Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy for Destination Therapy: Is Less Invasive Surgery a Safe Alternative?

Introduction and objectives

The number of older patients with congestive heart failure has dramatically increased. Because of stagnating cardiac transplantation, there is a need for an alternative therapy, which would solve the problem of insufficient donor organ supply. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have recently become more commonly used as destination therapy (DT). Assuming that older patients show a higher risk-profile for LVAD surgery, it is expected that the increasing use of less invasive surgery (LIS) LVAD implantation will improve postoperative outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to assess the outcomes of LIS-LVAD implantation in DT patients.

Estudio descriptivo del nuevo sistema morcelador de histeroscopia diagnóstica-terapéutica

Hypothesis

The new morcellation system is a safe and effective diagnostic-therapeutic technique for the outpatient management of endometrial polyps.

Objective

To describe our inicial experience with the new mechanical Truclear System (Smith&Nephew) hysteroscope in a number of polypectomies performed in the outpatient setting without the need for surgical referral.

Patients and methods

An observational prospective non-randomized study was performed in 100 patients who underwent hysteroscopy between June 2011 and January 2012 at the Igualada Hospital. There were two patient groups: group 1 included the first 55 patients who met the inclusion criteria for hysteroscopy and group 2 included 45 patients with endometrial polyps suspected on ultrasound.

Results

We performed 41 and 40 uneventful hysteroscopies in groups 1 and 2, respectively, 56 and 82.5% were suspected endometrial polyps, respectively. Polypectomy was 100% successful in all patients. None of the patients were referred for surgery. Tolerance was moderate to good in 91.3% of the patients.

Conclusion

The new morcellator system allows polypectomies to be conducted in outpatients with an ultrasound diagnosis of polyps, without the need to refer the patient for surgery.     

Validación de un modelo de riesgo de evisceración

Introduction

The aim of this study is to determine the usefulness of the risk model developed by van Ramshorst et al., and a modification of the same, to predict the abdominal wound dehiscence's risk in patients who underwent midline laparotomy incisions.

Materials and methods

Observational longitudinal retrospective study. Sample: Patients who underwent midline laparotomy incisions in the General and Digestive Surgery Department of the Sabadell's Hospital–Parc Taulí’s Health and University Corporation–Barcelona, between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010. Dependent variable: Abdominal wound dehiscence. Independent variables: Global risk score, preoperative risk score (postoperative variables were excluded), global and preoperative probabilities of developing abdominal wound dehiscence.

Results

Sample: 176 patients. Patients with abdominal wound dehiscence: 15 (8.5%). The global risk score of abdominal wound dehiscence group (mean: 4.97; IC 95%: 4.15-5.79) was better than the global risk score of No abdominal wound dehiscence group (mean: 3.41; IC 95%: 3.20-3.62). This difference is statistically significant (P<.001). The preoperative risk score of abdominal wound dehiscence group (mean: 3.27; IC 95%: 2.69-3.84) was better than the preoperative risk score of No abdominal wound dehiscence group (mean: 2.77; IC 95%: 2.64-2.89), also a statistically significant difference (P<.05). The global risk score (area under the ROC curve: 0.79) has better accuracy than the preoperative risk score (area under the ROC curve: 0.64).

Conclusion

The risk model developed by van Ramshorst et al. to predict the abdominal wound dehiscence's risk in the preoperative phase has a limited usefulness. Additional refinements in the preoperative risk score are needed to improve its accuracy.     

Care burden and outcome of the surgical management of ulcerative colitis: A retrospective analysis of the last 20 years in a tertiary hospital in Spain

AimTo analyze the surgical burden of UC care in the last two decades, analyzing the characteristics of the patients, surgical indications along with the short and long-term results.MethodSingle-center retrospective cohort analysis of UC patients undergoing abdominal and anorectal surgery between January 2000 and December 2020. The care burden, clinical data and results were analyzed according to distribution by decades.Results128 patients, 37% female, underwent 376 surgical interventions (296 intestinal procedures and 80 anorectal). Mean follow-up for the cohort was 106 ± 64 months. Timing from diagnosis to first surgery was under 5 years in 53.3%. In the second decade of the study there were fewer operated patients (73 vs. 48) as well as the total number of interventions per patient (2.7 vs. 2.0). The proportion between elective and urgent surgery was reversed in the second decade, observing an increase in laparoscopic surgery (70% vs. 8%) together with a decrease in major postoperative morbidity (Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIa) (20% vs 8.4%). 80 patients underwent a restorative proctocolectomy, with a failure of 5% at 1 year but 23.7% in the long term. 37 patients required anorectal surgery, of which 26 (71%) were serial interventions, most due to septic complications of the pouches.ConclusionsThe number of colectomies and interventions per patient decreased in the last decade, while there were improvements in morbidity and surgical approach. The need for sequential surgeries and long-term active instrumental surveillance for possible functional deterioration constitutes a significant clinical burden.     

Intracranial cystic meningiomas: A series of six patients

ObjectiveAlthough meningiomas are the most common primary non-glial intracranial tumors, cystic meningiomas are quite rare. This study presents six cases in order to discuss the radiological and pathological features of cystic meningiomas.Patients and methodsSix patients with cystic meningiomas were included in the study. All patients underwent a cranial computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation, pre- and postoperatively.ResultsAll patients presented with long standing headache dating back at least two years. There was no gender predominance in our series. Radiological evaluation revealed two parasagittal and two convexity meningiomas located at the frontal region. Two lesions were located at the tuberculum sellae and the foramen magnum. All of the tumors were totally excised (Simpson Grade I or II). Pathology results included meningothelial meningioma in three patients, angiomatous meningioma in two patients, and metaplastic meningioma in one patient. In two patients, the cystic meningiomas were resected with the use of sodium fluorescein (Na-Fl) under a YELLOW 560 nm microscope filter. Na-Fl was found to be very useful in demonstrating the brain–tumor interface, and it was especially effective in resecting the cyst wall of the peritumoural cystic meningiomas. None of the patients had any complications, and no recurrences were noted in any of the patients within the mean follow-up period of 51 months (range: 16–102 months).ConclusionIt is important to note MRI changes specific to cystic meningioma and include meningiomas in the differential diagnosis of intracranial cystic lesions. The use of sodium fluorescein (Na-Fl) under a YELLOW 560 nm microscope filter is a useful tool to differentiate the brain-tumor interface, as well as to identify the cyst wall in order to fully resect the tumor with the cystic component to avoid recurrence and achieve better clinical results.     

Microscopia confocal de reflectancia in vivo: papel emergente en el diagnóstico no invasivo,así como en el seguimiento de las dermatosis eccematosas

Dermatologic diagnosis and monitoring have been dependent largely on visual grading. A skin biopsy is performed in case of diagnostic uncertainty, but can be traumatic, and results are delayed due to time for specimen transport and processing. Biopsies also destroy specimens, prohibiting lesion evolution monitoring. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) offers a diagnostic alternative to skin biopsy. RCM captures real-time, high-resolution images, and has been piloted for the evaluation of various dermatologic conditions. Identification of unique RCM features may distinguish dermatoses with similar clinical morphologies. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) are diagnosed by patch testing that currently uses a subjective scoring system. RCM has increasingly been studied for early detection and severity grading of CD. Common RCM features shared by ACD and ICD are stratum corneum disruption, vesicle formation, exocytosis, spongiosis, and parakeratosis. Features unique to ACD are vasodilation, increased epidermal thickness, intercellular edema, and acanthosis. Features unique to ICD are detached corneocytes and targetoid keratinocytes. This review summarizes the use of RCM in evaluating contact eccematous conditions and aims to spark future research and interest in this promising tool.