The role of routine pre-operative bedside echocardiography in detecting aortic stenosis in patients with a hip fracture.

The prevalence and severity of aortic stenosis in unselected patients admitted with a hip fracture is unknown. Derriford Hospital operates a routine weekday, pre-operative, targeted bedside echocardiography examination on all patients admitted with a hip fracture. We carried out a prospective service evaluation for 13 months from October 2007 on all 501 admissions, of which 374 (75%) underwent pre-operative echocardiography. Of those patients investigated, 8 (2%) had severe, 24 (6%) moderate and 113 (30%) had mild aortic stenosis or aortic sclerosis. Eighty-seven of 278 (31%) patients with no murmur detected clinically on admission had aortic stenosis on echocardiography and of the 96 patients in whom a murmur was heard pre-operatively, 30 (31%) had a normal echocardiogram. Detection of a murmur does not necessarily reflect the presence of underling aortic valve disease. However, if a murmur is heard then the likelihood of the lesion's being moderate or severe aortic stenosis is increased (OR 8.5; 95% CI 3.8-19.5). Forty-four (12%) of our unselected patients with fractured femur had either moderate or severe aortic stenosis (with or without moderate or severe left ventricular failure), or mild stenosis with moderately or severely impaired left ventricular function.

Quality of life at three years after cardiac surgery: relationship with preoperative status and quality of recovery.

A reduction in symptoms, increased longevity, and improved quality of life (QoL), are goals of cardiac surgery. We measured QoL in 108 adult cardiac surgical patients at about three years after cardiac surgery, and assessed the predictive ability of a 40-item quality of recovery (QoR-40) score. Our follow-up rate was 86% (n = 93). When compared with preoperative status, QoL was improved at three years after surgery (P < 0.0005). The dimensions of QoL that were most affected were physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, vitality, social functioning, and role limitations due to emotional problems (all P < 0.005). There was a mild correlation between the day 3 QoR-40 and the three year SF-36, r = 0.23 (P = 0.029). There was a strong correlation between the three year QoR-40 and the three year SF-36, r = 0.73 (P < 0.0005). The QoR-40 and SF-36 done at three years after cardiac surgery demonstrated good internal consistency, QoR-40 alpha = 0.86 (P < 0.0005), SF-36 alpha = 0.91 (P < 0.0005). A poor quality recovery in the days after surgery can predict a poor QoL at three years after surgery. The QoR-40 is a valid and reliable measure of quality of recovery after surgery and anaesthesia. The QoR-40 is a useful, patient-oriented method of assessing recovery from anaesthesia and surgery.

The use of the laryngeal mask in gynaecological laparoscopy.

Use of the laryngeal mask airway in gynaecological laparoscopy is controversial, largely because of a concern about increased risk of regurgitation and pulmonary aspiration. The practice of evidence-based medicine provides a recommended strategy to resolve such an issue. We did a literature search and found limited evidence to support or refute the use of the LMA in this setting. We have found, however, that the reported incidence of aspiration or more serious morbidity associated with the use of the LMA in laparoscopic surgery is very low.