The RAQET Study: the Effect of Eating a Popsicle Directly After Bariatric Surgery on the Quality of Patient Recovery; a Randomised Controlled Trial

Quality of recovery could be influenced positively if there is less postoperative sore throat (POST). Eating a popsicle might attenuate this sore throat. Especially for bariatric surgery, early recovery is important. Adding popsicles to the postoperative protocol could be beneficial. Our hypothesis is that offering a popsicle in the recovery room to patients after bariatric surgery will decrease POST and will increase quality of postoperative recovery. Patients undergoing elective bariatric surgery, between the 23 February 2015 and 3 April, were randomised to either the popsicle group or control group. Primary endpoint was the incidence of POST and secondly if a reduction in POST influences quality of recovery at the first day postoperative measured with the Bariatric Quality Of Recovery (BQoR) questionnaire. One hundred and thirty-three patients were assessed for eligibility. For the final analysis, 44 patients in the intervention and 65 in the control group were available. Eating a popsicle after bariatric surgery had no significant effect on the incidence of POST. Significant effects (in favour of the popsicle group) were seen in muscle pain score (p = 0.047) and sore mouth score (p = 0.012). Popsicle intragroup analysis revealed that eating the whole popsicle (compared to partially eating the popsicle) has positive effects on nausea (p = 0.059), feeling cold (p = 0.008), and mean total comfort score (p = 0.011). Of the patients who became nauseous and/or had to vomit because of the popsicle, n = 4 had more severe pain (p = 0.04) and the mean pain score was higher (p = 0.09). The present study demonstrates that offering a popsicle early during recovery after bariatric surgery is feasible without adverse effects, although eating popsicle did not reduce postoperative sore throat. There are possible beneficial effects, such as reduced muscle pains and less sore mouth, that may enhance the quality of recovery. More research is necessary to further substantiate the effect of eating popsicles on the quality of recovery in this patient population.Trial Registration: Registration number: NTR4943 (http://www.trialregister.nl).     

Remebot机器人辅助下立体定向脑组织活检术的护理配合

目的总结Remebot机器人辅助下立体定向脑组织活检术的护理配合方法。方法对19例患者行Remebot机器人辅助下立体定向脑组织活检术,其护理配合包括完善术前准备,合理布局手术间、正确安置体位、术中密切监护等,术后加强仪器设备的管理、特殊器械的维护和保养等。结果 19例均顺利完成手术,手术时间28~48min,平均35.5min;术后无一例发生并发症。结论 Remebot机器人辅助下立体定向脑组织活检术是一种高效、精准的新型手术方式,充分的术前准备、高质量的手术配合以及妥善的术后处理是手术成功的重要保证。     

Morgagni’s Hernia: Analysis of 21 Patients with Our Clinical Experience in Diagnosis and Treatment

A Morgagni’s hernia is a congenital defect found in the anterior aspect of the diaphragm between the costal and the sternal portions of this muscle. This defect is also referred to as the space of Larrey. It has been reported that 70% of patients with Morgagni’s hernia are female, 90% of the hernias are right-sided, and 92% of the hernias have hernia sacs. This type of hernia is a rare clinical entity and accounts for 3% of all surgically treated diaphragmatic hernias. There are no large retrospective or prospective studies on this topic. This type of hernia is a rare type among adults without a well-described prevalence and without well-established definitive management strategies. There are also few clinical reports about this clinical entity and its surgical treatment. We treated 21 patients with Morgagni’s hernia in a 12-year period, and we report our experience while discussing the surgical treatment of this disease. We performed a retrospective review of the 21 patients who were operated between 2003 and 2015. These patients had undergone surgical repair of Morgagni’s hernia. For each subject, demographic data, symptoms of presentation, physical examination findings, preoperative imaging studies and diagnosis, and surgical procedures were documented. Location of the hernia sac and its contents, postoperative complications, and duration of hospital stay were recorded and evaluated. Twelve patients were females and nine were males. The mean age of patients was 63.85 years. Dyspnea was the most prominent symptom in our patients. Morgagni’s hernias were located on the right side in 19 patients and on the left side in 2 patients. Chest X-ray in 10 patients and abdominal computerized tomography in 17 patients were the major diagnostic tools. Four patients were operated as emergency while others underwent elective surgery (17 patients). Twelve patients were operated with laparoscopy and the remaining nine were operated with the conventional open abdominal technique. Hernia sacs were observed in all of the patients and removed except in four of them. The omentum and the transverse colon were the most commonly seen organs in hernia sacs. Hernia defects were repaired with primary sutures in four patients (all open cases) and primary closure supported with mesh in six patients (four laparoscopic, two open cases). In the remaining 11 patients, hernia defects were closed with synthetic meshes (eight laparoscopic, three open cases). Mean postoperative hospital stay was 9.8 days. No recurrence was observed in any patients. Only one of our patients died during follow-up. In Morgagni’s hernias, surgical intervention is necessary as the hernia may cause complications such as strangulation of the colon or intestines. A laparoscopic approach has increased its popularity in recent years because of the well-known advantages of laparoscopy.     

Anterior Mediastinal Mass in a Child—Known but Rare Entity

Thymomas are exceedingly rare tumours of the anterior mediastinum in children. An early awareness helps timely surgical intervention. Thymomas can occasionally be extremely aggressive. The loss of contour on chest X-Ray, to be confirmed as a large anterior mediastinal mass at computerised tomography, serves identification of a typical bilobed thymic tumour.     

Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery Technique in Children Using Glove-Port and Conventional Rigid Instruments

Single-port laparoscopic surgery (SPLS) is a surgical technique with many advantages over conventional laparoscopy. Its range of indications has expanded alongside the development of its unique tools and equipment. We are able to safely perform SPLS with the low-cost glove-port method without need of any specially developed SPLS port or the TriPort Access System. For this study, the files of patients who underwent laparoscopic surgeries performed between the dates of January 2013 and December 2014 at our clinic were reviewed. Umbilical access single-port abdominal surgeries which were performed using glove-port technique were included in the study. Two hundred nineteen patients who underwent SPLS surgery were included in the study. Of these patients, 158 (72.1%) were male and 61 (27.8%) were females. 58.4% of the cases were appendectomies (n = 128), 20% were orchidopexies (n = 44), 8.6% were orchiectomies (n = 19), 5.4% were ovarian cyst excisions (n = 12), 3.6% were varicocelectomies (n = 8), 2.2% were peritoneal dialysis catheter placements (n = 5), and 1.3% were nephroureterectomies (n = 3). In 67 cases (30.4%), Kirschner wire was used to eliminate the need for a second port. The study concludes that glove-port SPLS, which can readily be performed using conventional tools and Kirschner wire rather than expensive specially developed instruments, is a preferable technique because it is reliable, more cost-effective, and results in a scarless recovery.     

Indications and Outcomes of Re-Exploratory Laparotomy in Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation—Single-Center Experience of 1352 Consecutive Liver Transplantations from Indian Subcontinent

Liver transplantation (LT) is the gold standard for end-stage liver disease (Prince Postgrad Med J 78:135–141, 2002). LT is a technically demanding operation. It needs experienced surgical team along with good anesthesia and critical care support (David et al. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 17:1–18, 1988). Survival after LT is approximately 90% at 1 year. Unlike other organs, 1 and 10-year survival for liver transplantation are the same (Jain and Reyes Ann Surg 232(4):490–500, 2000). Complications after LT are classified into technical, infective, and immunological (Moon and Lee Gut Liver 3(3):145–165, 2009). Re-exploratory laparotomy (REL) is one of the surgical complications of LT. Our study was aimed at analyzing the indications and impact of REL on the patient outcomes after living donor liver transplantation in our center. Retrospective analysis of all LTs done at our center by the same surgical team from January 1 2011 to June 30 2016 was included in the study. Pediatric transplants, combined liver kidney transplants, cadaveric transplants, planned REL, and re-transplantations were excluded from the study. Re-explored patients (REL) were classified as study group, and non-re-explored (NREL) patients were used as controls for statistical comparison. Twenty-five parameters (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) between the two groups were studied. SPSS 22 statistical software was used for statistical analysis. The total number of LT during the study period was 1352. After exclusion, 1241 patients were in the study group. REL group had 111 patients. Out of 111 patients, 97 had one REL, 13 patients had two RELs, and 1 had three RELs. Hence, there were 126 RELs in 111 patients. NREL group had 1140 patients. REL rate in our series was 10.02%. On univariate analysis of 25 parameters analyzed between the two groups, age, graft weight, multiple bile ducts, and mortality were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Preoperative total leucocyte count, model for end-stage liver disease, and warm ischemia time were statistically significant (P < 0.1). On subgroup analysis of REL, bleeding was the commonest indication followed by intraabdominal sepsis. Delayed non-function and small for size had high mortality rates. Multiple RELs were associated with higher mortality compared to single REL (P < 0.05). REL is associated with poor prognosis after adult living donor liver transplantation.     

Intraoperative Inguinal Measurements to Estimate a Single Optimal Mesh Size for Lichtenstein Inguinal Hernioplasty: an Observational Study

In inguinal hernia surgery, use of optimal mesh size during Lichtenstein hernioplasty technique is essential in preventing recurrence. This study was an attempt to determine a single optimal mesh size which can be adapted in vast majority of cases based on intraoperative inguinal measurements. This observational study was done for 1 year in the Department of Surgery, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belagavi, India. A total of 60 patients aged above 18 years who were scheduled for elective inguinal hernioplasty using the Lichtenstein technique for direct or indirect inguinal hernia were subjected to intraoperative measurements. All the patients were male with mean age of 52.75 ± 15.39 years. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.51 ± 3.10 kg/m². With regard to hernia characteristics, most of the patients had right-sided hernia (61.7%), indirect (51.67%), and incomplete hernia (81.67%). The mean width of mesh required was 6.65 ± 0.24 cm and mean length was 13.75 ± 0.25 cm. The mesh size was comparable with respect to demographic characteristics, anthropometry, BMI, and type and extent of hernia (p > 0.050) but age and length of mesh size varied significantly in patients with direct and indirect type of hernia (p < 0.050). The present study made an attempt to determine a single optimal mesh size in cases who underwent inguinal hernia repair based on the principles of Lichtenstein hernioplasty, which being 6.7 cm × 13.8 cm. Another significant finding was varying in mesh length size between direct and indirect hernias.     

Comparison of Outcomes of Single-Incision Laparoscopic and Open Appendectomy in Management of Uncomplicated and Complicated Appendicitis

Several reports have demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA). We have introduced SILA including transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA) and pure single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (PSILA). A total of 124 patients underwent SILA for acute appendicitis in our department. Our consecutive experiences with SILA are reviewed, and its outcomes including medical treatment cost are compared to open appendectomy (OA). In the SILA group, the mean length of the operation was 65.0 min. Five patients required an additional port insertion, and three patients required open conversion. The postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter (P < 0.01); an abdominal drain was placed in significantly fewer cases (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the total cost medical treatment with OA (P = 0.48). In patients with complicated appendicitis, the hospital stay was significantly shorter in SILA groups. There were no significant differences in all operative outcomes between TULAA and PSILA. SILA represents an expeditious and reliable technique for appendicitis especially in complicated cases. Further assessment including multicenter prospective study is thought to be required to confirm this.     

Applying Haddon Matrix for Evaluation of Road Crash Victims in Delhi,India

Road traffic injuries are placing an increasing and disproportionate global health burden upon developing countries. An understanding of region specific epidemiological risk factors is imperative in order to plan appropriate prevention and control strategies. The objective of the study was to evaluate epidemiological risk factors of road traffic injury victims in Delhi, India with the help of Haddon injury analysis framework. The current study was conducted among crash victims admitted to the government hospital. Data obtained from the hospital, police records and crash victims was triangulated with geospatial analysis. Haddon matrix was utilized to understand the interplay of human, vehicle and environmental factors in pre-crash, crash and post-crash phases of an accident. A total of 544 victims were included as study participants with mean age of 30.8 years for males and 31.81 years for females and were from lower socio-economic groups. Pedestrians (36.2%) and two-wheeler riders, especially those on pillion vehicles (21.5%), were worst affected victims. The crude odds ratio for motorized road users for experiencing a crash was higher on slippery roads [p < 0.05; OR = 0.197 (0.082–0.474)]. Moderate to heavy traffic flow (p = 0.001; OR = 0.469 (0.317–0.696) was found to be a protective factor for accidents. Geospatial analysis revealed clustering of crashes near traffic lights, markets and schools. Integrated approaches addressing engineering, technological and environmental factors along with behavioural modifications is needed to produce definitive changes in road crash trends.