Medical Research Council of South Africa.

There are almost no randomised controlled studies. According to the grading system of Oxford Center for Evidence Based Medicine (CEVM), available published evidence is at level 4. The recommendations resulting form this review are of 'C' grade.

Background:The problem of complete rectal prolapse is formidable, with no clear predominant treatment of choice. Surgical management is aimed at restoring physiology by correcting the prolapse and improving continence and constipation with acceptable mortality and recurrence rates. Abdominal procedures are ideal for young fit patients, whereas perineal procedures are reserved for older frail patients with significant comorbidity. Laparoscopic procedures with their advantages of early recovery, less pain, and possibly lower morbidity are recently added options. Regardless of the therapy chosen, matching the surgical selection to the patient is essential.Objective: To review the present status of the surgical treatment of rectal prolapse.Data Sources: Literature review using MEDLINE. All articles reporting on rectopexy were included.Study Selection: Articles reporting on prospective and retrospective comparisons were included. Case reports were excluded, as were studies comparing data with historical controls. Data Extraction:The results were tabulated to show outcomes of different studies and were compared. Studies that did not report some of the outcomes were noted as "not stated."Data Synthesis: Abdominal operations offer not only lower recurrence but also greater chance for functional improvements. Suture and mesh rectopexy produce equivalent results. However, the polyvinyl alcohol (Ivalon) sponge rectopexy is associated with an increased risk of infectious complications and has largely been abandoned. The advantage of adding a resection to the rectopexy seems to be related to less constipation. Laparoscopic rectopexy has similar results to open rectopexy but has all of the advantages related to laparoscopy. Perineal procedures are better suited to frail elderly patients with extensive comorbidity.Conclusions: Abdominal procedures are generally better for young fit patients; the results of all abdominal procedures are comparable. Suture and mesh rectopexy are still popular with many surgeons-the choice depends on the surgeon's experience and preference. Similarly, the procedure may be done through a laparoscope or by laparotomy. Perineal procedures are preferable for patients who are not fit for abdominal procedures, such as elderly frail patients with significant comorbidities. The decision between perineal rectosigmoidectomy and Delorme procedures will depend on the surgeon's preference, although the perineal rectosigmoidectomy has better outcomes.

Cecal volvulus is second only to sigmoid volvulus in its frequency of occurrence. Diagnostic doubt is not uncommon in cecal volvulus; nonoperative decompression is rarely achievable; and if gangrene supervenes, mortality rises appreciably. Resection is mandatory for gangrene and a grossly distended, thin-walled cecum. Cecopexy and cecostomy seem less-effective and more morbid options than resection and anastomosis for viable bowel. However, their role needs reappraisal in the light of advances in minimally invasive techniques.

MethodsThis was a 7-day, SA national multicentre prospective observational cohort study of patients aged ≥16 years undergoing inpatient noncardiac surgery. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02141867).Departments of anaesthesia, surgery, critical care and gynaecology affiliated to all the medical schools in SA agreed to participate. A sample of 50 participating hospitals was obtained by approaching all the hospitals in which training by these academic departments took place. Additional hospitals were recruited through professional contacts. All SA provinces were represented. Hospital-specific data were collected, including number of operating rooms and number and level of critical care beds. Ethics approval was obtained for all sites.The ethics review board of each medical school (University of Cape Town, University of the Free State, University of KwaZuluNatal, University of Limpopo, University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and Walter Sisulu University) approved the study. For the majority of sites, a waiver of consent was approved. Wits and the Free State Provincial Administration stipulated that informed consent be required from all patients, with deferred consent for patients who could not give consent prior to surgery. Wits stipulated that only patients aged ≥18 years could consent to participate. The intention was to recruit all eligible patients in order to minimise data selection bias. Background. Non-cardiac surgical morbidity and mortality is a major global public health burden. Sub-Saharan African perioperative outcome data are scarce. South Africa (SA) faces a unique public health challenge, engulfed as it is by four simultaneous epidemics: (i) poverty-related diseases; (ii) non-communicable diseases; (iii) HIV and related diseases; and (iv) injury and violence. Understanding the effects of these epidemics on perioperative outcomes may provide an important perspective on the surgical health of the country. Objectives. To investigate the perioperative mortality and need for critical care admission in patients undergoing inpatient non-cardiac surgery in SA. Methods. A 7-day national, multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study of all patients ≥16 years of age undergoing inpatient noncardiac surgery between 19 and 26 May 2014 at 50 public sector, government-funded hospitals in SA. The South African Surgical OutcomesResults. The study included 3 927/4 021 eligible patients (97.7%) recruited, with 45/50 hospitals (90.0%) submitting data that described all eligible patients. Crude in-hospital mortality was 123/3 927 (3.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6 -3.7). The rate of postoperative admission to critical care units was 255/3 927 (6.5%; 95% CI 5.7 -7.3), with 43.5% of admissions being unplanned. Of the surgical procedures 2 120/3 915 (54.2%) were urgent or emergency ones, with a population-attributable risk for mortality of 25.5% (95% CI 5.1 -55.8) and a risk of admission to critical care of 23.7% (95% CI 4.7 -51.4).Conclusions. Mo...

SummaryBackgroundSurgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world.MethodsThis international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231.FindingsBetween Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p<0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p<0·001).InterpretationCountries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication.FundingDFID-MRC-Wellcome Trust Joint Global Health Trial Development Grant,...

Background Maternal and neonatal mortality is high in Africa, but few large, prospective studies have been done to investigate the risk factors associated with these poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods A 7-day, international, prospective, observational cohort study was done in patients having caesarean delivery in 183 hospitals across 22 countries in Africa. The inclusion criteria were all consecutive patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to participating centres having elective and non-elective caesarean delivery during the 7-day study cohort period. To ensure a representative sample, each hospital had to provide data for 90% of the eligible patients during the recruitment week. The primary outcome was in-hospital maternal mortality and complications, which were assessed by local investigators. The study was registered on the South African National Health Research Database, number KZ_2015RP7_22, and on ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03044899. Findings Between February, 2016, and May, 2016, 3792 patients were recruited from hospitals across Africa. 3685 were included in the postoperative complications analysis (107 missing data) and 3684 were included in the maternal mortality analysis (108 missing data). These hospitals had a combined number of specialist surgeons, obstetricians, and anaesthetists totalling 0•7 per 100 000 population (IQR 0•2-2•0). Maternal mortality was 20 (0•5%) of 3684 patients (95% CI 0•3-0•8). Complications occurred in 633 (17•4%) of 3636 mothers (16•2-18•6), which were predominantly severe intraoperative and postoperative bleeding (136 [3•8%] of 3612 mothers). Maternal mortality was independently associated with a preoperative presentation of placenta praevia, placental abruption, ruptured uterus, antepartum haemorrhage (odds ratio 4•47 [95% CI 1•46-13•65]), and perioperative severe obstetric haemorrhage (5•87 [1•99-17•34]) or anaesthesia complications (11•47 (1•20-109•20]). Neonatal mortality was 153 (4•4%) of 3506 infants (95% CI 3•7-5•0). Interpretation Maternal mortality after caesarean delivery in Africa is 50 times higher than that of high-income countries and is driven by peripartum haemorrhage and anaesthesia complications. Neonatal mortality is double the global average. Early identification and appropriate management of mothers at risk of peripartum haemorrhage might improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in Africa.

Patients exposed to a surgical safety checklist experience better postoperative outcomes, but this could simply reflect wider quality of care in hospitals where checklist use is routine.