Short- and long-term outcome after colon cancer resections performed by male and female surgeons: A single-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of surgeon sex on short- and long-term outcomes after colon cancer resections. METHODS: Clinical data of patients who underwent colon cancer resections between 2010 and 2020 at Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden, were retrospectively obtained from medical records. The sex of the surgeon of each procedure was recorded. Morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival were compared in patients operated by male and female surgeons. RESULTS: Colon cancer resections were performed by 23 male and 9 female surgeons in 1113 patients (79% elective, 21% emergent). After elective surgery, there was no difference in postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, or long-term survival between patients operated by male and female surgeons. Following emergent resections, the complication rate was significantly lower in patients operated by female surgeons (41.3% vs 58.1%, p = 0.019). Similarly, the rates of R1-resections (0% vs 5.2%, p = 0.039), reoperations (3.8% vs 14.2%, p = 0.014), and intensive care unit (ICU) care (6.3% vs 17.4%, p = 0.018) were significantly lower for patients operated by female surgeons, but there was no difference in 30-day mortality (6.3% vs 5.2%, p = 0.767). Cox regression analysis showed that long-term and cancer-free survival in patients emergently operated by male surgeons was significantly shorter than that of patients operated by female surgeons (hazard ratio = 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-2.8), p = 0.001 and hazard ratio = 1.7 (95% CI = 1.1-2.7), p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The short- and long-term outcome after elective colon cancer resections were similar in patients operated by male and female surgeons. The outcome following emergent resections performed by female surgeons compared favorably with that of male surgeons, with fewer complications and reoperations and better long-term survival.

Delayed intracranial hemorrhage after head trauma seems rare and rarely needs intervention-even in antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury causes morbidity, mortality, and at least 2,500,000 yearly emergency department visits in the USA. Computerized tomography of the head is the gold standard to detect traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Some are not diagnosed at the first scan, and they are denoted "delayed intracranial hemorrhages. " To detect these delayed hemorrhages, current guidelines for head trauma recommend observation and/or rescanning for patients on anticoagulation therapy but not for patients on antiplatelet therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and need for interventions of delayed intracranial hemorrhage after head trauma. METHODS: The study was a retrospective review of medical records of adult patients with isolated head trauma presenting at Helsingborg General Hospital between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. Univariate statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: In total, 1627 patients were included and four (0.25%, 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.60%) patients had delayed intracranial hemorrhage. One of these patients was diagnosed within 24 h and three within 2-30 days. The patient was diagnosed within 24 h, and one of the patients diagnosed within 2-30 days was on antiplatelet therapy. None of these four patients was prescribed anticoagulation therapy, and no intensive care, no neurosurgical operations, or deaths were recorded. CONCLUSION: Traumatic delayed intracranial hemorrhage is rare and consequences mild and antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy might confer similar risk. Because serious complications appear rare, observing, and/or rescanning all patients with either of these medications can be debated. Risk stratification of these patients might have the potential to identify the patients at risk while safely reducing observation times and rescanning.

Effects of surgical specialization and surgeon resection volume on postoperative complications and mortality rate after emergent colon cancer resection.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgical specialization and surgeon resection volume on short-term outcome after emergent colon cancer resections. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent resections for colon cancer between 2011 and 2020 at Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden was performed. The senior surgeon participating in each procedure was classified as a colorectal surgeon or a non-colorectal surgeon. Non-colorectal surgeons were further divided into acute care surgeons or surgeons with other specialties. Surgeons were also divided into three groups based on median yearly resection volumes. Postoperative complications and 30- or 90-day mortality rate after emergent colon cancer resections were compared in patients operated on by surgeons with different specializations and yearly resection volumes. RESULTS: Of 1121 patients resected for colon cancer, 235 (21.0 per cent) had emergent procedures. The complication rate of emergent resections was similar in patients operated on by colorectal surgeons and non-colorectal surgeons (54.1 versus 51.1 per cent respectively), and the subgroup of acute care surgeons (45.8 per cent), whereas resections performed by general surgeons were significantly associated with more frequent complications (odds ratio (OR) 2.5 (95 per cent c.i. 1.1 to 6.1)). The complication rate was numerically highest in patients operated on by surgeons with the highest resection volumes, which differed significantly from that of surgeons with intermediate resection volumes (OR 4.2 (95 per cent c.i. 1.1 to 16.0)). There was no difference in the mortality rate of patients operated on by surgeons with different specializations or yearly resection volumes. CONCLUSION: This study documented similar morbidity and mortality rates after emergent colon resection performed by colorectal and acute care surgeons, but patients operated on by general surgeons had more frequent complications.

The epidemiology of and management of pediatric patients with head trauma: a hospital-based study from Southern Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. In Scandinavia, the epidemiology of pediatric head trauma is poorly documented. This study aimed to investigate and compare the epidemiology and management of pediatric patients with isolated head trauma (IHT) and head trauma in connection with multitrauma (MHT). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of patients < 18 years of age who attended any of the five emergency departments (ED) in Scania County in Sweden in 2016 due to head trauma. Clinical data of patients with IHT were analyzed and compared with those of patients with MHT. RESULTS: We identified 5046 pediatric patients with head trauma, 4874 with IHT and 186 with MHT, yielding an incidence of ED visits due to head trauma of 1815/100,000 children/year. There was male predominance, and the median age was four years. Falls were the dominating trauma mechanism in IHT patients, while motor vehicle accidents dominated in MHT patients. The frequencies of CT head-scans, ward admissions and intracranial injuries (ICI) were 5.4%, 11.1% and 0.7%, respectively. Four patients (0.08%) required neurosurgical intervention. The relative risks for CT-scans and admissions to a hospital ward and ICI were 10, 4.5 and 19 times higher for MHT compared with IHT patients. CONCLUSION: Head trauma is a common cause of ED visits in our study. Head-CTs and ICIs were less frequent than in previous studies. MHT patients had higher rates of CT-scans, admissions, and ICIs than IHT patients, suggesting that they are separate entities that should ideally be managed using different guidelines to optimize the use of CT-scans of the head.

Microwave scan and brain biomarkers to rule out intracranial hemorrhage: study protocol of a planned prospective study (MBI01).

PURPOSE: The aim of this planned study is to evaluate the ability of a cranial microwave scanner in conjunction with nine brain biomarkers (Aß40, Aß42, GFAP, H-FABP, S100B, NF-L, NSE, UCH-L1 and IL-10) to detect and rule out traumatic intracranial hemorrhage in an emergency department setting. Traumatic brain injury is a world-wide topic of interest for researchers and clinicians. It affects 2% of the population per annum and presents challenges for physicians as patients' initial signs and symptoms do not always correlate with the extent of brain injury. The gold standard for diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage is head computerized tomography (CT) with the drawbacks of high cost and radiation exposure. A fast, secure way of diagnosing without these drawbacks has potential to make care more effective and reduce cost. METHODS: Study will be prospective and enroll adult, consenting patients with head trauma who seek emergency department care. Only patients where the treating physician prescribes a head-CT will be included. The microwave scan and blood sampling will be performed in close temporal proximity to the CT scan. Results will be analyzed with sensitivity, specificity and receiver operator characteristics analysis to provide the best combination of a number of biomarkers and the microwave scan. CONCLUSION: This study will explore the diagnostic accuracy of a head microwave scanner in combination with biomarkers in ruling out intracranial hemorrhage in traumatic brain injury patients presenting to the emergency department. Potentially, this combined diagnostic approach could achieve both high sensitivity and high specificity, thereby reducing the need of CT-head scans when managing these patients. CLINICALTRIALS: gov identifier: NCT04666766. Registered December 11, 2020.

Late Campylobacter jejuni mastitis after augmentation mammoplasty.

Breast implant-associated infections (BIAI) occur in approximately 2% of patients after augmentation mammoplasty. In some cases, BIAI can be treated conservatively, whereas others need implant removal. Knowledge of uncommon potential pathogens in BIAI is important to ensure optimal treatment of BIAI. In the present case report, we describe a case of bilateral late Campylobacter jejuni mastitis in a 34-year-old woman without previous symptoms of gastroenteritis. While Staphylococci are common causative pathogens in BIAI, there are numerous potential pathogens. This case highlights the importance of careful consideration of antibiotic treatment and switch to broad-spectrum antibiotic regimen in BIAI not responding to initial treatment.

Pseudoaneurysm Development after Drug-Eluting Balloon (DEB) Angioplasty of a Venous Femoropopliteal Bypass Graft.

Endovascular recanalization of occluded venous femoropopliteal bypass grafts is widely used because of easy access. This case report describes pseudoaneurysm developing 4 weeks after endovascular recanalization of an occluded in situ venous femoropopliteal graft. The patient was treated for a popliteal aneurysm with a venous femoropopliteal bypass graft, which subsequently occluded. Four weeks after DEB PTA, the occluded graft developed 3 pseudoaneurysms. Impaired vessel wall healing after intraluminal paclitaxel administration could have contributed to this. This case adds a perspective to the choice of treatment of occluded venous femoropopliteal bypass grafts.

Time-dependent prognostic effects of recipient and donor age in adult heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Recipient age and donor age are well-known prognostic factors in adult heart transplantation. However, the association between donor age and recipient age and their interaction and short- and long-term mortality is unknown. METHODS: We studied 64,354 heart transplants to adult recipients between 1988 and 2013 in the ISHLT Registry. Donor age and recipient age were analyzed as continuous and categorical variables and restricted cubic spline functions to assess non-linear associations and interactions. The end-point was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: In the multivariable analysis, the odds ratio for 30-day mortality per 10-year increase in recipient age was 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.08, p = 0.009) compared with 1.19 (95% CI 1.15 to 1.22, p < 0.001) for donor age. In the first year, the hazard ratio for mortality was 1.05 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.07, p < 0.001) for a 10-year increase in recipient age and 1.16 (1.14 to 1.18, p < 0.001) for donor age. In Years 1 to 3, 3 to 5, and 5 to 10 post-transplant, the hazard ratio was 0.89 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.92, p < 0.001), 0.98 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.02, p = 0.266), and 1.14 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.17, p < 0.001) for recipient age, and 1.12 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.14, p < 0.001), 1.07 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.10, p < 0.001), and 1.07 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.10, p < 0.001) for donor age, respectively. There was no interaction of recipient age and donor age with survival at any follow-up time-point. CONCLUSIONS: At 30 days, both higher donor age and recipient age were associated with higher mortality. At 1 to 10 years, older donor age was associated with higher mortality at all follow-up time-points, but the hazard was greater in the short term, and recipient age was associated only with longer term mortality. The risk from donor age appears equal across recipient age groups.

Donor-recipient size matching and mortality in heart transplantation: Influence of body mass index and gender.

BACKGROUND: The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) guidelines advise against inappropriate weight match (IWM) for heart transplant, defined as donor weight <70% of recipient's weight. Few studies have explored in detail this size-matching recommendation, especially with regard to body mass index (BMI) and gender matching. We aimed to determine whether any difference could be observed between size-matching in obese and non-obese recipients with regard to mortality after cardiac transplantation. METHODS: Data from 52,455 adult heart transplants (recipients ≥18 years of age) between 1994 and 2013 were obtained from the ISHLT Registry. We defined the following subgroups of patients based on BMI: underweight, BMI <18.5; non-obese, BMI 18.5 to 30; and obese, BMI >30. The end-points were all-cause 30-day mortality and cumulative mortality. RESULTS: IWM was associated with increased 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.43, p = 0.041) and cumulative mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.22, p < 0.001). In non-obese recipients, IWM was associated with increased 30-day mortality (OR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.41, p < 0.001) as well as cumulative mortality (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.41, p < 0.001), whereas, for obese recipients, IWM was not associated with 30-day or cumulative mortality. Male recipients of female allografts (HR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.12, p < 0.001) as well as female recipients of male allografts (HR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.13, p = 0.003) had increased cumulative mortality compared with gender-matched transplants. There was no interaction between IWM and gender mismatch. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that donor weight <70% of recipient weight increases mortality in non-obese heart transplant recipients, but not in obese transplant recipients. Gender mismatch increases mortality independently of weight match.

Outcomes after ABO-incompatible heart transplantation in adults: A registry study.

BACKGROUND: In the past, ABO incompatibility was considered an absolute contraindication to heart transplantation (HT) in adults. Advances in ABO-incompatible HT in pediatric patients and ABO-incompatible abdominal transplantation in adult patients have led to clinical exploration of intentional ABO-incompatible HT in adults. However, it is not well known how outcomes in ABO-incompatible adult heart transplant recipients compare with outcomes in ABO-compatible recipients. METHODS: We analyzed International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation transplant registry data from heart donors and recipients ≥18 years old at the time of transplant for HT performed between 1988 and 2011. We compared baseline characteristics and post-transplant outcomes in ABO-incompatible and ABO-compatible HT. Death or retransplantation was the composite primary end-point. RESULTS: Among 76,663 adult patients undergoing HT between 1988 and June 30, 2011, 94 ABO-incompatible heart transplants were performed. The incidence of death or retransplantation in the ABO-incompatible group was higher than in the ABO-compatible group: 21% vs 9% at 30 days (hazard ratio = 2.38, p < 0.001) and 36% vs 19% at 1 year after transplant. However, ABO-incompatible grafts surviving past the first year after transplant had a similar incidence of failure compared with the ABO-compatible group. After 2005, the rate ABO-incompatible HT in adults increased, likely as a result of planned, intentional (rather than accidental) ABO-incompatible HT. In this group of patients, short-term and long-term incidence of death or retransplantation was similar to ABO-compatible recipients (p = 0.822): 7% at 30 days and 19% at 1 year after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: We found no difference in incidence of death or retransplantation between ABO-compatible and ABO-incompatible HT in patients who underwent transplantation after 2005.

ABO-identical blood group matching has no survival benefit for AB heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Although identical blood group matching is preferred, it is uncertain if this results in improved survival and, if so, how large the survival benefits are. Earlier studies have yielded conflicting results and are mostly based on single-center cohorts with few long-term results. Recipients with blood group AB are of particular interest regarding nonidentical blood group matching because they may receive organs from all blood groups. We wanted to test the hypothesis that ABO-identical matching results in superior survival in recipients with blood group AB. METHODS: We used data from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation registry to match a cohort of heart donors with transplant recipients with blood group AB. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the influence of blood group on outcome after heart transplantation. All-cause cumulative mortality during the study period was the primary end point. RESULTS: The study material consisted of 3,589 adult patients with blood group AB who had received heart transplants, representing 18,085 patient-years. No significant difference in survival after identical, as opposed to compatible, ABO matching was found for recipients with blood group AB. In subgroup analysis, we found improved survival for younger recipients (< 55 years) with blood group AB who underwent transplantation with organs from donor blood group O rather than AB (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We found no survival benefit for recipients with blood group AB transplanted with ABO-identical organs. In the subgroup of recipients younger than 55 years of age, our study suggests improved survival for recipients with blood group AB transplanted with an organ from a donor with blood group O.