperative interventions. It is expected that patients can manage the needed pre- and postoperative self-care to a large extent on their own. This entails challenges to healthcare system to deliver appropriate information to patients in a safe and efficient manner. The aim of this study was therefore to describe healthcare workers’ perceptions of how eHealth applications can support patients’ self-care in relation to planned major surgery. Methods Semi-structured interviews were performed with sixteen healthcare workers from different disciplines. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the phenomenography approach. Results Healthcare workers perceived both positive aspects and challenges with eHealth applications for self-care. eHealth applications can work as an information source, affect patients’ understanding of self-care, improve patients’ participation in self-care, streamline communication with healthcare professionals and improve patient safety during the pre- and postoperative period. The challenges included perceptions of that eHealth applications may have negative impact on personal interaction in care. eHealth applications may not be useful to all patients because of lack of equipment or knowledge and may increase patients’ suffering if physical visits are replaced by digital solutions. Conclusions This study improves our understanding of healthcare workers’ perceptions of how the use of self-care eHealth applications can support patients in performing pre- and postoperative self-care for major surgery. Access to appropriate and personalized information and instructions can improve patients’ understanding of self-care and enhance the participation and safety of those who can afford and handle digital tools. All these aspects must be considered in future digital development of eHealth applications to guarantee a person-centered care.

We carried out a retrospective exploratory study on 173 patients who underwent major surgery and developed septic shock after surgery. Our findings suggest that CEACAM7 rs1001578, rs10409040, and rs889365 polymorphisms could influence septic shock-related death in individuals who underwent major surgery.

Abstract Background There is scant clinical research on neuraxial analgesia in dogs undergoing major surgery. With this study we compared the perioperative analgesic effects of thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA) and intrathecal morphine (ITM) in dogs scheduled for thoracic or cranial abdominal surgery. The dogs received methadone and dexmedetomidine, were anaesthetized with propofol maintained with sevoflurane, and randomly assigned to receive either TEA (ropivacaine 0.5% at 0.2 mg/kg and morphine 0.1 mg/kg administered at T12-T13) or ITM (morphine 30 μg/kg administered at L6-L7). Intraoperative rescue analgesia (iRA) was fentanyl 1 μg/kg administered if heart rate or mean arterial pressure increased by 30% above the pre-stimulation level. Glasgow Pain Composite Scale score (GPCS) dictated the use of postoperative rescue analgesia (pRA) with methadone 0.2 mg/kg. Results There was a statistically significant difference in iRA, median time to first fentanyl bolus, median fentanyl dose after surgical opening, and median GPCS score at 30 minutes (min), 1 ,2, 4, 6, and 8 hours (h) between the two groups (p

Persons with bleeding disorders (PwBD) are at high risk for bleeding with invasive procedures. However, the risk of bleeding in PwBD undergoing major surgery and outcomes of patients managed perioperatively at a hemophilia treatment center (HTC) are not well described. We performed a retrospective review of surgical outcomes among PwBD undergoing major surgery between January 1st, 2017 and December 31st, 2019 at the Cardeza Foundation Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center in Philadelphia, PA. The primary outcome was postoperative bleeding, assessed according to the ISTH-SSC's 2010 definition. Secondary outcomes included use of unplanned postoperative hemostatic therapy, LOS, and 30-day readmission rate. Results were compared to non-PwBD population from a surgical database, matched for surgery, age, and sex. During the study period, 50 PwBD underwent 63 major surgeries. The most common diagnoses were VWD (64%) and hemophilia A (20.0%). The most common surgical procedure category was orthopedic (33.3%), predominantly arthroplasties. Postoperatively, 4.8% of procedures were complicated by major bleeding and 1.6% by non-major bleeding. The mean LOS was 1.65 days, and 30-day readmission rate was 1.6%. In comparison to matched, non-PwBD patients in a national surgical database undergoing the same procedures, study patients had a similar rate of bleeding complications per procedure (5.0% vs 1.04% P = .071, Fisher's exact test). PwBD undergoing major surgeries have low rates of major bleeding when receiving comprehensive care at an HTC. Bleeding and hospital readmission rates were similar to non-PwBD baseline in a large database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is an emerging biomarker of the level of chronic systemic inflammation and the general condition of the patient. We aimed to investigate the impact of general anesthesia and major surgery on perioperative suPAR and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Methods: This study included patients undergoing elective major noncardiac surgery with an expected duration of ≥2 h under general anesthesia. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years and American Society of Anesthesiologists' physical status I–IV. Blood was drawn 30 min prior to induction of anesthesia (preoperatively), as well as 30 min after emergence from anesthesia (postoperatively). Plasma suPAR levels were determined using the suPARnostic® Quick Triage lateral flow assay. CRP measurements were performed by particle-enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay. Results: The difference in preoperative and postoperative suPAR levels was not statistically significant (7.7 [5.28–10.4] ng/mL vs. 7.15 [5.68–9.8] ng/mL, p = 0.462). CRP levels increased significantly during surgery (0.81 [0.24–2.1] mg/dL vs. 5.76 [2.2–8.75] mg/dL, p < 0.001). No correlation was observed between CRP and suPAR levels, both preoperatively (rho = 0.127; p = 0.208) and postoperatively (rho = 0.017; p = 0.87). A statistically significant increase was also observed in postoperative white blood cell count (7.576 vs. 10.711, p < 0.001). Conclusion: General anesthesia and operative trauma did not affect perioperative suPAR levels despite the activation of systemic inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background People with kidney failure have a high incidence of major surgery, though the risk of perioperative outcomes at a population-level is unknown. Our objective was to estimate the proportion of people with kidney failure that experience acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or death within 30 days of major non-cardiac surgery, based on surgery type. Methods In this retrospective population-based cohort study, we used administrative health data to identify adults from Alberta, Canada with major surgery between April 12,005 and February 282,017 that had preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs)

Background: Patients presenting for major surgery with low cardiorespiratory fitness (deconditioning) and other modifiable risk factors are at increased risk of postoperative complications. This study investigated the feasibility of delivering prehabilitation in high-risk patients scheduled for major abdominal cancer surgery. Methods: Eligible patients in this single-center cohort study included patients with poor fitness (objectively assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET) scheduled for elective major abdominal cancer surgery. Patients were recruited to participate in a prehabilitation program that spanned up to 6 weeks pre-operatively and comprised aerobic and resistance exercise training, breathing exercise, and nutritional support. The primary outcome assessed pre-specified feasibility targets: recruitment >70%, retention >85%, and intervention adherence >70%. Secondary outcomes were assessed for improved pre-operative functional status and health-related quality of life and for postoperative complications. Results: Eighty-two (34%) out of 238 patients screened between April 2018 and December 2019 were eligible for recruitment. Fifty (61%) patients (52% males) with a median age of 71 (IQR, 63–77) years participated in the study. Baseline oxygen consumption the at anaerobic threshold and at peak exercise (mean±SD: 9.8±1.8 and 14.0±2.9 mL/kg/min, respectively) confirmed the deconditioned state of the study cohort. The retention rate within the prehabilitation program was 84%, with 42 participants returning for repeat CPET testing. While >60% of participants preferred to do home-based prehabilitation, adherence to the intervention was low—with only 12 (28%) and 15 (35%) of patients having self-reported compliance >70% with their exercise prescriptions. Conclusion: Our prehabilitation program in high-risk cancer surgery patients did not achieve pre-specified targets for recruitment, retention, and self-reported program adherence. These findings underpin the importance of implementation research and strategies for the prehabilitation programs in major surgery. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620000073909) retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reported incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is around 5.0-7.5% of all hospitalized patients, and 40% of them are postoperative patients. Major abdominal surgeries account for 3.1-35% of cases of postoperative AKI in various series. The aim of the study was to identify the incidence and risk factors of AKI in peritonitis patients undergoing emergency laparotomy., Materials and Methods: Adult patients aged 18-65 years undergoing emergency laparotomy for perforation peritonitis were included in this prospective observational study. Baseline clinical and laboratory data, intraoperative details and postoperative outcome data (AKI at day 7, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, and mortality) were recorded. Logistic regression model was constructed to predict AKI at day 7., Results: N = 140 patients were included in this study and 69 patients (49.3%) developed AKI within day 7. Larger volume of crystalloid [OR (95% CI) 1.00 (1.00-1.00); p = 0.012], intraoperative vasopressor use (OR 7.42 (2.41-22.83); p < 0.001), intraoperative blood loss [OR 1.004(1.00-1.01); p = 0.003] and the presence of chronic liver disease (CLD) [OR 22.44 (1.68-299.26); p = 0.019] were risk factors for the development of AKI. Acute kidney injury patients had increased mortality at day 90 (24.6% v s 1.4%; p < 0.001), length of ICU stay (3 days vs 0 days, p < 0.001), and length of hospital stay (11 days vs 7 days; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In peritonitis patients undergoing emergency laparotomy, as many as 49% of patients develop AKI within 1 week. The presence of CLD, intraoperative blood loss, and the use of crystalloids and vasopressor increase the odds of developing AKI., How to Cite This Article: Priya P, Baidya DK, Anand RK, Ray BR, Khanna P, Krishna A, et al . Epidemiology and Long-term Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Adult Patients with Perforation Peritonitis Undergoing Emergency Laparotomy. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(9):854-858., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: NoneConflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).)

In recent years, prehabilitation has generated high expectations as an innovative preoperative strategy to enhance clinical outcomes following surgery. Several studies have demonstrated that multimodal programs are effective in improving patients' health status and cardiopulmonary reserve, allowing them to undergo surgery in better conditions and, consequently, reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. Most publications describe proof-of-concept studies, and literature about their implementation is more limited. The implementation of these programs requires new resources and significant organizational effort. In this paper, we share our experience implementing a multimodal prehabilitation program as a mainstream service at a tertiary hospital. Although there are still many unknowns regarding the optimal selection of patients, as well as the duration and components of the program, this article describes our journey in this field, aiming to provide insight for teams interested in developing a similar project., (Copyright © 2024 AEC. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Zuli Fu,1,2 Qian Xu,1 Chiyuan Zhang,1,3 Hui Bai,1 Xuliang Chen,1 Yanfeng Zhang,1 Wanjun Luo,1 Guoqiang Lin1 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guoqiang LinDepartment of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86-731-84327097Email lgq186snoopy@126.comPurpose: Post-operative delirium (POD) is a common complication after aortic surgery with poor outcomes. Blood pressure may play a role in the occurrence of POD. The study aimed to identify whether admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) level in the intensive care unit (ICU) is correlated with POD in acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (AAAD) patients undergoing aortic surgery.Patients and Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study enrolling consecutive 205 patients with acute type A aortic dissection undergoing aortic surgery. Patients were divided into 3 groups: low, normal, and high SBP level group. Outcomes of interest were POD, 30-day mortality and other complications including acute kidney injury, cardiac complications, spinal cord ischemia, stroke, and pneumonia. Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) method was used to assess POD. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, Cox regression, and subgroup analysis were performed to uncover the association between SBP and POD.Results: The mean age of these patients was 51± 16 years old. Thirty-six patients (17.6%) developed POD. Patients with high admission SBP were more likely to develop POD (P < 0.01). Univariate analysis showed that high admission SBP was associated with a higher risk of POD among AAAD patients (OR, 3.514; 95% CI, 1.478– 8.537, P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression model confirmed that high SBP was an independent predictor of POD. Subgroup analysis indicated that patients with anemia and high admission SBP were at higher risk of POD.Conclusion: High admission SBP was positively associated with the incidence of POD in AAAD patients who underwent surgical repair in ICU.Keywords: acute Stanford type A aortic dissection, intensive care unit, major surgery, post-operative delirium, systolic blood pressure

Background and aims: Surgery is a main treatment for some illnesses. Postoperative pain (POP) is a major postoperative concern for patients and healthcare providers. The present study aimed at comparing the effects of cold therapy and foot and hand massage on POP among patients with major surgeries. Methods: This quality improvement study was conducted in 2019 on ninety patients who underwent thoracoabdominal surgeries in Kashani teaching hospital, Shahrekord, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to a control, a cold therapy, and a foot and hand massage group through block randomization with a block size of six. Participants in the control group received routine care services, while participants in the cold therapy group received twenty-minute local cold therapy three times a day for 48 hours and participants in the massage group received twenty-minute hand and foot massage three times a day for 48 hours. POP was assessed before and 48 hours after the study intervention using the McGill Pain Questionnaire. The SPSS software was used to analyze the data through the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Fisher’s exact, chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, paired-sample t, and Wilcoxon’s sign-ranked tests as well as the one-way analysis of variance. Results: There was no significant difference among the groups respecting the pretest mean score of POP (P > 0.05). The mean score of POP significantly decreased in all groups (P < 0.05) and the amount of decrease in the intervention groups was significantly more than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Cold therapy and foot and hand massage are effective in significantly reducing POP among patients with major thoracoabdominal surgeries.