Treatment of Distal Metaphyseal Tibial Fractures with Anterolateral Plates or with Anterolateral-Medial Plates: A Retrospective Series

Distal metaphyseal tibial fractures (3-5 cm from the joint with zones of comminution or <3 cm from the joint) are challenging to fix and are associated with many complications. The study objective was to evaluate the functional outcomes and complications after treating distal metaphyseal tibial fractures using anatomical anterolateral tibia locking plates or anterolateral-medial plates. This retrospective study included 57 patients with distal metaphyseal tibial fractures. Thirty patients were treated by open reduction internal fixation with anterolateral plates; 27 patients were treated with anterolateral-medial plates. Patients were followed at regular intervals. The time to fracture union and complications were recorded. We evaluated the stage of fracture healing using the Radiographic Union Score for Tibial fractures. The patients treated with anterolateral plates had significantly higher rates of loss of reduction and malunion than those treated with anterolateral-medial plates (p = .02 and p = .002, respectively). There were no significant differences in the radiographic union scores (p = .22), non-union (p = .17), incision necrosis (p = .91), or infection (p = .94) between the 2 groups. The functional outcomes were assessed using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society hindfoot-ankle score at the 12-month follow-up. The mean hindfoot-ankle scores were 90.9 ± 5.0 (range 79 to 100, median 90) and 92.3 ± 5.1 (range 82 to 100, median 92) for the anterolateral plates and anterolateral-medial plates, respectively (p = .29). For distal metaphyseal tibial fractures, anterolateral-medial plates may be worthwhile for reducing loss of reduction and malunion.     

Comparison of Open Anterior Syndesmotic Repair Augmented With Suture-Tape and Trans-syndesmotic Screw Fixation: A Biomechanical Study

The treatment of syndesmotic injuries with ankle fractures is controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of open anterior syndesmotic repair with those of screw fixation. Ten matched pairs of human cadaver specimens were subjected to open syndesmotic repair or screw fixation. Each specimen underwent initial intact physiologic loading, consisting of 10 cycles of external torsional loading with a peak torque of 7.5 Nm at 0.05 Hz. Injuries of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament, tibiofibular interosseous membrane, and deltoid ligament were applied to each specimen. Postfixation cyclic loading consisted of 50 cycles of combined axial and external rotation loading with peak torques of 750 N and 7.5 Nm at a rate of 0.05 Hz. After postfixation loading, each specimen underwent failure loading by external rotation at 0.25 degrees/second. Failure torque and failure angle were measured. The paired t test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyze the data. Mean failure torques were 95.63 Nm in the open anterior syndesmotic repair augmented with suture-tape group and 108.61 Nm in the screw group. Mean failure angles were 34.93 degrees in the open anterior syndesmotic repair augmented with suture-tape group and 43.55 degrees in the screw group. These data were not statistically significantly different between the groups (p= .7682 and .4133, respectively). Open anterior syndesmotic repair augmented with suture tape for ankle syndesmotic injury provides similar torsional strength to that of screw fixation. Therefore, this technique can be considered as an alternative treatment option for syndesmosis injury.     

ASO Author Reflections: Do Shorter Tumor-to-Nipple Distances Compromise the Local Oncologic Safety of Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy?

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

Time for a More Holistic Approach to Peri-Pancreatoduodenectomy Care

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

ASO Visual Abstract: Will It Play in Peoria? A Pilot Study of a Robotic Skills Curriculum for Surgical Oncology Fellows

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

Incidence and risk factors of suicide among patients diagnosed with bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Patients with bladder cancer have a high risk of suicide. This study aimed to assess how bladder cancer increases suicide risk and to identify the demographic and clinical factors associated with suicidal death among patients with bladder cancer. Methods: Literature search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Sciences and Cochrane Library databases was conducted up to April 2020 to identify eligible studies related to the incidence and risk factors of suicide after bladder cancer diagnosis. Summary multivariate-adjusted risk estimates and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using inverse variance method with random or fixed-effect modeling. Results: Five retrospective cohorts comprising 563,680 patients with bladder cancer were included. Higher risk of suicide by 1.90-fold was observed among patients with bladder cancer (hazard ratio, HR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.29–2.81; P = 0.001; I² = 81.2%), especially in those aged 70 years or older (HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.29–1.43; P < 0.001; I² = 0%), unmarried (HR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.61–1.83; P < 0.001; I² = 0%), and those with regional bladder cancer (HR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.10–3.21; P = 0.021; I² = 96.3%), compared with those without bladder cancer. Furthermore, gender and race were not associated with increased suicide risk among patients with bladder cancer. Conclusions: Suicide risk is increased among patients with bladder cancer, particularly those aged 70 years or older, unmarried and those with regional bladder cancer. Hence, early psychological support must be provided during the follow-up period of these special populations with a high suicide risk.     

Low Bone Mineral Density at Initial Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents with Graves’ Disease

Previous studies have reported reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with hyperthyroidism. We assessed the association of BMD in children and adolescents with Graves’ disease (GD) after correcting for potential confounders affecting BMD such as age, sex, and pubertal status. Forty-four children and adolescents with GD and 172 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. We analyzed auxological features, BMD, and levels of thyroid hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and thyroid autoantibodies. We measured BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the time of diagnosis in all patients. The mean age of all patients with GD (9 boys and 32 girls) was 12.1 ± 2.2 years (range, 7.0–16.0). Their initial mean free T4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were 3.51 ± 1.56 ng/dL and 0.04 ± 0.03 IU/L, respectively. The mean BMD Z-scores of the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck, and total body less head of patients with GD were significantly lower than those of control subjects. Eleven patients (26.8%) had low bone density (LS BMD Z-scores < ?2.0). To identify correlations of patient characteristics with BMD Z-scores at each site, alkaline phosphatase had a significant negative correlation with BMD Z-scores at LS and femoral neck, but not total body less head (r = ?0.441; p = 0.004 and r = ?0.351; p = 0.025, respectively). Children and adolescents with newly diagnosed GD had lower bone mass than their healthy peers. These results suggest that BMD measurement at initial evaluation may be necessary in this population.     

A capnography and transcutaneous CO2 profile of bariatric patients during early postoperative period after opioid-sparing anesthesia

BackgroundNoninvasive monitoring of partial pressure of carbon dioxide can be accomplished indirectly with capnography (P_ETCO₂) or with transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring (P_TCCO₂). The use of capnography has been shown to offer an advantage over pulse oximetry alone in the early detection of adverse respiratory events when supplemental oxygen is administered. Furthermore, capnography allows for the monitoring of various respiratory measures, including end-tidal carbon dioxide, respiratory rate, tidal volume, and changes in breathing patterns. Transcutaneous CO₂ also closely approximates arterial CO₂ values, but is not as easy to monitor for prolonged periods. The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of capnography and of transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring in patients recovering from obesity surgery at high risk of developing postoperative obstructive sleep apnea.MethodsIn a prospective observational study, 64 bariatric surgery patients at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea were monitored in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) with either capnography alone (31 patients) or capnography plus transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring (33 additional patients) every 3–5 minutes for the duration of their recovery. Primary endpoints included end-tidal and transcutaneous carbon dioxide, peripheral oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, pain scores, and incidence of adverse respiratory events.ResultsAlthough no adverse pulmonary events were observed, capnography detected several patients who experienced short periods of respiratory apnea while maintaining pulse oximetry readings within normal limits. Transcutaneous values were slow to change and averaged 4.5 ± 5.5 mm Hg (P < .05) higher than corresponding end-tidal measurements.ConclusionsThese results indicate the capabilities of both these noninvasive techniques for postoperative monitoring. Capnography acutely monitors changes in respiration, whereas transcutaneous monitoring more accurately reflects arterial CO₂ levels.     

腹腔镜食管胃吻合肌瓣成形术对于直径>5 cm食管胃结合部肿瘤近端胃切除术后消化道重建安全可行

目的探讨腹腔镜辅助食管胃吻合肌瓣成形术(Kamikawa吻合)在治疗肿瘤最大径>5 cm的食管胃结合部(EGJ)平滑肌瘤或胃肠间质瘤近端胃切除术后消化道重建的安全性及可行性。方法采用描述性病例系列研究方法,回顾性分析广东省中医院胃肠外科2017年9月至2019年3月期间,收治并施行腹腔镜辅助近端胃切除术和Kamikawa吻合的EGJ平滑肌瘤和胃肠间质瘤病例资料。肿瘤均侵犯贲门齿状线,且最大径>5 cm;排除需急诊手术和合并有严重心肺疾病患者后,共4例患者纳入本研究,男性3例,女性1例,年龄29-49岁。患者接受腹腔镜辅助近端胃切除术后,把残胃提出腹腔外,距残胃前壁近端3-4 cm处亚甲蓝标记"H"形,并沿"H"形切开胃壁浆肌层,沿纵行切开线向两侧分离黏膜下层和肌层之间的间隙,制作浆肌瓣;将残胃放回腹腔,腹腔镜下将"H"形上边与食管后壁距断端4-5 cm处间断缝合4针;切开食管残端,在"H"形的下边切开黏膜下层和黏膜层,进入胃腔;腹腔镜下将食管断端后壁与残胃黏膜层和黏膜下层连续缝合,食管断端前壁与残胃全层连续缝合,将胃前壁浆肌瓣缝合包埋食管,完成消化道重建。观察患者术中并发症和术后反流性食管炎和吻合口相关并发症的发生率。结果 4例患者均顺利完成手术,无中转开腹。手术中位时间为239(192-261)min,Kamikawa吻合中位时间为149(102-163)min,术中中位出血量为35(20-200)ml。4例患者均术后第1天拔除腹腔引流管和胃管,并恢复流质饮食,术后住院中位时间为6(6-8)d。术后病理提示,3例平滑肌瘤,1例胃肠间质瘤。术后无吻合口漏及狭窄等并发症,未观察到反流症状。术后中位随访时间22(11-29)个月,4例患者复查胃镜均未见反流性食管炎。结论对于>5 cm的EGJ平滑肌瘤或胃肠间质瘤,近端胃切除术后应用腹腔镜辅助Kamikawa吻合进行消化道重建,安全可行。