Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Noncontact Low-Frequency Ultrasound with Standard Care in Healing Split-Thickness Donor Sites.
Skin graft donor sites are notoriously painful, with potential complications of fluid loss, delayed healing, infection, and hypertrophic scarring, particularly in patients with burns or traumatic injury. In this population, rapid epithelialization is critical to reducing morbidity and cost. ⋯ Noncontact low-frequency ultrasound and SC compared with SC alone in the treatment of split-thickness donor sites demonstrated significant accelerated healing and reduced pain and itching. Noncontact low-frequency ultrasound subjects experienced a better quality of healing with less incidence of infection and recidivism.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy Using Stroke Volume Variation for Resuscitation after Low Central Venous Pressure-Assisted Liver Resection: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
The optimal perioperative fluid resuscitation strategy for liver resections remains undefined. Goal-directed therapy (GDT) embodies a number of physiologic strategies to achieve an ideal fluid balance and avoid the consequences of over- or under-resuscitation. ⋯ Stroke volume variation-guided GDT is safe in patients undergoing liver resection and led to less intraoperative fluid. Although the incidence of postoperative complications was similar in both arms, lower intraoperative resuscitation volume was independently associated with decreased postoperative morbidity in the entire cohort. Future studies should target extensive resections and identify patients receiving large resuscitation volumes, as this population is more likely to benefit from this technique.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Laparoscopic-Assisted Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Pain Control in Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) is associated with considerable postoperative pain. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks have proven effective in controlling postoperative pain in a variety of laparoscopic abdominal operations. To date, no studies have focused on TAP blocks in LVHR. Our goal was to assess whether TAP blocks reduce opioid requirements and pain scores after LVHR. ⋯ Transversus abdominis plane blocks given during LVHR significantly decrease both short-term postoperative opioid use and pain experienced by patients.
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Deceased-donor kidneys are often exposed to ischemic events from donor instability, as evidenced by acute kidney injury (AKI). Clinicians may be reluctant to transplant kidneys with AKI that also have prolonged cold ischemia time (CIT) for fear of an additional deleterious effect. ⋯ These results suggest that in the setting of a previous ischemic donor event, prolonged CIT has limited bearing on long-term outcomes. This may be important evidence that despite the occurrence of other ischemic events, kidneys with prolonged CIT offer acceptable outcomes to recipients and are a potential source to expand the donor pool.
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Ventral hernia repairs are one of the most common procedures performed by the general surgeon. They are also among the most complex procedures performed. We hypothesized that with each surgical failure, subsequent ventral hernia repair becomes more complicated and morbid. ⋯ Previous ventral hernia repair increases the complication profile of repair, creating a vicious cycle of repair, complications, reoperation, and re-repair. Furthermore, long-term outcomes for ventral hernia repair are poor. Future studies should focus on hernia prevention and improving long-term outcomes after hernia repair.