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Background: To determine the precise frequency of main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilatation within the remnant pancreas at 1 year after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) and its clinical implications, a prospective multicenter cohort study was performed in patients without MPD dilatation before PD (registry number: UMIN000029662)., Study Design: Between October 2017 and July 2020, patients with an MPD diameter less than 3 mm who were planned to undergo PD for periampullary lesions at 21 hospitals were enrolled. The primary endpoints were frequency of MPD dilatation at 1 year after PD, and the relationship between MPD dilatation and pancreatic endo- and exocrine function, nutritional status, and fatty liver. Secondary endpoints were risk factors for MPD dilatation at 1 year after PD and time-course change in MPD diameter., Results: Of 200 registered patients, 161 patients were finally analyzed. Pancreatic fistula was the most frequent complication (76; 47.2%). MPD dilatation (MPD > 3 mm) at 1 year after PD was seen in 35 patients (21.7%). Pancreatic exocrine function, assessed by steatorrhea, was significantly impaired in patients with MPD dilatation. However, endocrine function, nutrition status, and fatty liver development were comparable between the 2 groups. In multivariate analysis, the serum total protein level 7.3 g/dL or more was an independent predictor for MPD dilatation at 1 year after PD (odds ratio 3.12, 95% CI 1.31 to 7.15). A mean MPD diameter significantly increased at 6 months after PD and kept plateau thereafter., Conclusions: MPD dilatation at 1 year after PD was seen in 21.7% of patients and significantly associated with exocrine function impairment but not with endocrine function, nutrition status, or development of fatty liver., (Copyright © 2024 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of our narrative review is to summarize the utilization of social media (SoMe) platforms for research communication within the field of surgery. We searched the PubMed database for articles in the last decade that discuss the utilization of SoMe in surgery and then categorized the diverse purposes of SoMe. SoMe proved to be a powerful tool for disseminating articles. Employing strategic methods like visual abstracts enhances article citation rates, the impact factor, h-index, and Altmetric score (an emerging alternative metric that comprehensively and instantly quantifies the social impact of scientific papers). SoMe also proved valuable for surgical education, with online videos shared widely for surgical training. However, it is essential to acknowledge the associated risk of inconsistency in quality. Moreover, SoMe facilitates discussion on specific topics through hashtags or closed groups and is instrumental in recruiting surgeons, with over half of general surgery residency programs in the US efficiently leveraging these platforms to attract the attention of potential candidates. Thus, there is a wealth of evidence supporting the effective use of SoMe for surgeons. In the contemporary era where SoMe is widely utilized, surgeons should be well-versed in this evidence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are safe and useful alternatives to centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs). Several studies have investigated the effectiveness and safety of PICCs; however, few have focused on their use in patients with gastroenterological diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the outcomes of patients with gastroenterological diseases who received PICCs and identified the risk factors associated with central line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI)., Methods: We retrospectively examined hospitalized patients at our institution who received PICCs between 2015 and 2023. We evaluated the data on their clinical characteristics, complications, and outcomes. Furthermore, we investigated the risk factors for CLABSIs., Results: A total of 405 patients were included (262 men and 143 women). The median age was 71 (range, 15-94) years. The vessels were inserted in the basilic, cephalic, and brachial veins in 366 (90%), 22 (6%), and 17 (4%) patients, respectively. The median procedure time was 32 [6-149] min. The median dwell time was 16 [0-188] days. CLABSI, catheter occlusions, phlebitis, and exit-site skin infection occurred in 14 (3.5%; 1.77/1000 catheter days), 6 (1.5%; 0.76/1000 catheter days), 3 (0.7%; 0.38/1000 catheter days), and 1 (0.2%; 0.13/1000 catheter days) patients, respectively. There was no case of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary thrombosis due to PICC placement. Multivariate analysis performed using a Cox's proportional hazard regression model revealed that patients with gastroenterological malignancies had an independently higher risk for CLABSIs (odds ratio [OR]: 3.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-10.05, p  = 0.041) and that older age (⩾70 years) tended to be associated with CLABSIs (OR: 3.61, 95% CI: 0.98-13.32, p  = 0.054)., Conclusions: Gastroenterological malignancies and older age were associated with a higher risk of CLABSIs. Rigorous catheter management is crucial for preventing complications, particularly in vulnerable patient subgroups., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of continuing preoperative aspirin monotherapy on surgical outcomes in patients receiving antiplatelet therapy (APT)., Background: The effectiveness of continuing preoperative aspirin monotherapy in patients undergoing APT in preventing thromboembolic consequences is mostly unknown., Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study on the Safety and Feasibility of Gastroenterological Surgery in Patients Undergoing Antithrombotic Therapy (GSATT study) conducted at 14 clinical centers enrolled and screened patients between October 2019 and December 2021. The participants (n=1170) were assigned to the continued-APT group, discontinued-APT group, or non-APT group, and the surgical outcomes of each group were compared. Propensity score matching was performed between the continued and discontinued-APT groups to investigate the effect of continuing preoperative aspirin therapy on thromboembolic complications., Results: The rate of thromboembolic complications in the continued-APT group was substantially lower than that in the non-APT or discontinued-APT groups (0.5% vs 2.6% vs. 2.9%; P =0.027). Multivariate investigation of the entire cohort revealed that discontinuation of APT ( P <0.001) and chronic anticoagulant use ( P <0.001) were independent risk factors for postoperative thromboembolism. The post-matching evaluation demonstrated that the rates of thromboembolic complications were significantly different between the continued and discontinued-APT groups (0.6% vs 3.3%; P =0.012)., Conclusions: APT discontinuation after elective gastroenterological surgery increases the risk of thromboembolic consequences, whereas continuing preoperative aspirin greatly reduces this risk. The continuation of preoperative aspirin therapy in APT-received patients is considered one of the best alternatives for preventing thromboembolism during elective gastroenterological surgery., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (CAV) shows a favorable prognosis compared to that with the other periampullary tumors, while some cases have a poor prognosis. The aims of the present study are to clarify the clinicopathological factors associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with CAV after curative resection and to validate the usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC)., Patients: The study design is a multicenter retrospective cohort study. Patients with CAV who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy between January 2008 and December 2020 at 26 hospitals were analyzed. The 30 clinicopathological factors were evaluated. A propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare between patients with and without AC., Results: Finally, 460 patients were analyzed. Median duration of follow-up was 47.2 months. Twenty-one prognostic factors associated with poor RFS were identified by univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, aged ≥71, tumor diameter ≥12 mm, pT2 or higher stage (pT≥2), portal vein invasion (PV+), venous invasion(V+), and node positive disease (pN+) were independent prognostic factors for poor RFS. Out of 80 patients who received AC, 63 patients were assigned to analysis for PSM. The results showed no beneficial effect of AC on RFS. The preoperative factors potentially predicting pT≥2, V+, and/or N+ were at least one of following; (1) CA19-9 > 37 IU/mL, (2) ulcerative or mixed type appearance, (3) except for well-differentiated tumor, or (4) except for intestinal subtype of histology., Conclusions: Aged ≥71, tumor diameter ≥12 mm, pT≥2, PV+, V+, and pN+ were independent prognostic factors for poor RFS in patients with CAV. An additional therapeutic strategy may be desirable in CAV patients at high risk for recurrence., Competing Interests: All authors have no conflict of interest for this article., (© 2023 The Authors. Annals of Gastroenterological Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare that they have nothing to disclose.