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Delayed bleeding after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a life-threatening complication. However, the optimal management remains unclear. We summarize our experience of the management of delayed bleeding after PD and define the outcomes associated with different types of management.All patients who underwent a PD between January 1987 and June 2020 at Johns Hopkins University were retrospectively reviewed. Delayed bleeding was defined as bleeding on or after postoperative day 5 following PD. Incidence, outcomes, and trends were reported.Among the 6201 patients that underwent PD, delayed bleeding occurred in 130 (2.1%) at a median of 12 days (IQR: 9, 24) postoperation. The pattern of bleeding was classified as intraluminal (51.5%), extraluminal (40.8%), and mixed (7.7%). A clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula and an intraabdominal abscess preceded the delayed bleeding in 43.1% and 31.5% of cases, respectively. Arterial pseudoaneurysm or bleeding from peripancreatic vessels was the most common reason (54.6%) with the gastroduodenal artery being the most common source (18.5%). Endoscopy, angiography, and reoperation were performed as a first-line approach in 35.4%, 52.3%, and 6.2% of patients, respectively. The overall mortality was 16.2% and decreased over the study period (p 0.01).Delayed bleeding following PD remains a life-threatening complication. The most common location of delayed bleeding is from the gastroduodenal artery. Angiography with embolization should be the initial approach for urgent bleeding with surgical re-exploration reserved for unstable patients or failed control of bleeding after interventional angiography or endoscopy.

Aim To evaluate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in surgical smoke and aerosols during laparoscopy and open surgery. Material and methods A systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42021268366) was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles were selected based on the title and abstract as well as the type of publication. Primary objectives of the study were to assess potential risk of contamination as well as comparing laparoscopic and open procedures in terms of danger of SARS-COV-2 transmission. Results Fifty-three articles were identified and included in the review. No case of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to operating room personnel during open or minimally invasive surgery was identified at the time the review was conducted. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between smoke and aerosols generated from open surgery and those generated from minimally invasive surgery. Conclusion COVID-19 transmission in surgical smoke and aerosols has yet to be observed. However, given the potential risk of viral transmission, caution should be exercised when performing surgery to ensure the safety of the operating room personnel. When clinically indicated and when protective measures can be implemented, minimally invasive surgery should be performed instead of open surgery to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Robotic distal pancreatectomy (DP) is an emerging attractive approach, but its role compared to laparoscopic or open surgery remains unclear. Benchmark values are novel and objective tools for such comparisons. The aim of this study was to identify benchmark cutoffs for many outcome parameters for DP with or without splenectomy beyond the learning curve.METHODS: This study analyzed outcomes from international expert centers from patients undergoing robotic DP for malignant or benign lesions. After excluding the first 10 cases in each center to reduce the effect of the learning curve, consecutive patients were included from the start of robotic DP up to June 2020. Benchmark patients had no significant comorbidities. Benchmark cutoff values were derived from the 75 th or the 25 th percentile of the median values of all benchmark centers. Benchmark values were compared to a laparoscopic control group from four high-volume centers and published open DP landmark series.RESULTS: Sixteen centers contributed 755 cases, whereof 345 benchmark patients (46%) were included the analysis. Benchmark cut-offs included: operation time ≤300min, conversion rate ≤3%, clinically relevant POPF ≤32%, 3 months major complication rate ≤26.7% and lymph node retrieval ≥9. The CCI ® at 3 months was ≤8.7 without deterioration thereafter. Compared to robotic DP, laparoscopy had significantly higher conversion rates (5x) and overall complications, while open DP was associated with more blood loss and longer hospital stay.CONCLUSION: This first benchmark study demonstrates that robotic DP provides superior postoperative outcomes compared to laparoscopic and open DP. Robotic DP may be expected to become the approach of choice in minimally invasive DP.

The association between ambient air pollution and several health conditions, including dermatologic disorders, has been heavily investigated. The mechanism involves an interplay of oxidative stress, inflammation and altered gene expression. Our study aims to investigate the association between air pollution and urticaria, an association not thoroughly investigated in the literature. Prospective data collection was performed during 2012 from emergency department (ED) medical records. Air pollution and meteorological data were obtained from Air Quality Research Unit stations situated close to each hospital. Stratification by age group was performed. Distributed lag model and generalized additive model analysis was performed. Relative risk (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals for ED visits diagnosed with urticaria associated with a 10-unit increase in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations from reference value were calculated. Statistically significant associations were observed at lag 2 and lag 3 for individuals younger than 16 years of age. Statistically significant associations were not demonstrated for other age groups or at different lags. These findings demonstrate that air pollution is associated with increased risk of developing or experiencing manifestations of urticaria, particularly among children and adolescents.

Objective: Surgical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma carries significant morbidity and mortality, particularly if postoperative bile leak occurs. Prognostic factors and scoring tools have been described for overall morbidity and mortality but none are specific for postoperative bile leak. In this study, we investigate the prognostic utility of various factors in predicting overall morbidity, mortality and risk of biliary leak in Bismuth Type III tumors with the hopes of developing a scoring tool in future research. Materials and Methods: A retrospective sample of 23 patients with Bismuth Type III tumors exclusively who underwent surgery between 2010 and 2017 were selected for this study. Demographic, surgical, pathologic and biochemical data were collected from the patients’ medical records. Results: 11 patients underwent a right hepatectomy for type IIIa tumors and 10 patients underwent a left hepatectomy for type IIIb tumors. 2 patients were lost to follow up and were excluded. R0 resection was achieved in 20 patients. Overall survival at 1, 3 and 5 years was 78.3%, 61.9% and 38.1%, respectively. A BMI >24kg/m2 was associated with a worse prognosis, increased overall morbidity and decreased survival at 1, 3 and 5 years (p0.74 was associated with decreased 5-year survival (p24kg/m2 and a preoperative creatinine >0.74 are associated with a poor prognosis in Bismuth Type III Klatskin tumors. Furthermore, Age, sex, preoperative hemoglobin, tumor size, use of CUSA and type IIIb tumors demonstrate a borderline significant association with the occurrence of postoperative bile leak.

Background: Health information records in many countries, especially developing countries, are still paper based. Compared to electronic systems, paper-based systems are disadvantageous in terms of data storage and data extraction. Given the importance of health records for epidemiological studies, guidelines for effective data cleaning and sorting are essential. They are, however, largely absent from the literature. The following paper discusses the process by which an algorithm was developed for the cleaning and sorting of a database generated from emergency department records in Lebanon. Design and methods: Demographic and health related information were extracted from the emergency department records of three hospitals in Beirut. Appropriate categories were selected for data categorization. For health information, disease categories and codes were selected according to the International Classification of Disease 10th Edition. Results: A total of 16,537 entries were collected. Demographic information was categorized into groups for future epidemiological studies. Analysis of the health information led to the creation of a sorting algorithm which was then used to categorize and code the health data. Several counts were then performed to represent and visualize the data numerically and graphically. Conclusions: The article describes the current state of health information records in Lebanon and the associated disadvantages of a paper-based system in terms of storage and data extraction. Furthermore, the article describes the algorithm by which health information was sorted and categorized to allow for future data analysis using paper records. Significance for public health In our protocol, we explain the process by which health information collected from paper-based records were analyzed to develop an algorithm to allocate appropriate ICD 10 disease codes and categories to each entry. The algorithm allows for the sequential analysis of the information present and serves to overcome the issue of incomplete records. This is especially relevant in developing countries where paper-based records are highly relied upon, noting that our protocol has already been applied to a study in the Ivory Coast. The protocol allows for a health information database to be cleaned and sorted for research in environmental, social and occupational health. Furthermore, since data cleaning and sorting protocols are sparse, it is crucial to establish a standardized tool to enhance the quality of the conducted research.

Introduction: The lymphocytic population, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are prognostic tools predictive of adverse outcomes for several solid tumors and oncologic surgeries, one of which is esophageal adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, delayed resumption of oral feeding postoperatively is associated with significant morbidity. Given the controversies regarding post-op nutritional support in these patients, this study investigates the prognostic role of the lymphocytic percentage, the NLR, and the PLR in predicting prolonged length of hospital stay (LOHS) and ICU stay (LOICUS) as well as delayed oral feeding following transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). Methods: Forty consecutive patients who underwent transhiatal esophagectomy performed by a single surgeon for Siewert type II and type III adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction at a tertiary referral center were selected. Retrospective data collection was performed from the patients’ medical records, and statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation and Student’s t test and Chi-square testing. Results: An increased LOHS was correlated with a lower preoperative lymphocyte percentage (p = 0.043), higher NLR (p = 0.010) and PLR (p = 0.015), and an increased number of packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions perioperatively (p = 0.030). An increased LOICUS was correlated with a lower preoperative lymphocyte percentage (p = 0.033), higher NLR (p = 0.018) and PLR (p = 0.044), an increased number of PRBC transfusions (p = 0.001), and patients’ comorbidities (p < 0.05). A delay in feeding resumption was correlated with a lower preoperative lymphocyte percentage (p = 0.022), higher NLR (p = 0.004) and PLR (p = 0.001), an increased PRBC transfusions (p = 0.001), and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.033). Multivariate analysis with automatic linear modeling showed that only the preoperative PLR was a powerful predictor for the delay of feeding resumption (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The lymphocyte percentage, PLR, and NLR are found to be associated with prolonged hospitalization and ICU stay and delayed oral feeding following THE for Siewert types II and III AEG. We hope by this series, to have set, at least one preliminary cornerstone, in the creation of a prognostic model, capable of assessing the need for an intraoperative jejunostomy placement, in patients undergoing esophagectomy for distal esophageal carcinoma., SCOPUS: ar.j, DecretOANoAutActif, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background Health information records in many countries, especially developing countries, still rely on a paper-based system which, when compared to electronic systems, are disadvantageous in terms of storage and data extraction. Given the importance of health records as a data resource for epidemiological studies, guidelines for systematic data cleaning and sorting are essential, yet are largely absent in the literature. This paper discusses the process by which an electronic database was generated from emergency department registers in Lebanon and the data subsequently cleaned, sorted, and categorized.Methods Demographic and health complaint-related information was extracted from emergency department registers of a convenience sample of seven hospitals in Beirut. Appropriate categories were selected for data categorization. For health-complaint related information, disease categories and codes were selected according to the International Classification of Disease 10th Edition.Results A total of 16,537 entries were collected. Demographic information was categorized into appropriate categories and groups as required for future epidemiological studies. Analysis of the health information allowed for the creation of a sorting algorithm which then used to categorize and code the heath data. Several counts were then performed to represent and visualize the data numerically and graphically to aid in data interpretation.Conclusions The article describes the current state of health information records in Lebanon and the associated disadvantages of a paper-based system in terms of storage and data extraction and subsequent analysis. Furthermore, the article describes the algorithm by which health information was sorted and categorized to allow for future data analysis using paper records.

Anastomotic leaks and gastric fistulas are recognized complications after sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. They are, however, almost unheard of following a one-anastomosis gastric bypass. A gastrobronchial fistula, an exceedingly rare complication after bariatric surgery, has to date never been described following a one-anastomosis gastric bypass. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding the management of this challenging complication. In our case, we present a patient who was discovered to have a gastrobronchial fistula 5 years after a one anastomosis gastric bypass. After 2 failed attempts at endoscopic stent placement, the patient was successfully managed with a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy over the fistula.