Physiologic and biochemical rationale for treating COVID-19 patients with hyperbaric oxygen.

The SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a major worldwide public health issue. Initially, improved supportive and anti-inflammatory intervention, often employing known drugs or technologies, provided measurable improvement in management. We have recently seen advances in specific therapeutic interventions and in vaccines. Nevertheless, it will be months before most of the world's population can be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. In the interim, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment offers several potentially beneficial therapeutic effects. Three small published series, one with a propensity-score-matched control group, have demonstrated safety and initial efficacy. Additional anecdotal reports are consistent with these publications. HBO2 delivers oxygen in extreme conditions of hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia, even in the presence of lung pathology. It provides anti-inflammatory and anti-proinflammatory effects likely to ameliorate the overexuberant immune response common to COVID-19. Unlike steroids, it exerts these effects without immune suppression. One study suggests HBO2 may reduce the hypercoagulability seen in COVID patients. Also, hyperbaric oxygen offers a likely successful intervention to address the oxygen debt expected to arise from a prolonged period of hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia. To date, 11 studies designed to investigate the impact of HBO2 on patients infected with SARS-Cov-2 have been posted on clinicaltrials.gov. This paper describes the promising physiologic and biochemical effects of hyperbaric oxygen in COVID-19 and potentially in other disorders with similar pathologic mechanisms.

The impact of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy on the way endocrinologists treat primary hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Minimally-invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) appears to be changing preoperative treatment and referral patterns for sporadic, nonfamilial, non-multiple endocrine neoplasia, primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). METHODS: The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists membership was surveyed by mail (n=1406 members) regarding physician practices and surgical referral patterns for PHPT. RESULTS: Seven hundred eighty-eight respondents (56%) practiced 17.0+/-0.4 years and referred 63%+/-1% of patients with PHPT for operation. Most endocrinologists (90%) used localizing studies before surgical referral (sestamibi, ultrasound scanning, technetium/thallium scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography). Respondents identified symptoms, calcium homeostasis, bone density, health status, age, and general anesthesia risk as the most important considerations for surgical referral. Most respondents (79%) indicated that MIP availability would increase the number of patients who were referred for operation (P<.001), although most of the respondents stated that MIP would change the extent and duration of preoperative evaluations (P<.001). Respondents in practice for fewer years were more likely to refer patients for MIP (P<.001) and minimize preoperative evaluation (P<.05). Endocrinologists who had a patient with a complication after traditional parathyroidectomy were more likely to embrace MIP (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: MIP availability decreases the extent and duration of preoperative evaluation while decreasing the time from diagnosis to referral. MIP also lowers the endocrinologists' surgical referral threshold for PHPT, although it emphasizes the perceived shortcomings of traditional parathyroidectomy that are held by many physicians.

Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: an initial institutional experience.

BACKGROUND: Ventral and incisional hernias remain a problem for surgeons with reported recurrence rates of 25-50% for open repairs. Laparoscopic approaches offer several theoretical advantages over open repairs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients undergoing a laparoscopic ventral hernia repair from April to December 2000 were prospectively entered in a database. Patients underwent repair with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene dual mesh. Full-thickness abdominal wall nonabsorbable sutures and 5-mm tacks were placed circumferentially. RESULTS: Of 32 patients, 15 underwent incisional repair, 13 had repair of a recurrent incisional hernia, and 4 had repair of a primary abdominal wall defect. Two procedures [2/32; 6.3%] were converted to open, one for loss of abdominal domain and one for neovascularization due to cirrhosis. There were two early recurrences [2/30; 6.7%]. Both of these failures occurred in patients with hernia defects extending to the inguinal ligament, preventing placement of full-thickness abdominal wall sutures inferiorly. Average operating time was 128 +/- 42 min (range 37-225 min). Average length of stay was 1.8 days [range 0-7 days]. There were no transfusion requirements or wound infections. One patient underwent a small bowel resection after completion of repair. One patient required drainage of a seroma 4 weeks after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair can be safely performed with an acceptable early recurrence rate, operative time, length of stay, and morbidity. Securing the mesh with full-thickness abdominal wall sutures in at least four quadrants remains a key factor in preventing early recurrence.