Online informational bariatric seminars: increasing access to bariatric surgery or widening a divide?

Background: Historically our institution has required prospective bariatric patients attend an in-person introductory seminar prior to their first clinic visit. Utilization of the internet has increased dramatically over the last 10 years and in 2016, we added an online seminar. With the emergence of COVID-19 and new rules regarding social distancing, we are currently relying exclusively on web-based orientation.

A 3D printed suturing trainer for medical students.

Background: Medical students must be able to suture competently upon graduation. To learn suturing technique, students must have access to practice materials. The purpose of this pilot study was to develop a novel suturing trainer and to evaluate its ability to provide realistic and accessible suturing practice.

"Tweet"-format reflective writing: A hidden needs assessment?

Background: Medical student reflection is integral for professional development. Preliminary findings suggest that short-format writing promotes reflection and identifies impactful experiences. We sought to determine whether reflective writing could be used as a clerkship needs assessment.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Bariatric Procedures in Medicare-Eligible Patients: A Systematic Review.

Importance: The prevalence of obesity in patients older than 65 years is increasing. A substantial number of beneficiaries covered by Medicare meet eligibility criteria for bariatric procedures.

Objective: To assess the comparative effectiveness and safety of bariatric procedures in the Medicare-eligible population.

Lessons Learned From the Surgical Morbidity and Mortality Conference.

Objective: The Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conference is both a quality improvement and an educational conference. We sought to evaluate the educational and quality improvement value of different learners who attend the surgical M&M conference. Furthermore, we sought to evaluate if an educational intervention directed at medical students (MS) would improve their experience at this conference.

"Tweet"-Format Writing Is an Effective Tool for Medical Student Reflection.

Objective: Reflective writing during medical education allows for professional growth through retrospective analysis of experiential knowledge. However, these writing assignments can pose a challenge to millennial medical students who are more likely to assimilate knowledge through the use of innovative technology and who prefer their data in a concise format. Here, we present a novel, tweet-style reflective writing assignment to better engage the unique skill set of today's medical students.

Greater Adherence to Recommended Morning Physical Activity is Associated With Greater Total Intervention-Related Physical Activity Changes in Bariatric Surgery Patients.

Background: This study examines whether performance of bout-related physical activity (PA) during morning hours is related to greater overall bout-related PA increases within a preoperative PA intervention for bariatric surgery (BS) patients.

Methods: Participants with severe obesity (n = 33; mean age = 45.6 ± 9.

Changes in enjoyment, self-efficacy, and motivation during a randomized trial to promote habitual physical activity adoption in bariatric surgery patients.

Background: The Bari-Active trial found that a physical activity (PA) intervention (PAI), versus standard presurgical care control (SC), produced significant increases in daily bout-related moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA, in≥10-min bouts) preoperatively. The present study examined whether PAI also produces superior improvements in psychological and/or motivational processes that may be important for PA adoption.

Objectives: Compare PAI and SC on baseline to postintervention changes in PA-related enjoyment, self-efficacy, and motivations, and examine whether greater bout-related MVPA changes are associated with greater improvements in these variables.

Exercise improves quality of life in bariatric surgery candidates: results from the Bari-Active trial.

Objective: To examine the impact of a pre-bariatric surgery physical activity intervention (PAI), designed to increase bout-related (≥10 min) moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: Analyses included 75 adult participants (86.7% female; BMI = 45.

Bari-Active: a randomized controlled trial of a preoperative intervention to increase physical activity in bariatric surgery patients.

Background: Habitual physical activity (PA) may help to optimize bariatric surgery outcomes; however, objective PA measures show that most patients have low PA preoperatively and make only modest PA changes postoperatively. Patients require additional support to adopt habitual PA. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of a preoperative PA intervention (PAI) versus standard presurgical care (SC) for increasing daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in bariatric surgery patients.

A mentorship-based preclinical elective increases exposure, confidence, and interest in surgery.

Background: The predicted shortage of surgeons is of growing concern with declining medical student interest in surgical careers. We hypothesized that earlier exposure to operative experiences and the establishment of resident mentors through a preclinical elective would enhance student confidence and interest in surgery.

Methods: We developed a preclinical elective in surgery, which served as an organized curriculum for junior medical students to experience surgery through a paired resident-mentorship model.

Long-term survival outcomes of Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) lobectomy after transitioning from open lobectomy.

Background: Open lobectomy continues to be more commonly performed than video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy. We previously described the short-term safety of an approach for transitioning from open lobectomy to VATS. We now assess its long-term safety by evaluating survival results of the initial VATS cases after transition.

Leukocyte-depleted blood transfusion is associated with decreased survival in resected early-stage lung cancer.

Objectives: Blood transfusion has been shown to have deleterious effect on lung cancer survival, but little data are available that assess whether leukocyte-depleted (LD) blood has a similar adverse effect. Our institution has been using LD red cells since 2001. We sought to determine whether LD blood has an effect on survival after resection of early-stage lung cancer.

Ecological momentary assessment of the relationship between intention and physical activity behavior in bariatric surgery patients.

Background: Performing habitual physical activity (PA) is challenging for many bariatric surgery patients.

Purpose: We used electronic ecological momentary assessment to naturalistically examine whether insufficient PA among bariatric surgery patients was due to infrequent PA intentions or inadequate follow through on PA intentions.

Method: Twenty-one patients 6-months post-bariatric surgery were recruited from multiple clinics in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Effects of bariatric surgery on food cravings: do food cravings and the consumption of craved foods "normalize" after surgery?

Background: The reported effects of bariatric surgery on food cravings have been inconsistent. Moreover, research has been largely limited to sweet cravings, and no study has examined whether surgery patients' cravings differ from those of normal weight (NW) controls. Our objective was to use an empirically validated instrument to examine changes in bariatric surgery patients' frequency of food cravings and consumption of craved foods from before to 3 and 6 months after surgery and to compare surgery patients' frequency of food cravings to those of NW controls.

Comparison of two objective monitors for assessing physical activity and sedentary behaviors in bariatric surgery patients.

Background: Objective quantification of physical activity (PA) is needed to understand PA and sedentary behaviors in bariatric surgery patients, yet it is unclear whether PA estimates produced by different monitors are comparable and can be interpreted similarly across studies.

Methods: We compared PA estimates from the Stayhealthy RT3 triaxial accelerometer (RT3) and the Sensewear Pro(2) Armband (SWA) at both the group and individual participant level. Bariatric surgery candidates were instructed to wear the RT3 and SWA during waking hours for 7 days.

Ecological momentary assessment of recommended postoperative eating and activity behaviors.

Background: Successful weight loss after bariatric surgery depends on the patient's adherence to prescribed eating and physical activity behaviors. However, few studies have assessed patients' adherence to the behavioral recommendations and most have used retrospective self-report measures. The present study is the first to use ecological momentary assessment (EMA) via a palmtop computer to assess bariatric surgery patients' eating and activity behaviors in real-time in the natural environment.

Significant resolution of female sexual dysfunction after bariatric surgery.

Background: We have previously reported that most women seeking bariatric surgery have had female sexual dysfunction (FSD) as defined by the validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The present study examined whether FSD resolves after bariatric surgery.

Methods: A total of 54 reportedly sexually active women (43.

Objective assessment of time spent being sedentary in bariatric surgery candidates.

Background: Bariatric surgery candidates spend very little time in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (≥ 3 metabolic equivalents [METs]). This study examined (1) how much of their remaining time is spent in sedentary behaviors (SB < 1.5 METs) compared to light-intensity activities (1.

Pre- to postoperative physical activity changes in bariatric surgery patients: self report vs. objective measures.

Bariatric surgery patients report significant pre- to postoperative increases in physical activity (PA). However, it is unclear whether objective measures would corroborate these changes. The present study compared self-reported and accelerometer-based estimates of changes in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) from pre- (pre-op) to 6 months postsurgery (post-op).

Eliminating the effects of paradoxic imaging during laparoscopic surgery.

Background: Complex laparoscopic tasks are nearly impossible to complete when the telescope is pointed toward the operator (i.e., paradoxic image).

Objective quantification of physical activity in bariatric surgery candidates and normal-weight controls.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is an important component of weight loss programs and should be encouraged for severely obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. However, few studies have determined the amount and intensity of activities undertaken preoperatively by bariatric surgery patients using objective measures.

Methods: Using RT3 tri-axial accelerometers, the present study compared 38 bariatric surgery candidates and 20 normal weight controls on activity counts/hr; the number of minutes daily spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) and vigorous intensity PA; and the level of compliance with national recommendations to accumulate 150 min/wk of MVPA in bouts of > or = 10 minutes.

Prevalence and degree of sexual dysfunction in a sample of women seeking bariatric surgery.

Background: Sexual functioning has been shown to be impaired in women who are obese, particularly those seeking bariatric surgery. However, most previous studies evaluating sexual function in these populations have not used validated measures. We used the validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in a sample of >100 women evaluated for bariatric surgery.

Thoracoscopic approach for the treatment of postpneumonectomy syndrome.

Postpneumonectomy syndrome develops after pneumonectomy when excessive mediastinal shifting leads to compression of the contralateral main bronchus. This case report describes a total thoracoscopic approach for the treatment of postpneumonectomy syndrome.