[Rethinking on ethics and principle of surgery].

Surgery is an important part of medicine, it has undergone huge changes in recent decades in China.The concepts of damage control surgery, minimally invasive surgery, and enhanced recovery after surgery are all new with the date, laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, natural orifice transluminalendoscopic surgery are not new words to all of us. Surgical operations are becoming more and more specialized, surgical technique is becoming more and more mature, and surgeons are becoming more and more specialized. Medical ethical issues, as the common language of surgeons and basic principle of surgery, should be recognized and understood more stronger than ever, which will enable surgeons to retrieve original intention of surgery. This paper takes this as starting point and explore the common principles of surgery, aims to arouse some mutual encouragement to growing youth surgeons.

The ethics of interventional procedures for patients too ill for surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Minimally invasive interventional procedures are increasingly popular options for patients who are high-risk candidates for open surgical procedures. It is unclear how to proceed in the rare circumstance of a complication during an interventional procedure, where addressing the complication would require exposing the patient to the full risk that was being avoided with the minimally invasive technique. This review provides recommendations on how to approach this paradoxical scenario. RECENT FINDINGS: Risk stratification, communication frameworks, and advanced care planning can facilitate shared decision-making between physicians and patients. Risk stratification may include mortality predictive models, disability and frailty scores, and patient-centered outcome studies. In the event of procedural complication or failure, aggressive surgical treatment or limited repair should be guided by patient preferences to best ensure value concordant care. SUMMARY: Interventional procedures, and emergent open surgery, should be offered as long as patients are fully informed about the benefits and risks, including the implications of potential life-sustaining treatments, and whether their respective goals of treatment are consistent with the intervention. Implementing this framework will require a cultural shift in physician attitudes to recognize that in some cases, nonintervention or less aggressive treatment may be a reasonable alternative to surgical intervention.

Maternal risks of fetal therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Although most fetal disorders can be treated after birth, a few conditions that predictably lead to fetal or neonatal death, or that progress significantly before birth, are ideally treated prenatally. The number of centers offering fetal therapeutic procedures is gradually increasing worldwide. Patients and caregivers should be aware of the potential maternal risks of these interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: For transplacental medical therapy (corticosteroids, antiarrhythmics and immunoglobulins), severe maternal adverse events are rare, when done in expert centers. Minimally invasive procedures carry a risk of maternal complications of about 5%, with 1% being severe complications (pulmonary edema or placental abruption). Open fetal surgery carries important risks to the mother, both in the index pregnancy (pulmonary edema, placental abruption, chorioamnionitis and scar dehiscence) and in subsequent pregnancies (uterine rupture), yet some of these risks are decreasing with surgical refinement and increasing experience of the surgical team. SUMMARY: The information in this manuscript provides a base to counsel expectant mothers on risk of fetal therapy.

Short and long-term cosmesis of cervical thyroidectomy scars.

Introduction Multiple surgical approaches to the thyroid gland have been described via cervical or extracervical routes. Improved cosmesis, patient satisfaction, reduced pain (procedure dependent) and early discharge have all been reported for minimally invasive approaches with similar safety profiles and long-term outcomes to conventional surgery. This review summarises the current evidence base for improved cosmesis with minimally invasive cervical approaches to the thyroid gland compared with conventional surgery. Methods A systematic review was undertaken. The MEDLINE(®), Embase™ and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant articles. Results A total of 57 papers thyroid papers were identified. Of those, 20 reported some form of cosmetic outcome assessment. There were 6 randomised controlled trials with 412 patients (evidence level 2B), 7 cohort studies with 3,073 patients (level 3B) and 7 non-comparative case series with 1,575 patients (level 4). There was significant heterogeneity between studies in terms of wound closure technique, timing of scar assessment and scar assessment scales (validated and non-validated). Most studies performed early scar assessments, some using non-validated scar assessment tools. Conclusions Assessment of cosmesis is complex and requires rigorous methodology. Evidence from healing/remodelling studies suggests scar maturation is a long-term process. This calls into question the value of early scar assessment. Current evidence does not support minimally invasive surgical approaches to the thyroid gland if improved long-term cosmesis is the goal.

Transposition of brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistulae: improving the cosmetic effect without compromising patency.

Introduction Subjects who undergo haemodialysis are living longer, which necessitates increasingly complex procedures for formation of arteriovenous fistulas. Basilic veins provide valuable additional venous 'real estate' but surgical transposition of vessels is required, which required a cosmetically disfiguring incision. A minimally invasive transposition method provides an excellent aesthetic alternative without compromised outcomes. Methods A retrospective review was made of minimally invasive brachiobasilic fistula transpositions (using two short incisions of <4 cm) between February 2005 and July 2011. Primary endpoints were one-year patency as well as the perioperative and late complications of the procedure. Results Thirty-one patients underwent 32 transposition procedures (eight pre-dialysis cases; 24 haemodialysis patients). All patients were treated with a minimally invasive method. Thirty-one procedures resulted in primary patency, with the single failure refashioned successfully. The only indication for a more invasive approach was intraoperative complications (two haematomas). All other complications presented late and were amenable to intervention (one aneurysm, one peri-anastomotic stricture). Conclusion Formation of arteriovenous fistulae using minimally invasive methods is a novel approach that ensures fistula patency with improved aesthetic outcomes and without significant morbidity.

Is intrauterine surgery justified? Report from the working group on ultrasound in obstetrics of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine (WAPM).

Fetal surgery involves a large number of heterogeneous interventions that vary from simple and settled procedures to very sophisticated or still-in-development approaches. The overarching goal of fetal interventions is clear: to improve the health of children by intervening before birth to correct or treat prenatally diagnosed abnormalities. This article provides an overview of fetal interventions, ethical approaches in fetal surgery, and benefits obtained from antenatal surgeries.

When Bleeding Is Vital: Surgically Ensuring the "Virginal" State.

A young woman called me to ask for a referral to a physician who provided hymen reconstruction surgery. She had had premarital intercourse and came from a cultural background in which it was very important to "prove virginity" on the wedding night. This article deals with my internal struggle whether or not to provide the referral. I felt that providing it would have made me complicit in supporting gender inequality, as men are not required to "prove virginity" to get married. At the same time, I was concerned about the repercussions of not being able to "prove virginity" would have on the caller. I had no explicit guidance on what to do in such a situation--it was not covered by the professional responsibilities I had as a research assistant.

Ethical Issues in the Introduction of New Technologies: From Mis to POEM.

The ethical debate regarding the introduction of new technologies in the surgical health care environment is discussed in this manuscript, with a special emphasis on minimally invasive and NOTES procedures for the treatment of esophageal achalasia. It offers an overview of the ethical principles and considerations about the implementation of new techniques and technologies.

Bits and pieces: the ethics of uterine morcellation.

Intensive media and policy attention has been focused on the ongoing controversy surrounding uterine morcellation in gynecologic surgery. What has been missing from this impassioned discourse is an objective analysis of the ethical implications of uterine power morcellation in gynecologic surgery. This article discusses competing ethical duties of physicians, industry, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the media to develop a more robust and nuanced understanding of informed consent for the use of morcellation in benign gynecologic surgery. Ultimately, as physicians, we must remain steadfast in our dedication to the use of evolving technologies to better patient health in a safe and ethical manner that is well-studied, informed, and implemented with appropriate training and precautions.

Student voice - Questioning others as a child's advocate.

RECENTLY I WAS involved in a situation in which I was asked to assist two staff nurses in an invasive procedure with a young child. Initially, I held the child down as instructed to do by the staff nurses. The child became distressed, so I asked the nurses to stop the procedure and to give the child a break.

Should they have a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy? the importance of assessing decision-making capacity and the central role of a multidisciplinary team.

Decisions about percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) can be clinically and ethically challenging, particularly when patients lack decision-making capacity. As the age of the UK population rises, with the associated increase in prevalence of dementias and neurodegenerative diseases, it is becoming an increasingly important issue for clinicians. The recent review and subsequent withdrawal of the Liverpool Care Pathway highlighted feeding as a particular area of concern. The authors undertook a 1-year retrospective review of individuals referred to the feeding issues multidisciplinary team (FIMDT) at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK, in 2011. The majority of patients referred (n = 158) had a primary diagnosis of cancer (44%). The second largest group was those who had had a stroke or brain haemorrhage (13%). Twenty-eight per cent of patients had no, or uncertain, decision-making capacity on at least one occasion during decision-making. There are reflections on the role of a multidisciplinary team in the process of decision-making for these complex patients.

[Endoscopic and surgical procedures for enteral nutrition]. / Endoskopische und chirurgische Techniken zur enteralen Ernährung.

Standardized management of oncology patients necessarily includes screening for nutritional risk. Weight loss of > 5 kg within 3 months and diminished food intake are warning signals even in overweight patients. In case oral nutrition is neither adequate nor feasible even by fortification or oral nutritional supplements, the implantation of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) or fine needle catheter jejunostomy (FNCJ) offers enteral access for long-term nutritional support. Although the indications derive from fulfilling caloric needs, endoscopic or operative measures are not considered to be an urgent or even emergency measure. The endoscopist or surgeon should be fully aware and informed of the indications and make a personal assessment of the situation. The implantation of a feeding tube requires informed consent of the patient or legal surrogates. The review summarizes recent indications, technical problems and complications.

Ethical marketing in'aesthetic' ('esthetic') or'cosmetic dentistry'. Part 1.

UNLABELLED: Prior to undertaking any elective,'cosmetic' dental procedures, it is vital for the treating dentist to discuss the merits and drawbacks of all viable options. It is important that the patient understands what the consequences and limitations of treatment are likely to be, and what the potential failures could entail later in his/her life. Informed consent should be obtained (preferably in writing) and the clinical notes and records should be clearly documented, with accurate and concise details provided of all the investigations carried out, and their findings, as well as including details of the various discussions that have taken place. Dentists need to be aware of the existence of heightened expectations in this group of patients and be cautious about accepting patients who have unrealistic 'cosmetic' expectations. Where possible, cosmetic or aesthetic dental treatment should be provided which is minimally destructive and, in the long-term, be in the 'best interests' of the patient. Important matters such as the gaining of informed consent and maintaining meticulous, contemporaneous dental records will also be emphasized. It is hoped that the article will provide clear definitions of some commonly used terms such as 'ethical marketing', 'ethics', and 'values', which are often used in association with the marketing, planning and undertaking of supposedly 'cosmetic' dental procedures. The important role of less invasive alternative treatment options will also be emphasized. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The aims of this article are to consider the common pitfalls that may arise when contemplating the marketing and provision of invasive,'cosmetic, dental restorations and to discuss how best to avoid a dento-legal claim where such treatment plans may not fulfil the patient's desired outcome.

How do medical device manufacturers' websites frame the value of health innovation? An empirical ethics analysis of five Canadian innovations.

While every health care system stakeholder would seem to be concerned with obtaining the greatest value from a given technology, there is often a disconnect in the perception of value between a technology's promoters and those responsible for the ultimate decision as to whether or not to pay for it. Adopting an empirical ethics approach, this paper examines how five Canadian medical device manufacturers, via their websites, frame the corporate "value proposition" of their innovation and seek to respond to what they consider the key expectations of their customers. Our analysis shows that the manufacturers' framing strategies combine claims that relate to valuable socio-technical goals and features such as prevention, efficiency, sense of security, real-time feedback, ease of use and flexibility, all elements that likely resonate with a large spectrum of health care system stakeholders. The websites do not describe, however, how the innovations may impact health care delivery and tend to obfuscate the decisional trade-offs these innovations represent from a health care system perspective. Such framing strategies, we argue, tend to bolster physicians' and patients' expectations and provide a large set of stakeholders with powerful rhetorical tools that may influence the health policy arena. Because these strategies are difficult to counter given the paucity of evidence and its limited use in policymaking, establishing sound collective health care priorities will require solid critiques of how certain kinds of medical devices may provide a better (i.e., more valuable) response to health care needs when compared to others.

Randomized surgical trials and "sham" surgery: relevance to modern orthopaedics and minimally invasive surgery.

Surgical techniques are constantly changing and evolving, though research trials supporting the value of a specific surgical intervention are often limited by the lack of a legitimate control group. In surgical trials, the use of a placebo, or a "sham" surgery, is controversial. This article explores the debate regarding the use of sham surgeries and summarizes the few surgical studies that have used them. Arguments for and against their use in research are presented.