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AIM: To prospectively audit stomas and to determine the nature and rate of complications and their relationship with various risk factors and their management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed prospectively on 97 consecutive patients who had stomas formed between January 2000 to August 2000. Patients were followed up for one year. Risk factors including age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative siting, contour of the abdominal wall, smoking, grade of operating surgeon, emergency or elective procedure, diabetes, type of stoma and suture material used were noted. The type of surgery, and indications for surgery were also recorded. The complications were documented by two qualified stoma nurses and a photographic record taken. Statistical analysis comprising both univariate and multivariate methods, was performed by SPSS 10. RESULTS: The mean age was 65 years (standard deviation 16.01, range 16-99) and mean body mass index was 24.5 (standard deviation 4.66, range 15-37). Forty-nine of 97 (50.5%) stomas developed one or more complications. Twenty-three patients experienced retraction, 18 had stomas sited in a skin crease, 16 had early and 12 had late skin excoriation, 12 had detachments and a further 12 had parastomal hernia. Eleven further stoma complications were noted including prolapse, necrosis, ischaemia and sloughing. None of the risk factors achieved statistical significance when analysed against the overall complication rate. However, when the risk factors were analysed against individual complications using univariate logistic regression, a high body mass index was associated with more retractions (P = 0.003), early skin excoriation (P = 0.036) and poor siting (stoma in crease) occurred more commonly in emergencies (P = 0.022). Diabetes was associated with late skin excoriation (P = 0.02). Multivariate logistic regressions confirmed an independent association of body mass index, diabetes and emergency surgery with complications. Forty-five of 49 patients who had complications needed some conservative management such as a convexity appliance. Four patients needed refashioning. CONCLUSION: Body mass index, diabetes and emergency surgery were the significant risk factors identified in our study. Overall complications compare favourably with other series. We found that preoperative siting by stoma nurses and the grade of operating surgeon did not affect the outcome.
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PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to clarify the distinction between research and audit, and propose appropriate regulatory arrangements for audit and related activities. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The methods used were literature reviews and conceptual analysis. FINDINGS: Research and audit overlap in various ways, but differ in terms of their purposes and the risks likely to be encountered and distinguished, along with a third related category of activities called quality improvement. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Appropriate regulatory arrangements are proposed for audit and quality improvement activities. Using these should ensure appropriate ethical standards and risk management, while avoiding the time-consuming over-regulation that occurs when projects are unnecessarily submitted to the ethical scrutiny appropriate for research projects. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Gives suggestions and information that could be of great value in spreading service improvement.
In a prospective study of management of asthma in hospital patients with acute asthma admitted to a single hospital over a calendar year were surveyed. Altogether 157 out of 194 admissions (81%) were studied. The patients (16 of whom had been admitted twice and one three times) were interviewed at home about two weeks after discharge, and their hospital records were reviewed. When interviewed an appreciable proportion of patients said that their asthma had been poorly controlled after their discharge from the hospital: 54 reported regular sleep disturbance due to wheeze, 78 tightness of the chest in the morning, and 77 wheeze after climbing one flight of stairs. Patients had been described on admission as having had symptoms of deteriorating asthma for a median of three days. Closer questioning of 71 patients, however, elicited that 50 had had regular symptoms indicating poor control for weeks or months. Most patients did not know how their drugs worked, and many did not have an appropriate plan of action in the event of a further attack. In all the cases studied 114 patients were treated with oral corticosteroids, only 70 had had their previous maintenance treatment increased at the time of discharge, and 107 had a follow up appointment booked for an average of three and a half weeks after discharge. These findings show that undersupervision and undertreatment of patients with asthma are common and not confined to those dying of the condition.
BACKGROUND: Recent guidelines have been issued for the management of acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to audit the management of acute pancreatitis in one district general hospital, to determine the problems and benefits associated with the implementation of such guidelines. METHODS: Data were collected over the period 1991-1995 for all patients diagnosed as having acute pancreatitis who were admitted to one district general hospital. Data regarding severity grading, determination of aetiology and treatment of mild and severe pancreatitis were analysed in conjunction with the recommendations issued by the British Society of Gastroenterology Working Party on the management of acute pancreatitis in 1995. RESULTS: A total of 210 patients were admitted on 263 occasions; 16% of cases were severe but severity prediction was inaccurate. 56.1% had gallstone pancreatitis and 20.9% had idiopathic pancreatitis. Definitive treatment of gallstones was within the recommended time limit in only 70.1%. 27 patients experienced recurrent attacks of pancreatitis before definitive treatment of their gallstones, due either to inadequate investigation for gallstones after suboptimal ultrasound examination (n = 12) or to inappropriate delay before definitive treatment of gallstones (n = 15). Recommendations for the management of severe cases with early ITU/HDU admissions and CT scanning were not followed. 28 day mortality was 6.3%, median age of those dying was 80.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Acceptable mortality can be achieved for acute pancreatitis despite failure to implement BSG guidelines for the management of severe acute pancreatitis. Inadequate investigation and treatment of gallstone disease leads to an unacceptable incidence of recurrent acute pancreatitis.
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