Standard Versus Advanced Protective Measures in a COVID-Free Surgical Pathway.

Introduction The importance of coronavirus disease (COVID)-free surgical pathways during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been demonstrated. However, the extent of protective measures to be applied against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), particularly before vaccines became available, remained unclear. Methods This retrospective study included all SARS-CoV-2-negative patients admitted to the COVID-free pathway of a regional abdominal surgery hub center in Northern Italy over 12 months, before the vaccination campaign.

A fast-track surgery programme leads to timelier treatment and higher resection rates in pancreatic cancer.

Background: The aim was to perform a propensity-matched comparison of patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing surgery, with and without biliary stenting and an intention to treat analysis of long-term survival between the two groups.

Methods: This was an observational study of a cohort of consecutive patients presenting with obstructive jaundice and undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic and periampullary malignancies between November 2015 and May 2019.

Results: In this study of 216 consecutive operable patients, 70 followed the fast-track pathway and 146 had pre-operative biliary drainage.

Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Partial Mesorectal Excision for Cancer of the High Rectum: A Single-Center Study with Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background: The role of robotic surgery for partial mesorectal excision (PME) in patients with high rectal cancer (RC) remains unexplored. This study aimed to compare the operative and postoperative outcomes of robotic (R-PME) versus laparoscopic (L-PME) PME for high RC.

Methods: This was a single-center propensity score cohort study of consecutive patients diagnosed with RC in the high rectum (>10 to 15 cm from the anal verge) who underwent surgery between September 2012 and May 2019.

Early surgical management of acute cholecystitis in ultra-octogenarian patients: our 5-year experience.

Background: Acute calculous cholecystitis is a leading cause for hospital admission especially in developed countries. As older age population increases, medical research should consider the efficacy of all therapeutic options, including early surgical procedure in an emergency context, for the treatment of acute cholecystitis in elderly high-risk patients.

Methods: From 01/01/2012 to 31/12/2016, 245 patients were admitted to our Institution with diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and managed with cholecystectomy within the same hospitalization.

Emergency surgery for bowel obstruction in extremely aged patients.

Background: As a result of the increasing of life expectancy, the incidence of pathologies that can lead to operation for bowel obstruction is also increasing. Comorbidities and reduced physiological reserve can decrease elderly patients' ability to tolerate operations especially in an emergency context. We retrospectively evaluated the treatment and outcomes of a cohort of patients aged more than 85 years who underwent emergency surgery for intestinal occlusion.

Peri-hepatic gauze packing for the control of haemorrhage during liver transplantation: A retrospective study.

Background: Albeit accepted in the trauma setting, use of peri-hepatic gauze packing has been rarely reported during liver transplantation.

Aims: To assess the results of packing in liver transplantation.

Methods: We reviewed clinical characteristics, intraoperative events and postoperative outcome of consecutive adult liver transplantation recipients between 2003 and 2013.