Acute Appendicitis in the Elderly: A Nationwide Retrospective Analysis.

Acute appendicitis (AA) in older individuals remains understudied. We aimed to assess AA characteristics in patients older than 60 years and evaluate the impact of comorbidities. This retrospective study analyzed data from the American National Inpatient Sample between 2016 and 2019 to compare AA characteristics in patients younger and older than 60 years.

Surgery Duration Prediction Using Multi-Task Feature Selection.

Efficient optimization of operating room (OR) activity poses a significant challenge for hospital managers due to the complex and risky nature of the environment. The traditional "one size fits all" approach to OR scheduling is no longer practical, and personalized medicine is required to meet the diverse needs of patients, care providers, medical procedures, and system constraints within limited resources. This paper aims to introduce a scientific and practical tool for predicting surgery durations and improving OR performance for maximum benefit to patients and the hospital.

When all computers shut down: the clinical impact of a major cyber-attack on a general hospital.

Importance: Healthcare organizations operate in a data-rich environment and depend on digital computerized systems; thus, they may be exposed to cyber threats. Indeed, one of the most vulnerable sectors to hacks and malware is healthcare. However, the impact of cyberattacks on healthcare organizations remains under-investigated.

When the lights go down in the delivery room: Lessons from a ransomware attack.

Objective: To describe the challenges facing the obstetric division following a cyberattack and discuss ways of preparing for and overcoming another one.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive study conducted in a mid-sized medical center. Division activities, including the number of deliveries, cesarean sections, emergency room visits, admissions, maternal-fetal medicine department occupancy, and ambulatory encounters, from 2 weeks before the attack to 8 weeks following it (a total of 11 weeks), were compared with the retrospective period in 2019 (pre-COVID-19).

[THE WORLD EXPERIENCE OF THE PEDIATRIC INTESTINAL FAILURE PROGRAM: SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FROM INTESTINAL REHABILITATION].

Management of children with short bowel syndrome is optimized by interdisciplinary coordination of parenteral and enteral nutrition support, medical management of associated complications, surgical lengthening procedures, and intestinal transplantation. Pediatric Intestinal Failure Centers were established in 14 pediatric hospitals throughout the United States and Canada and the Pediatric Intestinal Failure Consortium has been developed and is implementing prospective, multi-institutional studies to better define the specific aspects of intestinal failure management that optimize long-term outcomes. The published data from these studies suggest that intestinal failure in pediatric patients is quite treatable and provides further evidence that all infants at risk for intestinal failure should be treated aggressively and referred early to a dedicated intestinal rehabilitation center.

Something's missing: peripheral intravenous catheter fracture.

We describe a case of peripheral intravenous catheter fracture occurring during a routine training exercise. The supervising instructor immediately placed a venous tourniquet proximal to the insertion site and urgently transported the patient to the hospital. The missing catheter segment was identified within the median cubital vein under ultrasonography and was removed by venous cutdown under local anesthesia.

Laparoscopic diagnostic peritoneal lavage (L-DPL): A method for evaluation of penetrating abdominal stab wounds.

Background: The management of penetrating abdominal stab wounds has been the subject of continued reappraisal and controversy. In the present study a novel method which combines the use of diagnostic laparoscopy and DPL, termed laparoscopic diagnostic peritoneal lavage (L-DPL) is described

Method: Five trauma patients with penetrating injuries to the lower chest or abdomen were included. Standard videoscopic equipment is utilized for the laparoscopic trauma evaluation of the injured patient.