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Introduction: Emergency laparotomy (EL) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, often exceeding 10%. This study evaluated the impact of the EMergency Laparotomy Audit (EMLA) interdisciplinary perioperative pathway on patient outcomes, hospital costs and length of stay (LOS) within a single centre., Method: A prospective cohort study was conducted from August 2020 to July 2023. The intervention team included specialist clinicians, hospital administrators and an in-hospital quality improvement team. Patients who underwent EL were divided into a pre-intervention control group (n=136) and a post-intervention group (n=293), and an 8-item bundle was implemented. Propensity scoring with a 1:1 matching method was utilised to reduce confounding and selection bias. The primary outcomes examined were LOS, hospitalis-ation costs and surgical morbidity, while secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality and adherence to the intervention protocol., Results: The utilisation of the EMLA perioperative care bundle led to a significant reduction in surgical complications (34.8% to 20.6%, P <0.01), a decrease in LOS by 3.3 days (15.4 to 12.1 days, P =0.03) and lower hospitalisation costs (SGD 40,160 to 30,948, P =0.04). Compliance with key interventions also showed improvement. However, there was no difference in 30-day mortality., Conclusion: This study offers insights on how surgical units can implement systemic perioperative changes to improve outcomes for patients undergoing emergency laparotomy.

Objective: The impact of obesity on outcomes after adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma is unclear. This study aims to evaluate outcomes after minimally invasive and open adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma in patients with obesity and to determine factors that may affect outcomes. Patients undergoing adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma in 46 international centers between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed, analyzing baseline information, length of hospital stay (LOS), and postoperative complications., Patients and Methods: Obese (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) and nonobese patients were compared. Multivariable analysis was utilized to evaluate outcomes and risk factors for complications, LOS, and increased comprehensive complication index (CCI)., Results: Of the 2016 patients, 639 (31.7%) had obesity. Operative time (110.0 versus 105.0 min; p = 0.467), conversion to open rate (3.1% versus 4.7%; p = 0.079), estimated blood loss (20.0 versus 20.0 ml, p = 0.088), rate of complications (19.3% versus 20.8%; p = 0.425), and CCI were similar. However, patients with obesity required a median of 1 day longer LOS (4.0 days versus 5.0 days; p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, obesity was not significantly associated with complications or higher CCI. Analyzing solely obese patients, laparoscopic (OR 0.24; p < 0.001) and robotic (OR 0.22; p = 0.011) approaches were independently associated with less morbidity. Additionally, multivariable modeling demonstrated that a retroperitoneal approach in patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 was independently associated with reduced CCI (- 3.74; p = 0.017). Similar results were demonstrated when analyzing severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35)., Conclusions: Obesity does not increase complications or CCI following pheochromocytoma resection, but it does increase LOS. A retroperitoneal approach may uniquely benefit patients with obesity. In view of rising obesity rates, these results warrant further research to validate findings., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethical approval: The study was approved with registration: CARMS-18769., (© 2024. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background and Objective: Robotic adrenalectomy (RA) has attracted interest as an alternative to laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) for patients with pheochromocytoma, although its beneficial effects are uncertain. Our aim was to compare RA and LA outcomes for these patients., Methods: Data for patients who underwent RA or LA for pheochromocytoma in 46 international centers between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed. We analyzed baseline characteristics and postoperative complications at discharge, 90 d, and 1 yr. We conducted propensity score matching (PSM; 1:1 ratio) and multivariable analyses to evaluate outcomes and risk factors for the occurrence of complications and higher Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI)., Key Findings and Limitations: Of 1755 patients, 1613 (91.9%) underwent LA and 142 (8.1%) underwent RA. Estimated blood loss, conversion rate, complication rate, and CCI at discharge, 90 d, and 1 yr were similar between the groups. However, RA was associated with a longer operative time in comparison to LA (100 vs 123 min; p < 0.001), but not after PSM (p = 0.120). Multivariable analysis revealed that Charlson comorbidity index (odds ratio [OR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.29; p = 0.001), and tumor size per 1-cm increment (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.07-1.21; p < 0.001) were independently associated with the incidence of complications, but there was no significant difference in complication rates between the LA and RA groups (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.63-1.87; p = 0.767). After PSM, RA was associated with a lower rate of severe (grade ≥3a) complications in comparison to LA (p = 0.023)., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: RA is a safe alternative to LA and yields similar outcomes for patients with pheochromocytoma. RA may be associated with a lower likelihood of severe complications. Further studies are warranted to determine the role of robotic surgery in pheochromocytoma., Patient Summary: Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor in the adrenal gland and the gold-standard treatment is surgical removal. We assessed patient outcomes after robot-assisted surgery compared with laparoscopic surgery and found that outcomes are similar, but the rate of severe complications may be lower if a surgical robot is used., (Copyright © 2024 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Medical education in the pandemic has been challenging owing to various physical and technological constraints in the current education landscape. This has resulted in reduced patient contact and opportunities for clinical exposure. In utilizing various platforms to supplement teaching, we adopted the use of Telegram, a cloud-based messaging application as an education aid for 3 cohorts of medical students in 1 medical school in Singapore. Herein, we share our experience with Telegram as a novel platform to augment medical education and to supplement clinical training amidst the various constraints. We believe that the circumstances have allowed us to find a method that may serve as an effective adjunct in education. Qualitative feedback has been positive and generally in line with our goals. We believe that further work could involve utilizing other features of the application, or by developing specialized applications to serve the same purpose. More needs to be done to consider applicability in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Soong, Ng, Lau, Chong and Lee.)

Introduction: Vestibular migraine (VM) is a common condition; individuals experience dizziness with migraine symptoms. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) has been reported as an effective treatment for VM, however, evidence is limited. VM and traumatic brain injury (TBI) can co-occur, and some suggest that TBI can induce VM. There is limited evidence on the effect a history of TBI has on VRT in patients with VM., Methods: Retrospective case series of 93 (f = 63, m = 30) participants with VM and underwent VRT (mean age 48.62; SD 15.92). Pre- and post-treatment self-reported outcome measures and functional gait assessment were extracted from the participants health records and evaluated. The impact of TBI on VRT outcome in participants with VM was analyzed. Individuals with TBI and no history of migraine (n = 40) were also extracted to act as a control., Results: VRT significantly improved self-reported dizziness on the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), with a mean change of -18 points (p < 0.000) and +5 points on the functional gait assessment (FGA) (p < 0.000) in patients with VM. A history of TBI significantly impacted outcome on the DHI (p = 0.018) in patients with VM.VRT significantly improved all outcome measures for individuals with TBI, with a mean change of -16 points on the DHI (p = 0.001) and +5 points on the FGA (p < 0.000). VM presence significantly impacted outcome., Conclusion: VRT should be considered as a treatment option to reduce dizziness and the risk of falls in individuals with VM. TBI may negatively impact VRT outcomes in individuals with VM., Competing Interests: The authors disclose no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022, Otology & Neurotology, Inc.)

Background and Aim: Screening upper endoscopy can detect esophagogastric (OG) cancers early with improved outcomes. Recent cost-utility studies suggest that opportunistic upper endoscopy at the same setting of colonoscopy might be a useful strategy for screening of OG cancers, and it may be more acceptable to the patients due to cost-saving and convenience. We aim to study the diagnostic performance of this screening strategy in a country with intermediate gastric cancer risk., Methods: A retrospective cohort study using a prospective endoscopy database from 2015 to 2017 was performed. Patients included were individuals age > 40 who underwent opportunistic upper endoscopy at the same setting of colonoscopy without any OG symptoms. Neoplastic OG lesions are defined as cancer and high-grade dysplasia. Pre-neoplastic lesions include Barrett's esophagus (BE), intestinal metaplasia (IM), and atrophic gastritis (AG)., Results: The study population involved 1414 patients. Neoplastic OG lesions were detected in five patients (0.35%). Pre-neoplastic lesions were identified in 174 (12.3%) patients. IM was found in 146 (10.3%) patients with 21 (1.4%) having extensive IM. The number needed to scope to detect a neoplastic OG lesion is 282.8 with an estimated cost of USD$141 400 per lesion detected. On multivariate regression, age ≥ 60 (RR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.29-2.63) and first-degree relatives with gastric cancer (RR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.06-2.55) were independent risk factors for neoplastic or pre-neoplastic OG lesion., Conclusion: For countries with intermediate gastric cancer risk, opportunistic upper endoscopy may be an alternative screening strategy in a selected patient population. Prospective trials are warranted to validate its performance., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology published by Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Introduction: Open thyroidectomy is the most common approach to thyroid surgery. However, 'scarless' (in the neck) endoscopic thyroidectomy, consisting of endoscopic and robotic surgery, is progressively being adopted for its perceived cosmetic benefits. This study aims to determine the patient's preferred surgical approach and to identify the factors that influence their decision., Materials and Methods: A pilot study consisting of 100 patients with a surgical thyroid disorder were prospectively recruited from a single tertiary centre. An interviewer-administered survey was conducted. Demographic, socioeconomic status, scar perception and an adapted body image scale were evaluated to identify factors that shaped the patient's perception of the surgical approach., Results: The mean age of participants was 54.5 ± 13.0 years; 72% were women and 87% Chinese. Of the 100 patients, 75 patients considered scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy as their preferred surgical approach while 25 patients opted for open thyroid surgery. Improvement in scar perception score between scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy and open thyroid surgery is associated with an increased willingness to choose scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy. The mean body image scale score was 6.9 ± 2.8, indicating no statistical difference between the surgical approaches. On multivariate analysis, improvement in scar perception score (odds ratio 3.38, 95% confidence interval 1.11-10.29) and having surgeon recommendation (odds ratio 6.38, 95% confidence interval 1.80-22.63) were independently associated with interest in scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy., Conclusion: Patients interest in undergoing scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy is driven by improved scar perception and surgeon's recommendation compared with open thyroid surgery.

Background: Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with surgically incurable metastases would be recommended for palliative chemotherapy (PC). The role of surgical intervention is debatable with no conclusive evidence for routine primary tumour resection (PTR) or stoma creation. We aimed to study if surgical intervention conferred a survival benefit in patients with mCRC who received upfront systemic therapy., Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively collected database in a single centre was performed. Patients diagnosed with mCRC from January 2004 to December 2014 were included. We excluded patients who had an upfront surgical intervention, had no treatment with systemic therapy or had attained curative resection. The decision for surgery was based on the outcome of a multidisciplinary tumour board. Demographic, clinicopathological, treatment and follow-up data were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed., Results: Out of 408 patients with mCRC with incurable metastases, we analysed 124 patients who had upfront PC. Twenty-nine had PC + PTR (group A), 10 had PC + stoma (group B) and 85 had PC only (group C). Undergoing PTR led to significant improvement in overall survival (OS; 30.8 versus 13.4 versus 11.0 months, P < 0.001). With multivariate analysis, undergoing PTR and receiving biologics were independent good prognostic variables. Surgical resection was safe with minimal complications., Conclusions: PTR was found to increase OS while stoma creation had no impact on OS. The benefits and safety of undergoing PTR may be a result of selection bias. Further prospective studies are required to confirm the observations of this study., (© 2018 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)