Effect of pneumatic leg compression on post-induction hypotension in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: a double-blind randomised controlled trial

Post-induction hypotension is common and associated with postoperative complications. We hypothesised that pneumatic leg compression reduces post-induction hypotension in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. In this double-blind randomised study, patients were allocated randomly to the pneumatic leg compression group (n = 50) or control (n = 50). In the intervention group, pneumatic leg compression was initiated before induction of anaesthesia. In the control group, pneumatic leg compression was initiated 20 min after anaesthesia induction. The primary outcome was the incidence of post-induction hypotension in these groups. Post-induction hypotension was defined as systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg during the first 20 min after induction. Haemodynamic variables and area under the curve of post-induction systolic blood pressure over time were assessed. Complications associated with pneumatic leg compression were recorded, including: peripheral neuropathy; compartment syndrome; extensive bullae beneath the leg sleeves; and pulmonary thromboembolism. The incidence of post-induction hypotension decreased in the pneumatic leg compression group compared with that in the control group; 5 (10%) vs. 29 (58%), respectively, p < 0.001. In the pneumatic leg compression group, the lowest systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures 20 min after induction of anaesthesia were significantly greater than the control group. Pneumatic leg compression resulted in an increased area under the curve of systolic blood pressure in the first 20 min after induction, p = 0.001. There were no pneumatic leg compression-related complications. Pneumatic leg compression reduced post-induction hypotension in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, suggesting that it is an effective and safe intervention to prevent post-induction hypotension among elderly patients undergoing general anaesthesia.     

Effects of catastrophic financial loss on suicide risk: evidence from Korean stock market crash in October 2008

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology - The negative effect of catastrophic financial loss on suicide risk is widely perceived but hardly studied in-depth because of various difficulties...     

Predictors of survival following surgical resection of limited-stage small cell lung cancer

BackgroundAdjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative radiation (PORT), and prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) have been individually examined in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). There is a paucity of data on the effectiveness of each adjuvant treatment modality when used in combination after surgical resection of SCLC.MethodsData were collected from 5 cancer centers on all patients with limited-stage SCLC who underwent surgical resection between 1986 and 2019. Univariate and multivariable models were conducted to identify predictors of long-term outcomes, focusing on freedom from recurrence and survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy, PORT, and PCI.ResultsA total of 164 patients were analyzed. Multivariable Cox regression analysis did not identify any adjuvant therapies to significantly influence recurrence in this cohort. Specifically, PORT was not associated with a significant influence on locoregional recurrence and PCI was not significantly associated with intracranial outcomes. Adjuvant chemotherapy improved survival in all stage I through III disease (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.81; P = .005) and even in pathologically node negative patients (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.27-0.91; P = .024). Although PCI was found to improve survival in univariate analysis, it was not significant in a multivariable model. PORT was not found to affect survival on either univariate or multivariable analysis.ConclusionsThis is among the largest multi-institutional studies on surgically resected limited-stage SCLC. Our results highlight survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy, but did not identify a statistically significant influence from mediastinal PORT or PCI in our cohort. Larger prospective studies are needed to determine the benefit of PORT or PCI in a surgically resected limited-stage SCLC population.     

Comparative Outcome Analysis of N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Embolization of the False Lumen Versus Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Aortic Dissection

PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) embolization for the treatment of aortic dissection.Materials and MethodsIn this single-center retrospective study conducted from February 2003 to June 2019, NBCA embolization of an aortic false lumen was attempted in 12 patients (median age, 59 y; range, 41–68 y) and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was performed in 53 patients (median age, 59 y; range, 37–70 y) for aortic dissection with one or more indications of persisting pain, malperfusion, rupture or impending rupture, maximal aortic diameter ≥ 55 mm, and/or rapid aortic enlargement. The main exclusion criterion for embolization was the presence of fast blood flow in the aortic false lumen on aortography. The efficacy of NBCA embolization and TEVAR was compared by evaluating technical and clinical outcomes, repeat intervention–free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS).ResultsTechnical success was achieved in 11 of the 12 patients treated with NBCA embolization (91.7%), and clinical success was achieved in 9 of these 11 (81.8%). No significant difference was found between embolization and TEVAR in clinical success rates (embolization, 81.8%; TEVAR, 84.9%; P = .409) or procedure-related complications (embolization, 1 patient [8.3%]; TEVAR, 4 patients [7.5%]; P = .701). In addition, embolization showed comparable 5-y RFS (embolization, 82.5% ± 9.3; TEVAR, 85.5% ± 4.8; P = .641) and 5-y OS (embolization, 100%; TEVAR, 95.4% ± 3.2; P = .744) rates to TEVAR.ConclusionsNBCA embolization of the false lumen in aortic dissection seems to be a safe and effective treatment modality for the closure of false lumen in selected patients.