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Right Decision Service newsletter: October 2024

Welcome to the Right Decision Service (RDS) newsletter for October 2024.

1.Contingency arrangements for RDS outages

Development of the contingency solutions to maximise RDS resilience and minimise risk of future outages is in progress, aiming for completion by Christmas. As a reminder, these contingency arrangements  are:

  • Optimising mobile app build process
  • Mobile app always to be downloadable.
  • Serialising builds to mobile app; separate mobile app build from other editorial and end-user processes
  • Load balancing – provides failover (also enables separation of editorial processes from other processes to improve performance.)

 

In the meantime, a gentle reminder to encourage users to download essential clinical toolkits to their mobile devices so that there is an offline version always available.

 

2. New deployment with improvements.

A new scheduled deployment with minor improvements drawn from support tickets, externally funded projects, information related to outages, and feature requests will take place in early December. Key improvements planned are:

  • Deep-linking to individual toolkits within the RDS mobile app. Each toolkit will now have its own direct URL and QR code, both accessible from the app. These can be used to download the toolkit directly where users already have the RDS app installed. If the user does not yet have the RDS app installed, they will be taken to the app store to install the app and immediately afterwards the toolkit will automatically open and download. Note that this will go live a few days later than the improvements below due to the need to link up the mobile front end to the changes in the content management system.
  • Introducing an Announcement Header field to replace the hardcoded "Announcements and latest updates" text. This will enable users to see at a glance the focus of new announcements.
  • Automated daily emptying of the recycling bin (with a 30 day rolling grace period)  in the content management system. A bug preventing complete emptying of the recycling bin contributed to one of the outages earlier this year.
  • Supporting multiple passcodes (ticket 6079)
  • Expanding accordion section to show location of a search result rather than requiring user coming from a search result to manually open all sections and search again for the term.
  • Displaying first accordion section Content text as a snippet on the search results page as a fallback if default/main content is not provided
  • Displaying the context of each search result in the form of a link to the relevant parent tool/section. This will help users to choose which search result is most likely to be appropriate for their needs.
  • As part of release of the new national benzodiazepine quality prescribing guidance toolkit sponsored by Scottish Government Effective Prescribing and Therapeutics, a digital tool to support creation of benzodiazepine tapering/withdrawal schedules.

We are also seeking approval to use the NHS Scotland logo and title for the RDS app on the app stores to help with audience engagement and clarity around the provenance of RDS.

3. RDS Search, Browse and Archive/Version control enhancements

We are still hopeful that user acceptance testing for at least the Search and browse enhancements can take place before Christmas. Thank you for your patience and understanding in waiting for these improvements. Timescales have been pushed back by old app migration challenges, work to address outages, and most recently implementing the contingency arrangements.

4. Support tickets

We are aware that there continue to be some issues around a number of RDS support tickets, in part due to constraints around visibility for the RDS team of the tickets in the existing  support portal. We are investigating the potential to move to a new support ticket requesting system from early in the new year. We will organise the proposed webinar around support ticket processes once we have confirmed the way forward with the system.

Table formatting

There is a known issue with alterations in formatting of some RDS tables which seems to have arisen as a result of the 17 October deployment. Tactuum is working on a fix and on implementing additional regression testing to prevent this issue recurring.

5. New RDS toolkits

Recently launched toolkits include:

NHS Lothian Infectious Diseases

Scottish Health Technologies Group – Technology Assessment recommendations

NHS Tayside Anaesthetics and Critical Care projects – an innovative toolkit which uses PowerAutomate to manage review and response to proposals for improvement projects.

If you would like to promote one of your new toolkits through this newsletter, please contact ann.wales3@nhs.scot

A number of toolkits are expected to go live before Christmas, including:

  • Focus on dementia
  • Highland Council Getting it Right for Every Child
  • Dumfries and Galloway Adult Support and Protection procedures
  • National Waiting Well toolkit
  • Fertility Scotland National Network
  • NHS Lothian postural care for care homes

6.Sign up to RDS Editors Teams channel

We have had a good response to the recent invitation to sign up to the new Teams channel for RDS editors. This provides a forum for editors to share learning, ideas and questions and we hope to hold regular webinars on topics of interest.  The RDS team is in the process of joining participants to the channel and we’d encourage all editors to take part, using the registration form – available in Providers section of the RDS Learning and Support area.

 

7. Evaluation projects

The RDS team has worked with colleagues in NHS Grampian and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre to evaluate the impact of the Prevent the progress of diabetes web and mobile app in a small-scale pilot project. This app provides access to local and national resources and services targeted at people with prediabetes, a history of gestational diabetes, or candidates for remission. After just 8 weeks of using the app, 94% of patients reported increased their knowledge and understanding of diabetes, and 88% said it had increased their confidence and motivation to make lifestyle changes, highlighting specific behaviour changes. The learning from this project is informing development of a service model based on tailored support for patient groups with, high, medium and low digital self-efficacy.

Please contact ann.wales3@nhs.scot if you would like to know more about this project.

  1. Training sessions for new editors (also serve as refresher sessions for existing editors) will take place on the following dates:

  • Friday 29th November 3-4 pm
  • Thursday 5 December 3.30 -4.30 pm

To book a place, please contact Olivia.graham@nhs.scot, providing your name, organisation, job role, and level of experience with RDS editing (none, a little, moderate, extensive.)

 

To invite colleagues to sign up to receive this newsletter, please signpost them to the registration form  - also available in End-user and Provider sections of the RDS Learning and Support area.   If you have any questions about the content of this newsletter, please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot  If you would prefer not to receive future newsletters, please email Olivia.graham@nhs.scot and ask to be removed from the circulation list.

With kind regards

 

Right Decision Service team

Healthcare Improvement Scotland

 

The Right Decision Service:  the national decision support platform for Scotland’s health and care

Website: https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk    Mobile app download:  Apple  Android

 

 

Incidental Surgery During Pregnancy (594)

Key Messages

  • All women of child-bearing age should have their pregnancy status clarified on admission to hospital.
  • Gestation should be established from a valid EDD:
    • Request print-out of electronic maternity notes via Badgernet from Maternity Hospital Coordinator
    • If gestation cannot be established from booking scan in notes, discuss with Obstetrics StR regarding further US scan
  • The pregnant woman should have a named consultant obstetrician
  • Where gestation is > 20+0 weeks, Surgery should be performed in a centre with obstetric and neonatal services on site wherever feasible.
  • Multi-disciplinary planning is essential
  • Pregnant women housed in an obstetric ward will remain under the care of the relevant clinical team (e.g. surgery) and should be reviewed daily
  • In the rare situation that surgery cannot be performed in a centre with on-site obstetric and neonatal services, the consultant obstetrician from the woman’s maternity unit should be contacted at the earliest opportunity. The obstetric consultant should notify the appropriate neonatal, ScotSTAR, midwifery and obstetric anaesthetic teams.
  • In this situation, a Teams call in advance with all relevant parties, including ScotSTAR, should be held.

The facility for emergency conference calling is available via the ScotSTAR emergency line (03333 990222)

Applicable unit policies

Background

  • It is estimated that 0.2-1.6% of parturients will require a surgical procedure whilst pregnant1,2
  • Indications for surgery may be pregnancy or non-pregnancy related
  • To maintain maternal safety the physiological and anatomical changes of pregnancy must be considered and surgical and anaesthetic techniques modified accordingly
  • Fetal wellbeing is related to the avoidance of fetal asphyxia, teratogenic drugs and preterm labour. Maternal hypoxia, extreme hypo or hypercarbia, hypotension, and uterine hypertonus must be avoided.
  • Surgery should be performed in the second trimester where possible1. Elective surgery is generally postponed until at least 6-weeks after delivery.  However, a pregnant woman should never be denied indicated surgery, regardless of trimester3,4
  • The absolute risk of an adverse birth outcome in pregnant women having non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy is low, and any increase in risk is difficult to disentangle from the underlying pathology necessitating surgery1,5
  • Pregnancy is not a contraindication for laparoscopic surgery and the prevalence of laparoscopic surgery is increasing.2 Discussion with an obstetrician is advised and consideration should be given to fetal monitoring. Intra-abdominal pressures should be kept between 12-15mmHg where possible3
  • Anti-D should be considered in pregnant women who are rhesus negative, particularly if intra-abdominal surgery is planned. This should be discussed with the obstetrician. If needed, minimum doses of Anti-D depend on fetal gestation:
  • <12 weeks gestation – Anti-D often not required
  • 12 – 20 weeks – Minimum 25O IU IM anti-D into deltoid within 72 hours of the Potentially Sensitising Event (PSE).
  • >20 weeks – Kleihauer Test to be taken (1x EDTA [purple] blood tube). Minimum 500 IU IM anti-D within 72 hours of PSE. Further doses as directed by Kleihauer result (discuss with obstetrician/haematologist).

Hospital with on-site obstetric and neonatal services - management of pregnant patient requiring emergency surgery

Hospital with NO on-site obstetric and neonatal services - management of pregnant patient requiring emergency surgery

Guidance for anaesthetists

Pre-operative

  • Ensure FBC and G+S sent (other bloods dependent on clinical situation). Note Rhesus status and if rhesus –ve, consider anti-D as directed above. Note G&S valid for only 72-hours in obstetric patients.
  • Discuss case with ‘Senior on’ anaesthetic consultant. Obstetric anaesthetic consultant should be informed in all cases over 20-weeks gestation, and in any other case where advice is required
  • Give Ranitidine 150mg po or 50mg IV pre-operatively
  • Give Sodium Citrate 0.3M oral solution prior to induction in patients > 16-weeks gestation (can be obtained from labour ward)
  • Ensure availability of Syntocinon, Ergometrine, Syntometrine and Hemabate® in operating theatre
  • Site 14 / 16G cannula(e)

Intra-operative

  • 15° left lateral tilt mandatory after 16-weeks and consider at earlier gestation if hypotensive, symptomatic, or large bump (e.g. multiples)
  • Regional technique preferable where feasible
    • N.B. Uteroplacental circulation is not auto-regulated and perfusion is entirely dependent on maintenance of adequate maternal blood pressure and cardiac output.  Placental perfusion must be maintained by rapid treatment of any hypotension
  • Smaller volumes of local anaesthetic required for spinal / epidural blockade. Spinal dose of 2.5ml 0.5% heavy bupivacaine + 0.3mg diamorphine used to achieve block to T4 for caesarean birth at term. Greater than 2.5ml used in preterm, IUGR etc.  Advice can be obtained from consultant obstetric anaesthetist
  • If GA, careful pre-oxygenation - consider head up position, ramping, Oxford pillow. Higher risk of difficult intubation
  • RSI after 16 weeks or if symptomatic of reflux at any gestation. Use video-laryngoscope where available. Use small ETT (size 7). Have bougie / stylet available
  • Thiopentone, propofol, suxamethonium and rocuronium are suitable for RSI in obstetric patients.
  • Use of a short acting opioid (e.g. alfentanil) to obtund response to intubation in presence of hypertension / pre-eclampsia is recommended. If these conditions are present, the consultant obstetric anaesthetist should attend wherever possible
  • MHRA suggests Nitrous Oxide best avoided in first trimester (though not absolutely contraindicated if benefits thought to outweigh risk)
  • ETCO2 should be kept in the normal pregnant range (3.7-4.2kPa)
  • Consider arterial line and PaCO2 monitoring in laparoscopic patients as PaCO2 may be significantly greater than ETCO2
  • Maintain SBP within 20% of pre-operative levels (placental flow dependent on maternal BP / CO)
  • Phenylephrine is commonly used to treat hypotension. Make up as Phenylephrine 10mg in 500ml (20 micrograms/ml).  Give either as Phenylephrine infusion (50ml syringe in PK pump at 60-100ml/hr) or as Phenylephrine 40-60 microgram boluses
  • Avoid NSAIDs and Ketamine before delivery
  • Unless confronted with a ‘cannot intubate, cannot ventilate’ scenario, the 2019 Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology consensus statement on sugammadex recommends against its use during pregnancy because of concerns about progesterone binding.7 
  • Reversal with Neostigmine and Atropine is instead recommended (Neostigmine crosses the placenta and can cause fetal bradycardia. Glycopyrrolate does not cross the placenta8). An indicative initial dose of atropine (with 2.5mg neostigmine) would be 0.6-1.2mg.9 Compared to glycopyrrolate, a more marked increase in heart rate may occur initially with atropine, however excessive bradycardia may then occur and require further atropine administration, beyond this initial dose.10
  • Consider intra-operative use of intermittent compression stockings in view of increased risk of thromboembolism
  • Analgesia - Paracetamol (weight appropriate dose), opioids and regional techniques can be used.  NSAIDs can be used following delivery of the fetus if no other contraindications

IF DELIVERY of fetus required

    • Inform obstetrician, neonatal team and obstetric anaesthetist.
    • Start Syntocinon infusion after umbilical cord cut (5 units Syntocinon slow bolus then 15 units Syntocinon in 500ml Hartmann’s over 30 mins (1000ml/hr) using a controlled infusion pump (eg Alaris). Further uterotonics at discretion of obstetrician
    • If Syntocinon 5 units bolus requested, this should be given slowly. Rapid administration can cause hypotension
    • Ergometrine (if required) should be given as a slow IV injection (dilute Ergometrine 500 micrograms to 10ml with Sodium Chloride 0.9%).  Ergometrine is associated with nausea and vomiting so co-administration of an anti-emetic is advised.  Avoid in hypertension, sepsis, heart disease
    • Hemabate® (if required) should be given by deep IM injection (Hemabate® 250 micrograms). Caution in hypertension, pre-eclampsia, asthma, heart disease, liver disease, glaucoma.  Can be repeated every 15 minutes up to 8 doses. Hemabate® MUST NEVER BE GIVEN INTRAVENOUSLY

Post-operative

  • Post-op fetal monitoring as directed by obstetrician
  • Discharge destination dependent on gestation and clinical situation – liaise with surgeon / obstetrician
  • Thromboprophylaxis - Early mobilisation, hydration, TEDs, LMWH dose appropriate for maternal weight (unless contraindicated).  Follow GGC antenatal / postnatal guidance as appropriate. This can be obtained via the Maternity Hospital Coordinator, via Staffnet or via this link.

Breastfeeding

  • Breastfeeding is acceptable to continue after anaesthesia and should be supported as soon as the patient is alert and able to feed, without the need to discard breast milk. Recent guidance from the Association of Anaesthetists is available, some of which is highlighted below:11  
    • Anaesthetic and non-opioid analgesic drugs are transferred to breast milk in only very small amounts
    • Drugs such as opioids and benzodiazepines should be used with caution, especially after multiple doses and in babies up to 6 weeks old (corrected for gestational age). In this situation, the infant should be observed for signs of abnormal drowsiness and respiratory depression, especially if the woman is also showing signs of sedation.
    • Codeine should be avoided in breastfeeding women
    • Consult Clinical Pharmacist, Medicines Information Service or British National Formulary for further guidance

Contact numbers

Contact numbers (GRI / PRM)

  • Labour Ward – Tel 13302
  • PRM Hospital coordinator - 13707
  • Obstetric StR - Page 10055
  • Obstetric consultant – Page 10056, 8:30-22:00 (via switchboard outwith these hours)
  • Obstetric Anaesthetic StR – 12266
  • Consultant obstetric anaesthetist / twilight anaesthetist – Page 12205 (08:00-00:00), via switchboard after 00:00
  • Anaesthetics StR (duty 2 / duty 1) – Page 13298 / 13299
  • Anaesthetic consultant (senior on) – Page 13259 (via switchboard after 18:00)
  • Neonatal StR - page 12200
  • Neonatal consultant – page 12210

Contact numbers (RAH)

  • Labour ward – Tel. 07269
  • Maternity Hospital Coordinator – Available via labour ward on page 56297
  • Obstetric StR - Page 56014
  • Obstetric consultant – Page 56193, 9:00-17:00 (via switchboard outwith these hours)
  • Anaesthetic StR  – Page 56233
  • Anaesthetic consultant – Via Labour ward or switchboard
  • Neonatal StR - Page 56017
  • Neonatal consultant – Via switchboard

Contact Numbers (QEUH)

  • Labour ward – Tel. 62292
  • Maternity Hospital Coordinator – Page 17292
  • Obstetric StR – Page 17111
  • Obstetric Consultant – Page 17222
  • Anaesthetic StR – (duty 2) – Page 17307
  • Anaesthetist consultant – Consultant obstetric anaesthetist –Page 17272
  • Neonatal consultant – Tel: 62261

Contact Numbers (ScotSTAR)

  • Elective requests/discussion - 0141 8106672 
  • Emergency referral – 03333 990222

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 31/07/2023

Next review date: 25/07/2028

Author(s): Dr Dawn Kernaghan.

Version: 2

Co-Author(s): Dr Andrew McCallum, Dr Alan Jackson, Dr Marcus McMillan.

Approved By: Maternity Guideline Group

Document Id: 594

Related resources
  1. Jenkins TM, Mackey SF, Benzoni EM, et al. Non-obstetric surgery during gestation: risk factors for lower birthweight. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2003; 43: 27-31.
  2. Rasmussen AS, Christiansen CF, Uldbjerg N, Nørgaard M. Obstetric and non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy: A 20-year Danish population-based prevalence study. BMJ Open. 2019; 9(5): e028136.
  3. Haggerty E, Daly J. Anaesthesia and non-obstetric surgery in pregnancy. BJA Educ. 2021; 21(2): 42-43.
  4. Nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 775. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. 2019; 133: e285–e286.
  5. Balinskaite V, Bottle A, Sodhi V et al. The risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes following nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy: estimates from a retrospective cohort study of 6.5 million pregnancies. Ann Surg. 2017; 266(2): 260-266.
  6. Qureshi H, Massey E, Kirwan D, Davies T, Robson S, White J. BCSH guideline for the use of anti-D immunoglobulin for the prevention of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. Transfus Med. 2014; 24 (1): 8-20
  7. Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. Statement on sugammadex during pregnancy and lactation.2019. 
  8. Clark RB, Brown MA, Lattin DL. Neostigmine, atropine, and glycopyrrolate: does neostigmine cross the placenta? Anesthesiology. 1996; 84(2): 450-452.
  9. British National Formulary. Atropine. 
  10. Mirakhur RK, Dundee JW, Jones CJ, Coppel DL, Clarke RS. Reversal of neuromuscular blockade: dose determination studies with atropine and glycopyrrolate given before or in a mixture with neostigmine. Anesth Analg. 1981; 60(8): 557-562.
  11. Association of Anaesthetists. Anaesthesia and sedation in breastfeeding women. 2020.