Trends in utilisation of ultrasound by older Australians (2010-2019).

Background: Older people have increasingly complex healthcare needs, often requiring appropriate access to diagnostic imaging, an essential component of their health and disease management planning. Ultrasound is a safe imaging tool used to diagnose several conditions commonly experienced by older people such as deep vein thrombosis.

Purpose: To evaluate the utilisation of major ultrasound services by Australians ≥ 65 years old between 2009- and 2019.

Impact of COVID-19, gender, race, specialty and seniority on mental health during surgical training: an international study.

Background: Superior patient outcomes rely on surgical training being optimized. Accordingly, we conducted an international, prospective, cross-sectional study determining relative impacts of COVID-19, gender, race, specialty and seniority on mental health of surgical trainees.

Method: Trainees across Australia, New Zealand and UK enrolled in surgical training accredited by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons or Royal College of Surgeons were included.

The Utilization and National Variation of Plain X-Ray Services by Australian Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities.

Objectives: To (1) estimate incidence, trends, and determinants of government-subsidized diagnostic radiography (ie, plain x-ray) services utilization by Australian long-term care facility (LTCF) residents between 2009 and 2016; (2) examine national variation in services used.

Design: A repeated cross-sectional study.

Setting And Participants: Australian LTCF residents who were ≥65 years old.

Mesh versus non-mesh repair of groin hernias: a rapid review.

Background: Mesh is frequently utilized intraoperatively for the repair of groin hernias. However, patients may request non-mesh hernia repairs owing to adverse events reported in other mesh procedures. To inform surgical safety, this study aimed to compare postoperative complications between mesh and non-mesh groin hernia repairs and identify other operative and patient-related risk factors associated with poor postoperative outcomes.

Trends in utilisation of plain X-rays by older Australians (2010-2019).

Background: Older Australians are major health service users and early diagnosis is key in the management of their health. Radiological services are an important component of diagnosis and disease management planning in older Australians, but their national utilisation of diagnostic services has never been investigated in Australia.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the utilisation of major plain X-rays by Australians ≥ 65 years old.

Telehealth in surgery: an umbrella review.

Background: Telehealth use has increased worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, hands-on requirements of surgical care may have resulted in slower implementation. This umbrella review (review of systematic reviews) evaluated the perceptions, safety and implementation of telehealth services in surgery, and telehealth usage in Australia between 2020 and 2021.

In-hospital survival after pancreatoduodenectomy is greater in high-volume hospitals versus lower-volume hospitals: a meta-analysis.

Background: Variation in cut-off values for what is considered a high volume (HV) hospital has made assessments of volume-outcome relationships for pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) challenging. Accordingly, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing in-hospital mortality after PD in hospitals above and below HV thresholds of various cut-off values.

Method: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched to 4 January 2021 for studies comparing in-hospital mortality after PD in hospitals above and below defined HV thresholds.

Gastrointestinal recovery after surgery: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal recovery after surgery is of worldwide significance. Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction is multifaceted and known to represent a major source of postoperative morbidity, however, its significance to postoperative care across all surgical procedures is unknown. The complexity of postoperative gastrointestinal recovery is poorly defined within gastrointestinal surgery, and even less so outside this field.

Proposed delay for safe surgery after COVID-19.

Background: Long-term effects after COVID-19 may affect surgical safety. This study aimed to evaluate the literature and produce evidence-based guidance regarding the period of delay necessary for adequate recovery of patients following COVID-19 infection before undergoing surgery.

Methods: A rapid review was combined with advice from a working group of 10 clinical experts across Australia and New Zealand.

Screening and testing for COVID-19 before surgery.

Background: Preoperative screening for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) aims to preserve surgical safety for both patients and surgical teams. This rapid review provides an evaluation of current evidence with input from clinical experts to produce guidance for screening for active COVID-19 in a low prevalence setting.

Methods: An initial search of PubMed (until 6 May 2020) was combined with targeted searches of both PubMed and Google Scholar until 1 July 2020.

Surgery triage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused the COVID-19 global pandemic. In response, the Australian and New Zealand governments activated their respective emergency plans and hospital frameworks to deal with the potential increased demand on scarce resources. Surgical triage formed an important part of this response to protect the healthcare system's capacity to respond to COVID-19.

Personal protective equipment and evidence-based advice for surgical departments during COVID-19.

Background: Inconsistencies regarding the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) have raised concerns for the safety of surgical staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This rapid review synthesizes the literature and includes input from clinical experts to provide evidence-based guidance for surgical services.

Methods: The rapid review comprised of targeted searches in PubMed and grey literature.

Safe surgery during the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has created a global pandemic. Surgical care has been impacted, with concerns raised around surgical safety, especially in terms of laparoscopic versus open surgery. Due to potential aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2, precautions during aerosol-generating procedures and production of surgical plume are paramount for the safety of surgical teams.

Leaving surgical training: some of the reasons are in surgery.

In 2014, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons identified, through internal analysis, a considerable attrition rate within its Surgical Education and Training programme. Within the attrition cohort, choosing to leave accounted for the majority. Women were significantly over-represented.

A small-scale, low-cost isolation system for the incubation and rearing of low bacterial load chicks as a model to study microbial-intestinal interactions.

A small-scale, economical isolator system was adapted to hatch and raise chicks in a bacteria-free environment as a means to observe bacterial interactions with the intestinal mucosa during early development. The design and construction of flexible plastic isolators for incubation and brooding are described along with methodologies for preparation of eggs for entry into the isolators, incubation and hatching. Two trials were conducted, the first in August 2005 and the second in March 2006.