Ventral hernia repair in India: a Delphi consensus.

PURPOSE: While research on inguinal hernias is well-documented, ventral/incisional hernias still require investigation. In India, opinions on laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) techniques are contested. The current consensus aims to standardize LVHR practice and identify gaps and unfulfilled demands that compromise patient safety and therapeutic outcomes. METHODS: Using the modified Delphi technique, panel of 14 experts (general surgeons) came to a consensus. Two rounds of consensus were conducted online. An advisory board meeting was held for the third round, wherein survey results were discussed and the final statements were decided with supporting clinical evidence. RESULTS: Experts recommended intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) plus/trans-abdominal retromuscular/extended totally extraperitoneal/mini- or less-open sublay operation/transabdominal preperitoneal/trans-abdominal partial extra-peritoneal/subcutaneous onlay laparoscopic approach/laparoscopic intracorporeal rectus aponeuroplasty as valid minimal access surgery (MAS) options for ventral hernia (VH). Intraperitoneal repair technique is the preferred MAS procedure for primary umbilical hernia < 4 cm without diastasis; incisional hernia in the presence of a vertical single midline incision; symptomatic hernia, BMI > 40 kg/m2, and defect up to 4 cm; and for MAS VH surgery with grade 3/4 American Society of Anaesthesiologists. IPOM plus is the preferred MAS procedure for midline incisional hernia of width < 4 cm in patients with a previous laparotomy. Extraperitoneal repair technique is the preferred MAS procedure for L3 hernia < 4 cm; midline hernias < 4 cm with diastasis; and M5 hernia. CONCLUSION: The consensus statements will help standardize LVHR practices, improve decision-making, and provide guidance on MAS in VHR in the Indian scenario.

OSSI (Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of India) Guidelines for Patient and Procedure Selection for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: India is the largest hub for bariatric and metabolic surgery in Asia. OSSI is committed to improve the quality of care and set the standards for its practice in India. METHODS: The first draft of OSSI guidelines was prepared by the secretary, Dr. Praveen Raj under the guidance of current President, Dr. Arun Prasad. All executive council members were given voting privileges, and the proposed guidelines were circulated on email for approval of the executive council. Guidelines were finalized after 100% agreement from all voting members and were also circulated among all OSSI members for their suggestions. RESULTS: OSSI upholds the BMI criteria for bariatric and metabolic surgery of 2011 IFSO-APC guidelines. In addition to this, we recognize that waist circumference of ≥ 80 cm in females and ≥ 90 cm in males along with obesity related co-morbidities may be considered for surgery. In addition to standard procedures as recommended by IFSO, OSSI acknowledges the additional procedures, and a review of literature for these procedures is presented in the discussion. CONCLUSION: The burden of obesity in India is one of the highest in the world and with numbers of bariatric and metabolic procedures rising rapidly; there is a need for country specific guidelines. The Indian population is unique in its phenotype, genotype and nutritional make up. This document enlists guidelines for surgeons and allied health practitioners as also multiple other stake-holders like primary health physicians, policy makers, insurance companies and the Indian government.

Association between early postnatal weight loss and death or BPD in small and appropriate for gestational age extremely low-birth-weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between weight loss during the first 10 days of life and the incidence of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) extremely low-birth-weight infants. DESIGN/METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a cohort of ELBW (birth weight <1000 g) infants from the NICHD Neonatal Research Network's database. The cohort consisted of 9461 ELBW infants with gestational age of 24-29 weeks, admitted to Network's participating centers during calendar years 1994-2002 and surviving at least 72 h after birth. The cohort was divided into two groups, 1248 SGA (with birth weight below 10th percentile for gestational age) and 8213 AGA (with birth weight between 10th and 90th percentile) infants. We identified infants with or without weight loss during the first 10 days of life, which we termed as 'early postnatal weight loss' (EPWL). Univariate analyses were used to predict whether EPWL was related to the primary outcome, death or BPD, within each birth weight/gestation category (SGA or AGA). BPD and death were also analyzed separately in relation to EPWL. Logistic regression analysis was done to evaluate the risk of death or BPD in SGA and AGA groups, controlling for maternal and neonatal demographic and clinical factors found to be significant by univariate analysis. RESULTS: SGA ELBW infants had a lower prevalence of EPWL as compared with AGA ELBW infants (81.2 vs 93.7%, respectively, P<0.001). In AGA infants, univariate analysis showed that death or BPD rate was lower in the group of infants with EPWL compared with infants without EPWL (53.4 vs 74.3%, respectively, P<0.001). The BPD (47.2 vs 64%, P<0.001) and death (13.8 vs 32.9%, P<0.001) rate were similarly lower in the EPWL group. The risk-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) showed that EPWL was associated with lower rate of death or BPD (OR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.37-0.60). In SGA infants, on univariate analysis, a similar association between EPWL and outcomes was seen as shown in AGA infants: death or BPD (55.9 vs 75.2%, P<0.001), BPD rate (48.3 vs 62.1%, P=0.002) and rate death (19 vs 40.8%, P<0.001) for those with or without EPWL, respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that as in AGA ELBW infants, EPWL was associated with lower risk for death or BPD (OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41-0.89) among SGA infants. CONCLUSIONS: SGA infants experienced less EPWL when compared with their AGA counterparts. EPWL was associated with a lower risk of death or BPD in both ELBW AGA and SGA infants. These data suggest that clinicians who consider the association between EPWL and risk of death or BPD should do so independent of gestation/birth weight status.

Short-term outcomes after perinatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a report from the Children's Hospitals Neonatal Consortium HIE focus group.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize infants affected with perinatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who were referred to regional neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and their related short-term outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This is a descriptive study evaluating the data collected prospectively in the Children's Hospital Neonatal Database, comprised of 27 regional NICUs within their associated children's hospitals. A consecutive sample of 945 referred infants born ⩾36 weeks' gestation with perinatal HIE in the first 3 days of life over approximately 3 years (2010-July 2013) were included. Maternal and infant characteristics are described. Short-term outcomes were evaluated including medical comorbidities, mortality and status of survivors at discharge. RESULT: High relative frequencies of maternal predisposing conditions, cesarean and operative vaginal deliveries were observed. Low Apgar scores, profound metabolic acidosis, extensive resuscitation in the delivery room, clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) seizures, abnormal EEG background and brain imaging directly correlated with the severity of HIE. Therapeutic hypothermia was provided to 85% of infants, 15% of whom were classified as having mild HIE. Electrographic seizures were observed in 26% of the infants. Rates of complications and morbidities were similar to those reported in prior clinical trials and overall mortality was 15%. CONCLUSION: Within this large contemporary cohort of newborns with perinatal HIE, the application of therapeutic hypothermia and associated neurodiagnostic studies appear to have expanded relative to reported clinical trials. Although seizure incidence and mortality were lower compared with those reported in the trials, it is unclear whether this represented improved outcomes or therapeutic drift with the treatment of milder disease.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely low birth weight infants with spontaneous intestinal perforation or surgical necrotizing enterocolitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if extremely low birth weight infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis have a higher risk of death or neurodevelopmental impairment and neurodevelopmental impairment among survivors (secondary outcome) at 18-22 months corrected age compared with infants with spontaneous intestinal perforation and infants without necrotizing enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the Neonatal Research Network very low birth weight registry, evaluating extremely low birth weight infants born between 2000 and 2005. The study infants were designated into three groups: (1) spontaneous intestinal perforation without necrotizing enterocolitis; (2) surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (Bell's stage III); and (3) neither spontaneous intestinal perforation nor necrotizing enterocolitis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between the clinical group and death or neurodevelopmental impairment, controlling for multiple confounding factors including center. RESULT: Infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis had the highest rate of death before hospital discharge (53.5%) and death or neurodevelopmental impairment (82.3%) compared with infants in the spontaneous intestinal perforation group (39.1 and 79.3%) and no necrotizing enterocolitis/no spontaneous intestinal perforation group (22.1 and 53.3%; P<0.001). Similar results were observed for neurodevelopmental impairment among survivors. On logistic regression analysis, both spontaneous intestinal perforation and surgical necrotizing enterocolitis were associated with increased risk of death or neurodevelopmental impairment (adjusted odds ratio 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5, 3.2 and adjusted OR 2.11, 95% CI: 1.5, 2.9, respectively) and neurodevelopmental impairment among survivors (adjusted OR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.2 and adjusted OR 1.70, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.4, respectively). CONCLUSION: Spontaneous intestinal perforation and surgical necrotizing enterocolitis are associated with a similar increase in the risk of death or neurodevelopmental impairment and neurodevelopmental impairment among extremely low birth weight survivors at 18-22 months corrected age.

Predicting death or tracheostomy placement in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of death or tracheostomy placement (D/T) in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD) born < 32 weeks' gestation referred to regional neonatal intensive care units. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in infants born < 32 weeks' gestation with sBPD in 2010-2011, using the Children's Hospital Neonatal Database. sBPD was defined as the need for FiO2 ⩾ 0.3, nasal cannula support >2 l min(-1) or positive pressure at 36 weeks' post menstrual age. The primary outcome was D/T before discharge. Predictors associated with D/T in bivariable analyses (P < 0.2) were used to develop a multivariable logistic regression equation using 80% of the cohort. This equation was validated in the remaining 20% of infants. RESULT: Of 793 eligible patients, the mean gestational age was 26 weeks' and the median age at referral was 6.4 weeks. D/T occurred in 20% of infants. Multivariable analysis showed that later gestational age at birth, later age at referral along with pulmonary management as the primary reason for referral, mechanical ventilation at the time of referral, clinically diagnosed pulmonary hypertension, systemic corticosteroids after referral and occurrence of a bloodstream infection after referral were each associated with D/T. The model performed well with validation (area under curve 0.86, goodness-of-fit χ(2), P = 0.66). CONCLUSION: Seven clinical variables predicted D/T in this large, contemporary cohort with sBPD. These results can be used to inform clinicians who counsel families of affected infants and to assist in the design of future prospective trials.

Short-term outcomes for preterm infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the population and short-term outcomes in preterm infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). STUDY DESIGN: Preterm infants with surgical NEC were identified from 27 hospitals over 3 years using the Children's Hospitals Neonatal Database; infants with gastroschisis, volvulus, major congenital heart disease or surgical NEC that resolved prior to referral were excluded. Patient characteristics and pre-discharge morbidities were stratified by gestational age (<28 vs 28(0/7) to 36(6/7) weeks' gestation). RESULT: Of the 753 eligible infants, 60% were born at <28 weeks' gestation. The median age at referral was 14 days; only 2 infants were inborn. Male gender (61%) was overrepresented, whereas antenatal steroid exposure was low (46%). Although only 11% had NEC totalis, hospital mortality (<28 weeks' gestation: 41%; 28(0/7) to 36(6/7) weeks' gestation: 32%, P=0.02), short bowel syndrome (SBS)/intestinal failure (IF) (20% vs 26%, P=0.06) and the composite of mortality or SBS/IF (50% vs 49%, P=0.7) were prevalent. Also, white matter injury (11.7% vs 6.6%, P=0.02) and grade 3 to 4 intraventricular hemorrhages (23% vs 2.7%, P<0.01) were commonly diagnosed. After referral, the median length of hospitalization was longer for survivors (106 days; interquartile range (IQR) 79, 152) relative to non-survivors (2 days; IQR 1,17; P<0.001). These survivors were prescribed parenteral nutrition infrequently after hospital discharge (<28 weeks': 5.2%; 28(0/7) to 36(6/7) weeks': 9.9%, P=0.048). CONCLUSION: After referral for surgical NEC, the short-term outcomes are grave, particularly for infants born <28 weeks' gestation. Although analyses to predict outcomes are urgently needed, these data suggest that affected infants are at a high risk for lengthy hospitalizations and adverse medical and neuro-developmental abnormalities.

Parenteral nutrition solution retrieved by lumbar puncture following left saphenous vein catheterization.

Two extremely preterm infants had silastic lines inserted via the left great saphenous vein for intravenous feeding. Clinical deterioration approximately 10 days later led to lumbar puncture as part of a sepsis screen. Parenteral nutrition solution was recovered in the cerebrospinal fluid and heralded potentially life-threatening catheter malposition. The cases illustrate another percutaneous central line-associated morbidity, which is avoidable by careful verification of line position. All previously reported cases of this unusual complication are reviewed and we describe its likely mechanism. We postulate that the phenomenon is a complication peculiar to percutaneous catheterization of the left lower limb.