Unexpected Benefits in Single Institution Experience With Successful Implementation of a Standardized Perioperative Protocol in Pediatric Thyroidectomy.

Abstract

Introduction:

To illustrate how quality improvement can produce unexpected positive outcomes.

Methods:

We compared a retrospective review of perioperative management and outcomes of baseline 122 pediatric total thyroidectomies to 121 subsequent total thyroidectomies managed by an Electronic Medical Record protocol in a large, free-standing children's healthcare system. Process measures included serum calcium measurement 6-12 hours postoperatively; parathyroid hormone measurement 6 hours postoperatively; preoperative iodine for Graves disease, and postoperative prophylactic calcium carbonate administration. In addition, we completed 4 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, focusing on implementation, refinement, usage, education, and postoperative calcitriol administration. The primary outcome included transient hypocalcemia during admission.

Results:

All perioperative process measures improved over PDSA cycles. Measurement of postoperative serum calcium increased from 42% at baseline to 100%. Measurement of postoperative PTH increased from 11% to 97%. Preoperative iodine administration for Graves disease surgeries improved from 72% to 94%. Postoperative calcium carbonate administration increased from 36% to 100%. There was a trend toward lower rates of severe hypocalcemia during admission over the subsequent PDSA cycles starting at 11.6% and improving to 3.4%. With the regular review of outcomes, surgical volume consolidated among high-volume providers, associated with a decrease in a permanent hypoparathyroid rate of 20.5% at baseline to 10% by the end of monitoring.

Conclusions:

In standardizing care at 1 large pediatric institution, implementing a focused quality improvement project involving the perioperative management of transient hypocalcemia in total thyroidectomy pediatric patients resulted in additional, unanticipated improvements in patient care.

• Authors: Kristina Cossen, Matthew T Santore, Kara K Prickett, Steven L Goudy, Kurt F Heiss, Kanika Shanker, Adina L Alazraki, Briana C Patterson
• Journal: Pediatric quality & safety (Pediatr Qual Saf) 2022 May-Jun Vol. 7 Issue 3 Pg. e568 ISSN: 2472-0054 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35720874 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.