Annals of surgery
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To clarify national clinical and economic laparoscopic colectomy outcomes, we conducted a study of patients who underwent colectomy by laparoscopic or open approaches. ⋯ Evaluation of a national administrative data set showed that patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy had shorter intensive care unit and total hospital stays, fewer complications, lower mortality, fewer readmissions, and less use of skilled nursing facilities after discharge. There was a small but significant increase in reoperation rates and in-hospital costs with laparoscopic colectomy. Improved application of enhanced recovery programs and operative efficiencies may further improve resource utilization associated with laparoscopic colectomy.
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Trauma registries are integral to trauma systems, but reliance on mortality as the primary outcome measure remains a limitation. Some registries have included measures of discharge function, usually the modified Functional Independence Measure (FIM) or the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), with the potential benefit being the ability to identify patients at risk for poor outcome. This study investigates the ability of these measures to predict longer term outcomes. ⋯ For trauma registries to compare outcomes between regions and improvements over time, it is important that survivors with poor long-term outcomes are identified. Present measurement of discharge outcomes for trauma patients is inadequate for this purpose.
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Comparative Study
Comparative study of portal vein embolization versus portal vein ligation for induction of hypertrophy of the future liver remnant using a mini-pig model.
The extent of hepatectomies is limited by the functional reserve of the remnant liver. The introduction of preoperative portal vein occlusion techniques to induce a preoperative hyperplasia of the future liver remnant has reduced the risk of postoperative liver failure. However, it has remained a matter of debate whether partial portal vein embolization (PVE) or suture ligation of the portal branches during exploration is the preferred technique. We compared both techniques under standardized experimental conditions in a large animal model by means of effectiveness and pathophysiologic differences. ⋯ Both PVL and PVE are able to induce hypertrophy of the future liver remnant. In comparison, PVE is the more effective technique to increase the future liver remnant. This is due to a more effective, durable occlusion of the portal branches. Formation of collaterals between occluded and nonoccluded liver parts seems to be the cause of inferior regeneration in the ligation group.
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Insufficient tissue perfusion underlies many acute and chronic diseases. Tissue perfusion in turn requires adequate blood flow, determined in large part by the relative state of relaxation or constriction of arterial vessels. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by vascular cells modulates blood flow and tissue perfusion by relaxing and dilating arteries. Recently, we reported that the secreted protein thrombospondin-1 (TSP1), through its cell surface receptor CD47, limits the ability of NO to relax and dilate blood vessels and thus decreases tissue perfusion. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that blocking TSP1-CD47 signaling increases ischemic tissue survival in random cutaneous porcine flaps. ⋯ Antibody ligation of TSP1 or antisense morpholino knock down of CD47 greatly increased tissue survival to ischemia. Given the similarity between porcine and human soft tissues these results suggest significant therapeutic potential for people.
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To determine the physiologic importance of endocannabinoids and mitochondrial function in the long-term outcome using a rat model of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. ⋯ The attenuated caloric intake, reduced food efficiency, and normalization of hormonal levels on day 28 post-RYGB were associated with significant down-regulation of endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol in muscle and liver, respectively. These results suggest a role for endocannabinoids in the mechanism of sustained weight loss and RYGB success, and may have implications for treatment of morbid obesity.