Surg J R Coll Surg E
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Surg J R Coll Surg E · Oct 2018
ReviewFaecal immunochemical tests (FIT) in the assessment of patients presenting with lower bowel symptoms: Concepts and challenges.
Colonoscopy is a relatively scarce resource in many countries, including Scotland, and a simple investigation which would aid general practitioners in particular in decision-making as to which patients presenting with lower bowel symptoms warranted referral would be of much help. Faecal immunochemical tests for haemoglobin (FIT) have many advantageous characteristics and are now proven to be of considerable value in the timely assessment of patients with symptoms of lower bowel disease. Quantitative FIT provide numerical estimates of faecal haemoglobin concentration (f-Hb) and, at low f-Hb cut-off, FIT have high sensitivity for colorectal cancer (CRC) and could be used as a rule-in test to stimulate rapid referral, especially when symptoms are suggestive of serious bowel disease. ⋯ Moreover, the FIT results should not be taken in isolation, but clinical impressions and the results of other investigations, probably including the full blood count, should be considered. Challenges still exist, however, and harmonisation of aspects of the available FIT analytical systems is required. Moreover, a number of seemingly valid clinical concerns remain and these require resolution through further research and reporting of studies done in real clinical practice.
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Surg J R Coll Surg E · Aug 2018
ReviewA systematic review of the effects of platelet rich plasma on outcomes for patients with knee osteoarthritis and following total knee arthroplasty.
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) has been suggested to be effective in the management of knee osteoarthritis. Review of current literature reveals conflicting evidence regarding the benefits of PRP in treating knee OA. Preclinical evidence supports the use of PRP injections to promote a favorable environment for joint tissue healing, targeting not only cartilage but also synovial and meniscal tissues which has a positive effect on delaying the progression of OA. Growth factors found in platelet granules are postulated to influence outcomes in knee OA and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). ⋯ This systematic review demonstrated no long-term statistically significant improvement in patient validated outcomes and secondary outcomes both in patients with knee OA or following TKA for OA. However PRP has been shown to have short to medium-term benefits in pain control after TKA and activities of daily living in patients with OA.
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Surg J R Coll Surg E · Aug 2018
Role of frozen section in sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer in the era of the ACOSOG Z0011 and IBCSG 23-10 trials.
Intraoperative frozen sections (FS) of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) were evaluated to avoid the need for deferred axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with early breast cancer (EBC). However, FS has low sensitivity for detecting micro-metastases (<2 mm), resulting in patients who later undergo deferred ALND. The aim of the study was to determine the best clinical approach for selecting patients who would derive real benefit from ALND, as well as to minimize the functional and psychological damage caused by delayed surgery, and the risk of undertreating EBC patients. ⋯ FS has a low sensitivity in detecting micrometastases (19%), but a reasonable sensitivity for macrometastases (75%). Most false negatives were smaller metastases (mean 2.1 mm) and more likely in patients with infiltrating lobular carcinoma. Retrospective modelling of the IBCSG 23-10 criteria reduced the percentage of patients requiring deferred surgery from 12% to 4%. Guidelines recommend irradiation of lymph node drainage stations in patients with ≥4 axillary metastatic lymph nodes. Omission of ALND from 40% of patients who met Z0011 criteria would have resulted in their undertreatment. This risk decreases to 3% by omitting axillary clearing only in patients with micrometastases.
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Surg J R Coll Surg E · Apr 2018
Observational StudyDoes bacterial translocation influence the postoperative infections in splenectomized patients after abdominal trauma?
Some studies suggested that after abdominal trauma, postoperative infections are associated with bacterial translocation, whereas others have not replicated these findings. We have assessed the bacterial translocation and postoperative infections in patients undergoing splenectomy after abdominal trauma, using a very homogeneous study population. ⋯ There is higher risk of bacterial translocation in patients who required urgent surgical treatment (splenectomy) following blunt abdominal trauma and it is associated with a significant higher number of postoperative infections.
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Surg J R Coll Surg E · Feb 2018
Learning from lawsuits: Ten-years of NHS litigation authority claims against 11 surgical specialities in England.
Medico-legal claims are a drain on NHS resources and promote defencive practice. The litigious burden of surgery in England has not been previously described. This paper describes trends over ten years of claims made against the NHS across 11 surgical specialities. ⋯ Sharing information and good practice should be a priority for surgical professionals. Lessons learnt from medico-legal claims are transferrable in strategic planning. This pan-speciality report has demonstrated considerable burden on the NHS and should promote improvement in practice on an individual level in addition to providing systems based recommendations to NHS and international organisations.