Cancer Care Ontario Colonoscopy Standards: standards and evidentiary base.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of non-tobacco-related cancer deaths in Canadian men and women, accounting for 10% of all cancer deaths. An estimated 7800 men and women will be diagnosed with CRC, and 3250 will die from the disease in Ontario in 2007. Given that CRC incidence and mortality rates in Ontario are among the highest in the world, the best opportunity to reduce this burden of disease would be through screening. The present report describes the findings and recommendations of Cancer Care Ontario's Colonoscopy Standards Expert Panel, which was convened in March 2006 by the Program in Evidence-Based Care. The recommendations will form the basis of the quality assurance program for colonoscopy delivered in support of Ontario's CRC screening program.

Waiting times for cancer surgery in Ontario: 1984-2000.

AIMS: Despite persistent public interest and the perception among clinicians and patients that increased waiting time for cancer surgery is related to worse outcomes, little is known about waiting time for cancer surgery. Our aim is to describe changes in waiting times for cancer surgery in Ontario between 1984 and 2000, and associated factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The interval between date of diagnosis and admission for surgery for all patients receiving surgical treatment for cancers of the larynx, hypopharynx, stomach, colon, rectum, breast, cervix, uterus, prostate, bladder, lung and oesophagus was calculated for all patients in Ontario between 1984 and June 2000. This was accomplished by retrospective review of prospectively gathered electronic records. RESULTS: Median waiting times for cancer surgery increased for all cancer types, including substantial increases for oesophageal cancer (from 14 days between 1984 and 1987 to 33 days between 1998 and 2000), breast cancer (12-27 days), and laryngeal cancer (16-33 days). A similar increase in waiting times for patients awaiting radiation therapy was identified. The proportion of patients receiving diagnosis and definitive resection on the same admission for colon cancer decreased (from 79.4% between 1984 and 1987 to 47.9% between 1998 and 2000) for laryngeal cancer (35.5-9.4%), and for lung cancer (61.6-23.0%). Age, sex, cancer site, hospital type, household income and cancer centre location were all independently related to waiting times. CONCLUSIONS: Waiting times for cancer surgery increased substantially between 1984 and 2000. Waiting times were influenced by disease, patient and health-system-related factors.

Outcome of local excision of rectal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the results of patients with rectal adenocarcinoma treated with local excision. METHODS: A retrospective, chart review was conducted for all patients treated with local excision for rectal adenocarcinoma from 1984 to 1998. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients were retained for analysis. The median follow-up was 37 (range, 9-125) months. There were 15 local failures with a median time to local failure of 12 months. Seven patients were salvaged with further operation (4 by repeat local excision, 4 by abdominoperineal resection, and 1 by low anterior resection). The incidence of local recurrence increased with advancing stage of the carcinoma (T1, 13 percent; T2, 24 percent; T3, 71 percent), histologic grade of differentiation, (well, 12 percent; moderately, 24 percent; poorly, 44 percent), and margin status (negative, 16 percent; close (within 2 mm), 33 percent; positive, 50 percent). Sixteen percent of carcinomas < or = 3 cm failed compared with 47 percent for carcinomas > 3 cm. Nine percent (1/11) of T2 patients treated with adjuvant radiation therapy recurred locally compared with 36 percent (5/14) without radiation therapy. Three of four T3 patients who received radiation therapy failed locally compared with two of three who did not. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, the overall survival at five years was 71 percent, and disease-free survival was 83 percent. Actuarial local failure was 27 percent and freedom from distant metastasis was 86 percent. The sphincter preservation rate was 90 percent at five years. CONCLUSIONS: Local excision alone is an acceptable option for well-differentiated, T1 carcinomas, < or = 3 cm. Adjuvant radiation is recommended for T2 lesions. The high local recurrence rate in patients after local excision of T3 lesions with or without adjuvant radiotherapy would mandate a radical resection.

The value of specialization--is there an outcome difference in the management of fistulas complicating diverticulitis.

PURPOSE: The value of specialization has frequently been challenged by many health care institutions and providers. This review was conducted to determine whether there were any outcome differences in the management of fistulas complicating diverticulitis. METHODS: We conducted an historical cohort study using hospital charts of all cases of fistulas complicating diverticulitis that were operated on in four university-affiliated hospitals between 1975 and 1995. There were 122 patients, with 37 under the care of fully trained colorectal surgeons and 85 under the care of general surgeons. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient demographics, preoperative comorbidities, or the number of preoperative diagnostic investigations between the two groups. The colorectal surgeons performed more intraoperative ureteral stenting (Colorectal Surgery 55.5 percent vs. General Surgery 24.4 percent, P = 0.001). The general surgeons performed more initial diverting Hartmann's and colostomy procedures (Colorectal Surgery 5.4 percent vs. General Surgery 27 percent, P = 0.013). The patients in the General Surgery group had longer preoperative lengths of stay (median Colorectal Surgery 3 (range, 1-28) days vs. General Surgery 8 (range, 0-29) days; P < 0.001), longer postoperative lengths of stay (median Colorectal Surgery 11 (range, 5-40) days vs. General Surgery 14 (range, 2-80) days; P = 0.001), and longer total lengths of stay (median Colorectal Surgery 14 (range, 6-62) days vs. General Surgery 24 (range, 6-100) days; P < 0.001). The patients in the General Surgery group experienced a higher rate of wound infections (Colorectal Surgery 5.4 percent vs. General Surgery 12.9 percent), and a larger proportion of them experienced complications (Colorectal Surgery 27 percent vs. General Surgery 41.2 percent). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that specialization in colon and rectal surgery contributed to an improved outcome, with a lower rate of diverting procedures, a shorter hospital stay, and a lower rate of complications.

The effect of intraoperative thoracic epidural anesthesia and postoperative analgesia on bowel function after colorectal surgery: a prospective, randomized trial.

PURPOSE: Colorectal surgery is associated with postoperative ileus, which contributes to delayed discharge. This study was designed to investigate the effect of thoracic epidural anesthesia and analgesia on gastrointestinal function after colorectal surgery under standardized controlled postoperative care. METHODS: Forty-two patients diagnosed with either colonic cancer, diverticulitis, polyps, or adenoma, and scheduled for elective colorectal surgery, were randomly assigned to either postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with intravenous morphine (n = 21) or epidural analgesia with a mixture of bupivacaine and fentanyl (n = 21). Postoperative early oral feeding and assistance to mobilization were offered to all patients. Pain visual analog scale (1-100 mm), passage of flatus and bowel movements, length of hospital stay, and readiness for discharge were recorded. RESULTS: Pain visual analog scale (visual analog scale, 1-100 mm) at rest, on coughing, and daily on mobilization was significantly lower in the epidural group compared with the patient-controlled analgesia group. Median values for the visual analog scale group were 7 (95 percent confidence interval, 2-18) mm, 19 (95 percent confidence interval, 4-38) mm, and 10 (95 percent confidence interval, 5-33) mm, respectively, and, for the patient-controlled analgesia group, were 24 (95 percent confidence interval, 18-51) mm, 59 (95 percent confidence interval, 33-74) mm, and 40 (95 percent confidence interval, 29-79) mm, respectively (P < 0.01). Intake of protein and calories and time out of bed were similar in both groups. Mean time intervals +/- standard deviation from surgery to first flatus and first bowel movement occurred earlier in the epidural group, 1.9 +/- 0.6 days and 3.1 +/- 1.7 days, respectively, compared with patient-controlled analgesia, 3.6 +/- 1.5 days and 4.6 +/- 1.6 days, respectively (P < 0.01). Postoperative complications occurred in 33 percent of the patient-controlled analgesia group and 28 percent of the epidural group. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay between the two groups with a mean of 7.3 +/- 3.7 days in the patient-controlled analgesia group and 8.5 +/- 4.2 days in the epidural group. Readiness for discharge was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Thoracic epidural analgesia has distinct advantages over patient-controlled analgesia morphine in providing superior quality of analgesia and shortening the duration of postoperative ileus. However, discharge home was not faster, indicating that other perioperative factors influence the length of hospital stay.

Safety and efficacy of dynamic graciloplasty for fecal incontinence: report of a prospective, multicenter trial. Dynamic Graciloplasty Therapy Study Group.

PURPOSE: Dynamic graciloplasty has been used for intractable fecal incontinence, and good results have been reported. The aim of this study was to assess prospectively the safety and efficacy of dynamic graciloplasty for intractable fecal incontinence in a prospective, multicenter trial. METHODS: A total of 123 adults were treated with dynamic graciloplasty at 20 institutions. Continence was assessed preoperatively and postoperatively by use of 14-day diaries. RESULTS: There was one treatment-related death. One hundred eighty-nine adverse events occurred in 91 patients (74 percent). Forty-nine patients (40 percent) required one or more operations to treat complications. One hundred seventy (90 percent) events were resolved. Sixty-three percent of patients without pre-existing stomas recorded a 50 percent or greater decrease in incontinent events 12 months after dynamic graciloplasty, and an additional 11 percent experienced lesser degrees of improvement. Twenty-six percent were not improved, worsened, or exited. In patients with pre-existing stomas, 33 percent achieved successful outcomes at 12 months. This number increased to 60 percent at 18 months. Seventy-eight percent of patients had increased enema retention time, and mean anal canal pressures improved significantly at 12 months. Significant changes in quality of life were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Objective improvement can be demonstrated in the majority of patients with end-stage fecal incontinence treated with dynamic graciloplasty. Reduction in incontinence episodes can be correlated with improved quality of life. Adverse events are frequently encountered, but most resolve with treatment.

Role of surgical residents in undergraduate surgical education.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the role and impact of surgical residents on the various activities of a senior (4th year) surgical clerkship, and to explore students' perceptions of differences between the teaching behaviours of attending physicians and residents. DESIGN: A survey by questionnaire. SETTING: McGill University, Montreal. METHOD: A 67-item questionnaire was administered to fourth-year medical students at the end of their 8-week surgical clerkship. Analysis of the data was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Dunn's multiple comparison test and mean average. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall satisfaction with the clerkship, teaching behaviours and teaching of clinical skills and basic principles. RESULTS: Overall satisfaction with the clerkship was 6.31 out of 10. Surgical residents were perceived as being significantly more active than the attending staff in 14 out of 15 teaching behaviours. They were also seen as important in teaching certain clinical skills such as suturing, assisting in the operating room and managing emergency situations. They also contributed significantly to teaching the basic principles of surgery such as infections, surgical bleeding and fluid and electrolytes. On a 10-point scale, students felt that more learning was achieved by independent reading, tutorials and residents' teaching than by other teaching modalities, including attending physicians' and nurses' teaching. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students perceive surgical residents as being significantly more active in their education process than the attending staff. Residents appear to be responsible for teaching various technical and patient management skills necessary for patient care. Along with independent reading and tutorials, resident teaching contributes a significant portion of the medical student's acquisition of knowledge and appears to contribute to the students' choice of surgery as a career.

Ileoanal anastomosis with reservoirs: complications and long-term results.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of complications of ileoanal pouch anastomosis, their treatment and their influence on a successful outcome. DESIGN: A computerized database and chart review. SETTING: Three academic tertiary care health centres. PATIENTS: All 239 patients admitted for surgery between 1981 and 1994 with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatosis coli. INTERVENTIONS: Sphincter-saving total proctocolectomy and construction of either S-type of J-type ileoanal reservoir. OUTCOME MEASURES: Indications, early and late complications, incidence of pouch excision. RESULTS: Of the 239 patients, 228 (95.4%) were operated on for ulcerative colitis and 11 (4.6%) for familial polyposis coli. One patient in each group was found to have a carcinoma not previously diagnosed. Twenty-eight patients had poor results: in 17 (7.1%) the ileostomy was never closed or was re-established because of pelvic sepsis or complex fistulas, sclerosing cholangitis or severe diarrhea; 11 (4.6%) patients required excision of the pouch because of anal stenosis, perirectal abscess-fistula or rectovaginal fistula. Three patients died--of suicide, and complications of liver transplantation and HIV infection. Thus, 208 patients maintained a functioning pouch. The early complication rate (within 30 days of operation) was 57.7% (138 patients) and the late complication rate was 52.3% (125 patients). Pouchitis alone did not lead to failure or pouch excision. Emptying difficulties in 25 patients with anal stenosis were helped in 2 by resorting to intermittent catheterization. Patients with indeterminate colitis had a higher rate of anorectal septic complications, and all patients having Crohn's disease after pouch construction had complicated courses. CONCLUSIONS: The complication rate associated with ileoanal pouch anastomosis continues to be relatively high despite increasing experience with this technique. Overall, however, a satisfactory outcome was obtained in 87% of patients.

Failure to eradicate vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a university hospital and the cost of barrier precautions.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the effect of infection control interventions on the incidence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), the utility of pharyngeal cultures for surveillance for VRE colonization, and the cost of barrier precautions. DESIGN: Evaluation of the occurrence of VRE infection or colonization, rates of vancomycin use, results of surveillance cultures before and after interventions, and the cost of increased barrier precautions. SETTING: University of Massachusetts Medical Center, a 347-bed tertiary-care teaching hospital with eight intensive-care units, one burn unit, and one bone marrow transplant unit. PARTICIPANTS: Patients in the intensive-care units and staff who were involved with patients colonized or infected with VRE. METHODS: Infection control interventions included placement of patients with VRE in private rooms, strict contact isolation, cohorting of patient and nursing staff, prohibiting of equipment sharing, and monitoring of compliance with the vancomycin restriction policy, with hand washing, and of the adequacy of environmental cleaning. Both rectal and pharyngeal cultures were obtained from patients at the beginning of the outbreak, and the utility of pharyngeal cultures was evaluated. The cost of barrier precautions was estimated by comparing the cost of glove and gown use before and after the outbreak began. RESULTS: The interventions decreased the number of new cases of VRE, but total eradication of VRE was not achieved. Compliance with the room-cleaning protocol was 91% (141/155 observations). Hand washing following interaction with patients who were not in isolation was 51%, vs 100% for patients in isolation. Overall, handwashing compliance was 71% (319/449): 56% (130/231) for physicians and 86% (187/218) for nurses (P<.0001). The mean number of doses of vancomycin dispensed per 1,000 patient days decreased from 145 to 114 per 1,000 patient days (P<.001). Compliance with vancomycin-use guidelines was 85%. Forty-six (77%) of 60 surveillance rectal swabs yielded enterococci, as compared to only 4 (11%) of 36 pharyngeal cultures (P<.0001). Expenses on glove and gowns alone increased by over $11,000 per year since the epidemic began. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the various infection control measures did not eradicate VRE cases from the hospital. Rectal cultures were more useful than pharyngeal cultures for surveillance of VRE. Controlling VRE epidemics can be costly.

Fistulas complicating diverticulitis.

This study was undertaken to assess the appropriate management of patients with diverticulitis complicated by fistula formation. A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with symptoms of a fistula who presented between 1975 to 1995. There were 42 patients (32 women, 76%; 10 men, 24%) who ranged in age from 46 to 89 years (mean 69.8 +/- 9.8). Six patients had multiple fistulas. The types of fistulas included colovesical (48%), colovaginal (44%), colocutaneous (4%), colotubal (2%), and coloenteric (2%). Operative procedures consisted of resection and primary anastomosis in 38 patients and a Hartmann's operation in one. Three patients were managed conservatively with antibiotics (two due to poor performance status, the third due to resolution of symptoms). There were no operative deaths. The postoperative course was uncomplicated in 69%, while 12 patients (31%) experienced 19 complications (40%). These consisted of urinary tract infection (9.5%), atelectasis (7.1%), prolonged ileus (4.8%), arrhythmias (4.8%) and renal failure, myocardial infarction, pseudomembranous colitis, peroneal nerve palsy, unexplained fever, pulmonary edema (2.4% each). There were no anastomotic leaks and no deaths. Hospital stay ranged from 6 to 31 days (mean 12.3 +/- 7.6). Fistulas due to diverticulitis were safely managed by resection and primary anastomosis without mortality and with acceptable morbidity in this series. Patients deemed to be poor operative risks can be managed with a course of nonoperative treatment.

Once-daily dosing of aminoglycosides: review and recommendations for clinical practice.

The use of higher-dose, extended interval (i.e., once-daily) aminoglycoside regimens to optimize bacterial killing is justified by a pharmacodynamic principle of aminoglycosides, namely concentration-dependent killing, and by the partial attribution of the toxicity of aminoglycosides to prolonged serum concentrations. Numerous in-vitro and animal studies have supported using once-daily aminoglycoside dosing. Clinical studies show at least equal effectiveness and no greater toxicity when compared with traditional regimens. A dose of 5-7 mg/kg of gentamicin, tobramycin, or netilmicin, with at least a 24 h dosing interval should be employed and a similar regimen can be applied to amikacin dosing. As yet, there are some patient populations that have not been adequately studied to determine whether or not once-daily aminoglycoside dosing would be a better choice than traditional dosing regimens.

Oral absorption of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in patients with AIDS.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the bioavailability of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). DESIGN: Open-label, randomized, two-way crossover trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinical research center affiliated with a community-based teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Ten individuals diagnosed with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with CD4+ counts less than 200 cells/mm3, receiving TMP-SMX one double-strength tablet 3 times/week as prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), and without documented gastroenteropathy or diarrhea agreed to participate in the trial. One patient withdrew from the study secondary to development of symptomatic PCP. Data were available for analysis from the remaining nine subjects. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received TMP 160 mg and SMX 800 mg orally or intravenously during two study periods. Following dose administration, blood samples were collected at predetermined time points over 36 hours. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Analysis of TMP-SMX pharmacokinetic parameters (half-life, total body clearance, area under the serum concentration versus time curve, and peak concentration) failed to reveal any significant differences between intravenous and oral preparations. The calculated bioavailabilities of oral TMP and SMX (mean +/- SD) were 102.7% +/- 19.8% and 109.4% +/- 19.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The absorption of TMP-SMX is not adversely affected by HIV infection in the absence of HIV-induced gastroenteropathy or diarrhea.

Limiting vancomycin use to combat vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.

The implementation, monitoring, and impact of a program to restrict vancomycin use are described. A vancomycin restriction program was implemented in February 1995 at an acute care teaching hospital after guidelines for vancomycin use were established by a multidisciplinary group. Pharmacists reviewed each vancomycin order, suggested alternative treatments when vancomycin use did not comply with the guidelines, and set duration limits for all orders. Orders requiring greater clinical experience for review were referred to a pharmacist or a physician in the division of infectious diseases. The program was monitored by an infectious diseases pharmacist. Data collected after the program was established showed that the volume of vancomycin use decreased substantially. Problems in enforcing the restriction program included administration of vancomycin for surgical prophylaxis before the order reached the pharmacy, continuing use of vancomycin for initial empirical treatment of febrile neutropenic and immunocompromised patients, inadequate tracking of the evaluations, and deficiencies in the evaluations related to a need for continuing education of the pharmacists about the program. Use of vancomycin decreased after a pharmacy-enforced restriction program was implemented.

Serum bactericidal activity of ceftizoxime and ceftriaxone against pathogens associated with community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonias.

The serum bactericidal activities of ceftizoxime and ceftriaxone against organisms commonly implicated in community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonias were studied. Ceftizoxime 1 g (as the sodium salt) every 12 hours for two doses and ceftriaxone 1 g (as the sodium salt) every 24 hours for two doses were administered to 20 healthy volunteers in a crossover fashion. Blood samples were drawn immediately before and 2,4,6,8,10, and 12 hours after the second ceftizoxime dose and immediately before and 8,12,16,18,20, and 24 hours after the second ceftriaxone dose. Serum drug concentrations were determined by validated high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum bactericidal titers were determined in duplicate for each serum sample against four clinical isolates of each of the following organisms: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens. The median duration of serum bactericidal activity during the dosage interval was significantly different between antimicrobial regimens only for S. pneumoniae (92% of the dosage interval for ceftizoxime, versus 100% for ceftriaxone). This difference does not appear to be clinically important since ceftizoxime provides adequate serum bactericidal activity for more than 50% of the dosage interval and its effectiveness against pneumococcal pneumonia has been supported in clinical trials. The ceftriaxone and ceftizoxime regimens did not differ significantly in their duration of serum bactericidal activity against six of the seven organisms tested.

Absorption of ciprofloxacin in febrile and afebrile patients.

There are few studies evaluating the effect of fever on the bioavailability of oral antimicrobials. Owing to the growing interest in early conversion of febrile hospitalized patients from intravenous to oral therapy to reduce costs and avoid line sepsis, we evaluated the absorption of a single 500 mg dose of ciprofloxacin in 12 patients during an acute febrile episode and following defervescence. Patients able to take medication by mouth, oral temperature > or = 38.9 degrees C, and no known gastrointestinal disease were enrolled. Medications known to interact with the test agent were discontinued. Serum samples were obtained prior to and up until 12 h postdose. Pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained from the concentration-time profile using noncompartmental methods. The mean values for C(max) were 2.45 +/- 0.77 and 2.31 +/- 1.26 microg/ml, for T(max) 1.48 +/- 0.75 and 2.48 +/- 1.46 h, AUC(0-->infinity) 10.91 +/- 3.64 and 11.05 +/- 4.41 microg/ml h, and T (1 2 ) 4.05 +/- 0.65 and 4.08 +/- 0.76 h, respectively, for the febrile and afebrile periods. No statistically significant differences were observed between these parameters. We conclude that oral ciprofloxacin is well absorbed and is a suitable alternative to intravenous therapy in selected patients during an acute febrile illness.

Implementation of a once-daily aminoglycoside program in a large community-teaching hospital.

Recently, there has been an emergence of interest in the use of once-daily aminoglycoside dosing. In an attempt to take advantage of the pharmacodynamic properties of these agents and to reduce the potential for toxicity, a once-daily aminoglycoside program was developed at this institution. This program uses a fixed intravenous dose of 7 mg/kg with dosing interval adjustments based on estimates of creatinine clearance or a single random serum aminoglycoside concentration. Because this automatic conversion program was initiated hospital-wide, more than 2,400 patients received the regimen with no apparent alteration in clinical success and the incidence of toxicity was lower than that previously observed. The purpose of this report was to describe the implementation process and unique features of this hospital-wide once-daily aminoglycoside program in a 850-bed community-teaching hospital.