Surgery
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In 2011, the International Study Group of Liver Surgery defined posthepatectomy liver failure using the prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) and total serum bilirubin concentration (T-Bil). Data analyzing the clinical impact of PT-INR and T-Bil on postoperative mortality, however, remain limited, especially for major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection (HEBR). ⋯ We recommend monitoring both PT-INR and T-Bil to predict accurately which patients are at a high risk after HEBR.
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Surgery has been neglected in low- and middle-income countries for decades. It is vital that the Post-2015 Development Agenda reflect that surgery is an important part of a comprehensive global health care delivery model. We compare the operative capacities of multiple low- and middle-income countries and identify critical gaps in surgical infrastructure. ⋯ The need for operative procedures is not being met by the limited operative capacity in numerous low- and middle-income countries. It is of paramount importance that this gap be addressed by prioritizing essential surgery and safe anesthesia in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
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There is an increasing demand for standardization in the choice of treatments for specific conditions, so-called personalized medicine. The task is far from trivial, because the perspectives from many stakeholders must be respected, including patients and health care providers, as well as payers or governments to better control costs while optimizing quality of care. One approach to provide widely accepted therapies is the consensus conference. ⋯ This novel model of consensus conference allows the construction of consensual, evidence-based, explicit recommendations for therapies in a process that may also identify issues for further research, eventually fostering progress in the field.
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Clinical Trial
Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy during surgery for benign thyroid diseases: risk factors and outcome analysis.
We investigated the risk factors for postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy and related outcomes in patients with benign thyroid diseases. ⋯ Complete resection of the thyroid lobe and reoperation for postoperative bleeding are the risk factors for postoperative RLN palsy in patients with benign thyroid nodules. In Graves' disease, smaller weight of the residual thyroid tissue contributes to the occurrence of RLN palsy. Most RLN palsies that do not require amputation of the nerve resolve spontaneously within 12 months after surgery. In this study, the palsy remained in 1.3% (11/844) of patients.
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Evidence suggests that statins may decrease inflammation, airway hyperreactivity, and hypercoagulability while improving revascularization mediated by cholesterol-independent pathways. This study evaluated whether the preoperative use of statins is associated with decreased postoperative major noncardiac complications in noncardiac procedures. ⋯ The preoperative use of statins is independently associated with decreased risk of major complications. This effect is likely driven by reduction in respiratory, VTE, and infectious complication rates. These results warrant future clinical trials to assess the perioperative benefit of statin use in noncardiac procedures.