JAMA surgery
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Postoperative pulmonary complications can be a devastating consequence of surgery. Validated strategies to reduce these adverse outcomes are needed. ⋯ I COUGH, a standardized postoperative care program emphasizing patient education, early mobilization, and pulmonary interventions, reduced the incidence of postoperative pneumonia and unplanned intubation among our patients.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing primary vs delayed primary skin closure in contaminated and dirty abdominal incisions.
Surgical site infection remains a major challenge in surgery. Delayed primary closure of dirty wounds is widely practiced in war surgery; we present a meta-analysis of evidence to help guide application of the technique in wider context. ⋯ Delayed primary skin closure may reduce the rate of SSI, but current trials fail to provide definitive evidence because of poor design. Well-designed, large-numbered randomized clinical trials are warranted.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Ultrasonography-guided bilateral rectus sheath block vs local anesthetic infiltration after pediatric umbilical hernia repair: a prospective randomized clinical trial.
Regional anesthetic techniques can be used to alleviate postoperative pain in children undergoing pediatric surgical procedures. Use of ultrasonographic guidance for bilateral rectus sheath block (BRSB) has been shown to improve immediate pain scores and reduce use of postoperative analgesia in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). ⋯ In the PACU, ultrasonography-guided BRSB after umbilical hernia repair in children is associated with lower median FACES scores and decreased use of opioid and nonopioid medications compared with LAI. Future studies could examine the use of longer-acting anesthetic agents with ultrasonography-guided BRSB.
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Today's general surgery interns are faced with increased duty hour restrictions and stringent competency-based supervision milestone requirements (ie, from direct to indirect supervision). Working within these constraints, we instituted a unique 2-month intern curriculum (boot camp) incorporating knowledge-based, experiential, and practical components. ⋯ Recent changes in intern duty hours and supervision rules mandate that residency training programs must institute a competency-oriented curriculum to provide interns with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to attain clinical competence.
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The effects of smoking on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing major surgery are not fully established. The association between smoking and adverse postoperative outcomes has been confirmed. Whether the associations are dose dependent or restricted to patients with smoking-related disease remains to be determined. ⋯ Smoking cessation at least 1 year before major surgery abolishes the increased risk of postoperative mortality and decreases the risk of arterial and respiratory events evident in current smokers. These findings should be carried forward to evaluate the value and cost-effectiveness of intervention in this setting. Our study should increase awareness of the detrimental effects of smoking-and the benefits of its cessation-on morbidity and mortality in the surgical setting.