New research published in
Anaesthesia (a journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) by researchers from the University of Bristol can help to improve the efficiency of surgery and help tackle the growing backlog of surgery caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the number of patients waiting for routine surgery in the UK has almost doubled with more than 5.3 million people awaiting surgery including more than 300,000 waiting more than a year.
A contributory factor is that COVID-19 precautions have led to many operating theatres working at 75-50% of normal working efficiency. Staff working in operating theatres have been required to take special precautions at the start and end of operations to allow viral particles to disperse from the operating theatre. This is based on the belief that anaesthetic procedures are high risk aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) that produce a mist of small airborne particles called aerosols that increase risk of infection to sta
A new analysis of 58 studies and 44305 patients published in
Anaesthesia (a journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) shows that, contrary to some previous research, being male and increasing body mass index (BMI) are not associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 in patients admitted into intensive care (ICU).
However, the study, by Dr Bruce Biccard (Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, South Africa) and colleagues finds that a wide range of factors are associated with death from COVID-19 in ICU.
Patients with COVID-19 in ICU were 40% more likely to die with a history of smoking, 54% more likely with high blood pressure, 41% more likely with diabetes, 75% more likely with respiratory disease, around twice as likely with cardiovascular disease or cancer, and 2.4 times more likely to die with kidney disease, than patients without these risk factors. Other factors associated with an increased risk of death were the severity of organ failure, needing mechanic
UK COVID-19 Update: England s Waiting List Tops 5m, Hancock Denies Lies medscape.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from medscape.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Healthcare organisations have come together to call for a dedicated mental health support service (PA)
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Healthcare staff who have worked through the coronavirus crisis should have a similar mental health service as that offered to war veterans, a group of leading medical organisations has said.
The pandemic has had a “huge impact” on a workforce that has already been stretched thin, according to the 13 healthcare organisations which have come together to call on the Government to make sure there is a dedicated mental health support service similar to that established for former troops.