[Portal vein embolization prior to major hepatectomy: A multidisciplinary approach for advanced liver tumors in Chile]. / Embolización portal previo a hepatectomía mayor: Experiencia multidisciplinaria en tumores hepáticos avanzados en Chile.

BACKGROUND: One of the main limitations to achieving a complete tumor resection in patients with technically resectable liver tumors is the presence of a small future liver remnant (FLR). Portal vein embolization (PVE) allows hypertrophy of the non-embolized lobe, reducing the risk of postoperative liver failure. AIM: To describe the experience of portal embolization prior to hepatectomy and its effectiveness in converting advanced unresectable liver tumors into resectable tumors. METHODS: Non-concurrent cohort study. All patients who underwent PVE before hepatectomy between 2016 and 2020 in our center were included. Demographic and diagnostic variables, pre and post-PVE volumes, perioperative variables, and global and disease-free survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were included. Median age 66 (54-72) years and 57.9% (n= 11) were women. Bilateral metastases were present in 78.9% (n= 15). Sixteen patients (84.2%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. One patient (5.3%) had a complication after PVE. The median time between embolization and volumetry was 5.3 weeks (4.7-7.1). Median FLR before and after PVE were 19.8% (16.2-27.7) and 30% (25.2-40.5), respectively. The median percentage of hypertrophy was 48% (40.4-76.5). Fifteen patients (78.9%) underwent hepatectomy. Significant complications occurred in 26.6% (n= 4); among them, three patients (20%) presented postoperative liver failure. CONCLUSIONS: PVE is safe and effective in promoting FLR hypertrophy in the presence of chemotherapy, allowing patients with advanced liver tumors to undergo surgery with curative intent.

Association between preoperative fasting time and clinical outcomes in surgical patients in a private general hospital.

PURPOSE: Surgical patients are routinely subjected to long periods of fasting, a practice that can exacerbate the metabolic response to trauma and impair postoperative recovery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between preoperative fasting time and clinical outcomes in surgical patients. METHODS: An observational, prospective study with a non-probabilistic sample that included patients of both sexes, aged over 18, undergoing elective surgeries. Data were extracted from electronic medical records, and a questionnaire was applied in 48 hours after surgery. Variables related to postoperative discomfort were assessed using an 11-point numeric rating scale. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 372 patients, and the duration of the surgical event ranged from 30-680 minutes. The incidence of nausea (26.34%) was twice that of vomiting (13.17%) and showed an association with the surgical procedure's size (p = 0.018). A statistically significant difference was observed only between pain intensity and preoperative fasting times for liquids (p = 0.007) and postoperative fasting time (p = 0.08). The occurrence of postoperative complications showed no association with preoperative fasting time (p = 0.850). CONCLUSIONS: Although no association was observed between preoperative fasting time and surgical complications, it is noteworthy that both recommended and actual fasting time exceeded the proposed on clinical guidelines.

The effect of preoperative embolization rate on surgical outcomes for carotid paraganglioma resection.

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative embolization of paragangliomas decreases tumor volume and reduces intraoperative blood loss. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the rate of devascularization achieved by preoperative embolization of carotid body tumors on surgical outcomes. METHODS: Patients with carotid body tumors who underwent preoperative transarterial embolization between 2013 and 2024 were included in this retrospective study. The Shamblin classification of all patients was carried out using radiological imaging. Devascularization rates obtained after the embolization of carotid body tumors were determined from angiographic images. Patients were divided into two groups: near-complete embolization (devascularization rate >90%) and incomplete embolization (devascularization rate <90%). Hemoglobin loss was calculated with blood tests before and immediately after surgery. Tumor volume loss was calculated by preoperative radiological tumor volume and postoperative surgical specimen volume. Hemoglobin loss, tumor volume loss, and postoperative complication rates of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients with carotid body tumors who underwent surgery were included in the study. Near-complete embolization was achieved in 21 patients (67.74%), while incomplete embolization was achieved in 10 patients (32.25%). Shamblin classification was statistically similar (p>0.05) between the two groups. The vascular complication rate in the near-complete embolization group was significantly lower than in the incomplete embolization group (p=0.027). However, no significant difference was observed in neurological complication rates, hemoglobin loss, and tumor volume loss parameters between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The preoperative devascularization rate should be at least 90% to minimize the risk of vascular complications.

Use of 3D Anorectal Ultrasonography in the Preoperative Assessment of Complex Anal Fistulas and Patterns of Healing, Failure, and Recurrence After Ligation of the Intersphincteric Fistula Tract (LIFT).

OBJECTIVES: To use three-dimensional anorectal ultrasonography (3D-US) to evaluate the outcome of ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) in patients with crypto-glandular transsphincteric fistula and describing the patterns of healing, failure, and recurrence rate. METHODS: After classifying the fistula and determining the length of the sphincter muscle to be transected, the patients were submitted to LIFT. The accuracy of pre- and postoperative 3D-US with 360° endoprobe (16 MHz) with automatic scanning and clinical findings was evaluated against surgical findings. Three outcomes were considered: healing, failure (persistent anal fistula through the original external opening or intersphincteric), and recurrence (reappearance of the anal fistula). RESULTS: Sixty-three patients of both sexes were evaluated. The 3D-US assessment revealed primary healing in 50 (79.3%) patients, although in 6 (9.5%) cases healing was delayed and the cavity was without communication with the anal canal. The procedure failed in 9 (15.9%) and fistula recurred in 4 (6.3%), all of whom underwent a second surgery based on a new 3D-US, resulting in a 92.3% (12/13) healing rate on 3D-US. CONCLUSIONS: A 3D-US was found to be useful in the preoperative assessment of fistulas by quantifying the percentage of muscle to be transected, and in the postoperative assessment by identifying healing, types of failure, and recurrence. The 3D-US was accurate and consistent with surgical findings.

Preoperative Acetaminophen For Microsuspension Laryngoscopy Reduces Postoperative Opioid Use.

OBJECTIVES: The opioid crisis has prompted consideration of analgesic prescriptions. This study explored the value of preoperative acetaminophen for pain control following microsuspension laryngoscopy (MSL) and compared the results with a previous study of pain and opioid use following MSL (Tsang et al.). METHODS: A prospective open-label clinical trial was conducted in patients undergoing MSL. All patients were administered preoperative acetaminophen. Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and present pain intensity (PPI) scores were collected preoperatively and on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 3, 7, and 14. Statistical analysis identified variables associated with opioid use or increased pain scores, and compared outcomes with Tsang et al. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were included (mean age 52.8 ± 17.3 years, 40 males). All patients received preoperative 1 g acetaminophen (77 (86.5%) orally) with no adverse effects. On POD1, opioid usage was 10%. Median [IQR] pain scores were 5 [2-11], 21 [12.3-56.8], and 3 [2-3.3] on SF-MPQ, VAS, and PPI, respectively. Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) opioid requirements significantly correlated with POD1 opioid consumption (τb = 0.214; p ≤ 0.05), and significant associations with PACU opioid administration were found for total anesthesia time (OR (95%CI) = 1.271 (1.043-1.548), p = 0.017) and total laryngoscope suspension time (OR (95%CI) = 0.791 (0.651-0.962, p = 0.019)). This cohort demonstrated reduced opioid usage on POD1 compared with Tsang et al (23%). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative acetaminophen is a safe intervention, resulting in decreased postoperative opioid use following MSL. Anesthesia time correlated with need for postoperative opioids. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:4625-4635, 2024.

Preoperative gastric volume assessment using ultrasound in cerebral palsy pediatric patients: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Although cerebral palsy is a risk factor for aspiration, there is insufficient research on residual gastric volume after preoperative fasting in children with cerebral palsy. We evaluated the incidence of a full stomach by ultrasound assessment of the gastric volume in children with cerebral palsy who underwent orthopedic surgery after preoperative fasting. METHODS: The patients fasted for 8 h for solid foods and 2 h for clear liquids. We obtained the gastric antral cross-sectional area using ultrasound in the semi-recumbent and right lateral decubitus positions. A calculated stomach volume > 1.5 mL.kg-1 was considered as full, which poses a high aspiration risk. The primary outcome was the incidence of full stomach, and the secondary outcomes were the qualitative gastric volume, correlation of disease severity categorized according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System with the residual gastric volume, gastric volume per body weight, and qualitative gastric volume. RESULTS: Thirty-seven pediatric patients with cerebral palsy, scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery, were included for analysis. Full-stomach status was observed in none, and the gastric volume per body weight was 0.5 (0.4-0.7) mL.kg-1. No significant differences were observed in the residual gastric volume (p = 0.114), gastric volume per body weight (p = 0.117), or qualitative grade of gastric volume (p = 0.642) in relation to disease severities. CONCLUSION: Children with cerebral palsy who fasted preoperatively had empty or nearly empty stomachs. Further studies are required to determine the optimal fasting duration for such children.

Preoperative evaluation profile of patients undergoing arterial vascular surgery in a tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Patients with peripheral arterial disease have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications in the postoperative period of arterial surgeries known as Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE), which includes acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, malignant arrhythmias, and stroke. The preoperative evaluation aims to reduce mortality and the risk of MACE. However, there is no standardized approach to performing them. The aim of this study was to compare the preoperative evaluation conducted by general practitioners with those performed by cardiologists. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients who underwent elective arterial surgeries from January 2016 to December 2020 at a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. The authors compared the preoperative evaluation of these patients according to the initial evaluator (general practitioners vs. cardiologists), assessing patients' clinical factors, mortality, postoperative MACE incidence, rate of requested non-invasive stratification tests, length of hospital stay, among others. RESULTS: 281 patients were evaluated: 169 assessed by cardiologists and 112 by general practitioners. Cardiologists requested more non-invasive stratification tests (40.8%) compared to general practitioners (9%) (p < 0.001), with no impact on mortality (8.8% versus 10.7%; p = 0.609) and postoperative MACE incidence (10.6% versus 6.2%; p = 0.209). The total length of hospital stay was longer in the cardiologist group (17.27 versus 11.79 days; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The increased request for exams didn't have a significant impact on mortality and postoperative MACE incidence, but prolonged the total length of hospital stay. Health managers should consider these findings and ensure appropriate utilization of human and financial resources.

Preoperative coronary interventions for preventing acute myocardial infarction in the perioperative period of major open vascular or endovascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative myocardial infarction (POMI) is associated with major surgeries and remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in people undergoing vascular surgery, with an incidence rate ranging from 5% to 20%. Preoperative coronary interventions, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), may help prevent acute myocardial infarction in the perioperative period of major vascular surgery when used in addition to routine perioperative drugs (e.g. statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and antiplatelet agents), CABG by creating new blood circulation routes that bypass the blockages in the coronary vessels, and PCI by opening up blocked blood vessels. There is currently uncertainty around the benefits and harms of preoperative coronary interventions. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of preoperative coronary interventions for preventing acute myocardial infarction in the perioperative period of major open vascular or endovascular surgery. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, LILACS, and CINAHL EBSCO on 13 March 2023. We also searched the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs that compared the use of preoperative coronary interventions plus usual care versus usual care for preventing acute myocardial infarction during major open vascular or endovascular surgery. We included participants of any sex or any age undergoing major open vascular surgery, major endovascular surgery, or hybrid vascular surgery. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes of interest were acute myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality, and adverse events resulting from preoperative coronary interventions. Our secondary outcomes were cardiovascular mortality, quality of life, vessel or graft secondary patency, and length of hospital stay. We reported perioperative and long-term outcomes (more than 30 days after intervention). We assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: We included three RCTs (1144 participants). Participants were randomised to receive either preoperative coronary revascularisation with PCI or CABG plus usual care or only usual care before major vascular surgery. One trial enrolled participants if they had no apparent evidence of coronary artery disease. Another trial selected participants classified as high risk for coronary disease through preoperative clinical and laboratorial testing. We excluded one trial from the meta-analysis because participants from both the control and the intervention groups were eligible to undergo preoperative coronary revascularisation. We identified a high risk of performance bias in all included trials, with one trial displaying a high risk of other bias. However, the risk of bias was either low or unclear in other domains. We observed no difference between groups for perioperative acute myocardial infarction, but the evidence is very uncertain (risk ratio (RR) 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02 to 4.57; 2 trials, 888 participants; very low-certainty evidence). One trial showed a reduction in incidence of long-term (> 30 days) acute myocardial infarction in participants allocated to the preoperative coronary interventions plus usual care group, but the evidence was very uncertain (RR 0.09, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.28; 1 trial, 426 participants; very low-certainty evidence). There was little to no effect on all-cause mortality in the perioperative period when comparing the preoperative coronary intervention plus usual care group to usual care alone, but the evidence is very uncertain (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.31 to 2.04; 2 trials, 888 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of preoperative coronary interventions on long-term (follow up: 2.7 to 6.2 years) all-cause mortality (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.80; 2 trials, 888 participants; very low-certainty evidence). One study reported no adverse effects related to coronary angiography, whereas the other two studies reported five deaths due to revascularisations. There may be no effect on cardiovascular mortality when comparing preoperative coronary revascularisation plus usual care to usual care in the short term (RR 0.07, 95% CI 0.00 to 1.32; 1 trial, 426 participants; low-certainty evidence). Preoperative coronary interventions plus usual care in the short term may reduce length of hospital stay slightly when compared to usual care alone (mean difference -1.17 days, 95% CI -2.05 to -0.28; 1 trial, 462 participants; low-certainty evidence). We downgraded the certainty of the evidence due to concerns about risk of bias, imprecision, and inconsistency. None of the included trials reported on quality of life or vessel graft patency at either time point, and no study reported on adverse effects, cardiovascular mortality, or length of hospital stay at long-term follow-up. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative coronary interventions plus usual care may have little or no effect on preventing perioperative acute myocardial infarction and reducing perioperative all-cause mortality compared to usual care, but the evidence is very uncertain. Similarly, limited, very low-certainty evidence shows that preoperative coronary interventions may have little or no effect on reducing long-term all-cause mortality. There is very low-certainty evidence that preoperative coronary interventions plus usual care may prevent long-term myocardial infarction, and low-certainty evidence that they may reduce length of hospital stay slightly, but not cardiovascular mortality in the short term, when compared to usual care alone. Adverse effects of preoperative coronary interventions were poorly reported in trials. Quality of life and vessel or graft patency were not reported. We downgraded the certainty of the evidence most frequently for high risk of bias, inconsistency, or imprecision. None of the analysed trials provided significant data on subgroups of patients who could potentially experience more substantial benefits from preoperative coronary intervention (e.g. altered ventricular ejection fraction). There is a need for evidence from larger and homogeneous RCTs to provide adequate statistical power to assess the role of preoperative coronary interventions for preventing acute myocardial infarction in the perioperative period of major open vascular or endovascular surgery.

PROMRIINE (PRe-operatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging is INEffective) Study: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Impact of Magnetic Resonance Imaging on Surgical Decisions and Clinical Outcomes in Women with Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to review and summarize the association between preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surgical outcomes in women with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer from published randomized controlled trials (RCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two independent researchers conducted a systematic review through a comprehensive search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, Embase, Ovid, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. If there was disagreement between the two reviewers, a third reviewer assessed the manuscript to determine whether it should be included for data extraction. The quality of the papers was assessed using the risk of bias tool, and the evidence was analyzed using GRADE. Meta-analyses using a fixed-effects model were used to estimate the pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Initially, 21 studies were identified, 15 of which were observational comparative studies. A total of five RCTs were included, and they suggested that preoperative MRI significantly reduced the rate of immediate breast-conserving surgery and increased the risk for mastectomy. CONCLUSIONS: From the RCT perspective, preoperative MRI for newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer did not improve surgical outcomes and may increase the risk of mastectomy.

Preoperative promestriene for hysteroscopy: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative complications of hysteroscopy, such as the creation of a false passage, cervix dilatation failure, and uterine perforation, may require suspension of the procedure. Some patients refuse a new procedure, which delays the diagnosis of a possible serious uterine pathology. For this reason, it is essential to develop strategies to increase the success rate of hysteroscopy. Some authors suggest preoperative use of topical estrogen for postmenopausal patients. This strategy is common in clinical practice, but studies demonstrating its effectiveness are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cervical preparation with promestriene on the incidence of complications in postmenopausal women undergoing surgical hysteroscopy. METHODS: This is a double-blind clinical trial involving 37 postmenopausal patients undergoing surgical hysteroscopy. Participants used promestriene or placebo vaginally daily for 2 weeks and then twice a week for another 2 weeks until surgery. RESULTS: There were 2 out of 14 (14.3%) participants with complications in the promestriene group and 4 out of 23 (17.4%) participants in the placebo group (p=0.593). The complications were difficult cervical dilation, cervical laceration, and vaginal laceration. CONCLUSION: Cervical preparation with promestriene did not reduce intraoperative complications in postmenopausal patients undergoing surgical hysteroscopy.

Descompressão de cavidades ósseas associadas a cistos dentígeros / Decompression of bone cavities associated with dentigerous cysts / Descompresión de cavidades óseas asociadas a quistes dentígeros

Objetivo: O Cisto Dentígero (CDT) é o tipo mais comum dos cistos odontogênicos de desenvolvimento e o segundo mais frequente entre todos que ocorrem nos maxilares. E uma lesão benigna, radiolúcida, geralmente unilocular, prevalente no sexo masculino, nas três primeiras décadas de vida e com uma maior ocorrência na mandíbula. Possui crescimento lento e assintomático e sua etiopatogenia ainda é considerada desconhecida. Este trabalho tem como objetivo relatar dois casos clínicos de cistos dentígeros, o primeiro em um paciente de 50 anos e o segundo, em uma paciente de 11 anos, ambos localizados em mandíbula e envolvendo molares. Relato de caso: O método utilizado para o tratamento dessa lesão foi a descompressão, no qual foi criada uma comunicação entre o cisto e a cavidade oral, colocando um dispositivo para o condicionamento de sua drenagem e posterior enucleação da lesão e do dente envolvido. Este tratamento, por ser menos invasivo, promove uma maior preservação das estruturas saudáveis adjacentes e consequentemente, um pós-operatório mais favorável. Conclusão: Portanto, é de total importância que o profissional esteja apto para realizar este tipo de procedimento e tenha conhecimento para realizar a técnica, para que assim, o risco de complicações trans e pós-operatórias seja diminuído... (AU)

Objective: The Dentigerous Cyst (DTC) is the most common type of developmental odontogenic cyst and the second most frequent among all that occur in the jaws. It is a benign, radiolucent, usually unilocular lesion, prevalent in males, in the first three decades of life and with a greater occurrence in the mandible. It has slow and asymptomatic growth and its etiopathogenesis is still considered unknown. This paper aims to report two clinical cases of dentigerous cysts, the first in a 50-year-old patient and the second in an 11-year-old patient, both located in the mandible and involving molars. Case report: The method used to treat this lesion was decompression, in which a communication was created between the cyst and the oral cavity, placing a device to condition its drainage and subsequent enucleation ofthe lesion and the tooth involved. This treatment, being less invasive, promotes greater preservation of adjacent healthy stmctures and, consequently, a more favorable postoperative peñod. Conclusion: Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the professional is able to perform this type of procedure and has the knowledge to perform the technique, so that the risk of trans and postoperative complications is reduced... (AU)

Objetivo: El Quiste Dentígero (CDT) es el tipo más común de quiste odontogénico del desarrollo y el segundo más frecuente entre todos 10s que se presentan en 10s maxilares. Es una lesión benigna, radiolúcida, generalmente unilocular, prevalente en el sexo masculino, en Ias tres pñmeras décadas de Ia vida y con mayor incidencia en Ia mandíbula. Tiene un crecimiento lento y asintomático y su etiopatogenia aún se considera desconocida. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo reportar dos casos clínicos de quistes dentígeros, el primero en un paciente de 50 años y el segundo en un paciente de 11 años, ambos localizados en Ia mandíbula y afectando molares. Caso clínico: El método utilizado para el tratamiento de esta lesión fue Ia descompresión, en Ia que se creaba una comunicación entre el quiste y Ia cavidad bucal, colocando un dispositivo para condicionar su drenaje y posterior enucleación de Ia lesión y del diente afectado. Este tratamiento, al ser menos invasivo, favorece una mayor conservación de Ias estmcturas sanas adyacentes y, en consecuencia, un postoperatorio más favorable. Conclusión: Por Io tanto, es de suma importancia que el profesional sea capaz de realizar este tipo de procednmento y tenga 10s conocnmentos para realizar Ia técnica, de manera que se reduzca el riesgo de complicaciones trans y postoperatorias... (AU)

Virtual parental presence with coaching for reducing preoperative anxiety in children: a feasibility and pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anxiety in children causes negative postoperative outcomes. Parental presence at induction is a non-pharmacological strategy for relieving anxiety; nevertheless, it is not always possible or effective, namely when parents are overly anxious. Parental presence via video has been demonstrated to be useful in other contexts (divorce, criminal court). This study reports the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of video parental presence and parental coaching at induction on preoperative anxiety. METHODS: The study was a randomized, 2 × 2 factorial design trial examining parental presence (virtual vs. physical) and coaching (provided vs. not provided). Feasibility was assessed by enrollment rate, attrition rate, compliance, and staff satisfaction with virtual method with the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and System Usability Scale (SUS). For the children's anxiety and postoperative outcomes, the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) and Post-Hospitalization Behavioral Questionnaire (PHBQ) were used. Parental anxiety was evaluated with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 41 parent/patient dyads were recruited. The enrollment rate was 32.2%, the attrition rate 25.5%. Compliance was 87.8% for parents and 85% for staff. The SUS was 67.5/100 and 63.5/100 and NASA-TLX was 29.2 (21.5-36.8) and 27.6 (8.2-3.7) for the anesthesiologists and induction nurses, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found in mYPAS, PHBQ and STAI. CONCLUSION: A randomized controlled trial to explore virtual parental presence effect on preoperative anxiety is feasible. Further studies are needed to investigate its role and the role of parent coaching in reducing preoperative anxiety.

Learning needs and the orientation received by patients in the preoperative period of myocardial revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the learning needs and the orientations received by patients in the preoperative period of coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). METHOD: Descriptive study, with a qualitative approach. Data collection took place from January to April 2021, through interviews carried out with 13 pre-operative patients admitted to the cardiovascular unit of a university hospital in Northeastern Brazil. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the content of the interviews was processed in the software Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires. Next, an analysis of textual and similarity classes was carried out. RESULTS: The learning needs that were analyzed were divided in five classes: events that precede the surgery in the hospital; instructions received about the surgery; sites and recovery time after surgery; general questions about the surgery and content for the educational resource. Patients reported needs related to the process of disease, surgical procedures, and care before and after surgery. With regard to orientation, 53.85% reported not having received any. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study identified that patients seldom received orientation. They need education on topics related to the process of the illness, the heart, surgical procedures, exams, care environments, risks, benefits, results, and changes in lifestyle to maintain health and quality of life.

The effect of pre-operative biliary drainage in resectable periampullary lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of a pre-operative biliary stent on complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains controversial. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, and PubMed, Web of Science Knowledge, and Ovid's databases were searched by the end of February 2023. 35 retrospective studies and 2 randomized controlled trials with a total of 12641 patients were included. RESULTS: The overall complication rate of the pre-operative biliary drainage (PBD) group was significantly higher than the no-PBD group (odds ratio [OR] 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-1.74; p < 0.0001), the incidence of post-operative delayed gastric emptying was increased in patients with PBD compared those with early surgery (OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02-1.43; p = 0.03), and there was a significant increase in post-operative wound infections in patients receiving PBD with an OR of 2.2 (95% CI: 1.76-2.76; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: PBD has no beneficial effect on post-operative outcomes. The increase in post-operative overall complications and wound infections urges the exact indications for PBD and against routine pre-operative biliary decompression, especially for patients with total bilirubin < 250 umol/L waiting for PD.

OBJETIVO: El efecto de una endoprótesis biliar pre-operatoria sobre las complicaciones después de la pancreaticoduodenectomía sigue siendo controvertido. MATERIALES Y MÉTODO: Se llevó a cabo un metaanálisis siguiendo las directrices PRISMA y se realizaron búsquedas en PubMed, Web of Science Knowledge y la base de datos de Ovid hasta finales de febrero de 2023. Se incluyeron 35 estudios retrospectivos y 2 ensayos controlados aleatorizados, con un total de 12,641 pacientes. RESULTADOS: La tasa global de complicaciones del grupo drenaje biliar pre-operatorio (PBD) fue significativamente mayor que la del grupo no-PBD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.46; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%]: 1.22-1.74; p < 0.0001), la incidencia de vaciado gástrico retardado posoperatorio fue mayor en los pacientes con PBD en comparación con los de cirugía precoz (OR: 1.21; IC95%: 1.02-1.43; p = 0.03), y hubo un aumento significativo de las infecciones posoperatorias de la herida en los pacientes que recibieron PBD (OR: 2.2; IC 95%: 1.76-2.76; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONES: El drenaje biliar pre-operatorio no tiene ningún efecto beneficioso sobre el resultado posoperatorio. El aumento de las complicaciones posoperatorias globales y de las infecciones de la herida urge a precisar las indicaciones de PBD y a desaconsejar la descompresión biliar pre-operatoria sistemática, en especial en pacientes con bilirrubina total inferior a 250 µmol/l en espera de pancreaticoduodenectomía.

Preoperative α1-Blockers Impact on Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Ureteroscopy with Ureteral Access Sheaths: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The use of a ureteral access sheath (UAS) during ureteroscopy (URS) has been associated with the risk for ureteral injuries. Preoperative administration of α1-blockers presents a potential mitigator of such lesions by inducing ureteral relaxation, which may also contribute to improving other surgical outcomes. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies comparing preoperative α1-blockers administration vs its non-use in adult patients without pre-stenting undergoing URS. Binary outcomes were evaluated using risk ratios (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was measured with the Cochran's Q test, I2 statistics, and prediction intervals (PIs). A DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was utilized for all outcomes. Results: Eleven studies encompassing 1074 patients undergoing URS were included, of whom 522 (48.60%) received α1-blockers before the procedure. Preoperative α1-blockers were associated with a reduction in significant ureteral injuries (RR 0.30; 95% CI 0.17-0.53; I2 = 6%; PI 0.10-0.88) and an increase in mean successful UAS insertion (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.08-4.23; I2 = 23%; PI 0.51-8.93). In patients undergoing exclusively ureteroscopy lithotripsy (URSL), the medications also reduced total complications (RR 0.62; 95% CI 0.46-0.84; I2 = 0%) and complications graded Clavien-Dindo III or higher (RR 0.16; 95% CI 0.04-0.69; I2 = 0%), but no significant difference between groups was found in the stone-free rate (RR 1.10; 95% CI 0.86-1.40; I2 = 91%; PI 0.47-2.59). Conclusion: Preoperative α1-blockers were linked to a decrease in significant ureteral injuries with UAS use and fewer complications during URSL procedures. However, their impact on the successful insertion of a UAS remains uncertain. Consideration of administering preoperative α1-blockers in non-stented adult patients undergoing URS with UAS is advisable.

Digital nasoalveolar molding through presurgical orthopedics in newborns/infants with cleft lip and palate: A comprehensive review and case study.

AIMS: This study aims to provide a comprehensive review and case study about the advantages and disadvantages of the application of digital technologies in presurgical orthopedics in newborns/infants with cleft lip and palate (CLCP). Positive changes in the nasal anatomy, maxillary arch, and cleft width could be achieved. METHODS: Three representative cases of newborns/infants with CLCP were managed using the presurgical newborn/infant orthopedics (PSIO) approach. The patients were diagnosed and treated. Detailed descriptions of the impression procedures and PSIO appliance construction and placement were provided for each case. RESULTS: Case 1 utilized traditional impression techniques, Case 2 employed a semi-digitalized approach with intraoral digital scanning, and Case 3 utilized a completely digitalized method for appliance construction. Positive changes in maxillary arch dimensions and cleft width reduction were observed in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The management of CLCP in newborns and infants poses a complex challenge with profound implications. The PSIO approach not only facilitates reconstructive surgery but also enhances overall quality of life. Digital tools, like specialized optical scanners and 3D printing, revolutionize the PSIO process, making it more efficient and patient-friendly. Clinical benefits include improved facial morphology, esthetics, feeding, speech, and optimized future surgical results. Despite ongoing efficacy debates, global adoption as the initial surgical approach underscores its value. The integration of digital technologies offers new hope for patients and families, promising a brighter future for those affected by this congenital condition.