Surgical Management of Intra-gastric Balloon Complications, Single-Center Experience, and Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of obesity has multiplied in the last decades leading to a surge in bariatric surgery and other endoscopic modalities. The intra-gastric balloon (IGB) is the most used endoscopic modality. Surgical management for IGB complications is required for gastrointestinal perforation and/or obstruction. However, the literature seems to underestimate these complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted in King Fahd University Hospital, Saudi Arabia, from Jan 2017 to Dec 2021, including all patients with complicated IGB who necessitated any surgical procedure. Exclusion criteria were patients with complicated IGBs that were only managed conservatively or endoscopically. RESULTS: A total of 326 patients were admitted with different complications after bariatric procedures. Of them, six patients were referred due to IGB complications that necessitated operative intervention. All patients were young females. Three patients had gastric wall perforation, and were managed by endoscopic removal of the IGBs followed by exploratory laparotomy. One patient had an intestinal obstruction on top of a migrated IGB that was surgically removed. One patient had failed endoscopic retrieval of IGB and required a laparoscopic gastrostomy. Another patient had an esophageal rupture that required left thoracotomy, pleural flap, and insertion of an esophageal stent. All cases were discharged and followed up with no related complications. CONCLUSION: IGB is an endoscopic alternative, within specific indications, for the management of obesity. However, surgical management may be necessary to manage its complications, including gastrointestinal perforation, IGB migration, and failure of endoscopic removal.

Emergency versus elective cholecystectomy: Experience at a university hospital in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), the procedure of choice for treating most gallbladder pathology, has become the most trusted elective procedure for treating gallstone disease because of its effectiveness and safety. While the timing is an important factor in those cases, our aim in this study was to compare emergency and elective LC, determine the differences in postoperative complications, and assess the conversion rate to open cholecystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included a total of 627 patients who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy during 2017-2019 at King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU). Records of both emergency and elective cases were reviewed from Quadra-med (software package). All demographic data of the patients, presenting complaint, laboratory and inflammatory marker, type of the operation, intraoperative complications, procedure time, conversion rate from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy, postoperative period, length of hospital stay, and pathological diagnosis were entered into an Excel sheet. The data was analyzed using SPSS 23.0. Qualitative variables were described as frequencies and percentages, and continuous variables were summarized with mean and standard deviation (SD). Chi-square test, t-test, and the Mann-Whitney U-test were applied to test for statistical significance at P ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age for patients undergoing elective LC was 39.94 years (SD=13.56) whereas, mean age of patients undergoing emergency LC was 40.64 years (SD=13.02). About 71% of cases in elective LC group were females compared to 55% in the emergency LC group. There was a significant difference in C-reactive protein (CRP) in relation to the type of surgery where P < 0.05. Twelve (1.9%) patients had subtotal cholecystectomy and two cases converted from LC to open. There was a significant association between postoperative complication and the type of surgery. The length of hospital stay (LOS) was also found to be significantly more in patients having emergency LC (6.0 vs. 4.5 d; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The relation between conversion to an open procedure and type of surgery (elective or emergency) in our study was nonsignificant. There was a significant association between preoperative CRP, postoperative complication, length of hospital stay, and type of surgery. Further multicenter studies are required for further investigation.

The Social Problems of Morbidly Obese Patients on a Community Level: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To identify the predictors and social problems of obese patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for the period between July 2016 and January 2017. The study population consisted of obese patients visiting the surgery clinics following the medical examinations required before obesity surgery. Patients were recruited from four main medical centres in Riyadh: King Fahad Medical City, University Medical City-King Khalid University Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City in the National Guard, and Prince Sultan Military Medical City. The study questionnaire tool was developed based on extensive literature. The questionnaire tool explored personal and demographic characteristics of obese patients and the social problems that morbidly obese patients suffer from at the community level. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of those facing social problems. Results: A total of 374 patients completed the questionnaires. We found that having a bachelor's degree, a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m2 and above, and other comorbidities were important predictors that increased the likelihood of having social problems related to obesity on a community level (p<0.05). On the other hand, having a high income (11,000 SR/per month and above) was a protective factor that was associated with lower odds of having social problems related to obesity on a community level (p<0.05). Conclusion: Obese patients with low socioeconomic status, having a bachelor's degree, and those with comorbidities tend to have social problems. Future studies to investigate the predictors or social problems among obese patients on a larger scale are warranted.

Impact of wearing personal protective equipment on the performance and decision making of surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observational cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE) has resulted in a significant reduction in the infection rate among health care workers (HCWs). However, there are some ongoing concerns about the negative impact of using PPE for prolonged periods.This study examined the impact of wearing PPE on surgeons' performance and decision making during the COVID-19 pandemic.In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous online questionnaire was created and disseminated to surgeons all over the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included the demographic data, the local hospital policies, the non-technical skills (e.g., communication, vision, and comfort) and the technical skills, and the process of decision making.From June 2020 to August 2020, 162 surgeons participated in this questionnaire. Of them, 80.2% were aged from 26 to 45 years, 70.4% have received a special training for PPE, and 59.3% of participants have operated on COVID-19 confirmed cases. A negative impact of wearing PPE was reported on their overall comfort, vision, and communication skills (92.6%, 95.1%, and 82.8%, respectively). The technical skills and decision making were not significantly affected (60.5% and 72.8%, respectively). More preference for conservative approach, damage control procedures, and/or open approach was reported.Despite its benefits, PPE is associated with a significant negative impact on the non-technical skills (including vision, communication, and comfort) as well as a non-significant negative impact on technical skills and decision making of surgeons. Extra efforts should be directed to improve PPE, especially during lengthy pandemics.

Does wearing personal protective equipment affect the performance and decision of physicians? A cross-sectional study during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) decreased the probability of viral transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some drawbacks have been observed with its extensive use, such as headaches, anxiety, and stress among physicians, which could affect decision-making processes, the performance of physicians, and consequently patients' safety. Few articles have studied the impact of PPE on physicians from different specialties. This study assessed the effect of wearing PPE on the performance and decision-making of physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and compared the effects of wearing PPE on physicians from different specialties. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out through an anonymous 39-item online questionnaire. The physicians were divided according to the probability and frequency of performing invasive procedures. Group 1 included emergency medicine and critical care physicians, intensivists, and anesthetists, group 2 included physicians from different surgical subspecialties, and group 3 included physicians from different medical fields. RESULTS: This study included 272 physicians; group 1 included 54, group 2 included 120, and group 3 included 98 physicians. Approximately, 90.4% of the participants aged between 30 and -40 years, and 72.8% of the participants were specialists. Results indicated that the comfort, vision, and communication were significantly reduced in all groups (81.1%, 88.7%, and 75.5%, respectively). In contrast, the handling of instruments was not significantly affected in the second group only. In addition, the decision-making and the rate of complications were not significantly affected. CONCLUSION: There was a negative impact of wearing PPE on the non-technical skills (vision, communication and overall comfort), and the technical skills of the physicians. The decision-making and patients' safety were not significantly affected. Recommendations include additional improvement of the PPE design due to its crucial effect on both non-technical and technical skills of physicians.

Economic impact of diabetic foot ulcers on healthcare in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are a critical complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) affecting life quality and significantly impacting healthcare resources. OBJECTIVE: Determine the direct medical costs associated with treating DFU in King Fahad Hospital of the University and identify factors that could assist in developing resource management guidelines in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: SETTING: King Fahad Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included diabetic patients admitted with foot ulcerations between 2007 and 2017 inclusive. We determined management costs including drug usage, wound dressings, surgical procedures, admissions, and basic investigation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factors affecting the direct perspective medical costs of managing DFU. SAMPLE SIZE: 99 patients. RESULTS: The overall cost of managing 99 patients with DFU was 6 618 043.3 SAR ($1 764 632.68 USD), which further translates to approximately 6684.9 SAR per patient/year ($1782.6 USD). The highest cost incurred was for admission expenditure (45.6%), followed by debridement (14.5%) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (10.4%). CONCLUSION: The overall healthcare expenditure in treating DFU is high, with hospital admissions and surgical procedures adding a significant increase to the total cost. Focused patient education on overall glycemic control and prevention of DFU may decrease complications and hence, the overall cost. LIMITATIONS: Identified only the direct medical costs of DFU as the indirect costs were subjective and more difficult to quantify. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Case report: Evisceration of abdomen after blunt trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal evisceration is uncommon after blunt abdominal trauma; therefore, it warrants urgent laparotomy. We report a young adult male who sustained multiple injuries due to a high impact mechanism resulting in blunt abdominal injury and underwent numerous laparotomies. CASE REPORT: In a high-speed motorcycle accident, a twenty-six-year-old male sustained a direct, blunt injury to his abdomen, which resulted in a right hemothorax, perforation of the stomach, and small bowel. Multiple mesenteric vessels tear, a retroperitoneal hematoma, liver, and pancreatic injury. The abdominal wall split transversely, extruding intact bowel. After resuscitation, according to the ATLS protocol, the patient underwent eight laparotomies for damage control. After 45 days in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, then 11 days in the surgical ward, he was discharged in a satisfactory condition. Eight months later, he was admitted electively for ileostomy reversal, which was uneventful. CONCLUSION: Patients with high trauma mechanisms have high mortality and morbidity rate. Blunt injury with eviscerated abdominal contents requires prompt, expeditious, and timely intervention, particularly at the initial operative intervention with damage control procedures, both prompt management and structured approach, were tailored depending in the magnitude of the injury. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory throughout the period of treatment until recovery and rehabilitation.