ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In order to facilitate the preoperative prediction of complicated appendicitis, we propose a complementary approach by selecting an endpoint defined by the intraoperative finding of peritoneal soiling (PS). METHODS: Over a 6-month period, 38 centers (5% of all public hospitals) attending emergency general surgery patients on a 24-h, 7-days a week basis, enrolled consecutive adult patients requiring appendectomy. Patients were stratified according to the absence or the finding of PS during the surgical procedure. RESULTS: A total of 2645 patients were included; median age (IQR) was 35 (22-51) years, 44.3% were female. The laparoscopic approach was used in 70.8% of appendectomies. In a third of patients (31.7%), there was PS with pus around the appendix, or bowel contents, free pus, or blood in the peritoneal cavity. To develop the prediction model, 1764 patients were randomly selected for the derivation cohort and the remaining 881 patients were assigned to the validation cohort. On multivariable logistic regression analysis of all patients, two clinical variables (age, and pulse) and three laboratory variables (serum urea, serum sodium, and white blood cell count) were individually associated (P < .05) with a greater probability of having PS (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi, 1.63; P = .99; C-statistic, 0.7). Based on the multivariable regression model, both static and dynamic nomograms were developed for the prediction of PS in patients with acute appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS: The entry of simple clinical and laboratory variables in the dynamic nomogram may be useful in guiding the initial management of patients with acute appendicitis in resource-limited settings.
Subject(s)
Appendicitis , Laparoscopy , Acute Disease , Adult , Appendectomy , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Prospective Studies , SuppurationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Emergency General Surgery (EGS) conditions account for millions of deaths worldwide, yet it is practiced without benchmarking-based quality improvement programs. The aim of this observational, prospective, multicenter, nationwide study was to determine the best benchmark cutoff points in EGS, as a reference to guide improvement measures. METHODS: Over a 6-month period, 38 centers (5% of all public hospitals) attending EGS patients on a 24-h, 7-days a week basis, enrolled consecutive patients requiring an emergent/urgent surgical procedure. Patients were stratified into cohorts of low (i.e., expected morbidity risk <33%), middle and high risk using the novel m-LUCENTUM calculator. RESULTS: A total of 7258 patients were included; age (mean ± SD) was 51.1 ± 21.5 years, 43.2% were female. Benchmark cutoffs in the low-risk cohort (5639 patients, 77.7% of total) were: use of laparoscopy ≥40.9%, length of hospital stays ≤3 days, any complication within 30 days ≤ 17.7%, and 30-day mortality ≤1.1%. The variables with the greatest impact were septicemia on length of hospital stay (21 days; adjusted beta coefficient 16.8; 95% CI: 15.3 to 18.3; P < .001), and respiratory failure on mortality (risk-adjusted population attributable fraction 44.6%, 95% CI 29.6 to 59.6, P < .001). Use of laparoscopy (odds ratio 0.764, 95% CI 0.678 to 0.861; P < .001), and intraoperative blood loss (101-500 mL: odds ratio 2.699, 95% CI 2.152 to 3.380; P < .001; and 500-1000 mL: odds ratio 2.875, 95% CI 1.403 to 5.858; P = .013) were associated with increased morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers, for the first time, clinically-based benchmark values in EGS and identifies measures for improvement.
Subject(s)
General Surgery , Surgical Procedures, Operative , Adult , Aged , Benchmarking , Cohort Studies , Emergencies , Female , Hospital Mortality , Humans , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications , Prospective Studies , Quality Improvement , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a patient who presented with progressive and bilateral loss of vision. She had been treated with tamoxifen for 13 years. We performed fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography in order to study the macula. DISCUSSION: Loss of visual acuity related to tamoxifen maculopathy may be caused either by retinal nerve fibre atrophy or macular oedema. Macular findings obtained by fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography are complementary.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/adverse effects , Retinal Diseases/chemically induced , Retinal Diseases/diagnosis , Tamoxifen/adverse effects , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES/METHODS: To describe a case of isolated conjunctival Kaposi's sarcoma treated with surgical resection and amniotic membrane graft. After surgical resection of the lesion an amniotic membrane graft was used to reconstruct the conjunctival surface. Histological studies were performed. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Rapid regeneration of the conjunctiva, with minimal scarring, occurred after the surgical procedure and no recurrence of the lesion was observed at 18 months of follow-up. Surgical resection with amniotic membrane grafting appears to be a useful therapeutic option in isolated conjunctival Kaposi's sarcoma.