A prospective randomized comparison of sexual function and semen analysis following laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: With standardization of laparoscopic technique of groin hernia repair, the focus of surgical outcome has shifted to lesser studied parameters like sexual function and fertility. METHODS: This prospective randomized study was conducted in a single surgical unit at a tertiary care hospital. A sample size of 144 was calculated with 72 in each group (Group 1 TEP and Group 2 TAPP). Primary outcomes measured included comparison of sexual function using BMFSI, qualitative semen analysis and ASA levels between patients undergoing TEP or TAPP repair. Semen analysis and ASA was measured pre-operatively and 3 months post-operatively. RESULTS: A total of 145 patients were randomized into two groups, TAPP (73) and TEP (72) patients. Both the groups were comparable in terms of demographic profile and hernia characteristics with majority of the patients in both the groups having unilateral inguinal hernia (89.0% in TAPP group and 79.2% in TEP group). Both the groups showed statistically significant improvement in overall sexual function score (BMFSI) at 3 months; however, there was no inter group difference. Both the groups were also comparable in terms of ASA and qualitative semen analysis. CONCLUSION: Both TEP and TAPP repair are comparable in terms of sexual function and effect on semen analysis. Laparoscopic repair improves the overall sexual functions in patients with groin hernia.

Embracing the change: Resuming advanced trauma training in the COVID-19 era.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is slowly regaining its pre-COVID-19 status in terms of prevalence. Advanced trauma training cannot be deferred indefinitely in the current pandemic owing to defense requirements and disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions. Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) India resumed ATLS and Advanced Trauma Care For Nurses (ATCN) courses at one civilian and one military site. METHODS: Stakeholders of respective centers for advanced trauma training deliberated over safe means to resume ATLS and ATCN. Meticulous screening of all participants and pre- and post-course tracking were deemed the most important components for the safe resumption of courses. 'Paperless' course, 'open-air' skill stations, 'payment protection', 'buddy system', point of care sanitizer installation, packed food, and potable beverages were major organizational changes. Participants above 60 years and with uncontrolled comorbidities were not enrolled. RESULTS: Two ATCN, one ATLS (civilian), and one combined ATLS-ATCN (military) were conducted. 78 delegates trained by 32 faculties and 13 personnel. All underwent daily thermal scanning and smartphone application-based COVID-19 tracking. Manikins were utilized instead of moulages and instructors took up the role of nursing assistants in Initial Assessment. Exit exams were conducted with full PPE precautions at the military site and mask-distancing precautions at the civilian site. High fidelity simulator was used at one station at the civilian site. Expenses at the civilian site per course were USD 570 lower than conventional courses. There was no incidence of COVID-19 in any of the 123 participants at 14 days follow up. CONCLUSION: With stringent participant selection and moderate precautions, ATLS and ATCN can be resumed safely in the current COVID-19 pandemic. To the best of our knowledge and after a thorough search of published English literature, this is the first paper reporting on resuming Advanced trauma training in the COVID-19 era.

Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN): A Single-Center Analysis of Trauma Nurses Knowledge Gaps.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a global cause of death and disability, and trauma systems are not well developed in low- and middle-income countries. Training of nurses in trauma care is of utmost importance to improve the organization and delivery of trauma care. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify common knowledge gaps and develop study aids to improve nurses' performance taking the Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) course. METHODS: This is a descriptive, single-center study of the multiple-choice final examinations of the ATCN course conducted over 1 year in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Level I trauma center. The questions missed by candidates were compiled, and the wrong options were tabulated. The most commonly missed questions were identified, and the most commonly marked wrong option was analyzed vis-a-vis the correct answer. Each error was classified into either a theoretical error or a practice-based error. RESULTS: Ninety-six nurses attended 6 courses from June 2019 to June 2020. Of the theoretical-based questions, the top 3 categories of most missed questions were geriatric trauma (n = 13; 81.2%), massive transfusion (n = 35; 72.9%), and traumatic brain injury (n = 35; 72.9%). Of the practice-based questions, the top 3 categories of most missed questions were dislocated extremity management (n = 54; 79.4%), basic airway (n = 31; 64.5%), and shock management (n = 30; 62.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Periodic identification and categorization of the ATCN course examination's most frequent knowledge gaps allow instructors to develop teaching aids to enhance instructor teaching and improve trauma nurses' knowledge.

Outcomes following laparoscopic internal drainage of walled off necrosis of pancreas: experience of 134 cases from a tertiary care centre.

INTRODUCTION: Internal drainage of walled of necrosis of pancreas has been considered as the standard of care. For symptomatic walled off necrosis (WON) of pancreas with the advent of laparoscopy and refinement of techniques and instrumentation, laparoscopic internal drainage is becoming the standard surgical drainage procedure for these patients. However, there is a dearth of literature regarding outcomes following laparoscopic drainage. Most of the studies have small number of patients with limited follow-up. We in this study describe our experience of laparoscopic internal drainage of walled off necrosis over the last 13 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database. All patients with WON undergoing laparoscopic internal drainage between January 2005 and December 2018 were included. Primary outcome measure was successful drainage. Secondary outcome measures included morbidity, hospital stay, re-intervention rate and mortality. Patients were followed up post-operatively at 1 week, 4 weeks, 3 months and then annually thereafter. Ultrasonography was done periodically for the assessment of cyst resolution. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2018, 154 surgical drainage procedures were performed for symptomatic pseudocyst/walled off necrosis. Out of these, 134 underwent laparoscopic drainage; 129 patients (96.3%) underwent laparoscopic cystogastrostomy and 5 (3.7%) underwent laparoscopic cystojejunostomy. Majority of the patients were male (male:female = 6:1) with a mean age of 36 ± 12.9 years (range 15-58 years). The mean operative time was 94 min (range 64-144 min). There were three conversions because of intra-operative bleeding. The overall post-operative morbidity was 8.9%. The average hospital stay was 4.4 days (2-19 days). The mean duration of follow-up was 5.5 years (range 6 months-13 years). Complete cyst resolution was achieved in 95.5% (n = 128) patients. There has been no mortality till date. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, laparoscopic internal drainage is a very effective technique for drainage of WON with an excellent success rate.

Endoscopic versus laparoscopic drainage of pseudocyst and walled-off necrosis following acute pancreatitis: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic fluid collections (PFC) may develop following acute pancreatitis (AP). Endoscopic and laparoscopic internal drainage are accepted modalities for drainage of PFCs but have not been compared in a randomized trial. Our objective was to compare endoscopic and laparoscopic internal drainage of pseudocyst/walled-off necrosis following AP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with symptomatic pseudocysts or walled-off necrosis suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic transmural internal drainage were randomized to either modality in a randomized controlled trial. Endoscopic drainage comprised of per-oral transluminal cystogastrostomy. Additionally, endoscopic lavage and necrosectomy were done following a step-up approach for infected collections. Surgical laparoscopic cystogastrostomy was done for drainage, lavage, and necrosectomy. Primary outcome was resolution of PFCs by the intended modality and secondary outcome was complications. RESULTS: Sixty patients were randomized, 30 each to laparoscopic and endoscopic drainage. Both groups were comparable for baseline characteristics. The initial success rate was 83.3% in the laparoscopic and 76.6% in the endoscopic group (p = 0.7) after the index intervention. The overall success rate of 93.3% (28/30) and 90% (27/30) in the laparoscopic and endoscopic groups respectively was also similar (p = 1.0). Two patients in the laparoscopic group required endoscopic cystogastrostomy for persistent collections. Similarly, two patients in the endoscopic group required laparoscopic drainage. Postoperative complications were comparable between the groups except for higher post-procedure infection in the endoscopic group (19 vs. 9; p = 0.01) requiring endoscopic re-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques have similar efficacy for internal drainage of suitable pancreatic fluid collections with < 30% debris. The choice of procedure should depend on available expertise and patient preference.

Establishing a Multicentre Trauma Registry in India: An Evaluation of Data Completeness.

BACKGROUND: The completeness of a trauma registry's data is essential for its valid use. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of missing data in a new multicentre trauma registry in India and to assess the association between data completeness and potential predictors of missing data, particularly mortality. METHODS: The proportion of missing data for variables among all adults was determined from data collected from 19 April 2016 to 30 April 2017. In-hospital physiological data were defined as missing if any of initial systolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, or Glasgow Coma Scale were missing. Univariable logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression, using manual stepwise selection, were used to investigate the association between mortality (and other potential predictors) and missing physiological data. RESULTS: Data on the 4466 trauma patients in the registry were analysed. Out of 59 variables, most (n = 51; 86.4%) were missing less than 20% of observations. There were 808 (18.1%) patients missing at least one of the first in-hospital physiological observations. Hospital death was associated with missing in-hospital physiological data (adjusted OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.02-2.01; p = 0.04). Other significant associations with missing data were: patient arrival time out of hours, hospital of care, 'other' place of injury, and specific injury mechanisms. Assault/homicide injury intent and occurrence of chest X-ray were associated with not missing any of first in-hospital physiological variables. CONCLUSION: Most variables were well collected. Hospital death, a proxy for more severe injury, was associated with missing first in-hospital physiological observations. This remains an important limitation for trauma registries.

Mortality due to scrub typhus - report of five cases.

Scrub typhus is largely ignored in India particularly during outbreaks of viral fever. The disease course is often complicated leading to fatalities in the absence of treatment. However, if diagnosed early and a specific treatment is initiated, the cure rate is high. We report here five cases of scrub typhus to highlight the fact that high clinical suspicion for such a deadly disease is an absolute necessity.

Antimicrobial resistance in beta-haemolytic streptococci in India: A four-year study.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The incidence and severity of invasive and non-invasive infections demonstrate variability over time. The emerging resistance of Group A streptococci (GAS) to commonly used antibiotics is of grave concern. This study was conducted to assess the antimicrobial resistance of beta-haemolytic streptococci (ßHS) in India and to ascertain the molecular mechanisms of resistance. METHODS: All isolates of ßHS from the Trauma Centre of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) (north India), and heavily populated area of old Delhi from 2010 to 2014 and Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad (in south India, 2010-2012) and preserved isolates of ßHS at AIIMS (2005-2009) were included. Phenotypic confirmation was done using conventional methods and the Vitek 2. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done by disc diffusion and E-test. Detection of resistance genes, erm(A), erm(B), mef(A), tet(M) and tet(O), was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: A total of 296 isolates of ßHS (240 from north and 21 from south India) were included in the study. Of the 296 ßHS, 220 (74%) were GAS, 52 (17.5%) were Group G streptococci and 11 (3.7%), 10 (3.3%) and three (1%) were Group B streptococci, Group C streptococci and Group F streptococci, respectively. A total of 102 (46%) and 174 (79%) isolates were resistant to tetracycline and erythromycin, respectively; a lower resistance to ciprofloxacin (21, 9.5%) was observed. A total of 42 (14%) and 30 (10%) isolates, respectively, were positive for tet(M) and erm(B) genes. Only 13 (5%) isolates were positive for mef(A). None of the isolates were positive for erm(A) and tet(O). There was discordance between the results of E-test and PCR for erythromycin and tetracycline. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: A high level of resistance to erythromycin and tetracycline was seen in ßHS in India. Discordance between genotypic and phenotypic results was reported. Absence of erm(A) and tet(O) with high prevalence of tet(M) and erm(B) was observed.

Impact of standard-pressure and low-pressure pneumoperitoneum on shoulder pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of shoulder pain (SP) following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) varies between 21 and 80 %. A few randomised controlled trials and meta-analysis have shown lesser SP in LC performed under low-pressure carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (LPCP) than under standard-pressure carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (SPCP). However, the possible compromise in adequate exposure and effective working space during LPCP has negatively influenced its uniform adoption for LC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive patients undergoing elective LC for gallstone disease who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enroled. Fourty patients were randomised to SPCP group (pressure of 14 mmHg) and 40 to LPCP group (pressure of 9-10 mmHg). Primary outcome measured was incidence of SP and its severity on visual analogue scale (VAS) at 4, 8, 24 h and 7 days after LC. Secondary outcomes measured were procedural time, technical difficulty, surgeons' satisfaction score on exposure and working space, intra-operative changes in heart rate and blood pressure, abdominal pain and analgesic requirement. Analyses were performed using Stata software. RESULTS: There was no conversion to open surgery, bile duct injury or need to increase intra-abdominal pressure on either group. Twenty-three patients (57.5 %) in SPCP group and nine patients (22.5 %) in LPCP group had SP (p = 0.001). The severity of SP was significantly more in SPCP group at 8 and 24 h (p = 0.009 and 0.005, respectively). Both the groups had similar procedural time, surgeons' satisfaction score, intra-operative changes in heart rate and blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The incidence and severity of SP following LC performed at LPCP are significantly less compared to that in SPCP. The safety, efficacy and surgeons' satisfaction appear to be comparable in both the groups. Hence, a routine practice of low-pressure carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum may be recommended in selected group of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTRI/2016/02/006590.

Innocuous cardiac gunshot that proved fatal: A bitter lesson learned.

The management of hemodynamically normal patients with retained intra-pericardial foreign body remains a matter of conjecture. The available literature supports non-operative management of such innocuous foreign bodies. We report our experience of a hemodynamically normal patient with a retained intra-pericardial pellet from a firearm injury. He initially received successful non-operative management but developed fatal hemopericardium 21 days after injury. In this paper, we discussed the pitfalls in the management of such injuries in light of the available literature and summarized the clinical experience.

Epidemiological Study of Patients of Road Traffic Injuries Attending Emergency Department of a Trauma Center in New Delhi.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is paucity of data regarding some of the lesser known contextual and epidemiological factors with respect to road traffic injuries (RTIs). The objective was to study the epidemiological profile of RTI victims attending an emergency department of a tertiary care trauma center. METHODS: The present study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care trauma center in New Delhi. All patients of RTI attending the emergency department during the designated data collection days were included in the study. Patients brought dead were excluded from the study. A semi-structured interview schedule was developed for collecting data on various domains such as sociodemographic characteristics, vehicle-related factors, accident site-related factors, personal protection measures, contextual factors, and prehospital care-related factors. RESULTS: A total of 984 patients and informants were approached and finally data of 900 participants were analyzed after excluding those who refused participation and those for whom incomplete data were available. Out of 900 RTI victims, 756 were male (84.0%) and 144 (16.0%) were female. Mean age of the victims was 32.7 years. Most of the victims, i.e., 377 out of 900 (41.9%) were occupants rather than drivers. Majority of victim's vehicle meeting accidents were motorized two-wheelers (53.4%), and majority of the colliding vehicle was a four-wheeler (39.3*). Helmet use was found to be low (63.3%), but seat belt use was particularly low (32.4%). Most accidents (28%) happened between midnight and 6 A.M. More than half of the victims were in a hurry on the day of the accident. An ambulance was used to transport the victims in only 14.6% cases. CONCLUSION: In road traffic accidents some lesser known epidemiological data were generated that may be useful in defining preventive measures.

Patterns of injury among motorized two-wheeler pillion riders in New Delhi, India.

BACKGROUND: Motorized two-wheelers (MTWs) such as scooters and motorcycles place drivers and passengers at significant risk of injury and death in the event of a road traffic accident. In India, where road traffic is poorly regulated and consists of vehicles ranging from semitrucks to animal carts, the MTW pillion rider (backseat passenger) is particularly vulnerable. Annually, approximately 140,000 Indians are injured or killed in MTW road traffic accidents. In 2011, the city of New Delhi renewed a mandatory helmet use exemption for its 8 million women. We sought to identify the patterns of injury among MTW pillion riders in the city of New Delhi, including differences between helmeted and unhelmeted male and female pillion riders. METHODS: All records of incoming trauma patients to the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center, New Delhi, were reviewed for the 23-mo period from April 1, 2009 until March 1, 2011. More than 3000 charts were reviewed selecting for patients who were MTW pillion riders involved in road traffic accidents. Data including Glasgow Coma Scale score, number of surgical procedures performed, length of stay, and demographic information were collected from charts that met the criteria. Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 466 charts of MTW pillions in road traffic accidents were identified with 108 helmeted males, 161 unhelmeted males, three helmeted females, and 194 unhelmeted females. Females, both unhelmeted and helmeted, were more likely to have head and neck injury than unhelmeted males or helmeted males (66.0% and 66.7% versus 53.4% and 27.8%, P < 0.001). Unhelmeted females were most likely to suffer inhospital mortality (17.6%, P = 0.008) and require intensive care unit admission (40.0%, P = 0.004). Unhelmeted pillions, both male and female, had significantly lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores than helmeted pillions (12.6 and 12.8 versus 13.8 and 15, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Female pillions are more likely to have head and neck injury than male pillions, and unhelmeted pillions are more likely to have injuries resulting in their death. This firmly establishes the protective benefit of helmet use for pillions. Encouraging helmet use among all pillions may prevent a significant number of injuries and deaths, and mandatory helmet laws may decrease morbidity and mortality of MTW road traffic accidents for the women of New Delhi and all of India.

Bedside computed tomography in traumatic brain injury: Experience of 10,000 consecutive cases in neurosurgery at a level 1 trauma center in India.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) need frequent computed tomography (CT) of the head for assessment and management. In view of the associated polytrauma, hemodynamic instability, and various in-dwelling catheters and tubes, shifting of patients for CT scans may be difficult. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the role of mobile CT (Ceretom®; NeuroLogica Corporation, Boston, MA, USA) in a trauma center with respect to patient management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study over 67 months (June 2009 to January 2015), the number of CT scans done, the time taken for CT and downtime were evaluated. Also, for the first 1000 mobile CT scans, the clinical and radiological records of all patients with TBI who underwent imaging using the mobile CT scanner in the intensive care units (ICUs) were analyzed. OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS: A total of 10,000 mobile CT scans were done on the mobile CT scanner till January 5, 2015. Of the first 1000 patients evaluated, 75.3% had severe TBI, 15.1% had moderate TBI, and 9.6% had mild TBI. 78.1% patients were on ventilator, with 80.2% requiring sedation and 8.4%, an inotropic support. An in situ intracranial pressure monitoring was present in 21.1% of patients. In all, 12.4% of patients had long-bone fractures requiring skeletal traction; and, the tube thoracostomy was in-situ in 7.4%. No adverse events related to line malfunction/pullout occurred. The mean time for the performance of imaging using the mobile CT scan was 11.6 minutes compared with 47.8 minutes when patients were shifted to a conventional CT scan suite. The machine was nonfunctional 94 times, with an average downtime of 4.2 hours (range 2-72 hours). The life-cycle cost per mobile CT scan was Rs. 1340. CONCLUSIONS: A mobile CT has considerably changed the management response time in the neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU) setup and decreased patient transfer times and the associated complications. Inclusion of a mobile CT scanner in the armamentarium of a neurosurgeon as a "bedside tool" can dramatically change decision making and the response time. It should be considered as the standard of care in any large-volume emergency department or neurosurgical facility.

A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing chronic groin pain and quality of life in lightweight versus heavyweight polypropylene mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to compare chronic groin pain and quality of life (QOL) after laparoscopic lightweight (LW) and heavyweight (HW) mesh repair for groin hernia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty adult patients with uncomplicated inguinal hernia were randomised into HW mesh group or LW mesh group. Return to activity, chronic groin pain and recurrence rates were assessed. Short form-36 v2 health survey was used for QOL analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-one completed follow-up of 3 months, 66 in HW mesh group and 65 in LW mesh group. Early post-operative convalescence was better in LW mesh group in terms of early return to walking (P = 0.01) and driving (P = 0.05). The incidence of early post-operative pain, chronic groin pain and QOL and recurrences were comparable. CONCLUSION: Outcomes following laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair using HW and LW mesh are comparable in the short-term as well as long-term.

Efficacy of contrasting background on a drug label: A prospective, randomized study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Medication error can occur due to fault at any level starting from manufacturing until the administration to the patient. It can be difficult to read the drug name and other information from an ampoule, if there is poor contrast between the font color and background of the ampoule. Primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the contrast color on the ampoule's label. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in a randomized blinded manner at a tertiary level trauma center. One hundred and eight resident doctors participated in the study. All the participants were divided into two groups after randomization. Group A was given the original drug ampoule while the modified ampoule with contrast was given to Group B. Total time in reading the ampoule and difficulty in reading (DR) scoring were noted for each participant. Another scoring regarding correct reading of ampoule was also noted and compared. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used accordingly and P < 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: It was found that mean time taken in reading the original ampoule was more compared to modified ampoule (11.64 ± 1.48 vs. 9.48 ± 1.62 seconds P < 0.05). DR score was also higher in Group A (P < 0.05) and correct reading score was more in Group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The labels on drug ampoules or vials should always have a contrasting background. This may reduce medication error and improve patient safety.

Sequential occurrence of preneoplastic lesions and accumulation of loss of heterozygosity in patients with gallbladder stones suggest causal association with gallbladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Causal association of gallbladder stones with gallbladder cancer (GBC) is not yet well established. OBJECTIVE: To study the frequency of occurrence of preneoplastic histological lesions and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of tumor suppressor genes in patients with gallstones. METHODS: All consecutive patients with gallstones undergoing cholecystectomy from 2007-2011 were included prospectively. Histological examination of the gallbladder specimens was done for preneoplastic lesions. LOH at 8 loci, that is 3p12, 3p14.2, 5q21, 9p21, 9q, 13q, 17p13, and 18q for tumor suppressor genes (DUTT1, FHIT, APC, p16, FCMD, RB1, p53, and DCC genes) that are associated with GBC was tested from microdissected preneoplastic lesions using microsatellite markers. These LOH were also tested in 30 GBC specimens. RESULTS: Of the 350 gallbladder specimens from gallstone patients, hyperplasia was found in 32%, metaplasia in 47.8%, dysplasia in 15.7%, and carcinoma in situ in 0.6%. Hyperplasia, metaplasia, and dysplasia alone were found in 11.7%, 24.6%, and 1.4% of patients, respectively. A combination of hyperplasia and dysplasia, metaplasia and dysplasia, and hyperplasia, metaplasia, and dysplasia was found in 3.4%, 6.3%, and 4.3% of patients, respectively. LOH was present in 2.1% to 47.8% of all the preneoplastic lesions at different loci. Fractional allelic loss was significantly higher in those with dysplasia compared with other preneoplastic lesions (0.31 vs 0.22; P = 0.042). No preneoplastic lesion or LOH was found in normal gallbladders. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with gallstones had a high frequency of preneoplastic lesions and accumulation of LOH at various tumor suppressor genes, suggesting a possible causal association of gallstones with GBC.

Single-stage laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and cholecystectomy versus two-stage endoscopic stone extraction followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy for patients with concomitant gallbladder stones and common bile duct stones: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The ideal method for managing concomitant gallbladder stones and common bile duct (CBD) stones is debatable. The currently preferred method is two-stage endoscopic stone extraction followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). This prospective randomized trial compared the success and cost effectiveness of single- and two-stage management of patients with concomitant gallbladder and CBD stones. METHODS: Consecutive patients with concomitant gallbladder and CBD stones were randomized to either single-stage laparoscopic CBD exploration and cholecystectomy (group 1) or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for endoscopic extraction of CBD stones followed by LC (group 2). Success was defined as complete clearance of CBD and cholecystectomy by the intended method. Cost effectiveness was measured using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed to compare outcomes. RESULTS: From February 2009 to October 2012, 168 patients were randomized: 84 to the single-stage procedure (group 1) and 84 to the two-stage procedure (group 2). Both groups were matched with regard to demographic and clinical parameters. The success rates of laparoscopic CBD exploration and ERCP for clearance of CBD were similar (91.7 vs. 88.1 %). The overall success rate also was comparable: 88.1 % in group 1 and 79.8 % in group 2 (p = 0.20). Direct choledochotomy was performed in 83 of the 84 patients. The mean operative time was significantly longer in group 1 (135.7 ± 36.6 vs. 72.4 ± 27.6 min; p ≤ 0.001), but the overall hospital stay was significantly shorter (4.6 ± 2.4 vs. 5.3 ± 6.2 days; p = 0.03). Group 2 had a significantly greater number of procedures per patient (p < 0.001) and a higher cost (p = 0.002). The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of postoperative wound infection rates or major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Single- and two-stage management for uncomplicated concomitant gallbladder and CBD stones had similar success and complication rates, but the single-stage strategy was better in terms of shorter hospital stay, need for fewer procedures, and cost effectiveness.

Motorised two-wheeler crash and helmets: injury patterns, severity, mortality and the consequence of gender bias.

BACKGROUND: India records the maximum number of deaths from motorised two-wheeler vehicle (MTV) accidents in the world with mandatory helmet laws for males but not females. This study was designed to investigate injury patterns, severity, mortality, and helmet usage among hospital admitted victims of a MTV crash with a paired subgroup analyses on female victims. METHODS: Hospital trauma registry from January 2011 to July 2012 for all adult victims of a MTV crash was analysed for outcomes of mortality, serious head injury, severe facial injury, and cervical spine injury while adjusting for age, gender, use of alcohol/drugs, injury severity score, and presence of shock by multivariable logistic regression model. Groups of helmeted victims (HV) and nonhelmeted victims (NHV) were identified. RESULTS: A total of 2,718 victims were included. HV suffered maximum injuries to the lower extremity (29.04 %) and had reduced adjusted odds of death (odds ratio (OR) 0.65; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.48-0.86), serious head injury (OR 0.34; CI 0.26-0.45), cervical spine injury (OR 0.74; CI 0.54-1.06), and serious facial injury (OR 0.87; CI 0.57-1.26) compared with NHV who suffered maximum injuries to the head (24.49 %). Compliance with helmet use was 52.91 and 7.94 % among males and females respectively. A total of 224 pairs of male driver and female pillion involved in same MTV crash were identified, and the predominantly helmeted male had reduced odds of death (OR 0.44; CI 0.21-0.84) and severe head injury (OR 0.42; CI 0.24-0.72) compared with overwhelmingly nonhelmeted females. CONCLUSIONS: Helmet laws must be strictly enforced, and society should think about the cost being born by its fairer counterpart by the gender-based differential law.

A prospective, randomized comparison of long-term outcomes: chronic groin pain and quality of life following totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: Data are insufficient to compare transabdominal preperitoneal repair (TAPP) and total extraperitoneal (TEP) techniques of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. There is very scant data comparing the two techniques in terms of long-term outcomes, which include chronic groin pain, quality of life, and time to return to normal activity. This prospective, randomized, controlled trial compared TEP versus TAPP techniques of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in terms of these long-term outcomes. METHODS: This study was conducted from May 1, 2007 to March 30, 2012. Patients with uncomplicated groin hernia were randomized to transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) or totally extraperitoneal (TEP) techniques. A total of 160 patients were randomized to group I (TEP) and 154 patients to group II (TAPP). Pain was assessed with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) preoperatively and postoperatively at 24 h, 1 week, 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Quality of life was assessed with Short Form-36 version 2 (SF 36v2) preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 months follow-up. RESULTS: Demographic, clinical profiles, intraoperative, and early postoperative parameters were well matched. There was significantly higher acute pain following TAPP repair; however, the chronic groin pain was comparable in both TEP and TAPP. Preoperative pain and immediate postoperative pain had significant correlation with chronic groin pain. Significant improvement from preoperative to postoperative quality of life was seen in both TEP and TAPP repairs, but there was no difference between TEP and TAPP in postoperative period. Time to return to normal activity also was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The TEP and TAPP techniques of laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernia have comparable long-term outcomes in terms of incidence of chronic groin pain, quality of life, and resumption of normal activities. Chronic groin pain had a significant correlation with preoperative pain and early postoperative pain. However, TAPP was associated with significantly higher incidence of early postoperative pain, longer operative time, and cord edema, whereas TEP was associated with a significant higher incidence of seroma formation. The cost was comparable between the two.

A comparative analysis of trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal repair in uncomplicated vs complicated inguinal hernia repair.

INTRODUCTION: Trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) repair is one of the standard techniques for laparoscopic repair of groin hernias. Literature has shown that both total extraperitoneal (TEP) and TAPP are equally effective with similar outcomes but TAPP has an advantage over TEP as there is more working space, and it provides access to the opposite side for repair of occult hernias. We reviewed our experience of TAPP repair in complicated groin hernias and compared the outcomes with uncomplicated groin hernia. METHODS: Patients undergoing TAPP repair from January 2004 to December 2019 were analyzed, and divided into two groups-I uncomplicated and II complicated groin hernia. RESULTS: TAPP repair was performed in 820 patients, of which 70.3% had uncomplicated and 29.7% patients had complicated hernias. Occult hernia was detected in 61 patients. The intra-operative complications (16.8% vs 1.3%) and conversions (2.4%) were higher in complicated hernias. Laparoscopic assisted repair was used in 16.8% patients with complicated hernias. The incidence of post-operative complications (62.1% vs 17.3%; P value <.01) were significantly higher in complicated groin hernia patients. The median follow-up was 15 months; only three patients in the uncomplicated hernia group developed recurrence, and chronic groin pain was higher in the complicated hernia repair patients (P > .05) at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Although operative time, incidence of intra-operative and post-operative complications (albeit minor in nature), and conversions to open are higher after TAPP repair for complicated groin hernias, the short-term outcomes (hematoma, mesh infection) as well as long-term outcomes (chronic groin pain, port site hernia and recurrence) are not different when compared with uncomplicated hernias. TAPP repair can be used in both complicated and uncomplicated groin hernias with similar short-term and long-term outcomes, albeit with a slightly higher incidence of minor complications in complicated hernias. This can be taken into consideration while operating on patients with complicated hernias and taking informed consent.