Does Prior Breast Irradiation Increase Complications of Subsequent Reduction Surgery in Breast Cancer Patients? A systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Reduction mammoplasty and mastopexy are potentially complicated by prior breast irradiation as part of breast conserving therapy. Associated tissue changes with therapeutic irradiation have led to surgeons deciding the risks may outweigh potential benefit for those patients. A systematic review of the existing literature was performed to explore surgical outcomes of patients undergoing delayed bilateral reduction mammoplasty or mastopexy following unilateral breast irradiation as part of breast conserving therapy. METHODS: Medline, PubMed and EMBASE were searched from 1990 to 2023 according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies were combined by the generic inverse variance method on the natural logarithms of rate ratios (RR) using a random effect model in Review manager 5.4.1. RESULTS: Fifteen studies reported outcomes in 188 patients who underwent breast reduction (BR) following unilateral breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy. The median age at BR was 51.5 years (range 39-60), and median time since radiotherapy was 48 months (range 11.7-86). We compared outcomes for irradiated breast (IB) versus non-irradiated breast (NIB). Pooled results showed higher rate of major complications in the IB (RR 2.52, 95%CI 0.96-6.63, p=0.06), but not statistically significant. However, rate of minor complications was significantly higher in the IB (RR 3.97 95%CI 1.86-8.50, p<0.0004). Incidence of fat necrosis as a discrete complication was 2× higher in IB (RR 2.14 95%CI 0.85-5.35, p-value 0.10) compared to the NIB, but not significant. CONCLUSION: We found breast reduction to be safe with acceptable risk of major complications. However, the overall complication rate remains higher in IB compared to NIB. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Meta-analysis on the rate of pharyngocutaneous fistula in early oral feeding in laryngectomy patients.

BACKGROUND: Laryngectomy remains a common operation in head and neck units. The operation holds significant risk of post-operative morbidity including swallowing dysfunction. The most significant post-operative concern is the formation of a pharyngocutaneous fistula [PCF], the reported incidence of which is between 3% and 65%. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the safety of initiating early oral feeding following laryngectomy and the risk of PCF formation. METHODS: A literature search was conducted through online databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed. Eligible studies were included which contained cohorts of patients who had undergone laryngectomy, with early oral feeding commencing within seven days compared to late oral feeding. The primary outcome assessed was the incidence of PCF. Studies were excluded if cohorts had not included laryngectomy or if no comment was made on PCF formation. Meta-analysis was used to examine associations between oral feeding and PCF formation using Fixed Effect models. RESULTS: Twelve studies and 1883 patients were included after systematic review. Six studies were non-interventional whereas the remaining were randomized clinical trials. Exposure included those with early oral feeding (before seven days) or late feeding oral feeding (after seven days) and the outcome assessed was the risk of PCF formation. Results from observational studies showed a higher risk of PCF formation for early feeders compared to late feeders [RR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.11]. Higher risk was also observed for RCT but was not significant [RR = 1.40, 95% CI: 0.85, 2.30]. Overall, there was a 50% greater risk of PCF formation for early oral feeding compared to late oral feeding [RR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.96]. CONCLUSION: While early oral feeding can reduce post-laryngectomy patients' hospital stay and improve psychological wellbeing, there is a significant relative risk of PCF development within this group. However, this must be taken in context of the significant heterogeneity that exists within the literature.

Evaluation of Micronutrient Status Post Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: an Australian Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a type of bariatric technique that has comparable outcomes to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the current gold standard. However, it can be associated with nutritional deficiencies postoperatively. The aim of this study was to evaluate micronutrient status post LSG. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 565 patients who underwent an LSG from January 2015 to September 2018. Patients lost to follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 months were 6.3%, 18.6% and 32.4%, respectively. Follow-up of the patients included regular dietetic input and micronutrient supplementation. Data that was collected included both anthropometry and nutritional markers. RESULTS: The mean preoperative weight and body mass index (BMI) were 118.13 ± 25.36 kg and 42.40 ± 7.66 kg/m2, respectively. Statistically, significant reductions in anthropometric parameters including weight, BMI (30.50 kg/m2), total weight loss (28.03%), excess weight loss (72.03%) and BMI loss (12.32 kg/m2) were observed at all timepoints up to 12 months follow-up. At 12 months, there were significant increases in 25-OH vitamin D with the incidence of deficiency decreasing from 45.7 to 15.0% compared to baseline. The incidence of hyperparathyroidism also decreased from 32.2 to 18.9% compared to baseline, and incidence of folate deficiency increased from 7.7 to 19.2%. Other nutritional parameters including calcium, iron, ferritin, vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin (active B12) and haemoglobin did not significantly change. CONCLUSIONS: Modest effects on micronutrient status were observed in the 12-month postoperative period. Of clinically significant, de novo folate deficiencies increased, and vitamin D deficiency and hyperparathyroidism decreased. Thus, optimizing postoperative micronutrient status is imperative following LSG.

Systematic review of laryngocele and pyolaryngocele management in the age of robotic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: A laryngocele is a space that develops as a result of pathological dilatation of the laryngeal saccule. However, the reported management of laryngoceles varies. We conducted a systematic review of the literature regarding the surgical management of laryngoceles and pyolaryngoceles, to understand the evolving nature of treatment for this rare condition. METHODS: We searched for publications in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, JBI Library of Systematic Reviews, and Ovid databases using the terms "laryngocele", "pyolaryngocele", and "laryngopyocele", and reviewed the identified articles. RESULTS: After removal of repeated studies and filtering for relevance and studies written in English, a total of 227 studies were included in this review. No meta-analyses or randomized controlled trials have been published. The identified studies have been summarized in 14 reviews conducted since 1946. The meta-analysis determined that endoscopy was the preferred approach for internal laryngoceles, while combined laryngoceles benefited from both internal and external surgical approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Laryngocele management has progressed since its initial description, from open surgery to an endoscopic approach, and more recently to a robotic-assisted surgical approach. The uptake of robotic surgery as a possible treatment modality over the last decade shows much promise for the treatment of these conditions.