Arch Surg Chicago
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Comparative Study
Surgery in developing countries: essential training in residency.
A surgical elective in a developing country setting is an essential new component in academic residency training. ⋯ A developing country surgical experience complements the academic mission of service, training, and research, and should be an essential component of surgical training programs. There is interest among residents and faculty in such a program as well as a need for greater commitment to north-south collaborations among academic surgical institutions and societies, as has been successfully implemented abroad. More generally, surgery is an integral part of public health and health systems development worldwide.
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Comparative Study
Hemodynamically "stable" patients with peritonitis after penetrating abdominal trauma: identifying those who are bleeding.
Despite initial presentation, hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating abdominal trauma may have significant ongoing hemorrhage and major intra-abdominal injuries requiring emergent surgical intervention. ⋯ Following penetrating abdominal trauma, peritonitis should be a trigger for emergent operation regardless of vital signs, because hemodynamic "stability" does not reliably exclude significant hemorrhage. Vascular injury, subsequent hypotension, blood transfusion, and complicated postoperative course are common in this population.
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Comparative Study
Use of serum bicarbonate measurement in place of arterial base deficit in the surgical intensive care unit.
Serum bicarbonate (HCO(3)) measurement may accurately and reliably be substituted for the arterial base deficit (BD) assay in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Serum HCO(3) provides equivalent information to the arterial BD and may be used as an alternative predictive marker or guide to resuscitation. Low HCO(3) levels should prompt immediate metabolic acidosis evaluation and management.
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We hypothesized that we could develop a safe and effective technique for performing a totally robotic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure using the da Vinci surgical system. We anticipated that the learning curve for this totally robotic procedure could be shorter than the learning curve for standard laparoscopic bariatric surgery. ⋯ This study details the first report, to our knowledge, of a totally robotic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and demonstrates the feasibility, safety, and potential superiority of such a procedure. In addition, the learning curve may be significantly shorter with the robotic procedure. Further experience is needed to understand the long-term advantages and disadvantages of the totally robotic approach.
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Comparative Study
Magnetic resonance imaging is not needed to clear cervical spines in blunt trauma patients with normal computed tomographic results and no motor deficits.
Trauma patients with normal motor examination results and normal cervical spine helical computed tomographic (CT) scans with sagittal reconstructions do not have significant cervical spine injury. ⋯ Blunt trauma patients with normal motor examination results and normal CT results of the cervical spine do not require further radiologic examination before clearing the cervical spine.