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Background: Use of chemoprophylaxis for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after bariatric surgery is a generally accepted principle; however, the optimal strategy in terms of medication type and pre- and postoperative dosing is uncertain. In our healthcare system, four hospitals performed bariatric surgery and utilized differing protocols for VTE prophylaxis. The analysis sought to evaluate the association of differing prophylaxis strategies on bleeding and VTE occurrence., Methods: Adult patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) from 2018 to 2021 at four hospitals were studied. Patients were grouped by whether or not they received preoperative chemoprophylaxis. The primary outcome was postoperative bleeding, defined as requiring a blood transfusion or reoperation for bleeding within 30 days. Bivariate analyses were performed with Chi-square and Wilcoxon Rank tests where applicable. Multivariate logistic regression was performed for the outcome of postoperative bleeding., Results: A total of 2145 bariatric surgeries were evaluated (33.6% RYGB, 66.4% SG). Among 1712 patients who underwent surgery at Hospitals A, B, and C, 93.1% received preoperative VTE prophylaxis, compared with 1 patient (0.1%) among 433 patients operated on at Hospital D. Postoperative bleeding occurred more frequently in patients who received preoperative VTE prophylaxis versus those who did not (3.7% vs 1.1%; p < 0.01). After multivariable regression analysis, only RYGB (OR 3.59; p < 0.01) and preoperative VTE prophylaxis (OR 3.54; p = 0.02) were significantly associated with postoperative bleeding. Rates of VTE for patients receiving preoperative VTE prophylaxis or no prophylaxis were not significantly different (0.6% vs. 0.2%; p = 0.26)., Discussion: Preoperative VTE prophylaxis prior to bariatric surgery was associated with postoperative bleeding without differences in VTE occurrence. These results call into question the routine use of VTE chemoprophylaxis for all patients undergoing bariatric surgery and favor selective usage., Competing Interests: Declaration. Disclosure: Joseph E. Sanchez, Audra Reiter, Catherine S. Valukas, Whitney N Jones, Dominic J Vitello, Joanne Prinz, Yan Li, Eric S. Hungness, and Ezra N. Teitelbaum have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Preoperative fasting is the standard of care for patients undergoing a procedure under general anaesthesia. Despite the increased leniency of fasting guideline recommendations, prolonged preoperative fasting periods continue to disproportionally affect paediatric patients. This review maps existing interventions optimising paediatric fasting practices, to explore strategies that can be best applied in clinical practice., Methods: A search strategy applied to PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database involved four key concepts: (1) fasting, (2) preoperative, (3) paediatric, and (4) quality improvement intervention. The Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was utilised in this review., Results: Thirteen heterogeneous studies, involving approximately 31 000 children across five continents, were included. Each intervention studied fell into at least one of the following six themes: (1) change in facility protocol, (2) technology-based intervention, (3) individualised fasting programs, (4) processes to improve communication between clinicians, (5) processes to improve communication to parents and families, and (6) staff education., Conclusions: A variety of interventions have been studied to optimise paediatric preoperative fasting duration. These interventions show potential in reducing preoperative fasting duration., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The standard of care for pediatric patients with severe obesity considering metabolic and bariatric surgery is a preoperative multidisciplinary evaluation. A multidisciplinary team allows for the efficient use of variable personnel expertise to evaluate, manage, and support a pediatric patient and family through metabolic and bariatric surgery. This review discusses the purpose, recommended team members, patient selection, content, and benefits of the multidisciplinary preoperative evaluation. This evaluation should reduce barriers to care and optimize patient safety and outcomes while taking into consideration the unique developmental needs of this age group., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Hemostasis tests are traditionally requested for all patients requiring any surgical act or invasive diagnostic-therapeutic procedure to prevent hemorrhagic complications. The aim of this study is to assess the necessity of requesting standard pre-procedure hemostasis tests., Methodology: A narrative literature review was conducted using the PubMed data-base. Search terms included «Hemostasis» or «Blood coagulation» in combination with «Preoperative care», «Preoperative period», or «Preoperative procedure». Additionally, a targeted search was performed to find recommendations from international societies related to the topic., Results: A total of 233 articles were found, 17 were pre-selected, and after full-text evaluation, 14 relevant articles were identified. The targeted search yielded an additional 12 articles. The request for tests should be individualized according to the clinical history. Standardized screening questionnaires for hemostasis disorders are useful and complement the aforementioned approach. Factors such as age, ASA classification, bleeding potential-complexity of the procedure, and anesthetic technique may influence their request., Discussion: The incidence of hemostasis disorders in the general population is very low, and these can mostly be detected through clinical history. Thus, it is the clinical history that should guide the need for laboratory test requests., Conclusions: Preoperative hemostasis tests should not be indiscriminately requested for all patients needing an intervention or invasive diagnostic-therapeutic procedure, but rather when there are doubts about their hemostatic competence or as advised by the nature of the procedure they are undergoing., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Contemporary guidance for preoperative feeding allows solids up to 6 hours and clear fluids up to 2 hours before anesthesia. Clinical trial evidence to support this approach for cesarean delivery is lacking. Many medical practitioners continue to follow conservative policies of no intake from midnight to the time of surgery, especially in pregnant women., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the pragmatic approach of permitting free access to water up to the call to dispatch to the operating theater vs fasting from midnight in preoperative oral intake restriction for planned cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia on perioperative vomiting and maternal satisfaction., Study Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the obstetrical unit of the University of Malaya Medical Centre from October 2020 to May 2022. A total of 504 participants scheduled for planned cesarean delivery were randomized: 252 undergoing preoperative free access to water up to the call to dispatch to the operating theater (intervention group) and 252 undergoing fasting from midnight (fasting arm). The primary outcomes were perioperative vomiting and maternal satisfaction. Analyses were performed using t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test, as appropriate., Results: Of note, 9 of 252 patients (3.6%) in the intervention group and 24 of 252 patients (9.5%) in the control group had vomiting at up to 6 hours after completion of cesarean delivery (relative risk, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.79; P=.007), and the maternal satisfaction scores (0-10 visual numerical rating scale) were 9 (interquartile range, 8-10) in the intervention group and 5 (interquartile range, 3-7) in the control group (P<.001). Assessed before dispatch to the operating theater, feeling of thirst was reported by 69 of 252 patients (27.4%) in the intervention group and 134 of 252 patients (53.2%) in the control group (relative risk, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.65; P<.001), capillary glucose levels were 4.8±0.7 mmol/L in the intervention group and 4.9±0.8 mmol/L in the control group (P=.048), and preoperative intravenous fluid hydration was commenced in 49 of 252 patients (19.4%) in the intervention group and 76 of 252 patients (30.2%) in the control group (relative risk, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.88; P=.005). In the operating theater, ketone was detected in the catheterized urine in 38 of 252 patients (15.1%) in the intervention group and 78 of 252 patients (31.0%) in the control group (relative risk, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.59; P<.001), and the numbers of doses of vasopressors needed to correct hypotension were 2.3±1.7 in the intervention group and 2.7±2.2 in the control (P=.009). The recommendation rates for preoperative oral intake regimen to a friend were 95.2% (240/252) in the intervention group and 39.7% (100/252) in the control group (relative risk, 2.40; 95% confidence interval, 2.06-2.80; P<.001), in favor of free access to water. Other assessed maternal and neonatal outcomes were not different., Conclusion: Compared with fasting, free access to water in planned cesarean delivery reduced perioperative vomiting and was strongly favored by women. In addition, several pre- and intraoperative secondary outcomes were improved. However, postcesarean delivery recovery and neonatal outcomes were not different., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the opinions and experiences of parents whose children are hospitalized in a pediatric surgery clinic in Turkey regarding care practices., Design and Methods: Sixteen in-depth interviews with parents whose children were hospitalized in a pediatric surgery clinic were conducted and analyzed between October and December 2023, by grounded theory methodology. The COREQ guidelines guided the reporting of this study., Results: A core category was identified, 'Preoperative information helps my child and I experience less anxiety and fear' demonstrating that parents are aware of their situation. Analyzing resulted in an interpretive theory of two interrelated categories: 'Quality Nursing Care' and 'Patient and Parent Satisfaction'., Conclusion: Children and parents who received accurate, sufficient, and timely information experienced less anxiety and fear in the preoperative. Quality nursing care significantly affects the well-being of parents and pediatric patients. As a result of all these, high patient and parent satisfaction is an important care outcome., Practice Implications: Reducing the anxiety and fears of pediatric patients and parents in the preoperative is an important goal. Quality nursing care is one of the most important perceived factors in achieving this goal. Providing in-service training on this subject can increase awareness, especially for nurses new to the pediatric surgery clinic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author declares that there are no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Many studies have reported the use of preoperative oral carbohydrates (CHO) in children, but the results are inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness and safety of oral CHO administration in children prior to surgery, with the goal of offering a dependable reference for clinical nursing practices and surgical interventions. Methods: Two authors searched PubMed, Clinical trials, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Weipu databases for randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the effects of preoperative oral CHO in children up to April 12, 2024. We used RevMan 5.4 software for data analysis. Results: Nine RCTs involving a total of 1279 children were included. The meta-analysis showed that there was statistical difference in the pH of gastric juice (MD = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.40-1.67, p < .001), intraoperative sedation score (MD = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.27-0.97, p < .001), and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (OR = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.20-0.80, p = .009) between the CHO and control groups. There was no statistical difference in the RGV (MD = -0.23, 95%CI: -0.47-0.01, p = .06) and the postoperative blood glucose level (MD = -0.91, 95%CI: -5.03-3.21, p = .67) between the CHO and control groups. Egger regression analysis showed that there were no publication biases amongst the synthesized outcomes (all p > .05). Conclusion: The administration of oral CHO to children before surgery is safe and practicable. There is a need for additional, well-conducted studies with more participants to further elucidate the role of preoperative CHO administration., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: There is wide variation in stress test utilization before major vascular surgery and adherence to practice guidelines is unclear. We defined rates of stress test compliance at our institution and led a quality improvement initiative to improve compliance with American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines., Methods: We implemented a stress testing order set in the electronic medical record at one tertiary hospital. We reviewed all patients who underwent elective, major vascular surgery in the 6 months before (Jan 1, 2022 - Jul 1, 2022) and 6 months after (Aug 1, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023) implementation. We studied stress test guideline compliance, changes in medical or surgical management, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE)., Results: Before order set implementation, 37/122 patients (30%) underwent stress testing within the past year (29 specifically ordered preoperatively) with 66% (19/29) guideline compliance. After order set implementation, 50/173 patients (29%) underwent stress testing within the past year (41 specifically ordered preoperatively) with 80% (33/41) guideline compliance. In the pre- and postimplementation cohorts, stress testing led to a cardiovascular medication change or preoperative coronary revascularization in 24% (7/29) and 27% (11/41) of patients, and a staged surgery or less invasive anesthetic strategy in 14% (4/29) and 4.9% (2/41) of patients, respectively. All unindicated stress tests were surgeon-ordered and none led to a change in management. There was no change in MACE after order set implementation., Conclusions: Electronic medical record-based guidance of perioperative stress testing led to a slight decrease in overall stress testing and an increase in guideline-compliant testing. Our study highlights a need for improved preoperative cardiovascular risk assessment prior to major vascular surgery, which may eliminate unnecessary testing and more effectively guide perioperative decision-making., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Surgery and general anaesthesia have deleterious effects on sleep and disrupted perioperative sleep health is a risk factor for poor surgical outcomes. The objective of this systematic review was to summarise preoperative interventions that report sleep outcomes. Studies that delivered an intervention initiated >24 h prior to surgery among an adult sample without a diagnosed sleep disorder were included. Studies were excluded if they were preclinical or were not published in English. MEDLINE, MEDLINE ePubs Ahead of Print and In-process Citations, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Web of Science were searched on February 2, 2023. This review was reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (identifier: CRD42021260578). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of Bias 2 tool for randomised trials and the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions for non-randomised trials. Certainty of findings were assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. The searching yielded 10,938 total citations, and after screening resulted in 28 randomised and 19 non-randomised trials (47 total) with 4937 participants. Sleep was a primary outcome in 16 trials; a sleep outcome was significantly improved relative to comparator in 23 trials. This review demonstrates that preoperative sleep is modifiable via a variety of interventions, including pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and nursing interventions delivered preoperatively or perioperatively. Our results should be considered with caution due to an overall intermediate to high risk of bias in the included trials, and low to very low certainty of evidence. This review supports the modifiability of sleep health among surgical patients and provides the groundwork for preoperative sleep optimisation research., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Sleep Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Sleep Research Society.)

Preoperative risk stratification is an important step in surgical procedures. The current scoring systems do not predict accurate overall surgical outcomes in complex comorbid patients. The novel model of preoperative multi-domain risk stratification is described in this article, which categorises patients in to three risk groups, aiming to modify the risk for optimal surgical outcomes.

Questions: Among patients having elective abdominal surgery, how much does preoperative physiotherapy education with breathing exercise training reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), hospital length of stay and 12-month mortality? How stable are the treatment effects across different PPC definitions, including pneumonia? How much do the treatment effects on PPC, hospital length of stay and mortality vary within clinically relevant subgroups?, Design: Individual participant-level meta-analysis (n = 800) from two randomised controlled trials analysed with multivariable regression., Participants: Adults undergoing major elective abdominal surgery., Interventions: Experimental participants received a single preoperative session with a physiotherapist within 4 weeks of surgery and educated on PPC prevention with breathing exercises and early mobilisation. They were taught breathing exercises and instructed to start them immediately on waking from surgery. The control group received no preoperative or postoperative physiotherapy, or early ambulation alone., Outcome Measures: PPC, hospital length of stay and 12-month mortality., Results: Participants who received preoperative physiotherapy had 47% lower odds of developing a PPC (adjusted OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.85). This effect was stable regardless of PPC definition. Effects were greatest in participants who smoked, were aged ≤ 45 years, had abnormal body weight, had multiple comorbidities, or were undergoing bariatric or upper gastrointestinal surgery. Participants having operations ≤ 3 hours in duration were least responsive to preoperative physiotherapy. Participants with multiple comorbidities were more likely to have a shorter hospital stay if provided with preoperative physiotherapy (adjusted MD -3.2 days, 95% CI -6.2 to -0.3). Effects on mortality were uncertain., Conclusion: There is strong evidence to support preoperative physiotherapy in preventing PPCs after elective abdominal surgery., (Copyright © 2024 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Malnutrition is prevalent among surgical candidates and associated with adverse outcomes. Despite being potentially modifiable, malnutrition risk screening is not a standard preoperative practice. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to understand healthcare professionals' (HCPs) opinions and barriers regarding screening and treatment of malnutrition. HCPs working with adult surgical patients in Canada were invited to complete an online survey. Barriers to preoperative malnutrition screening were assessed using the Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behaviour model. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed using summative content analysis. Of the 225 HCPs surveyed ( n  = 111 dietitians, n  = 72 physicians, n  = 42 allied HCPs), 96%-100% agreed that preoperative malnutrition is a modifiable risk factor associated with worse surgical outcomes and is a treatment priority. Yet, 65% ( n  = 142/220; dietitians: 88% vs. physicians: 40%) reported screening for malnutrition, which mostly occured in the postoperative period ( n  = 117) by dietitians ( n  = 94). Just 42% (48/113) of non-dietitian respondents referred positively screened patients to a dietitian for further assessment and treatment. The most prevalent barriers for malnutrition screening were related to opportunity, including availability of resources (57%, n  = 121/212), time (40%, n  = 84/212) and support from others (38%, n  = 80/212). In conclusion, there is a gap between opinion and practice among surgical HCPs pertaining to malnutrition. Although HCPs agreed malnutrition is a surgical priority, the opportunity to screen for nutrition risk was a great barrier., Competing Interests: CG has received honoraria for giving educational talks sponsored by Abbott Nutrition, Nestle Nutrition and Fresenius Kabi, which were unrelated to this manuscript. DSM has received honoraria for giving educational talks sponsored by Merck and Walnut Foundation which were unrelated to this manuscript. OL is a co-founder of the ERAS® Society and co-author of several of the guidelines from the ERAS®Society. He also held a patent for a preoperative carbohydrate drink until 2013, and has received honoraria for speaking, travel and advise unrelated to the current work from Nutricia, and Encare AB. LG has received honoraria for giving educational talks sponsored by Abbott Nutrition, Baxter and Fresenius Kabi, which were unrelated to this manuscript.

Preoperative preparation for cesarean delivery is a multistep approach for which protocols should exist at each hospital system. These protocols should be guided by the findings of this review. The interventions reviewed and recommendations made for this review have a common goal of decreasing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality related to cesarean delivery. The preoperative period starts before the patient's arrival to the hospital and ends immediately before skin incision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends showering with either soap or an antiseptic solution at least the night before a procedure. Skin cleansing in addition to this has not been shown to further decrease rates of infection. Hair removal at the cesarean skin incision site is not necessary, but if preferred by the surgical team then clipping or depilatory creams should be used rather than shaving. Preoperative enema is not recommended. A clear liquid diet may be ingested up to 2 hours before and a light meal up to 6 hours before cesarean delivery. Consider giving a preoperative carbohydrate drink to nondiabetic patients up to 2 hours before planned cesarean delivery. Weight-based intravenous cefazolin is recommended 60 minutes before skin incision: 1-2 g intravenous for patients without obesity and 2 g for patients with obesity or weight ≥80 kg. Adjunctive azithromycin 500 mg intravenous is recommended for patients with labor or rupture of membranes. Preoperative gabapentin can be considered as a way to decrease pain scores with movement in the postoperative period. Tranexamic acid (1 g in 10-20 mL of saline or 10 mg/kg intravenous) is recommended prophylactically for patients at high risk of postpartum hemorrhage and can be considered in all patients. Routine use of mechanical venous thromboembolism prophylaxis is recommended preoperatively and is to be continued until the patient is ambulatory. Music and active warming of the patient, and adequate operating room temperature improves outcomes for the patient and neonate, respectively. Noise levels should allow clear communication between teams; however, a specific decibel level has not been defined in the data. Patient positioning with left lateral tilt decreases hypotensive episodes compared with right lateral tilt, which is not recommended. Manual displacers result in fewer hypotensive episodes than left lateral tilt. Both vaginal and skin preparation should be performed with either chlorhexidine (preferred) or povidone iodine. Placement of an indwelling urinary catheter is not necessary. Nonadhesive drapes are recommended. Cell salvage, although effective for high-risk patients, is not recommended for routine use. Maternal supplemental oxygen does not improve outcomes. A surgical safety checklist (including a timeout) is recommended for all cesarean deliveries., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the clinical benefits, complications, and safety profile associated with preoperative embolization in Glomus jugulare tumors (GJTs)., Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted for English articles published up to March 2023, focusing on GJTs and preoperative embolization. Included studies involved patients over 18 with GJTs. We excluded studies that explored embolization methods other than the standard endovascular approach, as well as studies involving paragangliomas that did not provide specific data related to GJTs. Key variables such as hemorrhage volume and surgical time, as well as clinical outcomes, were analyzed. Data were analyzed using a random-effects model meta-analysis, assessing heterogeneity with the I 2 statistic., Results: This review encompasses 19 studies with a total of 328 patients. The studies incorporated into our meta-analysis display considerable differences and inconsistencies in their data. The findings of the meta-analysis show a mean hemorrhage volume of 636 ml (95% confidence interval (CI) 473-799) following preoperative embolization, and a mean surgical duration of 487 min (95% CI 350-624). The study also notes potential complications: facial nerve deficits occurred in 20% of cases (95% CI 11-32%), and vagal nerve deficits in 22% (95% CI 13-31%)., Conclusion: This study suggests that preoperative embolization could decrease surgery duration and blood loss, but emphasizes the importance of evaluating risks like nerve damage. However, the generalizability of these findings is restricted due to the diversity of available data., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE).)

Background: Posterior malleolar involvement can drastically affect patient outcomes. Literature has supported the use of preoperative Computed Tomography (CT) to assess posterior malleolar fracture morphology. The purpose of this study is to determine whether preoperative CT is associated with significant improvement in surgical time, postoperative complications, reoperation rates in trimalleolar ankle fractures. Surgeons were also asked to complete survey regarding use of CT scans to gauge utility preoperatively., Methods: Adult patients with trimalleolar ankle fractures who underwent operative fixation between 2018-2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Primary outcomes included surgical time, postoperative complications, and reoperations. Secondary outcome was presence of posterior malleolar fixation. 15 surgeons who performed ankle ORIF were surveyed to gain information regarding why or why not preoperative CT scan was obtained., Results: 288 patients with trimalleolar ankle fractures were included, 94 had preoperative CT scans (32.6%). No significant differences found in patient age, gender, BMI, smoking status between the groups that did and did not have preoperative CT scan. No significant differences were observed in AO/OTA classification between groups. Average surgical time was significantly higher in group that received a preoperative CT (114 without CT vs. 145 with CT, p<0.05). Complications (10.3% no CT vs 7.4% with CT, p=0.55) and reoperations (6.7% without CT vs. 7.4% with CT, p=0.16) not significantly different between groups. No significant difference was observed in rate of posterior malleolus fixation between groups (43.8% without CT vs 39.4% with CT; p=0.52). Of surveyed surgeons, 87% reported they don't routinely obtain preoperative CT scan for trimalleolar ankle fractures. Most common reasons for preoperative scans were deciding on approach/positioning, assessing for impaction, determining the size of the posterior malleolus., Conclusion: Although preoperative CT scans are obtained in one third of patients with operative trimalleolar ankle fractures, we did not find an improvement in surgical time, complications, and reoperation. Level of Evidence: III ., Competing Interests: Disclosures: Mai P. Nguyen is a paid lecture/consultant for AO North America, committee/board member for the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, and has received funding from the OTA Resident Grant. The other authors certifies that there are no funding or commercial associations that might post a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article related to the author or any immediate family members., (Copyright © The Iowa Orthopaedic Journal 2024.)

Background: Preoperative anxiety is a challenging problem in the preoperative care of patients. Identifying risk factors helps nurses provide psychological support during the pre-operative visit so that stress can be reduced., Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of surgical anxiety and related factors in hospitalized surgical patients., Methods: This research was designed as a point-prevalence study. The study was completed with 223 patients hospitalized in the surgical clinics of a tertiary hospital in Turkey. Surgical anxiety questionnaire (SAQ) and State-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) were used for the assessment of anxiety., Results: Preoperative anxiety prevalence was 69.5% according to the SAQ and 49.3% according to STAI. Women, participants with no primary school education, those who were unemployed and had low income, those with no previous surgery, those living in fear of surgery, the participants who underwent major surgery and general anesthesia, and those who did not have knowledge about the surgical procedure and anesthesia had higher anxiety according to the two scales. A highly significant and positive correlation was found between total STAI and total SAQ., Conclusion: The importance of surgical anxiety for the health system, which affects two out of every three hospitalized patients, should not be underestimated. Therefore, national and global plans should be made to prevent and manage surgical anxiety., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.)

Rationale: Preoperative care is one of the main areas in which to address low-value care. A detailed definition of what low-value care is in this period of the surgical care journey paves the way for new scientific research, clinical improvements, and reduction of unnecessary costs in this field., Aims and Objective: To identify how low-value care in low-risk preoperative population has been defined in the scientific literature and propose a low-value care framework with potential consequences in this setting., Methods: Scoping review of theoretical studies and peer-reviewed papers, including reviews, commentaries, or expert opinions, were considered eligible for inclusion. The following databases were consulted: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and SCOPUS (from inception to July 24, 2021), using a structured search with the keywords "low value care", "clinical waste", "preoperative", and "elective procedures." Two independent reviewers performed study selection and data extraction. The definition of low-value care in the preoperative period and their consequences were described after extracting previous low-value care concepts and summarising the contents. Also, a visual framework was built with this information., Results: From 1519 publications identified in the initial searches, 22 underwent full-text assessment, and 11 conceptual studies were included in the review. A total of four studies (36%) presented a general low-value care definition, and all studies report some situations considered low-value care in the preoperative field of low-risk surgeries. The most common example of preoperative low-value care, listed in nine studies (81%), was having asymptomatic patients undergo screening tests before surgery. The main clinical and nonclinical consequences of low-value care in the preoperative phase included false-positive results from exams as well as psychological distress, increased costs, and delay in surgery., Conclusions: Revisiting and integrating previous definitions of low-value care in low-risk surgery into a scoping review is a starting point for de-implementing unnecessary care and promoting improvements in surgical pathways., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Mounting evidence suggests that recovery begins before the surgical incision. The presurgery phase of recovery, namely the preparation for optimal surgical recovery, can be reinforced with prehabilitation. Prehabilitation is the approach of enhancing the functional capacity of the individual to enable them to withstand a stressful event. With this narrative review, we apply the Wilson and Cleary conceptual model of patient outcomes to specify the complex and integrative relationship of health factors that limit functional capacity before surgery. To have the greatest impact on patient outcomes, prehabilitation programs require individualised and coordinated care from medical, nutritional, psychosocial and exercise services., (© 2022 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.)

This narrative review presents a biological rationale and evidence to describe how the preoperative condition of the patient contributes to postoperative morbidity. Any preoperative condition that prevents a patient from tolerating the physiological stress of surgery (e.g. poor cardiopulmonary reserve, sarcopaenia), impairs the stress response (e.g. malnutrition, frailty), and/or augments the catabolic response to stress (e.g. insulin resistance) is a risk factor for poor surgical outcomes. Prehabilitation interventions that include exercise, nutrition, and psychosocial components can be applied before surgery to strengthen physiological reserve and enhance functional capacity, which, in turn, supports recovery through attaining surgical resilience. Prehabilitation complements Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care to achieve optimal patient outcomes because recovery is not a passive process and it begins preoperatively., (Copyright © 2021 British Journal of Anaesthesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Preoperative nutrition intervention is recommended prior to upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer resection; however, there is limited understanding of interventions received in current clinical practice. This study investigated type and frequency of preoperative dietetics intervention and nutrition support received and clinical and demographic factors associated with receipt of intervention. Associations between intervention and preoperative weight loss, surgical length of stay (LOS), and complications were also investigated., Methods: The NOURISH Point Prevalence Study was conducted between September 2019 and May 2020 across 27 Australian tertiary centres. Subjective global assessment and weight were performed within 7 days of admission. Patients reported on preoperative dietetics and nutrition intervention, and surgical LOS and complications were recorded., Results: Two-hundred patients participated (59% male, mean (standard deviation) age 67 (10)). Sixty percent had seen a dietitian preoperatively, whilst 50% were receiving nutrition support (92% oral nutrition support (ONS)). Patients undergoing pancreatic surgery were less likely to receive dietetics intervention and nutrition support than oesophageal or gastric surgeries ( p < 0.001 and p = 0.029, respectively). Neoadjuvant therapy ( p = 0.003) and malnutrition ( p = 0.046) remained independently associated with receiving dietetics intervention; however, 31.3% of malnourished patients had not seen a dietitian. Patients who received ≥3 dietetics appointments had lower mean (SD) percentage weight loss at the 1-month preoperative timeframe compared with patients who received 0-2 appointments (1.2 (2.0) vs. 3.1 (3.3), p = 0.001). Patients who received ONS for >2 weeks had lower mean (SD) percentage weight loss than those who did not (1.2 (1.8) vs. 2.9 (3.4), p = 0.001). In malnourished patients, total dietetics appointments ≥3 was independently associated with reduced surgical complications (odds ratio 0.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1, 0.9, p = 0.04), and ONS >2 weeks was associated with reduced LOS (regression coefficient -7.3, 95% CI -14.3, -0.3, p = 0.04)., Conclusions: Despite recommendations, there are low rates of preoperative dietetics consultation and nutrition support in this population, which are associated with increased preoperative weight loss and risk of increased LOS and complications in malnourished patients. The results of this study provide insights into evidence-practice gaps for improvement and data to support further research regarding optimal methods of preoperative nutrition support.

Objective: To investigate, in lung cancer patients awaiting elective surgery, the feasibility of delivering a novel four-week multimodal prehabilitation intervention and its effects on preoperative functional capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), compared to standard hospital care., Methods: Adult patients awaiting elective thoracotomy for lung cancer stages I, II or IIIa, were approached to participate in an open-label, randomized controlled trial of two parallel arms: multimodal prehabilitation combining a mixed-nutrient supplement with structured supervised and home-based exercise training, and relaxation-strategies (Prehab) or standard hospital care (Control). Feasibility was assessed based on recruitment and adherence rates to the intervention and study outcome assessment. Functional capacity, measured by the 6-min walk test (6MWT), and HRQoL were measured at baseline and after four weeks (preoperative)., Results: Within 5 months, 34 patients were enrolled and randomized (2:1) to Prehab (n = 24; median age = 67 years) or Control (n = 10; median age = 69 years); recruitment rate of 58.6%. The study was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Adherence to the prescribed intensity of the supervised exercise program was 84.1% (SD 23.1). Self-reported adherence to the home-based exercise program was 88.2% (SD 21) and to the nutritional supplement, 93.2% (SD 14.2). Adherence to patients' preoperative assessment was 82% and 88% in Prehab and Control, respectively. The mean adjusted difference in 4-week preoperative 6MWT between groups was 37.7 m (95% CI, -6.1 to 81.4), p = 0.089. There were no differences in HRQoL between groups., Conclusion: Within a preoperative timeframe, it was feasible to deliver this novel multimodal prehabilitation intervention in lung cancer patients awaiting surgery., (Copyright © 2021 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore potential clinical applications, based on evidence and a nurse-driven test of change, of using lavender aromatherapy for preoperative anxiety as an intervention complementary to standard preoperative care., Design: A pre- versus postaromatherapy comparison using a visual analog scale (VAS)., Setting: The preoperative department at a level 2 trauma hospital with 544 beds., Participants: Forty-four surgical patients, including 29 female participants and 15 male participants., Intervention/measurements: Participants reported their anxiety on a VAS before receiving a lavender aromatherapy inhaler. Anxiety scores were measured again after receiving the lavender aromatherapy and shortly before participants left the preoperative area for surgery. A pre-post comparison of the two VAS anxiety measurements before and after receiving the lavender aromatherapy was completed, analyzed, and is discussed., Results: Mean anxiety scores were calculated for the pre- and postaromatherapy groups. Forty-eight percent of female participants (n = 29) reported a decrease in their anxiety after receiving preoperative lavender aromatherapy. Female participants reported higher preoperative anxiety scores and a larger decrease in their mean anxiety scores after receiving lavender aromatherapy when compared to male participants., Conclusion: The use of a nurse-driven complementary intervention in the preoperative area was associated with a decrease in mean anxiety scores among female patients about to undergo elective surgery. However, cause and effect cannot be determined because of a lack of a control group and randomization. Opportunities exist with support from seasoned staff for nurses to incorporate safe, evidence-based complementary interventions into the current standard of care for preoperative anxiety., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The author reports no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships., (Copyright © 2021 AWHONN. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: Preoperative imaging is performed routinely to guide surgical management in primary hyperparathyroidism, but the optimal imaging modalities are debated., Objective: Our objectives were to evaluate which imaging modalities are associated with improved cure rate and higher concordance rates with intraoperative findings. A secondary aim was to determine whether additive imaging is associated with higher cure rate., Design, Setting, and Patients: This is a retrospective cohort review of 1485 adult patients during a 14-year period (2004-2017) at an academic tertiary referral center that presented for initial parathyroidectomy for de novo primary hyperparathyroidism., Main Outcome Measures: Surgical cure rate, concordance of imaging with operative findings, and imaging performance., Results: The overall cure rate was 94.1% (95% confidence interval, 0.93-0.95). Cure rate was significantly improved if sestamibi/single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was concordant with operative findings (95.9% vs. 92.5%, P = 0.010). Adding a third imaging modality did not improve cure rate (1 imaging type 91.8% vs. 2 imaging types 94.4% vs. 3 imaging types 87.2%, P = 0.59). Despite having a low number of cases (n = 28), 4-dimensional (4D) CT scan outperformed (higher sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value) all imaging modalities in multiglandular disease and double adenomas, and sestamibi/SPECT in single adenomas., Conclusions: Preoperative ultrasound combined with sestamibi/SPECT were associated with the highest cure and concordance rates. If pathology was not found on ultrasound and sestamibi/SPECT, additional imaging did not improve the cure rate or concordance. 4D CT scan outperformed all imaging modalities in multiglandular disease and double adenomas, and sestamibi/SPECT in single adenomas, but these findings were underpowered., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: In the United States, over-testing and over-treatment are recognised causes of excess cost and patient harm. Healthcare value, defined as health outcomes achieved relative to the costs of care, has become a focus to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare., Aim: To describe the rationale for, and development of a standardised clinical preoperative decision-support tool. Program description: An evidence-based, preoperative clinical decision tool was developed to guide preoperative testing and management of high-risk medications. Program evaluation: Patient data before and after implementation of the tool will be analysed to determine its effectiveness in reducing preoperative testing., Discussion: Preoperative testing is an area that presents an opportunity to increase healthcare value and decrease healthcare spending. Guidelines are available to standardise preoperative assessment but their adoption and acceptance into practice has been slow. To systematise preoperative assessment within our healthcare system, we reviewed current published literature and guidelines and synthesised them into an electronic, evidence-based, decision-support tool. After distribution of the tool to clinicians in our healthcare system, we will assess its impact on healthcare value, costs and outcomes. We believe that an evidence-based preoperative tool, seamlessly and efficiently integrated into clinician workflow, can improve preoperative patient care.

Background: Cataract surgery is one of the most common elective surgeries. We present a novel approach of preoperative triage using community-based ophthalmologist referral letters for scheduling surgery, thus reducing both patient and physician time prior to surgery. Since most patients are not routinely examined in a preoperative clinic, day of surgery cancelations are a possibility. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of our triage system., Methods: Historical prospective study in which the end point was day-of-surgery cancelation. The main outcome measure of this study was the rate of cancelations which could have been prevented by a preoperative visit. Patients' records were reviewed for reasons for cancelation and demographics., Results: During the study period, 1030 patients underwent cataract surgery, 171 patients (16.6%) were examined in the preoperative clinic. Forty-five patients (4.4%) were canceled on the day of surgery due to various reasons. The main reason for cancelation (13 cases, 28.9%) was non-availability of operating theater. In 20 cases (1.9% of total patients, 44.4% of cancelations), the cancelations could have been prevented by a preoperative clinic visit., Conclusion: Our results suggests that most cataract patients do not require preoperative visit prior to the day of surgery. The cooperation of community-based ophthalmologists and the availability of senior surgeons in the operating theater allows for the proper implementation of our system. Direct referral to surgery could shorten both costs and time to surgery and provide timely treatment for cataracts in a cost-aware environment.

Many patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) need surgical management during their lifetime. The best approach for preoperative transfusion in SCD is still to be determined. In this single-center retrospective study, we included HBSS/HBS-Beta 0 -thalassemia patients younger than 16 years of age who underwent surgery between January 2008 and July 2019. Preoperative transfusion assignment (PTA) was based on SCD severity and surgical risk. Patients were assigned to no transfusion, simple transfusion, or exchange transfusion. A total of 284 patients were identified and 66 (23%) underwent 78 procedures. Mean age at the time of procedure was 8 (5-11) years, mean baseline hemoglobin was 8.5 (7.8-9.3) g/dl, and mean hemoglobin F was 18.4 ± 8.2%. SCD severity was low-risk in 57 (73%) and high-risk in 21 (27%) patients. Surgical risk was low-risk in 20 (25.6%) and medium-risk in 58 (74.4%) procedures. PTA was no transfusion in 17 (22%), simple transfusion in 40 (51%), and exchange transfusion in 21 (27%) procedures. Postoperative complications occurred in five (6.4%) of procedures only in the simple transfusion group (three acute chest syndrome, one hemolytic anemia, one pain crisis) undergoing medium-risk surgery. Preoperative risk-based transfusion assignment is feasible. Despite a high baseline hemoglobin level in the no transfusion group, none of the patients developed postoperative complications. It is possible that the high baseline hemoglobin F phenotype was protective and indicates the need to study the risk/benefit of interventions used in this phenotype.

Background: Smoking cessation programs for patients with cancer suggest 6-mo quit rates between 22% and 40%, and 1-y rates of 33%. We sought to investigate the long-term outcomes of an intensive, preoperative smoking cessation program in patients undergoing lung resection., Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of an IRB-approved, prospective database was performed. Elective lung resections between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017 were identified. Demographics, smoking status, pack years, occurrence of smoking cessation counseling, complications, and quit date were obtained. Smoking cessation included face-to-face motivational interviewing, choice of nicotine replacement therapy, discussion that surgery may be canceled or delayed without cessation, and follow-up as needed., Results: A total of 340 patients underwent lung resection. Of these, 82 patients were classified as current smokers. All were advised to quit and encouraged to meet with a certified tobacco treatment specialist. Sixty-three patients met with a tobacco treatment specialist and 19 did not. Overall, 60 patients (73%) were able to quit before surgery. At 2 y postoperatively, 15 (18%) were lost to follow-up and 9 (11%) had died. Excluding deaths and censoring those lost to follow-up, cessation rates at 6, 12, and 24 mo postoperatively were 55.3%, 55.6%, and 51.7%, respectively., Conclusions: Implementation of an intensive smoking cessation program in the preoperative period demonstrated high initial, mid-term, and long-term success rates. The preoperative period, particularly one centered around lung cancer, is an effective time for smoking cessation intervention and can lead to a high rate of cessation up to 2 y after surgery., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Preexisting cognitive impairment is emerging as a predictor of poor postoperative outcomes in seniors. Nevertheless, cognitive impairment in a large proportion of geriatric patients has not been well identified and diagnosed., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Mini-mental state examination scale was used to assess the cognitive function of elderly patients aged ≥65 years undergoing orthopedic surgery preoperatively. The baseline, living habits and laboratory examination results of two groups were compared, and a multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of preoperative cognitive impairment., Results: A total of 374 elderly patients with orthopedic surgery indications met the inclusion criteria, and 28.61% of them had preoperative cognitive impairment. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.089, P < 0.001), subjective sleep disorders (OR = 1.996, P = 0.021), atherosclerosis (OR = 2.367, P = 0.017), and high cholesterol level (OR = 1.373, P = 0.028) were independent risk factors for preoperative cognitive impairment, while high education level performed as a protective factor (compared with the illiterate group, primary school group: OR = 0.413, P = 0.009; middle school or above group: OR = 0.120, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: The prevalence of preoperative cognitive dysfunction in geriatric elective orthopedic surgical patients was high. Our study identified venerable age, low level of education, subjective sleep disorders, atherosclerosis, and high cholesterol level as risk factors for preoperative cognitive impairment in these patients. Understanding these risk factors contributes to assisting in prevention and directed interventions for the high-risk population.

Objective: To highlight emerging preoperative screening protocols and document workflow challenges and successes during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a large urban tertiary care medical center. Thirty-two patients undergoing operative procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic were placed into 2 preoperative screening protocols. Early in the pandemic a "high-risk case protocol" was utilized to maximize available resources. As information and technology evolved, a "universal point-of-care protocol" was implemented., Results: Of 32 patients, 25 were screened prior to surgery. Three (12%) tested positive for COVID-19. In all 3 cases, the procedure was delayed, and patients were admitted for treatment or discharged under home quarantine. During this period, 86% of operative procedures were indicated for treatment of oncologic disease. There was no significant delay in arrival to the operating room for patients undergoing point-of-care screening immediately prior to their procedure ( P = .92)., Discussion: Currently, few studies address preoperative screening for COVID-19. A substantial proportion of individuals in this cohort tested positive, and both protocols identified positive cases. The major strengths of the point-of-care protocol are ease of administration, avoiding subsequent exposures after testing, and relieving strain on "COVID-19 clinics" or other community testing facilities., Implications for Practice: Preoperative screening is a critical aspect of safe surgical practice in the midst of the widespread pandemic. Rapid implementation of universal point-of-care screening is possible without major workflow adjustments or operative delays.

Purpose: Metformin has been suggested to possibly reduce cancer risk. However, the mechanism underlying the positive effects of metformin on cancer treatment remains unclear. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the effects of preoperative metformin in patients with early breast cancer., Method: We evaluated the effects on immunological factors (TILs, CD4 + , CD8 + , PD-L1, IFNγ and IL-2) by comparing core needle biopsies (CNB) obtained before metformin treatment with surgical specimens. Seventeen patients were enrolled in this prospective study from January to December 2016. We also analyzed 59 patients undergoing surgery during the same period to reveal the correlation of immune factors between CNB and surgical specimen., Result: There was a moderate correlation between CNB and surgical specimens on TILs and CD8 + lymphocyte. (TILs Rs = 0.63, CD4 + Rs = 0.224, CD8 + Rs = 0.42) In the metformin group, TILs increases were confirmed in five (29%) patients, while a decrease was confirmed in two (12%). The expressions of CD4 + and CD8 + by TILs were increased in 41% and 18% of surgical specimens, respectively. However, TILs number (p = 0.0554), CD4+ (p = 0.0613) and CD8 + (p = 0.0646) expressions did not significantly increased. Furthermore, IFNγ expression appeared to be increased in response to metformin (p = 0.08)., Conclusion: Preoperative metformin tends to increase TILs, as well as the numbers of CD4 and CD8 positive lymphocytes, and IFNγ levels. Metformin might improve immune function and have a possibility of chemo-sensitivity and thereby increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy, based on the results of this preliminary study.

Patients anticipating surgery and anesthesia often need preoperative care to lower risk and facilitate services on the day of surgery. Preparing patients often requires extensive evaluation and coordination of care. Vulnerable, marginalized, and disenfranchised populations have special concerns, limitations, and needs. These patients may have unidentified or poorly managed comorbidities. Underrepresented minorities and transgender patients may avoid or have limited access to health care. Homelessness, limited health literacy, and incarceration hinder perioperative optimization initiatives. Identifying patients who will benefit from additional resource allocation and knowledge of their special challenges are vital to reducing disparities in health and health care., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prescription opioid use and opioid-related deaths have become an epidemic in the United States, leading to devastating economic and health ramifications. Opioids are the most commonly prescribed drug class to treat low back pain, despite the limited body of evidence supporting their efficacy. Furthermore, preoperative opioid use prior to spine surgery has been reported to range from 20% to over 70%, with nearly 20% of this population being opioid dependent., Objective: To review the medical literature on the effect of preoperative opioid use in outcomes in spine surgery., Methods: We reviewed manuscripts published prior to February 1, 2019, exploring the effect of preoperative opioid use on outcomes in spine surgery. We identified 45 articles that analyzed independently the effect of preoperative opioid use on outcomes (n = 32 lumbar surgery, n = 19 cervical surgery, n = 7 spinal deformity, n = 5 "other")., Results: Preoperative opioid use is overwhelmingly associated with negative surgical and functional outcomes, including postoperative opioid use, hospitalization duration, healthcare costs, risk of surgical revision, and several other negative outcomes., Conclusion: There is an urgent and unmet need to find and apply extensive perioperative solutions to combat opioid use, particularly in patients undergoing spine surgery. Further investigations are necessary to determine the optimal method to treat such patients and to develop opioid-combative strategies in patients undergoing spine surgery., (Copyright © 2020 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.)

Preoperative anaemia is common in the Asia-Pacific. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a risk factor that can be addressed under patient blood management (PBM) Pillar 1, leading to reduced morbidity and mortality. We examined PBM implementation under four different healthcare systems, identified challenges and proposed several measures: (a) Test for anaemia once patients are scheduled for surgery. (b) Inform patients about risks of preoperative anaemia and benefits of treatment. (c) Treat IDA and replenish iron stores before surgery, using intravenous iron when oral treatment is ineffective, not tolerated or when rapid iron replenishment is needed; transfusion should not be the default management. (d) Harness support from multiple medical disciplines and relevant bodies to promote PBM implementation. (e) Demonstrate better outcomes and cost savings from reduced mortality and morbidity. Although PBM implementation may seem complex and daunting, it is feasible to start small. Implementing PBM Pillar 1, particularly in preoperative patients, is a sensible first step regardless of the healthcare setting., (Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.)

Patients anticipating surgery and anesthesia often need preoperative care to reduce risk and facilitate services on the day of surgery. Preparing patients often requires extensive evaluation and coordination of care. Vulnerable, marginalized, and disenfranchised populations have special concerns, limitations, and needs. These patients may have unidentified or poorly managed comorbidities. Underrepresented minorities and transgender patients may avoid or have limited access to health care. Homelessness, limited health literacy, and incarceration hinder perioperative optimization initiatives. Identifying patients who will benefit from additional resource allocation and knowledge of their special challenges is vital to reducing disparities in health and health care., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Patients with hip fractures are typically elderly individuals with several co-morbidities. Upon admission to the hospital, they often present with acute pain, electrolyte disturbances, anaemia, coagulopathy, and delirium. Long waiting times for surgery are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The balance between the number of clinical tests and optimisation, which may (i.e., fewer complications and better survival) or may not (i.e., more complications and increased mortality due to unnecessary surgical delay) benefit the patient, has been a preoperative challenge. This summary will review existing clinical guidelines and relevant selected studies to evaluate the extent of preoperative optimisation needed prior to hip fracture surgery., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: It is engrained in medical training that routine blood screening prior to arthroplasty is necessary for optimal patient care. There is little evidence to support their utility and the aggregate cost to the health system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate preoperative blood screening by identifying the frequency of an abnormal result and to examine the influence of age, gender and body mass index on the frequency of abnormal blood pathology., Methods: This is a retrospective review of 1000 patients from a single centre who underwent elective primary hip or knee arthroplasty from 2015 to 2017. Abnormal blood results were identified and clinically relevant intervals were created for routine markers., Results: A total of 939 patients had available pathology results with 84% identified as having an abnormal result and 47% having a clinically important range. Abnormal liver function tests and ferritin were most common. With increasing age, there was a significant increase in rates of abnormal clinically important range, renal dysfunction, abnormal haemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Males and patients with body mass index >40 had an increased rate of abnormal results, particularly liver function tests., Conclusion: The ordering of preoperative investigations prior to lower limb arthroplasty is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, alleviating concern of post-operative complications and covering medicolegal issues. Our study determined a high frequency of abnormal results, justifying routine blood screening is recommended prior to surgery, particularly for the elderly, males and obese patients., (© 2020 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)

Background: Preoperative anaemia affects one third of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Although it is recommended that perioperative teams should identify and treat patients with preoperative anaemia before surgery, introducing new treatment protocols can be challenging in surgical pathways. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of introducing a preoperative intravenous iron service as a national initiative in cardiac surgery., Methods: We performed a multicentre, stepped, observational study using the UK Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Critical Care Research Network. The primary feasibility outcome was the ability to set up an anaemia and intravenous iron clinic at each site. The primary efficacy outcome was change in haemoglobin (Hb) concentration between intervention and operation. Secondary outcomes included blood transfusion and hospital stay. Patients with anaemia were compared with non-anaemic patients and with those who received intravenous iron as part of their routine treatment protocol., Results: Seven out of 11 NHS hospitals successfully set up iron clinics over 2 yr, and 228 patients were recruited into this study. Patients with anaemia who received intravenous iron were at higher surgical risk, were more likely to have a known previous history of iron deficiency or anaemia, had a higher rate of chronic kidney disease, and were slightly more anaemic than the non-treated group. Intravenous iron was administered a median (inter-quartile range, IQR [range]) of 33 (15-53 [4-303]) days before surgery. Preoperative intravenous iron increased [Hb] from baseline to pre-surgery; mean (95% confidence interval) change was +8.4 (5.0-11.8) g L -1 (P<0.001). Overall, anaemic compared with non-anaemic patients were more likely to be transfused (49% [59/136] vs 27% (22/92), P=0.001) and stayed longer in hospital (median days [IQR], 9 [7-15] vs 8 [6-11]; P=0.014). The number of days alive and at home was lower in the anaemic group (median days [IQR], 20 [14-22] vs 21 [17-23]; P=0.033)., Conclusion: The development of an intravenous iron pathway is feasible but appears limited to selected high-risk cardiac patients in routine NHS practise. Although intravenous iron increased [Hb], there is a need for an appropriately powered clinical trial to assess the clinical effect of intravenous iron on patient-centred outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of interest AK or his institution has received educational grant funding, honoraria or travel expenses from Pharmacosmos, Vifor Pharma, Massimo, Hemonetics, Hemosonics, and Fisher and Paykel. MC's salary is supported by Pharmacosmos. CE has undertaken consulting work for Pharmacosmos. SA has received research funding and honoraria from Pharmacosmos. TR reports grants, personal fees, and non-financial support from Pharmacosmos; grants, personal fees, and non-financial support from Vifor Pharma; grants, personal fees, and non-financial support from Acelity; grants, personal fees, and non-financial support from Stroke Association; grants from Mason Medical Research Foundation; grants from UCH league of Friends; and grants and non-financial support from Libresse/Bodyform., (Copyright © 2019 British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved.)

Study Design: Retrospective case series., Objective: To assess the efficacy of preoperative halo-gravity traction (HGT) in the treatment for severe adult kyphosis and scoliosis. Preoperative HGT improves severe curve magnitude and clinical condition in pediatric spinal deformity. However, the efficacy of HGT on severe adult spinal deformity has rarely been studied., Materials and Methods: This study included 18 patients with severe adult kyphosis and scoliosis (age ≥ 18) who underwent a preoperative HGT (mean 4 weeks), and subsequent definitive posterior-alone corrective fusion. Etiologies were neurofibromatosis (n = 5), adult idiopathic (n = 3), multiple vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis (n = 1) and multiple myeloma (n = 1), degenerative failed back syndrome (n = 1), Scheuermann kyphosis (n = 1), Marfan syndrome (n = 1), and other genetic and connective tissue disorders (n = 5). We reviewed baseline demographics, including coronal and sagittal radiographic profiles. The changes in major curve magnitude, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and nutritional status were assessed between pre- and post-traction and immediate post-definitive corrective surgery., Results: There were 11 male and 7 female patients, aged 18-69 years with their major coronal and sagittal curves being 92.0° ± 25.2° and 111.6° ± 40.1°, respectively. The major coronal and sagittal curves were reduced by 18.4% and 16.8% after halo-traction, and 54.7% and 44.2% after definitive fusion, respectively. PFTs showed significant increase in %FEV1 and %FVC when comparing pre- and post-traction [43.0% ± 17.4% vs. 49.6% ± 18.7%, and 44.8%. ± 16.7% vs. 54.3% ± 20.7%, respectively, p < 0.01 (n = 11)]. Effective weight gain was observed after traction (46.8 ± 14.5 vs. 49.3 ± 13.5 kg, p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Halo-gravity traction (HGT) for severe coronal and sagittal plane spinal deformity in adult patients significantly reduced Cobb angles, improved PFTs, and allowed for effective weight gain in the preoperative period. The use of preoperative HGT is extremely beneficial to optimize the alignment and overall health of severe adult spinal deformity patients before their spinal reconstruction., Level of Evidence: Level IV.

The aim of this paper is to review the recent evolution of additive manufacturing (AM) within the medical field of preoperative surgical planning. The discussion begins with an overview of the different techniques, pointing out their advantages and disadvantages as well as an in-depth comparison of different characteristics of the printed parts. Then, the state-of-the-art with respect to preoperative surgical planning is presented. On the one hand, different surgical planning prototypes manufactured by several AM technologies are described. On the other hand, materials used for mimicking different living tissues are explored by focusing on the material properties: elastic modulus, hardness, etc. As a result, doctors can practice before performing surgery and thereby reduce the time needed for the operation. The subject of patient education is also introduced. A thorough review of the process that is required to obtain 3D printed surgical planning prototypes, which is based on different stages, is then carried out. Finally, the ethical issues associated with 3D printing in medicine are discussed, along with its future perspectives. Overall, this is important for improving the outcome of the surgery, since doctors will be able to visualize the affected organs and even to practice surgery before performing it.

Background: Induction of anesthesia can be stressful: Up to 60% of children suffer significant anxiety immediately before surgery. Anxiety is associated with higher postoperative analgesia requirements, higher incidence of emergence delirium, and detrimental effects on sleep and behavior. Child Life preparation includes role-play, expectation-setting, and teaching coping strategies. AIM : The aim of this trial was to determine whether preoperative Child Life preparation reduces anxiety prior to intravenous induction of anesthesia., Methods: Children aged 3-10 years, with no known preexisting anxiety and no preoperative anxiolytics, undergoing elective day surgery lasting ≤ 2 hours, were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Each child's baseline anxiety was assessed in the anesthetic care unit, using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale-Short Form (mYPAS-SF, observational scores from 22.9, minimal anxiety, to 100, maximal anxiety) as the primary outcome. The child was randomly assigned to intervention (minimum 15 minutes Child Life preparation) or control (standard practice without Child Life preparation). Participants entered the operating room with one parent. A researcher (blinded to group allocation) scored the child's operating room anxiety using mYPAS-SF, up to the first attempt at intravenous cannulation., Results: Fifty-nine children completed the study, aged median [interquartile range] 5 [3-7] years. Baseline mYPAS-SF anxiety was 29.2 [22.9-37.5] for all children, and operating room anxiety was 29.2 [22.9-49.0]. Operating room anxiety was higher than baseline in 16/31 (52%) children in the control group and 6/28 (21%) in the Child Life preparation group. ANCOVA revealed a significant effect of baseline mYPAS-SF anxiety and group on operating room anxiety (F = 10.31, P < .001, adjusted R 2  = .24); individual parameter estimates indicated that Child Life preparation reduced operating room anxiety by 13.8 (95% CI 4.4-23.1) points compared to control, P = .005., Conclusion: A brief, targeted Child Life preparation session had a statistically significant effect on reducing preoperative anxiety prior to intravenous induction of anesthesia in young children, with no known preexisting anxiety. This effect may be clinically important and suggests that Child Life can be a valuable component of pediatric surgical care. Further research is required in specific populations., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has been demonstrated as a feasible noninvasive method to improve wound healing. This effect was demonstrated to result from increased perfusion and angiogenesis due to systemic growth factor expression. We, therefore, hypothesized that preoperative ESWT reduces scar formation after surgery., Methods: A prospective, controlled pilot study on 24 patients undergoing abdominoplasty was conducted and the efficacy of preoperative unfocused, low energy EWST was evaluated. The right and left half of the operative area were randomly allocated to ESWT or placebo treatment in intrapatient control design. At 6 and 12 weeks after surgery, scar formation was evaluated by 19 different scar parameters included in the patient, observer scar assessment, and the Vancouver scar scale., Results: The overall rating of the Vancouver and POSAS scale with Mann-Whitney (MW) analysis revealed a clear trend favoring ESWT. At week 6, 7 of 19 parameters clearly favored ESWT (MW > 0.53). At week 12, 8 of 19 parameters clearly favored ESWT. The largest differences were observed in thickness and overall impression (Vancouver scar scale)., Conclusions: ESWT presumably reduces scar formation and postoperative symptoms after abdominoplasty surgery. Further studies are required to confirm ESWT efficacy with statistical significance. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Facial aging is a combination of descent of facial tissues, atrophy of fat compartments, bony remodeling, and photoaging/chronologic changes of the skin. Photoaging of the skin is clinically and histologically distinct from the genetically programmed aging process. Photoaging is due to UV-A and UV-B-generated free radicals that cause DNA mutations, structural and enzymatic protein alterations, and lipid peroxidation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The advent of molecular therapy through targeted kinase inhibitors (TKI) has revolutionized the management of renal cell carcinoma. Although surgical resection remains the cornerstone of any therapeutic plan, an increased risk of morbidity and mortality can be of concern in large and complex bulky tumors. Preoperative therapy with TKIs is hypothesized to facilitate resectability, reduce surgical morbidity and allow nephron-sparing surgery. Many concerns on the safety, efficacy and tolerability of these agents before surgery have halted the progress in this setting. In this paper, we will review the indications and safety of preoperative TKIs in RCC as well as the future approaches.

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is the study of how individuals' personal genotypes may affect their responses to various pharmacologic agents. The application of PGx principles in perioperative medicine is fairly novel. Challenges in executing PGx programs into health care systems include physician buy-in and integration into usual clinical workflow, including the electronic health record. This article discusses the current evidence highlighting the potential of PGx with various drug categories (including opioids, nonopioid analgesics, sedatives, β-blockers, antiemetics, and anticoagulants) used in the perioperative process and the challenges of integrating PGx into a health care system and relevant workflows., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Preparation for surgery with the induction of general anesthesia is one of the most stressful events that a child can experience. It produces several threats to the child, including physical harm, parent separation, and fear of the unknown. Anesthesia providers utilize non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions to decrease this preoperatively. However, little is known about the non-pharmacological interventions utilized by anesthesia providers in practice. The purpose of this study was to explore non-pharmacological interventions utilized by anesthesia providers before and during the induction of general anesthesia to reduce preoperative distress in children ages one to six years old. A qualitative descriptive approach was used in this study. Twenty anesthesia providers, fourteen registered nurse anesthetists and six anesthesiologists, participated in face to face, in-depth interviews in South Florida. Content analysis was used to identify and define the major themes that emerged from the interviews. A total of seven main themes were identified. Only the three themes directly related to parent-provider-child relationship are discussed in this paper: (I) Communication, (II) Observational Skills, and (III) Parental Presence. The anesthesia providers who participated in this study offered an opportunity to better understand the non-pharmacological interventions used to impact the management of preoperative distress among children. Study findings provide evidence about non-pharmacological anesthesia providers' clinical work not found elsewhere in the literature. Non-pharmacological interventions are effective in reducing preoperative distress in children., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Bariatric surgery (BS) leads to several changes in nutritional habits that can be attributed to different mechanisms. Some of these changes could be achievable with a preoperative nutritional intervention. The objective was to evaluate dietary modifications during the preoperative and postoperative periods of BS., Methods: Prospective observational study of patients who underwent BS between 2010 and 2014 at the Hospital del Mar; 60 consecutive patients were included. Food consumption was measured by a validated food-frequency questionnaire at inclusion in the bariatric surgery program, after preoperative nutritional intervention, and one year after surgery. Generalized estimating equation models were used to assess differences in food group intake during follow up., Results: Energy intake significantly decreased from inclusion to 1 year of surgery (p=0.003). After the preoperative intervention and prior to surgery, there was an increase in intake of nuts, vegetables, poultry and rabbit, fruit, fish and skimmed milk products and a decrease in bread, soft drinks and pastry. At one year post-surgery, a continued decrease in the consumption of bread and soft drinks and an increase in nuts was observed (linear non-quadratic trend). Consumption of fruit, pastry, fish and skimmed milk products remained stable showing a linear and quadratic trend. Vegetables and poultry and rabbit increased in the preoperative period and decreased after surgery, showing a quadratic but not linear trend., Conclusions: a preoperative nutritional intervention in morbidly obese patients can associate favorable dietary changes that are mostly maintained one year after bariatric surgery., (Copyright © 2019 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Thyroid cancer patients report unmet needs after diagnosis. However, little is known about their specific needs. Therefore, we sought to characterize the needs of patients with thyroid cancer before undergoing surgery., Material and Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 32 patients with papillary thyroid cancer after their preoperative surgical consultation. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis., Results: The central need of patients with thyroid cancer was a strong patient-surgeon relationship characterized by informational and emotional support, and respect for the patient as a person. Patients preferred disease- and treatment-related information to be individualized and to take into account aspects of their daily life. They wanted adequate time for asking questions with thoughtful answers tailored to their case. Patients additionally desired emotional support from the surgeon characterized by empathy and validation of their cancer experience. They particularly wanted surgeons to address their fears and anxiety. Patients also highly valued the surgeons' ability to see beyond their disease and acknowledge them as a unique person with respect to their occupation, psychosocial state, and other individual characteristics. When surgeons met patients' needs, they felt reassured, comfortable with their cancer diagnosis, and prepared for treatment. Suboptimal support increased patients' anxiety particularly when they felt the surgeon minimized their concerns., Conclusions: Preoperatively, patients with thyroid cancer desire a strong patient-surgeon relationship. They rely on the surgeon to provide adequate informational and emotional support and respect them as individuals. In turn, patients feel reassured and prepared for treatment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Undergoing major surgery can induce physical and functional decline. Prehabilitation programmes aim to improve physical fitness and function preoperatively and could enhance postoperative recovery and outcomes. Prehabilitation interventions have been utilised across a range of orthopaedic populations of all ages and can be multimodal in nature. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of prehabilitation for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery including day surgery procedures. It will also investigate the components of prehabilitation to understand optimum duration and frequency of programmes., Methods/design: Systematic review and meta-analysis designed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. A comprehensive electronic search will be performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, Embase, PEDro and Cochrane CENTRAL databases in order to identify randomised control trials published between January 2000 to 25 March 2019. ISI Web of Science, System for information on grey literature and the European Union clinical trials registry will identify studies that are underway or unpublished. Two independent reviewers will carry out the searches, study selection (title and abstract and full text stages), data extraction, risk of bias assessment (Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0) and evaluation of overall strength of evidence. Meta-analyses will be used for data which demonstrates homogeneity, otherwise a narrative synthesis will be performed for groups of studies of high heterogeneity (I 2 >50%). The overall strength of the body of evidence will be assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation., Ethics and Dissemination: This study raises no ethical issues. This study aims to identify the effectiveness of prehabilitation interventions and may assist clinicians in determining which components, duration, frequency and the method of delivery would form the most effective prehabilitation intervention for patients undergoing an orthopaedic surgical procedure. The findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42019123268., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The objective of the current study was to characterize patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) undergoing curative-intent surgery with discordant preoperative and postoperative prediction scores and determine factors associated with prediction discrepancy., Methods: Patients who underwent hepatectomy for ICC between 1990 and 2016 were identified in a multi-institutional international database. Preoperative and postoperative prognostic models were designed and discordant prognostic scores were identified. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was completed to determined factors associated with score discordance., Results: Among 1149 patients, those who had concordant prediction scores were older (median age, 60 vs 56), and more likely to have a smaller median tumor size (6.0 vs 7.5 cm) (all P < .05). On multivariable logistic analysis, patients with higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.19), higher CEA levels (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.50), larger tumors (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04-1.15) and suspicious lymph nodes (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.25-3.36) were more likely to have preoperative and postoperative score discordance. Older patients had decreased odds of having score discordance (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99). Patients with score discordance had worse overall survival compared with patients with concordant scores (median:15.9 vs 21.7 months, P < .05)., Conclusion: Score discordance may reflect an aggressive variant of ICC that would benefit from early integration of multidisciplinary treatment strategies., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)