Handheld Magnetometer-Assisted Localization and Removal of a Foreign Body From the Chest Wall.

Foreign bodies fully embedded in soft tissues present a unique challenge to surgeons attempting excision. Small fragments can be nonpalpable, and many prove difficult to visualize intra-operatively by means of classic radiologic techniques. A 35-year-old active duty soldier presented requesting excision of ballistic fragment embedded in his chest wall that had previously failed a previous attempt at removal. The metallic foreign body was successfully localized intra-operatively using a handheld magnetometer probe and removed without complication. This case demonstrates the utility and cost-effectiveness of the handheld magnetometry for intra-operative localization of metallic foreign bodies. Metallic foreign bodies may be localized intra-operatively using inexpensive and reusable equipment that does not require radiation or bulky radiographic imaging equipment.

A Type V Aberrant Right Hepatic Duct Branching from the Cystic Duct: The Paramount Importance of Intraoperative Cholangiography in Supplementing the Critical View of Safety Technique in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

In this report, we present a 38-year-old female with acute cholecystitis, in which an aberrant right hepatic duct draining directly into the cystic duct was revealed by intraoperative cholangiography during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This anomaly was classified as the class V variant using the Hisatsugu classification schema, which has an incidence of 1.02%. The use of Strasberg's critical view of safety has become ubiquitous in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Intraoperative cholangiography provides and additional layer of safety, and should be considered as a routine practice, particularly when imaging to delineate biliary anatomic aberrancies has not been performed prior to surgery.

Utilizing the Army Physical Fitness Test as a Primary Outcome in Surgical Clinical Research.

Functional data as part of clinical outcomes such as Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life (QOL) frequently depend on surveys and are thus inherently limited by self-reporting and patient subjectivity. Specifically, the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), and Carolinas Comfort Scale are validated instruments for assessing medical and surgical QOL outcomes. However, performance-based measures of disability are lacking. We propose the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) as a novel clinical measure of function following surgical intervention. We believe that studies using the APFT as a surgical outcome can potentially provide novel, relevant insights that may guide the utilization of specific surgical interventions and that the use of APFT data in surgical research will meet contemporary ethical standards.