Liposomal bupivacaine for sleeve gastrectomy is associated with improved opioid outcomes and lower odds of opioid use disorder: claims-based analysis.

Background: Patients undergoing bariatric surgery may be at increased risk for postsurgical opioid dependence, highlighting a need for opioid-sparing anesthesia.

Objectives: Liposomal bupivacaine (LB), a prolonged release formulation of bupivacaine, may improve postoperative pain management and reduce postsurgical opioid use. This retrospective claims-database study investigated the effects of LB versus non-LB analgesia on opioid use and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in patients receiving laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG).

The effect of immobilisation strategies on the ability of peptoids to reduce the adhesion of P. aeruginosa strains to contact lenses.

Aim: Previous studies have demonstrated that contact lenses coated with the antimicrobial cationic peptide Mel4, a derivative of melimine, can reduce the occurrence of keratitis. However, the antimicrobial activity of Mel4 weakened over time due to its susceptibility to proteolytic degradation. Oligo-N-substituted glycine peptoids such as TM5 and TM18 possess antimicrobial properties and are resistant to proteolytic breakdown.

Mapping of catecholaminergic denervation, neurodegeneration, and inflammation in 6-OHDA-treated Parkinson's disease mice.

Efforts to develop disease-modifying treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) have been hindered by the lack of animal models replicating all hallmarks of PD and the insufficient attention to extra-nigrostriatal regions pathologically critical for the prodromal appearance of non-motor symptoms. Among PD models, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infusion in mice has gained prominence since 2012, primarily focusing on the nigrostriatal region. This study characterized widespread tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neuron and fiber loss across the brain following a unilateral 6-OHDA (20 μg) infusion into the dorsal striatum.

Paper 1: introduction to the series.

Objectives: Systematic reviews hold immense promise as tools to highlight evidence-based practices that can reduce or aim to eliminate racial health disparities. Currently, consensus on centering racial health equity in systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis products is lacking. Centering racial health equity implies concentrating or focusing attention on health equity in ways that bring attention to the perspectives or needs of groups that are typically marginalized.

Patient-Reported Quality of Life for Osteoradionecrosis Reconstruction in the Head and Neck: A Longitudinal Framework and Risk Factors.

Background: Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is an aggressive sequela of head and neck cancer, treatment of which focuses on functional restoration and quality-of-life (QoL). This study aims to identify risks for poor QoL in ORN reconstruction and build a chronologic, longitudinal framework for QoL.

Methods: A prospective database of reconstructions performed by the senior author was reviewed from 2015-2023.

Peptide-mimetic treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a mouse model of respiratory infection.

The rise of drug resistance has become a global crisis, with >1 million deaths due to resistant bacterial infections each year. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in particular, remains a serious problem with limited solutions due to complex resistance mechanisms that now lead to more than 32,000 multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections and over 2000 deaths in the U.S.

Sigmoid Volvulus in the Setting of Type 4 Hiatal Hernia: An Uncommon Presentation and Literature Review.

Hiatal hernias occur when intra-abdominal contents protrude into the diaphragmatic opening. Of the four classifications, Type 4 hiatal hernias are the most rare and severe. They develop from herniation of the gastroesophageal junction and abdominal viscera other than the stomach into the thoracic cavity.

Real-world assessment of longitudinal opioid use and healthcare resource utilization in patients undergoing colorectal resection.

Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) has been used in multimodal pain management regimens to improve postsurgical analgesia. This retrospective cohort analysis assessed clinical and economic outcomes of LB vs non-LB analgesia in minimally invasive colorectal resection surgery using real-world patient data from the IQVIA linkage claims databases. Patients who received LB were 1:1 matched to patients who did not receive LB (non-LB) via propensity scores.

Cryoneurolysis Associated With Improved Pain, Function, and Sleep in Patients Following total Knee Arthroplasty: Use of a New Real-World Registry.

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is performed on approximately 790,000 patients annually in the United States and is projected to increase to 1.5 million by 2050. This study aimed at assessing the use of preoperative cryoneurolysis on patients undergoing TKA by analyzing: (1) pain severity; (2) opioid use; (3) functional status; and (4) sleep disturbance (SD) over 6 months following discharge.

Improved Pain and Function With Triamcinolone Acetonide Extended-Release and Cryoneurolysis for Knee Osteoarthritis: Use of a New Real-World Registry.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) affects 19% of American adults aged more than 45 years and costs $27+ billion annually. A wide range of nonoperative treatment options are available. This study compared 6 treatments: cryoneurolysis with deep genicular nerve block (Cryo-Deep/Both), cryoneurolysis with superficial nerve block (Cryo-Superficial), intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IA-HA) injections, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug injections (IA-NSAIDs), IA-corticosteroids (IA-CS) injections, or IA-triamcinolone extended release (IA-TA-ER) injections over 4 months for: (1) pain severity and analgesic use; and (2) physical function (from Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement).

Liposomal Bupivacaine Analgesia in Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Breast Reconstruction: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) can be used for postsurgical analgesia after breast reconstruction. We examined real-world clinical and economic benefits of LB versus bupivacaine after deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the IQVIA claims databases to identify patients undergoing primary DIEP flap breast reconstruction in 2016-2019.

Sequential free fibula transfers: Quality of life and systematic review.

Background: Successive osteoseptocutaneous fibula transfers for jaws reconstruction are rare but important options. This study contributes patient-reported and clinical outcomes, as well as systematically reviews all existing reports.

Methods: All sequential fibula transfers performed by the senior author were reviewed from a prospectively managed database, including University of Washington quality of life (UWQoL).

International Skin Imaging Collaboration-Designated Diagnoses (ISIC-DX): Consensus terminology for lesion diagnostic labeling.

Background: A common terminology for diagnosis is critically important for clinical communication, education, research and artificial intelligence. Prevailing lexicons are limited in fully representing skin neoplasms.

Objectives: To achieve expert consensus on diagnostic terms for skin neoplasms and their hierarchical mapping.

Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Oral Cancer Patients Reconstructed With Double Free Flaps: A Preoperative and Postoperative Assessment.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate quality of life (QOL) in patients with locally advanced oral cancer who underwent surgical resection followed by simultaneous double free flap reconstruction.

Methods: Institutional database was reviewed from 2015 to 2021 and prospectively collected University of Washington Quality of Life data that were extracted for patients who met the inclusion criteria. Mean, composite, and best percentage scores were computed.

Antiviral Effect of Antimicrobial Peptoid TM9 and Murine Model of Respiratory Coronavirus Infection.

New antiviral agents are essential to improving treatment and control of SARS-CoV-2 infections that can lead to the disease COVID-19. Antimicrobial peptoids are sequence-specific oligo--substituted glycine peptidomimetics that emulate the structure and function of natural antimicrobial peptides but are resistant to proteases. We demonstrate antiviral activity of a new peptoid (TM9) against the coronavirus, murine hepatitis virus (MHV), as a closely related model for the structure and antiviral susceptibility profile of SARS-CoV-2.

Newer Pharmacologic Treatments in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Clinical Guideline From the American College of Physicians.

Description: The American College of Physicians (ACP) developed this clinical guideline to update recommendations on newer pharmacologic treatments of type 2 diabetes. This clinical guideline is based on the best available evidence for effectiveness, comparative benefits and harms, consideration of patients' values and preferences, and costs.

Methods: This clinical guideline is based on a systematic review of the effectiveness and harms of newer pharmacologic treatments of type 2 diabetes, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, a GLP-1 agonist and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide agonist, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, and long-acting insulins, used either as monotherapy or in combination with other medications.

Development of a Health Equity Framework for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Importance: Clinical practice guidelines can play an important role in mitigating health inequities. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has prioritized addressing health equity and racism in its recommendations.

Objective: To develop a framework that would allow the USPSTF to incorporate a health equity lens that spans the entirety of its recommendation-making process.