American journal of surgery
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Surgical training programs are now including simulators as training tools for teaching laparoscopic surgery. The aim of this study was to develop a standardized, graduated, and evidence-based curriculum for the newly developed D-box (D-box Medical, Lier, Norway) for training basic laparoscopic skills. ⋯ Benchmark criteria and an evidence-based curriculum have been developed for the D-box. The curriculum is aimed at training and assessing surgical novices in basic laparoscopic skills.
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Comparative Study
The outcome after stent placement or surgery as the initial treatment for obstructive primary tumor in patients with stage IV colon cancer.
It is still a matter of debate as to whether palliative resection of obstructive primary tumors may prolong the survival of patients with obstructive colon cancer and unresectable synchronous metastases. The main goal of this retrospective study was to compare the use of self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) with open surgery for the palliation of patients with respect to survival, morbidity, and the time to start chemotherapy. ⋯ Both procedures can be safely performed, but the choice of treatment should be individualized and discussed with a multidisciplinary team.