Advanced Multi-Layer Watertight Closure versus Conventional Closure in Total Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery.

Background: In total joint replacement procedures, surgeons have increasingly adopted advanced multi-layer, watertight closure. The objective of the study was to compare the clinical and economic outcomes for advanced multi-layer, watertight closure patients to those with conventional closure with sutures and skin staples.

Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years were included in the study if they underwent total joint arthroplasty of the hip or knee as an elective, primary, inpatient procedure between January 2014 and March 2019.

Identifying Critical Evidence Gaps in Wound Closure and Incision Management After Total Knee Arthroplasty: Delphi Panel Insights.

Background: Effective surgical wound management in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is crucial for optimal healing and patient outcomes. Despite surgical advances, managing wounds to prevent complications remains challenging. This study aimed to identify and address evidence gaps in TKA wound management, including preoperative optimization, intraoperative options, and postoperative complication avoidance.

Clinical outcomes of triclosan-coated barbed suture in open hernia repair: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: We assessed clinical outcomes of patients undergoing open hernia repair using STRATAFIX™ Symmetric, a barbed triclosan-coated suture (TCS; Ethicon), versus conventional polydioxanone suture (PDS) for abdominal wall closure.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study identified patients undergoing hernia repair. The site used PDS from 2013 to 2016 and switched exclusively to barbed TCS in 2017.

Behavioural 'nudging' interventions to reduce low-value care for low back pain in the emergency department (NUDG-ED): protocol for a 2×2 factorial, before-after, cluster randomised trial.

Introduction: Opioids and imaging are considered low-value care for most people with low back pain. Yet around one in three people presenting to the emergency department (ED) will receive imaging, and two in three will receive an opioid. NUDG-ED aims to determine the effectiveness of two different behavioural 'nudge' interventions on low-value care for ED patients with low back pain.

Polymer Nanocomposites Based on Nanosized Substituted Ferrites (NiZn)MnFeO on the Surface of Carbon Nanotubes for Effective Interaction with High-Frequency EM Radiation.

To create materials that interact effectively with electromagnetic (EM) radiation, new nanosized substituted ferrites (NiZn)MnFeO (x = 0, 0.5, and 1) anchored on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been synthesized. The concentration of CNTs in the (NiZn)MnFeO/CNT system was from 0.

Use of interrupted time-series analyses in evaluating health economic outcomes following implementation of multilayer water-tight wound closure in a primary total joint arthroplasty population.

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) with multi-layer, watertight closure (MLWC) using knotless barbed suture and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate plus polymer mesh tape was compared with conventional closure (CC) using Vicryl™ sutures and staples. Electronic medical records of patients undergoing TJA (1574: total knee arthroplasty; 580: total hip arthroplasty; 13: unknown) from a single surgeon at a US hospital (CC 2011 to 2013; MLWC 2015 to 2020) were reviewed. Outcomes were length of stay (LOS), discharge to skilled nursing facility (SNF), 90-day surgical site infection (SSI) and 90-day readmission.

International Delphi Study on Wound Closure and Incision Management in Joint Arthroplasty Part 2: Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: This modified Delphi study aimed to develop a consensus on optimal wound closure and incision management strategies for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Given the critical nature of wound care and incision management in influencing patient outcomes, this study sought to synthesize evidence-based best practices for wound care in THA procedures.

Methods: An international panel of 20 orthopedic surgeons from Europe, Canada, and the United States evaluated a targeted literature review of 18 statements (14 specific to THA and 4 related to both THA and total knee arthroplasty).

International Delphi Study on Wound Closure and Dressing Management in Joint Arthroplasty: Part 1: Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: The purpose of this modified Delphi study was to obtain consensus on wound closure and dressing management in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: The Delphi panel included 20 orthopaedic surgeons from Europe and North America. There were 26 statements identified using a targeted literature review.

A cluster of acute thebaine poisonings from non-food grade poppy seeds in the Australian food supply.

Introduction: Poppy seed tea is used for its opioid effects and contains multiple opium alkaloids, including morphine, codeine, papaverine, and thebaine. Animal studies indicate thebaine has strychnine-like properties, but there is limited literature describing human thebaine poisoning. We describe a cluster of acute thebaine poisoning in people ingesting tea made using poppy seeds with high thebaine content that entered the Australian food supply chain.

Toxicity and Adverse Effects in Clozapine-Related Presentations to a Medical Toxicology Service in Western Sydney.

Background: Clozapine is an anti-psychotic agent, reserved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, with demonstrated efficacy in an otherwise therapeutically challenging patient population. We aimed to review the full spectrum casemix of clozapine presentations to our tertiary toxicology service.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed consecutive clozapine related toxicity presentations to a tertiary medical toxicology inpatient and consultation service-including deliberate self-poisoning (DSP), adverse drug reaction (ADR), recreational use, and therapeutic misadventure over a 10-year period from 2011 to 2021.

Mapping Health Disparities in 11 High-Income Nations.

Importance: Health care delivery faces a myriad of challenges globally with well-documented health inequities based on geographic location. Yet, researchers and policy makers have a limited understanding of the frequency of geographic health disparities.

Objective: To describe geographic health disparities in 11 high-income countries.

Longitudinal Rates, Patient Risk Factors, and Economic Impact of Superficial and Deep Incisional Surgical Site Infection After Primary and Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: A U.S. Retrospective Commercial Claims Database Analysis.

Longitudinal rates, risk factors, and costs of superficial and deep incisional surgical site infection (SSI) were evaluated six months after primary total hip arthroplasty (pTHA) and revision total hip replacement (rTHA). Patients who had pTHA or rTHA between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018 were identified using the IBM MarketScan administrative claims databases. Kaplan-Meier survival curves evaluated time to SSI over six months.

The Impact of an Electronic Medication Management System on Medication Deviations on Admission and Discharge from Hospital.

Medication errors at transition of care remain a concerning issue. In recent times, the use of integrated electronic medication management systems (EMMS) has caused a reduction in medication errors, but its effectiveness in reducing medication deviations at transition of care has not been studied in hospital-wide settings in Australia. The aim of this study is to assess medication deviations, such as omissions and mismatches, pre-EMMS and post-EMMS implementation at transition of care across a hospital.

Longitudinal rates, risk factors, and costs of superficial and deep incisional surgical-site infection (SSI) after primary and revision total knee arthroplasty: A US retrospective claims database analysis.

Objective: We evaluated longitudinal rates, risk factors, and costs of superficial and deep incisional surgical-site infection (SSI) 6 months after primary total knee arthroplasty (pTKA) and revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA).

Methods: Patients were identified from January 1, 2016 through March 31, 2018, in the IBM MarketScan administrative claims databases. Kaplan-Meier survival curves evaluated time to SSI over 6 months.

Toxicology presentations to a tertiary unit in New South Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic first wave: A retrospective comparison study.

Objective: To compare presentation numbers, class of exposure, poison severity score (PSS) and drugs ingested by patients in a tertiary toxicology service during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to the corresponding time periods in 2018 and 2019.

Methods: A retrospective cohort observational study of patients admitted or consulted to the Western Sydney Toxicology Service (WSTS) from ED during February to May in 2018-2020. Patient age, sex, triage category, time and date of arrival, mode of arrival, type of poisoning, discharge location, length of stay and PSS were collected from WSTS database and electronic medical records.

The Relation Between Organizational Justice and Counter-Productive Work Behavior Among Health Care Professionals in Jimma Zone Public Health Institutions.

Background: Counterproductive behavior costs organizations and their members which will ultimately affect work-related outcomes and organizational success. Organizational justice has the potential to affect the level of counter productive behavior. However, there is a paucity of studies to show the link between counterproductive behavior and organizational justice dimensions in the Ethiopian health care system context.

Comparison between Different Shades of Monolithic Zirconia over Microhardness and Water Solubility and Sorption of Dual-cure Resin Cement.

Aim And Objective: To compare the different shades of monolithic zirconia over microhardness and water solubility and water sorption of dual-cure resin cement.

Materials And Methods: Eighty specimens were included in the study. They were categorized into four categories having 20 samples each.

Implementation of an Electronic Medication Management System in a large tertiary hospital: a case of qualitative inquiry.

Background: Hospitals across Australia are implementing Clinical Information Systems, e.g. Electronic Medication Management Systems (EMMS) at a rapid pace to moderate health services.

Can existing electronic medical records be used to quantify cardiovascular risk at point of care?

Background: Using electronic data for cardiovascular risk stratification could help in prioritising healthcare access and optimise cardiovascular prevention.

Aims: To determine whether assessment of absolute cardiovascular risk (Australian absolute cardiovascular disease risk (ACVDR)) and short-term ischaemic risk (History, ECG, Age, Risk factors, and Troponin (HEART) score) is possible from available data in Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and My Health Record (MHR) of patients presenting with acute cardiac symptoms to a Rapid Access Cardiology Clinic (RACC).

Methods: Audit of EMR and MHR on 200 randomly selected adults who presented to RACC between 1 March 2017 and 4 February 2020.

Utility of non-contrast head computed tomography in poisoned patients.

Objective: To investigate the utility of non-contrast head computed tomography (CT) in poisoned patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients referred to a toxicology unit between August 2010 and December 2017. Our database yielded patients who underwent head CT at presentation to the ED.

Evaluation of an augmented emergency department electronic medical record-based sepsis alert.

Objective: Electronic medical records-based alerts have shown mixed results in identifying ED sepsis. Augmenting clinical patient-flagging with automated alert systems may improve sepsis screening. We evaluate the performance of a hybrid alert to identify patients in ED with sepsis or in-hospital secondary outcomes from infection.

Efficacy of a two bag acetylcysteine regimen to treat paracetamol overdose (2NAC study).

Background: Previous studies of paracetamol overdose treatment show that a 2-bag, 20-h intravenous (IV) acetylcysteine regimen decreased the incidence of non-allergic anaphylactic reactions compared to the 3-bag, 21 h IV regimen, but have not examined efficacy of the 20-h 2 bag regimen.

Methods: This was a multi-centre observational study of paracetamol overdose presentations treated with a 2-bag IV acetylcysteine regimen (200 mg/kg over 4 h, 100 mg/kg over 16 h) compared to a 3-bag regimen, performed from 2009 to 2019. Patients were referred from the emergency department to the inpatient toxicology units for continued management.