Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications are revolutionizing approaches to weight loss, including in the neoadjuvant setting. Obesity poses a challenge to the hernia surgeon, as an independent modifiable risk factor for hernia occurrence which also connotates a higher risk of post-operative morbidity, complications, and recurrence. This is the first review to investigate the neoadjuvant potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists to result in weight loss prior to elective abdominal wall hernia surgery in obese patients. A computer-assisted search of Medline, PubMed, and EMBASE was conducted to identify studies reporting on the utility of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications in neoadjuvant weight loss prior to abdominal wall hernia surgery. A total of three retrospective studies were included in this narrative study. In this study, GLP-1 receptor agonists have been found to contribute to either statistically significantly greater weight loss and BMI reductions, or at least equivalent outcomes, in the pre-operative setting prior to elective abdominal wall hernia repair, when compared to conventional lifestyle modifications alone. However, neoadjuvant GLP-1 receptor agonists have not been shown to be superior to pre-operative bariatric surgery in effecting weight loss and BMI reduction. GLP-1 receptor agonists have also been found to be associated with an earlier surgery date if weight loss is the barrier to surgery, when compared to both lifestyle modifications and bariatric surgery. Crucially, GLP-1 receptor agonists have not been shown to lead to more complications or hernia recurrences in terms of post-operative outcomes. These results are limited by the relative paucity of data, the heterogeneity of the included studies, and the absence of long-term outcomes. There may be a promising role for GLP-1 receptor agonists in the neoadjuvant approach to abdominal wall hernia repair, by inducing and accelerating pre-operative weight loss without a negative impact on post-operative outcomes. Only limited conclusions can yet be drawn at this stage and large-scale prospective studies, ideally in a randomized controlled setting, are necessary to investigate this finding further.

Diabetic foot is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus that generates lifelong consequences on the health and quality of life of affected patients. One of the first grading systems developed for diabetic foot was the Wagner classification system. Despite its prolonged use in the medical field, accurate clinical assessment requires an experienced evaluator to minimize errors and bias. Using infrared thermography, a technology that quantitatively measures temperature changes in areas of interest related to altered vascular flow derived from inflammatory processes, could diminish the subjective bias associated with clinical evaluation. To determine the thermographic pattern of the different grades of the Wagner classification system for diabetic foot. We evaluated thermographic images of 66 patients diagnosed with diabetic foot. Clinical data and infrared thermographic images were acquired at the moment of evaluation. Temperature differences (ΔT) between the first toe of the affected limb and the contralateral unaffected first toe were recorded and analyzed with computer software. The thermographic patterns were then compared with the Wagner classification system grades. A positive ΔT was observed in 36 patients in the first three Wagner grades: Wagner 0, ΔT 0.71°C±0.43; Wagner 1, ΔT 1.17°C±1.88; and Wagner 2, ΔT 2.18°C±2.38. Thirty patients presented negative ΔT from the third grade onward: Wagner 3, ΔT -2.66°C±1.14; Wagner 4, ΔT -5.92°C±1.75, and Wagner 5, ΔT -6.92°C±1.28. Then, we separate the cohort into two groups: patients who required amputation and those who required conservative management. A threshold in the ΔT value of -2.6 correctly predicted the outcome in more than 95% of patients. These results suggest a potential application for thermography as an adjunctive tool in wound clinics, enabling the accurate evaluation of diabetic foot ulcers and as a predictor of patients' outcomes. Registry: 08-23 by the Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad "Dr. Ignacio Morones Prieto" Research Ethics Committee (CONBIOÉTICA-24-CEI-001-20160427).

Amid increasing global concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance, the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics in anorectal surgery has been questioned. In practice, prescribing practices vary widely among surgeons, highlighting the need for stronger evidence-based guidance. The aim of this study is to perform a systematic, critical assessment of the current literature to determine the role of prophylactic antibiotics in elective anorectal surgery. A comprehensive search of studies published between January 1980 and June 2025 was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The primary outcome was surgical site infection (SSI); secondary outcomes included systemic infection, wound dehiscence, abscess formation, bleeding, and recurrence. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the ROBINS-I tool for observational studies. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Nine studies including 2317 participants were included, and five were eligible for meta-analysis. Overall, prophylactic antibiotics were not associated with a significant reduction in postoperative infectious or wound-related complications in RCTs (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.43-1.33, and p=0.66, moderate GRADE certainty of evidence) or observational studies (RR 0.60 (95% CI 0.01-48.4) and p=0.53, very low certainty). All studies concluded that routine antibiotic prophylaxis may be unnecessary in anorectal surgery. Current evidence does not support the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics in uncomplicated anorectal procedures. However, the certainty of evidence is limited by small sample sizes, methodological heterogeneity, and limited number of available studies. Large-scale randomized trials are required to strengthen this evidence base. The review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database CRD420251159850.

Healthcare financing models significantly impact health outcomes across many diseases in high-income countries (HICs). In low or middle-income countries (LMICs), where financial vulnerabilities are much higher, little is known about the relationship between payment mechanisms and emergency care outcomes. This study aimed to quantify the association between trauma care payment mechanisms and inpatient mortality. We conducted analysis of data from in four facilities in province Sindh, Pakistan (two urban and two rural sites) collected between May 2023 and February 2025. The outcomes were inpatient mortality and length of stay (LOS). We compared patients with out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses with no-OOP. We calculated adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval for OOP after controlling for age, sex, injury severity (Kampala Trauma Score [KTS]), blood transfusion, procedure, comorbidity, and setting. We also applied propensity score matching (PSM) on age, sex, mechanism of injury, injury severity (KTS), and setting. Most of the 3572 enrolled patients were young (median age 35years and IQR 25-50) males (81.95%) and a third paid OOP for hospital care (n=978 and 37.38%). The overall mortality rate was 4.85%, with a significantly higher mortality rate among the OOP group compared to the no-OOP group (10.02% vs. 2.89%; AOR 3.14: 95% CI 1.93, 5.10). Additionally, the hospital LOS (median 4 vs. 9days and p value<0.001) and mean survival time of patients (22.81days vs. 28.67 and p value<0.001) were lower for the OOP group than no-OOP group. The odds ratio after PSM showed a weak significant independent association between OOP and mortality (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.02, 1.08). Patients who paid OOP for injury care had greater mortality, suggesting that alternative financing strategies could improve outcomes in LMICs. Additionally, OOP was associated with shorter LOS, highlighting the need to improve universal health coverage for complete injury care.

Laparoscopic surgery has gradually gained acceptance for abdominal surgical emergencies; however, limited reports exist on laparoscopic surgery for strangulated small bowel obstruction (SSBO). We aimed to demonstrate the efficacy and feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for SSBO. In this single-center retrospective study, patients who underwent emergency surgery for SSBO between January 2014 and December 2024 were included and divided into laparoscopy and open groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to compare the primary outcomes-intraoperative and short-term postoperative outcomes-between the groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery as secondary outcomes. A total of 123 patients were included in this study, of whom 39 (31.7%) were assigned to the laparoscopy group. After PSM, the overall rate of the Clavien-Dindo grade≥II postoperative complications was significantly lower in the laparoscopy than the open group (7.4% vs. 29.6%; p=0.036). Of the 39 patients in the laparoscopy group, 10 (25.6%) were converted from laparoscopic to open surgery. The number of previous laparotomies (odds ratio: 4.036, 95% confidence interval: 1.189-13.701, and p=0.025) and a history of gastrointestinal surgery (odds ratio: 6.125, 95% confidence interval: 1.263-29.699, and p=0.024) were identified as factors significantly associated with conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery in patients with SSBO. Our study suggests that laparoscopic surgery for SSBO is beneficial for reducing the occurrence of postoperative complications. However, laparoscopic surgery should be performed in patients with a history of multiple laparotomies or gastrointestinal surgery, considering the possibility of conversion to open surgery.

Timely care for open tibia fractures remains difficult in low-resource settings. We evaluated a task-sharing model in Malawi in which trained orthopedic clinical officers (OCOs) delivered external fixation supported by a remote quality assessment tool. We conducted a prospective implementation evaluation across one central and four district hospitals (May 2023-July 2024). The intervention bundled OR refurbishment assured external fixator supply, refresher training, mentoring (on-site and remote), national guideline reinforcement, and a novel Fracture Fixation Assessment Tool for External Fixation (FFATEF). OCOs submitted postoperative radiographs and construct photographs for scoring across four domains (reduction, stability, implantation, and surgical impression; total 0-12 and satisfactory ≥8). Nonparametric tests compared performance by the hospital type; temporal trends were assessed with Spearman correlation. Forty-seven patients (89% male and mean age 32.3years) were treated (central: n=28 and district: n=19). The central hospital managed more severe injuries (Gustilo IIIA/B 69.6% vs. 15.8%). Median FFATEF scores were higher at the central hospital (10.0 [IQR 9-11]) than district hospitals (6.0 [5, 6, 7, 8], p<0.001). Satisfactory scores (≥8) occurred in 93% of central versus 32% of district cases. Central scores improved over time (ρ=0.52; p=0.005) whereas district scores were unchanged (ρ=0.15; p=0.540). Preoperative antibiotic compliance was 100% at the central versus 47% at district hospitals. When embedded within integrated surgical teams and adequate infrastructure, task sharing for open fracture external fixation yielded satisfactory technical performance but lagged district-level implementation despite training. Comprehensive institutional support-mentoring intensity, equipment, supply chains, and referral adherence-is likely required for safe scale-up. Validation of FFATEF against clinical outcomes and economic evaluation of delivery models are priorities.

A growing number of emergency general surgery (EGS) admissions comprise of adults age 65years and older, who are more likely to experience missed or delayed diagnoses, and subsequently worse postoperative outcomes. We aimed to ascertain the perspectives of clinicians on the diagnostic challenges unique to older adults with EGS conditions and strategies to improve feedback. In this qualitative study, semi-structured focus groups were conducted with frontline clinicians with experience in providing high volume care to older adult EGS patients to explore diagnostic challenges, tools, and feedback strategies. Questions focused on clinical gaps and approaches, tools, and the mechanisms in place to provide feedback on patient diagnosis and assessment. Focus groups were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using an inductive approach. Twenty-two clinicians participated in one of six focus groups. Clinicians reported three key diagnostic challenges: nontextbook presentations, comorbidities, and older-age specific complications. Nondiagnostic factors remained high priorities including functional health status, patient preferences, family involvement, and health related social needs. Practical tools addressing these gaps included the use of multidisciplinary expertise, surgical risk calculators, cognitive assessments, functional health assessments, and protocols guiding goals of care discussions. Participants shared barriers and facilitators for implementation of these tools. Frontline clinicians identified several high priority considerations unique in EGS for older adults. To address these, context-specific tools and strategies were detailed and inform ongoing work to incorporate feedback and solutions into frontline settings. Future work in quality improvement should incorporate these high priority areas into existing quality improvement frameworks.