JAMA surgery
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With the health policy focus on shifting risk to hospitals and physicians, hospital leaders are increasing efforts to reduce excessive resource use, such as patients with extended length of stay (LOS) after surgery. However, the degree to which extended LOS represents complications, patient illness, or inefficient practice style is unclear. ⋯ Much of the variation in hospitals' risk-adjusted extended LOS rates is not attributable to patient illness or complications and therefore most likely represents differences in practice style. Efforts to reduce excess resource use should focus on efficiency of care, such as increased adoption of enhanced recovery pathways.
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Follow-up with a primary care provider (PCP) in addition to the surgical team is routinely recommended to patients discharged after major surgery despite no clear evidence that it improves outcomes. ⋯ Follow-up with a PCP after high-risk surgery (eg, open TAA repair), especially among patients with complications, is associated with a lower risk of hospital readmission. Patients undergoing lower-risk surgery (eg, VHR) do not receive the same benefit from early PCP follow-up. Identifying high-risk surgical patients who will benefit from PCP integration during care transitions may offer a low-cost solution toward limiting readmissions.
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Advances in the care of the injured patient are perhaps the only benefit of military conflict. One of the unique aspects of the military medical care system that emerged during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom has been the opportunity to apply existing civilian trauma system standards to the provision of combat casualty care across an evolving theater of operations. ⋯ Rapid movement of critically injured casualties within hours of wounding appears to be effective, with a minimal mortality incurred during movement and overall 30-day mortality. We found no association between the duration of time from wounding to arrival at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center with respect to mortality.
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Comparative Study
Reoperation rates for laparoscopic vs open repair of femoral hernias in Denmark: a nationwide analysis.
In Denmark approximately 10 000 groin hernias are repaired annually, of which 2% to 4% are femoral hernias. Several methods for repair of femoral hernias are used including sutured repair and different types of mesh repair with either open or laparoscopic techniques. The use of many different approaches reflects a rather low level of evidence for the best method of repair. Randomized clinical trials are lacking. Large, prospective cohort studies are an alternative way of acquiring improved evidence regarding the best type of repair. ⋯ Laparoscopic repair of a femoral hernia reduces the risk of reoperation for a recurrence compared with open repair. The results from this study support the guidelines recommending the use of the laparoscopic approach for repair of femoral hernias.
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Despite the recognized value of the Joint Commission's Universal Protocol and the implementation of time-outs, incorrect surgical procedures are still among the most common types of sentinel events and can have fatal consequences. ⋯ Prevention of wrong-site procedures and accompanying patient harm outside the operating room requires adherence to the Universal Protocol and time-outs, effective teamwork, training and education, mentoring, and patient assessment for early detection of complications. The time-outs provide protected time and place for error detection and recovery.