clinical audit on venous thromboembolism prophylaxis of medical patients in west medical ward, Mayo Hospital

To reduce risk of Deep Venous Thrombosis/ Pulmonary Embolism in an acutely ill hospitalized medical patient and the consequent clinical complications. The study was carried out in the West Medical Unit of Mayo Hospital, Lahore from January, 2005 to May, 2005. A total of 100 cases were selected from the patients hospitalized in the ward on the basis of presence of risk factors with no contraindications to heparin prophylaxis, taking into account the age, gender, final diagnosis of the patient, the existing risk factors, the risk stratification, the exclusion criteria, whether heparin prophylaxis was given or not, if given type of heparin administered, and whether patients receiving prophylaxis were monitored or not using Platelet Count, APTT or other monitoring techniques. 19 cases were under Moderate Risk of developing Venous Thromboembolism [VTE] and 81 cases were under High Risk. 7 received Heparin prophylaxis. 3 of them were at Moderate Ri sk and 4 cases at High Risk of developing VTE. All acutely ill medical adult patients admitted should be adequately assessed and screened for presence of Risk Factors and categorized according to the SAVE Risk Stratification. In the absence of Exclusion factors, all cases of High Risk and Moderate Risk should be started on Heparin Prophylaxis as early as possible in hospital admission. The audit should be repeated for re-evaluation after adequate time

Occupational hazards for surgeons

In spite of the radical advances made in the field of surgery to save lives, we find it is the surgeons who are becoming the patients by being exposed to a host of occupational hazards, which places them at a significant risk of acquiring many infectious diseases in addition to other safety threats. In context to guidelines set down by International Labor Organization the hazards a surgeon can face at work can be broadly categorized into Accidental, Chemical, Biological, and Ergonomic, Psychosocial and Organizational Hazards. To identify the occupational hazards surgeons face in our set-up and their inevitable consequences as compared to international standards. Setting The survey was carried out in a major tertiary care hospital of Lahore with inspection of operation theatres, surgical emergency room, and surgical wards. The surgeons in our setup are exposed to infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B and C, HIV and typhoid via accidental pinpricks from infected needles and s harps due to multiple hazards. Other risks include latex sensitization, back problems, post-traumatic stress syndrome and many others. Spread of awareness of these occupational hazards should be undertaken with a change in attitudes