Benedict Nwomeh - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Benedict Nwomeh

Research paper thumbnail of Minimally Invasive Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis with Rectal Eversion Allows for Equivalent Outcomes in Continence in Pediatric Patients

Journal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques, 2015

Different techniques for ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) following total proctocolectomy (TPC... more Different techniques for ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) following total proctocolectomy (TPC) have been described in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), including rectal eversion (RE). RE allows for precise identification of the dentate line, but concerns have been raised regarding continence rates. No studies have specifically evaluated RE in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes and continence rates for pediatric patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) TPC and IPAA with RE for UC. All patients who underwent TPC and IPAA were reviewed at our institution. Data collected included demographics, proctocolectomy technique (open without RE versus MIS with RE), operative time, postoperative data, and continence outcomes following ileostomy closure. Thirty-three patients were identified who underwent TPC and IPAA between July 2006 and October 2014. Thirty of these patients underwent ileostomy takedown and were evaluated for continence. Of these, 17 (56.7%) patients had a laparoscopic procedure, 5 (16.7%) had a robotic-assisted procedure, and 8 (26.7%) had an open procedure. There were no statistically significant differences in regard to demographics, operative time, or length of stay when comparing the two groups. There were no differences in the two groups as measured at 1, 6, and 12 months in terms of number of daily stools (P = .93, .09, and .87, respectively), nighttime stooling (P = .29, .10, and .25, respectively), soiling (P = .43, .36, and .52, respectively), or stool-altering medication usage (P = .26, 1.00, and .37, respectively). The RE technique can be used safely and effectively during MIS TPC and IPAA in children without altering continence rates.

Research paper thumbnail of Implementation of a Pediatric Surgical Quality Improvement (QI)-Driven M&M Conference

Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 2015

The M&M conference at Nationwide Children&amp... more The M&M conference at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) categorized failures as technical error or patient disease, but failure modes were never captured, action items rarely assigned, and follow-up rarely completed. In 2013 a QI-driven M&M conference was developed, supporting implementation of directed actions to improve quality of care. A classification was developed to enhance analysis of complications. Each complication was analyzed for identification of failure modes with subcategorization of root cause, a level of preventability assigned, and action items designated. Failure determinations from 11/2013-10/2014 were reviewed to evaluate the distribution of failure modes and action items. Two-hundred thirty-seven patients with complications were reviewed. One-hundred thirty patients had complications attributed to patient disease with no individual or system failure identified, whereas 107 patients had identifiable failures. Eighty-five patients had one failure identified, and 22 patients had multiple failures identified. Of the 142 failures identified in 107 patients, 112 (78.9%) were individual failures, and 30 (21.1%) were system failures. One-hundred forty-seven action items were implemented including education initiatives, establishing criteria for interdisciplinary consultation, resolving equipment inadequacies, removing high risk medications from formulary, restructuring physician handoffs, and individual practitioner counseling/training. Development of a QI-driven M&M conference allowed us to categorize complications beyond surgical or patient disease categories, ensuring added focus on system solutions and a reliable accountability structure to ensure implementation of assigned interventions intended to address failures. This may lead to improvement in the processes of patient care.

Research paper thumbnail of Single-stage versus multi-stage pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease: practice trends and outcomes in infants

Journal of pediatric surgery, 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical treatments and outcomes in a multi-institutional c... more The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical treatments and outcomes in a multi-institutional cohort of neonates with Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) from 1999 to 2009, neonates diagnosed with HD were identified and classified as having a single stage pull-through (SSPT) or multi-stage pull-through (MSPT). Diagnosis and classification algorithms and clinical variables and outcomes were validated by multi-institutional chart review. Groups were compared using logistic regression modeling and propensity-score matched analysis to account for baseline differences between groups. 1555 neonates with HD were identified; 77.2% underwent SSPT and 22.8% underwent MSPT. Misclassification of disease or surgical treatment was <2%. Rates of SSPT increased over time (p=0.03). Compared to SSPT, patients undergoing MSPT had significantly lower birth weights and higher rates of prematurity, non-HD gastrointestinal anomalies, enterocolitis, an...

Research paper thumbnail of Abdominal Complications of Ventricular-Peritoneal Shunts

Reoperative Pediatric Surgery, 2008

The usual reoperative neurosurgical procedure that the pediatric surgeon encounters is revision o... more The usual reoperative neurosurgical procedure that the pediatric surgeon encounters is revision of a failed ventricular drainage device, most commonly a ventriculoperi-toneal shunt (VPS). Shunt failure after primary insertion occurs frequently, with incidence of 40% at 1 year and 50% ...

Research paper thumbnail of Radiologic Evaluation of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Neonatal surgery in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of challenges of management and outcome

The Lancet, 2015

Advances in diagnostic techniques and perioperative care have greatly improved the outcome of neo... more Advances in diagnostic techniques and perioperative care have greatly improved the outcome of neonatal surgery. Despite this, disparity still exists in the outcome of neonatal surgery between high-income countries and low-income and middle-income countries. This study reviews publications on neonatal surgery in Africa over 20 years with a focus on challenges of management, trends in outcome, and potential interventions to improve outcome. We did a literature review by searching PubMed and African Index Medicus for original articles published in any language between January, 1995, and September, 2014, with the search terms &amp;amp;quot;neonatal surgery&amp;amp;quot; and &amp;amp;quot;Africa&amp;amp;quot;, further supplemented by &amp;amp;quot;(surgery OR anaesthesia) AND (neonatal OR newborn) AND (developing countries OR Africa)&amp;amp;quot;. A data extraction sheet was used to collect information, including type of study, demographics, number of cases, outcome, challenges, and suggestions to improve outcome. For the meta-analysis, data were analysed by χ(2) test or Student&amp;amp;#39;s t-test as appropriate. In all, the significance level was set to p&amp;amp;lt;0·05. We identified 859 published papers, of which 51 studies from 11 countries met the inclusion criteria. The 16 studies in the first 10 years (before 2005; group A) were compared with the 35 in the last 10 years (2005-14; group B). Nigeria (n=32; 62·7%), South Africa (n=7; 13·7%), Tanzania (n=2; 3·9%), and Tunisia (n=2; 3·9%) were the predominant source of the publications, of which were retrospective in 38 (74·5%) studies and prospective in 13 (25·5%) studies. The mean sample size of the studies was 97·8 (range 5-640). Overall, 4989 neonates were studied, with median age of 6 days (range 1-30). Common neonatal conditions reported were intestinal atresia in 28 (54·9%) studies, abdominal wall defects in 27 (52·9%), anorectal malformations in 24 (47·1%), and Hirschsprung&amp;amp;#39;s disease, necrotising enterocolitis, and volvulus neonatorum in 23 (45·1%) each. Mortality was lowest (&amp;amp;lt;3%) in spina bifida and facial cleft procedures, and highest (&amp;amp;gt;50%) in emergency neonatal surgeries involving bowel perforation, bowel resection, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, oesophageal atresia, and ruptured omphalocele or gastroschisis. Overall average mortality rate was higher in group A than in group B (36·9% vs 29·1%; p&amp;amp;lt;0·001), but mortality did not vary between the groups for similar neonatal conditions. The major documented challenges were delayed presentation and inadequate facilities in 39 (76·5%) studies, dearth of trained support personnel in 32 (62·7%), and absence of neonatal intensive care in 29 (56·9%). The challenges varied from country to country but did not differ in the two groups. Improvement has been achieved in outcomes of neonatal surgery in Africa in the past two decades, although several of the studies reviewed are retrospective and poorly designed. Cost-effective adaptations for neonatal intensive care, improved health-care funding, coordinated neonatal surgical care via regional centres, and collaboration with international partners are potential interventions that could help to address the challenges and further improve outcome. None.

Research paper thumbnail of The benefits of international rotations to resource-limited settings for U.S. surgery residents

Research paper thumbnail of Monozygotic twins with discordant intestinal rotation

Pediatric Radiology, 2006

Previous case reports have suggested a strong concordance of intestinal malrotation among identic... more Previous case reports have suggested a strong concordance of intestinal malrotation among identical twins. This has led to the recommendation that the asymptomatic twin undergo screening when malrotation is discovered in the identical sibling. We present a case of monozygotic twins in which one twin presented with intestinal malrotation with midgut volvulus while the other twin was found to have normal gastrointestinal anatomy.

Research paper thumbnail of A quantitative analysis of surgical capacity in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Journal of Surgical Research, 2013

a b s t r a c t Objectives: This investigation aimed to document surgical capacity at public medi... more a b s t r a c t Objectives: This investigation aimed to document surgical capacity at public medical centers in a middle-income Latin American country using the Surgeons OverSeas (SOS) Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PIPES) survey tool. Materials and methods: We applied the PIPES tool at six urban and 25 rural facilities in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Outcome measures included the availability of items in five domains (Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies) and the PIPES index. PIPES indices were calculated by summing scores from each domain, dividing by the total number of survey items, and multiplying by 10.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors affecting innovation in pediatric surgery: hospital type and appendectomies

Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 2006

Background: There are little data on whether patient or hospital characteristics affect utilizati... more Background: There are little data on whether patient or hospital characteristics affect utilization of innovative surgical techniques in children, especially with respect to laparoscopic appendectomy (LA), whose benefit over existing treatment remains unproven. This study examines the patterns of LA using a national database, focusing on variations in care between children's and general hospitals. Methods: Using data from the 2000 Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project Kid's Inpatient Database for patients aged 5 to 20 years with a discharge diagnosis of appendectomy, we analyzed the relationship between LA and patient demographic and hospital characteristic variables. Results: The Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project Kid's Inpatient Database included 50,825 pediatric appendectomies (26% LA) representing 97,205 cases in the nation. Children's hospitals and children's units were significantly more likely to provide LA (36% and 28%, respectively) than general hospitals (25%). Higher LA rates were also associated with greater patient age, female sex, nonperforated appendicitis, private insurance, and white patient race. The children's hospital effect compared to general hospitals (adjusted odds ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.88-2.38) and all other relationships remained significant in the multivariate model. Conclusion: Utilization of LA is significantly higher in children's hospitals. Children's hospitals appear more likely to adopt innovative surgical procedures, such as LA, even when clear benefit over standard treatment has not yet emerged. D

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for including surgery on the public health agenda

Journal of Surgical Research, 2015

Surgical care has made limited inroads on the public health and global health agendas despite inc... more Surgical care has made limited inroads on the public health and global health agendas despite increasing data showing the enormous need. The objective of this study was to survey interested members of a global surgery community to identify patterns of thought regarding barriers to political priority. All active members of the nongovernmental organization Surgeons OverSeas were surveyed and asked why surgical care is not receiving recognition and support on the public health and global health agenda. Responses were categorized using the Shiffman framework on determinants of political priority for global initiatives by two independent investigators, and the number of responses for each of the 11 factors was calculated. Seventy-five Surgeons OverSeas members replied (75 of 176; 42.6% response rate). A total of 248 individual reasons were collected. The most common responses were related to external frame, defined as public portrayals of the issue (60 of 248; 24.2%), and lack of effective interventions (48 of 248; 19.4%). Least cited reasons related to global governance structure (4 of 248; 2.4%) and policy window (4 of 248; 1.6%). This survey of a global surgery community identified a number of barriers to the recognition of surgical care on the global health agenda. Recommendations include improving the public portrayal of the problem; developing effective interventions and seeking strong and charismatic leadership.

Research paper thumbnail of Injury prevalence and causality in developing nations: Results from a countrywide population-based survey in Nepal

Surgery, 2015

Traumatic injury affects nearly 5.8 million people annually and causes 10% of the world&amp;a... more Traumatic injury affects nearly 5.8 million people annually and causes 10% of the world&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s deaths. In this study we aimed to estimate injury prevalence, to describe risk-factors and mechanisms of injury, and to estimate the number of injury-related deaths in Nepal, a low-income South Asian country. A cluster randomized, cross-sectional nationwide survey using the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need tool was conducted in Nepal in 2014. Questions were structured anatomically and designed around a representative spectrum of operative conditions. Two-stage cluster sampling was performed: 15 of 75 districts were chosen randomly proportional to population; within each district, after stratification for urban and rural populations, 3 clusters were randomly chosen. Injury-related results were analyzed. A total of 1,350 households and 2,695 individuals were surveyed verbally, with a response rate of 97%. A total of 379 injuries were reported in 354 individuals (13.1%, 95% confidence interval 11.9-14.5%), mean age of 32.6. The most common mechanism of injury was falls (37.5%), road traffic injuries (19.8%), and burns (14.2%). The most commonly affected anatomic site was the upper extremity (42.0%). Of the deaths reported in the previous year, 16.3% were injury-related; 10% of total deaths may have been averted with access to operative care. This study provides baseline data on the epidemiology of traumatic injuries in Nepal and is the first household-based countrywide assessment of injuries in Nepal. These data provide valuable information to help advise policymakers and government officials for allocation of resources toward trauma care.

Research paper thumbnail of Injury assessment in three low-resource settings: a reference for worldwide estimates

The Lancet, 2015

Trauma has become a worldwide pandemic. Without dedicated public health interventions, fatal inju... more Trauma has become a worldwide pandemic. Without dedicated public health interventions, fatal injuries will rise 40% and become the 4th leading cause of death by 2030, with the burden highest in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of traumatic injuries and injury-related deaths in low-resource countries worldwide, using population-based data from the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS), a validated survey tool. Using data from three resource-poor countries (Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone), a weighted average of injury prevalence and deaths due to injury was calculated and extrapolated to low-resource countries worldwide. Injuries were defined as wounds from road traffic injuries (bus, car, truck, pedestrian, and bicycle), gunshot or stab or slash wounds, falls, work or home incidents, and burns. The Nepal study included a visual physical examination that confirmed the validity of the self-reported data. Population and annual health expenditure per capita data were obtained from the World Bank. Low-resource countries were defined as those with an annual per capita health expenditure of US$100 or less. The overall prevalence of lifetime injury for these three countries was 18·03% (95% CI 18·02-18·04); 11·64% (95% CI 11·53-11·75) of deaths annually were due to injury. An estimated prevalence of lifetime injuries for the total population in 48 low-resource countries is 465·7 million people; about 2·6 million fatal injuries occur in these countries annually. The limitations of this observational study with self-reported data include possible recall and desirability bias. About 466 million people at a community level (18%) sustain at least one injury during their lifetime and 2·6 million people die annually from trauma in the world&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s poorest countries. Trauma care capacity should be considered a global health priority; the importance of integrating a coordinated trauma system into any health system should not be underestimated. None.

Research paper thumbnail of Surgical need in an aging population: A cluster-based household survey in Nepal

Surgery, 2015

Background. With an aging global population comes an obligate and substantial burden of noncommun... more Background. With an aging global population comes an obligate and substantial burden of noncommunicable disease, especially in low-and middle-income countries. An unknown proportion of this burden is treatable with surgical expertise. For health system planning, this study aimed to estimate the operative needs of individuals older than 50 of age years in Nepal. Methods. A 2-stage, cluster randomized, community-based survey was performed in Nepal using the validated Surgeons OverSeas Surgical Assessment Survey (SOSAS). SOSAS collects household demographics and selects household members randomly for verbal, head-to-toe examinations for surgical conditions; moreover, SOSAS also completes a verbal autopsy for deaths in the preceding year. Only respondents older than 50 years were included in the analysis. Results. The survey sampled 1,350 households, totaling 2,695 individuals (97% response rate). Of these, 273 surgical conditions were reported by 507 persons ages $50 years. Extrapolating, there are potentially 2.1 million people older than 50 years of age with surgically treatable conditions who need care in Nepal (95% confidence interval 1.8-2.4 million; 46,000-62,600 per 100,000 persons). One in 5 deaths was potentially treatable or palliated by surgical care. Although growths or masses (including hernias and goiters) were the surgical condition reported most commonly (25%), injuries and fractures also were common and associated with the greatest disability. Literacy and distance to secondary and tertiary health facilities were associated with lack of care for operative conditions (P < .05).

Research paper thumbnail of Surgical care needs of low-resource populations: an estimate of the prevalence of surgically treatable conditions and avoidable deaths in 48 countries

The Lancet, 2015

Surgical care needs in low-resource countries are increasingly recognised as an important aspect ... more Surgical care needs in low-resource countries are increasingly recognised as an important aspect of global health, yet data for the size of the problem are insufficient. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) is a population-based cluster survey previously used in Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. Using previously published SOSAS data from three resource-poor countries (Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone), a weighted average of overall prevalence of surgically treatable conditions was estimated and the number of deaths that could have been avoided by providing access to surgical care was calculated for the broader community of low-resource countries. Such conditions included, but were not limited to, injuries (road traffic incidents, falls, burns, and gunshot or stab wounds), masses (solid or soft, reducible), deformities (congenital or acquired), abdominal distention, and obstructed delivery. Population and health expenditure per capita data were obtained from the World Bank. Low-resource countries were defined as those with a per capita health expenditure of US$100 or less annually. The overall prevalence estimate from the previously published SOSAS data was extrapolated to each low-resource country. Using crude death rates for each country and the calculated proportion of avoidable deaths, a total number of deaths possibly averted in the previous year with access to appropriate surgical care was calculated. The overall prevalence of surgically treatable conditions was 11·16% (95% CI 11·15-11·17) and 25·6% (95% CI 25·4-25·7) of deaths were potentially avoidable by providing access to surgical care. Using these percentages for the 48 low-resource countries, an estimated 288·2 million people are living with a surgically treatable condition and 5·6 million deaths could be averted annually by the provision of surgical care. In the Nepal SOSAS study, the observed agreement between self-reported verbal responses and visual physical examination findings was 94·6%. Such high correlation helps to validate the SOSAS tool. Hundreds of millions of people with surgically treatable conditions live in low-resource countries, and about 25% of the mortality annually could be avoided with better access to surgical care. Strengthening surgical care must be considered when strengthening health systems and in setting future sustainable development goals. None.

Research paper thumbnail of Burden of road traffic injuries in Nepal: results of a countrywide population-based survey

The Lancet, 2015

Road traffic injury has emerged as a leading cause of mortality, contributing to 2·1% of deaths g... more Road traffic injury has emerged as a leading cause of mortality, contributing to 2·1% of deaths globally and is predicted to be the third highest contributor to the global burden of mortality by 2020. This major public health problem disproportionately affects low-income and middle-income countries, where such incidents are too often underreported. Our study aims to explore the epidemiology of road traffic injurys in Nepal at a population level via a countrywide study. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) tool, a cluster randomised, cross-sectional nationwide survey, was conducted in Nepal between May 25, and June 12, 2014. Two-stage cluster sampling was performed: 15 of 75 districts were chosen randomly proportional to population; within each district, after stratification for urban and rural, and three clusters were randomly chosen. Questions were structured anatomically and designed around a representative spectrum of surgical conditions. Road traffic injury-related results were reported. 1350 households and 2695 individuals were surveyed with a response rate of 97%. 75 road traffic injuries were reported in 72 individuals (2·67% [95% CI 2·10-3·35] of the study population), with a mean age of 33·2 years (SD 1·85). The most commonly affected age group was 30-44 years, with females showing significantly lower odds of sustaining a road traffic injury than men (crude odds ratio 0·29 [95% CI 0·16-0·52]). Road traffic injuries composed 19·8% of the injuries reported. Motorcycle crashes were the most common road traffic injuries (48·0%), followed by car, truck, or bus crashes (26·7%), and pedestrian or bicycle crashes (25·3%). The extremity was the most common anatomic site injured (74·7%). Of the 80 deaths reported in the previous year, 7·5% (n=6) were due to road traffic injuries. This study provides the epidemiology of road traffic injuries at a population-based level in the first countrywide surgical needs assessment in Nepal. WHO reported that mortality due to road traffic injuries in Nepal in 2011 was 1·7%, whereas our study reported 7·5%, consistent with the concept of underreporting of deaths in police and hospital level data noted in previous literature. Road traffic injuries continue to be a significant problem in Nepal, probably greater than previously reported; future efforts should focus on addressing this growing epidemic through preventive and mitigating strategies. The Association for Academic Surgery and Surgeons OverSeas.

Research paper thumbnail of Surgical need in an ageing population: a cluster-based household survey in Nepal

The Lancet, 2015

With an ageing global population comes major non-communicable disease burden, especially in low-i... more With an ageing global population comes major non-communicable disease burden, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. An unknown proportion of this burden is treatable or palliated with surgery. This study aimed to estimate the surgical needs of individuals aged 50 years or older in Nepal. A two-stage, 30 randomised cluster by 30 households, community-based survey was performed in Nepal with the validated Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS). Respondents aged older than 50 years were included. After verbal informed consent was obtained, SOSAS collected household demographics, completed a verbal autopsy, and randomly selected household members for verbal head-to-toe examinations for surgical conditions. The Nepal Health Research Council in Kathmandu and the Nationwide Children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Hospital in Columbus, OH, USA, granted ethical approval. The survey sampled 1350 households, totalling 2695 individuals (97% response rate); 49% were aged 50-59 years, 33% were 60-69 years, and 17% were 70 years and older. Of these, 273 surgical conditions were reported by 507 individuals. A growth or mass (including hernias and goiters) was the most commonly reported potentially surgical condition (25%), injuries and fractures were also common and had the greatest disability. Acquired deformities (13%), incontinence (11%), non-injury wounds (9%), and pelvic organ prolapse were also prevalent. Together, head and neck (24%) and back and extremity conditions (32%) were responsible for more than half of the conditions potentially treatable with surgery. These were followed by genitourinary (28%), abdominal (14%) and chest and breast conditions (2%). Extrapolated nationwide, roughly 1·25 million elderly individuals have a surgically treatable condition (32 150 per 100 000 people). There were 108 deaths in the year before to the survey. 20 (19%) were potentially preventable with surgery. Half of the deaths were due to a growth or mass, 20% to injury, 20% to abdominal pain or distension, and 10% to a non-injury wound. The age-standardised death rate of those with a potentially surgical condition was 24 per 1000 persons for individuals in their 6th decadte, 60 per 1000 for those in their 7th, and 44 per 1000 for those in their 8th. One in five deaths were potentially treatable or palliated by surgery. Literacy and distance to secondary and tertiary health facilities were associated with not receiving care for surgical conditions (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0·05). Surgical need is largely unmet among elderly individuals in Nepal. Literacy and distance from a capable health facility are the greatest barriers to care. Although verbal examination findings were used as proxies for surgical conditions, the survey tool has been previously validated. Also, there is potential for recall bias with overestimation of tragic deaths and underestimation of unknown or forgotten surgical causes of death and disease. However, this is the most comprehensive evaluation of surgical need in a developing country among the elderly. As the global population ages, there is an increasing need to improve access to surgical services and strengthen health systems to care for this group. The Association for Academic Surgery, Surgeons OverSeas, and the Fogarty International Center.

Research paper thumbnail of Variability In Same Day Discharge For Pediatric Appendicitis

Journal of Surgical Research, 2015

Recent single-institutional data point to the feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) after appen... more Recent single-institutional data point to the feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) after appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis and its potential as a quality-of-care indicator. Opportunities for SDD are greatest the sooner the appendectomy is performed after admission. We examine a national database to assess the pattern of SDD utilization among children who underwent appendectomy on the day of admission and potential limitations to SDD. The 2009 Kids Inpatient Database (KID) was queried for children with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis who had appendectomy. Exclusion criteria included those children with perforated appendicitis or those in whom the procedure code was missing. Day from admission to procedure day and total length of stay (LOS) were then analyzed by demographics, type of procedure (laparoscopic versus open), children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s hospital designation, and hospital region. After stratifying all patients undergoing appendectomy on day of admission into two groups by LOS (≤1 d, SDD versus &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;1 d, non-SDD), a multivariate analysis was then performed to determine the predictors of SDD. A total of 38,959 records, representing a weighted estimate of 56,077 patients with a diagnosis of nonperforated appendicitis, met the inclusion criteria. Median age was 14 y with interquartile range of 10-17 y. Median LOS was 1 d (interquartile range, 1-2 d), and the majority (71.8%) had laparoscopic appendectomy. On adjusted analysis, laparoscopic cases were 50% less likely to be non-SDD compared with their open counterparts (odds ratio [OR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.53). Compared with Caucasians, significantly more Hispanics (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.36-1.56) and African Americans (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.42-1.73) were non-SDD. Hospitals in the midwest and south were more likely to be non-SDD. SDD is increasingly used for children with nonperforated appendicitis, but there is significant variability in the utilization of SDD for different ethnicities and hospital regions. These variations need to be further investigated to better delineate its potential role as a quality-of-care indicator.

Research paper thumbnail of History and development of trauma registry: lessons from developed to developing countries

World journal of emergency surgery : WJES, 2006

A trauma registry is an integral component of modern comprehensive trauma care systems. Trauma re... more A trauma registry is an integral component of modern comprehensive trauma care systems. Trauma registries have not been established in most developing countries, and where they exist are often rudimentary and incomplete. This review describes the role of trauma registries in the care of the injured, and discusses how lessons from developed countries can be applied toward their design and implementation in developing countries. A detailed review of English-language articles on trauma registry was performed using MEDLINE and CINAHL. In addition, relevant articles from non-indexed journals were identified with Google Scholar. The history and development of trauma registries and their role in modern trauma care are discussed. Drawing from past and current experience, guidelines for the design and implementation of trauma registries are given, with emphasis on technical and logistic factors peculiar to developing countries. Improvement in trauma care depends on the establishment of funct...

Research paper thumbnail of Contrast extravasation predicts the need for operative intervention in children with blunt splenic trauma

The Journal of trauma, 2004

Although the presence of a contrast blush (CB) on computed tomographic (CT) scan is associated wi... more Although the presence of a contrast blush (CB) on computed tomographic (CT) scan is associated with an increased failure rate of nonoperative management in adults with blunt splenic injury, little information is available for the pediatric population, where nonoperative management is the standard of care. Our aim was to determine whether the finding of CB on CT scan could predict failure of nonoperative therapy in children with blunt splenic injury. A retrospective analysis of 343 patients admitted with blunt splenic injury to our Level I pediatric trauma center over a 7-year period was performed. All CT scans were reviewed by a radiologist who was blinded to the patient outcome. We excluded 127 patients who either underwent immediate laparotomy without a CT scan or whose CT scans were unavailable at the time of this review. We divided the patients into two groups on the basis of the presence or absence of CB on the updated reading of the CT scan. Demographic variables analyzed incl...

Research paper thumbnail of Minimally Invasive Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis with Rectal Eversion Allows for Equivalent Outcomes in Continence in Pediatric Patients

Journal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques, 2015

Different techniques for ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) following total proctocolectomy (TPC... more Different techniques for ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) following total proctocolectomy (TPC) have been described in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), including rectal eversion (RE). RE allows for precise identification of the dentate line, but concerns have been raised regarding continence rates. No studies have specifically evaluated RE in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes and continence rates for pediatric patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) TPC and IPAA with RE for UC. All patients who underwent TPC and IPAA were reviewed at our institution. Data collected included demographics, proctocolectomy technique (open without RE versus MIS with RE), operative time, postoperative data, and continence outcomes following ileostomy closure. Thirty-three patients were identified who underwent TPC and IPAA between July 2006 and October 2014. Thirty of these patients underwent ileostomy takedown and were evaluated for continence. Of these, 17 (56.7%) patients had a laparoscopic procedure, 5 (16.7%) had a robotic-assisted procedure, and 8 (26.7%) had an open procedure. There were no statistically significant differences in regard to demographics, operative time, or length of stay when comparing the two groups. There were no differences in the two groups as measured at 1, 6, and 12 months in terms of number of daily stools (P = .93, .09, and .87, respectively), nighttime stooling (P = .29, .10, and .25, respectively), soiling (P = .43, .36, and .52, respectively), or stool-altering medication usage (P = .26, 1.00, and .37, respectively). The RE technique can be used safely and effectively during MIS TPC and IPAA in children without altering continence rates.

Research paper thumbnail of Implementation of a Pediatric Surgical Quality Improvement (QI)-Driven M&M Conference

Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 2015

The M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;M conference at Nationwide Children&amp;amp;amp... more The M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;M conference at Nationwide Children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Hospital (NCH) categorized failures as technical error or patient disease, but failure modes were never captured, action items rarely assigned, and follow-up rarely completed. In 2013 a QI-driven M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;M conference was developed, supporting implementation of directed actions to improve quality of care. A classification was developed to enhance analysis of complications. Each complication was analyzed for identification of failure modes with subcategorization of root cause, a level of preventability assigned, and action items designated. Failure determinations from 11/2013-10/2014 were reviewed to evaluate the distribution of failure modes and action items. Two-hundred thirty-seven patients with complications were reviewed. One-hundred thirty patients had complications attributed to patient disease with no individual or system failure identified, whereas 107 patients had identifiable failures. Eighty-five patients had one failure identified, and 22 patients had multiple failures identified. Of the 142 failures identified in 107 patients, 112 (78.9%) were individual failures, and 30 (21.1%) were system failures. One-hundred forty-seven action items were implemented including education initiatives, establishing criteria for interdisciplinary consultation, resolving equipment inadequacies, removing high risk medications from formulary, restructuring physician handoffs, and individual practitioner counseling/training. Development of a QI-driven M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;M conference allowed us to categorize complications beyond surgical or patient disease categories, ensuring added focus on system solutions and a reliable accountability structure to ensure implementation of assigned interventions intended to address failures. This may lead to improvement in the processes of patient care.

Research paper thumbnail of Single-stage versus multi-stage pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease: practice trends and outcomes in infants

Journal of pediatric surgery, 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical treatments and outcomes in a multi-institutional c... more The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical treatments and outcomes in a multi-institutional cohort of neonates with Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) from 1999 to 2009, neonates diagnosed with HD were identified and classified as having a single stage pull-through (SSPT) or multi-stage pull-through (MSPT). Diagnosis and classification algorithms and clinical variables and outcomes were validated by multi-institutional chart review. Groups were compared using logistic regression modeling and propensity-score matched analysis to account for baseline differences between groups. 1555 neonates with HD were identified; 77.2% underwent SSPT and 22.8% underwent MSPT. Misclassification of disease or surgical treatment was <2%. Rates of SSPT increased over time (p=0.03). Compared to SSPT, patients undergoing MSPT had significantly lower birth weights and higher rates of prematurity, non-HD gastrointestinal anomalies, enterocolitis, an...

Research paper thumbnail of Abdominal Complications of Ventricular-Peritoneal Shunts

Reoperative Pediatric Surgery, 2008

The usual reoperative neurosurgical procedure that the pediatric surgeon encounters is revision o... more The usual reoperative neurosurgical procedure that the pediatric surgeon encounters is revision of a failed ventricular drainage device, most commonly a ventriculoperi-toneal shunt (VPS). Shunt failure after primary insertion occurs frequently, with incidence of 40% at 1 year and 50% ...

Research paper thumbnail of Radiologic Evaluation of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Neonatal surgery in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of challenges of management and outcome

The Lancet, 2015

Advances in diagnostic techniques and perioperative care have greatly improved the outcome of neo... more Advances in diagnostic techniques and perioperative care have greatly improved the outcome of neonatal surgery. Despite this, disparity still exists in the outcome of neonatal surgery between high-income countries and low-income and middle-income countries. This study reviews publications on neonatal surgery in Africa over 20 years with a focus on challenges of management, trends in outcome, and potential interventions to improve outcome. We did a literature review by searching PubMed and African Index Medicus for original articles published in any language between January, 1995, and September, 2014, with the search terms &amp;amp;quot;neonatal surgery&amp;amp;quot; and &amp;amp;quot;Africa&amp;amp;quot;, further supplemented by &amp;amp;quot;(surgery OR anaesthesia) AND (neonatal OR newborn) AND (developing countries OR Africa)&amp;amp;quot;. A data extraction sheet was used to collect information, including type of study, demographics, number of cases, outcome, challenges, and suggestions to improve outcome. For the meta-analysis, data were analysed by χ(2) test or Student&amp;amp;#39;s t-test as appropriate. In all, the significance level was set to p&amp;amp;lt;0·05. We identified 859 published papers, of which 51 studies from 11 countries met the inclusion criteria. The 16 studies in the first 10 years (before 2005; group A) were compared with the 35 in the last 10 years (2005-14; group B). Nigeria (n=32; 62·7%), South Africa (n=7; 13·7%), Tanzania (n=2; 3·9%), and Tunisia (n=2; 3·9%) were the predominant source of the publications, of which were retrospective in 38 (74·5%) studies and prospective in 13 (25·5%) studies. The mean sample size of the studies was 97·8 (range 5-640). Overall, 4989 neonates were studied, with median age of 6 days (range 1-30). Common neonatal conditions reported were intestinal atresia in 28 (54·9%) studies, abdominal wall defects in 27 (52·9%), anorectal malformations in 24 (47·1%), and Hirschsprung&amp;amp;#39;s disease, necrotising enterocolitis, and volvulus neonatorum in 23 (45·1%) each. Mortality was lowest (&amp;amp;lt;3%) in spina bifida and facial cleft procedures, and highest (&amp;amp;gt;50%) in emergency neonatal surgeries involving bowel perforation, bowel resection, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, oesophageal atresia, and ruptured omphalocele or gastroschisis. Overall average mortality rate was higher in group A than in group B (36·9% vs 29·1%; p&amp;amp;lt;0·001), but mortality did not vary between the groups for similar neonatal conditions. The major documented challenges were delayed presentation and inadequate facilities in 39 (76·5%) studies, dearth of trained support personnel in 32 (62·7%), and absence of neonatal intensive care in 29 (56·9%). The challenges varied from country to country but did not differ in the two groups. Improvement has been achieved in outcomes of neonatal surgery in Africa in the past two decades, although several of the studies reviewed are retrospective and poorly designed. Cost-effective adaptations for neonatal intensive care, improved health-care funding, coordinated neonatal surgical care via regional centres, and collaboration with international partners are potential interventions that could help to address the challenges and further improve outcome. None.

Research paper thumbnail of The benefits of international rotations to resource-limited settings for U.S. surgery residents

Research paper thumbnail of Monozygotic twins with discordant intestinal rotation

Pediatric Radiology, 2006

Previous case reports have suggested a strong concordance of intestinal malrotation among identic... more Previous case reports have suggested a strong concordance of intestinal malrotation among identical twins. This has led to the recommendation that the asymptomatic twin undergo screening when malrotation is discovered in the identical sibling. We present a case of monozygotic twins in which one twin presented with intestinal malrotation with midgut volvulus while the other twin was found to have normal gastrointestinal anatomy.

Research paper thumbnail of A quantitative analysis of surgical capacity in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Journal of Surgical Research, 2013

a b s t r a c t Objectives: This investigation aimed to document surgical capacity at public medi... more a b s t r a c t Objectives: This investigation aimed to document surgical capacity at public medical centers in a middle-income Latin American country using the Surgeons OverSeas (SOS) Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PIPES) survey tool. Materials and methods: We applied the PIPES tool at six urban and 25 rural facilities in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Outcome measures included the availability of items in five domains (Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies) and the PIPES index. PIPES indices were calculated by summing scores from each domain, dividing by the total number of survey items, and multiplying by 10.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors affecting innovation in pediatric surgery: hospital type and appendectomies

Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 2006

Background: There are little data on whether patient or hospital characteristics affect utilizati... more Background: There are little data on whether patient or hospital characteristics affect utilization of innovative surgical techniques in children, especially with respect to laparoscopic appendectomy (LA), whose benefit over existing treatment remains unproven. This study examines the patterns of LA using a national database, focusing on variations in care between children's and general hospitals. Methods: Using data from the 2000 Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project Kid's Inpatient Database for patients aged 5 to 20 years with a discharge diagnosis of appendectomy, we analyzed the relationship between LA and patient demographic and hospital characteristic variables. Results: The Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project Kid's Inpatient Database included 50,825 pediatric appendectomies (26% LA) representing 97,205 cases in the nation. Children's hospitals and children's units were significantly more likely to provide LA (36% and 28%, respectively) than general hospitals (25%). Higher LA rates were also associated with greater patient age, female sex, nonperforated appendicitis, private insurance, and white patient race. The children's hospital effect compared to general hospitals (adjusted odds ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.88-2.38) and all other relationships remained significant in the multivariate model. Conclusion: Utilization of LA is significantly higher in children's hospitals. Children's hospitals appear more likely to adopt innovative surgical procedures, such as LA, even when clear benefit over standard treatment has not yet emerged. D

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for including surgery on the public health agenda

Journal of Surgical Research, 2015

Surgical care has made limited inroads on the public health and global health agendas despite inc... more Surgical care has made limited inroads on the public health and global health agendas despite increasing data showing the enormous need. The objective of this study was to survey interested members of a global surgery community to identify patterns of thought regarding barriers to political priority. All active members of the nongovernmental organization Surgeons OverSeas were surveyed and asked why surgical care is not receiving recognition and support on the public health and global health agenda. Responses were categorized using the Shiffman framework on determinants of political priority for global initiatives by two independent investigators, and the number of responses for each of the 11 factors was calculated. Seventy-five Surgeons OverSeas members replied (75 of 176; 42.6% response rate). A total of 248 individual reasons were collected. The most common responses were related to external frame, defined as public portrayals of the issue (60 of 248; 24.2%), and lack of effective interventions (48 of 248; 19.4%). Least cited reasons related to global governance structure (4 of 248; 2.4%) and policy window (4 of 248; 1.6%). This survey of a global surgery community identified a number of barriers to the recognition of surgical care on the global health agenda. Recommendations include improving the public portrayal of the problem; developing effective interventions and seeking strong and charismatic leadership.

Research paper thumbnail of Injury prevalence and causality in developing nations: Results from a countrywide population-based survey in Nepal

Surgery, 2015

Traumatic injury affects nearly 5.8 million people annually and causes 10% of the world&amp;a... more Traumatic injury affects nearly 5.8 million people annually and causes 10% of the world&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s deaths. In this study we aimed to estimate injury prevalence, to describe risk-factors and mechanisms of injury, and to estimate the number of injury-related deaths in Nepal, a low-income South Asian country. A cluster randomized, cross-sectional nationwide survey using the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need tool was conducted in Nepal in 2014. Questions were structured anatomically and designed around a representative spectrum of operative conditions. Two-stage cluster sampling was performed: 15 of 75 districts were chosen randomly proportional to population; within each district, after stratification for urban and rural populations, 3 clusters were randomly chosen. Injury-related results were analyzed. A total of 1,350 households and 2,695 individuals were surveyed verbally, with a response rate of 97%. A total of 379 injuries were reported in 354 individuals (13.1%, 95% confidence interval 11.9-14.5%), mean age of 32.6. The most common mechanism of injury was falls (37.5%), road traffic injuries (19.8%), and burns (14.2%). The most commonly affected anatomic site was the upper extremity (42.0%). Of the deaths reported in the previous year, 16.3% were injury-related; 10% of total deaths may have been averted with access to operative care. This study provides baseline data on the epidemiology of traumatic injuries in Nepal and is the first household-based countrywide assessment of injuries in Nepal. These data provide valuable information to help advise policymakers and government officials for allocation of resources toward trauma care.

Research paper thumbnail of Injury assessment in three low-resource settings: a reference for worldwide estimates

The Lancet, 2015

Trauma has become a worldwide pandemic. Without dedicated public health interventions, fatal inju... more Trauma has become a worldwide pandemic. Without dedicated public health interventions, fatal injuries will rise 40% and become the 4th leading cause of death by 2030, with the burden highest in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of traumatic injuries and injury-related deaths in low-resource countries worldwide, using population-based data from the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS), a validated survey tool. Using data from three resource-poor countries (Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone), a weighted average of injury prevalence and deaths due to injury was calculated and extrapolated to low-resource countries worldwide. Injuries were defined as wounds from road traffic injuries (bus, car, truck, pedestrian, and bicycle), gunshot or stab or slash wounds, falls, work or home incidents, and burns. The Nepal study included a visual physical examination that confirmed the validity of the self-reported data. Population and annual health expenditure per capita data were obtained from the World Bank. Low-resource countries were defined as those with an annual per capita health expenditure of US$100 or less. The overall prevalence of lifetime injury for these three countries was 18·03% (95% CI 18·02-18·04); 11·64% (95% CI 11·53-11·75) of deaths annually were due to injury. An estimated prevalence of lifetime injuries for the total population in 48 low-resource countries is 465·7 million people; about 2·6 million fatal injuries occur in these countries annually. The limitations of this observational study with self-reported data include possible recall and desirability bias. About 466 million people at a community level (18%) sustain at least one injury during their lifetime and 2·6 million people die annually from trauma in the world&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s poorest countries. Trauma care capacity should be considered a global health priority; the importance of integrating a coordinated trauma system into any health system should not be underestimated. None.

Research paper thumbnail of Surgical need in an aging population: A cluster-based household survey in Nepal

Surgery, 2015

Background. With an aging global population comes an obligate and substantial burden of noncommun... more Background. With an aging global population comes an obligate and substantial burden of noncommunicable disease, especially in low-and middle-income countries. An unknown proportion of this burden is treatable with surgical expertise. For health system planning, this study aimed to estimate the operative needs of individuals older than 50 of age years in Nepal. Methods. A 2-stage, cluster randomized, community-based survey was performed in Nepal using the validated Surgeons OverSeas Surgical Assessment Survey (SOSAS). SOSAS collects household demographics and selects household members randomly for verbal, head-to-toe examinations for surgical conditions; moreover, SOSAS also completes a verbal autopsy for deaths in the preceding year. Only respondents older than 50 years were included in the analysis. Results. The survey sampled 1,350 households, totaling 2,695 individuals (97% response rate). Of these, 273 surgical conditions were reported by 507 persons ages $50 years. Extrapolating, there are potentially 2.1 million people older than 50 years of age with surgically treatable conditions who need care in Nepal (95% confidence interval 1.8-2.4 million; 46,000-62,600 per 100,000 persons). One in 5 deaths was potentially treatable or palliated by surgical care. Although growths or masses (including hernias and goiters) were the surgical condition reported most commonly (25%), injuries and fractures also were common and associated with the greatest disability. Literacy and distance to secondary and tertiary health facilities were associated with lack of care for operative conditions (P < .05).

Research paper thumbnail of Surgical care needs of low-resource populations: an estimate of the prevalence of surgically treatable conditions and avoidable deaths in 48 countries

The Lancet, 2015

Surgical care needs in low-resource countries are increasingly recognised as an important aspect ... more Surgical care needs in low-resource countries are increasingly recognised as an important aspect of global health, yet data for the size of the problem are insufficient. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) is a population-based cluster survey previously used in Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. Using previously published SOSAS data from three resource-poor countries (Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone), a weighted average of overall prevalence of surgically treatable conditions was estimated and the number of deaths that could have been avoided by providing access to surgical care was calculated for the broader community of low-resource countries. Such conditions included, but were not limited to, injuries (road traffic incidents, falls, burns, and gunshot or stab wounds), masses (solid or soft, reducible), deformities (congenital or acquired), abdominal distention, and obstructed delivery. Population and health expenditure per capita data were obtained from the World Bank. Low-resource countries were defined as those with a per capita health expenditure of US$100 or less annually. The overall prevalence estimate from the previously published SOSAS data was extrapolated to each low-resource country. Using crude death rates for each country and the calculated proportion of avoidable deaths, a total number of deaths possibly averted in the previous year with access to appropriate surgical care was calculated. The overall prevalence of surgically treatable conditions was 11·16% (95% CI 11·15-11·17) and 25·6% (95% CI 25·4-25·7) of deaths were potentially avoidable by providing access to surgical care. Using these percentages for the 48 low-resource countries, an estimated 288·2 million people are living with a surgically treatable condition and 5·6 million deaths could be averted annually by the provision of surgical care. In the Nepal SOSAS study, the observed agreement between self-reported verbal responses and visual physical examination findings was 94·6%. Such high correlation helps to validate the SOSAS tool. Hundreds of millions of people with surgically treatable conditions live in low-resource countries, and about 25% of the mortality annually could be avoided with better access to surgical care. Strengthening surgical care must be considered when strengthening health systems and in setting future sustainable development goals. None.

Research paper thumbnail of Burden of road traffic injuries in Nepal: results of a countrywide population-based survey

The Lancet, 2015

Road traffic injury has emerged as a leading cause of mortality, contributing to 2·1% of deaths g... more Road traffic injury has emerged as a leading cause of mortality, contributing to 2·1% of deaths globally and is predicted to be the third highest contributor to the global burden of mortality by 2020. This major public health problem disproportionately affects low-income and middle-income countries, where such incidents are too often underreported. Our study aims to explore the epidemiology of road traffic injurys in Nepal at a population level via a countrywide study. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) tool, a cluster randomised, cross-sectional nationwide survey, was conducted in Nepal between May 25, and June 12, 2014. Two-stage cluster sampling was performed: 15 of 75 districts were chosen randomly proportional to population; within each district, after stratification for urban and rural, and three clusters were randomly chosen. Questions were structured anatomically and designed around a representative spectrum of surgical conditions. Road traffic injury-related results were reported. 1350 households and 2695 individuals were surveyed with a response rate of 97%. 75 road traffic injuries were reported in 72 individuals (2·67% [95% CI 2·10-3·35] of the study population), with a mean age of 33·2 years (SD 1·85). The most commonly affected age group was 30-44 years, with females showing significantly lower odds of sustaining a road traffic injury than men (crude odds ratio 0·29 [95% CI 0·16-0·52]). Road traffic injuries composed 19·8% of the injuries reported. Motorcycle crashes were the most common road traffic injuries (48·0%), followed by car, truck, or bus crashes (26·7%), and pedestrian or bicycle crashes (25·3%). The extremity was the most common anatomic site injured (74·7%). Of the 80 deaths reported in the previous year, 7·5% (n=6) were due to road traffic injuries. This study provides the epidemiology of road traffic injuries at a population-based level in the first countrywide surgical needs assessment in Nepal. WHO reported that mortality due to road traffic injuries in Nepal in 2011 was 1·7%, whereas our study reported 7·5%, consistent with the concept of underreporting of deaths in police and hospital level data noted in previous literature. Road traffic injuries continue to be a significant problem in Nepal, probably greater than previously reported; future efforts should focus on addressing this growing epidemic through preventive and mitigating strategies. The Association for Academic Surgery and Surgeons OverSeas.

Research paper thumbnail of Surgical need in an ageing population: a cluster-based household survey in Nepal

The Lancet, 2015

With an ageing global population comes major non-communicable disease burden, especially in low-i... more With an ageing global population comes major non-communicable disease burden, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. An unknown proportion of this burden is treatable or palliated with surgery. This study aimed to estimate the surgical needs of individuals aged 50 years or older in Nepal. A two-stage, 30 randomised cluster by 30 households, community-based survey was performed in Nepal with the validated Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS). Respondents aged older than 50 years were included. After verbal informed consent was obtained, SOSAS collected household demographics, completed a verbal autopsy, and randomly selected household members for verbal head-to-toe examinations for surgical conditions. The Nepal Health Research Council in Kathmandu and the Nationwide Children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Hospital in Columbus, OH, USA, granted ethical approval. The survey sampled 1350 households, totalling 2695 individuals (97% response rate); 49% were aged 50-59 years, 33% were 60-69 years, and 17% were 70 years and older. Of these, 273 surgical conditions were reported by 507 individuals. A growth or mass (including hernias and goiters) was the most commonly reported potentially surgical condition (25%), injuries and fractures were also common and had the greatest disability. Acquired deformities (13%), incontinence (11%), non-injury wounds (9%), and pelvic organ prolapse were also prevalent. Together, head and neck (24%) and back and extremity conditions (32%) were responsible for more than half of the conditions potentially treatable with surgery. These were followed by genitourinary (28%), abdominal (14%) and chest and breast conditions (2%). Extrapolated nationwide, roughly 1·25 million elderly individuals have a surgically treatable condition (32 150 per 100 000 people). There were 108 deaths in the year before to the survey. 20 (19%) were potentially preventable with surgery. Half of the deaths were due to a growth or mass, 20% to injury, 20% to abdominal pain or distension, and 10% to a non-injury wound. The age-standardised death rate of those with a potentially surgical condition was 24 per 1000 persons for individuals in their 6th decadte, 60 per 1000 for those in their 7th, and 44 per 1000 for those in their 8th. One in five deaths were potentially treatable or palliated by surgery. Literacy and distance to secondary and tertiary health facilities were associated with not receiving care for surgical conditions (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0·05). Surgical need is largely unmet among elderly individuals in Nepal. Literacy and distance from a capable health facility are the greatest barriers to care. Although verbal examination findings were used as proxies for surgical conditions, the survey tool has been previously validated. Also, there is potential for recall bias with overestimation of tragic deaths and underestimation of unknown or forgotten surgical causes of death and disease. However, this is the most comprehensive evaluation of surgical need in a developing country among the elderly. As the global population ages, there is an increasing need to improve access to surgical services and strengthen health systems to care for this group. The Association for Academic Surgery, Surgeons OverSeas, and the Fogarty International Center.

Research paper thumbnail of Variability In Same Day Discharge For Pediatric Appendicitis

Journal of Surgical Research, 2015

Recent single-institutional data point to the feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) after appen... more Recent single-institutional data point to the feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) after appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis and its potential as a quality-of-care indicator. Opportunities for SDD are greatest the sooner the appendectomy is performed after admission. We examine a national database to assess the pattern of SDD utilization among children who underwent appendectomy on the day of admission and potential limitations to SDD. The 2009 Kids Inpatient Database (KID) was queried for children with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis who had appendectomy. Exclusion criteria included those children with perforated appendicitis or those in whom the procedure code was missing. Day from admission to procedure day and total length of stay (LOS) were then analyzed by demographics, type of procedure (laparoscopic versus open), children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s hospital designation, and hospital region. After stratifying all patients undergoing appendectomy on day of admission into two groups by LOS (≤1 d, SDD versus &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;1 d, non-SDD), a multivariate analysis was then performed to determine the predictors of SDD. A total of 38,959 records, representing a weighted estimate of 56,077 patients with a diagnosis of nonperforated appendicitis, met the inclusion criteria. Median age was 14 y with interquartile range of 10-17 y. Median LOS was 1 d (interquartile range, 1-2 d), and the majority (71.8%) had laparoscopic appendectomy. On adjusted analysis, laparoscopic cases were 50% less likely to be non-SDD compared with their open counterparts (odds ratio [OR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.53). Compared with Caucasians, significantly more Hispanics (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.36-1.56) and African Americans (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.42-1.73) were non-SDD. Hospitals in the midwest and south were more likely to be non-SDD. SDD is increasingly used for children with nonperforated appendicitis, but there is significant variability in the utilization of SDD for different ethnicities and hospital regions. These variations need to be further investigated to better delineate its potential role as a quality-of-care indicator.

Research paper thumbnail of History and development of trauma registry: lessons from developed to developing countries

World journal of emergency surgery : WJES, 2006

A trauma registry is an integral component of modern comprehensive trauma care systems. Trauma re... more A trauma registry is an integral component of modern comprehensive trauma care systems. Trauma registries have not been established in most developing countries, and where they exist are often rudimentary and incomplete. This review describes the role of trauma registries in the care of the injured, and discusses how lessons from developed countries can be applied toward their design and implementation in developing countries. A detailed review of English-language articles on trauma registry was performed using MEDLINE and CINAHL. In addition, relevant articles from non-indexed journals were identified with Google Scholar. The history and development of trauma registries and their role in modern trauma care are discussed. Drawing from past and current experience, guidelines for the design and implementation of trauma registries are given, with emphasis on technical and logistic factors peculiar to developing countries. Improvement in trauma care depends on the establishment of funct...

Research paper thumbnail of Contrast extravasation predicts the need for operative intervention in children with blunt splenic trauma

The Journal of trauma, 2004

Although the presence of a contrast blush (CB) on computed tomographic (CT) scan is associated wi... more Although the presence of a contrast blush (CB) on computed tomographic (CT) scan is associated with an increased failure rate of nonoperative management in adults with blunt splenic injury, little information is available for the pediatric population, where nonoperative management is the standard of care. Our aim was to determine whether the finding of CB on CT scan could predict failure of nonoperative therapy in children with blunt splenic injury. A retrospective analysis of 343 patients admitted with blunt splenic injury to our Level I pediatric trauma center over a 7-year period was performed. All CT scans were reviewed by a radiologist who was blinded to the patient outcome. We excluded 127 patients who either underwent immediate laparotomy without a CT scan or whose CT scans were unavailable at the time of this review. We divided the patients into two groups on the basis of the presence or absence of CB on the updated reading of the CT scan. Demographic variables analyzed incl...