Perioperative Hypothermia Is Associated With Increased 30-Day Mortality in Hip Fracture Patients in the United Kingdom: Α Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objectives: To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the relationship between perioperative hypothermia and mortality after surgery for hip fracture.

Data Sources: A systematic literature search of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases was performed using the Cochrane methodology for systematic reviews with no publication year limit. Only studies available in the English language were included.

COVID-19 infection is related to differences in the use of personal protective equipment by orthopaedic specialist trainees caring for hip fracture patients during the second surge of COVID-19 in the North West of England.

Introduction: Personal protective equipment (PPE) may protect health-care workers from COVID-19 infection and limit nosocomial spread to vulnerable hip fracture patients.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey amongst orthopaedic trainees to explore PPE practice in 19 hospitals caring for hip fracture patients in the North West of England.

Results: During the second wave of the pandemic, 14/19 (74%) hospitals experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 amongst staff or patients on the orthopaedic wards.

UK pneumonectomy outcome study (UKPOS): a prospective observational study of pneumonectomy outcome.

Background: In order to assess the short term risks of pneumonectomy for lung cancer in contemporary practice a one year prospective observational study of pneumonectomy outcome was made. Current UK practice for pneumonectomy was observed to note patient and treatment factors associated with major complications.

Methods: A multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study was performed.

Is cardiopulmonary exercise testing a useful test before esophagectomy?

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) testing may identify patients at high risk of postoperative cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. This study aims to assess the utility of CPX testing before esophagectomy.

Methods: Between January 2004 and October 2006, 78 consecutive patients (64 men) with a median age of 65 years (range, 40 to 81 years) underwent CPX testing before esophagectomy (50% transhiatal; 50% transthoracic).

Evaluation of the airway and preparation for difficulty.

Preoperative airway evaluation is essential to consider which is the best method of maintaining and protecting the airway during surgery and whether problems with airway management are likely. In general surgical patients, the prevalence of difficult intubation is low and tests have poor predictive power. This means that the patient may be evaluated as normal but prove to be difficult.

Increased blood pressure later in life may be associated with perinatal n-3 fatty acid deficiency.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Previous work in both animals and humans with high blood pressure has demonstrated the antihypertensive effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), although it is not known whether these nutrients are effective in preventing hypertension. The predominant n-3 PUFA in the mammalian nervous system, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is deposited into synaptic membranes at a high rate during the perinatal period, and recent observations indicate that the perinatal environment is important for the normal development of blood pressure control.