Kidney transplantation in the morbidly obese: complicated but still better than dialysis

Bennett WM, McEvoy KM, Henell KR, Pidikiti S, Douzdjian V, Batiuk T. Kidney transplantation in the morbidly obese: complicated but still better than dialysis.
Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 401–405. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Obese patients are denied renal transplantation in many centers. We report results regarding obesity from a new transplant program (1999 through 2007). Six hundred and forty‐two patients were transplanted: 439 patients with BMI < 30 (Group 1), 109 patients with BMI 30.1‐34.9 (Group 2), and 89 patients with BMI > 35 (Group 3). Follow‐up was at least one yr. Medical and surgical management was performed by the same team throughout the study period. There were no demographic differences between groups except for increased diabetes in Groups 2 and 3. Actuarial graft and patient survivals were not statistically different between groups. Group 3 patients had numerical trends toward more delayed graft function and lower graft survivals but these did not reach statistical significance. Biopsy‐proven rejections did not differ between groups. Wound infections were statistically significant in Groups 2 and 3 compared to Group 1 (p < 0.01). Despite increased wound infection rates with increased BMI, transplanting patients with morbid obesity results in better survival for individual patients than dialysis. Thus, there is no a priori ethical reason for treating obese ESRD patients differently from those with other comorbidities.     

Conventional radiographs: are they still the standard in localization of projectiles?

The penetration of air gun pellets in facial soft tissue can cause major problems during the removal of foreign bodies, although conventional radiography, computed tomography, image-guided surgical removal, and ultrasound have been applied to facilitate the procedure. It was the aim of the present case report to introduce a modified intraoperative method for the localization of air gun pellets, based on the use of radiopaque markers in conventional radiographs. A 66-year-old patient attempted to commit suicide by using an air gun. The pellet hit the right temporal region. A computed tomographic (CT) scan was acquired to localize the foreign body. The first attempt to remove the pellet through the penetrating wound failed. Because of a dislodgement of the pellet, the CT scan could no longer be used for the localization of the air gun pellet. As the air gun pellet was positioned under the zygomatic arch, ultrasound was unable to identify its position. Successful intraoperative localization of the projectile was performed after fixation of radiopaque markers to the skin in the region of the estimated localization, with conventional radiographs in 2 planes, acquired with a mobile dental x-ray device. Although the markers remained attached to the patient as reference makers, the air gun pellet was removed easily. The use of radiopaque markers in conventional radiographs in 2 planes allows fast, intraoperative localization of radiopaque foreign bodies within soft tissue. The procedure can be carried out with a conventional x-ray device that should be available in every oral and maxillofacial practice. The use of reference markers should be considered a standard procedure for the localization of radiopaque foreign bodies in the head and neck.     

Outcomes assessment in hand surgery: When are they meaningful?

Hand surgeons currently are challenged with the task of measuring and establishing the connection between the diagnosis and treatment of health-related quality-of-life problems. Although true quality of life cannot be measured directly, instruments in the form of questionnaires have been developed that use self-reporting to account for functional performance, health status, and health-related quality of life. Instruments must be reliable, valid, responsive, and appropriate. Misunderstanding these properties often hinders interpreting the recent stream of outcome studies in the literature. Most physicians are not sure what if any outcome information should be collected routinely or if any outcome instrument is diagnostically useful. Currently there is no convincing evidence to support the routine use of patient-based outcome measures in hand surgeons' practices. Those hand surgeons who would like to carry out an outcome study should consider seeking help from others with expertise in outcomes design and analysis.     

Calcification and the usual suspect phosphate: still guilty but there are other guys behind the scenes.

In patients with renal failure, the high prevalence of vascular,valvular and soft-tissue calcifications and their consequencesfor cardiovascular outcomes have recently received much attention.Several studies documented that the calcification burden isassociated with increased morbidity and mortality in uraemia.In vitro and in vivo research has demonstrated that tissue calcificationis not just based on passive calcium and phosphate precipitation,but that active cellular processes such as osteogenic differentiationof vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are involved and thata number of local and systemic calcium-regulatory factors controland prevent unwanted extra-osseous calcification. An importantfinding was the new understanding that calcium and phosphateare immediate inducers of osteogenic     

Communication skills in palliative surgery: skill and effort are key

Excellence as a surgeon requires not only the technical and intellectual ability to effectively take care of surgical disease but also an ability to respond to the needs and questions of patients. This article provides an overview of the importance of communication skills in optimal surgical palliation and offers suggestions for a multidisciplinary team approach, using the palliative triangle as the ideal model of communication and interpersonal skills. This article also discusses guidelines for advanced surgical decision making and outlines methods to improve communication skills.     

Follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer: the evidence is in favour but we are still in need of a protocol

The prevalence of colorectal cancer is high in the western world and follow-up after treatment of the primary tumour is claimed to consume resources that could be used in improving screening and early diagnosis. Although some patients with recurrent disease can be treated successfully there has been a debate on whether an overall improvement in survival is achieved by follow-up. There is no agreement on a follow-up protocol of investigations. A review via a Medline search of all published studies and reports on the issue of follow-up of colorectal cancer dated from 1975-2006. We examined retrospective and prospective studies, randomised controlled trials, and meta-analyses attempting to identify the optimum follow-up protocol. There is widespread diversity of follow-up policies for colorectal cancer. Follow-up of colorectal cancer does not have a negative impact on Quality of life. There is no evidence that annual colonoscopy provides any survival advantage. It has been shown that intensive follow-up with frequent carcinoembryonic antigen measurement has a survival advantage and is cost-efficient. Similar evidence seems to be gathering about liver imaging with CT scan although it is less conclusive.     

The goals of the Japanese Surgical Society should not be merely for specialized surgery: they should be for general surgery, surgical education and better medical legislation

The Japan Surgical Society (JSS) should investigate mainly general surgery, surgical education, and political approach. The Specialized surgery, which has also been studied by the JSS, should be fully evaluated in various subspecialty surgical societies, i.e. gastrointestinal, respiratory, circulatory, pediatric, and others. This is reasonable, since the board of each subspecialty has the same basic requirements as the board of the JSS and this is how the JSS and other surgical subspecialty societies can coexist. In addition, the JSS must make efforts to improve surgeons' lives overall by means of effective politics and to motivate medical students to become surgeons to prevent a scarcity, which will also contribute to the welfare of the public.     

Electromagnetic motion analysis in the assessment of surgical skill: Relationship between time and movement

Introduction: Electromagnetic motion analysis is a promising method of assessing surgical skill in a skills‐laboratory setting. There is a very strong correlation between movement and time data, and this study was conducted to determine whether this relationship is fixed, or whether it can vary. Methods : After a pilot study, four subjects were recruited. Each performed 30 trials of a simple standardized suturing task, alternating between ‘normal’, ‘precise’, and ‘fast’ strategies. The number of movements, and time to complete each task were recorded. Results: Comparing the ‘fast’ to ‘normal’ strategies, there was a significant decrease in total number of movements per trial (P < 0.001), and time taken (P < 0.001). Regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the time taken and the number of movements, and revealed significant differences between both the fast (P = 0.006), and precise (P = 0.002) strategies, when compared to the normal strategy. Discussion: This study confirms that the relationship between time and movements is not fixed, but varies with the operative strategy adopted for this simple suturing task.     

In-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation: medical and paramedical theory skill assessment in an university hospital

OBJECTIVES: Theory knowledge and attitude assessment about in-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) basic life support by hospital staff. METHODS: We tested medical and paramedical working staff in a 450 beds university hospital with anonymous questionnaire based on training for basic life support. Questions were about presence of a formation before, clinical signs reached in front of unconscious patient, attitude in front of cardiac-arrest, practical experience with basic life support and ward emergency trolley. RESULTS: Five hundred and seventy one on 996 people answered to handed out questionnaires (57%): 158 from medical staff (Med group) and 413 from nurses "Pmed". Seventy one percent people from "Med" group and 64% from "Pmed" received one time at least training about cardiac-arrest. Front of unconscious patient, no spontaneous breath was reached explicitly by 55% people from Med group and 19% from "Pmed" group and central pulse was reached explicitly by 70% people from "Med" group and 18% from "Pmed" group. Front of CA, 50% people from "Med" group released airway, 75% began ventilation and 86%, External Heart Compression (EHC) and 42% called for rescue. There were respectively 29, 47, 64 and 60% people from "Pmed" group. Eighty-one percent people from "Med" group thought they knew to do ventilation and 82% did it one time at least. Eighty-eight thought they knew to do EHC and 85% did it one time at least. They were respectively 67, 76, 73 and 78% people from Pmed group. Sixty-four per cent of Med group people know that there is emergency trolley in there department versus 89% for "Pmed" group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that theoretical knowledge of hospital staff about cardiac arrest diagnostic and management are insufficient from the point of view of national and international guidelines. Analysis is difficult because of weak response number and knowledge people overestimation.     

Duodenal calcium binding protein and active calcium transport in rats: are they functionally related?

The effects of calcitriol and a novel calcitriol analogue, 22-oxacalcitriol(OCT) on duodenal Ca transport, calbindin-D9k mRNA, and calbindin-D9kcontent were studied in two animal models reflecting commonhuman pathologies, namely arterial hypertension and chronicrenal failure, as well as in normal rats. The hormone or itsanalogue were administered intraperitoneally to vitamin-D-repleterats. Active Ca transport was increased in both spontaneouslyhypertensive rats (SHR) and in normotensive control WKY rats5 h after calcitriol dosing of either 60 and 600 ng per rat.In WKY, calbindin-D9k content was slightly increased after theinjection of 60 ng calcitriol, but not of 600 ng calcitriolwhereas calbindin-D9k mRNA stayed essentially unchanged. Incontrast, active Ca transport was significantly stimulated afterthe higher dose of 600 ng calcitriol. In SHR, while both dosesof calcitriol increased active Ca transport, they had no stimulatoryeffect on calbindin-D9k mRNA or protein. In chronically uraemicrats, active Ca transport, duo denal calbindin-D9k, and calbindin-D9kmRNA were stimulated after the injection of two subsequent dosesof 300 ng calcitriol per rat. OCT treatment at same dosage ledto a similar stimulation of calbindin-D9k and calbindin-D9kmRNA, but failed to induce an increase in active Ca transport.These results show that the stimulation of intestinal activeCa transport and calbindin-D9k can be entirely dissociated atthe protein synthesis and the mRNA expression level (1) aftercalcitriol administration to normal and hypertensive rats, and(2) after OCT administration to uraemic rats. Even though calbindinmay play a significant role in the regulation of Ca translocationacross the enterocyte, our work provides evidence that intestinalactive Ca transport can be enhanced independently of changesin calbindin-D9k and vice-versa, at least under the presentnon-steady-state conditions.     

Surgical neonates in a low-resource setting: Baseline nutrition and outcome assessment

IntroductionCongenital anomalies necessitating prolonged fasting have a high mortality in low-income settings, partially due to malnutrition and electrolyte disturbances in the absence of parenteral nutrition (PN). Interventions to address these problems require an accurate baseline quantification of the morbidity and mortality of this population. This prospective study aimed to determine peri-operative morbidity, fluid and electrolyte disturbance, growth, and mortality in neonates with gastroschisis (GS), intestinal atresia (IA), and esophageal atresia (EA) in Uganda.MethodsStandardized patient care of 45 neonates treated in Uganda from Oct 2021 to March 2022 with protocolized fluid and nutrition, vital signs, and routine laboratory measurements. Patient demographics, admission and hospital characteristics are described with mean ± SD. Characteristics of survivors and non-survivors were compared with Fischer's exact tests, logrank tests, and CoX Ph model.ResultsTwenty-eight (62.2%) patients had GS, 4 (8.9%) EA, and 13 (28.9%) IA. Thirty-six percent (16/44) of patients survived to discharge (26% GS, 50% EA, 54% IA) with an average length of stay of 17.3 days ( ± 2.2) (survivors) and 9 days ( ± 1.7) (non-survivors). Average weight was 2.21 kg ( ± 0.62) at presentation, with no significant weight change during the study. Abnormal serum sodium in 64%, phosphate 36.5%, and magnesium 20.8% of measurements. Mortality did not correlate with diagnosis (p = 0.47), electrolyte derangement, or weight change.ConclusionMortality of neonates born with GS, EA, and IA is high in Uganda. Malnutrition and fluid/electrolyte derangements are common and may affect mortality. This study provides a comparison group for studying interventions to improve outcomes for these populations.Type of studyProspective cohort.Level of evidenceLevel 3.     

Surgical training for burns care in low-income countries: A literature review and critical appraisal

IntroductionLow- and middle-income countries account for over 90% of burns worldwide. Though mission trips, public health interventions and educational strategies have been introduced in recent years, a disparity remains in treatment provided between high- and low -income countries. This analysis aims to review available literature pertaining to strategies for training in burns management, with a focus on those applicable to low-income countries.MethodologyMesh terms including “burns”, “burns care”, “burns management”, “training”, “teaching” and “education” were inputted into Medline and EMBase. Studies were included on the basis that they include an educational intervention to train doctors to provide surgical burns care in low-income countries. Included literature was analysed using scoring tools then a critical appraisal was performed.ResultsFourteen studies were included in this analysis. These describe e-learning (n = 1), video-based teaching (n = 1), lecture-based teaching (n = 1), simulation training (n = 8) and hospital-based training achieved through collaborative efforts between high and low-income countries such as mission trips and fellowship programmes (n = 3). The strategies described have been summarised and presented.ConclusionBurns care training should be accessible at a global scale and so, involve training methods including simulation, courses and fellowship programmes that are affordable and accessible to surgeons in low-income countries.     

Quality assessment in high-acuity surgery: volume and mortality are not enough

HYPOTHESIS: A new quality assessment model for high-acuity surgery links process improvements with hospital costs and patient-centered outcomes and accurately reflects the clinical and economic impact of variance in patient acuity at the level of the practice and health care professional. DESIGN: Retrospective case series and cost analysis. SETTING: University tertiary care referral center. PATIENTS: A total of 296 patients undergoing elective pancreatic resection in 5 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expected preoperative morbidity (evaluated using POSSUM [Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity]) was compared with observed morbidity (according to the Clavien complication scheme) and was correlated with total hospital costs per patient. RESULTS: As volume increased annually, patient acuity (expected morbidity) rose and complications declined. Overall, observed and expected morbidity rates were equal (54.1% vs 55.1%), for an observed-expected ratio of 0.98. Process improvement measures contributed to a steady decrease in the observed-expected morbidity ratio from 1.34 to 0.81 during the 5-year period. This decrease was strongly associated with significant cost savings as total costs per patient declined annually (from $31 541 to $18 829). This performance assessment model predicts that a 0.10 decrease in the observed-expected morbidity ratio equates to a $2549 cost savings per patient in our practice. CONCLUSIONS: Despite increasing patient acuity, better clinical and economic outcomes were achieved across time. Approaches that mitigate the impact of preoperative risk can effectively deliver quality improvement, as illustrated by a reduced observed-expected morbidity ratio. This approach is valuable in analyzing performance and process improvements and can be used to assess intrapractice and interpractice variations in high-acuity surgery.