Status quo of operative training in emergency surgery in Germany - results of a survey.

BACKGROUND: Emergencies and emergency surgeries are a central part of everyday surgical care in Germany. However, it is unclear how emergency surgery is practically trained in clinics on a daily basis and what training concept is underlying. Therefore, the aim of this survey study was to capture the status quo of emergency surgical training of German general and visceral surgeons. METHODS: The members of the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery were surveyed online (n = 5281). The questionnaire included demographic data and expertise in surgery and assistance in emergency surgery regarding common emergency surgical operations. In addition, further training measures in emergency surgery and their support by employers were queried. RESULTS: Only complete questionnaires (n = 184, response rate 3.5%) were included in the analysis. Most participants were in training (n = 69; 38%), followed by senior physicians (n = 52; 29%), specialists (n = 31; 17%) and chief physicians (n = 30; 17%). 64% of the participants were employed at university hospitals or maximum care hospitals. Regarding further training opportunities, in-clinic shock room training was most frequently used. Outside of their own clinic, the ATLS course was most frequently mentioned. Operations for cholecystitis and appendicitis as well as emergency stoma procedures are the most common emergency procedures. There was a strong difference in the frequency of operated cases depending on the level of training. For operations to treat acute abdominal traumas (hemostasis of liver and spleen, packing) as well as outside of visceral surgery, only low competence was reported. Over 90% of survey participants consider emergency surgery to be an indispensable core competence. Neither in the old (76%) nor in the new training regulations (47%) is emergency surgery adequately represented according to the participants' assessment. There was a significantly lower prevalence of the "sub-steps concept" in emergency surgery at 38% compared to elective surgery (44%). Important elements of imparting skills in emergency surgery are simulation and courses as well as operative sub-steps, according to the majority of survey participants. CONCLUSION: The results show that general and visceral surgeons in Germany are introduced to emergency surgery too little structured during further training and at specialist level. The survey participants had, as expected, hardly any experience in emergency surgery outside of visceral surgery but surprisingly also little experience in visceral surgical trauma care. There is a need to discuss the future organization of emergency surgical training. Adequate simulation structures and extracurricular courses could contribute to an improvement in this respect.

Recommendations on postoperative strain and physical labor after abdominal and hernia surgery: an expert survey of attendants of the 41st EHS Annual International Congress of the European Hernia Society.

BACKGROUND: There are no valid recommendations or reliable guidelines available to guide patients how long they should refrain from lifting weights or returning to heavy physical labor after abdominal or hernia surgery. Recent studies found that surgeons' recommendations not to be evidence-based and might be too restrictive considering data on fascial healing and incisional hernia development. It is likely that this impairs the patient's quality of life and leads to remarkable socio-economic costs. Hence, we conducted this survey to gather international expert's opinions on this topic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At the 41st Annual International Congress of the EHS, attending international experts were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning recommendations on given proposals for postoperative refrain from heavy work or lifting after abdominal surgery and also after hernia repairs. RESULTS: In total, 127 experts took part in the survey. 83.9% were consultants with a mean experience since specialization of more than 11 years. Two weeks of no heavy physical strain after laparoscopic surgery were considered sufficient by more than 50% of the participants. For laparotomy, more than 50% rated 4 weeks appropriate. For mesh-augmented sublay and IPOM repair of ventral or incisional hernias, more than 50% rated 4 weeks of rest appropriate. For complex hernia repair, 37% rated 4 weeks reasonable. Two weeks after, groin hernia surgery was considered sufficient by more than 50% of the participants. CONCLUSION: Following groin hernia repair (Lichtenstein/endoscopic technique) and laparoscopic operation, the majority agreed on the proposal of 2 weeks refraining from physical strain. Four weeks of no physical strain were considered appropriate by a majority after laparotomy and open incisional hernia repair. However, the results showed substantial variation in the ratings, which indicates uncertainty even in this selected cohort of hernia surgery experts and emphasizes the need for further scientific evaluation. This is particularly remarkable, because a lack of evidence that early postoperative strain leads to higher incisional hernia rates. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Number DRKS00023887.

[Advanced training of general and visceral surgeons in life-saving emergency surgery : Results of a survey among participants of a surgery course]. / Fortbildung von Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgen in der lebensrettenden Notfallchirurgie : Ergebnisse einer Umfrage unter Operationskursteilnehmern.

BACKGROUND: Due to a decreasing number of emergency procedures for body cavity injuries, surgical training is inadequate and current educational concepts must be reconsidered. The German Society for General and Visceral Surgery has set up a surgical training course in 2014 to overcome this shortage. In order to assess the eligibility, needs, benefits and success of such a training format, participants were asked to evaluate the program. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All participants evaluated the course during participation and were later asked to answer an online survey regarding their age, gender, level of surgical education, surgical discipline, level of care of the hospital, emergency surgical experience and frequency of performing emergency surgery, participation in other programs, experiences after participating in the course, rating of the current training curriculum and funding of such courses. RESULTS: Out of 142 participants 83 replied to the online survey. Over 90% reported a lasting positive influence of the course on emergency surgical skills. More than half of the responders remembered a clinical situation which they successfully managed due to the skills they gained during the course. Surgeons experienced in emergency treatment felt significantly more benefit than less experienced colleagues. A consultancy position, the level of care of the hospital, age and sex of the participants did not influence the overall benefits reported. The majority of responding surgeons were in favor of including such a training course in surgical education and stipulated public financial support. CONCLUSION: Course formats that mediate emergency surgery strategies and skills are established and well accepted. Training of surgeons in life-saving emergency surgery is in the public interest and is also partly the responsibility of society.

[SMAR3T©-a new time-saving diagnostic emergency room management algorithm]. / SMAR3T© ­ ein neuer zeitsparender diagnostischer Schockraumalgorithmus.

BACKGROUND: Primary computed tomography (CT) plays an increasingly important role in diagnosing life-threatening conditions in polytrauma patients; however, it is associated with two major problems: suboptimal interobserver reliability with unstructured reports especially when the reporting is undertaken by physicians in training during working hours and a delay in beginning urgent surgical interventions, which is mainly due to the time taken until the CT report is available and less to the technical time necessary for the CT. This is why the clinical benefits of a primary CT scan in hemodynamically unstable patients after polytrauma is currently under interdisciplinary discussion. OBJECTIVE: The present study focused on the development and evaluation of a standardized imaging and reporting protocol for initial CT diagnostics of injuries that need immediate treatment after polytrauma. METHODS: In this study 30 patients after polytrauma were subjected to a novel imaging and reporting protocol, SMAR3T, consisting of an imaging protocol with decreased thin-slice axial scan sequences and a standardized structured reporting protocol. These were compared to conventional emergency room CT protocol with respect to time efficiency and quality of the results. RESULTS: The application of the SMAR3T algorithm significantly reduced the time from scan to reporting from an average of 59.6 ± 4.2 min to an average of 8.5 ± 0.6 min (p < 10-23). With the conventional reporting protocol as well as the novel SMAR3T reporting protocol, all life-threatening conditions and injuries requiring immediate treatment were detected. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of 30 CT scans in polytraumatized patients, the SMAR3T algorithm significantly reduced the time to surgical intervention without compromising diagnostic accuracy with respect to life-threatening conditions. Additionally, the reduction in imaging data volume could facilitate telemedical transmission of data to superordinate centers.

[Terrorist attack trauma - an individual entity of polytrauma : A 10-year update]. / Das Terroranschlagtrauma ­ eine eigene Entität des Polytraumas : 10-Jahres-Update.

The incidence of terrorist attacks is increasing worldwide, and they have also become a permanent threat in European cities. Due to its complexity, terrorist attack trauma places high demands on the strategy of surgical treatment. The combination of various mechanisms, explosions and gunshot injuries, with the characteristic pressure (blast) damage and a high proportion of penetrating trauma with simultaneous burns are characteristic features. Unlike in military conflicts, injuries to people of all ages and without ballistic body protection (body armor) are to be expected. The mechanism of the attack and its local conditions are of relevance for the assessment of the situation and the expected injury patterns. Thus, suicide attacks result in several times higher numbers of fatalities and casualties. Explosions on free ground lead to different types of injury than those in closed or semi-enclosed spaces. The treatment principles of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) are based on the intrahospital care of casualties as well as damage control strategies with trigger factors. In order to prepare and educate clinics and surgeons in Germany for such scenarios, various course formats of the professional societies, the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) and the German Society for Trauma Surgery (DGU) have now been established.

Intensive care and health outcomes of open abdominal treatment: long-term results of vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM).

PURPOSE: The study's purpose is to evaluate the long-term outcome after vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM) and to identify predictors of quality of life associated with intensive care. METHODS: Fifty-five patients who underwent open abdomen management at our institution from 2006 to 2013 were prospectively enrolled in this study. After a median follow-up period of 3.8 years, 27 patients completed the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) quality of life questionnaire. As this is a report solely focused on quality of life, direct treatment-related outcome measures like mortality, closure rates, and incisional hernia development of this study cohort have been reported previously. RESULTS: SF-36 physical role (54.6 ± 41.0 (0-100), p < 0.01), physical functioning (68.4 ± 29.5 (0-100), p = 0.01), and physical component summary (41.6 ± 13.0 (19-62), p = 0.01) scores for the patient population were significantly lower than normative scores. Significant correlations were found between physical functioning and total treatment costs (r = -0.66, p = 0.01), total units of packed red blood cells (r = -0.56, p = 0.04), and the complex intensive care scores (r = -0.50, p = 0.02). Simple and multiple regression analyses demonstrated that the complex intensive care score was the only predictor of physical functioning (R 2 = 0.50, ß = -0.70, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Despite high short-term mortality and morbidity rates for these critically ill patients, open abdomen treatment using VAWCM allows patients to recover to an acceptable long-term quality of life. The complex intensive care score can be used as a surrogate parameter for the global severity of illness and was the only predictor of physical functioning (SF-36).

The Open Abdomen Route by EuraHS: introduction of the data set and initial results of procedures and procedure-related complications.

INTRODUCTION: Open abdomen management has become a well-established strategy in the treatment of serious intra-abdominal pathologies. Key objectives are fistula prevention and high fascial closure rates. The current level of evidence on laparostoma is insufficient. This is due to the rareness of laparostomas, the heterogeneity of study cohorts, and broad diversity of techniques. Collecting data in a standardised, multicentre registry is necessary to draw up evidence-based guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to improve the level of evidence on laparostomy, CAMIN (surgical working group for military and emergency surgery) of DGAV (German Society for General and Visceral Surgery), initiated the implementation of a laparostomy registry. This registry was established as the Open Abdomen Route by EuraHS (European Registry of Abdominal Wall Hernias). Key objectives include collection of data, quality assurance, standardisation of therapeutic concepts and the development of guidelines. Since 1 May 2015, the registry is available as an online database called Open Abdomen Route of EuraHS (European Registry of Abdominal Wall Hernias). It includes 11 categories for data collection, including three scheduled follow-up examinations. RESULTS: As part of this pilot study, all entries of the first 120 days were analysed, resulting in a review of 82 patients. At 44%, secondary peritonitis was the predominant indication. The mortality rate was 22%. A comparison of methods with and without fascial traction reveals fascial closure rates of 67% and 25%, respectively (intention-to-treat analysis, p < 0.03). Inert visceral protection was used in 67% of patients and achieved a small bowel fistula incidence of only 5.5%. DISCUSSION: Optimising laparostomy management techniques in order to achieve low incidence of fistulation and high fascial closure rates is possible. The method that ensures the best possible outcome-based on current evidence-would involve fascial traction, visceral protection and negative pressure. The laparostomy registry is a useful tool for quickly generating sufficient evidence for open abdomen treatment.

Abdominal wall integrity after open abdomen: long-term results of vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM).

PURPOSE: The open abdomen has become a standard technique in the management of critically ill patients undergoing surgery for severe intra-abdominal conditions. Negative pressure and mesh-mediated fascial traction are commonly used and achieve low fistula rates and high fascial closure rates. In this study, long-term results of a standardised treatment approach are presented. METHODS: Fifty-five patients who underwent OA management for different indications at our institution from 2006 to 2013 were enrolled. All patients were treated under a standardised algorithm that uses a combination of vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction. Structured follow-up assessments were offered to patients and included a medical history, a clinical examination and abdominal ultrasonography. The data obtained were statistically analysed. RESULTS: The fascial closure rate was 74 % in an intention-to-treat analysis and 89 % in a per-protocol analysis. The fistula rate was 1.8 %. Thirty-four patients attended follow-up. The median follow-up was 46 months (range 12-88 months). Incisional hernias developed in 35 %. Patients with hernias needed more operative procedures (10.3 vs 3.4, p = 0.03) than patients without hernia formation. A Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) of 31.1 was calculated. Patients with symptomatic hernias (NAS of 2-10) had a significantly lower mean POSAS score (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM) seem to result in low complication rates and high fascial closure rates. Abdominal wall reconstruction, which is a challenging and complex procedure and causes considerable patient discomfort, can thus be avoided in the majority of cases. Available results are based on studies involving only a small number of cases. Multi-centre studies and registry-based data are therefore needed to validate these findings.

[Therapy concepts for diffuse peritonitis: When laparoscopic lavage and when open abdomen?]. / Therapiekonzepte der diffusen Peritonitis : Wann laparoskopische Lavage, wann offenes Abdomen?

Secondary diffuse peritonitis still has a high morbidity and mortality even now; therefore, the various strategies and options for the different surgical therapies are undergoing an evidence-based review. Laparoscopic lavage without resection of the focus of sepsis for example is a profoundly different approach in the treatment of diffuse peritonitis from the damage control-based strategy of surgery with initial laparostomy and deferred anastomosis. The evidential data for minimally invasive therapy are comparatively well-reviewed for appendicitis, cholecystitis and ulcerated perforation of the stomach and duodenum. In contrast, the evidence for laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery with lavage and deferred anastomosis or damage control in secondary peritonitis has improved but is still low and cannot yet be clearly recommended. This article presents an overview of the currently available therapeutic methods for diffuse peritonitis and a critical consideration of the evidence-based data. The key recommendation is that the decision to use a surgical procedure based on the currently available data depends more on the severity of the abdominal sepsis, the duration, the age of the patient and comorbidities than on the individual technique.

Management of the open abdomen using vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction.

BACKGROUND: The open abdomen has become an accepted treatment option of critically ill patients with severe intra-abdominal conditions. Fascial closure is a particular challenge in patients with peritonitis. This study investigates whether fascial closure rates can be increased in peritonitis patients by using an algorithm that combines vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction. Moreover, fascial closure rates for patients with peritonitis, trauma or abdominal compartment system (ACS) are compared. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively from all patients who underwent open abdomen management at our institution from 2006 to 2012. All patients were treated under a standardised algorithm that combines vacuum-assisted closure and mesh placement at the fascial level. RESULTS: During the study period, 53 patients (mean age 53 years) underwent open abdomen management for a mean duration of 15 days. Indications for leaving the abdomen open were peritonitis (51 %), trauma (26 %), and ACS or abdominal wall dehiscence (23 %). The fascial closure rate was 79 % in an intention-to-treat analysis and 89 % in a per-protocol analysis. Mortality was 13 %. No patient developed an enteroatmospheric fistula or abdominal wall dehiscence after closure. The mean duration of treatment was significantly longer in peritonitis patients (20 days) than in patients without peritonitis (10 days) (p = 0.03). There were no significant differences in fascial closure rates between patients with peritonitis (87 %), trauma (85 %), and ACS or abdominal wall dehiscence (100 %) (p = 0.647). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the underlying pathology, high fascial closure rates can be achieved using a combination of vacuum-assisted closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction.

[Abdominal actinomycosis: a rare differential diagnosis to colon carcinoma and Morbus Crohn]. / Abdominelle Aktinomykose: Eine seltene Differenzialdiagnose zu Kolonkarzinom und Morbus Crohn.

Abdominal actinomycosis is a rare, chronic and slowly progressive granulomatous disease. The clinical presentation of abdominal actinomycosis shows a great variability and it often mimics other intraabdominal pathologies like chronic inflammatory bowel diseases or malignancies. A correct diagnosis can rarely be established before radical surgery especially in patients with advanced tumors and an acute clinical presentation. Actinomyces are considered to be residential saprophytes in the gastroinstetinal tract and require a mucosal lesion to cause an opportunistic infection. Microbiological culture is the gold standard for diagnosis, despite high false-negative rates in daily routine testing. Therefore, actinomycosis is diagnosed more often histopathologically by detection of sulfur granules in the surgical specimen. The postoperative treatment of choice is intravenous followed by oral penicillin over a few weeks due to good response and low resistance rates. There are no evidence based recommendations concerning the duration of antibiotic treatment, but a treatment of at least 4 weeks depending on the clinical course is advisable to achieve permanent recovery. The following case report deals with a severe clinical course of an abdominal actinomycosis. The 49-year-old female patient had to be operated as an emergency under suspicion of an advanced colonic carcinoma with bowel obstruction. She needed an elaborate operative and postoperative therapy.

[Prevention of small bowel fistulas during open abdominal treatment: lessons learned]. / Prävention von Dünndarmfisteln beim Laparostoma: Lessons learned.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal vacuum therapy has simplified the treatment of a laparostoma. But is that all that it can achieve? The role of abdominal vacuum therapy concerning the development of small bowel fistulas is still under discussion. Treatment of the bowel surface seems to be crucial for the prevention of fistulas. As military surgeons, we need a simple, standardised regimen, leading to reproducible good results and low complication rates. The question is: are we able to eliminate small bowel fistula during open abdominal treatment? PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analysed 28  consecutive patients with open abdominal treatment in the period of 2004 to 2009. From June 2006 on, we implemented an algorithm, using the KCI V.A.C.® Abdominal Dressing (Kinetic Concepts Inc., San Antonio, Texas, USA) and a vicryl mesh between the non-adherent layer and the foam to prevent fascial retraction. The patients treated -after the installation of the new algorithm were compared to a group treated from 2004 to May 2006 before its installation. Fistula rates, mortality, the fascial closure rate, the number of abdominal dressing changes and the duration of open -abdominal treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: After implementation of our new algorithm, the fistula rate decreased from 45 % to 0 %. The mortality during open abdominal treatment decreased from 45 % to 6 %. In addition, the duration of open abdominal treatment was reduced as well as the number of dressing changes. The primary fascial closure rate was 87 %. CONCLUSION: We implemented a regimen, which is suitable for our mission in Afghanistan, as well as for medical evacuation and for the treatment of patients in our hospitals in Germany. It ensures a standardised treatment of the open abdominal cavity with an ideal protecting treatment of the bowel surface. Our algorithm utilises the advantages of the laparostoma while minimising the complications. The development of a small bowel fistula was eliminated in the evaluated patient group and mortality was clearly reduced.

[Spectrum of surgical procedures performed in German rescue centers and the field hospital in Afghanistan in 2008]. / Spektrum der Operationen in deutschen Sanitätseinrichtungen in Afghanistan im Jahr 2008.

From the military perspective detailed knowledge about the spectrum of operations undertaken abroad is of particular interest to provide indications of the skills that will be required by the surgeons. Therefore, all surgical reports produced in 2008 in the operation theatres of Mazar-e-Sharif, Feyzabad and Kunduz were reviewed. The overview shows that a total of 799 operations were performed equivalent to 0.4-1.6 operations/day. Most of the patients who underwent surgery were local civilians and most of these operations involved osteosynthesis, débridement and soft tissue procedures. Of the surgical procedures 11% involved patients who were German service personnel of which 85% were urgent or emergency procedures and 25% of these involved treatment of combat injuries. When civilian patients with life-threatening injuries or diseases are referred to the medical facilities there is little opportunity to make decisions with regard to acceptance. Often it may be necessary for surgeons to perform procedures which are outside their field of specialization. In order to ensure a favorable outcome in acute situations surgeons mainly required skills in emergency surgery of the body cavities (visceral and thoracic surgery).

[Terrorism--a new dimension in trauma care]. / Terrorismus--Eine neue Dimension des Polytraumas.

Bomb attacks on the civilian population are one of the primary instruments of global terrorism. Confronted as we are with the increasingly real threat in Europe too, we now have to be constantly prepared for the mass casualties and new injury patterns in trauma care that are caused by terrorist bombings. This is extraordinarily challenging, on both medical and logistical levels, for the hospitals involved. In this review the basic mechanisms of blast injuries are clarified. In addition, the fundamental principles of triage and the management of multiple trauma are presented; these are oriented on ATLS (advanced trauma life support) and DCS (damage control surgery) guidelines. These treatment concepts, which have proved their worth in both military and civilian environments, involve ongoing triage and constant situational assessment and are the basis of improved treatment results in the care of multiply traumatized victims of terrorist bombings.