Anaesthesia
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Delirium is a common complication following hip fracture surgery. We introduced a peri-operative care bundle that standardised management in the emergency department, operating theatre and ward. This incorporated: use of fascia iliaca blocks; rationalisation of analgesia; avoidance of drugs known to trigger delirium; a regular education program for staff; and continuous auditing of compliance. ⋯ There was no difference between groups for the secondary outcome measures (measured at 30 days postoperatively) including: all-cause mortality; composite morbidity; institutionalisation; and walking status. During the study period, compliance with elements of the care bundle improved in the emergency department (49 patients (33%) compared with 85 patients (59%); p < 0.001) and anaesthetic department (40 patients (27%) compared with 104 patients (69%); p < 0.001), while orthogeriatrics maintained a high level of compliance (140 patients (93%) compared with 143 patients (95%); p = 0.45). There was a clinically and statistically significant reduction in the incidence of delirium following hip fracture surgery in patients treated with a multidisciplinary care bundle.
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Editorial Comment
Trial sequential analysis: adding a new dimension to meta-analysis.
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Standardised peri-operative care pathways for patients undergoing emergency laparotomy or laparoscopy for non-traumatic pathologies have been shown to be inadequate and associated with high morbidity and mortality. Recent research has highlighted this problem and showed that simple pathways with 'rescue' interventions have been associated with reduced mortality when implemented successfully. These rescue pathways have focused on early diagnosis and surgery, specialist surgeon and anaesthetist involvement, goal-directed therapy and intensive or intermediary postoperative care for high-risk patients. ⋯ In order to move beyond rescue pathways and to establish enhanced recovery for emergency laparotomy, it is essential that research on both the peri-operative pathophysiology of the different main patient groups - intestinal obstruction and perforation - and the potentially differentiated impact of interventions is carried out. Procedure- and pathology-specific knowledge is lacking on key elements of peri-operative care, such as: multimodal analgesia; haemodynamic optimisation and fluid management; attenuation of surgical stress; nutritional optimisation; facilitation of mobilisation; and the optimal use and organisation of specialised wards and improved interdisciplinary collaboration. As such, the future challenges in improving peri-operative patient care in emergency laparotomy are moving from simple rescue pathways to establish research that can form a basis for morbidity- and procedure-specific enhanced recovery protocols as seen in elective surgery.
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Observational Study
Impact of loop diuretics on critically ill patients with a positive fluid balance.
The impact of the use of loop diuretics to prevent cumulative fluid balance in non-oliguric patients is uncertain. This is a retrospective study to estimate the association of time-averaging loop diuretic exposure in a large population of non-cardiac, critically ill patients with a positive fluid balance (> 5% of body weight). The exposure was loop diuretic and the main outcomes were 28-day mortality, severe acute kidney injury and successful mechanical ventilation weaning. ⋯ The main results were consistent in the sub-group analysis for sepsis, oliguria and the study period (2002-2007 vs. 2008-2012). Also, equivalent doses of up to 80 mg per day of furosemide had no significant association with mortality. After adjusting for time-varying variables, the time average of loop diuretic exposure in non-cardiac, critically ill patients has no association with overall mortality or severe acute kidney injury; however, prolonged mechanical ventilation is a concern.