Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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For critically injured patients requiring a massive transfusion, the optimal plasma fibrinogen level is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the fibrinogen level on mortality. We hypothesized that decreasing fibrinogen levels are associated with worse outcomes. ⋯ For patients undergoing a massive transfusion after injury, as the fibrinogen level increased, a stepwise improvement in survival was noted. A fibrinogen level ≤100 mg/dL was a strong independent risk factor for death. The impact of an aggressive fibrinogen replacement strategy using readily available products warrants further prospective evaluation.
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Warnings of deteriorating condition provided to patients at hospital discharge are highly subjective, based on conventional wisdom, and lack systematic implementation. We conducted a standardized Delphi process to achieve national consensus on warning indicators and recommended action plans for patients after colorectal surgery. ⋯ Expert consensus on discharge warning signs and appropriate action plans are identified for patients after colorectal surgery. The result of this study will help develop a more sophisticated patient-centered discharge tool for surgical patients.
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Prognostic and predictive tumor markers in breast cancer are most commonly performed on core needle biopsies (CNB) of the primary tumor. Because treatment recommendations are influenced by these markers, it is imperative to verify strong concordance between tumor markers on CNB specimens and the corresponding surgical specimens (SS). ⋯ The heterogeneous distribution of antigens in breast cancer tumors raises concern that the CNB may not adequately represent the true biologic profile in all patients. There is strong concordance for tumor type, ER, and PR between CNB and SS (although a quantitative decline was noted from CNB to SS); however, HER2 activity does not appear to be adequately detected on CNB in patients with heterogeneous tumors. These data suggest that IHC testing on the CNB alone may not be adequate to tailor targeted therapy in all patients.
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To evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) for gastric carcinoma, this study compared short-term surgical outcomes between LTG and open total gastrectomy (OTG) using the propensity score matching method. ⋯ Laparoscopic total gastrectomy is a safe and feasible technique for treatment of upper gastric carcinoma. However, LTG with D2 LND for upper gastric cancer may increase the operative risk and requires considerable experience in laparoscopic surgery.
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Incisional hernia repair is a frequent surgical procedure, but perioperative risk factors and outcomes have not been prospectively assessed in large-scale studies. The aim of this nationwide study was to analyze surgical risk factors for early and late outcomes after incisional hernia repair. ⋯ Elective incisional hernia repair were beset with high rates of readmission and reoperation for recurrence. Readmission and reoperation for recurrence were most pronounced after open repair and repair for hernia defects up to 20 cm. Additionally, sublay mesh position reduced the risk of reoperation for recurrence after open repairs.