Annals of surgery
-
To identify risk factors for postgastrectomy vitamin B12 deficiency and the time course of its development. ⋯ Vitamin B12 deficiency is an inevitable and rather early metabolic sequela after TG. Elderly patients with low preoperative vitamin B12 levels are more likely to experience vitamin B12 deficiency after DG. Thus, preoperative measurement and regular postoperative monitoring of vitamin B12 levels are necessary for early detection and treatment of postgastrectomy vitamin B12 deficiency.
-
To evaluate the use of gut barrier proteins, liver-fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP), intestinal-fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), and trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), as biomarkers for differentiating necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) from septicemic/control infants and to identify the most severely affected surgical NEC from nonsurgical NEC infants. ⋯ The LIT score can effectively differentiate surgical NEC from nonsurgical NEC infants and nonsurvivors of NEC from survivors at the onset of clinical presentation. Frontline neonatologists and surgeons may, therefore, target NEC infants who are most in need of close monitoring and those who may benefit from early surgical intervention.
-
We sought to quantify the use of and analyze factors predictive of receipt of surgical therapy for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). ⋯ Although some patients with early HCC may not be candidates for surgical therapy, these data suggest that there is a significant missed opportunity to improve survival of patients with early HCC through the use of surgical therapy.
-
To develop and evaluate an objective method of technical skills assessment for graduating subspecialists in colorectal (CR) surgery-the Colorectal Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (COSATS). ⋯ The Colorectal Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill effectively discriminated between CR and GS residents. With further validation, the Colorectal Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill could be incorporated into the colorectal board examination where it would be the first attempt of a surgical specialty to formally assess technical skill at the time of certification.
-
To examine preoperative dietary influences on gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) cell number in the context of postoperative infectious complications. ⋯ Lack of enteral delivery of nutrients reduces numbers of T and IgA-producing cells, as well as mature DCs, in GALT of colon cancer patients, as it does in animal models. A close association between GALT changes and infectious complication morbidity was confirmed.