Measuring quality in colorectal cancer surgery in low- and middle-income countries: The Clavien-Dindo classification in a Sri Lankan cohort.

Background: The colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as part of an ongoing epidemiological transition. Surgery is the main treatment and surgical services are scaled up to meet the need. This warrants the establishment of frugal systems to measure safety and quality of surgical care that are tailored for low-resource settings. The aim of this study was to test the applicability of the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) for measurement of surgical complications in an LMIC setting where medical records are paper-based. Material and methods: 88 patients who underwent CRC resection at Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka, from January 2017 to January 2020 were included. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for postoperative complications and the severity was graded using the CDC. Results: One or more postoperative complications (CDC ≥ grade II) occurred in 45.5% (n = 40) of the patients. The complications were distributed as grade II n = 46, grade III n = 3, grade IV n = 2 and grade V n = 0. The most common complication (22.7%, n = 20) was postoperative anemia treated with blood transfusion. The second most common complication was incisional surgical site infection (11.4%, n = 10). Conclusion: Postoperative outcome could be evaluated by using the CDC in a Sri Lankan facility based on retrospective review of medical records. This suggests that the CDC is a feasible standardized system appropriate for measuring surgical quality also in other LMICs. Identified fields for possible quality improvement at the study site were to limit blood transfusions and minimize treatment with antibiotics.

Endoscopic Sphincterotomy for Cholecysto-Choledocholithiasis Complicates Subsequent Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Retrospective Report From Sri Lanka.

OBJECTIVE: Published literature so far has supported the fact that patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography and sphincterotomy (ERCPS) had a difficult perioperative course after subsequent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Through a retrospective study, this original report mentions statistics in a Southeast Asian population comparing the effect on conversion to open surgery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy after ERCPS in a university hospital in Sri Lanka. METHODS: The results of 205 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 85 patients who were converted to open surgery between 2016 and 2018 were analyzed to find out whether ERCPS is a risk factor for conversion or subsequent perioperative morbidity. RESULTS: Demographics like age, gender and previous abdominal surgeries were comparable between the two groups. Cholecysto-choledocholithiasis and undergoing ERCPS for it were significant factors associated with conversion to open cholecystectomy. CONCLUSION: Performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy after ERCPS for cholecysto-choledocholithiasis is a significant challenge and preferably should be often handled by a more experienced surgeon.

Hospital-Based Case Series Analysis of Road Traffic Trauma Patients in Sri Lanka.

Road traffic accidents claim many lives each year worldwide and cause significant disability among survivors. Resulting socioeconomic burden is severe in low- and middle-income countries. Global emphasis currently focuses on trauma education and prevention in addition to improving post-injury care. Sri Lankan government recently made compulsory legislation to improve the safety standards of imported motor vehicles. Such regulations would not directly protect vulnerable road users (VRUs) who form the main bulk of Sri Lankan and South Asian automobile trauma casualties. With the objective of reviewing the management outcome of automobile trauma in order to correlate the potential impact of new legislation on injury prevention, data of all admitted road traffic injury victims were audited for 2 months. Out of 473 eligible cases (332 (70.2%)-males; mean age 37.2 years), there were 14 (3%) fatalities. Of 459 (97%) survivors, 77 (16%) suffered major injuries. Twelve out of 14 (85.7%) fatalities, 64 of 77 (83.1%) survivors with major injuries and 263 of 382 (68.8%) cases of lesser injuries were VRUs (p value = 0.02: chi-square). VRUs had a significantly higher mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 10.96 ± 8.43 SD than non-VRUs who had a mean ISS of 8.14 ± 6.04 SD (p = 0.003: t test). Among all survivors, 33/39 (84.6%) with permanent disability, 95/110 (86.4%) with temporary disability and 199/310 (64.2%) with no residual disability were VRUs (p value < 0.0001: chi-square). Of 222 drivers/riders, 45 (20.3%) had consumed alcohol prior to the incident and 20 (9%) were driving without a valid licence. Thirty-four out of 162 (21%) motor bike travellers were not wearing a protecting helmet. Results denote that VRUs suffer significant majority of the fatalities and major injuries after road traffic trauma and to have higher residual temporary/permanent disability among survivors. Recent compulsory motor vehicle safety measures are unlikely to directly protect majority of automobile trauma victims in Sri Lanka. To obtain a higher impact on road traffic injury prevention, main emphasis has to be given to improve the safety standards of VRUs in developing countries.

Risk, prognosis and causality of parvo viral enteritis in dogs in Sri Lanka.

We studied the causal variation, prognosis and risk factors of parvo viral enteritis using both molecular and statistical analysis. A multivariate factor analysis was performed to see the effect of the breed, age, vaccination status and the leukocyte counts on disease severity and survival. Twenty PCR amplicons (partial VP2 gene) from vaccinated dogs were sequenced to identify the variants. A total of 109 samples were positive for parvo viral DNA, 71 of which were from dogs who have received at least one dose of CPV-2 vaccine. Over 90% were leukopenic on 2nd and 3rd day of diarrhoea. Age < 6 months was negatively correlated with leukocyte count and the leukocyte count was negatively correlated with survival. Dobermans and Labradors showed significant negative correlation with survival. All variants of parvovirus affected dogs with the 2c being the predominant (2c = 12, 2a = 7, 2b = 1). All 20 strains harboured three additional amino acid substitutions (i.e. Phe267Tyr, Ser297Ala and Tyr324Ile) and warrant further studies on potential changes of the antigenicity of the virus.

Extra-ampullary Peutz-Jeghers polyp causing duodenal intussusception leading to biliary obstruction: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Duodenal Peutz-Jeghers polyp is a rare cause of duodenal or biliary obstruction. However, a sporadic Peutz-Jeghers polyp leading to simultaneous biliary and duodenal obstruction has not been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 25-year-old Sri Lankan woman presenting with features of recurrent upper small intestinal obstruction and biliary obstruction. She had clinical as well as biochemical evidence of intermittent biliary obstruction. Evidence of duodenal intussusception was found in a computed tomography enterogram and a duodenal polyp was noted as the lead point. Marked elongation and distortion of her lower common bile duct with intrahepatic duct dilatation was also noted and the ampulla was found to be on the left side of the midline pulled toward the intussusceptum. Open polypectomy and reduction of intussusception were done and she became fully asymptomatic following surgery. Histology of the resected specimen was reported as a typical "Peutz-Jeghers polyp". As there was not enough evidence to diagnose Peutz-Jeghers syndrome this was considered to be a sporadic Peutz-Jeghers polyp. CONCLUSION: Rare benign causes such as a duodenal polyp should be considered and looked for in initial imaging, when the cause for concurrent biliary and intestinal obstruction is uncertain, particularly in young individuals.

Are you prepared? Defining occupational health resource needs to prevent infectious disease transmission in the health care sector.

This article discusses the extent of resource allocation to Occupational Health (OH) to prevent infectious disease exposure and transmission in British Columbia (B.C.). It also characterizes the delineation of roles and responsibilities within OH services in B.C. health care settings and highlights areas where improvements to current OH programs could be made to prevent and control occupational infections. Given the breadth of OH responsibilities, resource allocation in many health care institutions for these services is inadequate and roles and responsibilities may not be clearly delineated.

A survey of infection prevention and control resources in acute care facilities across British Columbia.

BACKGROUND: To determine the gaps in infection prevention and control (IPAC) resources and the disparities between rural and urban areas, the Provincial Infection Control Network surveyed the current resources in British Columbia (BC). METHODS: Acute care facilities (ACF) in six health authorities (HA) were surveyed for IPAC staff; distribution of work; infection prevention and control professional (ICP) to bed ratios; and teaching activities. HAs were designated as either urban or rural. RESULTS: Responses represented 54 (68%) of the ACF in BC. Rural HAs showed a significantly higher number of inexperienced ICPs (68% vs. 17%; p < 0.001). Only 22 (60%) of eligible ICPs were Certification Board of Infection Control certified. Five out of six HAs (83%) reported having an IPAC physician. Acute care ICP to bed ratios ranged from one per 67 to one per 175 and combined acute and long-term care ICP to bed ratios ranged from one per 270 beds to one per 525 beds. The number of ICPs who reported working overtime on a consistent basis ranged from 20 to 100%. CONCLUSIONS: ACFs surveyed did not meet the recommended standards for staffing and IPAC resources in order to function as an effective program. Surveys of infection control resources are valuable tools to identify needs and assist in acquiring the resources to fill the identified gaps within a health authority.

Staff perception and institutional reporting: two views of infection control compliance in British Columbia and Ontario three years after an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Few studies have audited the resources available to infection control (IC) and occupational health (OH) to promote safe work behaviour, whilst comparing audited findings with perceptions by healthcare workers (HCWs). We aimed to determine the IC and OH resources available and compare this with HCWs' perception of resources, following an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). A survey of IC and OH resources and a questionnaire completed by HCWs were compared with on-site observational audits. HCWs believed that plans were available to protect against future SARS-like events but audits revealed that these did not exist in many facilities. Both OH and IC were under-resourced post-SARS, with OH professionals particularly lacking in British Columbia. There is a discrepancy between HCWs' perception of what is available and what is actually accessible in facilities. Experts in IC and OH need to focus on communication.

Management and outcome of residual bile duct stones following cholecystectomy at a tertiary referral centre in Sri Lanka.

BACKGROUND: In spite of the advent of pre- and per-operative imaging techniques, the problem of residual bile duct stones following laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy still exists with a reported frequency of 2-10%. Endoscopic stone extraction is a minimally invasive technique which is fast becoming popular in the management of residual ductal stones. OBJECTIVE: To review the experience in our unit with regard to clinical presentation and the outcome following endoscopic management of residual bile duct stones. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study. SETTING: Patients referred to a tertiary referral centre with suspected residual bile duct stones following open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy from 5 March 2002 to 31 December 2006. PATIENTS AND METHOD: 56 patients with suspected residual bile duct stones were reviewed with regard to clinical presentation, stone profile, success rate and outcome. RESULTS: Mean age of the sample was 43.2 years. Female to male ratio was 34/22. 4 (73.3%). Main presenting symptom was epigastric or right hypochondrial pain (39.2%). Presence of residual stones or gravel noted in 91% (51) during ERCP. Complete stone extraction was achieved in 83.9% (47). All these patients became completely asymptomatic. Four patients had ERCP related morbidity. There were no deaths. Longest follow up was 38 months and the shortest 1.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic approach is a safe and effective method in the diagnosis and treatment of residual bile duct stones.