Critical care admission of South African (SA) surgical patients: Results of the SA Surgical Outcomes Study.

Background: Appropriate critical care admissions are an important component of surgical care. However, there are few data describing postoperative critical care admission in resource-limited low- and middle-income countries.

Objective: To describe the demographics, organ failures, organ support and outcomes of non-cardiac surgical patients admitted to critical care units in South Africa (SA).

A meta-analysis of the efficacy of preoperative surgical safety checklists to improve perioperative outcomes.

Background: Meta-analyses of the implementation of a surgical safety checklist (SSC) in observational studies have shown a significant decrease in mortality and surgical complications.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of the SSC using data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: This meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42015017546).

Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery: a large, international, prospective cohort study establishing diagnostic criteria, characteristics, predictors, and 30-day outcomes.

Background: Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) was defined as prognostically relevant myocardial injury due to ischemia that occurs during or within 30 days after noncardiac surgery. The study's four objectives were to determine the diagnostic criteria, characteristics, predictors, and 30-day outcomes of MINS.

Methods: In this international, prospective cohort study of 15,065 patients aged 45 yr or older who underwent in-patient noncardiac surgery, troponin T was measured during the first 3 postoperative days.

External patient temperature control in emergency centres, trauma centres, intensive care units and operating theatres: a multi-society literature review.

Here we review the available literature supporting the routine and timely use of external patient warming devices of all possible types during emergency department and peri-operative situations, including the role of best ambient temperature, and provides a best-practice statement on the need for such devices. It aims to present a guideline document endorsed by the major South African professional societies in the field of emergency and peri-operative care.

Reduced incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in black South Africans and its utility for a modified risk scoring system.

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common occurrence with a reported incidence between 20% and 40%. In this prospective observational study, we sought to determine the incidence of PONV in a South African population, differentiating between black South African (African) and the remainder of the multiethnic South African population (non-African). We attempted to identify individual risk factors for PONV and to test the performance of the Apfel PONV predictive scoring system in our patient population.

Guideline for the management of nosocomial infections in South Africa.

Objective: To write a guideline for the management and prevention of nosocomial infections in South Africa in view of the following: Nosocomial infections are a common and increasing problem globally, including South Africa. Widely varying standards of prevention and management of these important infections. Increasing and emerging antimicrobial resistance among commonly isolated pathogens.

Critical care of the vascular surgery patient.

Providing effective critical care to vascular surgical patients is challenging to the intensivist. These patients often have multiple significant concurrent diseases that need to be adequately managed. A selective policy for identifying patients that need ICU is recommended.