Early Surgery Group Research Articles

Growth dynamics of Rathke's Cleft cyst: a risk score system for surgical decision making

ObjectiveRathke's cleft cysts (RCCs) exhibit variable growth patterns, thus posing a challenge in predicting progression. While some RCCs may not cause symptoms, others can insidiously cause pituitary dysfunction, which is often irreversible, even following surgery. Hence, it is crucial to identify asymptomatic RCCs that grow rapidly and pose a higher risk of causing endocrinologic dysfunction. This enables timely surgical intervention to prevent permanent damage. Our study examines the growth rate of RCCs, identifies factors that accelerate growth, and discusses the clinical implications of these findings.MethodsA retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained electronic database revealed 45 patients aged 18–80 years who underwent endoscopic endonasal surgery (EEA) for RCCs between 2010 and 2022 at our center. Of these, 20 required early operative intervention. The remaining 25 patients were followed closely clinically and radiologically before requiring surgery (initial conservative management group). We conducted an analysis of the factors predicting growth over time in this group. Using a regression model, we constructed a risk score system to predict RCC growth over time.ResultsPatients in the initial conservative group had smaller cysts and were generally older than those in the early surgery group. Patients with preoperative pituitary dysfunction showed a higher median growth of 1.0 mm in the longest diameter compared to those with normal pituitary function, with an increase of 0.5 mm. A sum of annual cyst growth of all (z, y, x) diameters, at a rate of 3 mm or greater, was associated with a clinically significant increase in the risk of pituitary dysfunction, exceeding 50%.The most significant factors predicting rapid growth in RCCs were smoking status, age, and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) intensity of cysts. Smoking was the most critical risk factor for rapid cyst growth (p = < .001). Our risk score system accurately predicted RCC growth with a 74% accuracy rate, 73% sensitivity, and 75% specificity.ConclusionOur analysis showed a strong link between active smoking and the rapid growth of RCC. This novel finding has significant preventive implications but needs validation by a large population database. Surgical intervention for RCC currently is often reserved for symptomatic cases. However, utilizing our risk-based scoring system to predict rapidly growing cysts may indicate early surgery in minimally symptomatic patients, thereby potentially preserving pituitary function.

Propensity score matching analysis of early vs. delayed surgery for intertrochanteric fracture in older patients: a retrospective multicenter cohort study of 7414 patients with a mean 4-year follow up

BackgroundThe widespread acceptance of early surgery as a treatment for acute intertrochanteric fracture (ITF) has been accompanied by ongoing controversy due to conflicting conclusions presented in previous studies. This study aims to compare the occurrence of perioperative complications and mortality, as well as functional outcomes in older patients with ITF who underwent either early or delayed surgery.MethodsA retrospective multicenter cohort study involving 7414 patients with ITF between Jan. 2017 and Dec. 2021 was conducted. After predefined participants selection inclusion and exclusion criteria, 2323 surgically treated ITF patients were included and analyzed utilizing propensity score matching (PSM) method. Their demographics, injury-related data, surgery-related data, and perioperative adverse outcomes during hospitalization were collected and compared between the early or delayed surgery groups by PSM with a 1:4 ratio. All participants received a minimum of two-year follow-up and perioperative outcomes, functional outcomes, and survival analyses were conducted and compared.ResultsAfter adjustment for potential confounders, there were no significant difference in surgery duration, intraoperative blood loss, transfusion rate, mortality rates, functional outcomes, and perioperative complications rates including severe complications, cardiac complications, pulmonary complications, and neurological complications regardless of whether the patient was treated with early or delayed surgery (all P > 0.05). Although length of hospital stay (mean, 11.5 versus 14.4 days, P < 0.001), total hospital costs (mean, 39305 versus 42048 yuan, P < 0.001), and minor complications rates including hematological complications (31.7% versus 41.2%, P = 0.007) and nutritional/metabolic complications (59.3% versus 66.4%, P = 0.039) were lower in the early surgery group, our result indicated patients with early surgery were more inclined to receive more blood transfusion (mean, 2.8 versus 2.2 units, P = 0.004).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that a 48-hour delay in surgical intervention for older patients with an ITF does not result in a higher mortality rate, worse functional outcomes, and increased incidence of major perioperative complications when compared to early surgery. While expedited surgery is undoubtedly necessary for suitable patients, a reasonable preoperative delay of 48 h may be justified and safe for those with severe conditions, rather than strictly adhering to the current guidelines.

Aortic valve replacement vs. conservative treatment in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis: long-term follow-up of the AVATAR trial.

The question of when and how to treat truly asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function is still subject to debate and ongoing research. Here, the results of extended follow-up of the AVATAR trial are reported (NCT02436655, ClinicalTrials.gov). The AVATAR trial randomly assigned patients with severe, asymptomatic AS and LV ejection fraction ≥ 50% to undergo either early surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) or conservative treatment with watchful waiting strategy. All patients had negative exercise stress testing. The primary hypothesis was that early AVR will reduce a primary composite endpoint comprising all-cause death, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned hospitalization for heart failure (HF), as compared with conservative treatment strategy. A total of 157 low-risk patients (mean age 67 years, 57% men, mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score 1.7%) were randomly allocated to either the early AVR group (n = 78) or the conservative treatment group (n = 79). In an intention-to-treat analysis, after a median follow-up of 63 months, the primary composite endpoint outcome event occurred in 18/78 patients (23.1%) in the early surgery group and in 37/79 patients (46.8%) in the conservative treatment group [hazard ratio (HR) early surgery vs. conservative treatment 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24-0.73, P = .002]. The Kaplan-Meier estimates for individual endpoints of all-cause death and HF hospitalization were significantly lower in the early surgery compared with the conservative group (HR 0.44; 95% CI 0.23-0.85, P = .012, for all-cause death and HR 0.21; 95% CI 0.06-0.73, P = .007, for HF hospitalizations). The extended follow-up of the AVATAR trial demonstrates better clinical outcomes with early surgical AVR in truly asymptomatic patients with severe AS and normal LV ejection fraction compared with patients treated with conservative management on watchful waiting.

Comparative long-term prognosis of early surgery and surgery after surveillance for patients with ground-glass nodule adenocarcinomas

To compare the pathological results and long-term survival results of early surgery and surgery after at least one year follow-up for ground‐glass component predominant lung adenocarcinoma patients. From January 1, 2013 to August 31, 2017, a total of 279 patients with ground-glass nodules (GGNs) undergoing surgical resection and pathologically proved to be pulmonary adenocarcinoma were included in this study. All patients were divided into early surgery group (ES Group) (210 cases) and surgery after follow-up group (FS Group) (69 cases). Patients in FS group experienced at least one year surveillance. Clinical and imaging features were analyzed by using univariate analysis. After analysis, there was no statistical difference in pathological results and long-term prognosis between the two groups. In the follow-up group, grown GGNs have proved to have more aggressive pathological results. The one-year follow-up may be a feasible management method for patients with ground‐glass component predominant GGN.

AB023. Early diagnosis and treatment lead to improve survival of glioblastoma patients.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the worst prognostic cancers and one of the reasons is that GBM patients rapidly deteriorated and half of them had a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) with 70 or less at the initial presentation. We discuss the significance of early diagnosis and treatment to the clinical outcomes of GBM patients. Data of IDH-wildtype GBM patients treated at our institution between 2010 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified into early or late diagnosis groups with a threshold of 14 days from initial symptoms. Also, patients were divided into early, intermediate, and late surgery groups with thresholds of 21 and 35 days. Patients were also divided into two groups: neurosurgeon and non-neurosurgeon groups, based on the primary doctor whom patients sought for an initial evaluation. Representative symptoms and patient prognosis were examined. Of 153 patients, 72 and 81 were classified into the early and late diagnosis groups. The proportion of patients with preoperative KPS scores ≥90 was 48.6% and 29.6% in the early and late diagnosis groups (P=0.01). Median overall survival was significantly longer in the early surgery group (n=43) than in the late surgery group (n=86) (28.4 vs. 18.7 months, P=0.006). The neurosurgeon group exhibited a significantly shorter duration from the first hospital visit to the first surgery than the non-neurosurgeon group (18 vs. 29 days, P<0.001). Furthermore, the overall survival of the neurosurgeon group was significantly more prolonged than that of the non-neurosurgeon group (22.9 vs. 14.0 months, P=0.04). Early diagnosis and surgery within 3 weeks from the initial symptoms are associated with improved patient survival. Early GBM treatment will be beneficial for patients with GBM. A short duration from the first hospital visit to the first surgery is essential in enhancing GBM patient prognosis.

Early surgical treatment using regional clinical pathways to reduce the length of postoperative hospital stay in hip fracture patients: A retrospective analysis using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database.

Hip fracture is a common injury in older adults; however, the optimal timing of surgical treatment remains undetermined in Japan. Therefore, this retrospective study aimed to ascertain the rate of early surgery among hip fracture patients and investigate its effectiveness, along with "regional clinical pathways" (patient plan of care devised by Japanese clinicians), in reducing the length of hospital stay (LOS) postoperatively. We hypothesized that performing early surgery along with a regional clinical pathway is effective to reduce the postoperative LOS and complications among hip fracture patients. We examined the data of patients diagnosed with femoral neck and peritrochanteric fractures retrieved from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database between April 2016 and March 2018. Patients were divided into the early (43,928, 34%; surgery within 2 days of admission) and delayed (84,237, 66%; surgery after 2 days of admission) surgery groups. The difference in postoperative LOS between the two groups was 3 days (early vs. delayed: 29 days vs. 32 days). The early surgery group had more cases of intertrochanteric fractures (57% vs. 43%) and internal fixation (74% vs. 55%) than did the delayed surgery group. In contrast, the delayed surgery group had more cases of femoral neck fractures (43% vs. 57%) and bipolar hip arthroplasty (25% vs. 42%) or total hip arthroplasty (1.2% vs. 3.0%). Moreover, the early surgery group showed a lower incidence of complications, except anemia (12% vs. 8.8%). Logistic regression analysis using the adjusted model revealed that early surgery and implementation of regional clinical pathways reduced LOS by 2.58 and 8.06 days, respectively (p<0.001). Early surgery and implementation of regional clinical pathways for hip fracture patients are effective in reducing postoperative LOS, allowing regional clinical pathways to have a greater impact. These findings will help acute care providers when treating hip fracture patients.

Early decompressive surgery improves long-term prognosis in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Multiple studies have shown that early decompressive surgery in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage can effectively limit hematoma expansion, reduce perihematomal edema, and improve prognosis. However, these studies are limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up times. To analyze the effect of early decompressive surgery on the long-term prognosis of patients with cerebral hemorrhage and identify the influencing factors for poor prognosis. A retrospective analysis of 78 patients with cerebral hemorrhage admitted between January 2020 and December 2022 was conducted. Patients were divided into early and delayed surgery groups for comparison of outcomes such as mortality rate, modified Rankin Scale score, and Short Form-36 scores. Additionally, factors influencing long-term prognosis were analyzed through logistic regression based on significant differences observed between groups. The early decompressive surgery group showed superior outcomes with lower mortality rates, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores, hematoma expansion rates, and perihematomal edema volumes compared to the delayed surgery group (P< 0.05). Additionally, age, preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, preoperative hematoma volume, and a history of hypertension or diabetes were identified as independent prognostic factors for patients with cerebral hemorrhage, with odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1. Early decompressive surgery can improve the long-term prognosis and quality of life of patients with cerebral hemorrhage, reduce mortality rates, and decrease hematoma expansion and perihematomal edema. Older patients, those with higher preoperative hematoma volume and GCS score, and those with coexisting hypertension and diabetes should be given special attention to decrease the occurrence of adverse prognosis.

Effect of Timing of Surgery on the Outcomes and Complications in Multi-ligament Knee Injuries: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and A Meta-analysis.

Multi-ligament knee injuries (MLKI) are serious and challenging to manage. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of surgical timing on both early and long-term outcomes following an MLKI. A comprehensive search strategy was employed across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Studies were identified using a combination of relevant keywords encompassing "multi-ligament knee injury," "knee dislocation," "reconstruction," "repair," "surgery," and "timing," and their synonyms, along with appropriate Boolean operators. Selection of articles (systematic reviews and meta-analyses) adhered to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was conducted utilizing data extracted from primary studies. Early surgery for MLKI demonstrated a significant advantage over delayed surgery, reflected by significantly higher Lysholm scores (Mean Difference [MD] 3.51; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.79, 5.22), IKDC objective scores (Mantel-Haenszel Odds Ratio [MH-OR] 2.95; 95% CI 1.30, 6.69), Tegner activity scores (MD 0.38; 95% CI 0.08, 0.69), and Mayer's ratings (MH-OR 5.47; 95% CI 1.27, 23.56). In addition, we found a significantly reduced risk of secondary chondral lesions (MH-OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.23, 0.48), lower instrumented anterior tibial translation in the early surgery group (MD -0.92; 95% CI -1.83, -0.01), but no significant difference was observed in the secondary meniscal tears, between the two groups. However, the early surgery group also exhibited a significantly increased risk of knee stiffness (MH-OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.22, 5.01) and a greater likelihood of requiring manipulation under anaesthesia (MH-OR 3.91; 95% CI 1.10, 13.87). Early surgery for MLKI improves function, and stability, and reduces further articular cartilage damage, but increases the risk of stiffness. IV. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43465-024-01224-1.

Shorter interval to surgery after self-expanding metallic stent may result in better oncologic outcomes in colon cancer obstruction

IntroductionColon cancer obstruction is one of the most serious conditions in colorectal surgery. However, the use of self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) has made it possible to avoid emergency surgery and stoma creation, therefore enabling minimally invasive surgery and one-stage operation. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether there is an optimal interval from SEMS to surgery for the best long-term oncologic outcomes. MethodsObstructive colon cancer patients treated with SEMS insertion and received surgery were included in the study. Patient data were retrospectively reviewed in prospectively collected data. Using the ROC curve, the optimal interval to surgery after SEMS insertion was 10 days; the patients were divided into the early surgery group (≤10 days, ES) and the late surgery group (>10 days, LS). Factors contributing to the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results83 patients were included in this study. Eight patients (9.6 %) had SEMS insertion failure, with 3 perforations and 5 failed expansions. There were no differences between the ES group and the LS group in terms of pathologic characteristics, incidence of stoma creation, and adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-six patients (31.3 %) had recurrences; local (Arnarson et al., 2023) [6], peritoneal seeding (Lee et al., 2013) [8], liver (Ho et al., 2017) [11], lung [7], bone (van Hooft et al., 2020) [2], and abdominal wall metastasis (Chen and Sheen-Chen, 2000) [1]. The 5-year DFS rate was significantly better in the ES group than the LS group (74.3 % vs. 55.01 %; p = 0.0394). The 5-year OS was slightly better in the ES group than the LS group (76.11 % vs. 58.75 %; p = 0.0901). In univariable analysis, the ES group showed a lower risk of recurrence than the LS group (OR: 0.447 [0.204–0.984], p = 0.0455), but this was not reproduced in the multivariable analysis. ConclusionThis study has shown that the long-term oncologic outcomes were better in patients who received surgery after SEMS within 10 days. Hence, we propose with caution that elective surgery might be suggested to take place within 10 days from SEMS insertion for better oncologic outcomes.

Costs and Timing of Surgery in the Management of Meniscal Tears.

Treatment strategies for meniscal tears range from nonoperative management to surgical intervention. However, national trends in cost-related outcomes and patient factors related to the failure of nonoperative management remain poorly understood. To describe the costs associated with nonoperative versus operative management of meniscal tears in the 2 years after diagnosis and examine the relationship between patient characteristics and timing of surgery. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. This study was conducted using the MarketScan databases. Patients diagnosed with a meniscal tear without concomitant knee osteoarthritis between January 1 and December 31, 2017, were included. The primary outcome was the total cost of meniscal tear-related procedures-including insurance deductibles, coinsurance, and net insurance payments-in the 2 years after diagnosis. Procedures included were as follows: (1) surgery-including meniscectomy or meniscal repair; (2) physical therapy; (3) medication-including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, opioids, and acetaminophen; (4) intra-articular injections-including professional fee, hyaluronic acid, and corticosteroids; (5) imaging; and (6) clinic visits to orthopaedic specialists. Patients were grouped as having undergone early surgery (ES) (≤3 months of diagnosis), late surgery (LS) (>3 months after diagnosis), or no surgery (NS). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the likelihood of undergoing surgery early and failing nonoperative treatment. The study population included 29,924 patients with a mean age of 43.9 ± 12.9 years (ES: n = 9507 (31.8%); LS: n = 2021 (6.8%); NS: n = 18,396 (61.5%)). Complex (36.6%) and medial (58.8%) meniscal tears were the most common type and location of injuries, respectively. The mean cost of management per patient was $3835 ± $4795. Costs were lower in the NS group ($1905 ± $3175) compared with the ES group ($6759 ± $5155), while the highest costs were observed in the LS group ($7649 ± $5913) (P < .001). Patients who were men, >40 years, and with a bucket-handle or lateral meniscal tear were more likely to undergo surgery early. Patients who were men, <30 years, and with a complex tear or tear to the lateral meniscus were more likely to fail nonoperative management. Nonoperative management had the lowest cost burden and should be recommended for patients with appropriate indications. However, if surgery is necessary, it should be performed earlier.

Early Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Versus Antibiotics Alone for Orbital Cellulitis from Acute Rhinosinusitis – A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Orbital cellulitis is a common complication of sinusitis that can cause blindness, intracranial infection, or even death. The standard treatment of orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis is to administer antibiotics and closely monitor the visual acuity. In this study, we explored the benefit of early endoscopic sinus surgery to improve the clinical outcome of the patients. Objective: To study the clinical outcomes of orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis patients who were treated with early endoscopic sinus surgery (within 48 hours after admission) versus antibiotics alone. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients who were admitted to the Otolaryngology Department, Khon Kaen Hospital, Thailand with orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis from January 2013 to May 2023. The demographic data, treatment received, and clinical outcomes were collected. Results: This study included 77 patients. All patients were treated with empirical intravenous antibiotics. The mean age for all patients was 43.7 years. The most common underlying diseases were diabetes and hypertension. The most common symptoms and signs were periorbital swelling and chemosis. The early endoscopic sinus surgery was performed in 44 patients while 33 patients received antibiotics only. At 48 hours after admission, one patient in the early endoscopic sinus surgery group (2.27%) and 12 patients in the antibiotics-only group (36.36%) had no clinical improvement. The odds ratio of improvement after early endoscopic sinus surgery was 24.57 (95% CI 2.99 to 201.80, p = 0.003). The intravenous antibiotics duration and length of stay were also shorter in the early endoscopic sinus surgery group (p = 0.020 and 0.065, respectively) Conclusions: Early endoscopic sinus surgery in orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis patients may improve clinical outcomes, shorter intravenous antibiotics duration, and hospital stay.

The Role of Early and Delayed Surgery for Infants with Congenital Brain Tumors.

The present study aimed to evaluate the role of early and delayed surgery in congenital brain tumors and analyze the clinical outcomes of infantile brain tumors. We performed a retrospective cohort study on 69 infantile brain tumors at a single institution from January 2008 to June 2023. Outcomes were assessed as early mortality (within 30 days following surgery) to evaluate the risk of early surgery in congenital brain tumors. Outcomes of recurrence and overall survival were analyzed in infantile brain tumors. Surgery-related early mortality appeared to occur in young and low-body-weight patients. Cut-off values of age and body weight were found to be 1.3 months and 5.2 kg to avoid early mortality. Three patients (3/10, 30%) showed early mortality in the early surgery group, and early mortality occurred in one patient (1/14, 7.14%) in the delayed surgery group, whose tumor was excessively enlarged. Younger age at diagnosis (< 3 months of age; hazard ratios [HR], 7.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.4 to 35.6; p=0.018) and leptomeningeal seeding (LMS; HR, 30.6; 95% CI, 3.7 to 253.1; p=0.002) were significant independent risk factors for high mortality in infantile brain tumors. We suggest delaying surgery until the patient reaches 1.3 months of age and weighs over 5.2 kg with short-term imaging follow-up unless tumors grow rapidly in congenital brain tumors. Younger ages and the presence of LMS are independent risk factors for high mortality in infantile brain tumors.

Optimal timing of surgery for prenatally diagnosed choledochal cysts

ObjectiveCholedochal cysts are increasingly being diagnosed antenatally. The appropriate time of surgical treatment has the greatest impact on the prognosis of choledochal cyst treatment. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of prenatally diagnosed choledochal cysts in infants according to the surgical treatment timing.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of infants who underwent surgery for choledochal cysts with antenatal diagnoses. We investigated each patient's demographic information, type of choledochal cyst, serum liver enzyme levels, and surgical outcomes according to the surgical intervention timing.ResultsBetween May 2006 and December 2020, 93 infants underwent surgery to treat choledochal cysts; among them, 68 had antenatally suspected choledochal cysts. Of the 68 patients, 21 developed symptoms directly after birth. While 38 patients remained asymptomatic, 9 developed symptoms before operation. To compare surgical outcomes, asymptomatic patients were divided into early (13 cases) and late (25 cases) operation groups based on an age benchmark of 30 days. The early surgical group experienced longer times to resume a full diet (6.0 ± 1.6 vs. 4.5 ± 0.7, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and longer postoperative hospital stays (11 ± 3.9 vs. 7.5 ± 0.8, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Surgical complications occurred in two patients in the early operation group. Minimally invasive surgery was performed in 12 patients in the late operation group. In both groups, postoperative liver function recovered at 6 months, with no significant difference.ConclusionThe results of this study showed longer hospital stays, increased diet durations, and postoperative complications in early surgery patients. However, liver function recovery was not different between the early and late operation groups. Thus, asymptomatic patients should be closely monitored, and we recommend that definitive surgical intervention be postponed until 4 months of age or until weight reaches 7 kg.

Early mitral valve repair surgery versus active surveillance in patients with asymptomatic severe primary mitral regurgitation; insights from the Dutch AMR registry

Abstract Background Management of asymptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and preserved left ventricular function is still a challenging clinical entity. According to international guidelines, early mitral valve repair (MVR) surgery and active surveillance with facilitated surgery are both possible treatment strategies. Conflicting evidence is available on the number of patients that reach an indication for facilitated surgery during follow-up in the active surveillance strategy group [1, 2]. In the multicenter Dutch AMR registry, asymptomatic MR patients were allocated to either strategy according to the heart team decision [3]. In this registry there was a low threshold to perform additional testing (i.e. cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, holter monitoring and/or cardiopulmonary exercise testing). Purpose To prospectively assess the percentage of MR patients undergoing facilitated surgery during a long-term active surveillance strategy. Methods Since 2013, 99 patients with severe primary MR were included in the Dutch AMR Registry in 5 medical centers. Enrollment for early surgery or active surveillance was based on ESC guidelines and heart team decision. During long term follow-up, we assessed primary endpoints for both groups; occurrence of atrial fibrillation, cerebrovascular accident, heart failure, MVR surgery and cardiovascular/non-cardiovascular death. In particular, we assessed the number and timing of patients that underwent facilitated surgery in the active surveillance group. Results In total, 71 patients were allocated to the active surveillance and 28 to the early surgery group. 39 Patients in the active surveillance group reached a primary endpoint including 3 deaths (2 cardiovascular and 1 non-cardiovascular) (Figure 1). In the early surgery group, 4 patients reached a primary endpoint including 2 cardiovascular deaths. Over a mean follow-up time of 4.4 years, 36 patients (51%) of the active surveillance population underwent facilitated surgery due to either symptomatic or asymptomatic triggers (Table 1). Conclusions In the Dutch AMR registry, 51% of MR patients under active surveillance needed facilitated surgery within 4.4 years. Approximately half of these patients were still asymptomatic when developing an indication for surgery. Cardiovascular mortality rates were similar between the two treatment strategies. This result shows that active surveillance can be safely accomplished in asymptomatic severe MR patients. The Dutch AMR registry will further elucidate 1) whether MR patients can be stratified at baseline to either strategy based on additional testing and 2) whether facilitated surgery is non-inferior to early surgery in terms of surgical outcome, quality of life and long-term survival. For now, the current results support an active surveillance strategy in selected asymptomatic MR patients based on guidelines since half of patients are still free of symptoms without guideline indications for surgery.Figure 1Table 1

Early versus late surgical treatment of pelvic and acetabular fractures a five-year follow-up of 419 patients

BackgroundSurgical treatment of pelvic and acetabular fractures is an advanced intervention with a high risk of subsequent complications. These patients are often polytrauma patients with multiple injuries in several organ systems. The optimal timing for the definitive surgery of these fractures has been debated. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the influence of timing of definitive surgery on the rate of unplanned reoperations. Secondary aims included its influence on the occurrence of adverse events and mortality.MethodsAll patients from 18 years with a surgically treated pelvic or acetabular fracture operated at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden during 2010 to 2019 were identified and included. Data was collected through review of medical records and radiographs. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with unplanned reoperations and other adverse events.ResultsA total of 419 patients with definitive surgical treatment within 1 month of a pelvic (n = 191, 46%) or an acetabular (n = 228, 54%) fracture were included. The majority of the patients were males (n = 298, 71%) and the mean (SD, range) age was 53.3 (19, 18–94) years. A total of 194 (46%) patients had their surgery within 72 h (early surgery group), and 225 (54%) later than 72 h (late surgery group) after the injury. 95 patients (23%) had an unplanned reoperation. There was no difference in the reoperation rate between early (n = 44, 23%) and late (n = 51, 23%) surgery group (p = 1.0). A total of 148 patients (35%) had any kind of adverse event not requiring reoperation. The rate was 32% (n = 62) in the early, and 38% (n = 86) in the late surgery group (p = 0.2). When adjusting for relevant factors in regression analyses, no associations were found that increased the risk for reoperation or other adverse events. The 30-day mortality was 2.1% (n = 4) for the early and 2.2% (n = 5) for the late surgery group (p = 1.0). The 1-year mortality was 4.1% (n = 8) for the early and 7.6% (n = 17) for the late surgery group (p = 0.2).ConclusionsEarly (within 72 h) definitive surgery of patients with pelvic or acetabular fractures seems safe with regard to risk for reoperation, other adverse events and mortality.

Time to Surgery Affects Wound Healing of Ankle Fractures

Category: Trauma; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Ankle fractures are very common. Most unstable ankle fractures require surgical intervention in order to obtain better clinical outcomes. However, there is still conflicting evidence about the implications of time to surgery on post- operative wound complications. Purpose of study: To investigate if early or delayed surgery results in difference in wound complications in patients who underwent surgical intervention for ankle fracture. Methods: A retrospective review of 238 ankle fracture cases treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) from October 28, 2016, through May 12, 2022 was completed at our institution. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the time to surgery. In group 1, surgery was within a week. In group 2, surgery was in 2nd week. In group 3, surgery was in 3rd week. In group 4, surgery was after 3 weeks. Wound complications including minor wound complication and wound infection were investigated. The other factors including BMI, smoking, diabetes, etc. were investigated as well to avoid confounding bias. Since most of patients accepted surgery either in first 4 days (early surgery group) or between 10 to 20 days (delayed surgery group) in this series of patients. We also analyzed those two time points. Data was analyzed using STATA. Results: 238 patients with ankle fracture were analyzed. 36, 96, 71 and 35 patients were included in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. For BMI, smoking, and diabetes, no significant difference among 4 groups. The rate of minor wound complications in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 was 13.8%, 12.5%, 8.5% and 0%. The rate of wound infection in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 was 5.6%, 3.1%, 1.4% and 0%. For minor wound complication, there was significant decrease in group 4, as compared with group 1 and group 2 (p &lt; 0.05). Interestingly, in term of early vs delayed surgery, both infection rate (13.3% vs 2.8%) and minor wound complication rate (33.3% vs 10.8%) significantly decreased in the delayed surgery group (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Delayed ORIF of ankle fracture resulted in decreased both minor wound complication rate and infection rate.

Pulmonary function after lobectomy in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe influence of lobectomy on pulmonary function in children was still controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis were essential to explore whether pulmonary function was impaired after lobectomy in children.MethodsPubMed,...

Infective endocarditis surgery timing

BackgroundThe optimum timing of surgical intervention in complicated left-sided infective endocarditis is not well established. Guidelines from various professional societies are not consistent regarding this. Data concerning this remains limited with conflicting results. MethodsThe national inpatient database (NIS) was used to identify patients hospitalized from the year 2016 to 2020 for infective endocarditis and who underwent surgical intervention for complicated left-sided endocarditis. Primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed in patients who had surgical intervention within 7 days (early surgery group) and after 7 days (late surgery group) of the index hospitalization. ResultsPrimary outcome [composite of all-cause death, acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA), peripheral septic emboli, intracranial or intraspinal abscess, and cardiac arrest] was better in the early surgery group compared to the late surgery group 32.6 % vs 45.1 % [adjusted Odds ratio (aOR) = 0.59, 95 % Confidence interval (CI) = 0.52–0.67, P value ≪ 0.001]. This was mainly due to better incidence of acute CVA (15.7 %vs 24 %, aOR = 0.59, CI = 0.50–0.69, P value ≪ 0.001), peripheral septic emboli (18.5 % vs 27.3 %, aOR = 0.60, CI = 0.52–0.70, P value ≪ 0.001) and intracranial/intraspinal abscess (1.2 % vs 4.74 %, aOR = 0.24, CI = 0.14–0.38, P value ≪ 0.001). There is no difference in the incidence of all-cause in-hospital death (7.57 % vs 7.75 % aOR = 0.97, CI = 0.77–1.23, P value = 0.82) or cardiac arrest (3.4 % vs 3.54 %, aOR = 0.96, CI = 0.68–1.35, P value = 0.80). ConclusionSurgical intervention within 7 days of index hospitalization is associated with a better incidence of acute CVA, peripheral septic emboli, and intracranial or intraspinal abscess but not with a better incidence of all-cause in-hospital death.

Early surgery within 48h was associated with reduced perioperative blood loss and red blood cell transfusion requirements in older patients with hip fracture: a retrospective study.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the timing of surgery and perioperative blood loss, red blood cell (RBC) transfusion rate, and RBC transfusion volume in older patients with hip fracture. From January 2020 to August 2022, this retrospective study enrolled older patients with hip fracture who underwent surgery in our hospital. The demographics, fracture type, type of surgery, time from injury to hospital, timing of surgery, medical history (hypertension, diabetes), duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, laboratory tests, and preoperative, postoperative and perioperative RBC transfusion requirements were recorded and analyzed. According to the surgical treatment within 48h or after 48h after admission, the patients were divided into early surgery group (ES) and delayed surgery group (DS). A total of 243 older patients with hip fracture were finally included in the study. Among these, 96 patients (39.51%) underwent surgery within 48h of admission and 147 (60.49%) underwent surgery after this time. Total blood loss (TBL) in the ES group was lower than that in the DS group (576.03 ± 265.57ml vs 699.26 ± 380.58ml, P = 0.003). Preoperative RBC transfusion rate, and preoperative and perioperative RBC transfusion volume in the ES group were significantly lower than those in the DS group (15.63% vs 26.53%, P = 0.046; 50.00 ± 128.15ml vs 117.01 ± 225.85ml, P = 0.004; 80.21 ± 196.63ml vs 144.90 ± 253.52ml, P = 0.027). Timing of surgery within 48h of admission for older patients with hip fracture was associated with reduced the total blood loss and RBC transfusion requirements during the perioperative period.

Outcome of Early Versus Delayed Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Acute Calculus Cholecystitis

Background: The timing of cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis has been debated with most studies favoring early cholecystectomy. However, most surgeons in Bangladesh prefer to delay surgery in the acute phase. The study aimed to compare between early Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC) with that of delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the management of acute calculus cholecystitis. Materials and methods: This quasi-experimental study included a total of 74 patients with a diagnosis of acute calculous cholecystitis as per Tokyo guideline from the Surgery Department, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, during August 2019 to July 2020. Thirty-seven patients underwent early cholecystectomy (Within 7 days of onset of symptoms) and 37 patients underwent elective or delayed cholecystectomy (After a gap of 6-8 weeks from the acute attack). Peroperative events, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay and days needed to return to full activity were compared between two groups. Results: Both early and delayed groups were similar in-terms of their baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. Significantly higher number of patients in the early group had difficult Callot’s triangle dissection (59.4% vs. 27.1%, p&lt;0.01) and lower number of patients had difficult gallbladder bed dissection (5.4% vs. 37.8%, p&lt;0.001) than the delayed group. The proportion of the patients required conversion to open surgery was 10.8% and 6.1%, respectively in early and delayed group (p=0.691). Total hospital stay was shorter in the early surgery group than the delayed surgery group (6.05±0.52 vs. 12.03±1.46 days, p=0.001). Wound infection, duration of hospital stays following surgery, and days need to return to full activity after surgery was similar between two groups. Conclusion: Early cholecystectomy is feasible and safe for acute cholecystitis and is better method of treatment because of its shorter hospital stay, which is a major economic benefit to both the patient and health care system. IAHS Medical Journal Vol 5(2), Dec 2022; 11-14