Publications

Background

We sought to understand the challenges in accessing pediatric surgical care in the context of the “three delays” model at the Pediatric Surgery Outpatient Clinic (PSOPC) at a tertiary hospital in Kampala, Uganda.

Materials and methods

An outpatient database was established at the weekly PSOPC. A survey regarding prior healthcare visits and barriers to care was additionally administered to clinic patients and inpatients.

Results

Patients first sought healthcare a median of 56 d before the current visit to the PSOPC. A majority (52%) of patients first sought care at another health facility, and 17% of those surveyed had presented to the PSOPC three or more times for their current medical issue. Of 240 patients with a new issue or due for their next surgery, 10% were admitted to the ward, with only 54% receiving definitive care. Included in the most commonly needed surgeries for PSOPC patients were herniotomy (16% inguinal; 14.9% umbilical), orchiopexy (6.3%), posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (6.3%), and colostomy closure (4.4%), with the range of patient ages at the time of presentation reflecting delays in care. Patient expenditures associated with travel to the hospital showed inpatients coming from significantly further away, with higher costs of travel and need to borrow or sell assets to cover travel costs, when compared with PSOPC patients.

Conclusions

Patients face significant delays in accessing and receiving definitive surgical care. Associated burdens associated with these delays place patients at risk for catastrophic health expenditures. Infrastructure and capacity development are necessary for improvement in pediatric surgical care.

Background

Communication is the foundation of any patient-doctor relationship. Patients who are unable to communicate effectively with physicians because of language barriers may face disparities in accessing orthopaedic care and in the evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal symptoms. We evaluated whether Spanish-speaking patients face disparities scheduling appointments with orthopaedists via the telephone.

Methods

From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) web site, we randomly selected 50 orthopaedic surgeons’ offices in California specializing in knee surgery. The investigator called eligible offices using a script to request an appointment for a hypothetical Spanish-speaking or English-speaking 65-year-old man with knee pain. The caller randomly selected the patient’s primary language for this first call. A second call was placed a week later requesting an appointment for an identical patient who spoke the alternate language.

Results

There was no significant difference between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients’ access to appointments with an orthopaedic surgeon (p = 0.8256). Thirty-six English-speaking patients and 35 Spanish-speaking patients were offered an appointment. Twenty-eight Spanish-speaking patients were instructed to bring a friend or family member who could translate for them, 3 were told that the provider spoke sufficient Spanish to communicate without the need for an interpreter, and 4 were told that an interpreter would be made available.

Conclusions

We did not detect a disparity between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients’ access to appointments with an orthopaedic surgeon. However, 80% of Spanish-speaking patients were asked to rely on nonqualified interpreters for their orthopaedic appointment. This study suggests that orthopaedic offices in California depend heavily on ad hoc interpreters rather than professional interpretation services. It also highlights potential barriers to the provision of qualified interpreters. Additional study is warranted to assess how this lack of adequate utilization of medical interpreters affects the patient-doctor relationship, the quality of care received, and the financial burden on the health system.

Clinical relevance

Optimizing the care that we provide to our patients is a goal of every orthopaedic surgeon. We highlight the importance of utilizing professional interpreters as a means to reduce health-care disparities and overall health-care costs, as well as the importance of improving reimbursement and infrastructure for physicians to utilize qualified interpreters in caring for their limited-English-proficient patients.

Background

In Africa, most countries have fewer than 1 physician anesthesiologist (PA) per 100,000 population. Nonphysician anesthesia providers (NPAPs) play a large role in the workforce of many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but little information has been systematically collected to describe existing human resources for anesthesia care models. An understanding of existing PA and NPAP training pathways and roles is needed to inform anesthesia workforce planning, especially for critically underresourced countries.

Methods

Between 2016 and 2018, we conducted electronic, phone, and in-person surveys of anesthesia providers in Africa. The surveys focused on the presence of anesthesia training programs, training program characteristics, and clinical scope of practice after graduation.

Results

One hundred thirty-one respondents completed surveys representing data for 51 of 55 countries in Africa. Most countries had both PA and NPAP training programs (57%; mean, 1.6 pathways per country). Thirty distinct training pathways to become an anesthesia provider could be discriminated on the basis of entry qualification, duration, and qualification gained. Of these 30 distinct pathways, 22 (73%) were for NPAPs. Physician and NPAP program durations were a median of 48 and 24 months (ranges: 36-72, 9-48), respectively. Sixty percent of NPAP pathways required a nursing background for entry, and 60% conferred a technical (eg, diploma/license) qualification after training. Physicians and NPAPs were trained to perform most anesthesia tasks independently, though few had subspecialty training (such as regional or cardiac anesthesia).

Conclusions

Despite profound anesthesia provider shortages throughout Africa, most countries have both NPAP and PA training programs. NPAP training pathways, in particular, show significant heterogeneity despite relatively similar scopes of clinical practice for NPAPs after graduation. Such heterogeneity may reflect the varied needs and resources for different settings, though may also suggest lack of consensus on how to train the anesthesia workforce. Lack of consistent terminology to describe the anesthesia workforce is a significant challenge that must be addressed to accelerate workforce research and planning efforts.

Objective

To determine social factors associated with advanced stone disease (defined as unilateral stone burden >2 cm) at time of presentation to a regional stone referral center. Little is known about social determinants of urolithiasis. We hypothesize that socioeconomic factors impact kidney stone severity at intake to referral centers.

Methods

A retrospective review of the prospectively collected data from the Registry for Stones of the Kidney and Ureter from 2015 to 2018 was conducted to evaluate patient characteristics predictive of having a large (>2 cm) unilateral kidney stone. Data on patient age, gender, body mass index, diabetes, race, language, education level, infection, distance, income, referring regional urologist density, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and stone analysis were evaluated.

Results

Complete imaging and patient variable data was present in 650 of 1142 patients including 197 patients with unilateral stone burden >2 cm. On multivariate analysis, obesity, lower education level, increased distance from the referral center, and symptoms of infection predicted for unilateral stone burden greater than 2 cm. Among 191 patients with stone analysis data present, stone type, income, and urologist density predicted for unilateral stone burden greater than 2 cm.

Conclusion

In addition to known biological risk factors, patients with lower education levels and from regions of lower mean income were found to be more likely to present to our tertiary care center with stone burden greater than 2 cm. More research is needed to elucidate the social and societal determinants of advanced stone disease and the impact this has on population costs for stone treatment.

Purpose of review

Two-thirds of the world’s population lacks access to surgical care, many of them being children. This review provides an update on recent advances in global children’s surgery.

Recent findings

Surgery is being increasingly recognized as an essential component of global and child health. There is a greater focus on sustainable collaborations between high-income countries (HICs) and low-and-middle-income countries (HICs and LMICs). Recent work provides greater insight into the global disease burden, perioperative outcomes and effective context-specific solutions. Surgery has continued to be identified as a cost-effective intervention in LMICs. There have also been substantial advances in research and advocacy for a number of childhood surgical conditions.

Summary

Substantial global disparities persist in the care of childhood surgical conditions. Recent work has provided greater visibility to the challenges and solutions for children’s surgery in LMICs. Capacity-building and scale up of children’s surgical care, more robust implementation research and ongoing advocacy are needed to increase access to children’s surgical care worldwide.

Background

There is a significant unmet need for children’s surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Multidisciplinary collaboration is required to advance the surgical and anesthesia care of children’s surgical conditions such as congenital conditions, cancer and injuries. Nonetheless, there are limited examples of this process from LMICs. We describe the development and 3-year outcomes following a 2015 stakeholders’ meeting in Uganda to catalyze multidisciplinary and multi-institutional collaboration.

Methods

The stakeholders’ meeting was a daylong conference held in Kampala with local, regional and international collaborators in attendance. Multiple clinical specialties including surgical subspecialists, pediatric anesthesia, perioperative nursing, pediatric oncology and neonatology were represented. Key thematic areas including infrastructure, training and workforce retention, service delivery, and research and advocacy were addressed, and short-term objectives were agreed upon. We reported the 3-year outcomes following the meeting by thematic area.

Results

The Pediatric Surgical Foundation was developed following the meeting to formalize coordination between institutions. Through international collaborations, operating room capacity has increased. A pediatric general surgery fellowship has expanded at Mulago and Mbarara hospitals supplemented by an international fellowship in multiple disciplines. Coordinated outreach camps have continued to assist with training and service delivery in rural regional hospitals.

Conclusion

Collaborations between disciplines, both within LMICs and with international partners, are required to advance children’s surgery. The unification of stakeholders across clinical disciplines and institutional partnerships can facilitate increased children’s surgical capacity. Such a process may prove useful in other LMICs with a wide range of children’s surgery stakeholders.

Simulation is relatively new in many low-income countries. We describe the challenges encountered, solutions deployed, and the costs incurred while establishing two simulation centers in Uganda. The challenges we experienced included equipment costs, difficulty in procurement, lack of context-appropriate curricula, unreliable power, limited local teaching capacity, and lack of coordination among user groups. Solutions we deployed included improvisation of equipment, customization of low-cost simulation software, creation of context-specific curricula, local administrative support, and creation of a simulation fellowship opportunity for local instructors. Total costs for simulation setups ranged from US $165 to $17,000. For centers in low-income countries trying to establish simulation programs, our experience suggests that careful selection of context-appropriate equipment and curricula, engagement with local and international collaborators, and early emphasis to increase local teaching capacity are essential. Further studies are needed to identify the most cost-effective levels of technological complexity for simulation in similar resource-constrained settings.

Objective

To estimate how many children and adolescent worldwide do not have access to surgical care.

Methods

We estimated the number of children and adolescents younger than 19 years worldwide without access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care, by using population data for 2017 from the United Nations and international data on surgical access in 2015. We categorized countries by World Bank country income group and obtained the proportion of the population with no access to surgical care from a study by the Commission on Global Surgery.

Findings

An estimated 1.7 billion (95% credible interval: 1.6-1.8) children and adolescents worldwide did not have access to surgical care in 2017. Lack of access occurred overwhelmingly in low- and middle-income countries where children and adolescents make up a disproportionately large fraction of the population. Moreover, 453 million children younger than 5 years did not have access to basic life-saving surgical care. According to Commission on Global Surgery criteria, less than 3% of the paediatric population in low-income countries and less than 8% in lower-middle-income countries had access to surgical care.

Conclusion

There were substantial gaps in the availability of surgical services for children worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Future research should focus on developing specific measures for assessing paediatric surgical access, delivery and outcomes and on clarifying how limited surgical access in the poorest parts of the world affects child health, especially mortality in children younger than 5 years.

Large numbers of U.S. physicians and medical trainees engage in hands-on clinical global health experiences abroad, where they gain skills working across cultures with limited resources. Increasingly, these experiences are becoming bidirectional, with providers from low- and middle-income countries traveling to experience health care in the United States, yet the same hands-on experiences afforded stateside physicians are rarely available for foreign medical graduates or postgraduate trainees when they arrive. These physicians are typically limited to observership experiences where they cannot interact with patients in most U.S. institutions. In this article, the authors discuss this inequity in global medical education, highlighting the shortcomings of the observership training model and the legal and regulatory barriers prohibiting foreign physicians from engaging in short-term clinical training experiences. They provide concrete recommendations on regulatory modifications that would allow meaningful short-term clinical training experiences for foreign medical graduates, including the creation of a new visa category, the designation of a specific temporary licensure category by state medical boards, and guidance for U.S. host institutions supporting such experiences. By proposing this framework, the authors hope to improve equity in global health partnerships via improved access to meaningful and productive educational experiences, particularly for foreign medical graduates with commitment to using their new knowledge and training upon return to their home countries.

Background

Global estimates show five billion people lack access to safe, quality, and timely surgical care. The wealthiest third of the world’s population receives approximately 73.6% of the world’s total surgical procedures while the poorest third receives only 3.5%. This pilot study aimed to assess the local burden of surgical disease in a rural region of India through the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) survey and the feasibility of using Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) as enumerators.

Material and methods

Data were collected in June and July 2015 in Nanakpur, Haryana from 50 households with the support of Indian community health workers, known as ASHAs. The head of household provided demographic data; two household members provided personal surgical histories. Current surgical need was defined as a self-reported surgical problem present at the time of the interview, and unmet surgical need as a surgical problem in which the respondent did not access care.

Results

One hundred percent of selected households participated, totaling 93 individuals. Twenty-eight people (30.1%; 95% CI 21.0-40.5) indicated they had a current surgical need in the following body regions: 2 face, 1 chest/breast, 1 back, 3 abdomen, 4 groin/genitalia, and 17 extremities. Six individuals had an unmet surgical need (6.5%; 95% CI 2.45%-13.5%).

Conclusions

This pilot study in Nanakpur is the first implementation of the SOSAS survey in India and suggests a significant burden of surgical disease. The feasibility of employing ASHAs to administer the survey is demonstrated, providing a potential use of the ASHA program for a future countrywide survey. These data are useful preliminary evidence that emphasize the need to further evaluate interventions for strengthening surgical systems in rural India.

Background

The objective of this study was to analyze the literature regarding the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and prevalence of gluteal fibrosis (GF) and the outcomes of treatment.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane literature databases, from database inception to December 15, 2016. We used the following search terms including variants: “contracture,” “fibrosis,” “injections,” “injections, adverse reactions,’ “gluteal,” and “hip.” All titles and abstracts of potentially relevant studies were scanned to determine whether the subject matter was potentially related to GF, using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. If the abstract had subject matter involving GF, the paper was selected for review if full text was available. Only papers including ≥10 subjects who underwent surgical treatment were included in the systematic analysis. Data abstracted included the number of patients, patient age and sex, the type of surgical treatment, the method of outcome measurement, and outcomes and complications.

Results

The literature search yielded 2,512 titles. Of these, 82 had a focus on GF, with 50 papers meeting the inclusion criteria. Of the 50 papers reviewed, 18 addressed surgical outcomes. The surgical techniques in these papers included open, minimally invasive, and arthroscopic release and radiofrequency ablation. Of 3,733 operatively treated patients in 6 reports who were evaluated on the basis of the criteria of Liu et al., 83% were found to have excellent results. Few papers focused on the incidence, prevalence, and natural history of GF, precluding quantitative synthesis of the evidence in these domains.

Conclusions

This study provided a systematic review of surgical outcomes and a summary of what has been reported on the prevalence, diagnosis, prognosis, and pathogenesis of GF. Although GF has been reported throughout the world, it requires further study to determine the exact etiology, pathogenesis, and appropriate treatment. Surgical outcomes appear satisfactory.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background

Financial protection from catastrophic health care expenditure (CHE) and patient out-of-pocket (OOP) spending are key indicators for sustainable surgical delivery. We aimed to calculate these metrics for a hospital stay requiring surgery in Uganda’s pediatric population.

Methods

A survey was administered to family members of postoperative patients in the pediatric surgical ward at Mulago Hospital. Cost categories included direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, indirect costs, plus money borrowed and items sold to pay for the hospital stay. CHE was defined as spending greater than 10% of annual household expenditure. Costs were reported in Ugandan shillings and US dollars.

Results

One hundred and thirty-two patient families were surveyed between November 2016 and April 2017. Median direct costs were $27.55 (IQR 18.73-183.69) for diagnostics, $18.36 (IQR 9.52-41.33) for medications, $26.63 (IQR 9.19-45.92) for transportation, and $32.60 (IQR 12.85-64.29) for food and lodging. Forty-four percent of respondents were employed, and median indirect cost from productivity loss was $95.52 (IQR 55.10-243.38). Eighteen percent (16/87) borrowed money, and 9% (8/87) sold possessions to pay for the hospital stay. Total median OOP cost for patient families per hospital stay was $150.62 (IQR 65.21-339.82). Sixteen percent (21/132) of families incurred CHE from direct costs, and the proportion rose to 27% (32/132) when indirect cost was included.

Conclusions

Although pediatric surgical services in Uganda are formally provided for free by the public sector, families accrue substantial OOP expenditure and almost a third of households incur CHE for a pediatric surgical procedure. This study suggests that broader financial protection must be established to meet Sustainable Development Goal targets.

Background

Iatrogenic injection injury is a major cause of disability in Ugandan children. Two injuries thought to result from injection of medications into the gluteal region include post-injection paralysis (PIP) and gluteal fibrosis (GF). This study aimed to describe perceptions of local health care workers regarding risk factors, particularly injections, for development of GF and PIP. Specifically, we examine the role of injection practices in the development of these injuries by interviewing a diverse cohort of individuals working in the health sector.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study in the Kumi and Wakiso Districts of Uganda in November 2017, utilizing 68 key informant interviews with individuals working in healthcare related fields. Interviews were structured utilizing a moderator guide focusing on injection practices, gluteal fibrosis and post-injection paralysis.

Results

We identified six themes regarding perceptions of the cause of GF and PIP and organized these themes into a theoretical framework. There was a consensus among the individuals working in healthcare that inadequacies of the health care delivery system may lead to inappropriate intramuscular injection practices, which are presumed to contribute to the development of GF and PIP. Poor access to medications and qualified personnel has led to the proliferation of private clinics, which are often staffed by under-trained practitioners. Misaligned economic incentives and a lack of training may also motivate practitioners to administer frequent intramuscular injections, which cost more than oral medications. A lack of regulatory enforcement enables these practices to persist. However, due to limited community awareness, patients often perceive these practitioners as appropriately trained, and the patients frequently prefer injections over alternative treatment modalities.

Conclusion

This qualitative study suggests that inappropriate intramuscular injections, may arise from problems in the health care delivery system. To prevent the disability of GF and PIP, it is important to not only address the intramuscular injections practices in Uganda, but also to examine upstream deficits in access, education, and policy enforcement.

Unlabelled

This study examines the cost-effectiveness of constructing a dedicated pediatric operating room (OR) in Uganda, a country where access to surgical care is limited to 4 pediatric surgeons serving a population of over 20 million children under 15 years of age.

Methods

A simulation model using a decision tree template was developed to project the cost and disability-adjusted life-years saved by a pediatric OR in a low-income setting. Parameters are informed by patient outcomes of the surgical procedures performed. Costs of the OR equipment and a literature review were used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of a pediatric OR. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to assess parameter uncertainty. Economic monetary benefit was calculated using the value of a statistical life approach.

Results

A pediatric OR averted a total of 6,447 disability-adjusted life-years /year (95% uncertainty interval 6,288-6,606) and cost $41,182/year (UI 40,539-41,825) in terms of OR installation. The pediatric operating room had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $6.39 per disability-adjusted life-year averted (95% uncertainty interval of 6.19-6.59), or $397.95 (95% uncertainty interval of 385.41-410.67) per life saved based on the country’s average life expectancy in 2015. These values were well within the WHO guidelines of cost-effectiveness threshold. The net economic benefit amounted to $5,336,920 for a year of operation, or $16,371 per patient. The model remained robust with one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion

The construction of a pediatric operating room in Uganda is a cost-effective and worthwhile investment, endorsing future decisions to enhance pediatric surgical capacity in the resource-limited settings of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background

Academic global surgery value to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasingly understood, yet value to academic health centers (AHCs) remains unclear.

Study design

A task force from the Association for Academic Surgery Global Affairs Committee and the Society for University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery designed and disseminated a survey to active US academic global surgeons. Questions included participant characteristics, global surgeon qualifications, trainee interactions, academic output, productivity challenges, and career models. The task force used the survey results to create a position paper outlining the value of academic global surgeons to AHCs.

Results

The survey had a 58% (n = 36) response rate. An academic global surgeon has a US medical school appointment, spends dedicated time in an LMIC, spends vacation time doing mission work, or works primarily in an LMIC. Most spend 1 to 3 months abroad annually, dedicating <25% effort to global surgery, including systems building, teaching, research, and clinical care. Most are university-employed and 65% report compensation is equivalent or greater than colleagues. Academic support includes administrative, protected time, funding. Most institutions do not use specific global surgery metrics to measure productivity. Barriers include funding, clinical responsibilities, and salary support.

Conclusions

Academic global surgeons spend a modest amount of time abroad, require minimal financial support, and represent a low-cost investment in an under-recognized scholarship area. This position paper suggests measures of global surgery that could provide opportunities for AHCs and surgical departments to expand missions of service, education, and research and enhance institutional reputation while achieving societal impact.

Background

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of postinjection paralysis (PIP) and gluteal fibrosis (GF) among children treated in a rural Ugandan Hospital.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study by reviewing the musculoskeletal clinic and community outreach logs for children (age < 18 yrs) diagnosed with either PIP or GF from Kumi Hospital in Kumi, Uganda between 2013 and 2015. We estimated the prevalence as a ratio of the number of children seen with each disorder over the total population of children seen for any musculoskeletal complaint in musculoskeletal clinic and total population of children seen for any medical complaint in the outreach clinic.

Results

Of 1513 children seen in the musculoskeletal clinic, 331 (21.9% (95% CI 19.8-24.1%)) had PIP and another 258 (17.1% (95% CI 15.2-19.0%)) had GF as their diagnosis. Of 3339 children seen during outreach for any medical complaint, 283 (8.5% (95% CI 7.6-9.5%)) had PIP and another 1114 (33.4% (95% CI 31.8-35.0%)) had GF. Of patients with GF, 53.9% were male with a median age of 10 years (50% between 7 and 12 years old). Of patients with PIP, 56.7% were male with a median age of 5 years (50% between 2 and 8 years old).

Conclusion

PIP and GF comprise over 30% of clinical visits for musculoskeletal conditions and 40% of outreach visits for any medical complaint in this area of Uganda. The high estimated prevalence in these populations suggest a critical need for research, treatment, and prevention.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to estimate the burden of musculoskeletal disease among children treated in Kumi District, Uganda, to inform training, capacity-building efforts, and resource allocation.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study by reviewing the musculoskeletal (MSK) clinic and community outreach logs for children (age < 18 years) seen at Kumi Hospital in Kumi, Uganda, between January 2013 and December 2015. For each patient, we recorded the age, sex, diagnosis, and treatment recommendation.

Results

Of the 4852 children, the most common diagnoses were gluteal and quadriceps contractures (29.4% (95% CI 28.1-30.7%), 96% of which were gluteal fibrosis), post-injection paralysis (12.7% (95% CI 11.8-13.6%)), infection (10.5% (95% CI 9.7-11.4%)), trauma (6.9% (95% CI 6.2-7.6%)), cerebral palsy (6.9% (95% CI 6.2-7.7%)), and clubfoot (4.3% (95% CI 3.8-4.9%)). Gluteal fibrosis, musculoskeletal infections, and angular knee deformities create a large surgical burden with 88.1%, 59.1%, and 54.1% of patients seen with these diagnoses referred for surgery, respectively. Post-injection paralysis, clubfoot, and cerebral palsy were treated non-operatively in over 75% of cases.

Conclusion

While population-based estimates of disease burden and resource utilization are needed, this data offers insight into burden of musculoskeletal disease for this region of Sub-Saharan Africa. We estimate that 50% of the surgical conditions could be prevented with policy changes and education regarding injection practices and early care for traumatic injuries, clubfeet, and infection. This study highlights a need to increase capacity to care for specific musculoskeletal conditions, including gluteal fibrosis, post-injection paralysis, infection, and trauma in the paediatric population of Uganda.

The International Standards for a Safe Practice of Anesthesia were developed on behalf of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), a non-profit organization representing anesthesiologists in 150 countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO). The recommendations have been approved by WHO and the membership of WFSA. These Standards are applicable to all anesthesia providers throughout the world. They are intended to provide guidance and assistance to anesthesia providers, their professional organizations, hospital and facility administrators, and governments for maintaining and improving the quality and safety of anesthesia care. The Standards cover professional aspects; facilities and equipment; medications and intravenous fluids; monitoring; and the conduct of anesthesia. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED standards, the functional equivalent of mandatory standards, include (amongst other things): the continuous presence of a trained and vigilant anesthesia provider; continuous monitoring of tissue oxygenation and perfusion by clinical observation and a pulse oximeter; intermittent monitoring of blood pressure; confirmation of correct placement of an endotracheal tube (if used) by auscultation and carbon dioxide detection; the use of the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist; and a system for transfer of care at the end of an anesthetic. The International Standards represent minimum standards and the goal should always be to practice to the highest possible standards, preferably exceeding the standards outlined in this document.

The International Standards for a Safe Practice of Anesthesia were developed on behalf of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), a nonprofit organization representing anesthesiologists in 150 countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO). The recommendations have been approved by WHO and the membership of WFSA. These Standards are applicable to all anesthesia providers throughout the world. They are intended to provide guidance and assistance to anesthesia providers, their professional organizations, hospital and facility administrators, and governments for maintaining and improving the quality and safety of anesthesia care. The Standards cover professional aspects; facilities and equipment; medications and intravenous fluids; monitoring; and the conduct of anesthesia. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED standards, the functional equivalent of mandatory standards, include (amongst other things): the continuous presence of a trained and vigilant anesthesia provider; continuous monitoring of tissue oxygenation and perfusion by clinical observation and a pulse oximeter; intermittent monitoring of blood pressure; confirmation of correct placement of an endotracheal tube (if used) by auscultation and carbon dioxide detection; the use of the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist; and a system for transfer of care at the end of an anesthetic. The International Standards represent minimum standards and the goal should always be to practice to the highest possible standards, preferably exceeding the standards outlined in this document.

Pediatric surgeons, anesthesia providers, and nurses from North America and other high-income countries are increasingly engaged in resource-limited areas, with short-term missions as the most common form of involvement. However, consensus recommendations currently do not exist for short-term missions in pediatric general surgery and associated perioperative care. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Delivery of Surgical Care Subcommittee and American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) Global Pediatric Surgery Committee, with the American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association, Inc. (APSNA) Global Health Special Interest Group, and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) Committee on International Education and Service generated consensus recommendations for short-term missions based on extensive experience with short-term missions. Three distinct, but related areas were identified: (i) Broad goals of surgical partnerships between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. A previous set of guidelines published by the Global Paediatric Surgery Network Collaborative (GPSN) was endorsed by all groups; (ii) Guidelines for the conduct of short-term missions were developed, including planning, in-country perioperative patient care, post-trip follow-up, and sustainability; and (iii) travel and safety considerations critical to short-term mission success were enumerated. A diverse group of stakeholders developed these guidelines for short-term missions in low- and middle-income countries. These guidelines may be a useful tool to ensure safe, responsible, and ethical short-term missions given increasing engagement of high-income country providers in this work.

Introduction

Multiple pediatric surgical conditions require ostomies in low-middle-income countries. Delayed presentations increase the numbers of ostomies. Patients may live with an ostomy for a prolonged time due to the high backlog of cases with insufficient surgical capacity. In caring for these patients in Uganda, we frequently witnessed substantial socioeconomic impact of their surgical conditions.

Methods

The operative log at the only pediatric surgery referral center in Uganda was reviewed to assess the numbers of children receiving ostomies over a 3-year period. Charts for patients with anorectal malformations (ARM) and Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) were reviewed to assess delays in accessing care. Focus group discussions (FGD) were held with family members of children with ostomies based on themes from discussions with the surgical and nursing teams. A pilot survey was developed based on these themes and administered to a sample of patients in the outpatient clinic.

Results

During the period of January 2012-December 2014, there was one specialty-certified pediatric surgeon in the country. There were 493 ostomies placed for ARM (n = 234), HD (N = 114), gangrenous ileocolic intussusception (n = 95) and typhoid-induced intestinal perforation (n = 50). Primary themes covered in the FGD were: stoma care, impact on caregiver income, community integration of the child, impact on family unit, and resources to assist families. Many patients with HD and ARM did not present for colostomy until after 1 year of life. None had access to formal ostomy bags. 15 caregivers completed the survey. 13 (86%) were mothers and 2 (13%) were fathers. Almost half of the caregivers (n = 7, 47%) stated that their spouse had left the family. 14 (93%) caregivers had to leave jobs to care for the stoma. 14 respondents (93%) reported that receiving advice from other caregivers was beneficial.

Conclusion

The burden of pediatric surgical disease in sub-Saharan Africa is substantial with significant disparities compared to high-income countries. Significant socioeconomic complexity surrounds these conditions. While some solutions are being implemented, we are seeking resources to implement others. This data will inform the design of a more expansive survey of this patient population to better measure the socioeconomic impact of pediatric ostomies and guide more comprehensive advocacy and program development.