Role of live animals in the training of microvascular surgery: a systematic review

As training in microvascular surgery often involves the use of live animals, it is important that such a practice is regularly revisited and justified, particularly in the context of emerging training strategies such as virtual simulation. This systematic review was therefore designed to assess the ongoing need for their use over other methods. A search of PubMed and MEDLINE using the major MeSH terms: anastomosis, surgical vascular procedures, microsurgery, and training, yielded 1386 titles from which 153 abstracts were read, 70 papers analysed, and 17 included. Nine of these papers were randomised studies that compared different methods of training. Other publications were included if the use of live animals was assessed or commented upon, or both (8 publications). Only one study randomised trainees to a non-living animal model or a living model, with detailed assessment that included clinical transfer to live surgery. It showed no significant difference in the quality of training, and excellent techniques of assessment. There was much discussion on the advantage of regular training and opportunities to practise without tuition, but there was no clear advantage for the use of live animals. Our review emphasises the lack of evidence regarding the need for live animals in the training of microsurgical or microvascular skills. Although the assumption remains that the use of live rats is essential, there is a clear need for a high-quality, comparative study to justify the continued use of such models given the quality of the alternatives now available.     

Risk factors for esophago-jejunal anastomosis leakage after total gastrectomy for cancer. A multicenter retrospective study of the Italian research group for gastric cancer

BackgroundMany Eastern reports attempted to identify predictive variables for esophago-jejunal anastomosis leakage (EJAL) after total gastrectomy for cancer. There are no definitive answers about reliable risk factors for EJAL. This retrospective study shows the largest Western series focused on this topic.MethodsThis is a multicenter retrospective study analyzing patients’ datasets collected by 18 Italian referral Centres of the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG) from 2000 to 2018. The inclusion criteria were pathological diagnosis of gastric and esophageal (Siewert III) carcinoma requiring total gastrectomy. The primary end point of risk analysis was the occurrence of EJAL; secondary end points were post-operative (30-day) morbidity and mortality, length of stay (LoS), and survival.ResultsData of 1750 patients submitted to total gastrectomy were collected. EJAL developed in 116 (6.6%) patients and represented the 26.3% of all the 441 observed post-operative surgical complications. EJAL diagnosis was followed by a reoperation in 39 (33.6%) patients and by an endoscopic/radiological procedure in 30 cases (25.9%). In 47 patients (40.5%) EJAL was managed with conservative approach. Post-operative LoS and mortality were significantly higher after EJAL occurrence (27 days versus 12 days and 8.6% versus 1.6%, respectively). At risk analysis, comorbidities (particularly, if respiratory), minimally invasive surgery, extended lymphadenectomy, and anastomotic technique resulted significant predictive factors for EJAL. EJAL did not significantly affect survival.ConclusionsThese results were consistent with Asian experiences: the frequency of EJAL and its higher rate observed in patients with comorbidities or after minimally invasive approach were confirmed.     

复荣通脉组方对老年糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜-中层厚度影响

[目的] 分析复荣通脉组方对老年糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜-中层厚度（IMT）影响。[方法] 选择2018年1月—2019年6月至河北中医学院附属沧州中西医结合医院进行2型糖尿病治疗的老年患者100例进行本次研究。使用随机数字法将患者分为观察组和对照组各50例。对照组患者给予常规治疗，观察组在对照组基础上给予中药汤剂复荣通脉组方治疗。比较两组患者治疗前后IMT水平、颈动脉斑块大小和数量变化，颈动脉血流变化情况。[结果] 两组患者治疗前颈总动脉内膜-中层厚度（CCA-IMT）和颈内动脉内膜-中膜厚度（ICA-IMT）无统计学差异（P>0.05），治疗后与治疗前相比均降低（P<0.05），但观察组（1.41±0.13）、（1.31±0.11）mm均低于对照组（1.48±0.14）、（1.37±0.15）mm，且具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。两组患者治疗前颈动脉斑块大小和数量无统计学差异（P>0.05），治疗后与治疗前相比均降低（P<0.05），但观察组（18.41±4.06）mm³、（2.51±1.30）个，均低于对照组（21.03±3.82）mm³、（3.06±1.57）个，且具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。观察组患者治疗后CCA-IMT、ICA-IMT分别减少11、12例，高于对照组4、4例；观察组颈动脉斑块数量治疗后减少67个，高于对照组54个，均具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。两组患者治疗前各项脑血流参数均无统计学差异（P>0.05），治疗后均有所改善，但观察组改善得更为明显，具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。[结论] 复荣通脉组方能够明显降低老年糖尿病患者IMT水平，缩小颈动脉斑块，改善患者脑血流情况，具有较好的临床应用效果。     

溃疡性结肠炎患者全结直肠切除+回肠贮袋肛管吻合术 术后自我关注的质性研究

目的：了解与探讨溃疡性结肠炎（ulcerative colitis，UC）患者全结直肠切除+回肠贮袋肛管吻合（ileal pouch anal anastomosis，IPAA）术后患者自我关注情况。方法：采用目的抽样法，选取14例UC 行IPAA术后患者，行半结构式深入访谈并采用Colaizzi 7步分析法分析访谈资料。结果：患者多因为自身对术后恢复的期望或疾病相关知识的不足引起对术后排便、饮食、贮袋状态等方面的自我关注。结论：医护人员应注重患者术后自我关注情况，采取相应的心理疏导措施，在饮食、贮袋状态等方面给予患者更加专业细致的指导和教育，加强出院后延续护理，以提高患者术后生活质量，促进疾病康复。     

Association of Multimodal Pain Control with Patient-Reported Outcomes in Children Undergoing Surgery

IntroductionOur aim was to describe practices in multimodal pain management at US children's hospitals and evaluate the association between non-opioid pain management strategies and pediatric patient-reported outcomes (PROs).MethodsData were collected as part of the 18-hospital ENhanced Recovery In CHildren Undergoing Surgery (ENRICH-US) clinical trial. Non-opioid pain management strategies included use of preoperative and postoperative non-opioid analgesics, regional anesthetic blocks, and a biobehavioral intervention. PROs included perioperative nervousness, pain-related functional disability, health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Associations were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression models.ResultsAmong 186 patients, 62 (33%) received preoperative analgesics, 186 (100%) postoperative analgesics, 81 (44%) regional anesthetic block, and 135 (73%) used a biobehavioral intervention. Patients were less likely to report worsened as compared to stable nervousness following regional anesthetic block (relative risk ratio [RRR]:0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.11–0.85), use of a biobehavioral technique (RRR:0.26, 95% CI:0.10–0.70), and both in combination (RRR:0.08, 95% CI:0.02–0.34). There were no associations of non-opioid pain control modalities with pain-related functional disability or HRQoL.ConclusionUse of postoperative non-opioid analgesics have been largely adopted, while preoperative non-opioid analgesics and regional anesthetic blocks are used less frequently. Regional anesthetic blocks and biobehavioral interventions may mitigate postoperative nervousness in children.Level of evidenceIII.