Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveNew-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery is common, with rates up to 60%. POAF has been associated with early and late stroke, but its association with other cardiovascular outcomes is less known. The objective was to perform a meta-analysis of the studies reporting the association of POAF with perioperative and long-term outcomes in patients with cardiac surgery.MethodsWe performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies that presented outcomes for cardiac surgery on the basis of the presence or absence of POAF. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were assessed; 57 studies (246,340 patients) were selected. Perioperative mortality was the primary outcome. Inverse variance method and random model were performed. Leave-one-out analysis, subgroup analyses, and metaregression were conducted.ResultsPOAF was associated with perioperative mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.33), perioperative stroke (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.90-2.49), perioperative myocardial infarction (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.54), perioperative acute renal failure (OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 2.42-3.11), hospital (standardized mean difference, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.53-1.07) and intensive care unit stay (standardized mean difference, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.24-0.86), long-term mortality (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.54; 95% CI, 1.40-1.69), long-term stroke (IRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.21-1.46), and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (IRR, 4.73; 95% CI, 3.36-6.66).ConclusionsThe results suggest that POAF after cardiac surgery is associated with an increased occurrence of most short- and long-term cardiovascular adverse events. However, the causality of this association remains to be established.     

The art of consent: visual materials help adult patients make informed choices about surgical care

Abstract

Supporting patients in making informed healthcare decisions is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice. Surgeons frequently draw for and show images to patients when consenting them for operations but the value of this practice in informed decision-making is unclear. An audit was conducted in a General Surgery Department. 244 patients completed questionnaires on the value of visual materials when giving consent for surgery. The complexity of the operations was classified into “simple”, “moderate” or “complex”. 100% of patients felt they had given informed consent to surgery. 62% of patients received at least one form of visual material during the consenting process. All patients who received a drawing, and 99% of those provided with other images, valued these resources. Visual materials were considered more useful to patients when giving consent for moderate or complex operations than simple ones. Approximately one third of patients who did not receive visual materials would have appreciated these when making an informed decision. This research highlights the value of surgeons drawing for, and providing other visual resources to, their patients as part of the consent process. There is a role for further research and training materials in drawing skills for surgeons.     

腹腔镜下子宫双侧动脉阻断术联合清宫术治疗剖宫产瘢痕妊娠疗效分析

目的 探讨腹腔镜下子宫双侧动脉阻断术联合清宫术治疗剖宫产瘢痕妊娠疗效及对内分泌的影响.方法 选择2011年1月至2015年12月剖宫产瘢痕妊娠患者57例,其中A组32例患者给予超声引导下清宫术治疗,B组25例患者给予腹腔镜下子宫双侧动脉阻断术联合清宫术治疗,比较两组患者出血量、住院时间、月经复潮时间、术后人绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)降至正常时间,并发症情况及术前(T0)、术后第1d(T1)、第3d(T2)神经内分泌激素水平.结果 ①B组患者出血量低于A组,住院时间、月经复潮时间短于A组,比较差异有统计学意义(t出血量=31.85,k院时间=9.36,t月经复t潮时间=16.37,均P＜0.05);②B组患者并发症发生率为8.00％,低于A组的15.63％,比较差异有统计学意义(x2=9.35,P＜0.05);③B组T1、T2血清COR、β-EP、GLU水平低于A组(CORF交互=17.67,β-EPF交互=132.36,6LUF交互=155.38,均P＜0.05).结论 腹腔镜下子宫双侧动脉阻断术联合清宫术治疗剖宫产瘢痕妊娠微创优势明显,安全性高,对内分泌影响较轻.     

Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery: Diagnoses and Surgical Results in 12 Pediatric Patients

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital condition. It responds well to early diagnosis and treatment, but otherwise the prognosis is poor. We present our case series of 12 patients (mean age, 2 ± 2.58 yr; age range, 2 mo–8 yr), emphasizing the diagnostic process and discussing our surgical results. The diagnosis of ALCAPA should be suspected in infants who have dilated cardiomyopathy with electrocardiographic changes that suggest ischemia, and in older children who have isolated mitral regurgitation. When clinical suspicion is high, the results of 2-dimensional echocardiography combined with color-flow Doppler studies in expert hands can establish the diagnosis, thus avoiding angiography in critically ill infants. The treatment of choice in our patients was transfer and reimplantation of the left coronary artery onto the ascending aorta. There were 2 deaths: both were infants in extremis who underwent emergency surgery. An older child with severe ventricular dysfunction was given mechanical ventricular assistance and then heart transplantation. As of this report, all 10 survivors remained well and asymptomatic.     

Accuracy and Precision of Acetabular Component Placement With Imageless Navigation in Obese Patients

Background

Obesity is a risk factor for acetabular component malposition when total hip arthroplasty is performed with manual techniques. The utility of imageless navigation in obese patients remains unknown. This study compared the accuracy and precision of imageless navigation for component orientation between obese and nonobese patients.

Increased hospital costs are associated with low skeletal muscle mass in patients undergoing elective open aortic surgery

Objective

Low psoas muscle area is shown to be an indicator for worse postoperative outcome in patients undergoing vascular surgical. Additionally, it has been associated with longer durations of hospital stay in patients with cancer who undergo surgery and subsequently greater health care costs in Europe and the United States. We sought to evaluate this effect on hospital expenditure for patients undergoing vascular repair in a health care system with universal access.

Cataract Surgery in HIV Seropositive Patients: Long-Term Follow-Up

Purpose: To study epidemiology and clinical findings of cataract in HIV+ patients.

Methods: A total of 32 HIV+ patients, 11 with uveitis/retinitis before surgery and 21 without, mean follow-up 44.9 ± 36.6 months, and 114 HIV- patients, 57 with uveitis/retinitis before surgery and 57 without, were retrospectively compared.

Results: Visual acuity improved in all HIV+ patients (p < 0.001), who were younger (p = 0.01) and more frequently males (p = 0.027). HIV+ patients with uveitis prior surgery improved less (p = 0.046) than HIV- (p < 0.001); their anterior chamber inflammation was similar to baseline. Male sex (p = 0.005), younger age (p < 0.001), dyslipidaemia (p = 0.058), HBV+ (p = 0.037), and unilateral cataract (p = 0.001) were more frequent in HIV+ patients with senile cataract, but they showed the same postoperative course as HIV- patients.

Conclusion: Cataract surgery in HIV+ patients is safe and effective. Uveitis prior to surgery did not significantly affect the postoperative course. Systemic comorbidities are more frequent in HIV+ patients with senile cataract than in HIV- subjects.     

Influence of Prior Psychiatric Disorders on the Treatment Course of Gynaecological Cancer – A Nationwide Cohort Study

Aims

To examine the influence of pre-existing psychiatric disorder on the choice of treatment in patients with gynaecological cancer.