In a multicenter trial involving 585 patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer, electroacupuncture (EA) proved effective in reducing postoperative ileus (POI) duration. EA decreased the time to first flatus by over 12 hours compared to sham treatments and standard care, and it shortened the time to first defecation by approximately 15 hours. Additionally, the […]
Author: STITCHES Newsletter
New tool effectively identifies post-treatment quality of life issues
A six-symptom Lasors tool has been validated for identifying patients suffering from poor health-related quality of life after curative oesophageal cancer treatment. In a cohort of 263 patients, four symptoms—reduced energy, low mood, frequent diarrhea, and bloating—were significantly linked to diminished quality of life. The tool demonstrated strong diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the […]
New frailty scoring tool predicts surgical outcomes better
A new Modified 4-Factor Functional Frailty Index (mFF-4) was developed to enhance predictions of surgical outcomes for patients aged 75 and older. An analysis of 265,041 individuals demonstrated that the mFF-4 scored higher for 30-day outcomes than the traditional 5-factor Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5), indicating improved accuracy, particularly regarding mortality and postoperative complications. For patients […]
Immune-nutritional indicators effectively predict short-term mortality in older surgical patients.
An analysis of 4,120 older patients indicated that immune-nutritional indicators, including the mgps, pni, and conut score, are effective in predicting 90-day postoperative survival after emergency gastrointestinal surgery. ROC curves demonstrated strong predictive power with an AUC of 0.68 for all models assessed. Notably, high-risk scores from the lasso cox model correlated with worse outcomes. […]
New scoring model predicts gangrenous appendicitis risk
A scoring model developed from a study of 171 patients undergoing appendectomy demonstrates effective prediction of gangrenous appendicitis. Key independent predictors include a CT value of ≥24 Hu, an appendiceal diameter of ≥12 mm, presence of cecal mucosal edema, and C-reactive protein level of ≥5.4 mg/dl. The model classifies patients into three risk categories, indicating […]
Higher Ideal Outcomes Achieved in Left Pancreatectomy
The analysis of over 20,000 patients undergoing left pancreatectomy revealed an overall ideal outcome rate of 59.1%, with significant variation across North America, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Minimally invasive procedures yielded notably higher ideal outcomes (65.4%) compared to open surgeries (53.3%). Postoperative pancreatic fistula rates showed the largest discrepancies between regions, emphasizing differing surgical […]
Robotic surgical education needs comprehensive training and assessment
Robotic surgery has rapidly evolved, necessitating specialized training for surgeons due to its unique cognitive and psychomotor demands. Existing programs like the fundamentals of robotic surgery mainly address basic skills, leaving a gap in advanced training and performance assessment. New evaluation tools are emerging to support this need. Looking ahead, advancements in technology, including artificial […]
Cardiovascular and kidney diseases elevate mortality risk after surgery
The study analyzes over 514,000 major surgeries and reveals that the combination of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) significantly increases long-term mortality risk. Results indicate that higher CKD stages correspond to markedly elevated mortality rates in patients with CVD, with hazard ratios rising from 1.38 for stage III to 2.70 for stage […]
EUS-CDS reduces major complications in pancreatic surgery.
A study analyzing 937 patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy after biliary drainage revealed significant findings regarding endoscopic ultrasound-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) versus conventional techniques. Major postoperative complications were lower in the EUS-CDS group (19%) compared to the ERCP group (33%). The overall complication rates were similar across methods. Furthermore, surgeons indicated that EUS-CDS rarely complicated surgical procedures, with […]
Histotripsy shows promising safety for treating liver tumors
A real-world safety analysis of histotripsy in 230 liver tumor patients revealed a low complication rate of 5.2%, with the majority classified as minor. Complications greater than grade II were rare, occurring in just 1.3% of cases. This novel non-invasive ultrasound technology, approved by the FDA, demonstrates a favorable safety profile in comparison to existing […]