The Effect of Preoperative Administration of Glucocorticoids on the Postoperative Complication Rate in Liver Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Glucocorticoids may grant a protective effect against postoperative complications. The evidence on their efficacy, however, has been inconclusive thus far. We investigated the effects of preoperatively administered glucocorticoids on the overall postoperative complication rate, and on liver function recovery in patients undergoing major liver surgery. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search on PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL in October 2021, and repeated the search in April 2023. Pre-study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021284559). Studies investigating patients undergoing liver resections or transplantation who were administered glucocorticoids preoperatively and reported postoperative complications were eligible. Meta-analyses were performed using META and DMETAR packages in R with a random effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB2. Results: The selection yielded 11 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 964 patients. Data from nine RCTs (n = 837) revealed a tendency toward a lower overall complication rate with glucocorticoid administration (odds ratio: 0.71; 95% confidence interval: 0.38-1.31, p = 0.23), but it was not statistically significant. Data pooled from seven RCTs showed a significant reduction in wound infections with glucocorticoid administration [odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.45-0.92 p = 0.02]. Due to limited data availability, meta-analysis of liver function recovery parameters was not possible. Conclusions: The preoperative administration of glucocorticoids did not significantly reduce the overall postoperative complication rate. Future clinical trials should investigate homogenous patient populations with a specific focus on postoperative liver recovery.

Predicting residual cholesteatoma with the Potsic staging system still lacks evidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the rate of residual disease in the Potsic staging system for congenital cholesteatomas. METHODS: A protocol registration was published on PROSPERO (CRD42022383932), describing residual disease as a primary outcome and hearing improvement as secondary. A systematic search was performed in four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science) on December 14, 2022. Articles were included if cholesteatomas were staged according to the Potsic system and follow-up duration was documented. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Quality In Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. In the statistical synthesis a random effects model was used. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using I2. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were found to be eligible for systematic review and seven were included in the meta-analysis section. All records were retrospective cohort studies with high risk of bias. Regarding the proportions of residual disease, analysis using the χ2 test showed no statistically significant difference between Potsic stages after a follow-up of minimum one year (stage I 0.06 (confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.33); stage II 0.20 (CI 0.09-0.38); stage III 0.06 (CI 0.00-0.61); stage IV: 0.17 (CI 0.01-0.81)). Postoperative and preoperative hearing outcomes could not be analyzed due to varied reporting. Results on cholesteatoma location and mean age at staging were consistent with those previously published. CONCLUSION: No statistically significant difference was found in the proportions of residual disease between Potsic stages, thus the staging system's applicability for outcome prediction could not be proven based on the available data. Targeted studies are needed for a higher level of evidence.

Evidence for gait improvement with robotic-assisted gait training of children with cerebral palsy remains uncertain.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neuromotor diseases that develops as a result of damage to the developing central nervous system during the perinatal period. The condition is usually accompanied by musculoskeletal problems resulting in movement disorders. Gait improvement therefore, is an important part of its treatment. Roboticassisted gait training (RAGT) is a new potential rehabilitation tool for CP patients, however there is no clear evidence for the effectiveness of this method. RESEARCH QUESTION: Can robotic-assisted gait training improve walking function in children with CP? METHODS: A systematic search was performed in five databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT) with CP patients under the age of 18. Gross motor function and kinematic gait parameters of patients were the main outcomes. Two authors determined the risk of bias of the RCTs independently using the revised Risk of Bias 2 (ROB 2) tool. Mean Differences (MDs) along with their 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were calculated when at least three studies were present for an outcome, subgroup analysis was performed based on the treatment of the control group. RESULTS: Of the 7363 screened articles, 13 papers met our inclusion criteria and among them, 7 studies could be used in our meta-analyses. The results related to RAGT suggest nonsignificant improvement in standing and walking function (Gross Motor Function Measure D, E), moreover changes in gait speed, step length, and in cadence were also only comparable to controls. SIGNIFICANCE: The results indicate that there is a trend in some gait parameters where the improvement was higher in the intervention group than in control group. The therapeutic effect of RAGT was probably not superior to physiotherapy combined with treadmill training.

Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy may shorten length of treatment and may improve survival-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate antibiotic (AB) therapy remains a challenge in the intensive care unit (ICU). Procalcitonin (PCT)-guided AB stewardship could help optimize AB treatment and decrease AB-related adverse effects, but firm evidence is still lacking. Our aim was to compare the effects of PCT-guided AB therapy with standard of care (SOC) in critically ill patients. METHODS: We searched databases CENTRAL, Embase and Medline. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PCT-guided AB therapy (PCT group) with SOC reporting on length of AB therapy, mortality, recurrent and secondary infection, ICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS or healthcare costs. Due to recent changes in sepsis definitions, subgroup analyses were performed in studies applying the Sepsis-3 definition. In the statistical analysis, a random-effects model was used to pool effect sizes. RESULTS: We included 26 RCTs (n = 9048 patients) in the quantitative analysis. In comparison with SOC, length of AB therapy was significantly shorter in the PCT group (MD - 1.79 days, 95% CI: -2.65, - 0.92) and was associated with a significantly lower 28-day mortality (OR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.95). In Sepsis-3 patients, mortality benefit was more pronounced (OR 0.46 95% CI: 0.27, 0.79). Odds of recurrent infection were significantly higher in the PCT group (OR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.68), but there was no significant difference in the odds of secondary infection (OR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.54, 1.21), ICU and hospital length of stay (MD - 0.67 days 95% CI: - 1.76, 0.41 and MD - 1.23 days, 95% CI: - 3.13, 0.67, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: PCT-guided AB therapy may be associated with reduced AB use, lower 28-day mortality but higher infection recurrence, with similar ICU and hospital length of stay. Our results render the need for better designed studies investigating the role of PCT-guided AB stewardship in critically ill patients.

Investigating the association between IL-6 antagonist therapy and blood coagulation in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a protocol for a prospective, observational, multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: Hypercoagulation is one the main features of COVID-19. It is induced by the hyperinflammatory response that shifts the balance of haemostasis towards pro-coagulation. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) antagonist therapy has been recommended in certain subgroups of critically ill patients with COVID-19 to modulate inflammatory response. The interaction between immune response and haemostasis is well recognised. Therefore, our objective is to evaluate whether the modulation of the inflammatory response by IL-6 antagonist inflicts any changes in whole blood coagulation as assessed by viscoelastic methods in critically ill patients with COVID-19. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this prospective observational study, we are going to collect data on inflammatory parameters and blood coagulation using the ClotPro® device. The primary outcome is the change of the fibrinolytic system measured by the Lysis Time and Lysis onset time before and after immunomodulation therapy. Data will be collected before the IL-6 antagonist administration at baseline (T0) then after 24, 48 hours, then on day 5 and 7 (T1-4, respectively). Secondary outcomes include changes in other parameters related to inflammation, blood coagulation and biomarkers of endothelial injury. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was given by the Medical Research Council of Hungary (1405-3/2022/EÜG). All participants provided written consent. The results of the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05218369; Clinicaltrials.gov.

Hemoadsorption in the critically ill-Final results of the International CytoSorb Registry.

The aim of the current paper is to summarize the results of the International CytoSorb Registry. Data were collected on patients of the intensive care unit. The primary endpoint was actual in-hospital mortality compared to the mortality predicted by APACHE II score. The main secondary endpoints were SOFA scores, inflammatory biomarkers and overall evaluation of the general condition. 1434 patients were enrolled. Indications for hemoadsorption were sepsis/septic shock (N = 936); cardiac surgery perioperatively (N = 172); cardiac surgery postoperatively (N = 67) and "other" reasons (N = 259). APACHE-II-predicted mortality was 62.0±24.8%, whereas observed hospital mortality was 50.1%. Overall SOFA scores did not change but cardiovascular and pulmonary SOFA scores decreased by 0.4 [-0.5;-0.3] and -0.2 [-0.3;-0.2] points, respectively. Serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels showed significant reduction: -15.4 [-19.6;-11.17] ng/mL; -17,52 [-70;44] mg/L, respectively. In the septic cohort PCT and IL-6 also showed significant reduction: -18.2 [-23.6;-12.8] ng/mL; -2.6 [-3.0;-2.2] pg/mL, respectively. Evaluation of the overall effect: minimal improvement (22%), much improvement (22%) and very much improvement (10%), no change observed (30%) and deterioration (4%). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome of mortality, but there were improvements in cardiovascular and pulmonary SOFA scores and a reduction in PCT, CRP and IL-6 levels. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02312024 (retrospectively registered).

Topical pharmacotherapy for ocular surface squamous neoplasia: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) has different treatment modalities. Although surgical excision has been the gold standard therapeutic option, topical pharmacotherapy agents such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), interferon alfa-2b (IFN) and mitomycin-C (MMC) are also commonly used. The protocol was registered (CRD42021224961). Comprehensive literature research was carried out to compare topical pharmacotherapy (5-FU or IFN or MMC) to surgical excision regarding clinical success (tumor resolution), recurrence and complications in patients undergoing treatment for OSSN. From 7859 records, 7 articles were included in the qualitative and 4 in the quantitative synthesis. The outcomes of surgical excision and topical pharmacotherapy were comparable in the included articles. There were no significant differences between surgical excision and topical pharmacotherapy regarding the clinical success [odds ratio (OR): 0.785; confidence interval (CI): 0.130-4.736, P = 0.792)] and tumor recurrence (OR: 0.746; CI: 0.213-2.609; P = 0.646). The most common side effect of the different therapeutic options was dry eye. The highest rate of dry eye symptoms was reported after surgical excision (in 59%). Topical pharmacotherapy with all the 3 agents is as effective and well-tolerable as surgical excision in terms of tumor resolution, recurrence rate and side effects in all OSSN patients suggesting similar long-term clinical benefits.

Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy Enhances Gastrointestinal Recovery after Laparoscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

(1) Background: Whether goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) provides any outcome benefit as compared to non-goal-directed fluid therapy (N-GDFT) in elective abdominal laparoscopic surgery has not been determined yet. (2) Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus. The main outcomes were length of hospital stay (LOHS), time to first flatus and stool, intraoperative fluid and vasopressor requirements, serum lactate levels, and urinary output. Pooled risks ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% CI for continuous outcomes. (3) Results: Eleven studies were included in the quantitative, and fifteen in the qualitative synthesis. LOHS (WMD: -1.18 days, 95% CI: -1.84 to -0.53) and time to first stool (WMD: -9.8 h; CI -12.7 to -7.0) were significantly shorter in the GDFT group. GDFT resulted in significantly less intraoperative fluid administration (WMD: -441 mL, 95% CI: -790 to -92) and lower lactate levels at the end of the operation: WMD: -0.25 mmol L-1; 95% CI: -0.36 to -0.14. (4) Conclusions: GDFT resulted in enhanced recovery of the gastrointestinal function and shorter LOHS as compared to N-GDFT.

Frailty and Emergency Surgery: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Frailty, a "syndrome of loss of reserves," is a decade old concept. Initially it was used mainly in geriatrics but lately its use has been extended into other specialties including surgery. Our main objective was to examine the association between frailty and mortality, between frailty and length of hospital stay (LOS) and frailty and readmission within 30 days in the emergency surgical population. Methods: Studies reporting on frailty in the emergency surgical population were eligible. MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched with terms related to acute surgery and frail*. We searched for eligible articles without any restrictions on the 2nd of November 2020. Odds ratios (OR) and weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI), using a random effect model. Risk of bias assessment was performed according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration. As the finally selected studies were either prospective or retrospective cohorts, the "Quality In Prognosis Studies" (QUIPS) tool was used. Results: At the end of the selection process 21 eligible studies with total 562.070 participants from 8 countries were included in the qualitative and the quantitative synthesis. Patients living with frailty have higher chance of dying within 30 days after an emergency surgical admission (OR: 1.99; CI: 1.76-2.21; p < 0.001). We found a tendency of increased LOS with frailty in acute surgical patients (WMD: 4.75 days; CI: 1.79-7.71; p = 0.002). Patients living with frailty have increased chance of 30-day readmission after discharge (OR: 1.36; CI: 1.06-1.75; p = 0.015). Conclusions: Although there is good evidence that living with frailty increases the chance of unfavorable outcomes, further research needs to be done to assess the benefits and costs of frailty screening for emergency surgical patients. Systematic Review Registration: The review protocol was registered on the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42021224689).

Tenodesis yields better functional results than tenotomy in long head of the biceps tendon operations-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pathology of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) is a common disorder affecting muscle function and causing considerable pain for the patient. The literature on the two surgical treatment methods (tenotomy and tenodesis) is controversial; therefore, our aim was to compare the results of these interventions. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis using the following strategy: (P) patients with LHBT pathology, (I) tenodesis, (C) tenotomy, (O) elbow flexion and forearm supination strength, pain assessed on the ten-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), bicipital cramping pain, Constant, ASES, and SST score, Popeye deformity, and operative time. We included only randomized clinical trials. We searched five databases. During statistical analysis, odds ratios (OR) and weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated for dichotomous and continuous outcomes, respectively, using the Bayesian method with random effect model. RESULTS: We included 11 studies in the systematic review, nine of these were eligible for the meta-analysis, containing data about 572 patients (279 in the tenodesis, 293 in the tenotomy group). Our analysis concluded that tenodesis is more beneficial considering 12-month elbow flexion strength (WMD: 3.67 kg; p = 0.006), 12-month forearm supination strength (WMD: 0.36 kg; p = 0.012), and 24-month Popeye deformity (OR: 0.19; p < 0.001), whereas tenotomy was associated with decreased 3-month pain scores on VAS (WMD: 0.99; p < 0.001). We did not find significant difference among the other outcomes. CONCLUSION: Tenodesis yields better results in terms of biceps function and is non-inferior regarding long-term pain, while tenotomy is associated with earlier pain relief.

The effect of volatile anesthetics on cellular responses in the microcirculation of free tissue transfers.

The purpose of this review was to summarize the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties of volatile anesthetics and present their potential impact on the outcomes of major surgical procedures as well as microsurgical cases of free tissue transfer. Inhaled anesthetics are commonly used as a component of general anesthesia in interventional procedures, reconstructive surgery, free tissue transfers and transplantation. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that volatile anesthetics such as halothane, sevoflurane, isoflurane or desflurane can affect the immune system of patients exposed to general anesthesia. In patients with no serious systemic diseases, this effect is transient and mostly clinically irrelevant. However, in patients subjected to the inflammatory response due to the active disease, cardiac or pulmonary failure or advanced age, the prognosis may improve or worsen following inhalation anesthesia depending on the type of systemic pathology. The available data from reported clinical trials, as well as the in vitro and in vivo experimental studies, have often reported conflicting statements regarding the impact of inhalation anesthetics on outcomes of surgical procedures. These differences may be due to the heterogeneity of the evaluated patients, the extent and duration of surgical procedures, and different experimental design and methodologies applied for assessment of the reported clinical and research studies. In this review, based on the available literature reports we have summarized the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects as well as cellular responses of inhalation anesthetics at the microcirculatory level and discussed their potential clinical implications for the outcomes of surgical procedures of free tissue transfers.

Inflammatory Biomarkers Are Inaccurate Indicators of Bacterial Infection on Admission in Patients With Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-A Systematic Review and Diagnostic Accuracy Network Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The value of inflammatory biomarkers in the diagnosis of bacterial infection induced acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is currently unclear. Our objective was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of on-admission inflammatory biomarkers in differentiating bacterial origin in AECOPD. Methods: Systematic literature search was performed to include cross-sectional studies on AECOPD patients with microbiological culture results as gold standard, and at least one on-admission inflammatory biomarker determined from serum: C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, eosinophil percentage, CD64index; or sputum: neutrophil elastase, tumor necrosis factor alfa, interleukin-1-beta (IL-1b), interleukin-8, sputum color, as index tests. We ranked index tests by superiority indices in a network meta-analysis and also calculated pooled sensitivity and specificity. Results: Altogether, 21 eligible articles reported data on 2,608 AECOPD patients (44% bacterial). Out of the 14 index tests, sputum IL-1b showed the highest diagnostic performance with a pooled sensitivity of 74% (CI: 26-97%) and specificity of 65% (CI: 19-93%). Pooled sensitivity for CRP and PCT were: 67% (CI: 54-77%) and 54% (CI: 39-69%); specificity 62% (CI: 52-71%) and 71% (CI: 59-79%), respectively. Conclusion: Admission inflammatory biomarkers are inaccurate indicators of bacterial infection in AECOPD. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#myprospero, identifier: 42020161301.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in intensive care unit / Extracorporalis membránoxigenizáció intenzív osztályon.

Összefoglaló. Az extracorporalis membránoxigenizációt egyre gyakrabban alkalmazzák világszerte refrakter légzési és/vagy keringési elégtelenség kezelésében. Intézetünkben 2015-ben kezdtük meg a program elokészítését és felépítését. Célunk az extracorporalis membránoxigenizációs kezelés élettani alapjainak rövid ismertetése, különös tekintettel a venovenosus konfigurációra, és az eddig kezelt eseteink eredményeinek összefoglalása. Az irodalom szisztematikus áttekintése és a kezelt esetek adatainak retrospektív értékelése voltak a módszereink. 2016 óta összesen 14 beteg esetében használtunk extracorporalis membránoxigenizációt (8 férfi, 6 no, életkor 51 ± 15 év, APACHE II. score 24 ± 7). Az indikáció 9 esetben súlyos refrakter hypoxaemiás légzési elégtelenség, 1 esetben tracheooesophagealis fistula és légzési elégtelenség, 1 esetben mutét alatti támogatás tervezett trachearekonstrukció során és 3 beteg esetében refrakter cardiogen shock volt. Az extracorporalis membránoxigenizáció 11 betegben a légzés, 3 betegben a keringés támogatását szolgálta, 13 venovenosus, 1 venoarteriosus konfigurációban. Az extracorporalis támogatás ideje légzéstámogatás esetében 14 ± 6 nap, a cardialis támogatások esetében 5 ± 4 nap volt. Az intenzív osztályos ápolási ido 27 ± 13, illetve 21 ± 17 nap volt a két betegcsoportban. 9 beteget jó funkcionális állapotban bocsátottunk el, 5 beteg halt meg osztályunkon, további 3 késobb a kórházi bennfekvés során. Az extracorporalis membránoxigenizációs program regionális centrumokban Magyarországon is megvalósítható. A nemzetközi ajánlások, oktatási módszerek alkalmazásával a nemzetközi irodalomban közölt túlélési eredményekhez hasonló eredmények érhetok el hazánkban is. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(11): 425-431. Summary. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenisation is commonly used worldwide for refractory respiratory and circulatory failure. We started to organise the introduction of this therapeutic modality in 2015. Our aim is to give a short review about extracorporeal life support, especially veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and to present our first results. We provide a systematic review of the currently available literature and a summary of our first treatments. As of 2016, we supported 14 patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenisation (8 men, age 51 ± 15 years, APACHE II score 24 ± 7). The indications were refractory hypoxaemic respiratory failure in 9, tracheo-oesophageal fistula and respiratory failure in 1, support during surgery for planned tracheal reconstruction in 1, and refractory cardiogenic shock in 3 patients. We provided respiratory support in 11, circulatory support in 3 cases, with 13 veno-venous and 1 veno-arterial configuration. The support lasted for 14 ± 6 days in respiratory, and for 5 ± 4 days in cardiac cases. Intensive care length of stay was 27 ± 13 and 21 ± 17 days in the two patient groups. We discharged 9 patients in good functional state, 5 patients died during intensive care and further 3 later, during the hospital stay. Our results show that the implementation of an extracoporeal membrane oxygenation program is feasible in Hungarian tertiary centers. In line with international recommendations and adapting international training courses, the survival is very similar to that reported in the literature. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(11): 425-431.

Comparison of adequacy of anaesthesia monitoring with standard clinical practice monitoring during routine general anaesthesia: An international, multicentre, single-blinded randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that monitoring the levels of both hypnosis and antinociception could reduce periods of inadequate anaesthesia. However, the evidence regarding associated benefits of this monitoring is still limited. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to confirm that guidance of anaesthesia by depth of hypnosis and antinociception monitoring decreases the number of inadequate anaesthesia events in comparison with standard clinical practice. DESIGN: A multicentre, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial. SETTING: The study was conducted in four European University hospitals in four different countries between December 2013 and November 2016. PATIENTS: The study population consisted of a total of 494 adult patients undergoing elective surgery requiring tracheal intubation. INTERVENTIONS: The patients were allocated to one of two groups. The first group was treated using Entropy for depth of hypnosis and surgical pleth index to determine depth of antinociception (adequacy of anaesthesia group; AoA group). The second group was monitored using standard monitoring alone (control group). Anaesthesia was conducted with target-controlled infusions of propofol and remifentanil. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome of the study was the number of total unwanted events for example signs of inadequately light or unintentionally deep anaesthesia. RESULTS: Evidence of inadequate anaesthesia had an incidence of around 0.7 events per patient in both groups with no difference between groups (P = 0.519). In the AoA group, the overall consumption of propofol was significantly reduced (6.9 vs. 7.5 mg kg h, P = 0.008) in comparison with the control group. The consumption of remifentanil was equal in both groups. The times to emergence [8.0 vs. 9.6 min (P = 0.005)] and full recovery in the postanaesthesia care unit (P = 0.043) were significantly shorter in the AoA group. No differences were seen in postoperative pain scores or in the use of analgesics. CONCLUSION: In the current study, the guidance of total intravenous anaesthesia by Entropy and surgical pleth index in comparison with standard monitoring alone was not able to validate reduction of unwanted anaesthesia events. However, there was a reduction in the use of propofol, and shorter times for emergence and time spent in the postanaesthesia care unit. TRIAL REGISTRATION: at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01928875.

Effects of intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure optimization on respiratory mechanics and the inflammatory response: a randomized controlled trial.

Applying lung protective mechanical ventilation (LPV) during general anaesthesia even in patients with non-injured lungs is recommended. However, the effects of an individual PEEP-optimisation on respiratory mechanics, oxygenation and their potential correlation with the inflammatory response and postoperative complications have not been evaluated have not been compared to standard LPV in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Thirty-nine patients undergoing open radical cystectomy were enrolled in this study. In the study group (SG) optimal PEEP was determined by a decremental titration procedure and defined as the PEEP value resulting the highest static pulmonary compliance. In the control group (CG) PEEP was set to 6 cmH2O. Primary endpoints were intraoperative respiratory mechanics and gas exchange parameters. Secondary outcomes were perioperative procalcitonin kinetics and postoperative pulmonary complications. Optimal PEEP levels (median = 10, range: 8-14 cmH2O), PaO2/FiO2 (451.24 ± 121.78 mmHg vs. 404.15 ± 115.87 mmHg, P = 0.005) and static pulmonary compliance (52.54 ± 13.59 ml cmH2O-1 vs. 45.22 ± 9.13 ml cmH2O-1, P < 0.0001) were significantly higher, while driving pressure (8.26 ± 1.74 cmH2O vs. 9.73 ± 4.02 cmH2O, P < 0.0001) was significantly lower in the SG as compared to the CG. No significant intergroup differences were found in procalcitonin kinetics (P = 0.076). Composite outcome results indicated a non-significant reduction of postoperative complications in the SG. Intraoperative PEEP-optimization resulted in significant improvement in gas exchange and pulmonary mechanics as compared to standard LPV. Whether these have any effect on short and long term outcomes require further investigations. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT02931409.

Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Appears to Be Effective and Safe as a Part of Multimodal Analgesia in Bariatric Surgery: a Meta-analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PURPOSE: Pain after bariatric surgery can prolong recovery. This patient group is highly susceptible to opioid-related side effects. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery guidelines strongly recommend the administration of multimodal medications to reduce narcotic consumption. However, the role of ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (USG-TAP) block in multimodal analgesia of weight loss surgeries remains controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was performed in four databases for studies published up to September 2019. We considered randomized controlled trials that assessed the efficacy of perioperative USG-TAP block as a part of multimodal analgesia in patients with laparoscopic bariatric surgery. RESULTS: Eight studies (525 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed lower pain scores with USG-TAP block at every evaluated time point and lower opioid requirement in the USG-TAP block group (weighted mean difference (WMD) = - 7.59 mg; 95% CI - 9.86, - 5.39; p < 0.001). Time to ambulate was shorter with USG-TAP block (WMD = - 2.22 h; 95% CI - 3.89, - 0.56; p = 0.009). This intervention also seemed to be safe: only three non-severe complications with USG-TAP block were reported in the included studies. CONCLUSION: Our results may support the incorporation of USG-TAP block into multimodal analgesia regimens of ERAS protocols for bariatric surgery.

Personalised health education against health damage of COVID-19 epidemic in the elderly Hungarian population (PROACTIVE-19): protocol of an adaptive randomised controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Early reports indicate that COVID-19 may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission in 5-26% and overall mortality can rise to 11% of the recognised cases, particularly affecting the elderly. There is a lack of evidence-based targeted pharmacological therapy for its prevention and treatment. We aim to compare the effects of a World Health Organization recommendation-based education and a personalised complex preventive lifestyle intervention package (based on the same WHO recommendation) on the outcomes of the COVID-19. METHODS: PROACTIVE-19 is a pragmatic, randomised controlled clinical trial with adaptive "sample size re-estimation" design. Hungarian population over the age of 60 years without confirmed COVID-19 will be approached to participate in a telephone health assessment and lifestyle counselling voluntarily. Volunteers will be randomised into two groups: (A) general health education and (B) personalised health education. Participants will go through questioning and recommendation in 5 fields: (1) mental health, (2) smoking habits, (3) physical activity, (4) dietary habits, and (5) alcohol consumption. Both groups A and B will receive the same line of questioning to assess habits concerning these topics. Assessment will be done weekly during the first month, every second week in the second month, then monthly. The composite primary endpoint will include the rate of ICU admission, hospital admission (longer than 48 h), and mortality in COVID-19-positive cases. The estimated sample size is 3788 subjects per study arm. The planned duration of the follow-up is a minimum of 1 year. DISCUSSION: These interventions may boost the body's cardiovascular and pulmonary reserve capacities, leading to improved resistance against the damage caused by COVID-19. Consequently, lifestyle changes can reduce the incidence of life-threatening conditions and attenuate the detrimental effects of the pandemic seriously affecting the older population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study has been approved by the Scientific and Research Ethics Committee of the Hungarian Medical Research Council (IV/2428- 2 /2020/EKU) and has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT04321928 ) on 25 March 2020.

Conversion method to manage surgical difficulties in non-intubated uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery for major lung resection: simple thoracotomy without intubation.

BACKGROUND: The major limitations of widespread use of non-intubated thoracic surgery (NITS) is the fear of managing complications. Here we present our practice of converting from uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) NITS to open NITS in cases of surgical complications. METHODS: The study period was from January 26, 2017, to November 30, 2018. Total intravenous anesthesia was provided with propofol guided by bispectral index, and the airway was maintained with a laryngeal mask with spontaneous breathing. Local anesthesia with 2% lidocaine at the skin incision, and intercostal and vagus nerve blockades were induced using 0.5% bupivacaine. For conversion with surgical indications, a thoracotomy was performed at the incision without additional local or general anesthetics. RESULTS: In 160 complete NITS procedures, there were 145 VATS NITS and 15 open NITS (9 conversions to open NITS and 6 intended NITS thoracotomies). In the 15 open NITS cases (2 pneumonectomies, 1 bilobectomy, 1 sleeve lobectomy, 7 lobectomies, 3 sublobar resections, 1 exploration), the mean operative time was 146.7 (105-225) and 110 (75-190) minutes in the converted and intended open NITS groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between systolic blood pressure (P=0.316; 95% CI, -10.469 to 3.742), sat O2% (P=0.27; 95% CI, -1.902 to 0.593), or propofol concentration in the effect site (P=0.053; 95% CI, -0.307 to 0.002) but significant differences in pulse (P=0.007; 95% CI, -10.001 to -2.72), diastolic blood pressure (P=0.013; 95% CI, -9.489 to -1.420) and in end-tidal CO2 (P=0.016; 95% CI, -7.484 to -0.952) before versus after thoracotomy, but there was no clinical relevance of the differences. CONCLUSIONS: For conversion with surgical indications during the VATS-NITS procedure, NITS thoracotomy can be performed safely at the site of the utility incision without the need for additional drugs, and the major lung resections can be performed through this approach.