The British journal of surgery
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Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressing skin infection characterized by necrosis of the fascia and subcutaneous tissue, accompanied by severe systemic toxicity. The objective of this systematic review was to identify clinical features and investigations that will aid early diagnosis. ⋯ A high index of suspicion of necrotizing fasciitis is needed in a patient presenting with cutaneous infection causing swelling, pain and erythema, with co-morbidity of diabetes or liver disease. The presence of bullae, or gas on plain X-ray can be diagnostic. Early surgical exploration is the best approach in the uncertain case.
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Comparative Study
Accuracy of MRI compared with ultrasound imaging and selective use of CT to discriminate simple from perforated appendicitis.
Discrimination between simple and perforated appendicitis in patients with suspected appendicitis may help to determine the therapy, timing of surgery and risk of complications. The aim of this study was to estimate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in distinguishing between simple and perforated appendicitis, and to compare MRI against ultrasound imaging with selected additional (conditional) use of computed tomography (CT). ⋯ MRI is comparable to ultrasonography with conditional use of CT in identifying perforated appendicitis. However, both strategies incorrectly classify up to half of all patients with perforated appendicitis as having simple appendicitis. Triage of appendicitis based on imaging for conservative treatment is inaccurate and may be considered unsafe for decision-making. Presented to a scientific meeting of the Association of Surgeons of the Netherlands, Veldhoven, The Netherlands, May 2012; published in abstract form as Br J Surg 2012; 99(Suppl 7): S6.
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Some 15 per cent of all patients with acute pancreatitis develop necrotizing pancreatitis, with potentially significant consequences for both patients and healthcare services. ⋯ Outcome following necrotizing pancreatitis has improved substantially in recent years as a result of a shift from early surgical debridement to a staged, minimally invasive, multidisciplinary, step-up approach.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Liver transplantation for bile duct injury after open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Bile duct injury (BDI) after cholecystectomy is a serious complication. In a small subset of patients with BDI, failure of surgical or non-surgical management might lead to acute or chronic liver failure. The aim of this study was to review the indications and outcome of liver transplantation (LT) for BDI after open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. ⋯ Emergency LT for acute liver failure was more common in patients with BDI after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and associated with a poor outcome.
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Observational Study
Diagnostic value of abdominal drainage in individual risk assessment of pancreatic fistula following pancreaticoduodenectomy.
The use of prophylactic abdominal drainage following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is controversial as its therapeutic value is uncertain. However, the diagnosis of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), the main cause of PD-associated morbidity, is often based on drain pancreatic amylase (DPA) levels. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of DPA, plasma pancreatic amylase (PPA) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) for diagnosing POPF after PD. ⋯ The combination of serum CRP and DPA adequately predicted the development of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula following PD.