Ten Lessons From the Spanish Model of Organ Donation and Transplantation.

The organ donation and transplantation program in Spain has long been considered the gold standard worldwide. An in-depth understanding of the Spanish program may promote the development and reform of transplant programs in other countries. Here, we present a narrative literature review of the Spanish organ donation and transplantation program supplemented by expert feedback and presented according to a conceptual framework of best practices in the field. Core features of the Spanish program include its three-tiered governing structure, close and collaborative relationships with the media, dedicated professional roles, a comprehensive reimbursement strategy, and intensive tailored training programs for all personnel. Several more sophisticated measures have also been implemented, including those focused on advanced donation after circulatory death (DCD) and expanded criteria for organ donation. The overall program is driven by a culture of research, innovation, and continuous commitment and complemented by successful strategies in prevention of end-stage liver and renal disease. Countries seeking ways to reform their current transplant systems might adopt core features and may ultimately aspire to include the aforementioned sophisticated measures. Countries intent on reforming their transplant system should also introduce programs that support living donation, an area of the Spanish program with potential for further improvement.

An insight into population structure and genetic progress of Argentinean Holstein cattle.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the most critical issues associated with the limited genetic progress evidenced in the Argentinean Holstein ("Holando Argentino") breed in the last 20 years (only 26% of the phenotypic trend in milk yield was due to genetics). The study comprised the analysis of population structure, realized genetic selection differentials, genetic progress and partition of genetic trends by sex and country of origin from 1936 to 2019 (1,045,582 records; 24,680 sires and 619,322 dams in the pedigree). Average inbreeding steadily increased in the last 15 generations (ΔF = 0.6%, which translates to Ne = 75). Partition of genetic trends revealed that local genetics made a negligible contribution to genetic progress, which for most traits was highly dependent on imported genetics (>80%). Mean generation intervals were fairly constant until 2009 (8-9 years for males and 5-6 years for females, respectively) and then decreased, especially in the paths of sires of bulls and dams of bulls (to 5 and 4 years, respectively) mostly due to the influence of imported sires. The reduction in generation intervals was counterbalanced by a marked deterioration of realized selection differentials, particularly in the path of sires of bulls that nevertheless made the largest contribution to genetic progress. In the last 20 years, realized selection differentials in this path went from 533.6 to 170.8 kg for milk yield and from 16.7 to 13.3 kg for protein yield (1.7-0.5 and 1.6-1.3 standard deviation units, respectively). Among all considered traits (milk yield, fat yield, protein yield, stature, final score and daughter pregnancy rate) in the analysed period, annual genetic gain was negative for milk yield, fairly constant for composition and conformation traits, and positive only in the case of daughter pregnancy rate. Considered together, these results suggest that limited genetic progress is due to the absence of a sound breeding programme that includes genomic selection and a carefully defined selection objective, together with the absence of stronger regulations in germplasm importation; however, other factors such as potential genetics by environment interactions cannot be ruled out.

First World Consensus Conference on pancreas transplantation: Part II - recommendations.

The First World Consensus Conference on Pancreas Transplantation provided 49 jury deliberations regarding the impact of pancreas transplantation on the treatment of diabetic patients, and 110 experts' recommendations for the practice of pancreas transplantation. The main message from this consensus conference is that both simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) and pancreas transplantation alone can improve long-term patient survival, and all types of pancreas transplantation dramatically improve the quality of life of recipients. Pancreas transplantation may also improve the course of chronic complications of diabetes, depending on their severity. Therefore, the advantages of pancreas transplantation appear to clearly surpass potential disadvantages. Pancreas after kidney transplantation increases the risk of mortality only in the early period after transplantation, but is associated with improved life expectancy thereafter. Additionally, preemptive SPK, when compared to SPK performed in patients undergoing dialysis, appears to be associated with improved outcomes. Time on dialysis has negative prognostic implications in SPK recipients. Increased long-term survival, improvement in the course of diabetic complications, and amelioration of quality of life justify preferential allocation of kidney grafts to SPK recipients. Audience discussions and live voting are available online at the following URL address: http://mediaeventi.unipi.it/category/1st-world-consensus-conference-of-pancreas-transplantation/246.

Driving Pressure and Normalized Energy Transmission Calculations in Mechanically Ventilated Children Without Lung Disease and Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the new tools to evaluate the energy dissipated to the lung parenchyma in mechanically ventilated children with and without lung injury. We compared their discrimination capability between both groups when indexed by ideal body weight and driving pressure. DESIGN: Post hoc analysis of individual patient data from two previously published studies describing pulmonary mechanics. SETTING: Two academic hospitals in Latin-America. PATIENTS: Mechanically ventilated patients younger than 15 years old were included. We analyzed two groups, 30 children under general anesthesia (ANESTH group) and 38 children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: Respiratory mechanics were measured after intubation in all patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mechanical power and derived variables of the equation of motion (dynamic power, driving power, and mechanical energy) were computed and then indexed by ideal body weight. Driving pressure was higher in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome group compared with ANESTH group. Receiver operator curve analysis showed that driving pressure had the best discrimination capability compared with all derived variables of the equation of motion indexed by ideal body weight. The same results were observed when the subgroup of patients weighs less than 15 kg. There was no difference in unindexed mechanical power between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Driving pressure is the variable that better discriminates pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome from nonpediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome in children than the calculations derived from the equation of motion, even when indexed by ideal body weight. Unindexed mechanical power was useless to differentiate against both groups. Future studies should determine the threshold for variables of the energy dissipated by the lungs and their association with clinical outcomes.

Development of pancreatic machine perfusion: translational steps from porcine to human models.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) is increasingly being used for extended criteria kidney grafts. Pancreatic HMP is challenging because physiologically the pancreas is a low-flow organ susceptible to edema. We report the successful development of preclinical HMP models using porcine pancreases, as well as human pancreases unsuitable for clinical transplantation. METHODS: Ten porcine pancreases were used in the development of these perfusion models. Pancreases underwent 24 h of static cold storage (SCS, n = 3) and then viability assessment on an isolated oxygenated normothermic reperfusion (NRP) circuit or 24-h SCS, 5 h of HMP, and then NRP (SCS-HMP, n = 3). Human pancreases (n = 3) were used in the development of a preclinical model. RESULTS: Porcine HMP demonstrated stable perfusion indices at low pressures, with a weight gain of between 15.3% and 27.6%. During NRP, SCS-HMP pancreases demonstrated stable perfusion flow indices (PFIs) throughout reperfusion (area under the curve was in the range of 0.49-2.04 mL/min/100 g/mm Hg), whereas SCS-only pancreases had deteriorating PFI with a decline of between 19% and 46%. Human pancreas models demonstrated stable PFI between 0.18 and 0.69 mL/min/100 g/mm Hg during HMP with weight gain of between 3.9% and 14.7%. NRP perfusion in porcine and human models was stable, and functional assessment via insulin secretion demonstrated beta cell viability. Exocrine function was intact with production of pancreatic secretions only in human grafts. CONCLUSIONS: Application of machine perfusion in preclinical porcine and human pancreas models is feasible and successful; the development of these translational models could be beneficial in improving pancreas preservation before transplantation and allowing organ viability assessment and optimization.

Pancreas transplantation: 50 years of experience. / Trasplante de páncreas: 50 años de experiencia.

In December 1966, the first pancreas transplant ever was performed at the University of Minnesota. R. Lillehei and W. Kelly, transplanted a kidney and a pancreas in a diabetic patient on dialysis, getting function of both organs. Since then, the technical and immunological advances in this transplant have resulted in graft and patient survival results as the rest of the abdominal solid organ transplants. The balance of these 50 years is that more than 50,000 diabetic patients have been transplanted in more than 200 centers around the world. In our country the first transplant was performed 34 years ago in Barcelona and now 12 centers perform about 100 transplants per year. Although advances in diabetes control have been very important, pancreas transplantation continues to be the only method that allows normalization of the carbohydrates metabolism to improve the quality of life and, above all, to increase the survival of these patients.

Certified Fellowship in Abdominal Wall Surgery-A Collaboration Between the UEMS and the European Hernia Society.

Background: Abdominal wall surgery (AWS) is characterised by the increasing caseload and the complexity of the surgical procedures. The introduction of a tailored approach to AWS utilising laparoendoscopic, robotic and/or open techniques requires the surgeon to master several surgical techniques. All of which have an associated learning curve, and the necessary knowledge/experience to know which operation is the right one for the individual patient. However, the reality in general surgery training shows that training in just a limited number of procedures is not enough. By the end of general surgery training, many chief residents do not feel they are yet ready to carry out surgery independently. Therefore, hernia surgery experts and societies have called for the introduction of a Fellowship in Abdominal Wall Surgery. Methods: The UEMS (Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes, European Union of Medical Specialists) in collaboration with the European Hernia Society (EHS) introduced a fellowship by examination in 2019. As a prerequisite, candidates must complete further training of at least 2 years with a special focus on abdominal wall surgery after having completed their training in general surgery. To be eligible for the examination, candidates must provide evidence of having performed 300 hernia procedures. In addition, candidates must have accrued sufficient "knowledge points" by attending abdominal wall surgery congresses, courses and clinical visitations, and engaged in scientific activities. On meeting the requirements, a candidate may be admitted to the written and oral examination. Results: To date, three examinations have been held on the occasion of the Annual Congress of the European Hernia Society in Copenhagen (2021), Manchester (2022) and Barcelona (2023). Having met the requirements, 48 surgeons passed the written and oral examination and were awarded the Fellow European Board of Surgery-Abdominal Wall Surgery certificate. During this time period, a further 25 surgeons applied to sit the examination but did not fulfil all the criteria to be eligible for the examination. Fifty experienced abdominal wall surgeons applied to become an Honorary Fellow European Board of Surgery-Abdominal Wall Surgery. Fourty eight were successful in their application. Conclusion: The Fellowship of the European Board of Surgery - Abdominal Wall Surgery by examination has been successfully introduced at European level by the joint work of the UEMS and the EHS. The examination is also open to surgeons who work outside the European area, if they can fulfil the eligibility criteria.

Evaluation of the usefulness of the Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications.

The Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification is widely used in the reporting of surgical complications in scientific literature. It groups complications based on the level of intervention required to resolve them, and benefits from simplicity and ease of use, both of which contribute its to high inter-rater reliability. It has been validated for use in many specialties due to strong correlation with key outcome measures including length of stay, postsurgical quality of life and case-related renumeration. Limitations of the classification include concerns over differentiating grade III and IV complications and not classifying intraoperative complications. The Comprehensive Complication Index is an adaptation of the CD classification which generates a morbidity score from 0 to 100. It has been proposed as a more effective method of assessing the morbidity burden of surgical procedures. However, it remains less popular as calculations of morbidity are complicated and time-consuming. In recent years there have been suggestions of adaptations to the CD classification such as the Clavien-Dindo-Sink classification, while in some specialties, completely new classifications have been proposed due to evidence the CD classification is not reliable. Similarly, the Surgical Expertise and Validity Evaluation project aims to determine benchmarks against which surgeons may compare their own practice.

Vertebral-Venous fistulas: Single center experience and practical treatment approach.

BACKGROUND: Vertebral-venous fistulas (VVFs) are rare. Scarce literature exists to guide our understanding and management. We report our experience and propose a classification based on flow, feeder number, and involvement of accessible veins. Additionally, we include a practical treatment approach. METHODS: Retrospective chart and imaging review of cerebrovascular arteriovenous fistulas treated in our center between July 2013 and April 2022. We reviewed patient demographics, presentation, imaging, treatment strategies, and outcomes. RESULTS: Nine patients with VVFs were identified, six were females. Ages ranged between 38-83 years. There were six high-flow and three low-flow. Most VVFs originated at the level of V3. Additional feeders from the internal carotid artery, external carotid artery, and/or subclavian artery were present in four cases (two were high-flow). Four cases had multiple arterial feeders. All cases were symptomatic. Origin was spontaneous in eight and iatrogenic in one case. Most common presenting symptoms were pain (7) and pulsatile tinnitus (4). Neurological deficits were present in two cases (1 high- and 1 low-flow). Four cases were treated with vertebral artery segmental sacrifice alone, three required multiple transarterial embolizations with or without VA sacrifice, one case had single transvenous approach, and one was treated with single targeted transarterial embolization. One patient had a minor transient neurological complication. No treatment-related mortality was seen. CONCLUSION: Treatment of high-flow and symptomatic low-flow VVFs is feasible and safe. Our classification and treatment approach might help guide patient selection and choice of endovascular approach. However, our approach warrants further validation with a larger number of patients.

SEVE project (Surgical Expertise Validity Evaluation) risk adjusted quality by standard data.

The SEVE project (Surgical Expertise Validity Evaluation) is a collaborative effort of the AEC (Spanish Association of Surgeons) and the Section of Surgery of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) that aims to develop a model and an on line application that can be used to evaluate surgical complications. The aim is to identify the optimal results that can be obtained in each intervention, in order to present them as a reference for our usual practice (benchmarking).

Multiorgan retrieval and preservation of the thoracic and abdominal organs in Maastricht III donors.

This editorial describes the indications and technical aspects of the simultaneous retrieval of thoracic and abdominal organs in Maastricht III donors as well as the preservation of such organs until their implantation.

SEVE project (Surgical Expertise Validity Evaluation) risk adjusted quality by standard data.

The SEVE project (Surgical Expertise Validity Evaluation) is a collaborative effort of the AEC (Spanish Association of Surgeons) and the Section of Surgery of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) that aims to develop a model and an on line application that can be used to evaluate surgical complications. The aim is to identify the optimal results that can be obtained in each intervention, in order to present them as a reference for our usual practice (benchmarking).

Microsurgical Anatomy of the Anterior Circulation of the Brain Adjusted to the Neurosurgeon's Daily Practice.

The study of cerebrovascular anatomy can be difficult and may take time due to its intrinsic complexity. However, it can also be difficult for the following reasons: the excessive description of neuroanatomy making articles hard to read, the unclear clinical application of what is written, the use of simplified or intricate schematic drawings that are not always appropriate for effective teaching, the poor quality of neuroanatomy dissections and the use of unusual views of figures that are not strictly related to the most frequent neuroimages to be interpreted in daily practice. Because of this, we designed an article that incorporates original and accurate anatomical dissections in an attempt to improve its comprehensibility. Five formalin-fixed adult cadaveric heads, whose vessels were injected with a colored silicone mixture (red for arteries and blue for veins), were dissected and examined under a microscope with magnifications from 3× to 40×. Special emphasis has been placed on correlating topographic anatomy with routine neuroimaging studies from computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The essential surgical anatomy in a neurosurgeon's daily practice is also described. The cadaveric dissections included in this study contribute to the understanding of the cerebrovascular anatomy necessary for the neurosurgeon's daily practice.

Successful use of mild therapeutic hypothermia as compassionate treatment for severe refractory hypoxemia in COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a disease associated with an intense systemic inflammation that could induce severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), with life-threatening hypoxia and hypercapnia. We present a case where mild therapeutic hypothermia was associated with improved gas exchange, facing other therapies' unavailability due to the pandemic. CASE REPORT: A healthy 38-year-old male admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia developed extreme hypoxia (PaO2/FiO2 ratio 42 mmHg), respiratory acidosis, and hyperthermia, refractory to usual treatment (mechanical ventilation, neuromuscular blockade, and prone position), and advanced therapies were not available. Mild therapeutic hypothermia management (target 33-34 °C) was maintained for five days, with progressive gas exchange improvement, which allowed his recovery over the following weeks. He was discharged home after 68 days without significant ICU associated morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Mild hypothermia is a widely available therapy, that given some specific characteristics of COVID-19, may be explored as adjunctive therapy for life-threatening ARDS, especially during a shortage of other rescue therapies.

2020 WSES guidelines for the detection and management of bile duct injury during cholecystectomy.

Bile duct injury (BDI) is a dangerous complication of cholecystectomy, with significant postoperative sequelae for the patient in terms of morbidity, mortality, and long-term quality of life. BDIs have an estimated incidence of 0.4-1.5%, but considering the number of cholecystectomies performed worldwide, mostly by laparoscopy, surgeons must be prepared to manage this surgical challenge. Most BDIs are recognized either during the procedure or in the immediate postoperative period. However, some BDIs may be discovered later during the postoperative period, and this may translate to delayed or inappropriate treatments. Providing a specific diagnosis and a precise description of the BDI will expedite the decision-making process and increase the chance of treatment success. Subsequently, the choice and timing of the appropriate reconstructive strategy have a critical role in long-term prognosis. Currently, a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary interventions with different degrees of invasiveness is indicated for BDI management. These World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines have been produced following an exhaustive review of the current literature and an international expert panel discussion with the aim of providing evidence-based recommendations to facilitate and standardize the detection and management of BDIs during cholecystectomy. In particular, the 2020 WSES guidelines cover the following key aspects: (1) strategies to minimize the risk of BDI during cholecystectomy; (2) BDI rates in general surgery units and review of surgical practice; (3) how to classify, stage, and report BDI once detected; (4) how to manage an intraoperatively detected BDI; (5) indications for antibiotic treatment; (6) indications for clinical, biochemical, and imaging investigations for suspected BDI; and (7) how to manage a postoperatively detected BDI.

Complications during multiorgan retrieval and pancreas preservation.

In pancreas transplantation, complications can arise at each step of the process, from the initial selection of donors and recipients through the surgical technique itself and the post-operative period, when lifelong immunosuppression is required. In the early steps, careful retrieval and preservation of the pancreas are crucial for the viability of the organ and ultimate success of the transplant. The pancreas is a low-flow gland, making it highly sensitive to transplantation conditions and presenting risk of pancreatitis due to periods of ischemia. The two groups of donors - after brain death (DBD) or after cardiac arrest (DCD) - require different strategies of retrieval and preservation to avoid or reduce the risk of complications developing during and after the transplantation. For DBD donor transplantation, multiorgan retrieval and cold preservation is the conventional technique. Asystole donor (DCD) transplantation, in contrast, can benefit from the newest technologies, such as hypothermic and especially normothermic preservation machines (referred to as NECMO), to optimize organ preservation. The latter has led to an increase in the pool of donors by facilitating recuperation of organs for transplantation that would have been discarded otherwise.

An improved rapid sampling microdialysis system for human and porcine organ monitoring in a hospital setting.

Online organ monitoring could provide clinicians with critical information regarding organ health prior to transplantation and could aid clinical decision-making. This paper presents the methodology of online microdialysis for real-time monitoring of human organs ex vivo. We describe how rapid sampling microdialysis can be incorporated with organ perfusion machines to create a robust organ monitoring system and demonstrate its use in monitoring human and porcine kidneys as well as human and porcine pancreases. In this paper we also show the potential usefulness of this methodology for evaluating novel interventions in a research setting. The analysis system can be configured either to analyse two analytes in one organ, allowing for ratiometric analysis, or alternatively to monitor one analyte in two organs simultaneously, allowing direct comparison. It was found to be reliable over long monitoring periods in real clinical use. The results clearly show that the analysis system is sensitive to differences between organs and therefore has huge potential as an ex vivo organ monitoring tool.

2017 WSES guidelines for the management of iatrogenic colonoscopy perforation.

Iatrogenic colonoscopy perforation (ICP) is a severe complication that can occur during both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Although 45-60% of ICPs are diagnosed by the endoscopist while performing the colonoscopy, many ICPs are not immediately recognized but are instead suspected on the basis of clinical signs and symptoms that occur after the endoscopic procedure. There are three main therapeutic options for ICPs: endoscopic repair, conservative therapy, and surgery. The therapeutic approach must vary based on the setting of the diagnosis (intra- or post-colonoscopy), the type of ICP, the characteristics and general status of the patient, the operator's level of experience, and surgical device availability. Although ICPs have been the focus of numerous publications, no guidelines have been created to standardize the management of ICPs. The aim of this article is to present the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines for the management of ICP, which are intended to be used as a tool to promote global standards of care in case of ICP. These guidelines are not meant to substitute providers' clinical judgment for individual patients, and they may need to be modified based on the medical team's level of experience and the availability of local resources.

Surgical treatment of persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (PHH) (insulinoma and nesidioblastosis).

BACKGROUND: The persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia is characterized by clinical symptoms that occur when the blood glucose levels drop below the normal range. Two pathological situations cause this clinical problem: The presence of a tumor of the pancreas secreting excessive amounts of insulin, known as insulinoma, and congenital beta-cell hyperplasia in the pancreas in children and noninsulinoma pancreatogenic hypoglycemia syndrome in adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical characteristic and surgical outcome of a group of 20 patients operated on for this hypoglycemic syndrome; 18 for insulinoma and two for nesidioblastosis in children was studied. RESULTS: eight of the insulinomas were in the head of the pancreas, two in the body, and the remaining eight in the tail. The surgical technique was enucleation in nine cases, local resection in one case because of suspicious malignancy, and distal pancreatectomy in eight cases. Both children with nesidioblastosis underwent 85% pancreatectomy with splenic preservation. There was no mortality in the study, but three patients developed a low-volume pancreatic fistula after head enucleation. CONCLUSIONS: Negative results in diagnostic localization together with the small size of the insulinoma represent a poor combination for successful surgery. The intraoperative ultrasonography is the method of choice for the identification of the tumor, as it is able to identify nonpalpable lesions.