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Background: In November 2017, a working feasibility analysis commenced of a local anaesthetic endonasal procedures out-patient clinic service at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne. Fundamental to introducing an innovative ambulatory out-patient practice is the development of a novel local safety standard for invasive procedures to support this service., Objective: This paper presents the new safety standard developed for this purpose and implemented in our institution., Conclusion: Increasingly, there is a shift toward ambulatory services, directed by patient choice, technological advances and the opportunity for cost savings. It is hoped that this local safety standard for invasive procedures will provide a useful template for those considering implementing ambulatory endonasal services, or other novel procedures, within the specialty of ENT.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a hysteroscopic local anesthetic intrauterine cornual block (ICOB) on pain experienced during office endometrial ablation (EA) in addition to a traditional direct local anesthetic cervical block (DCB)., Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial., Setting: University teaching hospital., Patient(s): Women with heavy menstrual bleeding scheduled for an office endometrial ablation., Intervention(s): Before office EA, DCB plus hysteroscopic ICOB just medial to each tubal ostium using local anesthetic mixture made up of 1 mL 3% mepivacaine plus 1 mL 0.5% bupivacaine versus control group receiving DBC plus ICOB with 2 mL of placebo (saline)., Primary Outcome: pain reported during procedure via visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 to 10; secondary outcomes: postoperative pain, rescue analgesic requirement, and duration of hospital stay., Result(s): Most characteristics were similar across groups. The mean VAS score during the procedure was statistically significantly lower by 1.44 (95% confidence interval, -2.65 to -0.21) in the active group compared with the placebo group. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the postprocedural mean VAS scores, rescue analgesic requirement, or duration of hospital stay., Conclusion(s): Used in addition to DCB, ICOB reduces the pain experienced during office EA compared with DCB alone., Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT01808898., (Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This paper outlines the development and feasibility of a dedicated ambulatory primary care hernia service and examines the outcomes achieved during the period 1 March 2005 to 31 December 2008., Patients and Methods: A prospective analysis of 1164 patients who underwent abdominal wall hernia repair at Probus Surgical Centre during the study period. The operations were carried out by two GPs with a special interest (GPwSI) and one retired surgeon. The techniques used were a Lichtenstein mesh repair or modified Shouldice repair for inguinal hernias and a primary sutured repair for ventral hernias. All procedures were performed as day-cases under local anaesthesia without sedation. All patients were reviewed routinely at 6 weeks. The primary outcomes of the study were recurrence and patient satisfaction levels, and complications such as infection, haematoma and chronic pain., Results: No patient required conversion to general anaesthesia. There were three (0.3%) recurrences. Complication rates were low and similar to those obtained in other specialist hernia units. More than 90% of patients were satisfied with the service and would recommend it to a friend., Conclusions: Routine elective abdominal wall hernia repairs can be performed in a primary care setting, safely and with excellent outcomes.

Introduction: Patients with minor anorectal conditions are frequently reviewed at an 8-week out-patient appointment (OPA). This study was designed to assess whether telephone follow-up could reduce OPA numbers whilst maintaining patient satisfaction., Patients and Methods: Over an 11-month period, 46 patients (23 male) underwent banding of haemorrhoids and 14 were prescribed medical treatment for fissure-in-ano (3 male). All were telephoned at 6 weeks and were offered an 8-week OPA if they had continuing problems. Patients were telephoned at a later date by a member of the hospital's patient panel to assess satisfaction., Results: Overall, 88% were contacted at 6 weeks, 60% at the first attempt; 40% required two or more attempts. Of those who underwent banding, 68% were asymptomatic, 17% requested an OPA for re-banding and 15% requested an OPA for a different problem. Of fissure patients, 25% were cured; the remainder were prescribed either second-line medical treatment (8%), anorectal physiology (42%) or surgery (25%). All avoided an OPA. Of a potential 60 OPAs, 47 were saved by telephone follow-up. None of 7 non-contactable patients accepted a written offer of an OPA. Overall, 89% of patients were contacted by the patient panel; of these patients, 93% reported a high level of satisfaction., Conclusions: Telephone follow-up can reduce the number of OPAs following out-patient treatment of minor anorectal conditions whilst maintaining a high level of patient satisfaction. However, it requires considerable consultant time. This process could be developed into either a nurse-led service with booked telephone appointments or a patient-led service to a dedicated hotline.

Introduction: The decision to offer surgical treatment for varicose veins should be based on objective evidence of venous dysfunction and not only the subjective appearance or the reported symptoms. Special tests are required to identify the sub-group of patients with functional superficial venous reflux accurately. The initial test should be simple, cheap, objective, sensitive and easy to perform by a wide range of staff in order to screen out patients without reflux. The final test should be anatomically specific to identify the appropriate surgical procedure. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of using photoplethysmography (PPG) as the initial test as part of a one-stop vascular clinic assessment protocol., Patients and Methods: All patients referred to one consultant over a 68-week period were assessed using standard practice for the first 22 weeks and with an objective assessment protocol based on PPG for the subsequent 46 weeks., Results: A total of 347 out-patient appointments for patients with venous disease were booked: 239 (69%) were new referrals. Of the new patients, 59% were CEAP C2/3 and 23% were CEAP C4-6. The introduction of the objective assessment protocol was associated with a reduction in patients offered surgery from 39% to 24% overall and 51% to 28% in new patients with CEAP C2. There was a corresponding increase in the number of patients discharged back to the GP from 19% to 29% overall and 17% to 32%, respectively. The number of patients referred for duplex ultrasound fell slightly from 26% to 22%. Overall, there was a significant change in practice between the two periods (chi(2) = 13.3; df = 3; P = 0.004)., Conclusions: The introduction of an objective assessment protocol based on PPG as the initial objective test reduces the number of patients offered surgery based on objective evidence of venous dysfunction.

Background: Given the generally accepted poor outcome of inguinal hernia repair when using nylon darn, and the recent interest in low-tension mesh repair, an attempt was made to demonstrate the feasibility, outcome and patient perception of providing Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair, using local anaesthesia, wholly within the primary healthcare sector., Methods: A prospective study reviewed clinical outcome and patient perception in 100 adults referred with inguinal hernia only. No selection was made regarding age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists status or previous repairs. Recurrence, pain, infection, return to full function and associated complications were assessed at 24 h, 1 and 6 weeks, and 1 year. Local Community Health Councils assessed patient perception., Results: In the first 100 patients (age range 21-83 (mean(s.d.) 60(14.7)) years; 58 of employable age; 92 men; ten recurrent hernias), no recurrences have occurred at 1 year. Infection rate was 3 per cent. Pain was maximal in the first 24-48 h (median visual analogue scale 5, range 0-10) and reduced rapidly (median 1) at 1 week. Mean time to return to work or full normal activity was 8 days. Some 85 operations were performed within 1 month of diagnosis. In all, 86 patients returned the patient satisfaction questionnaire and 98 per cent of these were 'very pleased' with the service., Conclusion: In highly motivated primary healthcare centres, inguinal hernia repair can be undertaken effectively, providing high patient satisfaction, minimal complications and low recurrence rates using the Lichtenstein technique.

Tonsillectomies have been performed on a same-day basis in Coventry for the past three years. We report our experience with this technique which has gradually evolved over the last ten years. The procedure is described in detail and the results of the first two years have been analysed. In common with the experience of others, it is possible to perform tonsillectomies safely on a same-day basis.

Many serious disorders that threaten eyesight can now be treated with vitreoretinal surgery. As there was no regional facility for this treatment a service was developed to provide it. Among the first 100 patients treated over half had diabetic vitreoretinal disease. The remainder had ocular trauma (15), non-diabetic vasculopathy (10), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (10), and miscellaneous disorders including diagnostic procedures (14). Sight was improved in most cases, 27 diabetic and 21 non-diabetic patients regaining navigating vision. Few patients were made worse: one only of the 49 non-diabetic patients and 12 of the 51 diabetic patients, and none whose vision was better than the ability to count fingers before operation. The many indications for this procedure, the size of the population that could benefit (an estimated minimum of 3800 operations per year in the United Kingdom in patients with diabetes alone), and the great potential benefit of the procedure all suggest the need for regional services. These would be cost effective in preventing blindness.

The validity of the use of time, skills and resources in minor surgery clinics can only be properly assessed by reviewing one's work and results, and ultimately by auditing oneself against accepted standards of practice, outcomes and costs.