Quadratus lumborum block versus transversus abdominis plane block for inguinal hernia repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pain management is crucial for patient recovery with Quadratus Lumborum Block (QLB) and Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (TAPB) emerging as potential techniques. We aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of QLB and TAPB in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of Cochrane, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases to identify randomized controlled trials comparing QLB and TAPB in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair. Outcomes included postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. The review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023445513). RESULTS: We included five RCTs encompassing 255 patients. QLB was associated with a significant decrease in postoperative pain (MD -0.45; 95% CI -0.75 to -0.14; and p = 0.004; I2  = 94%). However, we found no difference in 24-h opioid consumption between QLB and TAPB groups. CONCLUSION: QLB may offer superior pain reduction. However, its effect on opioid consumption remains unclear.

Dual culprit for a swollen leg: Femoral vein compression caused by lymphadenopathy and a synovial cyst.

A young man had presented to the clinic with unilateral leg swelling with concerns for deep vein thrombosis. Imaging studies revealed external compression of the left common femoral vein due to enlarged lymph nodes and a cystic structure in the left groin. He underwent surgical exploration with resection of multiple compressive lymph nodes but continued to remain symptomatic. He underwent reexploration of his groin to remove a cystic structure posterior to the vein, with complete resolution of his symptoms. The enlarged lymph nodes were reactive, and the cyst was consistent with a synovial cyst on pathologic examination. Complete resection is warranted when exploring the causes of external venous compression.

Can Hernia Sac to Abdominal Cavity Volume Ratio Predict Fascial Closure Rate for Large Ventral Hernia? Reliability of the Tanaka Score.

BACKGROUND: The hernia sac to abdominal cavity volume ratio (VR) on abdominal CT was described previously as a way to predict which hernias would be less likely to achieve fascial closure. The aim of this study was to test the reliability of the previously described cutoff ratio in predicting fascial closure in a cohort of patients with large ventral hernias. METHODS: Patients who underwent elective, open incisional hernia repair of 18 cm or larger width at a single center were identified. The primary end point of interest was fascial closure for all patients. Secondary outcomes included operative details and abdominal wall-specific quality-of-life metrics. We used VR as a comparison variable and calculated the test characteristics (ie, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values). RESULTS: A total of 438 patients were included, of which 337 (77%) had complete fascial closure and 101 (23%) had incomplete fascial closure. The VR cutoff of 25% had a sensitivity of 76% (95% CI, 71% to 80%), specificity of 64% (95% CI, 54% to 74%), positive predictive value of 88% (95% CI, 83% to 91%), and negative predictive value of 45% (95% CI, 36% to 53%). The incomplete fascial closure group had significantly lower quality of life scores at 1 year (83.3 vs 52.5; p = 0.001), 2 years (85 vs 33.3; p = 0.003), and 3 years (86.7 vs 63.3; p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the VR cutoff of 25% was sensitive for predicting complete fascial closure for patients with ratios below this threshold. Although there is a higher likelihood of incomplete fascial closure when VR is ≥ 25%, this end point cannot be predicted reliably. Additional studies should be done to study this ratio in conjunction with other hernia-related variables to better predict this important surgical end point.

Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and the different-dose cholecalciferol supplementation effects on renal transplant recipients.

High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D has been observed in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, there is not much data about its prevalence in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). The study included 83 adult KTRs at a single center to calculate the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. Among the 83 patients, those with incomplete data were excluded leaving 22 patients available for study. The demographic and biochemical data were analyzed retrospectively. Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH), phosphorus, calcium, and creatinine were evaluated. The 22 selected patients were divided into two groups: (1) those who received 10,000 IU of cholecalciferol orally per week, and (2) those who received 10,000-20,000 IU/week. The Vitamin D level rate was calculated to evaluate the time necessary to reach serum values ≥30 ng/mL. Hypovitaminosis D was present in 80.7% (67/83) of the patients. Eleven patients received 10,000 IU/week of cholecalciferol, and the other 11 patients received 10,000-20,000 IU/week (approximately 64,000 IU/month). The calcium, phosphorus, and PTH values did not show any differences between the two groups. We estimate that a dose of approximately 64,000 IU/month of cholecalciferol was sufficient to reach values of ≥30 ng/mL of 25(OH)D in approximately 2.1 months in the insufficient and 4.3 months in Vitamin D-deficient patients. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was high among Brazilian KTR, and low-level doses of cholecalciferol (approximately 64,000 IU/month) were sufficient to control hypovitaminosis D.