Treatment of varicose great saphenous vein with endovenous laser alone or combined with eco-guided foam sclerotherapy: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study compares Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) alone versus combined with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) for Great Saphenous Vein (GSV) insufficiency. Methods: Sixty patients were randomly allocated to EVLA or EVLA-UGFS groups which focused on GSV occlusion rates, complications, additional treatments, and quality of life (QoL) changes. Results: Among 55 participants, the EVLA group had higher 12-month occlusion rates (92.3% vs. 75.8%, p = 0.11). Nervous injury (NI) was rarer in EVLA-UGFS (3.4% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.04). No significant difference in other complication rates (p > 0.05). QoL improved in both groups (p < 0.001). EVLA-UGFS required more subsequent procedures (24.1% vs. 7.7%, p = 0.03). Conclusions: EVLA and EVLA-UGFS effectively treat GSV insufficiency, enhancing QoL. The combined method reduces NI risk but may require more follow-up procedures.

The Accuracy of the Learning-Curve Cumulative Sum Method in Assessing Brachial Plexus Block Competency.

BACKGROUND: The learning-curve cumulative sum method (LC-CUSUM) and its risk-adjusted form (RA-LC-CUSUM) have been proposed as performance-monitoring methods to assess competency during the learning phase of procedural skills. However, scarce data exist about the method's accuracy. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of LC-CUSUM forms using historical data consisting of sequences of successes and failures in brachial plexus blocks (BPBs) performed by anesthesia residents. METHODS: Using historical data from 1713 BPB performed by 32 anesthesia residents, individual learning curves were constructed using the LC-CUSUM and RA-LC-CUSUM methods. A multilevel logistic regression model predicted the procedure-specific risk of failure incorporated in the RA-LC-CUSUM calculations. Competency was defined as a maximum 15% cumulative failure rate and was used as the reference for determining the accuracy of both methods. RESULTS: According to the LC-CUSUM method, 22 residents (84.61%) attained competency after a median of 18.5 blocks (interquartile range [IQR], 14-23), while the RA-LC-CUSUM assigned competency to 20 residents (76.92%) after a median of 17.5 blocks (IQR, 14-25, P = .001). The median failure rate at reaching competency was 6.5% (4%-9.75%) under the LC-CUSUM and 6.5% (4%-9%) for the RA-LC-CUSUM method (P = .37). The sensitivity of the LC-CUSUM (85%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 71%-98%) was similar to the RA-LC-CUSUM method (77%; 95% CI, 61%-93%; P = .15). Identical specificity values were found for both methods (67%; 95% CI, 29%-100%, P = 1). CONCLUSIONS: The LC-CUSUM and RA-LC-CUSUM methods were associated with substantial false-positive and false-negative rates. Also, small lower limits for the 95% CIs around the accuracy measures were observed, indicating that the methods may be inaccurate for high-stakes decisions about resident competency at BPBs.

Assessment of the learning curve of peribulbar blocks using the Learning-Curve Cumulative Sum Method (LC-CUSUM): an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the learning curves of peribulbar anesthesia and estimate the number of blocks needed to attain proficiency. METHODS: Anonymized records of sequential peribulbar blocks performed by first-year anesthesia residents were analyzed. The block sequential number and the outcomes were extracted from each record. Success was defined as a complete sensory and motor block of the eye, and failure was defined as an incomplete block requiring supplemental local anesthetic injections or general anesthesia. Learning curves using the LC-CUSUM method were constructed, aiming for acceptable and unacceptable failure rates of 10% and 20%, and 10% probability of type I and II errors. Simulations were used to determine the proficiency limit h0. Residents whose curves reached h0 were considered proficient. The Sequential Probability Ratio Test Cumulative Sum Method (SPRT-CUSUM) was used for follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty-nine residents performed 2076 blocks (median = 52 blocks per resident; Interquartile Range (IQR) [range] = 27-78 [4-132]). Thirty residents (77%) achieved proficiency after a median of 13 blocks (13-24 [13-24]). CONCLUSIONS: The LC-CUSUM is a robust method for detecting resident proficiency at peribulbar anesthesia, defined as success rates exceeding 90%. Accordingly, 13 to 24 supervised double-injection peribulbar blocks are needed to attain competence at peribulbar anesthesia.

Applying the Generalizability Theory to Identify the Sources of Validity Evidence for the Quality of Communication Questionnaire.

Effective doctor-patient-family communication is an integral and sensitive part of health care, assessing its quality is essential to identify aspects needing disclosure and, if necessary, improvement. Cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the sources of evidence of validity and the number of participants needed to reliably apply the Quality of Communication Questionnaire (QoC) through Generalizability Theory (GT). The mean age of the 150 patients hospitalized at the end of life was 50.5 (SD = 13.8) years, the mean hospital length of stay was 7.5 (SD = 10.2) days, 56.9% were male. Regarding the 105 patients' family members of patients whose mean length of hospital stay was 9.5 (SD = 9.1) days, their mean age was 42.2 (SD = 14.7) years, 69.5% were female. GT was used to quantify the minimum number of questionnaires needed, with the aim of reaching a reliable estimate of QoC with G-coefficients. To reach a reliability of .90, there is a need for 25 for the Eρ2 questionnaires and 35 for the Φ. The exact estimation identified the minimum number of questionnaires required for the evaluation of physicians by patients. To obtain a reliability of .90, there is a need for 30 and 40 questionnaires for the G-coefficients. A practical and fast application makes it possible to use QoC in its entirety or alone to evaluate general communication or communication about palliative care. Furthermore, based on these results, it was possible to identify which aspects were effective or ineffective in these contexts.

Surgical versus non-surgical treatment of flail chest: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Conflicting evidence exists on the choice of surgical or non-surgical treatment of flail chest injuries. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis comparing outcomes in patients presenting flail chest undergoing surgical or non-surgical treatment. METHODS: Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing surgery to no surgery in patients with acute unstable chest wall injuries. We computed weighted mean differences (WMDs) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RRs) for binary endpoints, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Random effects meta-analyses were performed. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. RESULTS: Six RCTs (544 patients) were included, and surgical treatment was used in 269 (49.4%). Compared to no surgery, surgery reduced mechanical ventilation days (WMD - 4.34, 95% CI - 6.98, - 1.69; p < 0.01; I2 = 87%; GRADE: very low; PI - 13.51, 4.84); length of intensive care unit stay (WMD - 4.62, 95% CI - 7.19, - 2.05; p < 0.01; I2 = 78%; GRADE: low; PI - 12.86, 3.61) and the incidence of pneumonia (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.31, 0.81; p = 0.005; I2 = 54%; GRADE: moderate; PI 0.13, 1.91). No difference in mortality (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.19, 1.65; p = 0.27; I2 = 23%; GRADE: moderate; PI 0.04, 7.25), length of hospital stay (WMD - 5.39, 95% CI - 11.38, - 0.60; p = 0.08; I2 = 89%; GRADE: very low; PI - 11.38, 0.60), or need for tracheostomy (RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.34, 1.03; p = 0.06; I2 = 54%; GRADE: moderate; PI 0.11, 3.24) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that surgical treatment is advantageous compared to non-surgical treatment for patients with flail chest secondary to rib fractures.

Adaptation of the Quality of Communication Questionnaire for Family Members and Its Validity Evidence for Use in Brazil.

Assessment of communication between physicians and patients' family members is essential to improving healthcare quality. To adapt the Quality of Communication Questionnaire (QoC) for family members and to analyze its validity evidence for use in Brazil. Data were collected between 2017 and 2019, with family members of patients in intensive care (IC) and palliative care (PC) from five public hospitals in the South Brazil. The QoC was adapted for family members for use in Brazil, and its cross-cultural adaptation was carried out. The clarity and cultural appropriateness of the pre-final version were evaluated by 30 family members of patients in IC. The final version was responded by 198 family members of patients. All items were considered clear, and appropriate to Brazilian culture. The goodness of fit index for proposed model had CFI 0.96 (CI95%: 0.94 - 0.98), TLI 0.95 (CI95%: 0.92 - 0.97), RMSEA 0.07 (CI90%: 0.06 - 0.08), and χ2/df 2.18. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α) among family members of patients in PC was 0.88 for the general communication (first subscale) and 0.80 for the end-of-life communication (second subscale). However, among family members of patients in IC, α was 0.86 for the first subscale and only 0.53 for the second subscale. The QoC for family members and its cross-cultural adaptation were carried out successfully. It has strong validity evidence among those with loved ones in PC, but only the QoC general communication subscale has strong validity evidence among those with loved ones in IC.

The effects of magnesium sulfate added to epidurally administered local anesthetic on postoperative pain: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the efficacy of epidurally administered magnesium associated with local anesthetics on postoperative pain control. METHODS: The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO as CRD42021231910. Literature searches were conducted on Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials comparing epidural administration of magnesium added to local anesthetics for postoperative pain in elective surgical adult patients. Primary outcomes were the time to the first Postoperative (PO) Analgesic Request (TFAR), 24-hour postoperative opioid consumption, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores at the first six and 24 postoperative hours. Secondary outcomes included Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV), pruritus, and shivering. Quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE criteria. RESULTS: Seventeen studies comparing epidural were included. Effect estimates are described as weighted Mean Differences (MD) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) for the main outcomes: TFAR (MD = 72.4 min; 95% CI = 10.22-134.58 min; p < 0.001; I2 = 99.8%; GRADE: very low); opioid consumption (MD = -7.2 mg (95% CI = -9.30 - -5.09; p < 0.001; I2 = 98%; GRADE: very low). VAS pain scores within the first six PO hours (VAS) (MD = -1.01 cm; 95% CI = -1.40-0.64 cm; p < 0.001; I2 = 88%; GRADE: very low), at 24 hours (MD = -0.56 cm; 95% CI = -1.14-0.01 cm; p = 0.05; I2 = 97%; GRADE: very low). CONCLUSIONS: Magnesium sulfate delayed TFAR and decreased 24-hour opioid consumption and early postoperative pain intensity. However, imprecision and inconsistency pervaded meta-analyses, causing very low certainty of effect estimates.

Efficacy of postoperative analgesia with duloxetine in posthemorrhoidectomy pain: a prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of duloxetine when added to a multimodal analgesia regimen on posthemorrhoidectomy pain, opioid consumption, and side effects. METHODS: Prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. This study included 62 patients who underwent hemorrhoidectomy. The patients were randomly assigned to receive oral duloxetine 60 mg or placebo 2 h before and 24 h after surgery. The primary outcomes were pain intensity - measured on an 11-point visual analog pain scale - and cumulative morphine consumption at 12, 24, and 48 postoperative hours. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients completed the study (25 in the duloxetine group and 27 in the placebo group). Pain scores did not differ between duloxetine and placebo: 4.5; 3.0 - 7.0 vs. 5.0; 3.5 - 7.0, p = 0.68 at 12 h, 3.0; 2.0 - 5.0 vs. 3.0; 2.0 - 5.0, p = 0.56 at 24 h, and 2.5; 1.75 - 3.75 vs. 1.5; 0.5 - 3, p = 0.08 at 48 h. Further, cumulative morphine consumption did not differ between the duloxetine and placebo groups: 4; 1.25 - 10.75 mg vs. 7; 1.0 - 12.0 mg, p = 0.68 at 12 h, 9.5; 2.0 - 17.5 mg vs. 8.0; 4.0 - 18.0 mg; p = 0.80 at 24 h, and 11.0; 2.0 - 27.0 mg vs. 10; 4.0 - 24.0 mg, p = 0.78 at 48 h. Side effects did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, duloxetine did not decrease pain intensity or morphine consumption during the first 48 h postoperatively. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was retrospectively registered on the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (identifier: RBR-9pdgms, registration date: 08/10/2020).

The Effect of Novel Decision Support Tools on Technical and Non-Technical Performance of Teams in Managing Emergencies.

Cognitive aids have been shown to facilitate adherence to evidence-based guidelines and improve technical performance of teams when managing simulated critical events. Few studies have explored the effect of cognitive aids on non-technical skills, such as teamwork and communication. The current study sought to explore the effects of different decision support tools (DST), a type of cognitive aid, on the technical and non-technical performance of teams. The current study represents a randomized, blinded, control trial of the effects of three versions of an electronic DST on team performance during multiple simulations of perioperative emergencies. The DSTs included a version with only technical information, a version with only non-technical information and a version with both technical and non-technical information. The technical performance of teams was improved when they used the technical DST and the combined technical and non-technical DST when compared to memory alone. The technical performance of teams was significantly worse when using the non-technical DST. All three versions of the DST had a negligible effect on the non-technical performance of teams. The technical performance of teams in the current study was affected by different versions of a DST, yet there was no effect on the teams' non-technical performance. The use of a DST, including those that focused on non-technical information, did not impact the non-technical performance of the teams.

The effects of a short-term perioperative duloxetine treatment on post-colectomy pain: A randomized, controlled clinical trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that duloxetine reduces postoperative morphine consumption and pain intensity in patients undergoing major colonic surgeries. DESIGN: Single-center, prospective, double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Tertiary university hospital, from December 2019 to September 2021. PATIENTS: Sixty 18-85 years old, ASA I - III patients undergoing elective open major colonic surgeries were randomly allocated into duloxetine (duloxetine) or placebo (placebo) groups (n = 30 per group). INTERVENTIONS: Duloxetine 60 mg or placebo was administered orally 2 h before and 24 h after surgery. MEASUREMENTS: PCA morphine consumption, surgical pain at rest, and movement measured on 10-cm visual analog scales (VAS), Ramsay sedation scores, and the incidence of adverse effects potentially associated with duloxetine were assessed at patients' admission to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), 6, 24, and 48 h postoperatively (PO). MAIN RESULTS: After adjusting for age, BMI, ASA physical status, education level, and incision type, no differences were found between groups in PCA morphine consumption 24 PO h (duloxetine = 5.44 ± 2.06 mg; placebo = 10.33 ± 2.06 mg, p = 0.62) or 48 h PO (duloxetine = 9.18 ± 2.06 mg, placebo = 12.93 ± 2.06, p = 1). Pain at rest also did not differ between groups at 24 h PO (duloxetine = 1.76 ± 0.67 cm; placebo = 1 ± 0.67 cm, p = 1) or at 48 h PO (duloxetine = 0.84 ± 0.67 cm; placebo = 0.49 ± 0.67 cm, p = 1). Similarly, groups did not differ regarding pain on movement at 24 h PO (duloxetine = 2.09 ± 0.68 cm; placebo = 1.80 ± 0.68, p = 1) or at 48 h PO (duloxetine = 1.16 ± 0.68 cm; placebo = 0.88 ± 0.68 cm, p = 1). Sedation scores and adverse effects also did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Under this study's conditions, short-term duloxetine did not reduce total opioid consumption or pain intensity during the initial 48 h following major colon surgery.

Acute pain consult and management is associated with improved mortality in rib fracture patients.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic rib fractures result in significant patient morbidity and mortality, which increases with patient age and number of rib fractures. A dedicated acute pain service (APS) providing expertize in multimodal pain management may reduce these risks and improve outcomes. We aimed to test the hypothesis that protocolized APS consultation decreases mortality and morbidity in traumatic rib fracture patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational, propensity-matched cohort study of adult patients with trauma with rib fractures from 2012 to 2015, at a single, large level 1 trauma center corresponding to introduction and incorporation of APS consultation into the institutional rib fracture pathway. Using electronic medical records and trauma registry data, we identified adult patients presenting with traumatic rib fractures. Patients with hospital length of stay (LOS) ≥2 days were split into two cohorts based on presence of APS consult using 1:1 propensity matching of age, gender, comorbidities and injury severity. The primary outcome was difference in hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included LOS and pulmonary morbidity. RESULTS: 2486 patients were identified, with a final matched cohort of 621 patients receiving APS consult and 621 control patients. The mortality rate was 1.8% among consult patients and 6.6% among control patients (adjusted OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.50; p=0.001). The average treatment effect of consult on mortality was 4.8% (95% CI 1.2% to 8.5%;. p<0.001). APS consultation was associated with increased intensive care unit (ICU) LOS (1.19 day; 95% CI 0.48 to 1.90; p=0.001) and hospital LOS (1.61 days; 95% CI 0.81 to 2.41 days; p<0.001). No difference in pulmonary complications was observed. DISCUSSION: An APS consult in rib fracture patients is associated with decreased mortality and no difference in pulmonary complications yet increased ICU and hospital LOS.

Tools for Assessing the Performance of Pediatric Perioperative Teams During Simulated Crises: A Psychometric Analysis of Clinician Raters' Scores.

INTRODUCTION: The pediatric perioperative setting is a dynamic clinical environment where multidisciplinary interprofessional teams interact to deliver complex care to patients. This environment requires clinical teams to possess high levels of complex technical and nontechnical skills. For perioperative teams to identify and maintain clinical competency, well-developed and easy-to-use measures of competency are needed. METHODS: Tools for measuring the technical and nontechnical performance of perioperative teams were developed and/or identified, and a group of raters were trained to use the instruments. The trained raters used the tools to assess pediatric teams managing simulated emergencies. A psychometric analysis of the trained raters' scores using the different instruments was performed and the agreement between the trained raters' scores and a reference score was determined. RESULTS: Five raters were trained and scored 96 recordings of perioperative teams managing simulated emergencies. Scores from both technical skills assessment tools demonstrated significant reliability within and between ratings with the scenario-specific performance checklist tool demonstrating greater interrater agreement than scores from the global rating scale. Scores from both technical skills assessment tools correlated well with the other and with the reference standard scores. Scores from the Team Emergency Assessment Measure nontechnical assessment tool were more reliable within and between raters and correlated better with the reference standard than scores from the BARS tool. CONCLUSIONS: The clinicians trained in this study were able to use the technical performance assessment tools with reliable results that correlated well with reference scores. There was more variability between the raters' scores and less correlation with the reference standard when the raters used the nontechnical assessment tools. The global rating scale used in this study was able to measure the performance of teams across a variety of scenarios and may be generalizable for assessing teams in other clinical scenarios. The Team Emergency Assessment Measure tool demonstrated reliable measures when used to assess interprofessional perioperative teams in this study.

Duloxetine for the treatment acute postoperative pain in adult patients: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Duloxetine administered during the acute perioperative period has been associated with lesser postoperative pain and analgesic consumption. STUDY OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to quantify the pooled effects of duloxetine on postoperative pain, analgesic consumption, and side-effects in the first 48 postoperative (PO) hours. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis. SETTING: Postoperative pain management. PATIENTS: Adult patients undergoing elective surgery. Search strategy and study selection. Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched without language restrictions for prospective, parallel randomized controlled trials comparing duloxetine to placebo for the management of postoperative pain in adult patients. MEASUREMENTS: Pain scores (11-point scales), opioid consumption (i.v. morphine equivalents), and frequency of side-effects were compared between duloxetine and placebo. Effect sizes were summarized as mean differences (MD), standardized mean differences (SMD) or risk ratios (RR) with the respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria were used to classify the quality of evidence. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included. Duloxetine decreased pain at 24 h (MD = -0.66 points; 95% CI = -1.14 to -0.19 points; SMD = -0.59; 95% CI = -1.06 to -0.12; p = 0.01; I2 = 88%), and at 48 PO hours (MD = -0.90 points; 95% CI = -1.54 to -0.26 points; SMD = -0.66; 95% CI = -0.94 to -0.38; p = 0.01; I2 = 93%); and opioid consumption at 24 PO hours (MD = -8.21 mg; 95% CI = -13.32 mg to -3.10 mg; SMD = -2.17; 95% CI = -3.10 to -1.24; p < 0.001; I2 = 95%), and at 48 PO hours (MD = 7.71 mg; 95% CI = -13.86 mg to -1.56 mg; SMD = -2.13; 95% CI = -3.51 to -0.75; p = 0.02; I2 = 97%). Duloxetine did not affect the prevalence of postoperative nausea and/or vomiting (PONV) pruritus, headache or dizziness. High inter-study heterogeneity and within-study bias resulted in very-low quality of evidence for the primary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although statistically significant effects of duloxetine were found on postoperative pain and opioid consumption during the first 48 postoperative hours, the effect sizes were below the expected minimal clinically relevant differences. Also, high risk-of-bias and inter-study heterogeneity caused the very-low quality of evidence (GRADE). We conclude that the currently available evidence does not support the clinical use of duloxetine for the management of acute postoperative pain.

Systematic review and meta-analyses of tranexamic acid use for bleeding reduction in prostate surgery.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia have an increased incidence with aging. The most effective treatments are radical prostatectomy and transurethral resection of the prostate. To reduce perioperative bleeding in these surgeries, an approach is the use of tranexamic acid (TXA). Studies show that TXA is effective in reducing the blood loss and the need for transfusion in cardiac, orthopedic, and gynecological surgeries. In prostate surgeries, its efficacy and safety have not been established yet. STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there are differences between TXA versus placebo in terms of intraoperative blood loss, transfusion requirements, hemoglobin levels and the incidence of thromboembolic events. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analyses. SETTING: Anesthesia for prostate surgery. PATIENTS: We searched the Medline, Cochrane, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases up to 2017 for randomized controlled trials that compared TXA administration with a control group in patients who submitted to prostate surgery. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcomes were the intraoperative blood loss and transfusion rate. Data on hemoglobin levels and the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) were also collected. RESULTS: Nine comparative studies were included in the meta-analyses. The estimated blood loss and transfusion rate were lower in patients receiving TXA, with a standardized mean difference of -1.93 (95% CI = -2.81 to -1.05, I2 = 96%), and a risk ratio of 0.61 (95% CI = 0.47 to 0.80, I2 = 0%), respectively. The hemoglobin levels and the incidence of DVT and PE did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: TXA reduced intraoperative blood loss and the need for transfusion, without increasing the risk of DVT and PE in prostate surgeries. Due to the limited number of studies and the high heterogeneity of the results, more clinical trials with a large number of patients are necessary to confirm these findings.

The Effect of High-Frequency, Structured Expert Feedback on the Learning Curves of Basic Interventional Ultrasound Skills Applied to Regional Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Proficiency in needle-to-ultrasound beam alignment and accurate approach to structures are pivotal for ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. This study evaluated the effects of high-frequency, structured expert feedback on simulation training of such abilities. METHODS: Forty-two subjects randomly allocated as controls or intervention participated in two 25-trial experiments. Experiment 1 consisted of inserting a needle into a bovine muscular phantom parallel to the ultrasound beam while maintaining full imaging of the needle. In experiment 2, the needle aimed to contact a target inside the phantom. Intervention subjects received structured feedback between trials. Controls received a global critique after completing the trials. The slopes of the learning curves derived from the sequences of successes and failures were compared. Change-point analyses identified the start and the end of learning in trial sequences. The number of trials associated with learning, the number of technical errors, and the duration of training sessions were compared between intervention and controls. RESULTS: In experiment 1, learning curves departed from 73% (controls) and 76% (intervention) success rates; slopes (standard error) were 0.79% (0.02%) and 0.71% (0.04), respectively, with mean absolute difference of 0.18% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17%-0.19%; P = 0). Intervention subjects' learning curves were shorter and steeper than those of controls. In experiment 2, the learning curves departed from 43% (controls) and 80% (intervention) success rates; slopes (standard error) were 1.06% (0.02%) and 0.42% (0.03%), respectively, with a mean difference of 0.65% (95% CI, 0.64%-0.66%; P = 0). Feedback was associated with a greater number of trials associated with learning in both experiment 1 (mean difference, 1.55 trials; 95% CI, 0.15-3 trials; P = 0) and experiment 2 (mean difference, 4.25 trials; 95% CI, 1.47-7.03 trials; P = 0) and a lower number of technical errors per trial in experiments 1 (mean difference, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.07-0.30; P = .02) and 2 (mean difference, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.45-0.70; P = 0), but longer training sessions in both experiments 1 (mean difference, 9.2 minutes; 95% CI, 4.15-14.24 minutes; P = .01) and 2 (mean difference, 7.4 minutes; 95% CI, 1.17-13.59 minutes; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency, structured expert feedback compared favorably to self-directed learning, being associated with shorter learning curves, smaller number of technical errors, and longer duration of in-training improvement, but increased duration of the training sessions.

Implementation and Evaluation of the Z-Score System for Normalizing Residency Evaluations.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of clinical competence is essential for residency programs and should be guided by valid, reliable measurements. We implemented Baker's Z-score system, which produces measures of traditional core competency assessments and clinical performance summative scores. Our goal was to validate use of summative scores and estimate the number of evaluations needed for reliable measures. METHODS: We performed generalizability studies to estimate the variance components of raw and Z-transformed absolute and peer-relative scores and decision studies to estimate the evaluations needed to produce at least 90% reliable measures for classification and for high-stakes decisions. A subset of evaluations was selected representing residents who were evaluated frequently by faculty who provided the majority of evaluations. Variance components were estimated using ANOVA. RESULTS: Principal component extraction from 8,754 complete evaluations demonstrated that a single factor explained 91 and 85% of variance for absolute and peer-relative scores, respectively. In total, 1,200 evaluations were selected for generalizability and decision studies. The major variance component for all scores was resident interaction with measurement occasions. Variance due to the resident component was strongest with raw scores, where 30 evaluation occasions produced 90% reliable measurements with absolute scores and 58 for peer-relative scores. For Z-transformed scores, 57 evaluation occasions produced 90% reliable measurements with absolute scores and 55 for peer-relative scores. The results were similar for high-stakes decisions. CONCLUSIONS: The Baker system produced moderately reliable measures at our institution, suggesting that it may be generalizable to other training programs. Raw absolute scores required few assessment occasions to achieve 90% reliable measurements.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy under neuraxial anesthesia compared with general anesthesia: Systematic review and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) can cause hypercapnia, hypoxemia, hemodynamic changes and shoulder pain. General anesthesia (GA) enables the control of intraoperative pain and ventilation. The need for GA has been questioned by studies suggesting that neuraxial anesthesia (NA) is adequate for LC. STUDY OBJECTIVE: To quantify the prevalence of intraoperative pain and to verify whether evidence on the maintenance of ventilation, circulation and surgical anesthesia during NA compared with GA is consistent. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analyses. SETTING: Anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. PATIENTS: We searched Medline, Cochrane and EBSCO databases up to 2016 for randomized controlled trials that compared LC in the two groups under study, neuraxial (subarachnoid or epidural) and general anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the prevalence of intraoperative pain referred to the shoulder in the NA group. Hemodynamic and respiratory outcomes and adverse effects in both groups were also collected. MAIN RESULTS: Eleven comparative studies were considered eligible. The pooled prevalence of shoulder pain was 25%. Intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia occurred more frequently in patients who received NA, with a risk ratio of 4.61 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-12.48, p=0.003) and 6.67 (95% CI 2.02-21.96, p=0.002), respectively. Postoperative nausea and vomiting was more prevalent in patients who submitted to GA. The prevalence of postoperative urinary retention did not differ between the techniques. Postoperative headache was more prevalent in patients who received NA, while the postoperative pain intensity was lower in this group. Performing meta-analyses on hypertension, hypercapnia and hypoxemia was not possible. CONCLUSIONS: NA as sole anesthetic technique, although feasible for LC, was associated with intraoperative pain referred to the shoulder, required anesthetic conversion in 3.4% of the cases and did not demonstrate evidence of respiratory benefits for patients with normal pulmonary function.

Construction of a tool to measure perceptions about the use of the World Health Organization Safe Surgery Checklist Program.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended greater attention to patient safety, particularly regarding preventable adverse events. The Safe Surgery Saves Lives (CSSV) program was released recommending the application of a surgical checklist for items on the safety of procedures. The checklist implementation reduced the hospital mortality rate in the first 30 days. In Brazil, we found no studies of anesthesiologists' adherence to the practice of the checklist. OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to develop a tool to measure the attitude of anesthesiologists and residents regarding the use of checklist in the perioperative period. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study performed during the 59th CBA in BH/MG, whose participants were enrolled physicians who responded to the questionnaire with quantitative epidemiological approach. RESULTS: From the sample of 459 participants who answered the questionnaire, 55% were male, 44.2% under 10 years of practice, and 15.5% with over 30 years of medical school completion. Seven items with 78% reliability coefficient were selected. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups of anesthesiologists who reported using the instrument in less or more than 70% of patients, indicating that the attitude questionnaire discriminates between these two groups of professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The seven items questionnaire showed adequate internal consistency and a well-defined factor structure, and can be used as a tool to measure the anesthesiologists' perceptions about the checklist usefulness and applicability.