Association between frailty, long-term mortality and functional outcomes for older adults undergoing emergency laparotomy.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of older patients are undergoing emergency laparotomy (EL). Frailty is thought to contribute to adverse outcomes in this group. The best method to assess frailty and impacts on long-term mortality and other important functional outcomes for older EL patients have not been fully explored. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study of older EL patients was conducted across four hospital sites in New Zealand from August 2017 to September 2022. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was used to measure frailty-defined as a CFS of ≥5. Primary outcomes were 30-day and one-year mortality. Secondary outcomes were postoperative morbidity, admission for rehabilitation, and increased care level on discharge. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted, adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity. RESULTS: A total of 629 participants were included. Frailty prevalence was 14.6%. Frail participants demonstrated higher 30-day and 1-year mortality-20.7% and 39.1%. Following adjustment, frailty was directly associated with a significantly increased risk of short- and long-term mortality (30-day aRR 2.6, 95% CI 1.5, 4.3, p = <0.001, 1-year aRR 2.0, 95% CI 1.5, 2.8, p < 0.001). Frailty was correlated with a 2-fold increased risk of admission for rehabilitation and propensity of being discharged to an increased level of care, complications, and readmission within 30 days. CONCLUSION: Frailty was associated with increased risk of postoperative mortality up to 1-year and other functional outcomes for older patients undergoing EL. Identification of frailty in older EL patients aids in patient-centered decision-making, which may lead to improvement in outcomes.

Impact of pre-existing mesh at the hiatus at revisional hiatal hernia surgery.

Recurrence after laparoscopic hiatus hernia repair (LHR) is high, with few symptomatic patients undergoing redo LHR. Morbidity is higher in redo surgery compared with the primary operation. Tens of studies have explored the safety of redoing LHR. However, the impact of existing mesh on operative risk is rarely examined. We aim to assess the impact of mesh at the hiatus on the safety of redo LHR. This was a cohort study examining redo LHR patients from a prospectively maintained database from January 2002 to December 2023. The primary outcome was intra-/postoperative complications. Follow-up was extracted from clinical records. Predictors of complications were assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Redo LHR was performed in 100 patients; 22 had previous mesh. One encountered mortality with 23 complications. Five patients had absorbable mesh, with the remainder nonabsorbable. Overall complications were significantly higher with mesh at nine (40.9%) compared to no mesh redo at 14 (17.9%), P = 0.023. There was no difference in rates of visceral injury with mesh at four (18.2%) and no mesh at six (7.7%), P = 0.22. The median follow-up was 7 months; there was no difference in reflux rates (P = 0.70) but higher rates of dysphagia (P = 0.010). Higher overall complications were noted in patients with previous hiatal mesh repair at the time of LHR. However, major visceral complications were similar regardless of mesh use. Mesh at the hiatus should not be a deterrent for reoperative hiatus surgery.

Efficacy and safety of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in symptomatic patients following fundoplication failure: a meta-analysis.

Revisional surgery may be required in a subset of patients who remain symptomatic despite undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). While revisional LF (RLF) is feasible in these patients, laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) may serve as an alternative, although its efficacy and safety remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of LRYGB in symptomatic patients following failed LF for GERD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed databases were systematically searched for studies reporting LRYGB outcomes in symptomatic adults despite undergoing LF for GERD. Postoperative symptom resolution, recurrence of heartburn and dysphagia, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, and body mass index (BMI) reduction were assessed to determine LRYGB efficacy. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were used to evaluate LRYGB safety. Twenty-two studies with 1523 patients were included. Pooled rates of symptom resolution, recurrence of heartburn and dysphagia, PPI use, morbidity, and mortality were 71.6% (95% CI 59.4-86.4), 15.6% (8.9-27.3), 20.7% (12.5-34.3), 29.6% (18.8-46.5), 39.5% (29.9-52.3), and 2.2% (1.2-4.0), respectively, following LRYGB. Similar rates were observed after RLF. However, BMI reduction was significantly greater after LRYGB compared with RLF (mean difference 6.1 kg/m2, 4.8-7.4; p < 0.0001). LRYGB resulted in symptom relief in a majority of patients, and proved comparable to RLF regarding symptom recurrence and PPI use. Morbidity and mortality following LRYGB also did not differ from RLF. However, LRYGB was associated with considerably greater weight loss relative to RLF. Therefore, LRYGB is efficacious and an acceptable revisional procedure in symptomatic GERD patients who have previously undergone LF.

Intravenous Local Anesthetic Compared With Intraperitoneal Local Anesthetic in Laparoscopic Colectomy: A Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Controlling perioperative pain is essential to improving patient experience and satisfaction following surgery. Traditionally opioids have been frequently utilized for postoperative analgesia. Although they are effective at controlling pain, they are associated with adverse effects, including postoperative nausea, vomiting, ileus, and long-term opioid dependency.Following laparoscopic colectomy, the use of intravenous or intraperitoneal infusions of lidocaine (IVL, IPL) are promising emerging analgesic options. Although both techniques are promising, there have been no direct, prospective randomized comparisons in patients undergoing laparoscopic colon resection. The purpose of this study was to compare IPL with IVL. METHODS: Double-blinded, randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing laparoscopic colonic resection. The 2 groups received equal doses of either IPL or IVL which commenced intra-operatively with a bolus followed by a continuous infusion for 3 days postoperatively. Patients were cared for through a standardized enhanced recovery after surgery program. The primary outcome was total postoperative opioid consumption over the first 3 postoperative days. Patients were followed for 60 days. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to the IVL or IPL groups. Total opioid consumption over the first 3 postoperative days was significantly lower in the IPL group (70.9 mg vs 157.8 mg P < 0.05) and overall opioid consumption during the total length of stay was also significantly lower (80.3 mg vs 187.36 mg P < 0.05. Pain scores were significantly lower at 2 hours postoperatively in the IPL group, however, all other time points were not significant. There were no differences in complications between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Perioperative use of IPL results in a significant reduction in opioid consumption following laparoscopic colon surgery when compared to IVL. This suggests that the peritoneal cavity/compartment is a strategic target for local anesthetic administration. Future enhanced recovery after surgery recommendations should consider IPL as an important component of a multimodal pain strategy following colectomy.

Topical Versus Oral Metronidazole After Excisional Hemorrhoidectomy: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Both topical and oral metronidazole have been shown to reduce pain after excisional hemorrhoidectomy. Although recent meta-analyses have demonstrated efficacy against placebo, there has been no comparison between the 2 routes. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate whether topical or oral metronidazole provides the most analgesic properties after excisional hemorrhoidectomy. DESIGN: A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was performed. SETTING: This trial was conducted at 2 hospitals in New Zealand between March 2019 and February 2020. PATIENTS: Adults undergoing elective excisional hemorrhoidectomy for grade III/IV hemorrhoids were randomized. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to receive either topical metronidazole ointment and an oral placebo versus oral metronidazole with a placebo ointment for 7 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was daily pain scores for 7 days, estimated using a generalized linear mixed model fitted with time and treatment arm and tested for interaction with time and treatment arm. Secondary outcomes included additional analgesia, return to normal activity, recovery scores, and adverse effects. RESULTS: A total of 120 participants were included, with 60 in each group. A unimodal peak of pain was recorded with the maximum at days 3 and 4, but there was no significant difference in resting pain scores, with a mean difference at day 3 of 0.47 (-0.48, 1.42). There were no significant differences for secondary outcomes. Fourteen (11.7%) participants were readmitted, without significant difference between groups. Fifty-nine percent of participants preferred topical analgesic compared with 31% who preferred oral and 9.7% who had no preference. LIMITATIONS: This was a pragmatic study in which we could not have stopped participants seeking other analgesics and with less than perfect complete compliance. CONCLUSION: Postoperative oral and topical metronidazole provide similar analgesia after excisional hemorrhoidectomy. The route should depend on patient preference, with topical administration potentially benefiting from improved antimicrobial stewardship and having less effect on the gut microbiome. See Video Abstract at http:/links.lww.com/DCR/B853 .METRONIDAZOL TÓPICO VERSUS ORAL DESPUÉS DE UNA HEMORROIDECTOMÍA POR ESCISIÓN: UN ENSAYO CONTROLADO ALEATORIO DOBLE CIEGO. ANTECEDENTES: Se ha demostrado que tanto el metronidazol tópico como el oral reducen el dolor después de una hemorroidectomía por escisión. Aunque los metaanálisis más recientes han demostrado eficacia frente al placebo, no ha habido comparación entre las dos vías. OBJETIVO: Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar si el metronidazol tópico u oral proporciona las propiedades más analgésicas después de una hemorroidectomía por escisión. DISEO: Se realizó un ensayo prospectivo, controlado, aleatorio, a doble ciego. AJUSTE: Este ensayo fue realizado en dos hospitales de Nueva Zelanda entre marzo de 2019 y febrero de 2020. PACIENTES: Se asignaron al azar pacientes adultos sometidos a hemorroidectomía por escisión electiva por hemorroides de grado III / IV. INTERVENCIONES: Los participantes fueron asignados al azar para recibir un ungüento de metronidazol tópico y un placebo oral versus metronidazol oral con un ungüento de placebo durante siete días. PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO: El resultado primario fueron las puntuaciones diarias de dolor durante siete días, estimadas mediante un modelo lineal mixto generalizado ajustado tanto con el tiempo y el brazo de tratamiento y probado para la interacción con el tiempo y el brazo de tratamiento. Los resultados secundarios incluyen analgesia adicional, retorno a la actividad normal, puntuaciones de recuperación y efectos adversos. RESULTADOS: Se incluyó un total de 120 participantes, 60 en cada grupo. Se registró un pico de dolor unimodal con el máximo en los días 3 y 4, pero no hubo diferencias significativas en las puntuaciones de dolor en reposo, con una diferencia media en el día 3 de 0,47 (-0,48, 1,42). No hubo diferencias significativas para los resultados secundarios. Catorce (11,7%) participantes fueron readmitidos, sin diferencias significativas entre los grupos. El cincuenta y nueve por ciento de los participantes prefirió el tópico, en comparación con el 31% por vía oral y el 9,7% sin preferencia. LIMITACIONES: Este fue un estudio pragmático en el que no pudimos haber impedido que los participantes buscaran otros analgésicos, con un cumplimiento completo menos que perfecto. CONCLUSINES: El metronidazol posoperatorio por vía oral o tópica proporciona una analgesia similar después de una hemorroidectomía por escisión. La vía debe depender de la preferencia del paciente, y la administración tópica se beneficia potencialmente por una mejor protección de los antimicrobianos y un menor efecto sobre el microbioma intestinal. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B853 . (Traducción-Dr Osvaldo Gauto).

Epidemiology of haemorrhoids and publicly funded excisional haemorrhoidectomies in New Zealand (2007-2016): a population-based cross-sectional study.

AIM: Haemorrhoids are frequently encountered by the general or colorectal surgeon. Although a benign disease, those with symptomatic, advanced grades frequently require excisional haemorrhoidectomy for definitive management. Despite their widespread nature, the epidemiological burden of haemorrhoids and haemorrhoidectomies on populations is not well described. This study seeks to establish the incidence of both haemorrhoids diagnosed and haemorrhoidectomies performed in New Zealand. METHOD: This is a population-based cross-sectional study examining the incidence of all patients who were newly diagnosed with haemorrhoids in New Zealand public hospital outpatient clinics and those who received excisional haemorrhoidectomy in New Zealand public hospitals from 2007 to 2016. Data were extracted and linked using the New Zealand National Minimum Dataset and the National Non-Admitted Patient Collection. Variables collected included age group, sex, ethnicity and geographical location. RESULTS: A total of 46 095 recorded diagnoses of haemorrhoids were made, with a total of 18 739 haemorrhoidectomies in the 10-year period recorded. The incidence rate of diagnosis increased from 84.6 to 120.5 per 100 000 and the incidence rate of haemorrhoidectomies performed from 30.4 to 51.1 per 100 000, a significantly increased annual incidence. There was a unimodal peak prevalence in the fifth decade of life with women more affected. Europeans formed the largest group affected, with Asians showing the highest rate of increased incidence. CONCLUSION: There is an increasing incidence of patients with symptomatic haemorrhoids presenting to the New Zealand public healthcare system, with a preponderance in working age adults, especially women.

Intraperitoneal Tramadol in Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Multimodal analgesic regimes are required to treat pain. Intraperitoneal (IP) agents, such as local anesthetics (LAs), have been shown to reduce pain after abdominal surgery. Other IP analgesics have been tested in several randomized control trials (RCTs), but no reviews or guidelines have evaluated their use. Tramadol is an effective oral and intravenous analgesia with recent evidence supporting the use of IP tramadol (IPT). We aimed to review the efficacy of IPT as an adjunct to intraperitoneal local anesthetics (IPLAs) for pain relief after abdominal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant articles were identified by two independent reviewers from MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines up to January 2019. Only RCT comparing IPT + IPLA with IPLA alone were included. Outcomes recorded were the postoperative analgesic requirement, pain scores at 4 h and 24 h and adverse events. Data were analyzed with Review Manager, version 5.3. RESULTS: A total of five RCTs (4× laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 1× abdominal hysterectomy) were included in this review from 419 studies screened. All doses were given as a single bolus. Pain relief requirements over the first 24 h weres less in the IPT + IPLA groups when compared with those in IPLA alone. Pain scores were less for IPT + IPLA groups at 4 h and 24 h. There were no significant differences in adverse events between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, IPT, in combination with IPLA, is effective in the management of acute postoperative pain and reduces the total amount of pain relief consumed in the first 24 h after surgery. Studies reporting the use of IPT + IPLA reported no toxicity or systemic adverse events. Further research into standardizing the dosing of IPT to optimize its effectiveness and further reduce the additional analgesic requirement is indicated.

Local Anaesthesia Alone Versus Regional or General Anaesthesia in Excisional Haemorrhoidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Excisional haemorrhoidectomy has been traditionally performed under general or regional anaesthesia. However, these modes are associated with complications such as nausea, urinary retention and motor blockade. Local anaesthesia (LA) alone has been proposed to reduce side effects as well as to expedite ambulatory surgery. This systematic review aims to assess LA versus regional or general anaesthesia for excisional haemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases were searched to 13 January 2020. All randomised controlled trials comparing LA only versus regional or general anaesthesia in patients who received excisional haemorrhoidectomy were included. The main outcomes included pain, adverse effects and length of stay. RESULTS: Nine trials, consisting of six studies comparing local versus regional anaesthesia and three comparing LA versus general anaesthesia, were included. Meta-analysis showed a significantly lower relative risk for need of rescue analgesia (RR 0.32 [95% CI 0.16-0.62]), intra-operative hypotension (RR 0.17 [95% CI 0.04-0.76]), headache (RR 0.13 [0.02-0.67]) and urinary retention (RR 0.17 [95% CI 0.09-0.29]) for LA when compared with regional anaesthesia. There was mixed evidence for both regional and general anaesthesia in regard to post-operative pain. CONCLUSIONS: LA alone may be considered as an alternative to regional anaesthesia for excisional haemorrhoidectomy with reduced complications and reduction in the amount of post-operative analgesia required. The evidence for LA compared to general anaesthesia for haemorrhoidectomy is low grade and mixed.

Evidence-Based Management of Pain After Excisional Haemorrhoidectomy Surgery: A PROSPECT Review Update.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review was to update previous PROSPECT ( http://www.postoppain.org ) review recommendations for the management of pain after excisional haemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: Randomized studies and reviews published in the English language from July 2006 (end date of last review) to March 2016, assessing analgesic, anaesthetic, and operative interventions pertaining to excisional haemorrhoidectomy in adults, and reporting pain scores, were retrieved from the EMBASE and MEDLINE databases. RESULTS: An additional 464 studies were identified of which 74 met the inclusion criteria. There were 48 randomized controlled trials and 26 reviews. Quantitative analyses were not performed, as there were limited numbers of trials with a sufficiently homogeneous design. CONCLUSION: Pudendal nerve block, with or without general anaesthesia, is recommended for all patients undergoing haemorrhoidal surgery. Either closed haemorrhoidectomy, or open haemorrhoidectomy with electrocoagulation of the pedicle is recommended as the primary procedure. Combinations of analgesics (paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioids), topical lignocaine and glyceryl trinitrate, laxatives, and oral metronidazole are recommended post-operatively. The recommendations are largely based on single intervention, not multimodal intervention, studies.

Consensus-defined sarcopenia predicts adverse outcomes after elective abdominal surgery: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia refers to the progressive age- or pathology-associated loss of skeletal muscle. When measured radiologically as reduced muscle mass, sarcopenia has been shown to independently predict morbidity and mortality after elective abdominal surgery. However, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) recently updated their sarcopenia definition, emphasizing both low muscle 'strength' and 'mass'. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prognostic impact of this updated consensus definition of sarcopenia after elective abdominal surgery. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were systematically searched for studies comparing prognostic outcomes between sarcopenic versus non-sarcopenic adults after elective abdominal surgery from inception to 15 June 2022. The primary outcomes were postoperative morbidity and mortality. Sensitivity analyses adjusting for confounding patient factors were also performed. Methodological quality assessment of studies was performed independently by two authors using the QUality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. RESULTS: Twenty articles with 5421 patients (1059 sarcopenic and 4362 non-sarcopenic) were included. Sarcopenic patients were at significantly greater risk of incurring postoperative complications, despite adjusted multivariate analysis (adjusted OR 1.56, 95 per cent c.i. 1.39 to 1.76). Sarcopenic patients also had significantly higher rates of in-hospital (OR 7.62, 95 per cent c.i. 2.86 to 20.34), 30-day (OR 3.84, 95 per cent c.i. 1.27 to 11.64), and 90-day (OR 3.73, 95 per cent c.i. 1.19 to 11.70) mortality. Sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for poorer overall survival in multivariate Cox regression analysis (adjusted HR 1.28, 95 per cent c.i. 1.13 to 1.44). CONCLUSION: Consensus-defined sarcopenia provides important prognostic information after elective abdominal surgery and can be appropriately measured in the preoperative setting. Development of targeted exercise-based interventions that minimize sarcopenia may improve outcomes for patients who are undergoing elective abdominal surgery.

Short- and long-term impact of sarcopenia on outcomes after emergency laparotomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia refers to the progressive age and pathology-associated loss of skeletal muscle, which has been shown to independently predict mortality in patients undergoing major elective surgery. Emergency laparotomy is commonly performed for a range of procedures and is associated with high rates of mortality. However, the prognostic utility of sarcopenia after emergency laparotomy remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare short and long-term survival between patients with and without sarcopenia undergoing emergency laparotomy. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were systematically searched for articles comparing survival outcomes between adults with and without radiologically defined sarcopenia after emergency gastrointestinal surgery regardless of indication and approach (open/laparoscopic). The primary outcome was postoperative mortality. Sensitivity analysis of adjusted multivariate analyses was performed. RESULTS: Twenty articles comprising 6,737 patients were included. Sarcopenia was most commonly assessed using axial abdominal computerized tomography at L3, although cut-off thresholds were heterogeneous and rarely sex-specific. Postoperative mortality was higher among patients with sarcopenia than without in the in-hospital setting, and at 30- and 90-day follow-up on univariate but not on multivariate meta-analysis. However, mortality was significantly higher among sarcopenic cohorts in the 1-year (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.5-5.6; P = .002) follow-up period, despite adjusting for confounding preoperative and patient factors. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis has shown sarcopenia to provide useful long-term prognostic information following emergency laparotomy. This may aid with preoperative risk assessment, patient counseling, and in perioperative decision-making for patients undergoing emergency laparotomy.

Outcomes following out-of-hours acute cholecystectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystectomy is one of the most commonly performed abdominal operations. Rising demands on acute operating theater availability and resource utilization in the daytime have led to acute cholecystectomy being performed out-of-hours (in the evenings, at night, or on weekends), although it remains unknown whether outcomes differ between out-of-hours and in-hours (during the daytime on weekdays) acute cholecystectomy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare outcomes following out-of-hours versus in-hours acute cholecystectomy. METHODS: The study protocol was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021226127). MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were systematically searched for studies comparing outcomes following out-of-hours and in-hours acute cholecystectomy in adults with any acute benign gallbladder disease. The outcomes of interest were rates of bile leakage, bile duct injury, overall postoperative complications, conversion to open cholecystectomy, specific intraoperative and postoperative complications, length of stay, readmission, and mortality. Subgroup (evening/night-time vs. daytime, weekend vs. weekday, acute surgical unit [ASU]-only, non-ASU, and laparoscopic-only) and sensitivity analyses of adjusted multivariate regression analysis results was also performed. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included. There were no differences between out-of-hours and in-hours acute cholecystectomy for rates of bile leakage, bile duct injury, overall postoperative complications, conversion to open cholecystectomy, operative duration, readmission, mortality, and postoperative length of stay. Higher rates of postoperative sepsis (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-2.41; p = 0.03) and pneumonia (odds ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-2.26; p = 0.02) were observed following out-of-hours acute cholecystectomy on univariate meta-analysis, but not after the adjusted multivariate meta-analysis. Higher conversion rates were observed when out-of-hours cholecystectomy was performed in centers without an ASU. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis has not shown an increased risk in overall or specific complications associated with out-of-hours compared with in-hours acute cholecystectomy. However, future studies should assess the potential impact of structural hospital factors, such as an ASU, on outcomes following out-of-hours acute cholecystectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study, Level IV.

Risk factors for mortality after emergency laparotomy: scoping systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Emergency laparotomy (EL) is a common procedure with high mortality leading to several efforts to record and reduce mortality. Risk scores currently used by quality improvement programmes either require intraoperative data or are not specific to EL. To be of utility to clinicians/patients, estimation of preoperative risk of mortality is important. We aimed to explore individual preoperative risk factors that might be of use in developing a preoperative mortality risk score. METHODS: Two independent reviewers identified relevant articles from searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from January 1980 to January 2018. We selected studies that evaluated only preoperative predictive factors for mortality in EL patients. RESULTS: The search yielded 6648 articles screened, with 22 studies included examining 157 728 patients. The combined post-operative 30-day mortality was 13%. All, but one small study, were at low risk of bias. A meta-analysis of results was not possible due to the heterogeneity of populations and outcomes. Age, American Society of Anesthesiologists, preoperative sepsis, dependency status, current cancer and comorbidities were associated with increased mortality. Acute physiological derangements seen in renal, albumin and complete blood count assays were strongly associated with mortality. Delay to surgery and diabetes did not influence mortality. Higher body mass index was protective. CONCLUSION: Preoperatively, risk factors identified can be used to develop and update risk scores specific for EL mortality. This scoping review focused on the preoperative setting which helps tailor treatment decisions. It highlights the need for further research to test the relevance of newer risk factors such as frailty and nutrition.

Association between perioperative intraperitoneal local anaesthetic infusion and long-term survival and cancer recurrence after colectomy: follow-up analysis of a previous randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: High concentrations of local anaesthetic have an anti-proliferative effect on colonic cancer in vitro. Intraperitoneal local anaesthetic (IPLA) has shown analgesic benefit and improved recovery in the perioperative setting. The long-term effects of IPLA in colon cancer resection have not been examined. This study aims to review the survival and oncological outcomes of a previously conducted trial that compared perioperative IPLA with placebo. METHODS: Sixty patients underwent colonic resection for benign and malignant disease as part of a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study between September 2008 and November 2009. The IPLA group received instillation of intraperitoneal ropivacaine before dissection followed by a 3-day infusion. The placebo group was treated identically but with 0.9% saline solution. A follow-up analysis was conducted to evaluate overall survival, disease-free survival and recurrence specifically for patients undergoing resection for stages I-III colon cancer. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed, and the log-rank test was used to evaluate difference in survival between groups. RESULTS: Thirty-seven of the 60 patients had stages I-III colon cancer and were included in this analysis. Nineteen patients were in the placebo group. There was no significant difference in overall survival or all-cause mortality. There was a higher incidence of cancer-specific mortality in the local anaesthetic group (P < 0.046). CONCLUSION: It does not appear that IPLA is associated with a significant survival benefit in patients with colonic malignancy undergoing colectomy. Other studies are needed to analyse the long-term outcomes.

The impact of computed tomography-assessed sarcopenia on outcomes for trauma patients - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and general decline in function associated with age, and has previously been shown to be a predictor of poor outcomes following surgery. Computed tomography (CT)-assessed sarcopenia has been proposed to be an independent predictor of outcomes for trauma patients. This systematic review aims to determine the impact of CT-assessed sarcopenia on patient mortality following trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. EMBASE, MEDLINE and CENTRAL databases were searched from database inception to 26 November 2018. Bibliographies of included articles were hand searched for potential articles. All observational studies which included trauma patients who had skeletal muscle mass or density assessed by CT were included in the review. Two authors independently performed the search with decisions reached by consensus. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager v5.3 using a random effects model. The primary outcome was all cause mortality, as established a priori. RESULTS: Following an initial search of 1984 records, a total of 20 retrospective observational studies were included for qualitative analysis. Ten of these studies consisting of a pooled, partly-overlapping, 2867 patients were included in the meta-analysis. There was a wide variation in the reported prevalence of sarcopenia (25.0-71.1%). Sarcopenia patients were at a significantly increased risk of mortality during inpatient stay (RR 1.96 [95%CI 1.30-2.94], p =  0.001), at 30 days (RR 1.60 [95%CI 1.21-2.13], p =  0.001) and at 1-year (RR 3.11 [95%CI 1.94-4.96], p <  0.00001). There was no significant difference in total complications encountered, ICU duration or total inpatient stay. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia identified by CT is associated with increased risk of inpatient, 30-day, and 1-year mortality in trauma patients.

Day case versus inpatient stay for excisional haemorrhoidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Excisional haemorrhoidectomy has traditionally been performed on an inpatient basis due to concerns over post-operative pain and urinary retention. Day case procedures are increasingly common. This study aims to investigate readmission rates following day case compared with inpatient haemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort review of all haemorrhoidectomies performed at Counties Manukau District Health Board, Auckland from January 2012 to December 2017 was queried from the hospital database. Readmission rates, reason for readmission, time to represent and length of stay within 30 days were recorded. Continuous data were analysed using Mann-Whitney U and Student's t-tests. Categorical data were analysed using the Fisher's exact and chi-squared tests. RESULTS: A total of 485 cases of excisional haemorrhoidectomy were performed, with 62 (12.8%) readmissions within 30 days. There were 170 patients who were treated as day cases with 19 (11.2%) readmissions; 315 patients stayed one night or longer with 43 (13.7%) readmissions (P = 0.97). The demographics of both groups were similar. Pain and bleeding were the most common reasons for readmission in both groups. There were no significant differences between rates of readmission, length of stay following readmission and time to readmission between day case and inpatient groups. CONCLUSIONS: Day case surgery should be considered as an alternative to inpatient surgery for excisional haemorrhoidectomy and can be achieved without increase in hospital readmissions.

Metronidazole following excisional haemorrhoidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Post-operative pain is a major issue following excisional haemorrhoidectomy. Although metronidazole by both oral and topical administration routes has been shown to reduce pain after haemorrhoidectomy, its use remains a contentious issue. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the effect of metronidazole on post-operative pain after excisional haemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and CINAHL, from inception to December 2016 were retrieved. The primary outcome investigated was post-operative pain reported as visual analogue score (VAS). Secondary outcomes were analgesia use, complications and time to return to normal activity. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager version 5.3 software. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials including 523 patients were included in the final analysis. Five studies used oral administration and four used topical. Meta-analysis showed that post-operative VAS of patients receiving metronidazole by either route was significantly less than those in comparison groups. VAS means decreased at all the time points for both oral and topical metronidazole. Topical and oral routes of administration were not compared in any study. There was no increase in complication rates and return to normal activity was significantly earlier for patients receiving metronidazole (-4.49 days; 95% confidence interval [-7.70, -1.28]; P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Both topical and oral metronidazole reduce post-operative pain without an increase in complication rates and result in an earlier return to normal activity. Further work is required to determine which the optimum route of administration is.

Predictors of acute diverticulitis severity: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Diverticulitis is a common condition with a broad spectrum of disease severity. A scoring system has been proposed for diagnosing diverticulitis, and a number of scoring systems exist for predicting prognosis associated with severe complications of diverticulitis such as peritonitis. However, predicting disease severity has not received as much attention. Therefore, the aim of this review was to identify the factors that are predictive of severe acute diverticulitis. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed using Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify papers that evaluated factors predictive of severe diverticulitis. Severe diverticulitis was defined as complicated diverticulitis (associated with haemorrhage, abscess, phlegmon, perforation, purulent/faecal peritonitis, stricture, fistula, or small-bowel obstruction) or diverticulitis that resulted in prolonged hospital admission, surgical intervention or death. RESULTS: Twenty one articles were included. Studies were categorised into those that identified patient characteristics (n = 12), medications (n = 5), biochemical markers (n = 8) or imaging (n = 3) as predictors. Predictors for severe diverticulitis included first episode of diverticulitis, co-morbidities (Charlson score ≥ 3), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, steroid use, a high CRP on admission and severe disease on radiological imaging. Age and gender were not associated with disease severity. CONCLUSION: A number of predictors exist for identifying severe diverticulitis, and CT remains the gold standard for diagnosing complicated disease. Patients who present with identified risk factors for severe disease warrant early imaging, closer in-patient observation and a lower threshold for early surgical intervention. Patients without these factors may be suitable for outpatient-based treatment.

Bivalirudin compared with heparin during coronary angioplasty for thrombus-containing lesions.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether bivalirudin is more effective than heparin in preventing ischemic complications in high risk patients undergoing coronary angioplasty for thrombus-containing lesions detected by angiography. BACKGROUND: Heparin is administered during coronary angioplasty to prevent closure of the dilated vessel. Bivalirudin (Hirulog) is a direct thrombin inhibitor that can be safely substituted for heparin during angioplasty. Bivalirudin has several theoretic advantages over heparin as an anticoagulant agent. METHODS: We performed an observational analysis of the Hirulog Angioplasty Study in which 4,098 patients with unstable or postinfarction angina were randomized to receive either bivalirudin or heparin during coronary angioplasty. The study group for this analysis consisted of 567 patients who had thrombus-containing lesions on angiography. The primary end point was death, myocardial infarction, emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery or abrupt vessel closure before hospital discharge. RESULTS: Patients with thrombus-containing lesions had a higher incidence of myocardial infarction (5.1% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.03) and abrupt vessel closure (13.6% vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001) than those without thrombus. In patients with thrombus-containing lesions, however, the incidence of the primary end point was not different between the bivalirudin and heparin treatment groups. Furthermore, no difference in the incidence of ischemic events at 6 months was seen between the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Bivalirudin is not more effective than heparin in preventing ischemic complications in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty for thrombus-containing lesions detected by angiography. Other approaches, perhaps involving potent anti-platelet agents, should be considered for patients with thrombus-containing lesions.