Emergency neurosurgery in Darwin: still the generalist surgeons' responsibility.

BACKGROUND: Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) is the only major hospital for the 'Top End' of Northern Territory and Western Australia. As retrieval distances exceed 2600 km, resident generalist surgeons undertake all emergency neurosurgery. METHODS: Retrospective clinical study from RDH records and review of prospectively collected datasets from RDH Intensive Care Unit and National Critical Care Trauma Response Centre for all emergency neurosurgery patients between 2008 and 2013. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 161 patients with 167 admissions (73% male, 39% indigenous) who underwent 195 procedures (33 per year), including burr hole, craniotomy, cerebral and posterior fossa craniectomy, elevation fracture and ventricular drain. Trauma accounted for 68%, with alcohol as a known factor in 57%. Subdural haematoma (SDH) accounted for 53%. Severity of head injury at presentation correlated with outcome (R(2) = 0.12, P < 0.001). Factors associated with death included injury at remote location (P = 0.022), time injury to operation >24 h (P = 0.023) and specific diagnoses of acute SDH (P = 0.006), acute-on-chronic SDH (P = 0.053) and infection (P = 0.052). Indigenous patients were younger (40 versus 55 years, P < 0.001) and more likely to have alcohol as a factor in trauma cases (71% versus 49%, P = 0.027). Time from injury to hospital was high for accidents at a remote location (12.9 versus 1.3 h, P < 0.001); however, Glasgow Outcome Scales (P = 0.13) were no different to accident at metropolitan Darwin. CONCLUSION: General surgeons at RDH perform a wide range of emergency neurosurgical procedures primarily for trauma. Factors contributing to poor outcomes included remote location of trauma and delay in reaching the hospital. Outcomes at 3 months appear acceptable.

Intravenous therapy duration and outcomes in melioidosis: a new treatment paradigm.

BACKGROUND: International melioidosis treatment guidelines recommend a minimum 10 to 14 days' intravenous antibiotic therapy (intensive phase), followed by 3 to 6 months' oral therapy (eradication phase). This approach is associated with rates of relapse, defined as recurrence following the eradication phase, that can exceed 5%. Rates of recrudescence, defined as recurrence during the eradication phase, have not previously been reported. In response to low eradication phase completion rates in Australia, a local guideline has evolved over the last ten years recommending a longer minimum intensive phase duration for many cases of melioidosis. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This retrospective cohort study reviews antibiotic duration for the first episode of care for all patients diagnosed with melioidosis and surviving the intensive phase during a recent three year period in the tropical north of Australia's Northern Territory; we also review adherence to the current local guideline and treatment outcomes. Of 215 first episodes of melioidosis surviving the intensive phase, the median (interquartile range) intensive phase duration was 26 (14-34) days. One hundred and eight (50.2%) patients completed eradication therapy; 58 (27.0%) patients took no eradication therapy. At 28 months' follow-up, one (0.5%) relapse and eleven (5.1%) recrudescences had occurred. On exact logistic regression analysis, the only independent risk factors for recrudescence were self-discharge during the intensive phase (odds ratio 6.2 [95% confidence interval 1.2-30.0]) and septic shock (odds ratio 5.3 [95% confidence interval 1.1-25.7]). CONCLUSIONS/ SIGNIFICANCE: Relapsed melioidosis is rare in patients who receive a minimum intensive phase duration specified by our guideline and extended according to clinical progress. Recrudescence rates may improve with reductions in rates of self-discharge. Given the low relapse rate despite a high rate of eradication therapy non-adherence, the duration and necessity of eradication therapy for different patients after guideline-concordant intensive therapy should be evaluated further.