Thyroid surgery performed on an overnight basis: a 17 years of experience

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the results of thyroid surgeries with hospitalization periods shorter than 18 hours performed in a surgical endocrinology service, correlating these results with type of procedure, the definitive diagnosis and complications associated with the procedure.Subjects and methods The procedures performed, complications associated, hospitalization period, and relationships among these variables were assessed in consecutive patients subjected to different types of thyroid surgeries from January 1997 to March 2014 by the same group of surgeons. Data were analyzed by frequency, and the associations between the hospitalization period and other variables were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test, using a multiple comparisons test with Bonferroni correction.Results Among the 3,411 surgeries performed, 799 of them were malignant neoplasia, 2,505 were benign tumors and 107 were Graves’ disease. The following procedures were performed: total thyroidectomy (1597 patients); total thyroidectomy with neck exploration (369 patients); lobectomy plus isthmectomy (1084 patients); total thyroidectomy complementation (145 patients); total thyroidectomy with neck dissection (84 patients); modified radical total thyroidectomy (13 patients); nodulectomy (11 patients); unresectable (9 patients); central neck dissection (48 patients); lateral neck dissection (38 patients); and others (13 patients). The following surgical complications, characteristic of the procedure: hemorrhage in 41 (1.2%) patients, hypoparathyroidism in 10 (0.3%) patients and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury in 23 (0.7%) patients. Hospitalization shorter than 18 hours was observed in 97% of patients.Conclusion Thyroid surgery can be safely performed in virtually all patients on an overnight basis in specialized services.

Influência da criação de um serviço de tratamento da dor aguda nos custos e no consumo de drogas analgésicas na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica / Influence of acute pain management service on analgesic drugs cost and consumption in the post-anesthetic recovery unit

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Sabe-se que a dor aguda pós-operatória apresenta grande influência na evolução dos pacientes cirúrgicos. Mobilização precoce, menor tempo de hospitalização, diminuição de custos e maior satisfação são resultados do adequado manuseio da dor. Observa-se uma tendência mundial ao surgimento de serviços especializados no tratamento da dor pós-operatória. O presente estudo visa descrever a influência da criação de um serviço de tratamento da dor aguda pós-operatória nos custos e no consumo de analgésicos na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica. MÉTODO: Durante os anos de 2000 e 2001 foi realizada coleta prospectiva de dados, através de sistemas informatizados especialistas da Controladoria de nossa instituição, relativos ao consumo e custo de drogas analgésicas na sala de recuperação e ao número de cirurgias realizadas. RESULTADOS: Houve um aumento do consumo e dos custos com analgésicos, assim como uma modificação no perfil de utilização dos mesmos. CONCLUSÕES: A criação do Serviço de Tratamento da Dor Aguda (STDA) em nossa instituição determinou uma mudança no perfil dos analgésicos utilizados. Houve um aumento de consumo e nos custos dessas drogas, sugerindo que os pacientes tiveram um melhor controle da dor pós-operatória.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is known that acute postoperative pain has a major influence on surgical patients’ recovery. Early movements, shorter hospital stay, lower costs and higher satisfaction are results of adequate pain management. There is a world trend toward specialized postoperative pain management services. This study aimed at describing the influence of an acute postoperative pain treatment service on analgesics cost and consumption in the post-anesthetic recovery unit. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected in the period 2000/2001, through computerized expert systems of the Controller Department of our institution, on analgesic drugs consumption and cost in the recovery unit and the number of surgical procedures performed during that time. RESULTS: There has been increased analgesics consumption and costs, as well as a change in their utilization profile. CONCLUSIONS: The creation of an Acute Pain Management Service (APMS) in our institution has determined a change in analgesics profile. There has been increased consumption and cost of such drugs, suggesting that patients had a better postoperative pain control.

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Se sabe que el dolor agudo pos-operatorio presenta gran influencia en la evolución de los pacientes quirúrgicos. Movilización precoz, menor tiempo de hospitalización, diminución de costos y mayor satisfacción son resultados del adecuado manoseo del dolor. Se observa una tendencia mundial al surgimiento de servicios especializados en el tratamiento del dolor pos-operatorio. El actual estudio tiene por finalidad describir la influencia de la creación de un servicio de tratamiento del dolor agudo pos-operatorio en los costos y en el consumo de analgésicos en la sala de recuperación pos-anestésica. MÉTODO: Durante los años de 2000 y 2001 fue realizada colecta prospectiva de datos, a través de sistemas informatizados especialistas de la Controladoria de nuestra institución, relativos al consumo y costo de drogas analgésicas en la sala de recuperación y al número de cirugías realizadas. RESULTADOS: Hubo un aumento del consumo y de los costos con analgésicos, como también una modificación en el perfil de utilización de los mismos. CONCLUSIONES: La creación del Servicio de Tratamiento del Dolor Agudo (STDA) en nuestra institución determinó un cambio en el perfil de los analgésicos utilizados. Hubo un aumento de consumo y en los costos de esas drogas, sugiriendo que os pacientes tuvieron un control mejor del dolor pos-operatorio.