The British journal of surgery
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Meta-analysis of colloids versus crystalloids in critically ill, trauma and surgical patients.
There is uncertainty regarding the safety of different volume replacement solutions. The aim of this study was systematically to review evidence of crystalloid versus colloid solutions, and to determine whether these results are influenced by trial design or clinical setting. ⋯ Current general restrictions on the use of colloid solutions are not supported by evidence.
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Surgical mortality increases significantly with age. Wide variations in mortality rates across hospitals suggest potential levers for improvement. Failure-to-rescue has been posited as a potential mechanism underlying these differences. ⋯ Although elderly surgical patients experience failure-to-rescue events at much higher rates than their younger counterparts, patient-level effects do not sufficiently explain these differences. Increased attention to the role of organizational dynamics in hospitals' ability to rescue these high-risk patients will establish high-yield interventions aimed at improving patient safety.
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Comparative Study
Radiofrequency ablation as an alternative to hepatic resection for single small hepatocellular carcinomas.
This study aimed to investigate whether radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an alternative to surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the context of current guidelines. ⋯ Although RFA carries a higher risk of treatment-site recurrence than hepatic resection, it provides comparable overall survival in patients with a single small HCC without portal hypertension or a raised bilirubin level.