POSSUM and p-POSSUM overestimate morbidity and mortality in laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Background: Despite their wide use in surgical audit, the application of the Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) and the Portsmouth predictor of mortality (p-POSSUM) in bariatric surgery has been limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of POSSUM and p-POSSUM in bariatric comparative audit.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected on consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic gastric by-pass (LRYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) at a teaching institute.

Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial of intravenous antioxidant (n-acetylcysteine, selenium, vitamin C) therapy in severe acute pancreatitis.

Background: Based on equivocal clinical data, intravenous antioxidant therapy has been used for the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis. To date there is no randomised comparison of this therapy in severe acute pancreatitis.

Methods: We conducted a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial of intravenous antioxidant (n-acetylcysteine, selenium, vitamin C) therapy in patients with predicted severe acute pancreatitis.