Prevention of intraoperative incidental injuries during radical operation for rectal cancer and management of postoperative complication are associated with successful operation and prognosis of patients. This paper discusses how to prevent such intraoperative incidental injuries and how to manage postoperative complication. (1) Accurate clinical evaluation should be performed before operation and reasonable treatment decision should be made, including determination of the distance from transection to lower margin of the tumor, T and M staging evaluated by MRI, fascia invasion of mesorectum, metastasis of lateral lymph nodes, metastatic station of mesentery lymph node, association between levator ani muscle and anal sphincter, course and length of sigmoid observed by Barium enema, length assessment of pull-through bowel. Meanwhile individual factors of patients and tumors must be realized accurately. (2) Injury of pelvic visceral fascia should be avoided during operation. Negative low and circumference cutting edge must be ensured. Blood supply and adequate length of pull-down bowel must be also ensured. Urinary system injury, pelvic bleeding and intestinal damage should be avoided. Team cooperation and anesthesia procedure should be emphasized. Capacity of handling accident events should be cultivated for the team. (3) intraoperative incidental injuries during operation by instruments should be avoided, such as poor clarity of camera due to spray and smog, ineffective instruments resulted from repeated usage. (4) As to the prevention and management of postoperative complication of rectal cancer operation, prophylactic stoma should be regularly performed for rectal cancer patients undergoing anterior resection, while drainage tube placement does not decrease the morbidities of anastomosis and other complications. After sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer, attentions must be paid to the occurrence of anastomotic bleeding, pelvic bleeding, anastomotic fistula, ileus, intestinal necrosis and anastomotic stenosis. After sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer, if small amount of bleeding happens, titanium clamp or electric coagulation can be used; if delayed pelvic bleeding occurs obviously, embolism should be applied. Conservative treatment may be used for the non-carcinomatous ileus. When small anastomotic stenosis is found, local treatment is available (finger dilation, balloon expansion, transanal radiated cutting or resection), and for severe stenosis, transadominal operation is required.
Anal Canal ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Organ Sparing Treatments ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Surgical Stomas

INTRODUCTIONWith the increased use of filler and fat injections for aesthetic purposes, there has been a corresponding increase in the incidence of complications. Vision loss as an uncommon but devastating vascular side effect of filler injections was the focus of this paper.

METHODSA review committee, consisting of plastic surgeons, aesthetic medical practitioners, ophthalmologists and dermatologists from Singapore, was convened by the Society of Aesthetic Medicine (Singapore) to review and recommend methods for the prevention and management of vision loss secondary to filler injections.

RESULTSThe committee agreed that prevention through proper understanding of facial anatomy and good injection techniques was of foremost importance. The committee acknowledged that there is currently no standard management for these cases. Based on existing knowledge, injectors may follow a proposed course of action, which can be divided into immediate, definitive and supportive. The goals were to reduce intraocular pressure, dislodge the embolus to a more peripheral location, remove or reverse central ischaemia, preserve residual retinal function, and prevent the deterioration of vision. Dissolving a hyaluronic acid embolus remains a controversial option. It is proposed that injectors must be trained to recognise symptoms, institute immediate actions and refer patients without delay to dedicated specialists for definitive and supportive management.

CONCLUSIONSSteps to prevent and manage vision loss based on current evidence and best clinical practices are outlined in this paper. Empirical referral to any emergency department or untrained doctors may lead to inordinate delays and poor outcomes for the affected eye.

Blindness ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Dermal Fillers ; adverse effects ; Embolism ; Esthetics ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; adverse effects ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Incidence ; Injections ; adverse effects ; Ophthalmology ; Singapore ; Societies, Medical

Accident Prevention ; Adult ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; methods ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; therapy ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; therapy ; Respiratory Aspiration ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of "wake-up correction" technique for preventing iatrogenic spinal cord injury in scoliosis surgery.

METHODSTwenty-one patients who had scoliosis with Cobb's angle 92 degrees - 145 degrees received operation of pedicle screw insertion in all or important vertebral bodies, release of stiff segments, decompression and osteotomy. All the patients were trained how to wake up before anesthesia. Maintenance of anesthesia was achieved with infusion of propofol at target-controlled concentration 3-4 mg/L and remifentanil at 0.15 microg/(kg.min). Fresh gas 2 L/min of N(2)O:O(2) 1:1 was inhaled during mechanical ventilation. Wake-up methods:the muscle relaxant was stopped injection 30 min before wake-up, decreasing propofol's target-controlled concentration to 1-2 mg/L and remifentanil to 0.05 - 0.10 microg/(kg x min). Once the spontaneous respiration returned, woke up the patients and asked them move both toes following our orders (the first wake-up). Then patients inhaled 6% sevoflurane in fresh gas 6 L/min (N(2)O:O(2) 1:1). When the end-tidal anesthetic gas concentration was arrived 1.3 - 1.5 MAC, all of the anesthetics were stopped. The correction operation was completed and the patient was woke up again (the second wake-up). Recorded data included time used to wake up, directive action returning time, whether the patient had memory of wake-up during operation when following up.

RESULTSAll patients woke up with satisfaction. The time taken the first wake-up was (10.3 + or - 4.5) min, and for the second was (4.3 + or - 2.3) min. There were two patients who had slightly agitation during correction. There was no one who had neurological injury. There was no memory of wake-up and no pain in all patients during operation. Cobb' angle was corrected to 22 degrees - 38 degrees (average 29 degrees ), and the correction rate was 74%.

CONCLUSIONThe "wake-up correction" is effective and satisfactory by detecting the cord function in time.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Intraoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Male ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; nursing ; Young Adult

Should healthcare workers (HCWs) be routinely tested for HIV? The authors reviewed the literature on the risk and incidence of HIV transmission from HCW to patients and offer recommendations for HIV testing in HCWs in Singapore. Management of HCWs who are tested seropositive for HIV infection is also discussed in this paper.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; epidemiology ; transmission ; HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology

Abdominal Injuries ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Intraoperative Complications ; prevention & control

To determine if the residual corneal stromal bed of 250 micrometer is enough to prevent iatrogenic keratectasia in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), we studied 958 patients who underwent LASIK from April 2000 to October 2003 retrospectively. The estimated probabilities of the residual stromal bed, that was less than 250 micrometer, were calculated using the published flap thickness data of Moria C&B microkeratome. Then we calculated the ratio of the real incidence of keratectasia to the expected the percentage of the patients with less than 250 micrometer residual stromal bed in our study. Using the LASIK flap thickness data of Miranda, Kezirian and Nagy, the expected probabilities that the residual stroma would be less than 250 micrometer were 8.8%, 4.3% and 1.5% of the 1,916 eyes respectively, while keratectasia developed in both eyes (0.1%) of 1 patient in our study. The estimated ratio of the keratectatic eyes to eyes with less than 250 micrometer stromal bed were 1.2-6.9%. Compared to the number of eyes with residual stromal thickness less than 250 micrometer, the incidence of keratectasia was relatively low. The residual stromal bed thickness of more than 250 micrometer may possibly be safe, but further observations for long period are necessary.
Postoperative Complications/*prevention & control ; Middle Aged ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ/*adverse effects ; Iatrogenic Disease/*prevention & control ; Humans ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Corneal Stroma/*pathology ; Corneal Diseases/etiology/*prevention & control ; Adult

Blood Vessels ; injuries ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Vascular Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control

Environmental Pollution ; prevention & control ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Medical Laboratory Personnel ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo discuss the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of iatrogenic functional aphonia.

METHODSTwenty three patients who either lost their voice or only could whisper after surgery in other hospitals were included in this study as the first group, history was well collected and laryngostroboscopy performed. All cases were confirmed as iatrogenic functional aphonia patients and received phonation therapy. In another group of patients who received vocal cord surgery in our hospital from 2003 to 2005, speaking was restricted while not prohibited after surgery, voice quality was closely observed, and 1028 cases were included.

RESULTSAll 23 cases of functional aphonia were cured with phonation therapy. No iatrogenic functional aphonia occurred in the second group of patients.

CONCLUSIONSThe iatrogenic functional aphonia can be caused by post operative mistreatment and could be cured with phonation therapy, and it is preventable if speaking is not strictly prohibited after surgery.

Adult ; Aphonia ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged