Costs and resource utilization patterns in surgical site infections: a pre-COVID-19 perspective from France, Germany, Spain, and the UK.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs), mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, pose a significant economic burden in Europe, leading to increased hospitalization duration, mortality, and treatment costs, particularly with drug-resistant strains such as meticillin-resistant S. aureus. AIM: To conduct a case-control study on the economic impact of S. aureus SSI in adult surgical patients across high-volume centres in France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, aiming to assess the overall and procedure-specific burden across Europe. METHODS: The SALT study is a multinational, retrospective cohort study with a nested case-control analysis focused on S. aureus SSI in Europe. The study included participants from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK who underwent invasive surgery in 2016 and employed a micro-costing approach to evaluate health economic factors, matching S. aureus SSI cases with controls. FINDINGS: In 2016, among 178,904 surgical patients in five European countries, 764 developed S. aureus SSI. Matching 744 cases to controls, the study revealed that S. aureus SSI cases incurred higher immediate hospitalization costs (€8,810), compared to controls (€6,032). Additionally, S. aureus SSI cases exhibited increased costs for readmissions within the first year post surgery (€7,961.6 versus €5,298.6), with significant differences observed. Factors associated with increased surgery-related costs included the cost of hospitalization immediately after surgery, first intensive care unit (ICU) admission within 12 months, and hospital readmission within 12 months, as identified through multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: The higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admissions, and readmissions among S. aureus SSI cases highlight the severity of these infections and their impact on healthcare costs, emphasizing the potential benefits of evidence-based infection control measures and improved patient care to mitigate the economic burden.

Three-year follow-up analysis of the short-stitch versus long-stitch technique for elective midline abdominal closure randomized-controlled (ESTOIH) trial.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials have shown reduced incisional hernia rates 1 year after elective median laparotomy closure using a short-stitch technique. With hernia development continuing beyond the first postoperative year, we aimed to compare incisional hernias 3 years after midline closure using short or long stitches in patients from the ESTOIH trial. METHODS: The ESTOIH trial was a prospective, multicenter, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized-controlled study of primary elective midline closure. Patients were randomized to fascia closure using a short- or long-stitch technique with a poly-4-hydroxybutyrate-based suture. A predefined 3-year follow-up analysis was performed with the radiological imaging-verified incisional hernia rate as the primary endpoint. RESULTS: The 3-year intention-to-treat follow-up cohort consisted of 414 patients (210 short-stitch and 204 long-stitch technique) for analysis. Compared with 1 year postoperatively, incisional hernias increased from 4.83% (20/414 patients) to 9.02% (36/399 patients, p = 0.0183). The difference between the treatment groups at 3 years (short vs. long stitches, 15/198 patients (7.58%) vs. 21/201 (10.45%)) was not significant (OR, 1.4233; 95% CI [0.7112-2.8485]; p = 0.31). CONCLUSION: Hernia rates increased significantly between one and 3 years postoperatively. The short-stitch technique using a poly-4-hydroxybutyrate-based suture is safe in the long term, while no significant advantage was found at 3 years postoperatively compared with the standard long-stitch technique. TRIAL REGISTRY: NCT01965249, registered on 18 October 2013.

Effects of the short-stitch technique for midline abdominal closure: short-term results from the randomised-controlled ESTOIH trial.

PURPOSE: The short-stitch technique for midline laparotomy closure has been shown to reduce hernia rates, but long stitches remain the standard of care and the effect of the short-stitch technique on short-term results is not well known. The aim of this study was to compare the two techniques, using an ultra-long-term absorbable elastic suture material. METHODS: Following elective midline laparotomy, 425 patients in 9 centres were randomised to receive wound closure using the short-stitch (USP 2-0 single thread, n = 215) or long-stitch (USP 1 double loop, n = 210) technique with a poly-4-hydroxybutyrate-based suture material (Monomax®). Here, we report short-term surgical outcomes. RESULTS: At 30 (+10) days postoperatively, 3 (1.40%) of 215 patients in the short-stitch group and 10 (4.76%) of 210 patients in the long-stitch group had developed burst abdomen [OR 0.2830 (0.0768-1.0433), p = 0.0513]. Ruptured suture, seroma and hematoma and other wound healing disorders occurred in small numbers without differences between groups. In a planned Cox proportional hazard model for burst abdomen, the short-stitch group had a significantly lower risk [HR 0.1783 (0.0379-0.6617), p = 0.0115]. CONCLUSIONS: Although this trial revealed no significant difference in short-term results between the short-stitch and long-stitch techniques for closure of midline laparotomy, a trend towards a lower rate of burst abdomen in the short-stitch group suggests a possible advantage of the short-stitch technique. TRIAL REGISTRY: NCT01965249, registered October 18, 2013.

Effect of platelet inhibition with perioperative aspirin on survival in patients undergoing curative resection for pancreatic cancer: a propensity score matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: The importance of platelets in the pathogenesis of metastasis formation is increasingly recognized. Although evidence from epidemiologic studies suggests positive effects of aspirin on metastasis formation, there is little clinical data on the perioperative use of this drug in pancreatic cancer patients. METHODS: From all patients who received curative intent surgery for pancreatic cancer between 2014 and 2016 at our institution, we identified 18 patients that took aspirin at time of admission and continued to throughout the inpatient period. Using propensity score matching, we selected a control group of 64 patients without aspirin intake from our database and assessed the effect of aspirin medication on overall, disease-free, and hematogenous metastasis-free survival intervals as endpoints. RESULTS: Aspirin intake proved to be independently associated with improved mean overall survival (OS) (46.5 vs. 24.6 months, *p = 0.006), median disease-free survival (DFS) (26 vs. 10.5 months, *p = 0.001) and mean hematogenous metastasis-free survival (HMFS) (41.9 vs. 16.3 months, *p = 0.005). Three-year survival rates were 61.1% in patients with aspirin intake vs. 26.3% in patients without aspirin intake. Multivariate cox regression showed significant independent association of aspirin with all three survival endpoints with hazard ratios of 0.36 (95% CI 0.15-0.86) for OS (*p = 0.021), 0.32 (95% CI 0.16-0.63) for DFS (**p = 0.001), and 0.36 (95% CI 0.16-0.77) for HMFS (*p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Patients in our retrospective, propensity-score matched study showed significantly better overall survival when taking aspirin while undergoing curative surgery for pancreatic cancer. This was mainly due to a prolonged metastasis-free interval following surgery.

[Requirements for final year medical studies in the era of generation Y - implementation for general and visceral surgery at the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich]. / Anforderungen an das Praktische Jahr im Zeitalter der Generation Y - Umsetzung für die Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

The revision of the medical licensing regulations in 2012 has changed the underlying conditions for the practical year (PY), especially in the sense of markedly more flexibility for the medical students. The driving force for these and future changes, however, is not the legislature but rather the students themselves who are explicitly demanding that their training be adapted to their requirements and wishes. Time for the realisation of personal aims, planning of leisure time activities, for the family and social contacts as well as an altogether balanced work-life balance have replaced the wish for professional advancement as premise for the lifestyle of generation Y. Many hospitals, especially the privately-supported, attract students with special offers - university hospitals are called upon to defend their position in the competition for newly qualified students. The present article describes the changes of 2012 as part of a programme for a sustainable increase in the attractivity of the surgical PY at the Ludwig-Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich.

[Operative therapy of abdominal and retroperitoneal sarcoma]. / Operative Therapie der abdominellen und retroperitonealen Sarkome.

Retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas are characterized by a high rate of local recurrence. Complete tumor resection is the only potentially curative therapeutic option. The concept of a systematic compartmental resection is to remove the tumor en bloc with a margin of uninvolved tissue and organs. This is frequently only achieved by multivisceral resection which often includes kidney, colon, pancreas and parts of the diaphragm or the psoas muscle. The adoption of such a policy of multivisceral organ resection improves the proportion of curative resections and, ultimately, results in lower local recurrence rates. The present article comprehensively describes the operative procedures, perioperative treatment and the oncological results of surgery for retroperitoneal sarcomas. The role of surgery in oncological treatment plans and the importance of specialized centres are outlined in detail.

[Chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic malignancy: clinical and radiological differential diagnosis of pancreas head space-occupying mass]. / Chronische Pankreatitis oder Pankreasmalignom : Klinische und radiologische Differenzialdiagnose der Pankreaskopfraumforderung.

Chronic pancreatitis can be complicated both by an inflammatory benign mass and by the development of pancreatic cancer. The distinction of these complications is not only difficult but also crucial as patients suffering from either of the two have significantly different prognoses. This article describes typical clinical and radiological findings, which may help the physician in differentiating these two maladies. Furthermore, we conducted a retrospective study where we evaluated the clinical patterns in patients with chronic pancreatitis who underwent resection for a pancreatic mass. Although certain findings may be indicative for benign tumors, none of the diagnostic tools available offers a sufficient degree of certainty. In cases of tumors secondary to autoimmune pancreatitis the diagnostic error is exceptionally high. Because of the poor prognosis related to untreated pancreatic cancer, the general recommendation is to perform resection of the tumor when technically possible and when carcinoma cannot be ruled out completely.

[Post-resuscitation syndrome. Role of inflammation after cardiac arrest]. / Postreanimationssyndrom. Rolle der Entzündung nach Herz-Kreislauf-Stillstand.

Cardiac arrest with subsequent cardiopulmonary resuscitation causes an ischemic reperfusion syndrome of the whole body resulting in localized damage of particularly sensitive organs, such as the brain and heart, together with systemic sequelae. The main factor is a generalized activation of inflammatory reactions resulting in symptoms similar in many aspects to those of sepsis. Systemic inflammation strengthens organ damage due to disorders in the macrocirculation and microcirculation due to metabolic imbalance as well as the effects of direct leukocyte transmitted tissue destruction. The current article gives an overview on the role of inflammation following cardiac arrest and presents in detail the underlying mechanisms, the clinical symptoms and possible therapeutic approaches.

Blumgart anastomosis for pancreaticojejunostomy minimizes severe complications after pancreatic head resection.

BACKGROUND: Leakage from the pancreaticojejunostomy is the major cause of septic complications after partial pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study evaluated a new transpancreatic U-suture technique (Blumgart anastomosis, BA), which aims to avoid shear forces during knot-tying. METHODS: Using a before-after study design, BA was compared with a modified Cattell-Warren anastomosis (CWA). Two patient cohorts (CWA, 90; BA, 92), which were similar with respect to primary diagnosis, age, sex and American Society of Anesthesiologists score, were compared retrospectively. Dependent variables were surgical and overall morbidity and mortality after partial pancreaticoduodenectomy. RESULTS: Duration of operation (354 versus 328 min for CWA versus BA; P = 0.002), pancreatic leakage rate (13 versus 4 per cent; P = 0.032), postoperative haemorrhage (11 versus 3 per cent; P = 0.040), total surgical complications (31 versus 15 per cent; P = 0.011), general complications (36 versus 17 per cent; P = 0.005) and length of intensive care unit stay (median 5.4 versus 2.8 days; P = 0.015) were significantly reduced after BA. These effects were not related merely to an improvement over time. CONCLUSION: BA appears to be a fast, simple and safe technique for pancreaticojejunostomy. It might reduce leakage rates and surgical complications after partial pancreaticoduodenectomy.

[Design and evaluation of the University of Munich courses on research trials]. / Konzept und Evaluierung der Münchner Prüfarztkurse.

INTRODUCTION: The growing importance of clinical research in Germany requires physicians who are adequately trained to conduct clinical trials. In November 2007, the Coordination Centre for Surgical Studies at the University of Munich organised its third course for clinical investigators. The course was evaluated by the participants. PARTICIPANTS AND PROGRAMME: Participants included 1st-year residents as well as specialists mostly from surgical departments; many already possessed significant experience with clinical trials. In our course, special emphasis was put on the practical aspects of conducting clinical trials. EVALUATION: On a scale from 1 to 6 (in German grading, 1 is the best score), participants rated content at 1.5, understanding at 1.6, and learning effect at 1.8. Careful preparation and a clearly structured curriculum resulted in significantly better evaluation of this course than of preceding courses (content P=0.015, understanding P=0.007, learning effect P=0.018). DISCUSSION: To realise projects of translational investigation and to participate in interdisciplinary clinical trials, surgeons in academic centres should obtain basic knowledge on clinical and pharmaceutical trials. Participants' statements on their own experience as clinical investigators underline the need for adequate training in this field. This course conveys essential knowledge of good medical practice and critical review of medical literature. We view this knowledge as a basic skill for modern medical practice and have therefore integrated the course into basic surgical training at our department. CONCLUSION: The concept of training for clinical investigation conducted at a surgical department is well established, and the participants' positive feedback motivates us to continue organising such courses.