First study assessing hpb surgical capacity in West Africa reveals limited availability of specialized procedures like major hepatic resections and the whipple procedure. Most institutions lack hpb-trained surgeons, highlighting the need for regional quality improvement initiatives to enhance surgical care for hepato-pancreato-biliary malignancies in the region. Journal Article by Alatise OI, Yibrehu B (…) Kingham […]
Author: STITCHES Newsletter
Increased R0 resection rate with ICG-guided laparoscopic hepatectomy
ICG-guided laparoscopic hepatectomy significantly improves R0 resection rates for liver malignancies compared to non-ICG methods. A meta-analysis of seven studies totaling 598 patients showed a higher rate of complete tumor eradication with ICG guidance, indicating its efficacy in enhancing surgical outcomes without compromising safety. This systematic review highlights the potential of ICG fluorescence imaging in […]
Comparable Long-term Oncological Outcomes of Single-Port Laparoscopic Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Long-term oncological outcomes of single-port laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma were compared with multiport laparoscopic hepatectomy. Recurrence rates were higher in the splh group, but overall and recurrence-free survival did not significantly differ between groups. Splh method and portal vein invasion were identified as independent adverse prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival. Strict patient selection is […]
Overlap Anastomosis Outperforms End-to-End in Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Surgery
Overlap anastomosis showed superior outcomes compared to functional end-to-end anastomosis in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, with shorter operation and recovery times and lower post-operative complication rates. These findings suggest that overlapping anastomosis can expedite intestinal function recovery without compromising patient quality of life or survival in the short term post-surgery. Comparative Study by Sun W […]
Pre-operative Biliary Drainage Increases Complications in Resectable Periampullary Lesions
Pre-operative biliary drainage significantly raised complication rates in periampullary lesion patients, as shown by a meta-analysis including 35 studies and 2 randomized trials with 12,641 patients. Results revealed higher overall complication rates, increased delayed gastric emptying post-surgery, and a significant rise in wound infections post-operatively in the drainage group. These findings caution against routine pre-operative […]
Bile metabolic fingerprints distinguish biliary tract cancer from benign diseases
A novel bile-based assay, BileMet, distinguishes biliary tract cancer (BTC) from benign diseases with high accuracy (AUC 0.891). It identifies 6 metabolite biomarkers, including chenodeoxycholic acid glycine conjugate, associated with BTC. BileMet offers rapid intraoperative testing, surpassing limitations of current diagnostic methods like brush cytology, potentially reducing diagnostic costs by over 90%. Journal Article by […]
CTDNA Predicts HCC Recurrence After Resection
Identifiable tumor mutational burden (TMB) in post-operative circulating tumor DNA predicts recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. TMB detection, unlike AFP, showed significant association with reduced recurrence-free survival and higher recurrence rates. TMB outperformed AFP in predicting post-operative recurrence, with a cut-off of 4.8 mutations/megabase. CTDNA may serve as a valuable surveillance tool post-hepatectomy, warranting larger […]
Establishment of a patient-specific organoid model for timely pancreatic cancer treatment
Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from EUS-guided biopsies show high success rate in establishing models for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC PDOs accurately reflect genetic alterations in the original tumors and predict drug sensitivity, including resistance to nab-paclitaxel. This innovative model enables rapid testing of multiple therapeutic drugs, offering a personalized “patient avatar” for timely clinical decision-making […]
Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detecting Bacteria in Peritoneal Fluid
Polymerase chain reaction accurately detects bacteria in peritoneal fluid, guiding postoperative antibiotic treatment in patients with acute appendicitis. Results show concordance of 71.4% between PCR and conventional culture, with Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis being the most common bacteria. Study highlights PCR’s potential in diagnosing bacterial infections, even in cases where conventional culture fails to […]
Enhanced Gastric Cancer Staging Using New N Classification System
This study developed and validated a new lymph nodal staging system for pt3-4n0-2m0 gastric cancer patients. The new classification, based on examined lymph nodes and lymph node ratio, outperformed the current system in prognostic prediction accuracy. The improved staging method emerged as an independent prognostic indicator, providing enhanced survival analysis for patients. Surgeons are encouraged […]