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BACKGROUND: Preferences of patients with advanced cancer are well studied in Western countries but less so in Asian communities where end-of-life discussions can be seen as taboo. This may lead to patients receiving care that is incongruent with their wishes as their disease progress. It is important for healthcare providers to have a better understanding of patients' experiences and preferences especially in a multicultural country like Malaysia with its diverse beliefs and values to facilitate better planning for future medical care. OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences and preferences of Malaysian patients with advanced cancer. DESIGN: Qualitative study of semi-structured interviews with thematic analysis. SETTING/SUBJECTS: Purposive sampling of 19 patients with Stage 4 cancer recruited from inpatient and outpatient settings in National Cancer Institute Malaysia. RESULTS: Three major themes emerged in the exploration of patients' experiences and care preferences in facing advanced cancer namely: 1) Dealing with poor prognosis 2) Spirituality as a source of strength and 3) Enablers of advance care planning. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the preference for healthcare providers to be culturally sensitive during end-of-life care discussion and the need for improved spiritual care for Malaysian patients with advanced cancer. Further studies exploring the role of spiritual and cultural factors in advance care planning among Malaysians would be helpful in guiding these efforts.
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INTRODUCTION: The advantages of laparoscopic surgery for ventral hernia repairs are well documented, but its application for small paraumbilical hernias has been less studied. There is no consensus regarding the best technique. METHODS: All patients who had open (suture or mesh) and laparoscopic repair of primary paraumbilical hernia between September 2007 and September 2017 in a single center were identified. Hernial defects of 2 cm or less were included; recurrent hernias were excluded. Primary outcomes included operative time, length of hospital stay, and surgical complications. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were recruited: 54 (70.1%) had open repair and 23 (29.9%) had laparoscopic repair. Forty-six patients (85%) in the open group had primary suture repair. The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the open group than in the laparoscopic group (27.2 vs 56.1 min, P < 0.05). The length of hospital stay in the open group was significantly shorter than in the laparoscopic group (0.8 vs 1.4 days, P = 0.00). Early complications rates were similar, with wound complications in 5.6% (3/54) of open repair patients and 4.3% (1/23) of laparoscopic repair patients (P = 1.0). Among open repair patients, 19 patients (35.2%) were successfully discharged within 12 h after operation. Two patients (3.7%) in the open simple suture group developed recurrence, but no recurrence was identified in the laparoscopic group; this was not statistically significant (P = 1.0). CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic approach is comparable to the open approach in the repair of small paraumbilical hernias. For small paraumbilical hernias, we recommend that laparoscopic repair be reserved for obese patients or those with suspected multiple hernial defects.