GSU launch PANDA study
Last week we launched our newest study in collaboration with the University of Cape Town
PANDA: Identifying Patient priorities for reseArch in global surgery through a qualitative exploratioN of patients' cAre experiences in low- and middle-income countries study will be a collaboration between the NIHR Global Surgery Unit and the University of Cape Town.
This single centre pilot study will use qualitative methods to explore patients stories of their care journeys, and identify priorities to underpin future surgical research. These will then undergo ranking by a sample of patients undergoing midline laparotomy (major abdominal surgery) recruited to the PENGUIN trial.
The project is designed closely with community and patient representatives and will be working with a patient-researcher for the first time within global surgery to help deliver and interpret the interview data.
You can access the PowerPoint presentation for the study here.
CORREA Deadline Extended
The deadline to begin the 6-week data collection for the Colorectal Resection ESCP Snapshot Audit (CORREA) has been extended from 31st March 2022 to 30th April 2022.
Over 1100 patients have already been entered into the audit since data collection opened in January 2022.
Participating sites can now begin their 6-week data collection period on any day up to 30th April and collect data for 6 subsequent weeks thereafter. The ESCP Cohort Studies and Audits Committee have extended the start date to allow centres experiencing delays in receiving approvals to participate.
We encourage all participating sites to begin data collection as soon as possible when approvals are in place.
Please contact escp@contacts.bham.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Visit https://redcap.link/correa to register for the study.
You can obtain the CORREA extension letter here
ESCP Global Reach Webinar: Developments in Care for Colorectal Cancer
Save the date for the next ESCP Global Reach Webinar: Developments in Care for Colorectal Cancer.
This free webinar will take place via Zoom on Monday 21st March at 11:00 GMT / 12:00 CET/ 19:00 HKT/ 20:00 JST with all lectures and discussions re-broadcast at 18:00 Argentina Time (21:00 GMT)
Programme Highlights:
- Supporting care during COVID - A global review
- Trial updates: EAGLE and East of DAMASCUS
- Developing neoadjuvant treatment for colon cancer and introducing ctDNA monitoring
You can find out more and register your interest here.
ESCP Global Reach Webinar: Global Challenges in Coloproctology
Registration for next ESCP webinar now open
Register today to join the next ESCP ESCP Global Reach Webinar ‘Global Challenges in Proctology’
This free webinar will take place via Zoom on Monday 27th June at 15:00 GMT / 12:00 CEST and will be hosted by the EAGLE Chief Investigator, Prof. Dion Morton and Varut Lohsiriwat.
Join a global panel of experts to hear the latest news and developments around anal fistulas and pelvic floor disorders. The latest updates on EAGLE, East of Damascus and news of an exciting new wound closure trial will also be shared during the webinar.
Find out more and register your place today at https://www.escp.eu.com/conference-and-events/global-reach-webinar.
You can view the webinar poster here.
‘COVID-19 free’ hospital areas could save lives after surgery – global study
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic rise of the number of patients admitted to hospital around the globe who either inadvertently spread the virus or become infected once on site.
Researchers working together through the COVIDSurg collaborative have identified that patients who had their operation and hospital care in ‘COVID-19 free’ areas had better outcomes. ‘COVID-19 free’ areas improved the safety of surgery by having a strict policy that no patients treated for SARS-CoV-2 infection were mixed with those undergoing surgery.
Data collected from 9171 patients in 55 countries has shown, for the first time, that hospitals around the world can continue to operate safely on patients by setting up these areas that minimise transmission of the virus.
The full paper can be viewed here.
Patients should receive COVID-19 vaccine before surgery to reduce risk of postoperative death
Patients who are waiting for elective surgery should be given COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the general population in order to minimise the risk of post-operative deaths linked to the virus.
A new study published by the COVIDSurg collaborative has demonstrated the need for vaccination, based on the high risks that patients face, particularly when being operated on during the pandemic. Patients are at between 4- and 8- fold increased risk of death following surgery, with a patient aged 70 years or over having a mortality rate of 18.6% if they catch SARS-CoV-2 infection, up from an average rate of 2.8% without infection.
The team estimate that global prioritisation of pre-operative vaccination for elective patients could prevent an additional 58,687 COVID-19 deaths in one year.
The full paper can be viewed here.
One in seven patients miss cancer surgery during COVID lockdowns
One in seven patients miss cancer surgery during COVID lockdowns – study
With the introduction of lockdowns across the globe, various planned surgeries, including cancer surgery were affected, regardless of the local COVID-19 rates at the time
This issue has been particularly prevalent in lower income countries, with patients at the highest risk of missing their surgery.
The link between lockdowns and delays to surgery and potentially more cancer deaths has been highlighted in a new study by COVIDSurg researchers. The paper argues for major global reorganisation during the recovery from the pandemic to allow surgery to continue safely.
The paper can be viewed here.