Understanding administrative abdominal aortic aneurysm mortality data.

OBJECTIVE: Administrative data in the form of Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and the Scottish Morbidity Record (SMR) have been used to describe surgical activity. These data have also been used to compare outcomes from different hospitals and regions, and to corroborate data submitted to national audits and registries. The aim of this observational study was to examine the completeness and accuracy of administrative data relating to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. METHODS: Administrative data (SMR-01 returns) from a single health board relating to AAA repair were requested (September 2007 to August 2012). A complete list of validated procedures; termed the reference data set was compiled from all available sources (clinical and administrative). For each patient episode electronic health records were scrutinised to confirm urgency of admission, diagnosis, and operative repair. The 30-day mortality was recorded. The reference data set was used to systematically validate the SMR-01 returns. RESULTS: The reference data set contained 608 verified procedures. SMR-01 returns identified 2433 episodes of care (1724 patients) in which a discharge diagnosis included AAA. This included 574 operative repairs. There were 34 missing cases (5.6%) from SMR-01 returns; nine of these patients died within 30 days of the index procedure. Omission of these cases made a statistically significant improvement to perceived 30-day mortality (p < .05, chi-square test). If inconsistent SMR-01 data (in terms of ICD-10 and OPCS-4 codes) were excluded only 81.9% of operative repairs were correctly identified and only 30.9% of deaths were captured. DISCUSSION: The SMR-01 returns contain multiple errors. There also appears to be a systematic bias that reduces apparent 30-day mortality. Using these data alone to describe or compare activity or outcomes must be done with caution.

Early carotid endarterectomy following thrombolysis in the hyperacute treatment of stroke.

BACKGROUND: Thrombolysis with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator improves the probability of complete neurological recovery if given promptly following the onset of acute ischaemic stroke. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can reduce the risk of further embolic stroke in selected patients and is most effective within 14 days of the incident event. The safety of surgery so soon after thrombolysis is unknown. The aim of this study was to report the immediate outcomes of this management strategy early in the unit experience and to encourage pooling of data, recognizing that this will be an uncommon procedure even in busy stoke units with an active lysis programme. METHODS: Data were extracted from two prospectively collected databases, and included patient demographics, type of stroke, type and timing of surgical procedure, and immediate outcome. On presentation with a stroke, all patients underwent urgent computed tomography (CT) of the brain. Those eligible received thrombolysis according to the unit protocol. They underwent CT angiography 24 h after thrombolysis and patients with a severe carotid stenosis had surgery. RESULTS: Ten of a cohort of 450 patients who had received lysis underwent CEA. Seven of these were women and eight of the procedures were carried out under local anaesthetic. Surgery was performed a median of 8 (range 2-23) days after the index event; there were no major complications. CONCLUSION: Few patients with acute stroke are eligible, but CEA performed soon after thrombolytic therapy for stroke appears to be safe.

An overview of the surgical aspects of lower limb venous disease.

Lower limb venous disease encompasses a wide spectrum of pathology, the importance of which relates to high prevalence rather than mortality. The complications of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), namely lipodermatosclerosis and chronic venous ulceration, represent a major burden to healthcare providers and a high degree of personal morbidity for patients. Management is based upon accurate clinical diagnosis supported by non-invasive imaging. Open surgical and minimally invasive techniques are used to treat varicose veins. Chronic skin complications of CVI require a multidisciplinary approach.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm: a preventable cause of death?

Abdominal aortic aneurysm as a cause of death may be preventable by surgery. This paper reviews current theories of aetiology, incidence and detection with particular reference to population screening for aneurysm and to reducing the operative mortality rate by detecting the correctable risk factors of surgical treatment.

Infected false aneurysms in the groin of intravenous drug abusers.

The hazards of dealing with infected false femoral aneurysms resulting from intra-arterial narcotic injection are highlighted in six patients. Two patients were human immunodeficiency virus positive and three patients were hepatitis B surface antigen positive. Because of these infections exploration of groin swellings as presumed soft tissue abscesses is potentially hazardous without proper proximal vascular control. All patients underwent reconstruction following arterial ligation and five grafts became infected, with life threatening haemorrhage occurring in four patients. Five grafts have subsequently occluded or have been removed without loss of limb viability, although two patients have been regrafted. A high index of suspicion and assessment by a vascular surgeon, with angiography if indicated, is required in any intravenous drug abuser presenting with a groin swelling following injection. Because of the great risk of graft infection, it is suggested that ligation and debridement alone be carried out, with immediate arterial reconstruction only for non-viability.

Neoplastic transformation in longstanding fistula-in-ano.

A case in which an infiltrating mucinous carcinoma developed within a suprasphincteric fistula-in-ano is presented. The diagnosis was suspected on biopsy and confirmed by repeat biopsy. The clinical and histological features of this case establish with certainty that the carcinoma arose within the fistula and was not a secondary manifestation of the tumour. It is suggested that this rare complication of chronic fistula-in-ano may be prevented by prompt expert management of complex primary fistula.

Total colonic ischemia.

The involvement of the entire colon in an ischemic process is unusual because of the dual source of blood supply to the large bowel. Three cases of total ischemic colitis are presented. A precipitating cause to account for the distribution of ischemia was identified in each patient.

Small bowel stricture following abdominal trauma.

A case of small bowel stricture developing 2 months after blunt abdominal trauma from a lap seat belt is presented. The cause of the stricture was probably a small perforation sustained at the time of the injury but overlooked clinically. At operation an abscess around the terminal ileum was found. The patient made an uneventful recovery following resection of the strictured small bowel.

Failure of Doppler ankle pressure to predict healing of conservative forefoot amputations.

Fifty minor foot and transmetatarsal amputations were studied to assess the reliability of Doppler ankle blood pressure (DABP) and skin blood flow (SBF) to predict healing. The level of amputation was determined solely on clinical criteria. Thirty-six (72 per cent) of the amputations healed. There was no statistical difference between mean DABP in healed 89 +/- 8 mmHg mean +/- s.e.m.) and non-healed (91 +/- 12 mmHg mean +/- s.e.m.) amputations. SBF was assessed by 125I-iodoantipyrine clearance in 28 patients. There was no correlation between DABP and SBF (r = 0.038). SBF in patients with healed amputations was 14.8 +/- 1.2 (mean +/- s.e.m.) ml 100 g-1 min-1 in contrast to SBF of 5.9 +/- 0.3 (mean +/- s.e.m.) ml 100 g-1 min-1 in the patients with non-healing (P less than 0.01). Where the flow was in excess of 8 ml 100 g-1 min-1 healing was always obtained while a flow of less than 7 ml 100 g-1 min-1 was associated with healing failure. These results suggest that DABP should be interpreted with caution as this technique fails as an accurate means of identifying those patients suitable for forefoot amputations. Skin blood flow assessment appears to provide an absolute value for the prediction of healing potential at this level.

Cutaneous blood flow in the foot following lumbar sympathectomy.

Cutaneous blood flow in the foot was assessed by 125I iodoantipyrine clearance in patients with peripheral vascular disease. Three groups were studied: group (a) consisted of 10 controls, Group (b) of 10 patients who had arterial reconstruction, and Group (c) of 10 patients having lumbar sympathectomy. Skin blood flow remained constant in the control patients. In Group (b) arterial reconstruction increased skin blood flow from mean 4.3 ml/100g/min to a mean of 14.9 ml/100g/min (p less than 0.001). In group (c) skin blood flow did not significantly change from a mean preoperative value of 7.6 ml/100g/min to a mean postoperative value of 8.1 (ml/100g/min). These results suggest that lumbar sympathectomy does not affect nutritional blood flow.

Volvulus of the splenic flexure of the colon.

Volvulus of the splenic flexure is a rare cause of large-bowel obstruction. Three cases are presented and the features of 17 previously reported cases reviewed. Resection with or without primary anastomosis is the procedure of choice to prevent recurrence.