Publications by authors named "Kamal Itani"
Article Synopsis
- The objective of the review was to assess and enhance research training during surgical residency to better align with modern surgical education and academic demands.
- The research identified a significant gap in standardized research training across surgical programs, with dedicated scholarly activity proving beneficial for residents.
- Recommendations include establishing minimum standards and flexible training options to ensure future surgeons are well-prepared for academic practice.
Background: This systematic review aims to identify genetic and biologic markers associated with abdominal hernia formation.
Methods: Following PRIMSA-guidelines, we searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and COCHRANE databases.
Results: Of 5946 studies, 65 were selected, excluding parastomal hernias due to insufficient data.
Importance: Although recent guidelines recommend against performance of preoperative urine culture before nongenitourinary surgery, many clinicians still order preoperative urine cultures and prescribe antibiotics for treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in an effort to reduce infection risk.
Objective: To assess the association between preoperative urine culture testing and postoperative urinary tract infection (UTI) or surgical site infection (SSI), independent of baseline patient characteristics or type of surgery.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study analyzed surgical procedures performed from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019, at any of 112 US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers.
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common adverse event occurring in surgical patients. Optimal prevention of SSIs requires the bundled integration of a variety of measures before, during, and after surgery. Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) is an effective measure for preventing SSIs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Operative reports are important documents; however, standards for critical elements of operative reports are general and often vague. Hernia surgery is one of the most common procedures performed by general surgeons, so the aim of this project was to develop a Delphi consensus on critical elements of a ventral hernia repair operative report.
Study Design: The Delphi method was used to establish consensus on key features of operative reports for ventral hernia repair.
Background: Whether to perform umbilical hernia repair in patients with cirrhosis is a common dilemma for surgeons. We aimed to determine the incidence, morbidity, and mortality associated with emergency and nonemergency umbilical hernia repair in patients with and without cirrhosis, and to explore opportunities for nonemergency repair.
Methods: Veterans diagnosed with cirrhosis between 2001 and 2014 and a frequency-matched sample of veterans without cirrhosis were followed through September 2017.
Unlabelled: To estimate the relative risk of explantation in patients with skin and soft tissue infection onset within 90 days of hernia surgery, compared with days 91-365 and after 1 year.
Background: Infectious complications occurring after hernia repair with synthetic mesh require prolonged treatment, and eventual mesh explantation. Little is known whether early late onset infection is associated with differential risk of mesh removal, and whether treatment with long-term antibiotics or debridement are associated with mesh salvage.
Background: Mesh explantation for infection after hernia surgery sets a cascade of events that has not been previously described. The purpose of this study is to review the care of these patients and outcomes.
Methods: We obtained data on all Veterans Health Administration enrollees undergoing hernia repair during 2008-2015.
It is unclear if a history of mesh explantation for infection is predictive of future microbiology after subsequent hernia operations. We investigated how often the same causative organism is cultured in the initial explantation and subsequent repairs. We obtained data on patients undergoing ventral/incisional, umbilical, and inguinal hernia repairs from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program during 2008-2015.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunocompromised patients are a heterogeneous and diffuse category frequently presenting to the emergency department with acute surgical diseases. Diagnosis and treatment in immunocompromised patients are often complex and must be multidisciplinary. Misdiagnosis of an acute surgical disease may be followed by increased morbidity and mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study examines how quality of life and psychosocial factors, like health literacy and social support, impact unplanned hospital readmissions following surgery for Veterans.
- It involved a cohort of 736 Veterans who underwent elective surgeries and found that 16.3% were readmitted within 30 days of discharge, often due to lower mental and physical health and inadequate social support.
- The researchers highlight the importance of addressing mental health, health literacy, and social support in post-surgery care plans to reduce readmissions and improve recovery outcomes.
Objective: To evaluate the relationship between postoperative complications and long-term survival.
Summary And Background: Postoperative complications remain a significant driver of healthcare costs and are associated with increased perioperative mortality, yet the extent to which they are associated with long-term survival is unclear.
Methods: National cohort study of Veterans who underwent non-cardiac surgery using data from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2011-2016).