Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Despite limited evidence regarding its safety, immediate reconstruction (IR) is increasingly offered to women with T4 breast cancer. We compared outcomes after IR, delayed reconstruction (DR), and no reconstruction (NR) in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) for T4 disease. ⋯ After IR, women with T4 tumors, particularly T4d disease, experienced delayed initiation of adjuvant treatment and substantial morbidity, suggesting that an interval of >18 months between mastectomy and reconstruction is advisable.
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In response to the challenges faced as diverse students when first encountering the intricacies of scrubbing into the operating room (OR), we have prepared a rudimentary surgical skills guide to supplement the knowledge of students and educators alike. In keeping with the need to adapt standard protocols to accommodate religious and cultural practices, this guide focuses on hijab, natural hair, dastar, protective styles, and beard protocol in the OR. ⋯ We intend this guide to serve as a foundation on which the medical field can update its educational practices in line with the increased diversity of the medical professions, while also continuing to ensure the safety of OR and ICU patients. This guide also highlights COVID-19-specific changes in personal protective equipment and seeks to open up a conversation about the necessity of currently held surgical practices.
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Studies evaluating the efficacy of ATLS in low- and middle-income countries are limited. We followed up ATLS providers certified by the ATLS India program over a decade (2009 to 2019), aiming to measure the benefits in knowledge, skills, attitude and their attrition over time. ⋯ Cognitive, psychomotor, organizational, and affective impact of ATLS is overwhelmingly positive in the Indian scenario. Until formal trauma systems are established, ATLS remains the best hope for critically injured patients in resource-contrained settings.