ANZ journal of surgery
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ANZ journal of surgery · Sep 2009
Comparative StudyThe impact of the evolution of invasive surgical procedures for low back pain: a population based study of patient outcomes and hospital utilization.
Low back pain (LBP) is a ubiquitous health problem in Western societies, and while clinical decision making for patients requiring hospitalization for LBP has changed significantly over the past two decades, knowledge of the net impact on patient outcomes and health care utilization is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of changes in the medical control of lumbar back pain in Western Australia in terms of the rate of patient readmission and the total bed days associated with readmissions. ⋯ Between 1980 and 2003, there has been a shift from non-invasive procedural treatments towards invasive techniques both at the time of initial hospitalization and upon subsequent readmission. While overall readmission rates were unaffected, there was a reduction in the number of bed days associated with readmissions.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Sep 2009
Case cancellations on the day of surgery: an investigation in an Australian paediatric hospital.
This study investigates case cancellations on the intended day of surgery (DOS) at a paediatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The hospital in Melbourne treats over 32 000 inpatients annually and handles both elective and emergency cases. ⋯ There was also evidence that some specialties were more susceptible to DOS cancellation than others. The paper ends with proposals to reduce patient-initiated cancellations and directions for future research.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Sep 2009
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyLinezolid versus vancomycin for MRSA skin and soft tissue infections (systematic review and meta-analysis).
This review aims to compare the effectiveness of linezolid to vancomycin for the treatment of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in inpatients. ⋯ With the current available data no difference could be detected between the two treatments, but a trend towards higher effectiveness of linezolid was observed. More data will be required to determine if linezolid is superior to vancomycin for the treatment of MRSA SSTIs. Further systematic reviews are needed to look at other outcomes (length of hospital stay, safety and tolerability, cost-effectiveness) and at MRSA infections at other sites.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Sep 2009
Comment Letter Comparative StudyRe: Comparative issues in aviation and surgical crew resource management: (1) are we too solution focused?