International journal of clinical practice
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jun 2005
Evaluation of the reasons for cancellations and delays of surgical procedures in a developing country.
Data on all patients scheduled to have elective and emergency surgeries during the period of 6 weeks from September 1999 to October 1999 were prospectively collected to determine scheduled starting times, actual starting times, completion times, causes for delays and cancellations. Of 840 procedures scheduled during the study period, 594 (71%) were available for analysis. Eighty-nine per cent of cancellations occurred in patients undergoing elective surgery. ⋯ Surgical procedures started on time in only 7% of patients. The most common cause of delay was due to delayed transport of patients to the operating theatre (17%). Optimal utilisation of operating theatres in our situation may be effected by increasing the bed-strength of ICUs to free the RR, proper pre-operative work up, adequate counselling of day-care surgery patients and efficient floor management of the operating theatre.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jun 2005
Analysis of factors affecting pain in intravenous catheter placement: a survey of 925 patients.
The aim of the study was to determine some factors affecting pain during intravenous (i.v.) catheter placement in an emergency department (ED). A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at an academic ED. Nine hundred and twenty five adult patients who had a 20 gauge i.v. catheter placed were enrolled the study. ⋯ Patients with a history of depression reported significantly higher pain than non-depressive patients (p = 0.001). Depressive patients reported higher severity of pain during i.v. catheter placement than nondepressed ones. This may influence the decision on whether or not to use local anaesthesia for catheter insertion.