The European journal of surgery = Acta chirurgica
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The five years survival rate for patients with gastric cancer is 15-25%. With the aim of improving survival, chemotherapy has been used in different adjuvant settings. Similarly, but with the aim of improving quality of life and prolonging life, chemotherapy has been used extensively in metastatic disease. In this review we have included studies of systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy given before, during or after operation and for advanced disease. A meta-analysis has been made on the 21 randomised studies that used adjuvant systemic chemotherapy postoperatively. A significant survival benefit for the patients treated postoperatively compared with controls was identified (odds ratio (OR) 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74 to 0.96). When western and Asian studies were analysed separately we found no survival benefit for the treated patients in the western groups (OR 0.96 (95 CI 0.83 to 1.12)). Flaws in the conduct of several trials made it difficult to draw firm conclusions, including the exclusion of a small but clinically meaningful survival benefit. Preoperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy has shown effects in some patients, but no significant benefit was found in the few randomised studies. The few studies that reported intraperitoneal therapy showed no detectable survival benefit either. In patients with advanced disease, four small randomised studies found significantly longer survival in the treated patients. The survival benefit is in the range of 3-9 months, and there were also improvements of the quality of life. Several drug combinations have been tested, however, with no confirmed superiority for a particular regimen. ⋯ Adjuvant chemotherapy cannot be recommended as a routine because of the lack of confirmed beneficial effects. Some patients with advanced disease will have a clinically important benefit from palliative chemotherapy, so this can be recommended for patients who are otherwise in good health.
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To evaluate recurrence rate and chronic groin pain three years after hernia repair and to validate a postal questionnaire with selective physical examination as a method of follow-up. ⋯ The incidence of recurrence and chronic pain after hernia repair requires continuous audit in non-specialised units. Participation in a register and follow-up by a three-item questionnaire and selective physical examination provides a solid basis for quality control.
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Comparative Study
Proteolysis in severe sepsis is related to oxidation of plasma protein.
To test the hypothesis that the oxidation of proteins is part of the mechanism of proteolysis in catabolic states. ⋯ Severe sepsis results in oxidation of plasma proteins and this precedes and is related to the loss of body protein.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy with ramosetron: randomised controlled trial.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ramosetron (a 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist) for the prevention of nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. ⋯ Ramosetron 0.3 mg was the minimum effective dose for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting during 0 to 48 hours after anaesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
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Comparative Study
Outcome of treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms depending on the type of hospital.
To compare the outcome of patients operated on acutely for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) or otherwise symptomatic aortic aneurysms in a university hospital and in two county hospitals by the same group of vascular surgeons. ⋯ If a patient with a ruptured AAA and shock is admitted to the county hospital and operated on by a specialist vascular surgeon the outcome is fully acceptable. The difference seems to be related to the postoperative period. To what extent the delay caused by the surgeon's journey to the county hospital has any influence on the outcome is not possible to evaluate.