This study showed the estimated number of operating theatres ranged from 1·0 (95% CI 0·9–1·2) per 100 000 people in west sub-Saharan Africa to 25·1 (20·9–30·1) per 100 000 in eastern Europe. Improvements in public-health strategies and monitoring are needed to reduce disparities for more than 2 billion people without adequate access to surgical care. […]
This Lifebox and Ariadne Labs study – published in the British Journal of Surgery – showed that, worldwide, Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) use is generally high – with an average of 75% of operations conducted with the Checklist – but significant variability exists. Implementation and dissemination strategies must be developed to address this variability. Authors: […]
Dr. Takuo Aoyagi invented pulse oximetry in 1974. Pulse oximeters are widely used worldwide, most recently making headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Aoyagi passed away on April 18, 2020, aware of the significance of his invention, but still actively searching for the theory that would take his invention to new heights. Authors: Katsuyuki Miyasaka, […]
The COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist works to keep surgical teams and patients safe from infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist French COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist Spanish PDF Downloads: English / French / Spanish / Plain Text In the spirit of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, the COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist is a simple tool to promote teamwork and communication in […]
In this quality improvement study, behavior changes associated with a multimodal surgical quality improvement program were persistent and, in some cases, continued to improve. This research details the results of a follow up audit conducted at seven hospitals in a cohort of 3,385 surgical patients six to eighteen months after completion of the Lifebox Clean […]
Like politics, all quality improvement is local, so a deep understanding of local context and circumstances is essential. As surgical and anesthetic services continue to expand, hospital-based surgical programs will need to engage more concertedly in research and quality improvement initiatives in order to decrease adverse outcomes and raise the quality and safety of surgical […]
This study has demonstrated the feasibility of using a WhatsApp chat group among a national society of anesthesia providers in Burundi to perform an initial abbreviated audit of anesthesia facilities. It also identified significant deficits in anesthesia equipment in Burundi. Authors: GC Sund, MS Lipnick, TJ Law, EA Wollner, GE Rwibuka
Although pulse oximetry monitoring capacity is well met in most of the Ethiopian operating rooms surveyed, four referral and two general hospitals reported at least one operating room without a patient monitor. Furthermore, large gaps remain in other critical units of the hospital, including PACUs, ICUs, and emergency rooms, where on average there were 1–3 […]
Proper sterilization of surgical instruments is essential for safe surgery, yet re-processing methods in low-resource settings can fall short of standards. Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops in Ethiopia and El Salvador instructed participants in sterile processing concepts and prepared participants to teach others. This study examines participants’ knowledge and confidence post-TOT workshop, and moreover discusses […]
No device satisfied all the predetermined specifications, and large price discrepancies were critical factors leading surgeons’ choices. The favored device is undergoing modification by the manufacturer based on design feedback so an affordable, high-quality surgical headlight crafted specifically for the needs of resource-constrained settings can be used to improve surgical safety. Authors: N. Starr, N. […]
