Outcomes of open transverse abdominis release for ventral hernias: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of factors affecting them.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objectives were to evaluate Surgical Site Occurrences (SSO) and Surgical Site Occurrences requiring procedural Intervention (SSOPI) after open transversus abdominis release and to study various factors affecting it. Secondary objectives were to evaluate Surgical Site Infections (SSI), recurrence rates and overall complications after transversus abdominis release (TAR) and the factors responsible for those. METHODS: We searched PUBMED, SCOPUS and Cochrane databases with keywords "transversus abdominis release" or "TAR" OR "Surgical Site Occurrences" OR "posterior component separation AND "outcomes" as per PRISMA 2020 and MOOSE guidelines. Full texts and English literature studies were included, studies mentioning outcomes for open transversus abdominis release for ventral hernia were included and studies with robotic transversus abdominis release were excluded. Percentage occurrences of SSO, SSOPI, SSI, recurrence and overall complications after TAR were evaluated. Random effect meta-analysis with restricted maximum likelihood methods was used for meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was analysed using I2 statistics. Publication bias with eager's test and funnel plots. Meta0regression analysis was done to evaluate factors affecting the heterogeneity. JASP 0.16.2 software was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies including 5284 patients who underwent TAR for ventral hernia were included in systematic review and meta-analysis. Overall pooled SSO, SSOPI, Overall Complications, SSI and recurrence rates were 21.72% [95% C.I 17.18-26.27%], 9.82% [95% C.I 7.64 -12%], 33.34% [95% C.I. 27.43-39.26%], 9.13% [95% C.I. 6.41-11.84] and 1.6% [0.78-2.44], respectively. Heterogeneity was significant in all the analysis. Age (p < 0.001), sex (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001),presence of comorbidities (p < 0.001), prior recurrence, defect size (p < 0.001) and current or past history of tobacco exposure were associated with SSO in multivariate meta-regression analysis. Defect size (p = 0.04) was associated with SSOPI. Age (p = 0.011), BMI (p = 0.013), comorbidities (p < 0.01), tobacco exposure (p = 0.018), prior recurrence (p < 0.01) and sex (p < 0.01) were associated with overall complications. CONCLUSION: Open transversus abdominis release is associated with high rates of SSO, SSOPI, SSI and overall complications but recurrence rates are low. Various preoperative factors mentioned may be responsible for heterogeneity across studies.

Laparoscopic vs Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy-an Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials.

There is ongoing debate regarding the usefulness of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study aimed to analyze all the randomized control trials published including the most recent one. The study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and MOOSE guidelines. Heterogeneity was measured using Q tests and I 2. The random-effects models were used to summarize the relative risks, odds ratios, and mean differences as appropriate. Four RCTs were included consisting of 818 patients. Four hundred eleven patients were in the laparoscopic group and 407 in the open pancreaticoduodenectomy group. Weighted baseline patient characteristics were similar except more patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and more males were there in the open pancreaticoduodenectomy group. There was no difference in-hospital stay, 90-day complication rate, 90-day mortality, R1 resection, postoperative pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying, postpancreatectomy hemorrhage, and bile leak between the two groups. Operative time was more in the laparoscopic group. Blood loss [mean difference - 132.12 ml (- 172.60, - 91.65)] and surgical site infection [risk ratio 0.41 (0.17-1.0)] were significantly lesser in laparoscopic group. There was no benefit in-hospital stay or clinical outcomes after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy. Blood loss and surgical site infection were lesser in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13193-022-01572-0.

Laparoscopic vs Open Gastrectomy: an Updated Meta-analysis of Randomized Control Trials for Short-Term Outcomes.

The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare short-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open gastrectomy for gastric cancer. EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database were searched for randomized control trials comparing outcomes in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomies with those patients undergoing open gastrectomies. The primary outcome was 30-day morbidity and mortality. Secondary outcomes studied included length of stay, blood loss, d2 gastrectomies, lymph node retrieval, operative time, wound complications, and intraabdominal complications. Systemic review and meta-analysis were done according to MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines. Eleven RCTs consisting of 4614 patients were included in the study. A total of 2452 patients were there in laparoscopic gastrectomy group while 2162 patients were included in open gastrectomy group. Morbidity was significantly low in laparoscopic group (p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups (P = 0.75). There were fewer wound complications in laparoscopic group and no difference intra-abdominal complications in both groups. Blood loss was significantly lesser in laparoscopic group (p < 0.001). Hospital stay was similar in both groups (p = 0.30). Operative time was significantly higher in laparoscopic group (p < 0.001). Laparoscopic group patients had a lesser number of lymph node retrieval compared to open group (p = 0.002). Laparoscopic group also contained similar advanced staged gastric cancer than open gastrectomies (p = 0.64). Laparoscopic gastrectomies were associated with lesser wound-related complications without decreasing hospital stay with a smaller number of lymph nodes retrieval.

Postoperative serum procalcitonin versus C-reactive protein as a marker of postoperative infectious complications in pancreatic surgery: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Aim of this meta-analysis was to compare diagnostic accuracy C-reactive protein and procalcitonin between postoperative days 3 and 5 to predict infectious complications post pancreatic surgery. METHODS: A systemic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCOPUS to identify studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein to predict infectious complications between postoperative days 3 and 5 following pancreatic surgery. A meta-analysis was performed using random-effect model and pooled predictive parameters. RESULTS: Fifteen studies consisting of 2212 patients were included in the final meta-analysis. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, area under curve and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for day 3 C-reactive protein were 62%, 67%, 0.772 and 6.54, respectively. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, area under curve and DOR for day 3 procalcitonin were 74%, 79%, 0.8453 and 11.03, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve and DOR for day 4 C-reactive protein were 60%, 68%, 0.8022 and 11.90, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity and DOR of postoperative day 5 procalcitonin level for predicting infectious complications were 83%, 70% and 12.9, respectively. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, Area Under Receiver Operating Curve and DOR were 50%, 70%, 0.777 and 10.19, respectively. CONCLUSION: Postoperative procalcitonin is a better marker to predict postoperative infectious complications after pancreatic surgeries.

Prior Trans-arterial chemoembolization - A protective factor against rapid HCV recurrence post liver transplant in patients with HCV with HCC? - A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: HCV recurrence after liver transplant is nearly universal and results in progressive fibrosis, cirrhosis, graft loss, retransplantation and mortality. There are very few studies comparing impact of pretransplant HCC therapies either as a bridge to transplant or to downstage like TACE, hepatectomy, RFA, PEI on HCV recurrence post transplant. Primary aim of the study was studying prognostic factors associated with HCV recurrence including pre transplant HCC therapies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All the patients who have undergone living donor liver transplantation at Kaohsiung Chang gung memorial hospital, Taiwan for HCV related HCC between July 2002 and June 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Severity of HCV histological recurrence was categorized according to the ISHAK hepatitis activity index score. Rapid HCV recurrence was defined ISHAK hepatitis activity index (HAI) score greater than 4 at one year. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 21. (IBM). RESULTS: One hundred and nine patients with HCC associated with HCV undergo living donor liver transplant from July 2002 to June 2012. Median follow up time was 31 months. Forty nine patient had significant hepatitis c recurrence at the end of one year (HAI >4) and were included in study group.60 patients without significant hepatitis c recurrence were included in control group. On univariate analysis patients who did not undergo pre-transplant trans arterial chemoembolization (0.035), primary transplant (without prior hepatectomy) (p = 0.031), high meld score (p = 0.036), high viral load pretransplant (0.007), High AFP levels (0.013) were significantly associated with rapid histological recurrence of HCV (HAI greater than 4 at one year post transplant). Total 61 patient underwent prior transarterial chemoembolization, 22 of these patients developed significant HCV recurrence while 39 patient did not developed HCV recurrence. On multivariate analysis only patient who did not undergo TACE were significantly associated with rapid histological recurrence of HCV (odds ratio 3.310, p = 0.018 95% confidence interval 1.22-8.94). CONCLUSION: Prior TACE do not increase post transplant HCV recurrence but may be beneficial for it.

Rapid fibrosis and significant histologic recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplant is associated with higher tumor recurrence rates in hepatocellular carcinomas associated with hepatitis C virus-related liver disease: a single center retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C virus recurrence after transplant is universal. Histologic recurrence is observed in > 50% hepatitis C virus-infected grafts within the first year. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate factors responsible for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence and mortality including histologic markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients who had undergone transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis C virus from 2002 to 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 109 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis C virus that underwent living-donor liver transplant from July 2002 to June 2012. On univariate analysis, preoperative Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score (P = .026), α-fetoprotein level (P = .020), rapid fibrosis (P = .008), and Hepatitis Activity Index ≥ 6 (P = .008) were associated with recurrence. On multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (P < .0001) and rapid fibrosis (P = .015) independently predicted hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis C virus recurrence on biopsy is a poor prognostic indicator and is associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplant. Rapid fibrosis after liver transplant independently predicts hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence.

Liver lobe graft side and outcomes in living-donor liver transplant with small-for-size grafts.

OBJECTIVES: Living-donor liver transplant with small-for-size grafts (graft-to-recipient weight ratio < 0.8) may provide satisfactory results. We compared outcomes between right and left donor lobe in living-donor liver transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who had living-donor liver transplant from 2006 to 2008 with graft-to-recipient weight ratio < 0.8 (graft: right lobe, 24 patients; left lobe, 26 patients) were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographic and preoperative clinical data between patients who received a right or left lobe liver graft. Duration of surgery was longer, cold ischemia time was shorter, and mean baseline portal vein flow was greater in transplants performed with left than right donor lobes. Portal vein flow modulation with splenectomy was performed when portal flow was > 250 mL/min/100 g graft. Small-for-size syndrome was observed in 6 recipients (14%), but no patient who developed small-for-size syndrome developed liver failure or required revision transplant. The frequency of small-for-size syndrome was significantly greater in patients who had left lobe (4 patients [15%]) than right lobe transplant (2 patients [8%]; P ≤ .05). Graft dysfunction-free survival was significantly greater with right than left lobe grafts. In multivariate analysis, graft side was the only significant risk factor for small-for-size syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: In patients having living-donor liver transplant with small-for-size grafts, outcome was better with right than left lobe grafts.

Portal flow is the main predictor of early graft dysfunction regardless of the GRWR status in living donor liver transplantation - a retrospective analysis of 134 patients.

BACKGROUND: Sometimes even in adequate graft to recipient weight ratio (GRWR) settings and after ruling out all other causes, recipients still show features of the small for size syndrome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate all causative factors responsible for early graft dysfunction fulfilling the definition of the small for size syndrome, regardless of the GRWR status, and with particular emphasis on portal flow (ml/min/100 g). We also tried to establish whether a high portal flow on intraoperative Doppler study immediately after reperfusion can predict graft dysfunction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Early graft dysfunction was defined according to the definitions given for the small for size syndrome by the Kyushu University Group. Patients undergone living donor liver transplantations between January 2010 and December 2012 were analyzed. We routinely do Doppler ultrasound (USG) immediately after reperfusion and daily for 5 days. The portal vein flow after routine Doppler examination immediately after reperfusion was noted as the portal vein flow at day 0. RESULTS: 19 of 134 patients showed features of early graft dysfunction as defined. On univariate analysis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and portal vein flow immediately after reperfusion were significant predictors of postoperative graft dysfunction. (p = 0.008 and p < 0.0001). On multivariate logistic regression, only portal vein flow after reperfusion (p = 0.002) remained as the significant predictor of postoperative graft dysfunction. A portal flow of greater than 190 (ml/min/100 g) was significant in predicting graft dysfunction (p < 0.0001) with an AUROC of 0.709. GRWR was not a significant predictor. CONCLUSION: A portal vein flow immediately after reperfusion >190/ml/min/100 g. reliably predicted whether a graft would behave as small for size or not, regardless of the GRWR status. Portal vein flow was the most significant predictor of graft dysfunction.