ABSTRACT
Objective: Chronic postthoracotomy pain (CPTP) is a persistent, occasionally debilitating pain lasting >2 months following thoracic surgery. This study investigates for the first time the prevalence and clinical impact of CPTP in patients who have undergone a transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA-TAVR). Design: This was a single-institution, prospective observational survey and a retrospective chart review. Setting: The study was conducted in the University Hospital. Participants: Patients. Materials and Methods: A survey of 131 participants with either a previous TA TAVR or transfemoral (TF) TAVR procedure was completed. A telephone interview was conducted at least 2 months following TAVR; participants were asked to describe their pain using the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Measurements and Main Results: Odds ratio (OR) was calculated using the proportions of questionnaire responders reporting “sensory” descriptors in the TA-TAVR versus the TF-TAVR groups. Results were then compared to individual Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ12) scores and 5-min walk test (5MWT) distances. A total of 119 participants were reviewed (63 TF, 56 TA). Among TA-TAVR questionnaire responders (n = 16), CPTP was found in 64.3% of participants for an average duration of 20.5-month postprocedure (OR = 10, [confidence interval (CI) 95% 1.91–52.5];P = 0.003). TA-TAVR patients identified with CPTP had significant reductions in 5MWT distances (−2.22 m vs. 0.92 m [P = 0.04]) as well as trend toward significance in negative change of KCCQ12 scores OR = 18.82 (CI 95% 0.85–414.99;P = 0.06) compared to those without CPTP. Conclusions: CPTP occurs in patients undergoing TA-TAVR and is possibly associated with a decline quality of life and overall function.
ABSTRACT
@#BACKGROUND: This prospective observational study aimed to determine the infection rate of simple hand laceration (SHL), and to compare infection rates between patients who were prescribed antibiotics and those who were not. METHODS: The study was performed at two urban hospitals enrolling 125 emergency department (ED) patients with SHL. Exclusion criteria included patients with lacerations for more than 12 hours, immunocompromized patients, patients given antibiotics, and patients with gross contamination, bites or crush injuries. Wound infection was defined as clinical infection at a follow-up visit (10–14 days) or wound was treated with antibiotics. Patient satisfaction was also measured using a visual analogue scale 1–10, asking the patients about wound appearance. Demographic data and wound characteristics were compared between the infected and non-infected wounds. The infection rates were also compared between patients who received prophylactic antibiotics and those who did not. The results were presented with medians and quartiles or percentages with 95％ confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: In the 125 patients with SHL [median age: 28 (18, 43); range: 1–102 years old; 36％female], 44 (35％, 95％ CI: 27％–44％) were given antibiotics in the ED. Wound infection was reported in 6 patients (4.8％, 95％ CI: 2％–10％). Age, gender, history of diabetes and wound closure were not associated with wound infection (P>0.05). The infection rate was not significantly different between patients with or without antibiotic prophylaxis [7％ (3/44), 95％ CI: 2％–10％ vs. 4％ (3/81), 95％ CI:1％–11％, P=0.66]. Patient's satisfaction with appearance of infected and non-infected wounds were significantly different [7.5 (6, 8) vs. 9 (8, 10), P=0.01]. CONCLUSION: Approximately 5％ of simple hand lacerations become infected. Age, gender, diabetes, prophylactic antibiotics and closure technique do not affect the risk of infection.