Antibiotic stewardship in UK surgical departments: challenges and possible solutions.

Antibiotics are one of the most widely used classes of drugs within hospitals in the UK. They have a wide range of uses within all surgical specialties, both as preoperative prophylaxis and for treatment of acute surgical conditions. Antimicrobial resistance has increasingly been seen as a major issue, as the production of new antibiotics has decreased and overall use worldwide has increased. With the COVID-19 pandemic increasing concerns about antimicrobial resistance, there is an ever-increasing need for action. This article examines the particular challenges of antibiotic stewardship in surgical departments within the UK, and outlines possible solutions for improving adherence and reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance in the future.

Rare case of a patient with symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum enteroliths.

A 61-year-old man presented with non-specific abdominal symptoms, including left groin pain and change in bowel habits. Investigations revealed a cystic lesion, containing numerous irregular calcifications, with the primary differential being a dermoid cyst containing teeth-like calcifications. At laparoscopy it was found to be a Meckel's diverticulum, containing a large number of enteroliths. This case revealed the importance of considering enteroliths in patients with imaging showing intra-abdominal calcifications, and laparoscopy for diagnosis and treatment.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Acute General Surgical Admissions in a District General Hospital in the United Kingdom: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has greatly impacted healthcare systems and society more generally around the world. The management of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 has primarily impacted emergency departments, medical teams, and intensive care units. However, the impact on health systems as a whole, including surgical specialties, has been wide ranging. We aimed to establish the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown on the number and characteristics of general surgical patients reviewed and/or admitted by the surgical team within a district general hospital. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients admitted in the 2-week period from start of the lockdown (Monday 23rd March 2020 to 5th April 2020), and the same period 1 year earlier (Monday 25th March 2019 to 7th April 2019). Number of patients reviewed and admitted were compared between the two cohorts. Data including diagnosis, operation/procedural interventions, and length of stay were analysed. The overall number of patients reviewed and admitted by the surgical team was substantially lower during the period of lockdown (61 vs 126). Of the patients seen during lockdown, a smaller proportion were admitted to hospital after initial surgical review (59% vs 77%, p < 0.05). Interventional/operative procedures were performed in a similar proportion of patients in both cohorts (31%). Our data show that there has been a substantial reduction in the number of patients being referred to and admitted by the general surgical team at our centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explanations for this include reduced attendance due to risk perception of the patients, the impact of lockdown messages and advice regarding self-isolation, as well as an increased threshold for patient admission during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key learning points include the possible benefits of a reduction in admission to hospital of patients with nonurgent conditions.

Hepatic portal venous gas: acute deterioration in an elderly patient.

A 91-year-old female presented to the Emergency Department with a 10-day history of constipation and abdominal pain. Abdominal examination was normal and rectal examination showed faecal loading. A phosphate enema was given and the patient was admitted. Overnight, the patient's GCS dropped from 15/15 to 3/15 and an arterial blood gas showed a lactate of 8 mmol/L (1.5 on admission). Abdomen remained soft throughout. A CT scan showed a large amount of free air and free fluid within the abdomen and pelvis, highly suspicious for perforation. Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) was visible, with portal venous air fluid levels noted. The patient was treated palliatively and died shortly thereafter. HPVG is a recognized but rarely identified radiological sign, which is a poor prognostic indicator, with most cases subsequently proving terminal, often due to subsequent bowel necrosis.