Konstantinos S. Mylonas

Splenic trauma: WSES classification and guidelines for adult and pediatric patients

Spleen injuries are among the most frequent trauma-related injuries. At present, they are classified according to the anatomy of the injury. The optimal treatment strategy, however, should keep into consideration the hemodynamic status, the anatomic derangement, and the associated injuries. The management of splenic trauma patients aims to restore the homeostasis and the normal physiopathology especially considering the modern tools for bleeding management. Thus, the management of splenic trauma should be ultimately multidisciplinary and based on the physiology of the patient, the anatomy of the injury, and the associated lesions. Lastly, as the management of adults and children must be different, children should always be treated in dedicated pediatric trauma centers. In fact, the vast majority of pediatric patients with blunt splenic trauma can be managed non-operatively. This paper presents the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) classification of splenic trauma and the management guidelines.

Laparoscopic versus robotic adrenalectomy: A comprehensive meta-analysis

BACKGROUNDnThe benefit of robotic adrenalectomy (RA) compared to laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is still debatable. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review and synthesize all available evidence comparing RA to LA so as to evaluate which procedure provides superior clinical outcomes.nnnMETHODSnA systematic literature search of PubMed and Scopus databases was performed with respect to the PRISMA statement (end-of-search date: January 31, 2016). Data on perioperative variables were extracted by three independent reviewers. Data were pooled using a random-effects model.nnnRESULTSnTwenty-seven studies were included in this review (13 comparative and 14 non-comparative). Overall, 1162 patients underwent adrenalectomy (747 treated with RA and 415 with LA). There was no significant difference between the robotic and the laparoscopic groups for intraoperative complications (OR: 1.20; 95%CI, 0.33-4.38), postoperative complications (OR: 0.69; 95% CI, 0.36-1.31), mortality (OR: 0.42; 95%CI, 0.07-2.72), conversion to laparotomy (OR: 0.51; 95%CI, 0.21-1.23), conversion to laparotomy or laparoscopy (OR: 0.73; 95%CI, 0.32-1.69) and blood loss (WMD:xa0-9.78; 95%,xa0-22.10 to 2.53). For patients treated with RA, there was a significantly shorter hospital stay (WMD:xa0-0.40; 95% CI,xa0-0.64 toxa0-0.17) and a significantly longer operating time (WMD: 15.60; 95%CI, 2.12 to 29.08).nnnCONCLUSIONSnRobotic adrenalectomy is a safe and feasible procedure with similar clinical outcomes as the laparoscopic approach in selected patient populations. High quality RCTs as well as uniform and detailed reporting of outcomes are needed to determine the role and cost-effectiveness of robotic adrenal surgery in the years to come.

Patient-reported opioid analgesic requirements after elective inguinal hernia repair: A call for procedure-specific opioid-administration strategies

Background. A better understanding of the analgesia needs of patients who undergo common operative procedures is necessary as we address the growing opioid public health crisis in the United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient experience with our opioid prescribing practice after elective inguinal hernia repairs. Methods. A prospective, observational study was conducted between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2016, in a single‐surgeon, high‐volume, practice of inguinal hernia operation. Adult patients undergoing elective inguinal herniorrhaphy under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation were invited to participate. All patients were prescribed 10 opioid analgesic tablets postoperatively and were counseled to reserve opioids for pain not controlled by nonopioid analgesics. Their experience was captured by completing a questionnaire 2 to 3 weeks postoperatively during their postoperative visit. Results. A total of 185 patients were surveyed. The majority of the participants were males (177, 95.7%) and ≥60 years old (96, 51.9%). Of the 185 patients, 159 (85.9%) reported using ≤4 opioid tablets; 110 patients (59.5%) reported that they used no opioid analgesics postoperatively. None of the patients was taking opioids within 7 days of their postoperative appointment. Of the 147 patients who were employed, 111 (75.5%) reported missing ≤3 work days, 57 of whom (51.4%) missed no work at all. Patients who were employed were more likely to take opioid analgesics postoperatively (P = .049). Patients who took no opioid analgesics experienced less maximum (P < .001) and persistent groin pain (P = .037). Pain interfered less with daily activities (P = .012) and leisure activities (P = .018) for patients who did not use opioids. Conclusion. The majority of our patients reported that they did not require any opioid analgesics, and nearly all of those who thought that they did need opioids used <5 tablets. Our data suggest that for elective inguinal hernia repair under a local anesthetic with intravenous sedation, a policy of low opioid analgesic prescribing is achievable; these findings call for further investigation of how to best prescribe opioid medications to patients after an inguinal herniorrhaphy.

Operation versus antibiotics––the “appendicitis conundrum” continues: A meta-analysis

Background Acute appendicitis continues to constitute a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of this study was to synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing nonoperative versus surgical management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in adult patients. Methods A systematic literature search of the PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was performed with respect to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) statement (end-of-search date: January 29, 2017). Data on the study design, interventions, participants, and outcomes were extracted by two independent reviewers. The random-effects model (DerSimonian-Laird) was used to calculate pooled effect estimates when substantial heterogeneity was encountered; otherwise, the fixed-effects (Mantel-Haenszel) model was implemented. Quality assessment of included RCTs was performed using the modified Jadad scale. Results Five RCTs were included in this review. Overall, 1,430 adult patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis underwent either nonoperative (n = 727) or operative management (n = 703). Treatment efficacy at 1-year follow-up was significantly lower (63.8%) for antibiotics compared with the surgery group (93%) (risk ratio [RR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60–0.77; p < 0.001). Overall complications were significantly higher in the surgery group (166/703 [23.6%]) compared with the antibiotics group (56/727 [7.7%]) (RR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24–0.43; p < 0.001). No difference was found between the two treatment modalities in terms of perforated appendicitis rates (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.14–1.92), length of hospital stay (weighted mean difference [WMD], 0.20; 95% CI, −0.16 to 0.56), duration of pain (WMD, 0.22; 95% CI, −5.30 to −5.73), and sick leave (WMD, −2; 95% CI, −5.2 to 1.1). Conclusions Conservative management of uncomplicated appendicitis in adults warrants further study. Addressing patients’ expectations via a shared decision-making process is a crucial step in optimizing nonoperative outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Systematic review, level II.

Anemia and stroke: Where do we stand?

Anemia seems to have a clear relationship with cerebrovascular events (CVEs), as there is a direct connection between central nervous system, blood supply, and tissue oxygen delivery. Anemia is considered a hyperkinetic state which disturbs endothelial adhesion molecule genes that may lead to thrombus formation. Furthermore, blood flow augmentation and turbulence may result in the migration of this thrombus, thus producing artery‐to‐artery embolism. It is for this reason that anemia is characterized as “the fifth cardiovascular risk factor.” Anemia is consistently present in patients with acute stroke, ranging from 15% to 29%, while the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients suffering from anemia at the time of admission. Different types of anemia (sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, iron deficiency anemia [IDA]) have been associated with increased cardiovascular and CVE risk. The relation between hemoglobin level and stroke would require further investigation. Unfortunately, treatment of anemia in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease still lacks clear targets and specific therapy has not developed. However, packed red blood cell transfusion is generally reserved for therapy in patients with CVEs. What is more, treatment of IDA prevents thrombosis and the occurrence of stroke; although iron levels should be checked, chronic administration favors thrombosis. Regarding erythropoietin (EPO), as there is lack of studies in anemic stroke patients, it would be desirable to utilize both neuroprotective and hematopoietic properties of EPO in anemic stroke patients. This review aims to clarify the poorly investigated and defined issues concerning the relation of anemia and CVEs.

Malignant urachal neoplasms: A population-based study and systematic review of literature

OBJECTIVESnTo examine patient and clinicopathological features of malignant urachal neoplasms (MUN) in a population-based cohort, to investigate survival outcomes, and to review the current evidence that exists in the literature.nnnMATERIAL AND METHODSnThe Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to identify microscopically confirmed MUN cases diagnosed between 1988 and 2012. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine median and 5-year overall survival (OS) as well as cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates. Cox proportional hazards model was employed to identify variables independently associated with cancer-specific mortality. A systematic literature review was conducted in line with the PRISMA statement.nnnRESULTSnA total of 420 patients with MUNs were identified. The majority were white (77.6%) and male patients (59%) who presented with low-grade (62.1%), mucinous, noncystic adenocarcinomas (42.9%). From the cohort, 19%, 15.2%, 29.5%, and 30.5% of the patients presented with American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage I to IV disease, respectively. Cancer-directed surgery was performed in 86.5% of the patients. The most common procedure performed was partial cystectomy (52.4%) followed by local tumor excision (20.7%). Median OS was 57 months (95% CI: 41.6-72.4), and median CSS was 105 months (95% CI: 61.5-148.5). Five-year OS and CSS rates were 51% and 57%, respectively. Grade and stage were independently associated with cancer-specific mortality. Mortality rates did not differ between patients who underwent partial cystectomy and radical cystectomy/exenteration (P = 0.165), even after controlling for tumor stage. A total of 16 studies reporting on 585 patients were systematically reviewed, and relevant outcomes were summarized in the Supplemental material.nnnCONCLUSIONSnMUNs are usually low-grade, mucinous, noncystic adenocarcinomas diagnosed at advanced stages. Overall, the prognosis is poor, and high-grade and disease stage are independently associated with cancer-specific mortality.

Stem Cell Therapy for Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) constitutes the most prevalent and heterogeneous group of congenital anomalies. Although surgery remains the gold standard treatment modality, stem cell therapy has been gaining ground as a complimentary or alternative treatment option in certain types of CHD. The aim of this study was to present the existing published evidence and ongoing research efforts on the implementation of stem cell-based therapeutic strategies in CHD. Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching Medline, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Cochrane library, along with reference lists of the included studies through April 23, 2017. Results: Nineteen studies were included in this review (8 preclinical, 6 clinical, and 5 ongoing trials). Various routes of cardiac stem cell delivery have been reported, including intracoronary, intramyocardial, intravenous, and epicardial. Depending on their origin and level of differentiation at which they are harvested, stem cells may exhibit different properties. Preclinical studies have mostly focused on modeling right ventricle dysfunction or failure and pulmonary artery hypertension by using pressure or volume overload in vitro or in vivo. Only a limited number of clinical trials on patients with CHD exist, and these primarily focus on hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Cell-based tissue engineering has recently been introduced, and research currently is focusing on developing cell-seeded grafts and patches that could potentially grow in parallel with whole body growth once implanted in the heart. Conclusions: It seems that stem cell delivery to the diseased heart as an adjunct to surgical palliation may provide some benefits over surgery alone in terms of cardiac function, somatic growth, and quality of life. Despite encouraging preliminary results, stem cell therapies for patients with CHD should only be considered in the setting of well-designed clinical trials. More wet laboratory research experience is needed, and translation of promising findings to large clinical studies is warranted to clearly define the efficacy and safety profile of this alternative and potentially groundbreaking therapeutic approach.

Pediatric Cardiac Trauma in the United States: A Systematic Review

Literature discussing cardiac injuries in children is limited. Systematic search of PubMed identified 21 studies enrolling 1,062 pediatric patients who experienced cardiac trauma in the United States during the period 1961 to 2012. The predominant type of injury was blunt cardiac contusion affecting 59.7% (n = 634/1,062) of the study population. Motor vehicle crashes (53.5%, n = 391/731) were the leading cause of blunt cardiac trauma, while gunshot wounds (50%, n = 150/300) accounted for most penetrating injuries. Overall mortality rate was 35.2% (n = 374/1,062).

A population-based analysis of a rare oncologic entity: Malignant pancreatic tumors in children

PURPOSEnTo examine the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of pediatric patients with malignant pancreatic tumors in a population-based cohort.nnnMETHODSnThe Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was utilized to identify all pediatric patients with malignant pancreatic tumors, diagnosed between 1973 and 2013. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to determine median and five-year overall survival (OS) rates. Univariate survival analysis was executed using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify variables independently associated with mortality.nnnRESULTSnA total of 114 patients with pancreatic malignancies were identified. Median patient age was 16years and the majority of patients were white (64%) females (61.4%). The most prevalent histologic subtype was neuroendocrine tumors (35.1%), whereas pancreatoblastoma was more common during the first decade of life (P<0.001). Distant metastases were noted in 41.7% of the patients, while 33.3% and 25% had localized and regional disease respectively. Five-year OS rates were 77%, 66.4% and 64.8% for patients with pancreatoblastoma, neuroendocrine and epithelial tumors respectively. No death was observed in the solid pseudopapillary tumor group. Only history of having cancer-directed surgery (CDS) was significantly associated with lower overall mortality (HR: 5.1, 95% CI: 2.1, 12.4).nnnCONCLUSIONnPancreatic malignancies are rare in children. Their prognosis is variable and only CDS was independently associated with superior survival.nnnEVIDENCE RATING/CLASSIFICATIONnPrognosis study, Level II.

Antibiotics exposure and risk of inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to critically assess all available evidence suggesting an association between antibiotic exposure and new onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Materials and methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement and eligible studies were identified through search of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Data on patient demographics, antibiotic exposure and confounding factors were analyzed. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of eligible studies. Results: A total of 15 observational studies (10 case control and five cohort) including 8748 patients diagnosed with IBD were systematically reviewed. Antibiotic exposure was mostly associated with Crohn’s disease but not with ulcerative colitis. In particular, penicillin’s, cephalosporins, metronidazole and fluoroquinolones were most commonly associated with the onset of Crohn’s disease. The impact of tetracycline-family antibiotics on the pathogenesis of IBD was not clear. Conclusion: There may be an association between antibiotic exposure and the development of IBD; especially Crohn’s disease. Even though, clinicians should be cautious when prescribing certain antibiotic regimens to patients with a strong family history of IBD, it should be emphasized that available data are not granular enough to reach any definitive conclusions.