This study found OSA to be an independent risk factor for readmission within 30 days of discharge. PAP therapy appears to be underutilized in patients with known OSA. Additional studies are needed to define the relationship between OSA, PAP adherence, and hospital readmission.
While TPO may be a rare diagnosis in the general otolaryngologist practice, symptoms frequently bring patients into the otolaryngologist's clinic, and an awareness of the disease can help minimize unnecessary interventions and allow the surgeon to appropriately counsel patients.
Objectives/Hypothesis
Isolated case studies have shown improper sterilization or contamination of equipment from anesthesia carts can lead to transmission of disease and even death. Citing this literature, national accrediting agencies mandated all instruments in the otolaryngology airway carts at San Antonio Military Medical Center be packaged to prevent contamination. This study sought to determine the infection and safety implications of packaged airway cart instruments.
Study Design
Retrospective chart review.
Methods
A review of upper aerodigestive tract procedures, some of which penetrated mucosa, was performed by analyzing 100 patient records during the unpackaged period and 100 during the packaged period. A comparison of infections, deaths, and length of stay in the hospital was included in the analysis. Additionally, a timed simulation to setup a simple group of instruments for an emergency airway situation from both the unpackaged and packaged airway carts was performed using a total of 11 surgical technologists and nurses.
Results
Each group had a total of four airway infections and neither had any deaths. The average length of hospital stay was 0.36 days for the unpackaged period and 0.44 days from the packaged period. None of these variables reached statistical significance. The average time to find and set out the correct instruments for the two groups was 46.6 and 95.5 seconds for the unpackaged and packaged airway carts, respectively (P = .004).
Conclusions
This study suggests individually packaging of instruments used for emergency airway cases may put lives at risk when time matters and fails to decrease the risk of infection.
Level of Evidence
3 Laryngoscope, 129:715–719, 2019
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