Rockingham General Hospital

Critical Care 2017, 21(Suppl 1):P351 2.60) vs. 2.81 EU/mL (2.73-2.91) median (IQR)). Furthermore, endotoxin levels at 4 h, one hour after completed [i]E. coli[/i] infusion, were lower in Pre-existing SIR vs. Non-Pre-existing SIR group both in arterial (Fig. There was no difference in the ratio of splenic venous to arterial endotoxin levels between Pre-existing SIR and Non-Pre-existing SIR groups.

Summary Prophylactic vasopressor administration is commonly recommended to reduce maternal hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. Metaraminol has undergone limited investigation in obstetric anaesthesia for this purpose, particularly in comparison with phenylephrine. In this multicentre, randomised, double‐blind, non‐inferiority study, we compared prophylactic phenylephrine or metaraminol infusions, started immediately after spinal anaesthesia, in 185 women who underwent elective caesarean section. Phenylephrine was initially infused at 50 μg.min −1 , and metaraminol at 250 μg.min −1 . The primary outcome was the difference in umbilical arterial pH between groups; secondary outcomes included other neonatal acid‐base measures, and maternal haemodynamic changes. The mean ( SD ) umbilical arterial pH was 7.28 (0.06) in the phenylephrine group vs. 7.31 (0.04) in the metaraminol group (p = 0.0002). The estimated mean (95% CI ) pH difference of 0.03 (0.01–0.04) was above the pre‐determined lower boundary of clinical non‐inferiority, and also met the criterion for superiority. Umbilical artery lactate concentration was 2.8 (1.2) mmol.l −1 in the phenylephrine group vs. 2.3 (0.7) mmol.l −1 in the metaraminol group (p = 0.0018). Apgar scores did not significantly differ between groups. There was a higher incidence of hypotension, defined as systolic arterial pressure < 90% baseline, in the phenylephrine group; there was a higher incidence of hypertension and severe hypertension (systolic arterial pressure > 110% and > 120% baseline, respectively) in the metaraminol group. There was no significant difference between groups in the incidence of nausea, vomiting or maternal bradycardia. We conclude that, when used as an infusion to prevent hypotension after spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean section, metaraminol is at least non‐inferior to phenylephrine with respect to neonatal acid‐base outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Despite being a common event in the course of an advanced cancer illness, there is little understanding of patients' perceptions of hospital Emergency Department presentations. AIM: To explore the experiences and perceptions of Emergency Departments held by patients with advanced cancer and their informal caregivers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study involving semi-structured interviews with advanced cancer patients and their informal caregivers. Qualitative data analysis was underpinned by a phenomenological approach utilising a data-driven inductive thematic frame. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: In total, 19 patients with advanced cancer who presented to Emergency Departments in the previous 6 months and 10 informal caregivers from an Australian public hospital and community palliative care service were interviewed. RESULTS: Patients reported that Emergency Department presentations were largely prompted by worsening symptoms or were a means to expedite hospital admission, with many instructed to attend by their health care provider. The experience in the Emergency Department was described as a time of anxiety and uncertainty with concerns over communication, the general environment and delays in the symptom management highlighted. Long waits were common. Despite this, patients described relief at receiving care. While the Emergency Department was viewed as a safety net for the health system, many believed advanced cancer patients should have alternative options. CONCLUSION: Relatively simple changes of regular communication updates and early symptom relief would improve patient experience of Emergency Department care. However, since an Emergency Department presentation is frequently serving as a default to access medical care, a significant re-orientation of the health care system is required to meet patient needs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare two methods of risk stratification for suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the ED. METHODS: A prospective observational multicentre study was undertaken of patients undergoing evaluation in the ED for possible ACS. We compared the National Heart Foundation of Australia/Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (NHF/CSANZ) guideline and the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score for differentiating high- and low-risk patients. Composite outcome was all cause death, myocardial infarction or coronary revascularisation within 30 days. RESULTS: Of 1758 enrolments, 223 (13%) reached the study outcome. Area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.79 (95% CI 0.76-0.81) for the NHF/CSANZ group and 0.71 (0.68-0.75) for TIMI score based on initial troponin result (P<0.001), and 0.82 (95% CI 0.80-0.84) and 0.76 (0.73-0.79) respectively when the 8-12 h troponin result is included (P=0.001). Thirty day event rates were 33% for NHF/CSANZ high-risk vs 1.5% for combined low/intermediate risk (P<0.001). For TIMI score, 30 day event rates were 23% for a score ≥2 and 4.8% for TIMI<2 (P<0.001). The NHF/CSANZ guideline identified more patients as low risk compared with the TIMI risk score (61% vs 48%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The NHF/CSANZ guideline is superior to the TIMI risk score for risk stratification of suspected ACS in the ED.

Stress ulcer prophylaxis is commonly prescribed in the intensive care unit but can be inappropriately commenced or continued on discharge, exposing patients to potential harm. We aimed to evaluate whether a prescribing guideline, education program and pharmacist oversight would reduce inappropriate continuation of stress ulcer prophylaxis. This was a multicentre pre- (2014) and post- (2016) quality improvement study across five Australian intensive care units. Cost data were estimated using local information about prescribing patterns, and the relationship between long-term use and adverse events. A total of 531 patients were included in the pre- and 393 in the post-implementation periods. The proportion of hospital survivors inappropriately continued on stress ulcer prophylaxis reduced from 78/184 (42.4%) to 11/143 (7.7%) in the post-implementation period (odds ratio = 8.83; 95% confidence interval 4.47–17.45; P &lt; 0.0001). Clostridium difficile–associated disease reduced from 10 patients to one in the pre- to post-implementation groups. The extrapolated direct savings to all Australian intensive care units from reduced proton pump inhibitor prescribing are relatively small (AUD$2.08 million/year), but the reduction in complications has both benefits for patients and indirect savings of AUD$16.59 million/year nationally. In patients admitted to the intensive care unit, the introduction of a simple, bundled intervention resulted in a significant decrease in inappropriate continuation of stress ulcer prophylaxis at hospital discharge and a reduction in recognised complications, and substantial cost savings.

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Qualitative). The objectives are as follows:

OBJECTIVE: High levels of alcohol-related harm are a salient feature of many rural communities in Australia. General practitioners (GPs) are uniquely placed to identify and treat patients with harmful alcohol use in remote settings, yet corresponding opportunities for education in effective brief psychological interventions for harmful alcohol use are limited. This study piloted a training model for alcohol screening and brief intervention for GPs working in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, a remote Western Australian community facing significant alcohol-related problems. DESIGN: Observational pilot study. SETTING: Primary care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Perceived role in responding to harmful alcohol use, and confidence and knowledge of alcohol screening and brief intervention; satisfaction with a short training session focused on alcohol screening and brief intervention; and impact of training on implementation of screening and brief intervention for harmful alcohol use. RESULTS: Fifty per cent of GPs took up the training opportunity. GPs recognised their professional responsibility for conducting brief intervention but reported comparatively lower confidence and skills in implementing screening and intervention prior to training. The training improved knowledge and confidence in conducting alcohol screening and brief intervention. All GPs increased their frequency of alcohol screening, and 88% of GPs reported increasing the frequency of brief intervention at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings suggest that among participating GPs, subsequent compliance with identification and management of harmful alcohol use was improved. Further work examining methods to improve rural and remote GP participation in alcohol-related harm prevention training is required, as the potential impact on communities with disproportionately high alcohol-related difficulties is significant.

Introduction: There is concern that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) receptor agonists may be associated with acute pancreatitis. The data from the ABCD nationwide liraglutide audit (November 2009–June 2013; 6010 patients) provide an opportunity to assess the extent of the problem in routine clinical practice in the UK. Methods: At every patient visit, audit-contributors were invited to submit, via an electronic form, clinical data collected as part of routine clinical practice, including data on possible side effects of treatment. Cases of ‘possible pancreatitis’ were identified and we contacted the centres concerned to obtain full details. Results: To date, the audit has monitored 3720 years of exposure to liraglutide. There were four cases of possible pancreatitis documented from the 6010 patients on liraglutide: three patients had likely causes of pancreatitis identified and one patient had no aetiological cause. This sole case represents an incidence of 0.027/100 patient-years of exposure to liraglutide. Conclusion: In cases of acute pancreatitis of a patient on liraglutide, if another cause can be found (usually gall stones associated with obesity), the drug is not be necessarily culpable. People with Type 2 diabetes are at greater risk of acute pancreatitis (hazard ratio between 1.5 and 2.8). Thus, the possibility of liraglutide-associated pancreatitis in ‘real-world’ clinical practice (0.027/100 patient years) represents a very small risk.

The incidence of hospital acquired infection in developing countries is between two to 20 times higher than in developed countries and is attributable to multiple causes. Evidence-based international policies and guidelines developed to improve infection prevention and control are often not used in practice in these countries. To combat this challenge, this article presents an innovative educational framework used to bridge the gap between policy written by global health agencies and the realities of practice in Tanzania.

INTRODUCTION: The os intermetatarseum is an uncommon accessory ossicle of the foot located dorsally, between the bases of the first and second metatarsals that are usually asymptomatic. In the setting of trauma, this ossicle can clinically mimic a Lisfranc fracture-dislocation, a potentially disabling condition often requiring surgical intervention. METHODS: In this study, 47 cases of os intermetatarseum were reviewed across several Western Australian (WA) Hospitals and characterised based on morphology. Any fractures were recorded, and their cases were reviewed. RESULTS: The most common type of os intermetatarseum was freestanding at 63%, followed by the articulating type at 30%. Only 7% were of the fused type. Two acute fractures were identified on plain radiography and computed tomography (CT). CONCLUSION: The distribution of os intermetatarseum subtypes in the WA population is consistent with previous radiological studies. The two cases of isolated acute os intermetatarseum fracture are described, the first to our knowledge, highlighting the need for increased awareness of this ossicle in the setting of foot trauma.

Health services are capitalizing on the rise of telehealth and seeking to develop sustainable models incorporating telehealth into standard care. Further research is required to explore the service and clinical outcomes of telehealth in occupational therapy hand and upper limb practice. This research utilized a case-control study to explore the feasibility and clinical outcomes of case matched patients who received a telehealth hybrid model versus traditional in-person care. One hundred and two patients were recruited (n=51 in the controls and cases) with a mean age of 45 years. Telehealth was not inferior to standard care with no significant increase in therapy time (p=0.441) or length of referral (p=0.047). There was no difference in clinical adverse events (p=0.741). Patients who received telehealth had significantly less withdrawals from the service (p = 0.031). Patient and therapist satisfaction were high, supporting the ongoing use and continued implementation of telehealth in occupational therapy.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic uncertainty and the need for proxy decision-making owing to cognitive impairment in advanced dementia, adds complexity to end-of-life care planning within the long-term care setting. Case conferences provide a structure to facilitate difficult conversations and an opportunity for family and clinicians to engage in prospective planning, and reach agreement on goals of end-of-life care. OBJECTIVE: To explore interactions between multidisciplinary healthcare clinicians and families during facilitated case conferences on end-of-life care for residents with advanced dementia. METHODS: A qualitative approach was used. Transcripts of audio-recorded case conferences facilitated by a trained registered nurse were coded by two independent researchers and analysed inductively. Transcripts were selected from an available pool until thematic saturation was reached. Emerging themes were confirmed with the wider research group. RESULTS: Thematic saturation was reached after 25 transcripts. An overarching theme concerned the ways in which clinicians and families bridged medical and person-centred perspectives. Subthemes included: details of day-to-day care versus establishing overall goals of care; expression of emotion versus retreat from emotion; and missed opportunities versus expressed cues. Successful facilitation served to 'bridge the gap' between family and clinicians. CONCLUSION: Facilitation of case conferences for residents with advanced dementia should focus on ensuring that: clinicians do not miss opportunities to discuss end-of-life care; discussions on the minutiae of care regularly return to the resident's broader goals of care; and information on dementia and treatments provided by clinicians is integrated with advice by family members regarding the resident's premorbid values and likely preferences.

in MF. These proteomic, genomic and transcriptomic analyses appear to indicate that TCF3 is downregulated in megakaryocytes in MF. This infers aberrations in megakaryopoiesis occur in this progressive phase of MPN. Further exploration of this pathway could provide insights into TCF3 and the evolution of fibrosis and potentially lead to new preventative therapeutic targets.

BACKGROUND: Sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease (SPD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that can significantly impact quality of life. While recurrence and surgical site infection (SSI) rates are well documented, less is known about how different surgical techniques affect patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). METHODS: This study employed mixed methods, including standardised mail questionnaires and telephone interviews (May-September 2020), to conduct a multi-centre retrospective decade follow-up review of definitive SPD surgery participants from Western Australia. Six surgical technique groups were analysed: Karydakis flap (KF), modified Karydakis flap (MKF), Limberg flap (LF), modified Limberg flap (MLF), other flap techniques (OFT) and secondary intention healing techniques (SIT). PROMs assessed included body image, cosmesis, confidence, functional recovery and overall satisfaction-secondary outcomes examined recurrence, SSI and other complications. RESULTS: A total of 136 patients met the inclusion criteria. MLF and OFT achieved the fastest functional recovery, with median return-to-work times of 14 and 21 days, respectively, compared to 60 days for SIT (p = 0.007). MKF and LF achieved the highest body image and cosmetic satisfaction scores (medians of 20 and 19), whereas SIT and OFT scored the lowest. MKF yielded the highest overall satisfaction (100%). SIT was associated with the highest recurrence rate (52.2%) and SSI rates (30.4%), while MLF and MKF combined had low recurrence rates with favourable PROMs. CONCLUSION: Flap-based techniques, particularly the MKF and MLF, offer an optimal balance of functional recovery, cosmetic outcomes and low recurrence rates. Incorporating PROMs into SPD surgical planning can better align treatment with patient priorities and the underlying pathophysiology of the disease.

Hillyard, S.*†; Cowman, S.†; Ramasundaram, R.†; Seed, P. T.‡; G., O’Sullivan† Author Information

Background and Aims: Policy makers and health system managers are seeking evidence on the risks involved for patients associated with after-hours care. This study of approximately 1 million patients who were admitted to the 25 largest public hospitals in Queensland Australia sought to quantify mortality and readmission differences associated with after-hours hospital admission. Methods: Logistic regression was used to assess whether there were any differences in mortality and readmissions based on the time inpatients were admitted to hospital (after-hours versus within hours). Patient and staffing data, including the variation in physician and nursing staff numbers and seniority were included as explicit predictors within patient outcome models. Results: After adjusting for case-mix confounding, statistically significant higher mortality was observed for patients admitted on weekends via the hospital's emergency department compared to within hours. This finding of elevated mortality risk after-hours held true in sensitivity analyses which explored broader definitions of after-hours care: an "Extended" definition comprising a weekend extending into Friday night and early Monday morning; and a "Twilight" definition comprising weekends and weeknights.There were no significant differences in 30-day readmissions for emergency or elective patients admitted after-hours. Increased mortality risks for elective patients was found to be an evening/weekend effect rather than a day-of-week effect. Workforce metrics that played a role in observed outcome differences within hours/after-hours were more a time of day rather than day of week effect, i.e. staffing impacts differ more between day and night than the weekday versus weekend. Conclusion: Patients admitted after-hours have significantly higher mortality than patients admitted within hours. This study confirms an association between mortality differences and the time patients were admitted to hospital, and identifies characteristics of patients and staffing that affect those outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Partial nephrectomy (PN) has become the standard of care for small renal tumours, with open partial nephrectomy (OPN) being superseded by minimally invasive PN. Advances in minimal access surgery have resulted in fewer relative contraindications, with subsequently fewer OPN being performed. Consequentially, trainees have less opportunity to gain skills and experience in open renal surgery. The aims of this study were to assess the standard of OPN performed by Australian urological trainees and to define whether OPN is a safe and suitable training opportunity. METHOD: A retrospective review was undertaken on patients who underwent OPN performed by urology trainees from 2010 to 2014 at two training hospitals in Western Australia. Data collected included patient demographics, surgical and oncological outcomes and morbidity. RESULTS: Sixty patients underwent OPN, with a mean age of 56 years. Most tumours were single, with mean size 31 mm. Mean operative time was 157 min, with a mean cold ischaemic time of 27 min. Mean pre- and post-operative creatinine levels were equivalent (77 μmol/L). The overall complication rate was 18%, with no documented urinary leaks, and 1.7% blood transfusion rate. Median length of stay was 4 days. There were no oncological positive margins or recurrence after a median follow-up of 2 years. CONCLUSION: Our data support the notion that Australian urological trainees can perform the majority of OPN cases, with equivalent oncological outcomes. We would advocate that when an OPN is being performed, the supervising consultant should use the case as an adjuvant for open renal surgery training.

Management of small bowel obstruction varies depending on the cause and clinical status of patients. While most cases can be managed conservatively, a not-insignificant proportion of patients undergo surgical intervention. Laparotomy has long been the default approach for entering the abdomen in cases requiring surgical intervention, with laparoscopy largely being avoided due to abdominal distension and the risk of perforating bowels on entry. We present here the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented with signs and symptoms as well as radiological evidence of a closed-loop small bowel obstruction in her right lower quadrant. Following a brief period of nasogastric decompression, her abdominal distension improved, allowing for a laparoscopic entry where a pericaecal hernia was noted to be the cause of her obstruction. Extensive adhesiolysis without the use of an energy device successfully allowed for the reduction of the bowel contained within. No bowel resection was performed and the patient was discharged home on day 3 following her procedure. This case report successfully demonstrates the utility of using laparoscopy as an alternative to laparotomy in patients with a small bowel obstruction secondary to an internal hernia.

Abstract Background Most people recover well following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), however some experience persisting post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) for months or years. Our aims were (i) to evaluate the presence and impact of PPCS on return to functional activities over a 12-month period; and (ii) identify pre-, peri- and post-injury factors predictive of PPCS in an Australian community-based cohort at 3- and 12-months. Methods Adults (18–65 years) with mTBI were assessed by telephone within 7 days post-injury to capture demographics, pre-injury health status, injury circumstances (including mechanism, site of head impact) and symptoms. The primary outcome measure was the presence of PPCS, measured with the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS). Logistic regression identified predictors of PPCS at 3- and 12-months. Results Of 232 participants, 49.7% had PPCS at 3-months and 45.6% at 12-months. Return to work was 96.7% at 3-months and 96.9% at 12-months, despite nearly 50% reporting PPCS. Participants with a high initial symptom burden (PCSS ≥30) were six-times more likely to experience PPCS at 3-months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.17, 95%CI 2.63–14.46) and three-times as likely to have PPCS at 12-months (aOR 2.70, 95%CI 1.01–7.23). Acute symptoms of “feeling slow” or “nervousness” predicted PPCS at 3-months (aOR 2.97 and 2.74, respectively), but not at 12-months. Conclusion Of those who completed follow-up, nearly half had persistent symptoms at 12-months, often continuing to work despite symptoms. High initial symptom severity and acute symptoms may help clinicians identify those needing early targeted follow-up to reduce the burden of PPCS.

OBJECTIVE: To determine ED clinician's current management for five common minor self-limiting fractures (MSLF) and evaluate practice against evidence-informed direct discharge pathway (DD) protocols. METHODS: A survey was provided to doctors, nurse practitioners and advanced scope physiotherapists working in seven metropolitan, public health EDs in Perth, Australia. The relative odds of ED location (e.g. which facility) and clinician level factors (e.g. country of initial training, years of ED experience, profession) on recommending care completely consistent with evidence informed direct discharge pathway protocols were estimated. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-two clinicians completed the survey. There was variability in practice across all sites, with most reported care assessed at 60%-76% consistency with individual elements of DD care provision. Highest consistency was seen in lower limb immobilisation and DVT prophylaxis. Lowest consistency was seen in weight bearing advice, pain management and (boxer's) fracture reduction and immobilisation. There were very low levels of complete consistency, ranging from 9% (boxer's fracture) to 25% (radial head fracture). Two factors were associated with increased odds of completely consistent care: (i) clinician experience working in ED, with greater duration of practice associated with increased odds ratios (OR range, 1.6-3.3); and (ii) profession, where advanced scope physiotherapy was associated with increased odds ratios (OR range, 3.2-25.0). CONCLUSIONS: Survey results suggested system wide variation in ED fracture management practice and target areas for service improvement. Avenues for service improvement could include hospital wide agreed management plans for specific fractures and support for less experienced clinicians.