Background: Obesity is an independent predictor of increased morbidity and mortality in critically injured trauma patients. We hypothesized that obese patients in need of damage control laparotomy (DCL) will encounter an increase incidence of postsurgical complications with a concomitant increase mortality when compared with a cohort of nonobese patients. Methods: All adult trauma patients who underwent DCL during a 4-year period at a Level I Trauma Center were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into nonobese (body mass index [BMI] < or = 29 kg/m), obese (BMI 30-39 kg/m), and severely obese (BMI > or = 40 kg/m) groups. Outcome measures included the occurrence of postoperative infectious complications, failure of primary abdominal wall fascial closure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal insufficiency, multiple system organ failure, days of ventilator support, hospital length of stay, and death. Results: During a 4-year period, 12,759 adult trauma patients were admitted to our Level I Trauma Center of which 1,812 (14.2%) underwent emergent laparotomy. Of these, 104 (5.7%) were treated with DCL: nonobese, n = 51 (49%); obese, n = 38 (37%); and severely obese, n = 15 (14%). In a multivariate adjusted model, multiple system organ failure was 1.82 times more likely in severely obese (95% CI: 1.14-2.90) and 1.74 times more likely in the obese patients (95% CI: 1.14-2.66) when compared with patients with normal BMI after DCL (p < 0.01). In the severely obese patients undergoing DCL, significantly elevated prevalence ratios (PR) for development of postoperative infectious complications, acute renal insufficiency, and failure of primary abdominal wall fascial closure were 1.75, 3.07, and 2.62, respectively. Days of ventilator support, length of stay, and mortality rates were significantly higher in severely obese patients (24 days, 27 days, and 60%) compared with obese (14 days, 14 days, and 21%) and nonobese (9.8 days, 14 days, and 28%) patients. Conclusion: Severe obesity was significantly associated with adverse outcomes and increased resource utilization in trauma patients treated with DCL. Measures to improve outcomes in this vulnerable patient population must be directed at multiple levels of health care.

BackgroundEffective communication between healthcare providers and patients and their family members is an integral part of daily care and discharge planning for hospitalised patients. Several studies suggest that team-based care is associated with improved length of stay (LOS), but the data on readmissions are conflicting. Our study evaluated the impact of structured interdisciplinary bedside rounding (SIBR) on outcomes related to readmissions and LOS.MethodsThe SIBR team consisted of a physician and/or advanced practice provider, bedside nurse, pharmacist, social worker and bridge nurse navigator. Outcomes were compared in patients admitted to a hospital medicine unit using SIBR (n=1451) and a similar control unit (n=770) during the period of October 2016 to September 2017. Multivariable negative binomial regression analysis was used to compare LOS and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate 30-day and 7-day readmission in patients admitted to SIBR and control units, adjusting for covariates.ResultsPatients admitted to SIBR and control units were generally similar (p≥0.05) with respect to demographic and clinical characteristics. Unadjusted readmission rates in SIBR patients were lower than in control patients at both 30 days (16.6% vs 20.3%, p=0.03) and 7 days (6.3% vs 9.0%, p=0.02) after discharge, while LOS was similar. After adjusting for covariates, SIBR was not significantly related to the odds of 30-day readmission (OR 0.81, p=0.07) but was lower for 7-day readmission (OR 0.70, p=0.03); LOS was similar in both groups (p=0.58).ConclusionSIBR did not reduce LOS and 30-day readmissions but had a significant impact on 7-day readmissions.

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