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Background: Margin accentuation using irreversible electroporation (MA-IRE) improves recurrence and overall survival (OS) in pancreatic cancer patients; however, there have been limited outcome comparisons to similarly risked patients who did not receive MA-IRE. Methods: Patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) between 2017 and 2022 were included. Those who did not receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy for major vessel involvement were excluded. One-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match the MA-IRE group with the corresponding non-MA-IRE control group with similar risk factors. Results: A total of 36 patients were included in this study. Seventeen (47.2%) patients who underwent MA-IRE matched with 19 control patients (52.8%) with similar risk factors who did not have MA-IRE. Before matching, OS and disease-free survival (DFS) were comparable between the MA-IRE and non-MA-IRE groups. After matching, the MA-IRE group showed improved OS (746 vs. 509 days, hazard ratio 0.313; p = 0.034) compared with the non-MA-IRE group. DFS (p = 0.768), negative margin status (p = 0.317), and 30-day complication rates (p = 1.000) remained statistically different between the groups. Conclusions: MA-IRE in PD results in longer OS but does not impact margin status, DFS, or postoperative complication rates in our cohort. These findings suggest that MA-IRE is safe and potentially promotes immune cell activation rather than upfront margin mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On cox regression, tumor location, SRCC, SRF tumors, and tumor response grading (TRG) were not related to DFS among our cohort, but nodal status was (Fig. There was no significant difference in DFS based on location of tumor or presence of SRCC or SRF tumors compared to nSRC tumors. [Extracted from the article]

Two hundred two patients (77.1%) underwent first-time repair of their PEH and 60 patients (22.9%) underwent repeat repair for recurrence. Although risk factors including obesity have been implicated in paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair failure, much of the basis for this has been anecdotal. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: Esophagectomy; Transhiatal Esophagectomy; Anastomotic Leak EN Esophagectomy Transhiatal Esophagectomy Anastomotic Leak 398 401 4 03/02/23 20230201 NES 230201 Shankar Logarajah and Shawn Cudworth contributed equally to this work. Anastomotic leak (leak) remains a source of significant morbidity and accounts for approximately 40% of postoperative mortality after esophagectomy.[2] We sought to examine the risk factors associated with the development of leak after transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) at our institution. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Primary repair failure rates for hiatal hernias (HH) can reach up to 40%, this is especially high in the morbidly obese patient. There is no clear data on how to manage this patient subset. This paper evaluates the efficacy of Roux-N-Y Gastrojejunostomy (RNY GJ) for treatment of symptomatic HH. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who received a Roux-en-Y Gastrojejunostomy (RNY GJ) for HH at our institution between January 2016 and January 2021 was performed. Patient demographics, symptoms, and post-operative outcomes were recorded and univariate analysis was performed between preoperative and postoperative symptoms. Results: Thirty-seven patients with a mean age of 56.9 years (SD 11.8) underwent RNY GJ. Patients were mostly female (81.1%) with a mean BMI of 36.8 (SD 8.4). An 78.4% reduction in symptoms of either heartburn, dysphagia, or regurgitation was noted at follow up (p < 0.001). Conclusions: RNY GJ represents a safe procedure for morbidly obese patients with hiatal hernias with no mortalities amongst our patient cohort along with a significant reduction in pre-operative symptoms and no symptomatic recurrences. RNY GJ should be considered as the operation of choice for repair for this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hiatal hernias are observed in approximately 15% to 20% of the population in Western society. Most patients are diagnosed with a sliding-type hiatal hernia, of which gastroesophageal reflux is the predominant driving symptom. Surgical repair of these types of hernias often involves a wrap procedure during the index operation as standard of care. For type 2, 3, and 4 hernias, also known as paraesophageal hernias (PEHs), the symptom complexes vary and often involve symptoms other than reflux, including dysphagia, anemia, shortness of breath, and chest pain. We sought to evaluate whether patients who underwent PEH repair without fundoplication reported different rates of postoperative symptoms compared with those who did. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Selection biases affecting candidate matches to fellowship programs directly influence diversity within the surgical community. The review of selection bias has never been distinctively investigated in the Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery community. This study seeks to (i) evaluate factors affecting selection of candidates to HPB fellowships, (ii) examine explicit biases among program directors and faculty of HPB programs in North America, and (iii) compare the demography of the HPB faculty and recently graduated fellows to general surgery residents. Study Design: An anonymous, self-reported survey consisting of 10 sets of fictional applications was distributed to 52 faculty members, including program directors, of AHPBA-affiliated HPB fellowships in North America. The respondents had to pick a preferred candidate between two abridged, fictional HPB fellow applications and give an open-ended response as to why they picked that candidate. The applications were nearly identical with one notable characteristic of interest. Demographic information of both faculty and their recent fellows was also collected. This survey was administered and collected between February and April, 2020. Results: A total of 29 fully completed responses were received, comprising a 55.7% response rate. Respondents were 72.4% male, 69.0% Caucasian, and 79.3% held US medical degrees (MD). 50.0% of respondents preferred an MD candidate to a DO candidate, and 37% preferred US graduates to foreign-trained candidates. The respondents were unanimous in stating that gender, race, and family status were not a factor in their selection process. 5.0% said they would support an LGBTQ candidate when faced with otherwise similar applicants. Seventy-six HPB fellows from the past 5 years were 76.3% male, 56.6% Caucasian, and 51.3% US graduated Doctor of Medicine (US MD). Conclusion: This is the first study explicitly exploring the impact of demographic factors in the HPB fellowship selection process. The respondents unanimously and explicitly stated that race and gender do not play any role in their selection process. Yet, there is stark discordance between general surgery resident demographics and HPB fellow demographics. A greater effort to promote a more diverse HPB surgery community may be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: 68Ga-DOTATATE PET is becoming a popular imaging technique for detecting neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The sensitivity and specificity of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET compared to standard cross-sectional imaging with triple phase CT or MRI with Eovist has not been studied extensively. Methods: 68Ga-DOTATATE PET scans ordered at our institution between 11/2017 and 7/2018 were reviewed. Patients with evidence of liver metastases were sorted and cross-sectional imaging results were reviewed. Specifically, the number of lesions detected by standard cross-sectional imaging versus 68Ga-DOTATATE PET was compared. Results: 32 patients with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET scans and a corresponding MRI or CT were identified. Primary tumors were pancreatic (43.8%), small bowel (25%), hepatic (9.4%), gastric (6.3%), appendiceal (3.1%), and not localized (12.5%). 26/32 (81%) patients had CT scans and 17/32 (53%) had MRI scans. 25/32 (78%) patients had at least equal or increased number of lesions identified on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET when compared with CT or MRI. 7/32 (21.9%) had fewer lesions on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET compared to CT or MRI. However, 3 of these cases had numerous liver lesions. The overall sensitivity and specificity of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET are 92.9% and 75% respectively. Conclusion: 68Ga-DOTATATE PET appears to have superior sensitivity in detecting metastatic NET to the liver. Further studies are needed to determine if it should be considered the test of choice for evaluating patients with metastatic NET to the liver. While standard cross-sectional imaging will be needed for surgical planning, 68Ga-DOTATATE PET will identify lesions that may not be seen on other imaging modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objective: Quick optimization and mastery of a new technique is an important part of procedural medicine, especially in the field of minimally invasive surgery. Complex surgeries such as robotic pancreaticoduodenectomies (RPD) and robotic distal pancreatectomies (RDP) have a steep learning curve; therefore, findings that can help expedite the burdensome learning process are extremely beneficial. This single-surgeon study aims to report the learning curves of RDP, RPD, and robotic Heller myotomy (RHM) and to review the results' implications for the current state of robotic hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery. Study design: This is a retrospective case series of a prospectively maintained database at a non-university tertiary care center. Total of 175 patients underwent either RDP, RPD, or RHM with the surgeon (DRJ) from January 2014 to January 2020. Results: Statistical significance of operating room time (ORT) was noted after 47 cases for RDP (p < 0.05), 51 cases for RPD (p < 0.0001), and 18 cases for RHM (p < 0.05). Mean ORT after the statistical mastery of the procedure for RDP, RPD, and RHM was 124, 232, 93 min, respectively. No statistical significance was noted for estimated blood loss or length of stay. Conclusions: Robotic HPB procedures have significantly higher learning curves compared to non-HPB procedures, even for an experienced HPB surgeon with extensive laparoscopic experience. Our RPD curve, however, is quicker than the literature average. We suggest that this is because of the simultaneous implementation of HPB (RDP and RPD) and non-HPB robotic surgeries with a shorter learning curve—especially foregut procedures such as RHM—into an experienced surgeon's practice. This may accelerate the learning process without compromising patient safety and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several pathophysiologic changes after the Whipple procedure have been well described, but anemia has not. Post-surgical changes can impede micronutrient absorption. We hypothesize that patients post-pancreatoduodenectomy suffer from iron deficiency anemia. Patients who underwent a pancreatoduodenectomy from 2016 to 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data, including hemoglobin (Hb) levels and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) as well as therapies with chemoradiation, iron, and/or B12 were collected at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months after surgery. The dataset included 74 patients (median age: 64 years). Mean preoperative Hb and MCV were 11.7 ± 1.9 g/dl and 90.1 ± 7.3 fl, respectively. Significant changes in Hb were noted at 1 and 6 months (11.7 vs 10.9, p = 0.01 and 11.7 vs 11.3, p = 0.003, respectively), and in MCV were noted at 6 and 12 months (90.1 vs 94.6, p = 0.008 and 90.1 vs. 93.7, p = 0.02, respectively). All patients remained anemic after pancreatoduodenectomy. This was not linked to chemotherapy. Iron and vitamin B12 supplementation, given in a minority, did not ameliorate the anemia. Future studies should investigate this lack of aid, as nutrient supplementation may be an important change in the standard of care of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fellowship training after surgery residency has become commonplace. The concept of an advanced gastrointestinal (AGI) surgical fellowship has been implemented through the SSAT and Fellowship Council (FC). Newer and more competitive requirements are being proposed through a taskforce inclusive of many surgical societies. This study was designed to measure the interest in hiring graduates of AGI fellowship.Method: This is a SSAT sponsored 20-question survey which was sent out to the Society members in general surgery practices (mix of hospital based and private) across the USA through an online electronic survey software (SurveyMonkey, Palo Alto, Ca.). Descriptive statistics were generated from aggregate survey responses.Results: We had a total of 285 responses. Majority (92%) preferred hiring a surgeon who has completed a post-graduate fellowship. Type of fellowship preferred by the prospective employers varied depending on the focus and the need of the individual practice. Most important characteristic that the employers sought were references, letters of recommendation, and work ethic, followed by technical skills, and completion of fellowship. Most of the responders felt that a complex GI surgery fellowship may be an attractive qualification in prospective job candidates.Conclusion: Our survey showed that the majority of surgery practices in the US prefer fellowship-trained candidates as potential hires. Only a small minority (< 20%) of those surveyed felt that completing an AGI fellowship would not give prospective candidates an advantage in obtaining a job. Our results indicate a growing need for a AGI surgery fellowship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic obstruction of the biliary system may cause hepatic fibrosis and liver failure. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence of unrecognized liver fibrosis in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Methods: Retrospective data were collected on patients undergoing PD during a 21-month period. Each patient had a core needle biopsy at the time of surgery by a hepatobiliary surgeon. Results: This study identified 36 consecutive patients who were referred to a tertiary center and underwent pancreatoduodenectomy during a period of 21 months. The majority of patients, 32 (88.8%), were diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Liver fibrosis was diagnosed in 23 (63.9%) patients. A total of 25 (69.4%) patients were found to have pathological evidence of cholestasis consistent with bile obstruction. Patients that were found to have evidence of obstruction had significantly increased odds that fibrosis stage 2 would be found on pathological diagnosis (OR 6.75, 95% CI 1.20-38.02, Fisher's exact test P value = 0.0312). There was no significant association in patients who were stented compared to non-stented patients and their diagnosis of high-grade fibrosis stage 2 (OR 1.5238, 95% CI 0.4019-5.7769, Fisher's exact test P value = 0.7360). Conclusions: An astonishing 63.9% of patients who underwent PD were diagnosed with stage 1-4 liver fibrosis and half (47.2%) had fibrosis stage of 2 or more. Further, stent status had no significant impact on the degree of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis is currently underrecognized in patients undergoing PD, which is important for physicians to be conscious of as it is known that liver fibrosis increases morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate detection of colorectal liver metastasis is paramount in the role of management. This study aims to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadoxetate disodium (a hepatocyte-specific agent-Eovist®) to triple-phase enhanced computed tomography in detecting colorectal liver metastases.Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of 30 patients from 2011 to 2013 with colorectal liver metastases was performed. Patients with more than 6 weeks or two cycles of chemotherapy between the two imaging modalities were excluded. The number of lesions identified on triple-phase enhanced computed tomography vs. MRI with Eovist® was compared.Results: Of the 30 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 12 (40 %) patients had more lesions identified on MRI with Eovist® compared to triple-phase enhanced computed tomography. Eighteen (60 %) had no change in the number of lesions identified. When MRI with Eovist® detected more lesions, the mean number of additional lesions detected was 1.5. Eovist® MRI changed the surgical management in 36.7 % of patients.Conclusion: MRI with Eovist® is superior to enhanced computed tomography in identifying colorectal liver metastases. The increased number of lesion identified on MRI with Eovist® can profoundly change the surgeon's management. It should be considered the "imaging modality of choice" in preoperative imaging for liver metastases in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate detection of colorectal liver metastasis is paramount in the role of management. This study aims to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadoxetate disodium (a hepatocyte-specific agent-Eovist®) to triple-phase enhanced computed tomography in detecting colorectal liver metastases. Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of 30 patients from 2011 to 2013 with colorectal liver metastases was performed. Patients with more than 6 weeks or two cycles of chemotherapy between the two imaging modalities were excluded. The number of lesions identified on triple-phase enhanced computed tomography vs. MRI with Eovist® was compared. Results: Of the 30 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 12 (40 %) patients had more lesions identified on MRI with Eovist® compared to triple-phase enhanced computed tomography. Eighteen (60 %) had no change in the number of lesions identified. When MRI with Eovist® detected more lesions, the mean number of additional lesions detected was 1.5. Eovist® MRI changed the surgical management in 36.7 % of patients. Conclusion: MRI with Eovist® is superior to enhanced computed tomography in identifying colorectal liver metastases. The increased number of lesion identified on MRI with Eovist® can profoundly change the surgeon's management. It should be considered the 'imaging modality of choice' in preoperative imaging for liver metastases in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]