Value of prognostic scoring systems in the era of multimodal therapy for recurrent colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Various predictive scoring systems have been developed to estimate outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). However, data regarding their effectiveness in recurrent CRLM (recCRLM) are very limited. METHODS: Patients who underwent repeat hepatectomy for recCRLM at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany from 2010 to 2021 were included. Nine predictive scoring systems (Fong's, Nordlinger, Nagashima, RAS mutation, Tumor Burden, GAME, CERR, and Glasgow Prognostic score, Basingstoke Index) were evaluated by likelihood ratio (LR) χ2, linear trend (LT) χ2 and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) for their predictive value regarding overall survival (OS) and recurrence free survival (RFS). RESULTS: Among 150 patients, median RFS was 9 (2-124) months with a 5-year RFS rate of 10%. Median OS was 39 (4-131) months with a 5-year OS rate of 32%. For RFS and OS, the Nagashima score showed the best prognostic ability (LT χ2 3.00, LR χ2 9.39, AIC 266.66 and LT χ2 2.91, LR χ2 20.91, 290.36). DISCUSSION: The Nagashima score showed the best prognostic stratification to predict recurrence as well as survival, and therefore might be considered when evaluating patients with recCRLM for repeat hepatectomy.

Optical coherence tomography combined with convolutional neural networks can differentiate between intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and liver parenchyma ex vivo.

PURPOSE: Surgical resection with complete tumor excision (R0) provides the best chance of long-term survival for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). A non-invasive imaging technology, which could provide quick intraoperative assessment of resection margins, as an adjunct to histological examination, is optical coherence tomography (OCT). In this study, we investigated the ability of OCT combined with convolutional neural networks (CNN), to differentiate iCCA from normal liver parenchyma ex vivo. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients undergoing elective liver resections for iCCA between June 2020 and April 2021 (n = 11) were included in this study. Areas of interest from resection specimens were scanned ex vivo, before formalin fixation, using a table-top OCT device at 1310 nm wavelength. Scanned areas were marked and histologically examined, providing a diagnosis for each scan. An Xception CNN was trained, validated, and tested in matching OCT scans to their corresponding histological diagnoses, through a 5 × 5 stratified cross-validation process. RESULTS: Twenty-four three-dimensional scans (corresponding to approx. 85,603 individual) from ten patients were included in the analysis. In 5 × 5 cross-validation, the model achieved a mean F1-score, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.94, 0.94, and 0.93, respectively. CONCLUSION: Optical coherence tomography combined with CNN can differentiate iCCA from liver parenchyma ex vivo. Further studies are necessary to expand on these results and lead to innovative in vivo OCT applications, such as intraoperative or endoscopic scanning.

The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on emergency general surgery in the first German "hotspot region" Aachen-Heinsberg-A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

This study aimed to observe the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on acute general surgery in the first German "hotspot" regions of Heinsberg and Aachen, during the first months of the pandemic. The incidence and severity of acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis and mechanical bowel obstruction, were compared between March and May 2020 and a control period (same months of the previous three years). Pre-, intra- and postoperative data was compared between three regional hospitals of Heinsberg and the closest maximum care, university hospital. A total of 592 operated patients were included, 141 belonging to the pandemic cohort and 451 to the historic cohort. The pandemic group showed higher rates of clinical peritonitis (38% vs. 27%, p = 0.015), higher rates of mean white blood cell count (13.2±4.4 /nl vs. 12.3±4.7 /nl, p = 0.044) and mean C-reactive protein (60.3±81.1 mg/l vs. 44.4±72.6 mg/l, p = 0.015) preoperatively. Specifically in patients with acute appendicitis, there were less patients with catarrhal appendicitis (23% vs. 35%, p = 0.021) and a tendency towards more advanced histological findings in the pandemic cohort. In the university hospital, a 42% reduction in acute operated cases was observed at the onset of the pandemic (n = 30 in 2020 vs. n = 52 in 2019), whereas in the peripheral hospitals of Heinsberg there was only a 10% reduction (n = 111 in 2020 vs. n = 123 in 2019). The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in our region was accompanied by advanced preoperative and intraoperative findings in patients undergoing emergency general surgery. A greater reduction in acute operated surgical cases was observed at the university hospital, in contrast to the smaller hospitals of Heinsberg, suggesting a possible shift of emergency patients, requiring immediate operation, from maximum care hospital to the periphery.

Optical coherence tomography and convolutional neural networks can differentiate colorectal liver metastases from liver parenchyma ex vivo.

PURPOSE: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging technology based on low-coherence interferometry, which provides non-invasive, high-resolution cross-sectional images of biological tissues. A potential clinical application is the intraoperative examination of resection margins, as a real-time adjunct to histological examination. In this ex vivo study, we investigated the ability of OCT to differentiate colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) from healthy liver parenchyma, when combined with convolutional neural networks (CNN). METHODS: Between June and August 2020, consecutive adult patients undergoing elective liver resections for CRLM were included in this study. Fresh resection specimens were scanned ex vivo, before fixation in formalin, using a table-top OCT device at 1310 nm wavelength. Scanned areas were marked and histologically examined. A pre-trained CNN (Xception) was used to match OCT scans to their corresponding histological diagnoses. To validate the results, a stratified k-fold cross-validation (CV) was carried out. RESULTS: A total of 26 scans (containing approx. 26,500 images in total) were obtained from 15 patients. Of these, 13 were of normal liver parenchyma and 13 of CRLM. The CNN distinguished CRLM from healthy liver parenchyma with an F1-score of 0.93 (0.03), and a sensitivity and specificity of 0.94 (0.04) and 0.93 (0.04), respectively. CONCLUSION: Optical coherence tomography combined with CNN can distinguish between healthy liver and CRLM with great accuracy ex vivo. Further studies are needed to improve upon these results and develop in vivo diagnostic technologies, such as intraoperative scanning of resection margins.

Correction: Daskalaki et al. Early Postoperative Parathormone and Calcium as Prognostic Factors for Postoperative Hypocalcemia. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 2389.

In the published article [...].

Early Postoperative Parathormone and Calcium as Prognostic Factors for Postoperative Hypocalcemia.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative hypocalcemia is one of the most common complications after total thyroidectomy. Parathormone (PTH) and calcium levels, measured several hours after surgery, have been suggested as valuable markers for detecting patients at risk for post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. We aimed to determine if early post-surgery PTH and calcium levels can be used for the early identification of patients at risk for symptomatic hypocalcemia. METHODS: PTH and calcium were measured before surgery and at 10 min and 4 h post-thyroidectomy, in 77 patients. Performance characteristics of PTH and calcium levels and their post/pre-surgery ratios were calculated. RESULTS: Four-hour calcium was a sensitive (93.75%) but not specific (67.61%) indicator of patients at risk for symptomatic hypocalcemia. The 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio was the most accurate (90.81%) and the most specific (94.37%) test to identify patients at risk. Serum calcium at 4-h, 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio, and PTH at 10 min post-surgery had the higher diagnostic odds ratios (50.86, 32.85, and 29.04, respectively). The 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio also had the highest (0.694) Youden's J statistic. CONCLUSIONS: Low serum calcium levels 4 h after thyroidectomy and the 4-h/pre-surgery PTH ratio could be valuable additions to everyday clinical practice in post-thyroidectomy patients.

A Comparison of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) Tool for Older Patients Undergoing General Surgery.

The optimal malnutrition screening tool in geriatric surgery has yet to be determined. Herein, we compare two main tools in older patients undergoing general surgery operations. Older patients (>65 years old) who underwent general surgery operations between 2012 and 2017 in a tertiary centre were included. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) were used for nutritional risk assessment. Preoperative variables as well as postoperative outcomes were recorded prospectively. Agreement between tools was determined with the weighted kappa (κ) statistic. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the association of the screening tools with postoperative outcomes. A total of 302 patients (median age 74 years, range: 65-92) were included. A similar number of patients were classified as medium/high risk for malnutrition with the MNA-SF and MUST (26% vs. 36%, p = 0.126). Agreement between the two tools was moderate (weighted κ: 0.474; 95%CI: 0.381-0.568). In the multivariate analysis, MNA-SF was associated significantly with postoperative mortality (p = 0.038) and with postoperative length of stay (p = 0.001). MUST was associated with postoperative length of stay (p = 0.048). The MNA-SF seems to be more consistently associated with postoperative outcomes in elderly patients undergoing general surgery compared with the MUST tool.

Systematic Review of Economic Models Used to Compare Techniques for Detecting Peripheral Arterial Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common condition, in which atherosclerotic narrowing in the arteries restricts blood supply to the leg muscles. In order to support future model-based economic evaluations comparing methods of diagnosis in this area, a systematic review of economic modelling studies was conducted. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed in June 2017 to identify model-based economic evaluations of diagnostic tests to detect PAD, with six individual databases searched. The review was conducted in accordance with the methods outlined in the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination's guidance for undertaking reviews in healthcare, and appropriate inclusion criteria were applied. Relevant data were extracted, and studies were quality assessed. RESULTS: Seven studies were included in the final review, all of which were published between 1995 and 2014. There was wide variation in the types of diagnostic test compared. The majority of the studies (six of seven) referenced the sources used to develop their model, and all studies stated and justified the structural assumptions. Reporting of the data within the included studies could have been improved. Only one identified study focused on the cost-effectiveness of a test typically used in primary care. CONCLUSIONS: This review brings together all applied modelling methods for tests used in the diagnosis of PAD, which could be used to support future model-based economic evaluations in this field. The limited modelling work available on tests typically used for the detection of PAD in primary care, in particular, highlights the importance of future work in this area.

An observational study of Donor Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion in UK lung transplantation: DEVELOP-UK.

BACKGROUND: Many patients awaiting lung transplantation die before a donor organ becomes available. Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) allows initially unusable donor lungs to be assessed and reconditioned for clinical use. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the Donor Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion in UK lung transplantation study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of EVLP in increasing UK lung transplant activity. DESIGN: A multicentre, unblinded, non-randomised, non-inferiority observational study to compare transplant outcomes between EVLP-assessed and standard donor lungs. SETTING: Multicentre study involving all five UK officially designated NHS adult lung transplant centres. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged ≥ 18 years with advanced lung disease accepted onto the lung transplant waiting list. INTERVENTION: The study intervention was EVLP assessment of donor lungs before determining suitability for transplantation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was survival during the first 12 months following lung transplantation. Secondary outcome measures were patient-centred outcomes that are influenced by the effectiveness of lung transplantation and that contribute to the health-care costs. RESULTS: Lungs from 53 donors unsuitable for standard transplant were assessed with EVLP, of which 18 (34%) were subsequently transplanted. A total of 184 participants received standard donor lungs. Owing to the early closure of the study, a non-inferiority analysis was not conducted. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of survival at 12 months was 0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40 to 0.83] for the EVLP arm and 0.80 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.85) for the standard arm. The hazard ratio for overall 12-month survival in the EVLP arm relative to the standard arm was 1.96 (95% CI 0.83 to 4.67). Patients in the EVLP arm required ventilation for a longer period and stayed longer in an intensive therapy unit (ITU) than patients in the standard arm, but duration of overall hospital stay was similar in both groups. There was a higher rate of very early grade 3 primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in the EVLP arm, but rates of PGD did not differ between groups after 72 hours. The requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support was higher in the EVLP arm (7/18, 38.8%) than in the standard arm (6/184, 3.2%). There were no major differences in rates of chest radiograph abnormalities, infection, lung function or rejection by 12 months. The cost of EVLP transplants is approximately £35,000 higher than the cost of standard transplants, as a result of the cost of the EVLP procedure, and the increased ECMO use and ITU stay. Predictors of cost were quality of life on joining the waiting list, type of transplant and number of lungs transplanted. An exploratory model comparing a NHS lung transplant service that includes EVLP and standard lung transplants with one including only standard lung transplants resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £73,000. Interviews showed that patients had a good understanding of the need for, and the processes of, EVLP. If EVLP can increase the number of usable donor lungs and reduce waiting, it is likely to be acceptable to those waiting for lung transplantation. Study limitations include small numbers in the EVLP arm, limiting analysis to descriptive statistics and the EVLP protocol change during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, one-third of donor lungs subjected to EVLP were deemed suitable for transplant. Estimated survival over 12 months was lower than in the standard group, but the data were also consistent with no difference in survival between groups. Patients receiving these additional transplants experience a higher rate of early graft injury and need for unplanned ECMO support, at increased cost. The small number of participants in the EVLP arm because of early study termination limits the robustness of these conclusions. The reason for the increased PGD rates, high ECMO requirement and possible differences in lung injury between EVLP protocols needs evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN44922411. FUNDING: This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 85. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.