Articles: cations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Acute Adverse Events and Postoperative Complications in a Randomized Trial of Preoperative Short-course Radiotherapy Versus Long-course Chemoradiotherapy for T3 Adenocarcinoma of the Rectum: Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group Trial (TROG 01.04).
To compare acute adverse events (AE) and postoperative complication rates in a randomized trial of short-course (SC) versus long-course (LC) preoperative radiotherapy. ⋯ LC had significantly higher AEs compared with SC with no statistically significant differences in postoperative complications. There were clinical trends in permanent stoma rates and anastomotic leaks in favor of LC but with an increased perineal wound breakdown rate.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Outcome after laparoscopic and open resections of posterosuperior segments of the liver.
Laparoscopic resection of posterosuperior (PS) segments of the liver is hindered by limited visualization and curvilinear resection planes. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes after open and laparoscopic liver resections of PS segments. ⋯ LLR of tumours in PS segments is feasible in selected patients. LLR is associated with fewer complications and does not compromise survival compared with OLR.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Non-technical skills of surgical trainees and experienced surgeons.
In addition to technical expertise, surgical competence requires effective non-technical skills to ensure patient safety and maintenance of standards. Recently the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons implemented a new Surgical Education and Training (SET) curriculum that incorporated non-technical skills considered essential for a competent surgeon. This study sought to compare the non-technical skills of experienced surgeons who completed their training before the introduction of SET with the non-technical skills of more recent trainees. ⋯ The drop in NOTSS score was unexpected and highlights that even experienced surgeons are not immune to deficiencies in non-technical skills. Consideration should be given to continuing professional development programmes focusing on non-technical skills, regardless of the level of professional experience.
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Cost utility or cost effective analysis continues to take center stage in the United States for defining and measuring the value of treatments in interventional pain management. Appropriate cost utility analysis has been performed for caudal epidural injections, percutaneous adhesiolysis, and spinal cord stimulation. However, the literature pertaining to lumbar interlaminar epidural injections is lacking, specifically in reference to cost utility analysis derived from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a pragmatic approach in a practical setting. ⋯ This cost utility analysis of lumbar interlaminar epidural injections in patients nonresponsive to conservative management in the treatment of disc herniation, central spinal stenosis, and axial or discogenic low back pain in the lumbar spine shows the clinical effectiveness and cost utility of these injections of $1,976.58 for direct costs with a total cost of $3,301 per QALY.