SWARM Audit Project 1: The proportion of patients undergoing emergency surgery who are at risk of post-operative pulmonary complications

This was the first multi-centred prospective audit completed by the SWARM research collaborative. It involved 6 trusts, 70 trainees and 25 consultants.

Its primary objective was to test and develop the organisational structure of our new trainee-led research network. Its secondary objective was to collect data that would guide future research projects planned by the collaborative.

The data collected during SWARM AP 1 included:

1. The ARISCAT & Revised Cardiac Risk Index scores of patients undergoing emergency / urgent surgery on the NCEPOD list

2. The timing of emergency surgery on the 24 hour clock (Royal College of Anaesthesia Audit Compendium 2006 Section 4.2)

During a 2 week period in 2012 we recruited 437 patients and achieved a recruitment rate of 85%. This data has been presented at national meetings. The success of our first project implies that the concept of trainee-led research networks is viable and we look forward to refining the model in future endeavours.

Presentations

SWARM Audit Project 1

National

Winter Anaesthesia Research Society Meeting, 13th December 2012, Dr Julie Lewis

Regional

Society of Anaesthetists of the South Western Region Meeting, 16-18th May 2013, Dr Peter Thomas

Local

To be presented at the Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Research Conference, September 2013

Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton), 25th February 2013, Dr Borys Topor

Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Exeter), 6th February 2013, Dr Sandeep Kusre

North Devon District Hospital (Barnstaple), 22nd January 2013, Dr Matthew Browning

Derriford Hospital (Plymouth), 13th December 2012, Dr Thomas Clark

Royal Cornwall Hospital (Truro), 20th November 2012, Dr Nicholas Boyd

Torbay Hospital (Torquay), 7th November 2012, Dr Tod Guest

Abstracts

Proportion of patients undergoing emergency surgery at risk of postoperative pulmonary and cardiac complications, British Journal of Anaesthesia, 110(5): 863-864P.
Written by Dr Thomas Clark & edited by Dr Gary Minto & Prof Robert Sneyd on behalf of SWARM (2013).

Regional Project Leads

Dr Thomas Clark

Dr Gary Minto

Local Trust Project Leads

Dr Nicholas Boyd

Dr Sandeep Kusre

Dr Borys Topor

Dr Claire Hamer

Dr Matthew Browning

Local Trust Project Investigators

Dr Kate Sharpe

Dr Elizabeth Fontaine

Dr Julie Lewis

Dr Elizabeth Teare

Dr Alan Ch’ng

Dr Rupa Jayaraj

Dr James Blackburn

Dr Peter Thomas

Dr Benjamin Plumb

Dr Francois Wessels