The Journal of surgical research
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We sought to assess the independent effect of concomitant adhesions (CAs) on patient outcome in abdominal surgery. ⋯ CAs significantly increase morbidity in abdominal surgery. Risk adjusting for the presence of adhesions is crucial in any efforts aimed at quality assessment and/or benchmarking of abdominal surgery.
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Observational Study
The incidence and risk factors of gastrointestinal complications after hepatectomy: a retrospective observational study of 1329 consecutive patients in a single center.
Despite of the importance of gastrointestinal (GI) complications in morbidity and mortality after major and moderate surgeries, it is not yet specifically studied in patients undergoing hepatectomy. This study was aimed to investigate the in-hospital incidence and potential risk factors of GI complications after open hepatectomy in our hospital. ⋯ The incidence of GI complications after hepatectomy is high, which is related to an increase of other complications and a prolonged hospital stay. Avoidance of routinely use of Pringle maneuver and shortening the duration of anesthesia are important measures to reduce the postoperative GI complications.
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Identification of occult shock (OS) or hypoperfusion is critical in the initial management of trauma patients. Analysis of inferior vena cava (IVC) ratio on computed tomography (CT) scan has shown promise in predicting intravascular volume. We hypothesized that a flat IVC is a predictor of OS and associated with worse outcomes in major trauma patients. ⋯ A flat IVC on CT is an accurate marker for OS in major trauma victims and may help stratify patients who require more aggressive resuscitation, monitoring, and support.
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Sternal reconstruction with vascularized flaps is central to the management of sternal wound infections and mediastinitis but carries a high risk of complications. There is a need to identify reliable predictors of complication risk to help inform patients and clinicians in preparation for surgery. Unfortunately, body mass index and serum albumin may not be reliable predictors of complication rates. Analytic morphomics provides a robust quantitative method to measure patients' obesity as it pertains to their risk of complications in undergoing sternal reconstruction. ⋯ Increases in abdominal morphomic measurements correlate strongly with the incidence of complications in patients undergoing sternal reconstruction. This finding may influence preoperative risk stratification and surgical decision making in this patient population.
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The main postoperative complications after tonsillectomy are due to bleeding, and effective hemostasis may lead to a reduction of overall postoperative morbidity. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy and safety of a novel kaolin-based hemostatic dressing in tonsillectomy. ⋯ Preliminary findings show that the KG is effective and safe in managing surgical bleeding after tonsillectomy. In addition to rapid bleeding control, the dressing causes minimal inflammation and pain and allows patients to quickly return to normal activities. This novel dressing is a promising tool for ear, nose and throat surgical hemostasis.