1012 A Close Loop Audit of Acute Food Bolus Obstruction at a District General Hospital

Aim

The British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) recommends biopsies from two different regions in the oesophagus. A close loop audit was undertaken to assess performance at a district general hospital, against these guidelines and following newly agreed trust guidelines after the first audit cycle of a follow up OGD within 6 weeks of the presentation.

Method

Data was collected of patients admitted with a food bolus over the first cycle (March2019 to February 2021) and the second cycle (1/10/21 to 14/10/21). Exclusion criteria were age of less than 18 and sharp food bolus.

Results

69 patients were identified. Average age was 60 years. There were 67% male patients and 33% female. 20% of patients underwent a follow up OGD in the first cycle and 45%underwent a follow up OGD within six weeks. 7% had two regions biopsy in the first cycle and21% in the second cycle. Average OGD follow up time was 92 days in the first cycle and 59days in the second cycle. Commonest findings on histology results were eosinophilic oesophagitis and Barrett's oesophagus (22% each), GORD (15%) and carcinoma (7%).

Discussion

Food bolus obstruction indicates the presence of pathology of the oesophagus and should be investigated as so, even despite spontaneous recovery from the acute event. Number of patients undergoing OGD within six weeks and a two regions biopsy improved through this audit by implementing the new trust guidelines.

1001 Surgical Escape Rooms: A Novel Approach for Teaching Surgical Skills

Aim

Traditional classroom-based teaching of surgical skills has been used commonly in the past. Although, use of an escape room is a new form of a practical teaching method to deliver surgical skills teaching. We compared and assessed effectiveness of the traditional classroom teaching versus practical escape room teaching of the basic surgical skills.

Method

Two teaching sessions were delivered to third year medical students. Each session consisted of two groups and two sessions. Each group received either the classroom-based teaching or the escape room teaching, then switching over to the other teaching. Each student was asked to complete a questionnaire before the session, after the first and the second teaching session. Teaching covered interrupted suturing, wound management, and administration of local aesthetic. Likert scores were used to collect feedback.

Results

Total 24 third year medical students attended the two teaching sessions. 100% either agreed or strongly agreed the classroom teaching was useful, compared to 75% for the escape room. 67% either agreed or strongly agreed that escape room style teaching is a better learning method than traditional teaching. Although, 79% either agree or strongly agree that escape room style teaching is a useful adjunct to the traditional teaching. 100% either agree or strongly agree that this teaching will improve their clinical practice.

Conclusions

Traditional classroom-based teaching is a more useful form of teaching compared to the escape room. Although escape room teaching is a useful adjunct to the current common form of classroom based surgical teaching.

Enrollment with and without exception from informed consent in a pilot trial of tranexamic acid in children with hemorrhagic injuries

BACKGROUND

Federal exception from informed consent (EFIC) procedures allow studies to enroll patients with time-sensitive, life-threatening conditions when written consent is not feasible. Our objective was to compare enrollment rates with and without EFIC in a trial of tranexamic acid (TXA) for children with hemorrhagic injuries.

METHODS

We conducted a four-center randomized controlled pilot and feasibility trial evaluating TXA in children with severe hemorrhagic brain and/or torso injuries. We initiated the trial enrolling patients without EFIC. After 3 months of enrollment, we met our a priori futility threshold and paused the trial to incorporate EFIC procedures and obtain regulatory approval. We then restarted the trial allowing EFIC if the guardian was unable to provide timely written consent. We used descriptive statistics to compare characteristics of eligible patients approached with and without EFIC procedures. We also calculated the time delay to restart the trial using EFIC.

RESULTS

We enrolled one of 15 (6.7%) eligible patients (0.17 per site per month) prior to using EFIC procedures. Of the 14 missed eligible patients, seven (50%) were not enrolled because guardians were not present or were injured and unable to provide written consent. After obtaining approval for EFIC, we enrolled 30 of 48 (62.5%) eligible patients (1.34 per site per month). Of these 30 patients, 22 (73.3%) were enrolled with EFIC. Of the 22, no guardians refused written consent after randomization. There were no significant differences in the eligibility rate and patient characteristics enrolled with and without EFIC procedures. Across all sites, the mean delay to restart the trial using EFIC procedures was 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In a multicenter trial of severely injured children, the use of EFIC procedures greatly increased the enrollment rate and was well accepted by guardians. Initiating the trial without EFIC procedures led to a significant delay in enrollment.

448 Foundation Doctor Local Peer-Led and Organised Basic Surgical Skills in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery

Aim

Foundation doctors are under pressure early in their careers to attend highly subscribed and expensive surgical courses. We assessed the feasibility of a foundation doctor led and locally organised basic surgical skills introduction.

Method

The lead foundation doctor organised a basic surgical skills introduction for foundation year doctors at Salisbury District Hospital liaising with the postgraduate centre and local surgical consultants. This training was supervised by local consultants and registrars. This teaching delivered theory and practise in suturing, knot tying and laparoscopy by local and familiar trainers. Feedback was collected using the Likert scale.

Results

12 foundation doctors attended. 100% either agreed or strongly agreed the introduction was helpful and well organised. 25% either agreed or strongly agreed feeling confident with suturing and knot tying before the teaching which increased to 92% after teaching. Only 8.3% either agreed or strongly agreed feeling confident with the principles of basic laparoscopy before teaching which increased to 83% after teaching. 100% either agreed or strongly agreed the teaching will improve their clinical practise and enhance their interest in surgery. 92% strongly agreed or agreed that the teaching improved their knowledge in basic surgical skills, and the peer led and organised structure was an effective teaching method.

Conclusions

Foundation doctor locally peer led teaching organised with supervision by local consultants is an effective method of delivering basic surgical skills with improvement especially marked in basic laparoscopy and help enhance interest in surgical training.

Robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and standardization of outcome reporting: a prospective, observational study on reaching the "Trifecta and Pentafecta"

Partial nephrectomy (PN) for small renal masses is common, but outcomes are not reported in a standard manner. Traditionally, parameters such as 90-day mortality, blood loss, transfusion rates, length of stay, nephrometry scoring and complications are published but their collective impact on warm ischemia time (WIT) and post-surgery GFR is rarely determined. Thus, our aim was to assess if “Trifecta” and “Pentafecta” outcomes could be used as useful surgical outcome markers. A prospective database of 252 Robotic-Assisted PN (RAPN) cases (2008–2019) was analysed. “Pentafecta” was defined as achievement of “Trifecta” (negative surgical margin, no postoperative complications and WIT of < 25 min) plus over 90% estimated GFR preservation and no CKD stage upgrading at 1 year. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict factors which may prevent achieving a Trifecta/Pentafecta. Median tumour size was 3 cm and mean WIT was 15 min. Positive surgical margins (PSM) occurred in 2 cases. Overall, the intra-operative complication rate was 7%. One recurrence conferred 5-year cancer-free survival of 97%. Trifecta outcome was achieved in 169 (67%) and Pentafecta in 141 (56%) of cases. At logistic regression analysis, intraoperative blood loss was the only factor to affect Trifecta achievement (p = 0.018). Advanced patient age negatively impacted Pentafecta achievement (p = 0.010). The Trifecta and Pentafecta outcomes are easily applicable to PN data, and offer an internationally comparable PN outcome, quality measure. We recommend applying this standardization to national data collection to improve the quality of reporting and ease of interpretation of surgeon/centres’ outcomes.

Population-based cohort study of variation in the use of emergency cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases

Background

The aims of this prospective population-based cohort study were to identify the patient and hospital characteristics associated with emergency cholecystectomy, and the influences of these in determining variations between hospitals.

Methods

Data were collected for consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy in acute UK and Irish hospitals between 1 March and 1 May 2014. Potential explanatory variables influencing the performance of emergency cholecystectomy were analysed by means of multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling using a two-level hierarchical structure with patients (level 1) nested within hospitals (level 2).

Results

Data were collected on 4744 cholecystectomies from 165 hospitals. Increasing age, lower ASA fitness grade, biliary colic, the need for further imaging (magnetic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), endoscopic interventions (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and admission to a non-biliary centre significantly reduced the likelihood of an emergency cholecystectomy being performed. The multilevel model was used to calculate the probability of receiving an emergency cholecystectomy for a woman aged 40 years or over with an ASA grade of I or II and a BMI of at least 25·0 kg/m2, who presented with acute cholecystitis with an ultrasound scan showing a thick-walled gallbladder and a normal common bile duct. The mean predicted probability of receiving an emergency cholecystectomy was 0·52 (95 per cent c.i. 0·45 to 0·57). The predicted probabilities ranged from 0·02 to 0·95 across the 165 hospitals, demonstrating significant variation between hospitals.

Conclusion

Patients with similar characteristics presenting to different hospitals with acute gallbladder pathology do not receive comparable care.

One-year maintenance outcomes among patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis who responded to induction therapy with adalimumab: subgroup analyses from ULTRA 2

BACKGROUND

Patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) are unlikely to continue anti-TNF therapy in the absence of early therapeutic response.

AIM

To assess week 52 efficacy, safety and benefit/risk balance of adalimumab treatment in patients with moderately-to-severely active UC failing conventional therapy who achieved clinical response at week 8 in the 52-week ULTRA 2 trial.

METHODS

Patients randomised to adalimumab (160/80 mg, week 0/2; 40 mg, every other week thereafter) in ULTRA 2 who achieved clinical response at week 8 per partial Mayo score (Mayo score without endoscopy subscore) were assessed for week 52 clinical remission, clinical response, mucosal healing, steroid-free remission and steroid discontinuation rates, overall and by prior anti-TNF use. Benefit/risk balance for the overall ITT population (regardless of week 8 responder status) was assessed using 'net efficacy adjusted for risk' (NEAR) odds ratios. Safety was assessed using adverse event rates.

RESULTS

Of 248 adalimumab-treated patients, 123 (49.6%) achieved clinical response at week 8. Of these, 30.9%, 49.6%, and 43.1% achieved clinical remission, clinical response, and mucosal healing, respectively, at week 52. Of the week 8 responders using corticosteroids at baseline (N = 90), 21.1% achieved steroid-free remission and 37.8% were steroid-free at week 52. NEAR odds ratios indicated a positive benefit/risk balance for achievement of week 8 and week 52 response or remission without serious adverse events or serious infections. No safety concerns were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Adalimumab treatment was associated with a positive benefit/risk balance in the overall population of patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis in ULTRA 2; early response was predictive of a positive outcome at 1 year (NCT00408629).