Annals of surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Reversal of Growth Arrest With the Combined Administration of Oxandrolone and Propranolol in Severely Burned Children.
The hypercatabolic response in severely burned pediatric patients is associated with increased production of catecholamines and corticosteroids, decreased formation of testosterone, and reduced strength alongside growth arrest for up to 2 years after injury. We have previously shown that, in the pediatric burned population, the administration of the testosterone analog oxandrolone improves lean body mass accretion and bone mineral content and that the administration of the β1-, β2-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol decreases cardiac work and resting energy expenditure while increasing peripheral lean mass. Here, we determined whether the combined administration of oxandrolone and propranolol has added benefit. ⋯ Combined administration of oxandrolone and propranolol attenuates burn-induced growth arrest in pediatric burn patients. The present study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00675714 and NCT00239668.
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Our goal was to determine the optimal timing for repair of bile duct injuries sustained during cholecystectomy. ⋯ Adequate sepsis control and delayed repair of biliary injuries should be considered for patients presenting between 8 days and 6 weeks after injury to prevent complications, if a previous bile duct repair was attempted.
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The study proposes a possible roadmap for the ethical assessment of sham surgery clinical trials (CTs), focusing on methodological aspects, as a result of the lack of this type of practical tool in the literature/practice. ⋯ The use of a placebo and of double-blind control groups in surgery CTs would improves the quality of results, providing that an accurate ethical assessment procedure is in place, firstly to ensure patient safety and secondly to prevent abuses/procedural biases. Future testing of the proposed flowchart is outlined.
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To determine the effect of biological mesh closure on perineal wound healing after extralevator abdominoperineal resection (eAPR). ⋯ Perineal wound healing after eAPR with preoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer was not improved when using a biological mesh. A significantly lower 1-year perineal hernia rate after biological mesh closure is a promising secondary finding that needs longer follow-up to determine its clinical relevance.
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The early results of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0011 trial demonstrated no difference in locoregional recurrence for patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) randomized either to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) alone. We now report long-term locoregional recurrence results. ⋯ Despite the potential for residual axillary disease after SLND, SLND without ALND offers excellent regional control for selected patients with early metastatic breast cancer treated with breast-conserving therapy and adjuvant systemic therapy.