Diaphragmatic Repair Research Articles

Emergency Operable Traumatic Pulmonary Injury at a Level 1 Trauma Center: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

ABSTRACT Introduction Despite the use of body armor, emergency operable pulmonary trauma (EOPT) remains a major cause of battlefield morbidity and mortality. While EOPT during military conflicts has some features that distinguish it from EOPT in civilian settings, the 2 occurrences demonstrate overall parallel findings related to presentation, management, and outcome. The goals of the present study were to provide a descriptive analysis of the nature of EOPT and its management at a level 1 trauma center and to determine the associations between EOPT patient demographics and/or patient management and outcome in order to better understand battlefield EOPT. Materials and Methods This is a retrospective, descriptive analysis of EOPT at a level 1 trauma center during a recent 9-year period (2012–2020). The Oregon Health & Science University Trauma Registry was searched, and 106 patients met inclusion criteria for the study. Patients with primary cardiac trauma were excluded. Individual electronic medical records were reviewed to obtain descriptive data, and associations were evaluated for statistical significance. Results In-hospital mortality in this cohort was 17.0%. The most common pulmonary injury associated with EOPT was unilateral diaphragmatic laceration (62.3%), and the most common single operation performed for EOPT was a laparotomy (71.7%) often involving diaphragmatic repair. In the remaining instances of EOPT, a thoracotomy (11.3%), a thoracotomy and a laparotomy (10.4%), or another surgery (6.6%) occurred. The primary indication for EOPT surgery was uncontrolled hemorrhage, and one-third of patients received massive transfusion. One-lung ventilation (OLV) was infrequently employed (8.5%). When OLV was used, it was equally likely to involve a single-lumen endotracheal tube (SLETT) with mainstem bronchus insertion, a SLETT with a bronchial blocker, or a double-lumen endotracheal tube. Time from EOPT to operating room arrival was inversely related to in-hospital mortality. Also, both initial in-hospital endotracheal intubation and low injury severity score were strongly associated with survival in the population studied. Conclusions The most common indication for EOPT surgery was uncontrolled hemorrhage. The most frequent operation performed for this EOPT cohort was a laparotomy for diaphragmatic repair. A total of 91.5% of EOPT surgery was performed without OLV, an unexpected finding. When OLV occurred, it was equally likely to involve an SLETT with mainstem bronchus insertion, an SLETT with bronchial blocker, or a double-lumen endotracheal tube. The most common indication for OLV was surgical exposure. More extensive injury (expressed as an injury severity score), preadmission endotracheal intubation, and a shorter time from EOPT to operating room arrival were associated with increased odds ratios for mortality. A better understanding of the nature of EOPT at a civilian level 1 trauma center can serve to identify conditions that are associated with more favorable outcomes for EOPT under battlefield conditions and thereby assist in both management decisions and to help prognosticate and triage severely injured patients in that setting.

Surgical resection/ablation of all obvious thoracic endometriosis implants and primary diaphragm repair.

Surgical resection/ablation of all obvious thoracic endometriosis implants and primary diaphragm repair.

Statewide Hospital Admissions for Adult Survivors of Infant Surgical Diseases Over a 10-Year Period

IntroductionThe number of patients with congenital disease living to adulthood continues to grow. Often undergoing surgical correction in infancy, they continue to require lifelong care. Their numbers are largely unknown. We sought to evaluate hospital admissions of adult patients with esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), and Hirschsprung disease (HD). MethodsThe Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration inpatient database was merged with the Distressed Communities Index and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital and Physician Compare datasets. The dataset was queried for adult patients (≥18 y, born after 1970) with EA/TEF, CDH, and HD in their problem list from 2010 to 2020. Patient demographics, hospitalization characteristics, and discharge information were obtained. ResultsIn total, 1140 admissions were identified (266 EA/TEF, 135 CDH, 739 HD). Patients were mostly female (53%), had a mean age of 31.6 y, and often admitted to an adult internist in a general hospital under emergency. Principal diagnoses and procedures (when performed) varied with diagnosis and age at admission. EA patients were admitted with dysphagia and foregut symptoms and often underwent upper endoscopy with dilation. CDH patients were often admitted for diaphragmatic hernias and underwent adult diaphragm repair. Hirschsprung patients were often admitted for intestinal obstructive issues and frequently underwent colonoscopy but trended toward operative intervention with increasing age. ConclusionsAdults with congenital disease continue to require hospital admission and invasive procedures. As age increases, diagnoses and performed procedures for each diagnoses evolve. These data could guide the formulation of multispecialty disease-specific follow-up programs for these patients.

A rare complication of pediatric liver transplantation: Post-transplant diaphragmatic hernia.

Acquired post-transplant diaphragmatic hernia (PTDH) is a rare complication of liver transplantation (LT) in children. We aimed to present our experience in PTDH, and a possible causative background is discussed. Medical records of patients who had undergone diaphragmatic repair following LT between 2015 and 2023 were reviewed. Demographic information, details of primary diseases necessitating LT, transplantation techniques, and clinical findings associated with PTDH were evaluated. There were seven patients with PTDH. Median age at transplantation was 69 (range: 9-200) months. Five patients received a left lateral sector, one patient had a right lobe, and one had a left lobe graft. Time between LT and PTDH was 9 (2-123) months. One patient who was diagnosed in the postoperative 10th year was asymptomatic. Respiratory distress and abdominal pain were the main symptoms among all. All patients underwent laparotomy, and primary repair was performed in six patients, and one patient required mesh repair because of a large defect. Small intestine herniated in most cases. There were two complicated cases with perforation of the stomach and colonic volvulus. There is no recurrence or long-term complications for the median 60 (20-119) month follow-up period. PTDH is a rare but serious complication. Majority of symptomatic cases present within the first postoperative year, whereas some late-presenting cases may not be symptomatic. Inadvertent injury to the inferior phrenic vasculatures due to excessive use of cauterization for control of hemostasis may be a plausible explanation in those cases.

Use of polyglactin mesh coated with platelet-rich plasma for diaphragmatic defect healing in rabbits. Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

Absorbable, biosynthetic scaffolds are a promising option for repair of diaphragmatic defects, since they are associated with less mesh-related complications than non-absorbable synthetic meshes. Coating of absorbable synthetic meshes with anti-inflammatory and healing agents, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), is a widely studied technique for improving mesh-tissue integration and reducing recurrence rate. The aim of this study is to investigate the synergic effect of a PRP-coated synthetic absorbable polyglactin mesh 2cmx2cm in healing of a diaphragmatic defect in an experimental rabbit model. Animals will be equally randomised in the PGM-PRP group (absorbable polyglactin mesh enriched with PRP) or the PGM group (use of absorbable polyglactin mesh only). Rabbits will undergo laparotomy under general anaesthesia and resection of a portion of the diaphragmatic central tendon 1cmx1cm. Samples will be euthanised on the 91th postoperative day and samples of 3cmx3cm will be harvested. The mesh-tissue integration will be assessed based on macroscopic, microscopic, immunohistochemical and morphometric parameters. The study is indesign stage and results are expected to be available by the end of the following year. High-quality evidence is expected regarding the synergic effect of PRP and synthetic absorbable polyglactin meshes in diaphragm repair.

Thoracic cavity irrigation prevents retained hemothorax and decreases surgical intervention in trauma patients.

Retained hemothorax (HTX) is a common complication following thoracic trauma. Small studies demonstrate the benefit of thoracic cavity irrigation at the time of tube thoracostomy (TT) for the prevention of retained HTX. We sought to assess the effectiveness of chest irrigation in preventing retained HTX leading to a secondary surgical intervention. We performed a single-center retrospective study from 2017 to 2021 at a Level I trauma center, comparing bedside thoracic cavity irrigation via TT versus no irrigation. Using the trauma registry, patients with traumatic HTX were identified. Exclusion criteria were TT placement at an outside hospital, no TT within 24 hours of admission, thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) prior to or within 6 hours after TT placement, VATS as part of rib fixation or diaphragmatic repair, and death within 96 hours of admission. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted. A total of 370 patients met the inclusion criteria, of whom 225 (61%) were irrigated. Patients who were irrigated were more likely to suffer a penetrating injury (41% vs. 30%, p = 0.03) and less likely to have a flail chest (10% vs. 21%, p = 0.01). On bivariate analysis, irrigation was associated with lower rates of VATS (6% vs. 19%, p < 0.001) and retained HTX (10% vs. 21%, p < 0.001). The irrigated cohort had a shorter TT duration (4 vs. 6 days, p < 0.001) and hospital length of stay (7 vs. 9 days, p = 0.04). On multivariable analysis, thoracic cavity irrigation had lower odds of VATS (adjusted odds ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30-0.54), retained HTX (adjusted odds ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.25-0.74), and a shorter TT duration ( β = -1.58; 95% CI, -2.52 to -0.75). Our 5-year experience with thoracic irrigation confirms findings from smaller studies that irrigation prevents retained HTX and decreases the need for surgical intervention. Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III.

Enhancing diaphragmatic defect repair and regeneration: How biomaterials leading the way to progress?

AbstractPhysicians encounter significant challenges in dealing with large diaphragmatic defects in both pediatric and adult populations. Diaphragmatic hernias, such as Morgagni, Bochdalek, and Hiatus hernias, can result in congenital lesions that are often undiagnosed until the appearance of symptoms (bleeding, anemia, and acid reflux). Therefore, substantial potential exists for developing tissue‐engineered constructs as novel therapeutic options in clinics. Recent research indicates promising mid‐term performance for both natural and synthetic materials. However, studies exploring their application in diaphragm regeneration are limited and remain in the early research stages. Additionally, further investigation is required to address the constraints in human tissue supply for clinical implementation. This article comprehensively reviews the role of biomaterials in diaphragmatic tissue repair and regeneration. It emphasizes biomaterials, including biomimetic polymers used in technological solutions. This summary will enable researchers to critically assess the capability of existing natural biomaterials as essential tissue‐engineered patches for clinical use.

Long-Term Outcome of Chest Wall and Diaphragm Repair with Biological Materials.

Chest wall and/or diaphragm reconstruction aims to preserve, restore, or improve respiratory function; conserve anatomical cavities; and upkeep postural and upper extremity support. This can be achieved by utilizing a wide range of different grafts made of synthetic, biological, autologous, or bioartificial materials. We aim to review our experience with decellularized bovine pericardium as graft in the past decade. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical chest wall and/or diaphragm repair with decellularized bovine pericardium between January 1, 2012 and January 13, 2022 at our institution. All records were screened for patient characteristics, intra-/postoperative complications, chest tube and analgesic therapy duration, length of hospital stay, presence or absence of redo procedures, as well as morbidity and 30-day mortality. We then looked for correlations between implanted graft size and postoperative complications and gathered further follow-up information at least 2 months after surgery. A total of 71 patients either underwent isolated chest wall (n = 51), diaphragm (n = 12), or pericardial (n = 4) resection and reconstruction or a combination thereof. No mortality was recorded within the first 30 days. Major morbidity occurred in 12 patients, comprising secondary respiratory failure requiring bronchoscopy and invasive ventilation in 8 patients and secondary infections and delayed wound healing requiring patch removal in 4 patients. There was no correlation between the extensiveness of the procedure and extubation timing (chi-squared test, p = 0.44) or onset of respiratory failure (p = 0.27). A previously demonstrated general viability of biological materials for various reconstructive procedures appears to be supported by our long-term results.

Diaphragmatic hernia repair porcine model to compare the performance of biodegradable membranes against Gore-Tex®

BackgroundPatch repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) using Gore-Tex® is associated with infection, adhesions, hernia recurrence, long-term musculoskeletal sequels and poor tissue regeneration. To overcome these limitations, the performance of two novel biodegradable membranes was tested to repair CDH in a growing pig model.MethodsTwelve male pigs were randomly assigned to 3 different groups of 4 animals each, determined by the type of patch used during thoracoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair (Gore-Tex®, polycaprolactone electrospun membrane-PCLem, and decellularized human chorion membrane-dHCM). After 7 weeks, all animals were euthanized, followed by necropsy for diaphragmatic evaluation and histological analysis.ResultsThoracoscopic defect creation and diaphragmatic repair were performed without any technical difficulty in all groups. However, hernia recurrence rate was 0% in Gore-Tex®, 50% in PCLem and 100% in dHCM groups. At euthanasia, Gore-Tex® patches appeared virtually unchanged and covered with a fibrotic capsule, while PCLem and dHCM patches were replaced by either floppy connective tissue or vascularized and floppy regenerated membranous tissue, respectively.ConclusionGore-Tex® was associated with a higher survival rate and lower recurrence. Nevertheless, the proposed biodegradable membranes were associated with better tissue integration when compared with Gore-Tex®.

P‐TS‐35 | Group O Red Blood Cell Utilization in Group A recipients with Neonatal Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Surgical Repair: A Patient Blood Management Opportunity

P‐TS‐35 | Group O Red Blood Cell Utilization in Group A recipients with Neonatal Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Surgical Repair: A Patient Blood Management Opportunity

Laparoscopic diaphragm repair with bioabsorbable mesh in congenital and acquired diaphragmatic hernia

Background and Aim: Congenital or acquired diaphragmatic hernias are both possible. The present study aimed to investigate the superiority of laparoscopic surgery over open repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernias with bioabsorbable mesh in congenital and acquired diaphragmatic hernia. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 7 diaphragmatic hernia cases in the General Surgery Unit of Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital, Islamabad from January 2015 to December 2022. Diaphragmatic hernia was diagnosed and confirmed on CT scan. Patients with Bochdalek hernia (BH), right-sided eventration of diaphragm, and left eventration of diaphragm (ED) cases were enrolled. Individual demographic details, clinical manifestations, hernia description, treatment modalities, and complications were recorded. Results: The overall mean age was 42 years with an age range 30-62 years. Of the total cases, there were 6 (85.7%) male and 1 (14.3%) female. The incidence of Bochdalek hernia (BH), left-sided ED, and right-sided ED was 2 (28.6%), 4 (57.1%), and 1 (14.3%) respectively. The major defect on left and right side was 15× 7 cm and 15× 8 cm respectively.

Laparoscopic Repair of a Right-Sided Diaphragmatic Hernia

Introduction: Blunt trauma may cause small occult diaphragmatic injuries that increase in size over the course of decades. The gradual increase is secondary to the pressure disparity between the abdominal and thoracic cavities. Over time, visceral contents may traverse the defect and become incarcerated within the thoracic cavity.1 Typically, the defect occurs on the left side with gastric herniation. Rarely, the defect occurs on the RIGHT side since the large right lobe of the liver may preclude herniation through a right-sided diaphragmatic defect.2,3 This video presents a repair of a symptomatic right-sided diaphragmatic hernia that occurred decades after blunt trauma. Materials and Methods: A 58-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with a 2-day history of acute abdominal pain that was sharp and diffuse. He had vomited several times and denied flatus for 24 hours. He had a history of three prior motor vehicle accidents in the 1980s. He had a history of oropharyngeal cancer that was treated with radiation then a neck dissection 2 years before presentation. He had no history of abdominal or thoracic surgery but had a significant tobacco history for 40 years. His blood work was normal. A CT scan of the abdomen showed a right-sided diaphragmatic hernia defect that contained small intestine and colon. There was no dilated bowel or evidence of a pneumoperitoneum or free fluid. There was air in the rectum. A well-healed old nondisplaced pubic rami fracture was evident also on the scan. Surgical intervention included a laparoscopic possible thoracoscopic diaphragmatic repair. Operatively, he was placed in a semilateral position at 30°. A Veress needle was used to enter the abdomen and three 5 mm ports were placed along the subcostal border. One of the 5 mm ports was upsized to a 10 mm port. Diagnostic laparoscopy delineated the diaphragmatic defect containing bowel. Several adhesions were divided and the colon and small intestine were reduced from the defect. There was no hernia sac and the thoracic cavity was pristine. Once the bowel was reduced, the defect was measured at ~5 cm by 3 cm. The defect was closed with interrupted 0-silk sutures. The suture line was then buttressed with a 15 cm by 10 cm mesh. The mesh was secured with absorbable tacks. A 28F chest tube was placed. Results: The operative time was 90 minutes. The patient was started on a clear liquid diet on postoperative day 1 and advanced to a regular diet on postoperative day 2. Because of social issues, he was discharged on postoperative day 4. A chest CT at ~6 months postoperatively showed no evidence of a recurrent diaphragmatic defect. Conclusions: Minimally invasive techniques are well suited for diaphragmatic defects. If a right-sided symptomatic diaphragmatic hernia is diagnosed, a minimally invasive approach through the abdomen may be performed without a thoracic approach. Adhesions may warrant thoracic access to reduce the abdominal contents, so double lumen intubation is prudent. A durable repair may be obtained by suturing the defect and adding a mesh buttress. Patient consent has been obtained. Authors have received and archived patient consent for video recording/publication of the procedure. There are no conflict of interests associated with this video in terms of commercial or financial interests. Runtime of video: 5 mins 42 secs

Analysis of Patients with Emergency Thoracic Trauma

Background: Trauma is an important health problem because it causes high morbidity and mortality. Thoracic trauma is generally categorized as blunt and penetrating trauma. Thoracic traumas are life-threatening and require rapid intervention. Successful treatment is achieved with multidisciplinary management and rapid diagnosis.&#x0D; Aims: It was aimed to investigate clinical outcomes of emergency thoracic trauma in the study.&#x0D; Study Design: Trauma patients older than 18 years old hospitalized to the thoracic surgery clinic from the emergency department were included and, patients were excluded without thoracic trauma, not hospitalized, and younger than 18 years of ages in the study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Ersin Arslan Training and Research Hospital wards of thoracic surgery from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.&#x0D; Methodology: A total of 114 patients were analyzed. The data of the patients were analyzed ages, gender, comorbidities, smoking, use of alcohol and other substances, types of trauma, localization and variety of injuries, pathological findings on thoracic and extrathoracic organs, methods of medical and surgical treatments, lenght of stays in Intensive-care Unit and hospital, recovery and mortality. Statistical analysis of the study was done using the Chi-square test.&#x0D; Results: Patients were 87.7% males and 12.3% females. The mean age was 40.3+/-10.8. Comorbidities were 20.2. The rates of use of substances were cigarettes 75.4%, alcohol 14.8% and other substances 15.7%. The rates of types of traumas were 14% Motor Vehicle Collisions, 6.1% Vehicles Striking Pedestrians, 3.5% Acts of Violence, 29.8% stabbing, 13.2% gunshot wounds, 33.4% falls. . Findings of thoracic injuries were 75.4% hemothorax, 72.8% pneumothorax, 61.4% contusion of the lungs, 49.1% fractures of the ribs, 18.4% subcutaneous emphysema, 9.6% cardiac injury, 5.2% diaphragmatic, 1.7% tracheobronchial and 0.8% esophageal injury. Surgically, which were 32.4% tube thoracostomy, 15.7% primary repair, and 10.5% thoracotomy among all traumas. The maximum length of stay in the Intensive-care Unit were for acts of violence and gunshot wounds and the maximum length of stay in the hospital were in acts of violence and falls from height.&#x0D; Conclusions: Thoracic traumas were more often in males. Penetrating injuries were more common in adults younger than 40 years and blunt traumas in adults older than 40 years. The majority of patients were without comorbidity. Surgically, these were done 100% parenchyma of the lung repair, 75% intercostal ligation, 41.6% thoracic wall reconstruction, 33.3% mediastinal surgery and 25% diaphragm repair in patients with thoracotomy. Rates of mortality were 13.3% in gunshot wounds and 2.9% in stabbing. Mortality rate was 2.6% in all thoracic traumas in the study.

Isolated aortic arch anomalies are associated with defect severity and outcome in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients often have suspected isolated aortic arch anomalies (IAAA) on imaging. The purpose of this work was to describe the incidence and outcomes of CDH + IAAA patients. Cardiovascular data were collected for infants from the CDH Study Group born between 2007 and 2019. IAAA were defined as coarctation of aorta, hypoplastic aortic arch, interrupted aortic arch, and aortic aneurysmal disease on early, postnatal echocardiography. Patients with major cardiac malformations and/or chromosomal abnormalities were excluded. Primary outcomes included the rate of aortic intervention, rates of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) utilization, and mortality. Of 6357 CDH infants, 432 (7%) were diagnosed with a thoracic aortic anomaly. Of these, 165 were diagnosed with IAAA, most commonly coarctation of the aorta (n = 106; 64%) or hypoplastic aortic arch (n = 58; 35%). CDH + IAAA patients had lower birthweights (3kg vs. 2.9kg) and Apgar scores (7 vs. 6) than patients without IAAA (both χ2 p < 0.001). CDH + IAAA were less likely to undergo diaphragm repair (72 vs. 87%, p < 0.001), and overall mortality was higher for CDH + IAAA infants (58 vs. 24%, p < 0.001). When controlling for defect size, birth weight, and Apgar, IAAA were significantly associated with mortality (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.2-5.0; p < 0.01) but not associated with ECLS (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.65-1.50; p = 0.90). Only17% (n = 28) of CDH + IAAA patients underwent aortic intervention. IAAA in CDH are associated with increased mortality. This often simply reflects severity of the defect and thoracic anatomic derangement, as opposed to unique aortic pathology, givenfew CDH + IAAA patients undergo aortic intervention.

Successful Surgical Treatment of Stage IVB Immature Teratoma Involving the Liver and Thoracic Cavity, With Combination Chemotherapy: A Case Report

Introduction Immature teratomas are very rare tumors, representing only 1% of ovarian cancers. Distant metastases to the liver effect late disease manifestation, rendering chemotherapy the only viable option. Case presentation Here, we report the successful surgical management of stage IVB immature teratoma after cisplatin-based chemotherapy. A 20-year-old woman presented with a huge abdominal palpable mass and dyspnea. Postoperative pathology confirmed immature teratoma with metastases to the liver, diaphragm, and thoracic cavity (stage IVB). The patient underwent right hemihepatectomy, diaphragm resection, thoracic mass resection, and diaphragm repair using aortic artificial graft. She did not receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. After the complete surgical resection of the tumor, the patient had no recurrence during the 44-month follow-up period. Conclusion No established treatment modalities have been developed for further treatment, once the first-line combination chemotherapy achieves unfavorable results in stage IVB immature teratoma. Surgical resection may offer hope for excellent disease control in this dismal stage. To obtain best possible outcomes, coordinated care between oncologists and general surgeons is required.

CONSIDERING PLEURAL FLUID GLUCOSE LEVELS COULD PREVENT UNNECESSARY PROCEDURES

CONSIDERING PLEURAL FLUID GLUCOSE LEVELS COULD PREVENT UNNECESSARY PROCEDURES

Failure-to-rescue and mortality after emergent pediatric trauma laparotomy: How are the children doing?

IntroductionEmergent trauma laparotomy is associated with mortality rates of up to 40%. There is a paucity of data on the outcomes of emergent trauma laparotomies performed in the pediatric population. The aim of our study was to describe the outcomes, including mortality and FTR, among pediatric trauma patients undergoing emergent laparotomy and identify factors associated with failure-to-rescue (FTR). MethodsWe performed a one-year (2017) retrospective cohort analysis of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program dataset. All pediatric trauma patients (age <18 years) who underwent emergent laparotomy (laparotomy performed within 2 h of admission) were included. Outcome measures were major in-hospital complications, overall mortality, and failure-to-rescue (death after in-hospital major complication). Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors independently associated with failure-to-rescue. ResultsAmong 120,553 pediatric trauma patients, 462 underwent emergent laparotomy. Mean age was 14±4 years, 76% of patients were male, 49% were White, and 50% had a penetrating mechanism of injury. Median ISS was 25 [13–36], Abdomen AIS was 3 [2–4], Chest AIS was 2 [1–3], and Head AIS was 2 [0–5]. The median time in ED was 33 [18–69] minutes, and median time to surgery was 49 [33–77] minutes. The most common operative procedures performed were splenectomy (26%), hepatorrhaphy (17%), enterectomy (14%), gastrorrhaphy (14%), and diaphragmatic repair (14%). Only 22% of patients were treated at an ACS Pediatric Level I trauma center. The most common major in-hospital complications were cardiac (9%), followed by infectious (7%) and respiratory (5%). Overall mortality was 21%, and mortality among those presenting with hypotension was 31%. Among those who developed in-hospital major complications, the failure-to-rescue rate was 31%. On multivariate analysis, age younger than 8 years, concomitant severe head injury, and receiving packed red blood cell transfusion within the first 24 h were independently associated with failure-to-rescue. ConclusionsOur results show that emergent trauma laparotomies performed in the pediatric population are associated with high morbidity, mortality, and failure-to-rescue rates. Quality improvement programs may use our findings to improve patient outcomes, by increasing focus on avoiding hospital complications, and further refinement of resuscitation protocols. Level of EvidenceLevel IV Study TypeEpidemiologic

Unique robotic vascular surgery procedures.

Based on their experience with robot-assisted vascular surgery, the authors present some unique types of procedures they have performed in this area. From November 2005 to February 2022, a total of 560 robotic vascular procedures were performed, of which 70 were orphan operations, corresponding to 12.5%. The most common was robotic decompression of the coeliac trunk (18 times) in Dunbar syndrome, followed by robotic repair of type II endoleak after stent graft implantation (15 times) and robotic repair of splenic artery aneurysm (11 times). Less common were isolated pelvic artery aneurysm surgery (8 times), aortic thromboenderectomy and abdominal aortic patch repair (8 times) and hybrid surgery (6 times). Completely unique are renal artery reconstruction (2 times), operation of internal mammary artery aneurysm (1 time) in a patient with Marfan syndrome and paracaval biopsy (1 time) in a cancer patient. In 3 cases (4.2%) the operation had to be converted to open surgery. Twice in the management of splenic artery aneurysm due to flat adhesions in the abdominal cavity and once in the endoleak operation, when due to the very fragile wall of the dilated and pulsating abdominal aortic aneurysm sac, we considered manipulation with robotic instruments to be highly risky. There was zero mortality in this cohort; one patient had to undergo laparoscopic diaphragm repair for diaphragmatic hernia at another institution after deliberation of the coeliac trunk and in one case open surgery was needed for persistent endoleak. The use of the robotic system can be beneficial also in less frequent procedures, offering the patients all the advantages of robotic surgery. However, the need of extensive experience in robotic surgery should be emphasized because these operations are rare and perfect anatomical knowledge of the area is necessary.

Tissue Engineering for the Diaphragm and its Various Therapeutic Possibilities – A Systematic Review

AbstractDiaphragmatic impairments exhibit high morbidity as well as mortality while current treatment options remain unsatisfactory. Tissue engineering (TE) approaches have explored the generation of an optimal biocompatible scaffold for diaphragmatic repair through tissue decellularization or de novo construction, with or without the addition of cells. The authors conducted a systematic review on the current state of the art in diaphragmatic tissue engineering (DTE) and found 24 articles eligible for final synthesis. The included approaches studied decellularization‐based graft generation (9) and de novo bioscaffold construction (9). Three studies focused on in vitro host‐scaffold interaction with synthesized, recellularized grafts (2) and decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds (1). Another three studies investigated evaluation tools for decellularization efficacy. Among all studies, recellularization is performed in both decellularization‐based (4) and de novo generated scaffolds (4). De novo constructed biocomposites as well as decellularized and recellularized scaffolds induced pro‐regenerative remodeling and recovery of diaphragmatic function in all examined animal models. Potential therapeutic applications comprise substance defects requiring patch repair, such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and functional diseases demanding an entire organ transplant, like muscular dystrophies or dysfunction after prolonged artificial respiration.

Resection for Chronic Hepatic Abscess due to Infected Embolization Coils After Liver Injury.

Liver injuries after blunt abdominal trauma are very common. Non-operative approaches to management are now the standard of care for many patients with up to and including grade V liver injuries. However, the long-term complications associated with coil embolization can be challenging to manage. We present the case of a 29-year-old male who presented with a chronic liver abscess which contained the coils following embolization of a grade IV liver injury and the subsequent transhepatic embolization of the pseudoaneurysm. In addition, the patient developed a fistula draining the abscess through the previously placed drain site that traversed the diaphragm. A multidisciplinary discussion was held between trauma surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, thoracic surgery, and interventional radiology to discuss the best treatment plan. The patient subsequently underwent liver resection, fistula tract resection, and diaphragm repair. This case presents a definitive management strategy for these complex patients.