High Out-of-Pocket Surgical Costs in Ethiopia Impact Care Access
One in four surgical patients in Ethiopia faces catastrophic health expenditure, jeopardizing access to essential care.
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Pediatric Surgery
The five that matter, every day.
New guidelines standardize appendicitis management in Sweden
A comprehensive set of national guidelines for acute appendicitis management has been developed in Sweden, addressing significant practice variations. The guidelines, created by a working group of experts and informed by a national survey, provide evidence-based recommendations encompassing pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and special considerations for…
Long-term Hospital Admissions for Adult Survivors of Infant Surgical Diseases
Adult survivors of infant surgical diseases such as esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and Hirschsprung disease continue to require lifelong care, with 1140 admissions identified over a 10-year period. Patients, mostly female with a mean age of 31.6 years, required hospitalization for…
Modified Mesohepatectomy for Congenital Biliary Dilatation
Modified mesohepatectomy offers a safe and beneficial alternative to trisectionectomy for treating bilobar congenital biliary dilatation. It results in higher residual liver volume, lower parenchyma resection rate, reduced complications, and optimal long-term outcomes, making it a valuable option for patients ineligible for major hepatectomy or…
Virtual Reality as an Effective Pain Management Tool After Surgery
Virtual reality (VR) is more effective than standard iPad use in decreasing pain after surgery in pediatric patients. A randomized controlled study found that patients using VR experienced lower pain scores and decreased opioid consumption compared to those using iPads. Younger patients benefited more from…
Which Biomaterial Offers the Lowest Recurrence Rate in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair?
Researchers reviewed 63 papers on 4598 CDH patients to evaluate patch repair outcomes. They found that goretex/marlex had the lowest recurrence rate at 3.6%. Recurrence rates were also low for teflon (4.2%) and dacron (5.6%), with goretex being the most popular patch material. Synthetic non-resorbable…
Pediatric Pancreatic Surgery: Safe, Effective, and Centralized
Pediatric pancreatic surgery, analyzed in a 73-patient study, demonstrated safety and effectiveness. Distal pancreatectomy was the most common procedure, addressing indications like chronic pancreatitis, tumors, and trauma. Postoperative morbidity occurred in 34.2%, with no 90-day mortality. The 5-year overall survival was 90.5%, emphasizing the feasibility…
Key findings from documentation of trauma-informed care for young assault trauma patients
Results from a retrospective chart review show that 96% of pediatric assault trauma patients had at least one trauma-informed element documented, compared to 82.5% of adult patients. Social workers were the most likely to document trauma-informed elements, with pain assessment and social support being the…
Early Onset Pancreatic Cancer Burden Increasing Worldwide, Especially in Asia and Eastern Europe
Early-onset pancreatic cancer (EOPC) in younger populations is characterized by poor differentiation and is increasing globally. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, there were 36,852 new cases and 32,004 deaths from EOPC in 2019. East Asia had the highest number of cases, while…
High-Risk Opioid Prescribing Increases Risk of Persistent Opioid Use in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients
Approximately 5% of adolescents and young adults continue to use opioids after surgery, and this study investigated the impact of postoperative opioid prescribing on persistent use in this population. The study found that high-risk opioid prescribing practices, such as overlapping prescriptions and multiple prescribers, significantly…