The British journal of surgery
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Meta Analysis
Perioperative care bundles for the prevention of surgical-site infections: meta-analysis.
Care bundles are used widely to prevent surgical-site infections (SSIs). Recent systematic reviews suggested larger effects from bundles with more interventions. These reviews were largely based on uncontrolled before-after studies and did not consider their biases. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the effectiveness of care bundles to prevent SSIs and explore characteristics of effective care bundles. ⋯ Meta-analysis of ITS indicated that perioperative care bundles prevent SSI. This effect is inconsistent across RCTs. Larger bundles were not associated with a larger effect, but the effect may be larger if the care bundle contains a high proportion of evidence-based interventions. No strong evidence for characteristics of effective care bundles was identified.
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Postoperative complications may activate prometastatic systemic pathways through tissue damage, wound healing, infection, and inflammation. Postoperative complications are associated with inferior survival in several types of cancer. The aim was to determine the association between postoperative complications and survival in breast cancer. ⋯ Major surgical postoperative complications are associated with inferior survival, especially after mastectomy. These results underline the importance of surgical de-escalation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Postoperative Packing of Perianal Abscess Cavities (PPAC2): randomized clinical trial.
Perianal abscess is common. Traditionally, postoperative perianal abscess cavities are managed with internal wound packing, a practice not supported by evidence. The aim of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) was to assess if non-packing is less painful and if it is associated with adverse outcomes. ⋯ NCT03315169 (http://clinicaltrials.gov).
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Incisional hernia following colorectal cancer surgery according to suture technique: Hughes Abdominal Repair Randomized Trial (HART).
Incisional hernias cause morbidity and may require further surgery. HART (Hughes Abdominal Repair Trial) assessed the effect of an alternative suture method on the incidence of incisional hernia following colorectal cancer surgery. ⋯ ISRCTN25616490 (http://www.controlled-trials.com).
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Expert recommendations propose the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 as a core outcome measure in surgical studies, yet data on its long-term measurement properties remain limited. These were evaluated in a secondary analysis of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery (METS) prospective cohort. ⋯ The WHODAS questionnaire has construct validity and responsiveness as a measure of functional status at 1 year after major surgery.