ANZ journal of surgery
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ANZ journal of surgery · Jun 2017
ReviewSurgical capacity building in Timor-Leste: a review of the first 15 years of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons-led Australian Aid programme.
Timor-Leste suffered a destructive withdrawal by the Indonesian military in 1999, leaving only 20 Timorese-based doctors and no practising specialists for a population of 700 000 that has now grown to 1.2 million. ⋯ Timor-Leste has developed increasing levels of surgical and anaesthetic self-sufficiency through multi-level collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Universidade Nacional de Timor Lorosa'e, and sustained, consistent support from external donors including Australian Aid, Cuba and RACS.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Jun 2017
Is multivisceral resection in locally advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours an acceptable strategy?
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) represent the most common mesenchymal tumour of the gastrointestinal tract. Although the efficacy of targeted therapy cannot be over-emphasized, surgery remains the only curative primary treatment for patients with localized disease. The median size of GIST at diagnosis is approximately 5-7 cm; however, it is not uncommon for tumours to be as large as 30-40 cm and involving multiple viscera. ⋯ MVR may be required to achieve negative margins in patients with large GISTs, and can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Jun 2017
Review Comparative StudyEfficacy of dermal substitute on deep dermal to full thickness burn injury: a systematic review.
The study aims to systematically examine the efficacy of dermal regeneration templates (DRTs) in comparison to split thickness skin grafting (STSG) in the management of acute burn injuries post-excision and debridement. ⋯ Current RCTs available are generally of small sample size with poor methodological reporting. Given the results of more recent RCTs, the risk associated with DRTs is low and it can be a useful alternative for immediate wound coverage post-burn excision. However, there is still no strong evidence to support that DRTs have significant impact on scaring.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Jun 2017
Incidence and outcomes after bariatric surgery in older patients: a state-wide data-linked cohort study.
The burgeoning problem of obesity is seen most profoundly in older populations. Despite the dramatic increase in bariatric surgery rates over the last 20 years, weight reduction surgery is largely restricted to younger patients. ⋯ Despite older age being associated with a higher risk of complications and longer hospital stays, there was a reduction in subsequent overall hospitalizations for older patients after bariatric surgery, suggesting that bariatric surgery may still confer health benefits to carefully selected obese older patients who cannot achieve weight loss by other means.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Jun 2017
Efficacy of conservative management in patients with right colonic diverticulitis.
Although right colonic diverticulitis is more common than sigmoid diverticulitis, and its incidence has been increasing in Asian countries, there is no definitive treatment strategy for right colonic diverticulitis. This retrospective clinical study assessed the effect of conservative management in patients with right colonic diverticulitis. ⋯ Right colonic diverticulitis has a low rate of complicated diverticulitis at first attack and a low recurrence rate, with most recurrences being uncomplicated. Therefore, conservative management is effective in patients with right colonic diverticulitis. Close follow-up of patients for 12 months is required because most recurrences may occur within 12 months.