Preventing pressure ulcers from paediatric femoral traction: use of an audit cycle to assess a new concise manual and a daily care chart

INTRODUCTION

Femoral shaft fractures are common in children up to 14 years of age and traction is frequently used during their treatment. A lack of training and unfamiliarity of junior doctors and nursing staff with this treatment modality may lead to unfavourable skin complications, especially in the absence of regular monitoring. We introduced and audited a simple and reproducible way of monitoring these patients.

METHODS

An initial audit was conducted of all children with femoral shaft fracture treated in skin traction. A new traction manual and daily care chart were introduced, and a re-audit was performed. A parallel survey regarding skin traction in children was conducted involving 33 hospitals in the United Kingdom.

RESULTS

The initial audit showed three patients (23%) developed grade 2 pressure sores with a mean duration of traction of 8.5 days. A pressure sites check was documented in only 7.7%. A re-audit, after introduction of the traction manual and daily care chart showed a mean duration of traction of 8.4 days and only one patient (12.5%) developed a grade 1 sore. Pressure site monitoring improved significantly with 75% documentation. No daily care chart was used among the 33 centres in the survey and only 27% of centres had access to a manual in the ward.

CONCLUSIONS

Introduction of a single-page traction manual and a daily care chart into patient care notes to effectively monitor for pressure areas in children on skin traction helps reduce the incidence of serious skin complications.

Evidence-based review of safe theatre practice during the COVID-19 pandemic beyond personal protective equipment

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 remains a threat for a fear of a second pandemic. Emergency orthopaedic operations are still among the most commonly performed procedures with increased risk of transmission of SARS CoV-2 to the patients and the healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to present the evidence available into best practices limiting the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare setting during current and future pandemics.

METHODS

A review of the literature was performed in multiple databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control), using 'COVID-19' with other relevant keywords in different combinations. Owing to the limited and heterogenous evidence available, data were presented in a narrative manner.

FINDINGS

From the evidence gathered it was noted that a multimodal approach to minimising pathogen transmission is required. This primarily comprises the wider engineering and administrative controls to reduce the concentration of the pathogen and to separate staff and patients from it. Theatre isolation and traffic control bundling, theatre flow and logistics, ventilation and waste management form a pivotal role in the environmental/engineering controls. Administrative measures include policies for both patients and staff. For patients, isolation and preoperative screening are of utmost value. For staff, testing for COVID-19, risk assessment, redeployment and provision of persona; protective equipment, together with the necessary training are important administrative controls.

CONCLUSION

We believe these measures are likely to improve the sustainability of resources and can be carried to elective settings in order to return to some form of normality and help to mitigate the effects of future pandemics.