British journal of anaesthesia
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Preparedness for mass casualty events is essential at local, national, and global levels. Much more needs to be done by all stakeholders to avoid unnecessary morbidity and mortality despite the challenges that COVID-19 continues to present. In this editorial, we highlight the challenges and solutions for mass casualty incident preparations.
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With healthcare systems rapidly becoming overwhelmed and occupied by patients during a pandemic, effective and safe care for patients is easily compromised. During the course of the current pandemic, numerous treatment guidelines have been developed and published that have improved care for patients with COVID-19. Certain lessons have only been learned during the course of the outbreak, from which we can learn for future pandemics. This editorial aims to raise awareness about the importance of timely stockpiling of sufficient amounts of personal protection equipment and medications, adequate oxygen supplies, uninterrupted electricity, and fair locally adapted triage strategies.
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We outline the history, implementation and clinical impact of the formation of an Airway Lead Network. Although recommendations to improve patient safety in airway management are published and revised regularly, uniform implementation of such guidelines are applied sporadically throughout the hospital and prehospital settings. ⋯ Locally, the Airway Lead may chair a multi-disciplinary airway committee within their organisation; an Airway Lead Network enables Airway Leads to share common problems and solutions to promote optimal airway management on a national level. Support from governing bodies is an essential part of this structure.
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Mass casualty events are on the rise globally, as we face increasing pressures from scarcity of resources, population growth, systemic inequalities, geopolitical instabilities, and polarised discourse. Although they are rare events for an individual practitioner, they are going to happen to someone, somewhere, this week, this month, this year. And whilst they are often the last consideration for healthcare systems under constant pressures from daily routine work, individuals, departments, hospitals, and systems have to step up effectively in times of crisis. Failure to do so can lead to suboptimal outcomes for casualties, and even perceived failures can have crippling consequences on staff, families, and communities for years.
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Editorial Comment
Massive transfusion and severe blood shortages: establishing and implementing predictors of futility.
Massive transfusion protocols were developed to deliver blood for life-threatening haemorrhage; however, there are no guidelines to advise when massive transfusion protocols may be considered futile. Early recognition of clinical futility remains a challenge as studies have not identified variables that can accurately determine early mortality. As blood is a scarce resource, efforts to distribute it equitably to all patients who would benefit are of paramount importance. In this editorial we discuss recent data and various aspects important in developing and implementing tools that assist with determining futility in massive transfusion.