Clinical Research Directory

Aspiration Risk Assessment by Gastric Ultrasound in eMErgency Surgery and ANesThetic Decision-making: The ARGUMENT Study

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents is a serious patient safety problem accounting for 50% of anesthesia-related mortality. The risk is higher in patients undergoing emergency surgery as the gastric content is uncertain which poses a challenge to anesthetic decision-making. Standard clinical assessment to identify at-risk patients primarily relies on preoperative fasting guidelines and is not adequate for patients undergoing emergency surgeries. Point-of-care gastric ultrasound (GUS) has emerged as an accurate bedside tool providing information regarding the type and volume of gastric contents. When GUS was added to standard clinical assessment, anesthetic management plan changed in 71% of adult elective and 37% of pediatric emergency surgical procedures. Such data is lacking in adult patients undergoing emergency surgeries. The investigators propose a multicentre mixed-method study to evaluate the impact of GUS on aspiration risk assessment and subsequent Anesthetic Plan before emergency surgeries. The evidence from this study will improve patient safety by accurately identifying patients at risk of aspiration and tailoring anesthetic techniques and airway management to prevent pulmonary aspiration in patients undergoing emergency surgeries.

5 Versus 10 mcg Norepinephrine Bolus in Treatment of Postinduction and Early Intraoperative Hypotension in Emergency Abdominal Surgery

Postinduction hypotension is a frequent intraoperative complication, particularly in emergency abdominal surgery due to factors such as sepsis, hypovolemia, and limited preoperative cardiac assessment. Because it can lead to serious organ injury, prompt prevention and management are essential. Vasopressors, including ephedrine, phenylephrine, and norepinephrine, are commonly used, with NE gaining interest as an intraoperative bolus despite uncertainty about the optimal dose in general surgery population The aim of this study is to compare 5 mcg to 10 mcg norepinephrine bolus for treatment of postinduction hypotension and early intraoperative in emergency abdominal surgery.

Treatment and Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 and Competing Acute Surgical Diseases in Moscow

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge to surgical practice. This study aims to investigate the structure of hospitalizations, treatment outcomes, and surgical tactics in patients with COVID-19 and competing different acute surgical diseases (ASD). The research is based on real-world data (RWD) from a large multidisciplinary hospital repurposed as a COVID-19 center. The study analyze the mutual impact of these two acute conditions on patient outcomes, develop prognostic models for in-hospital mortality, and evaluate changes in surgical approaches during the pandemic.

China Research for Severe Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage（CRISIH）

Background: Although emergency surgery may reduce mortality in patients with severe spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SSICH), the effectiveness and safety of surgical treatment among SSICH patients receiving long-term oral antiplatelet therapy (LOAPT) remain unclear. The CRISIH registry was originally designed to evaluate the effect and safety of emergency surgery in SSICH patients receiving LOAPT and has subsequently continued as an ongoing multicenter registry of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods: The CRISIH registry is an ongoing prospective, multicenter cohort registry conducted across participating clinical centers in China. The registry was initiated in November 2019 and is designed as a 10-year registry with continued recruitment and follow-up. Data from the initial five-year enrollment period are used for interim and secondary analyses, while recruitment and follow-up continue during the subsequent registry period. Clinical, radiological, surgical, laboratory, and follow-up information are collected using standardized case report forms. For the originally registered primary outcome, patients are followed until death or 6 months after the occurrence of primary hemorrhage; selected follow-up assessments and secondary analyses may extend beyond this period according to the registry protocol. Study Design: The CRISIH registry was designed as a prospective, multicenter cohort registry of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. One originally registered comparative focus evaluates SSICH patients receiving LOAPT, comparing total mortality and survival outcomes between patients receiving emergency surgical treatment and those receiving conservative treatment. The safety of surgery is assessed by comparing postoperative hemorrhagic complications among operated patients with and without LOAPT. Based on the observed clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients receiving LOAPT, the registry also evaluates ischemic events after discontinuation of LOAPT and explores coagulation function assessment strategies in operated patients receiving LOAPT. Objective: The CRISIH registry aims to prospectively evaluate clinical outcomes and management strategies in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. An originally registered focus of the registry is to assess the effectiveness and safety of emergency surgery among SSICH patients receiving LOAPT, thereby generating evidence to support future clinical management. Secondary Analysis Update: The present update describes an interim secondary analysis of the ongoing CRISIH registry based on patients enrolled during the initial five-year period from November 2019 to December 2024. This analysis focuses on postoperative disorders of consciousness after surgery for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, with consciousness status assessed at 30, 90, 180, and 365 days after surgery using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised. This interim secondary analysis does not alter the ongoing registry design, recruitment status, or originally registered primary outcome.

Surgical Emergencies Gradation and Postoperative Outcome

Reducing surgical waiting time has been shown to be associated with a reduction in postoperative morbidity and mortality in this type of surgery. The use of a gradation of surgical emergencies makes it possible to prioritise them in an objective, consensual manner and to carry them out within a theoretical expected waiting time relative to the degree of urgency. The investigators hypothesise that exceeding the theoretical expected waiting time relative to the degree of urgency defined by the gradation of surgical emergencies is associated with an increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality in emergency surgery. The objective is to assess the impact on post-operative morbidity and mortality of waiting times exceeding the theoretical expected time by grading the surgical emergencies of patients undergoing emergency surgery.

Gastric Ultrasound for Airway Management in Emergency Patients

This prospective observational cohort study evaluates the association between gastric residual content and volume, assessed by point-of-care gastric ultrasound (PoCUS), and the choice of airway management technique (Rapid Sequence Intubation vs. non Rapid Sequence Intubation) in adult emergency surgical patients at Rumah Sakit Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM). Aspiration risk in emergency patients is a critical concern, and this study examines whether objective ultrasonographic findings change clinical decision-making compared to traditional clinical assessment alone.

Hemodynamic Effects of Intravenous Paracetamol in Patients Undergoing Emergency Laparotomy

Emergency laparotomy is a high-risk procedure often performed in patients with severe physiological derangements due to sepsis, making perioperative management challenging. Although multimodal analgesia is essential, options are often limited by factors such as hemodynamic instability, renal dysfunction, and coagulopathy. Intravenous paracetamol is commonly recommended for perioperative analgesia because of its opioid-sparing effect, but evidence suggests it may cause hypotension through peripheral vasodilation, particularly in critically ill patients. Most data on this effect come from observational studies, and evidence regarding its intraoperative hemodynamic impact remains limited.

Preoperative Hemoglobin and Acute Kidney Injury in Emergency Surgery

Optimization of hemoglobin levels for organ perfusion is essential, especially in critically ill patients. Although anemia is associated with severe organ failure, especially in coronary artery disease, the effects of blood transfusion or various interventions to increase hemoglobin levels on outcomes continue to be debated. The effects of hemoglobin levels in emergency surgery patients on the development of postoperative AKI have been investigated in a small number of studies in the literature, and clear results have not yet been reported. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of hemoglobin levels on the development of AKI after adjustment for known predictive factors.

Acute Preoperative Pain and Chronic Post-surgical Pain in Emergency Surgery

Studies evaluating postoperative pain as a risk factor for CPSP are almost exclusively carried out in the context of scheduled surgery. As a result, the preoperative pain studied as a risk factor for chronicity is essentially a state of pain that has persisted for several weeks or even several months. In emergency surgeries, patients are subject to acute preoperative pain of varying intensity and the duration of which may vary by a few days. A few studies have highlighted the intensity of acute preoperative pain as a factor favouring moderate to severe postoperative pain. At this point, no study has addressed the long-term consequences of this intense preoperative pain the emergency context. An evaluation in the field of emergency surgery, where the preoperative pain is often intense and limited in time, would enable us to identify more precisely the impact of acute pain on the incidence of CPSP. The investigators are hypothesising that the occurrence of CPSP at 3 months in patients undergoing emergency orthopaedic or abdominal surgery is associated with acute preoperative pain.

Irrisept in Emergency General Surgery Patients

This is a single institution, randomized study conducted to determine if irrigation with Irrisept in emergency general surgery patients results in lower surgical site infections compared to normal saline irrigation.

Prognosis of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Emergency Thoracic Surgery

Veno-vneous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is an established support strategy for acute respiratory failure, but its role in the perioperative management of emergency thoracic surgery remains poorly defined. This retrospective, multicenter, observational study aims to assess the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in this high-risk population. Patients undergoing emergency thoracic procedures requiring VV-ECMO will be compared to a control cohort of patients treated with VV-ECMO for medical respiratory failure. Data will be collected from two French academic centers (CHU Amiens-Picardie and CHU Dijon).

Risk Stratification for Abdominal Emergency Surgery: a Cohort Study

The goal of this retrospective observational study is to identify risk factors of unwanted outcomes (in-hospital morbidity and mortality) among patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery.

Establishment of Emergency Surgery Triage and Checklist Management System

The goal of this observational study is to develop and test a system for managing emergency surgery patients at Beijing Union Medical College Hospital. The main questions it aims to answer are: What information is necessary for effective patient triage and handovers between the emergency department, anesthesia, and ICU for surgical patients? How effective and feasible is a standardized handover process in improving patient outcomes and safety? Participants will: Be observed and have their handovers documented to identify key information required. Participate in implementing a new handover checklist and triage system. Researchers will compare the periods before and after implementing the new system to see if it: Reduces missed critical information during handovers. Decreases pre-surgery waiting times for critically ill patients. Improves overall patient safety and outcomes, including reducing postoperative complications, mortality rates, length of hospital stay, and medical costs.