Low patient activation (pa) negatively affects postoperative outcomes, but its impact on digital health interventions is unclear. This study assessed the influence of patient activation on the effectiveness of a digital health application for remote post-discharge follow-up in patients undergoing elective colectomy. The analysis included both a control cohort (cc) and a digital application cohort […]
Author: STITCHES Newsletter
Under-represented medical students perceive surgery clerkship differently
Under-represented students in medicine (URIM) perceive the surgery clerkship differently compared to non-URIM students, according to a study of 235 medical students between 2019 and 2021. URIM students were less likely to see surgical residents and faculty as positive role models, while non-URIM students more often agreed that residents and faculty demonstrated positive patient care. […]
The Validation Status of Current and Emerging Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgical Platforms
Most existing robotic surgical platforms are at the early stages of evaluation, with the majority being in the preclinical to developmental and exploratory stage. A scoping review of 23 different robotic platforms from 21 companies revealed that only one multiport system is fully evaluated, while the rest are at various stages of assessment. None of […]
Metabolic surgery leads to weight loss, improved comorbid conditions, lower incidence of cardiovascular events, cancer, and death, but also carries risks.
Metabolic/bariatric surgery is an effective and durable treatment for obesity, resulting in significant weight loss and improvements in comorbid conditions, including type 2 diabetes. It is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events, cancer, and death. However, there is a risk of weight regain and an increased risk of developing substance and alcohol use […]
Systemwide Quality Improvement Increases Primary Care-Initiated Evaluation of Adrenal Incidentalomas
Following the implementation of a systemwide quality improvement (QI) program, researchers assessed the management of incidental adrenal masses (IAMS) in 437 patients from January 2018 to December 2019. The QI intervention included various strategies such as providing chart-based messages, emails to primary care providers (PCPs), standardized recommendations, and access to a multispecialty adrenal clinic. The […]
No Significant Impact of Preoperative Midazolam on Patient Satisfaction in Older Surgical Patients
Despite its widespread use, the effect of preoperative oral midazolam on patient satisfaction in older surgical patients remained unclear. Researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on 607 patients aged 65 to 80 years undergoing elective inpatient surgery. The study found that a single low dose of oral midazolam did not significantly alter global perioperative […]
Preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT Associated with Pathological Tumor Grade in Pseudomyxoma Peritonei
The clinical effectiveness of preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT in predicting pathological tumor grade in patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) originating from the appendix was evaluated in this retrospective cohort study. The study found that high-grade PMP patients had a significantly higher median standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on 18F-FDG PET/CT compared to low-grade patients. The highest area […]
Standardizing Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Angiography in Colorectal Surgery Impacts on Interpretation Consistency
The study aimed to assess the impact of a standardized protocol on interpretation consistency of indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICGFA) in colorectal surgery. Experienced and junior surgeons completed a questionnaire and interpreted nine ICGFA videos. Results showed good transection level concordance across all videos and expertise levels. However, poor agreement was observed with the standardized […]
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Effectively Alleviates Symptoms in Patients with Normal Ejection Fraction
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is found to be effective in improving symptoms for patients with abdominal pain and biliary dyskinesia (low ejection fraction 35%). In a retrospective study of 117 patients with negative workup, including normal ejection fraction, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 84% reported resolution of pre-operative symptoms. There was no significant correlation between pain during hida […]
Subtotal Cholecystectomy: Safe Approach with Postoperative ERCP for Bile Leak Resolution
This study examined 102 cases of subtotal cholecystectomy (STC) as a strategy for difficult cholecystectomies. Of all patients with STC, 47.1% underwent intra- or postoperative ERCP. Bile leak was the main indication for ERCP, with a higher resolution rate for postoperative ERCP (95.7%) compared to intraoperative ERCP (60.0%). No injuries to the central bile ducts […]