•This study developed expert consensus on the most important barriers to consider when evaluating an LMIC health system's preparedness to deliver injury care.•Twenty conceptual barriers were ...identified and categorised within a three delays framework.•11 barriers were agreed to be feasible to assess, delay care for many, cause avoidable death or disability, and be readily modifiable.•The findings can guide evaluation of injury care health systems in LMIC settings and inform prioritisation of interventions to improve care.
Most deaths from injury occur in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) with one third potentially avoidable with better health system access. This study aimed to establish consensus on the most important barriers, within a Three Delays framework, to accessing injury care in LMICs that should be considered when evaluating a health system.
A three round electronic Delphi study was conducted with experts in LMIC health systems or injury care. In round one, participants proposed important barriers. These were synthesized into a three delays framework. In round 2 participants scored four components for each barrier. Components measured whether barriers were feasible to assess, likely to delay care for a significant proportion of injured persons, likely to cause avoidable death or disability, and potentially readily changed to improve care. In round 3 participants re-scored each barrier following review of feedback from round 2. Consensus was defined for each component as ≥70% agreement or disagreement.
There were 37 eligible responses in round 1, 30 in round 2, and 27 in round 3, with 21 countries represented in all rounds. Of the twenty conceptual barriers identified, consensus was reached on all four components for 11 barriers. This included 2 barriers to seeking care, 5 barriers to reaching care and 4 barriers to receiving care. The ability to modify a barrier most frequently failed to achieve consensus.
11 barriers were agreed to be feasible to assess, delay care for many, cause avoidable death or disability, and be readily modifiable. We recommend these barriers are considered in assessments of LMIC trauma systems.
The COVID-19 response required the cancellation of all but the most urgent surgical procedures. The number of cancelled surgical procedures owing to Covid-19, and the reintroduction of surgical ...acivirt, was modelled.
This was a modelling study using Hospital Episode Statistics data (2014-2019). Surgical procedures were grouped into four urgency classes. Expected numbers of surgical procedures performed between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 were modelled. Procedure deficit was estimated using conservative assumptions and the gradual reintroduction of elective surgery from the 1 June 2020. Costs were calculated using NHS reference costs and are reported as millions or billions of euros. Estimates are reported with 95 per cent confidence intervals.
A total of 4 547 534 (95 per cent c.i. 3 318 195 to 6 250 771) patients with a pooled mean age of 53.5 years were expected to undergo surgery between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021. By 31 May 2020, 749 247 (513 564 to 1 077 448) surgical procedures had been cancelled. Assuming that elective surgery is reintroduced gradually, 2 328 193 (1 483 834 - 3 450 043) patients will be awaiting surgery by 28 February 2021. The cost of delayed procedures is €5.3 (3.1 to 8.0) billion. Safe delivery of surgery during the pandemic will require substantial extra resources costing €526.8 (449.3 to 633.9) million.
As a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, provision of elective surgery will be delayed and associated with increased healthcare costs.
Surgery is a carbon-heavy activity and creates a high volume of waste. Surgical teams around the world want to deliver more environmentally sustainable surgery but are unsure what to do and how to ...create change. There are many interventions available, but resources and time are limited. Capital investment into healthcare and engagement of senior management are challenging. However, frontline teams can change behaviours and drive wider change. Patients have a voice here too, as they would like to ensure their surgery does not harm their local community but are concerned about the effects on them when changes are made. Environmentally sustainable surgery is at the start of its journey. Surgeons need to rapidly upskill their generic knowledge base, identify which measures they can implement locally and take part in national research programmes. Surgical teams in the NHS have the chance to create a world-leading programme that can bring change to hospitals around the world. This article provides an overview of how surgeons see the surgical team being involved in environmentally sustainable surgery.
Abstract Background Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) may provide a limb salvage option for locally advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) not amenable to local resection. Methods A systematic review was ...performed for studies reporting outcome of ILP for locally advanced STS performed after 1980 in patients aged ≥12 years old. The main endpoints were tumour response and limb salvage rates. Complication and recurrence rates were secondary endpoints. Results Eighteen studies were included, providing outcomes for 1030 patients. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha with melphalan was the commonest chemotherapy regime. When reported, 22% of cases achieved a complete tumour response (216/964, 15 studies) with an overall response rate of 72% (660/911, 15 studies). At median follow-up times ranging between 11 and 125 months, the limb salvage rate was 81% in patients who otherwise would have been subjected to amputation. However, 27% of patients suffered local recurrence and 40% suffered distant failure. ILP was associated with severe locoregional reactions in 4% (22/603) of patients. Amputation due to complications within 30 days was necessary in 1.2% of cases (7/586, nine studies). There was insufficient evidence to determine the effect of ILP on survival. Conclusion ILP induces a high tumour response rate, leads to a high limb salvage rate but is associated with a high recurrence rate. It provides a limb salvage alternative to amputation when local control is necessary.
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