Surgery
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Trauma-induced coagulopathy is common and associated with poor outcome in injured children. Our aim is to identify patterns of coagulation dysregulation after injury and associate these phenotypes with relevant clinical outcomes. ⋯ Principal component analysis detects 3 patterns of coagulation dysregulation using widely available laboratory parameters: (1) abnormalities in clot strength; (2) abnormalities in fibrinolysis, and (3) clotting factor depletion. While all were associated with mortality and transfusion, fibrinolytic dysregulation was associated with injury severity and portends particularly poor outcome including venous thromboembolism and disability.
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Various strategies to decrease postoperative pancreatic fistula after a distal pancreatectomy have proved unsuccessful. Because narcotics can cause spasm of the sphincter of Oddi and thereby increase pressure within the pancreatic duct stump, we hypothesized that increased narcotic use would be associated with increased occurrence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy. ⋯ In this retrospective analysis, postoperative narcotic use was associated with the development of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy. Limiting narcotic use may be one of the few available mitigating strategies against the development of a clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy.
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In recent years, as the high burden of surgical disease and poor access to surgical care in low- and middle-income countries have gained recognition as major public health problems, interest in global health has surged among surgical trainees and faculty. Traditionally, clinical volunteerism was at the forefront of the high-income country response to the significant burden of surgical disease in low- and middle-income countries. However, sustainable strategies for providing surgical care in low- and middle-income countries increasingly depend on bilateral clinical, research, and education collaborations to ensure effective resource allocation and contextual relevance. ⋯ However, for the individual global surgeon, the career path forward may be unclear. This paper reviews the development of academic global surgery, delineates the framework and factors critical to training global surgeons, and proposes models for establishing an academic career in this field. Overall, with determination, the academic global surgeon will not only carve out a niche of expertise but will define this critical field for future generations.