Corrigendum to 'Trainees requiring extra support' [BJA Education 22 (2022) 67-74].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.bjae.2021.11.002.].

Recommendations for effective documentation in regional anesthesia: an expert panel Delphi consensus project.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Documentation is important for quality improvement, education, and research. There is currently a lack of recommendations regarding key aspects of documentation in regional anesthesia. The aim of this study was to establish recommendations for documentation in regional anesthesia. METHODS: Following the formation of the executive committee and a directed literature review, a long list of potential documentation components was created. A modified Delphi process was then employed to achieve consensus amongst a group of international experts in regional anesthesia. This consisted of 2 rounds of anonymous electronic voting and a final virtual round table discussion with live polling on items not yet excluded or accepted from previous rounds. Progression or exclusion of potential components through the rounds was based on the achievement of strong consensus. Strong consensus was defined as ≥75% agreement and weak consensus as 50%-74% agreement. RESULTS: Seventy-seven collaborators participated in both rounds 1 and 2, while 50 collaborators took part in round 3. In total, experts voted on 83 items and achieved a strong consensus on 51 items, weak consensus on 3 and rejected 29. CONCLUSION: By means of a modified Delphi process, we have established expert consensus on documentation in regional anesthesia.

Bacterial Ocular Surveillance System (BOSS) Sydney, Australia 2017-2018.

ABSTRACT: This study investigated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles from a cohort of patients with bacterial keratitis treated at Sydney Eye Hospital, 1 January 2017 - 31 December 2018. These AMR profiles were analysed in the context of the current Australian empiric regimens for topical therapy: ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin monotherapy versus combination therapy of cefalotin/cephazolin plus gentamicin. At our Centre, combinations of (i) chloramphenicol plus gentamicin and (ii) chloramphenicol plus ciprofloxacin are alternatively used, so were also analysed. Three hundred and seventy-four isolates were cultured prospectively: 280/374 (75%) were gram positive, and 94/374 (25%) were gram negative. Coagulase-negative staphylococci comprised 173/374 (46%). Isolates included Staphylococcus aureus (n = 43/374) 11%; Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 14/374) 3.7%; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 50/374) 13%. Statistical comparison was performed. There was no significant difference between cover provided either of the current Australian recommendations: ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin vs cefalotin/cephazolin plus gentamicin (5.3% vs 4.8%, respectively; p = 0.655). However, the combination of chloramphenicol plus an anti-pseudomonal agent (ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin or gentamicin) had significantly improved cover. Chloramphenicol plus gentamicin was superior to ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin (1.9% vs 5.3% resistance respectively; p = 0.007), and cefalotin/cephazolin plus gentamicin (1.9% vs 4.8%; p = 0.005). Chloramphenicol plus ciprofloxacin was superior to ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin monotherapy (1.3% vs 5.3%; p ≤ 0.001), and to cefalotin/cephazolin plus gentamicin (1.3% vs 4.8%; p = 0.003). Chloramphenicol plus gentamicin versus chloramphenicol plus ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin were equivalent (p = 0.48). There was no demonstrated in vitro superiority of either the current empiric antibiotic regimens. For our setting, for bacterial keratitis, chloramphenicol in combination offered superior in vitro cover. Broadened surveillance for ocular AMR is urgently needed across jurisdictions.

Building an Organizational Ethics Program on a Clinical Ethics Foundation.

Organizational ethics programs often are created to address tensions in organizational values that have been identified through repeated clinical ethics consultation requests. Clinical ethicists possess some core competencies that are suitable for the leadership of high-quality organizational ethics programs, but they may need to develop new skills to build these programs, such as familiarity with healthcare delivery science, healthcare financing, and quality improvement methodology. To this end, we suggest that clinical ethicists build organizational ethics programs incrementally and via quality improvement projects undertaken in collaboration with senior clinical leaders. Organizational ethics programs often differ from clinical ethics programs in their membership and processes, and likely will require ethicists to forge new partnerships with a wide array of organizational leaders. With attention to the ways that organizational ethics programs differ from clinical ethics programs, and investment in quality improvement methodology and formal institutional needs assessments, clinical ethics leaders can position an organizational ethics program to advocate effectively for visible and compelling alignment of leadership decision making with the values of the organization.

Phases of a Pandemic Surge: The Experience of an Ethics Service in New York City during COVID-19.

When the COVID-19 surge hit New York City hospitals, the Division of Medical Ethics at Weill Cornell Medical College, and our affiliated ethics consultation services, faced waves of ethical issues sweeping forward with intensity and urgency. In this article, we describe our experience over an eight-week period (16 March through 10 May 2020), and describe three types of services: clinical ethics consultation (CEC); service practice communications/interventions (SPCI); and organizational ethics advisement (OEA). We tell this narrative through the prism of time, describing the evolution of ethical issues and trends as the pandemic unfolded. We delineate three phases: anticipation and preparation, crisis management, and reflection and adjustment. The first phase focused predominantly on ways to address impending resource shortages and to plan for remote ethics consultation, and CECs focused on code status discussions with surrogates. The second phase was characterized by the dramatic convergence of a rapid increase in the number of critically ill patients, a growing scarcity of resources, and the reassignment/redeployment of staff outside their specialty areas. The third phase was characterized by the recognition that while the worst of the crisis was waning, its medium- and long-term consequences continued to pose immense challenges. We note that there were times during the crisis that serving in the role of clinical ethics consultant created a sense of dis-ease as novel as the coronavirus itself. In retrospect we learned that our activities far exceeded the familiar terrain of clinical ethics consultation and extended into other spheres of organizational life in novel ways that were unanticipated before this pandemic. To that end, we defined and categorized a middle level of ethics consultation, which we have termed service practice communication intervention (SPCI). This is an underappreciated dimension of the work that ethics consult services are capable of in times of crisis. We believe that the pandemic has revealed the many enduring ways that ethics consultation services can more robustly contribute to the ethical life of their institutions moving forward.

Predicting Delayed Complications After Esophagectomy in the Current Era of Early Discharge and Enhanced Recovery.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery protocols after esophagectomy aim to discharge patients by day 7. A small risk of delayed complications exists. We aimed to assess whether C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on day 7 could help predict delayed complications and assist safe discharge. METHODS: All consecutive esophagectomies over 3 years were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized on day 7 into (1) those clinically unsafe for discharge; (2) those clinically safe for discharge; and (3) those considered safe for discharge but develop a delayed complication. CRP level on day 7 and the trend in CRP levels between days 3 and 7 were compared. RESULTS: A total of 140 patients underwent esophagectomy, of which 64 patients (46%) had at least one complication. On day 7, 62 (44%) patients were considered clinically unsafe for discharge; 74 (53%) were considered safe for discharge; and 4 (3%) were safe but developed a delayed complication. No patient with delayed complication had a day 7 CRP level < 84 mg/L. CRP trend did not help predict delayed complications. CONCLUSIONS: The actual CRP level on day 7 after esophagectomy, rather than the trend, can predict delayed complications. Early discharge after esophagectomy should be desisted if the clinical picture is better than the actual blood results.

Systematic review and survey of Neisseria gonorrhoeae ceftriaxone and azithromycin susceptibility data in the Asia Pacific, 2011 to 2016.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global concern, with the ongoing emergence of ceftriaxone and azithromycin resistance threatening current treatment paradigms. To monitor the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, the World Health Organization (WHO) Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (GASP) has operated in the Western Pacific and South East Asian regions since 1992. The true burden of antimicrobial resistance remains unknown. In response, the objective of this study was to survey ceftriaxone and azithromycin susceptibility in N. gonorrhoeae across the western Pacific and south-east Asia, and interlink this data with systematically reviewed reports of ceftriaxone and azithromycin resistance. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Sydney, coordinated annual surveys of gonococcal susceptibilities with participating laboratories, and additionally undertook a systematic review of reports detailing gonococcal ceftriaxone and azithromycin susceptibility data for locations geographically in the Asia Pacific from 2011 to 2016. It was found that surveillance of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance remains limited in the Asia Pacific, with weaker surveillance of azithromycin versus ceftriaxone. Ninety-three published reports were identified (including national reports) which documented susceptibility data for ceftriaxone and azithromycin. GASP survey data was available for 21 countries, territories or areas, and suggested MICs are increasing for ceftriaxone and azithromycin. Between 2011 and 2016, the percentage of locations reporting >5% of gonococcal isolates with MICs to ceftriaxone meeting WHO's definition of decreased susceptibility (MIC ≥ 0.125 mg/L) increased from 14.3% to 35.3% and the percentage of locations reporting >5% of gonococcal isolates with azithromycin resistance (MIC ≥ 1 mg/L) increased from 14.3% to 38.9%. Published reports were available for several countries that did not provide GASP surveillance responses for ceftriaxone (n = 5) and azithromycin (n = 3) respectively. Over the study period, there was a 183% increase in the number of countries providing surveillance data for GASP for both ceftriaxone and azithromycin, and a 30.6% increase in ceftriaxone MIC testing across the Asia Pacific facilitated by this project. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first comprehensive illustration of increasing MICs to ceftriaxone in the Asia Pacific. The survey and literature review additionally detail increasing resistance to azithromycin. Further surveillance system strengthening is required to monitor these trends in order to address and curb gonococcal AMR in the region.

Shift working reduces operative experience for trauma and orthopaedic higher surgical trainees: a UK multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years there has been a rise in the number of trauma and orthopaedics trainees working on full shift patterns. Historically, most trauma and orthopaedics trainees worked 24 hours non-resident on-call shifts. The effect of this change in shift patterns has not previously been measured. As two trusts (one trauma unit, one major trauma centre) in our region underwent a change to full shift working, we assessed the impact on the trainees' operating experience. METHODS: Fifty-five logbooks were analysed across the two trusts over a two-year period, with comparisons made between pre- and post-shift working. RESULTS: Overall operating fell by 13% for trainees working full shift patterns, which was statistically significant. There was a loss of elective operating of 15% at the trauma unit and 32% at the major trauma centre for trainees doing shift work. The effect on trauma operating opportunities was mixed. Index operating was largely preserved. CONCLUSIONS: Shift working significantly impacts on surgical training opportunities. We explore approaches to minimising this effect.

Keratitis antimicrobial resistance surveillance program, Sydney, Australia: 2016 Annual Report.

IMPORTANCE: Antimicrobial resistance data from bacterial keratitis in Australia are lacking. BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is a global health threat. Bacterial keratitis is an ophthalmic emergency requiring immediate and effective treatment. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of bacterial isolates and antibiotic susceptibility profiles at a quaternary hospital in Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and twenty-four corneal scrapes from patients from January 1 to December 31, 2016. METHODS: Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry identified bacteria. The Calibrated Dichotomous Sensitivity (CDS) method determined antibiotic susceptibilities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Isolated organisms and antibiotic susceptibilities. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-eight scrapes of 224 (75%) were culture positive. One hundred and thirty-one patients had a single organism isolated and 21 had mixed bacterial growth. Of the 157 organisms isolated, 131 (83%) were Gram-positive and 27 (17%) Gram-negative. Of the Gram-positive organisms, 75 (57%) were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS), 15 (11%) Staphylococcus aureus (including one methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA]) and 8 (6%) Corynebacterium spp. Of the Gram-negative organisms, 15 (58%) were Pseudomonas aeruginosa. With methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) resistance to chloramphenicol was 21%, ciprofloxacin 7% and gentamicin 7%. With CoNS resistance to cefalotin was 9%, gentamicin 9% and ciprofloxacin 9%. With Corynebacterium spp. resistance was 40% to cefalotin, chloramphenicol 25% and ciprofloxacin 14%. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Staphyloccocus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. were the most common microorganisms isolated. There was low resistance to cefalotin and ciprofloxacin for these isolates. More than 90% of these would be covered by current therapeutic recommendations for empiric therapy in Australia.

Evidence for a southward autumn migration of nocturnal noctuid moths in central Europe.

Insect migrations are spectacular natural events and resemble a remarkable relocation of biomass between two locations in space. Unlike the well-known migrations of daytime flying butterflies, such as the painted lady (Vanessa cardui) or the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), much less widely known are the migrations of nocturnal moths. These migrations - typically involving billions of moths from different taxa - have recently attracted considerable scientific attention. Nocturnal moth migrations have traditionally been investigated by light trapping and by observations in the wild, but in recent times a considerable improvement in our understanding of this phenomenon has come from studying insect orientation behaviour, using vertical-looking radar. In order to establish a new model organism to study compass mechanisms in migratory moths, we tethered each of two species of central European Noctuid moths in a flight simulator to study their flight bearings: the red underwing (Catocala nupta) and the large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba). Both species had significantly oriented flight bearings under an unobscured view of the clear night sky and in the Earth's natural magnetic field. Red underwings oriented south-southeast, while large yellow underwings oriented southwest, both suggesting a southerly autumn migration towards the Mediterranean. Interestingly, large yellow underwings became disoriented on humid (foggy) nights while red underwings remained oriented. We found no evidence in either species for a time-independent sky compass mechanism as previously suggested for the large yellow underwing.

The Work of ASBH's Clinical Ethics Consultation Affairs Committee: Development Processes Behind Our Educational Materials.

The authors of this article are previous or current members of the Clinical Ethics Consultation Affairs (CECA) Committee, a standing committee of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH). The committee is composed of seasoned healthcare ethics consultants (HCECs), and it is charged with developing and disseminating education materials for HCECs and ethics committees. The purpose of this article is to describe the educational research and development processes behind our teaching materials, which culminated in a case studies book called A Case-Based Study Guide for Addressing Patient-Centered Ethical Issues in Health Care (hereafter, the Study Guide). In this article, we also enumerate how the Study Guide could be used in teaching and learning, and we identify areas that are ripe for future work.

Perineal closure following extralevator abdominoperineal excision for cancer of the rectum.

AIM: Extralevator abdominoperineal resection (ELAPE) may be complicated by perineal wound healing problems and herniation. We report a consecutive series of 38 such patients with selective use of a fasciocutaneous V-Y buttock advancement flap (BAF). METHOD: Data were collected on a series of patients undergoing ELAPE for rectal malignancy between August 2011 and July 2017. Demographics, management and outcomes were recorded prospectively. Perineal wound problems were considered as 'major' if they required packing; otherwise, they were classed as 'minor'. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients [eight female and 30 male; median age 63 (range: 35-89) years] underwent ELAPE. Thirty-seven had an adenocarcinoma of the rectum and one had a malignant melanoma. The median tumour height (from the anal verge) was 30 (range: 0-80) mm. Sixteen patients had a BAF. The median length of stay was 10 (range: 6-25) days. Primary perineal healing occurred in 18 (47%) patients. Major wound breakdown occurred in three (10%) patients and minor wound breakdown in 17 (45%). Two of the 16 patients having a BAF had major wound breakdown: one wound took 9 weeks to heal completely and the other took 9 months. Of the 22 patients who did not have a BAF, one had a major wound breakdown which closed by 3 months. There were no perineal fistulae or chronic sinuses. There were two perineal herniae that were successfully repaired by perineal insertion of biological mesh (Permacol™; Covidien, Dublin, Ireland). CONCLUSIONS: Selective use of a BAF for perineal closure can give good results in terms of healing and an acceptably low early perineal herniation rate.

Improved outcomes for hepatic trauma in England and Wales over a decade of trauma and hepatobiliary surgery centralisation.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decade trauma services have undergone a reconfiguration in England and Wales. The objective is to describe the epidemiology, management and outcomes for liver trauma over this period and examine factors predicting survival. METHODS: Patients sustaining hepatic trauma were identified using the Trauma Audit and Research Network database. Demographics, management and outcomes were assessed between January 2005 and December 2014 and analysed over five, 2-year study periods. Independent predictor variables for the outcome of liver trauma were analysed using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: 4368 Patients sustained hepatic trauma (with known outcome) between January 2005 and December 2014. Median age was 34 years (interquartile range 23-49). 81% were due to blunt and 19% to penetrating trauma. Road traffic collisions were the main mechanism of injury (58.2%). 241 patients (5.5%) underwent liver-specific surgery. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 16.4%. Improvements were seen in early consultant input, frequency and timing of computed tomography (CT) scanning, use of tranexamic acid and 30-day mortality over the five time periods. Being treated in a unit with an on-site HPB service increased the odds of survival (odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence intervals 2.7-4.5). CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown that being treated in a unit with an on-site HPB service increased the odds of survival. Further evaluation of the benefits of trauma and HPB surgery centralisation is warranted.