Category: Appendix, Gallbladder and Surgical Emergencies

Rising obesity deaths in emergency abdominal surgeries

Obesity dramatically raises mortality risk in acute abdominal surgery patients, making targeted interventions critical. Overall obesity-related mortality rose from 2.05 to 5.5 per million (1999-2020), with a notable jump after 2018. Women have higher mortality rates, but men show faster increases in the obesity group. Awareness of racial disparities is crucial, as non-Hispanic American Indians […]

Endovascular Strategies Transform Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia Management

Endovascular-first approaches are reshaping treatment for chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI), crucial for improving patient outcomes. Higher prevalence noted, especially in elderly females with increased single-vessel disease recognition. Endovascular therapy preferred for most lesions, with covered stents showing improved patency. Early identification and individualized revascularization strategies are vital for long-term success in CMI cases. Open surgery […]

Enhanced Imaging Cuts Time in Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging helps surgeons perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy more efficiently in challenging cases. Operative time decreased by 1.08 minutes with indocyanine green imaging compared to traditional methods. Included studies evaluated a total of 1069 patients, showing a potential reduction in conversion rates to open surgery. This imaging technique could lead to quicker surgeries and […]

Shorter Antibiotic Courses Safe for Complicated Appendicitis

Short-course antibiotics for complicated appendicitis lead to better patient outcomes without added risks. No significant differences in complications: abscess (OR 0.967) or surgical site infections (OR 0.983). Patients on short courses had a 1.9-day shorter hospital stay on average. Standardizing short-course protocols can enhance recovery and promote antibiotic stewardship in surgical practice. Review by Elhage […]

ERAS Cuts Hospital Stay for Peptic Perforation Patients

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) significantly benefits patients with peptic perforation, reducing hospital stays and accelerating recovery. Median hospital stay was 3 days in the ERAS group versus 5 days in conventional care. Patients walked within 21 hours post-surgery, compared to 48 hours in the conventional group. Implementing ERAS can lead to quicker recoveries and […]

Cost-Effective Surgery for Complicated Diverticulitis

Early non-emergent colectomy is more cost-effective and beneficial for patients with complicated diverticulitis and abscess. Early operation results in $8,852 lower costs per patient and an incremental increase of 0.57 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). This strategy is cost-effective 96% of the time when compared to interval operation. Surgeons should prioritize early intervention but consider patient […]

Audit Reveals Improved Outcomes in Acute GI Bleeding

A recent UK audit on acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding shows improved patient outcomes despite higher comorbidities and inappropriate transfusion practices. Comorbidities rose from 50% to 67%, with 15% of patients having cirrhosis. Transfusion rates increased to 50%, and 24% of early transfusions were deemed inappropriate, linked to higher adjusted mortality at hemoglobin thresholds above 80 […]

Prediction Tool for Timing of Cholecystectomy After PTGBD

A new machine learning tool helps surgeons determine the optimal timing for cholecystectomy after transcutaneous gallbladder drainage in elderly acute cholecystitis patients, improving surgical outcomes. Random forest model achieved an AUC of 0.914, outperforming other models for predicting surgery delays. Key predictors for delayed surgery include age, gallbladder wall thickness, and white blood cell count. […]

Understanding Surgical Needs in Sigmoid Volvulus Patients

Nonoperative detorsion can often be effective for sigmoid volvulus, but some patients clearly need emergency surgery. 44.9% of patients required emergency surgery; previous volvulus history and shorter symptom duration were significant. Relative indicators for surgery include vomiting and hypokinetic bowel sounds; gangrenous stool and rebound tenderness are absolute indicators. Surgeons should evaluate these clinical features […]

Robotic Cholecystectomy Reduces Complications Compared to Laparoscopic

Robotic subtotal fenestrating cholecystectomy (SFC) significantly lowers complications compared to traditional laparoscopic SFC, impacting surgical outcomes and patient selection. Unplanned postoperative ERCP occurred in 29.2% of laparoscopic SFC patients versus 6.7% in robotic SFC (p=0.01). Overall complication rates were 16.6% for robotic SFC compared to 42.7% for laparoscopic (p=0.02). Robotic SFC also resulted in less […]