Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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To our knowledge, there is an absence of prospective randomized multicenter controlled trials evaluating both the impact of technique and mesh type on outcomes in complicated ventral hernia repair. ⋯ Recurrence rates were not affected by either anatomic location or type of mesh used. To our knowledge, this represents the first prospective randomized multicenter controlled trial that demonstrates similar clinical outcomes using HADM vs PADM (not inferiority, contrary to previously published literature), with several advantages identified using the overlay technique.
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Simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation is lifesaving, however, the utility of allocating 2 organs to a single recipient remains controversial, particularly in the face of potentially inferior survival. This study aims to determine the effect of renal indication for transplantation on simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation outcomes. ⋯ Despite a lower acuity of illness, HTN/DM patients have inferior survival after simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation than those with ATN/HRS. This should be considered in risk adjustment and allocation schemes.
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Surgeons in academic medical centers have traditionally taken a siloed approach to reducing postoperative complications. We initiated a project focusing on transparency and sharing of data to engage surgeons in collaborative quality improvement. Its key features were the development of a comprehensive department quality dashboard and the creation of the Clinical Operations Council that oversaw quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of those efforts. ⋯ These data suggest that a collaborative, data-driven, and transparent approach to assessing the quality of surgical care can yield significant improvements in patient outcomes.
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In the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging system, the T1b category has been redefined based solely on thickness and ulceration. National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend consideration of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for all patients with T1b melanomas (0.8 to 1.0 mm thick). We hypothesized that the new staging system would lead to excessive use of SLNB in patients with non-ulcerated T1b melanomas with a low risk of positive sentinel lymph nodes. ⋯ The new 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging system T1b category should not be used to determine use of SLNB in thin melanoma, as more than one half of T1b lesions without ulceration have a low risk of positive sentinel lymph nodes.
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Talimogene laherparepvec (TVEC) is an FDA-approved oncolytic herpes virus used to treat unresectable stage IIIB to IV metastatic melanoma via intralesional injection. This study aims to characterize the efficacy TVEC in patients with unresectable stage IIIB to IV melanoma. ⋯ Talimogene laherparepvec is a well-tolerated, durable treatment option for patients with unresectable locoregional melanoma, particularly in stage IIIB/C disease. Additionally, we found that TVEC can be administered safely across anatomic sites that are otherwise not amenable to other local therapies.