Outcomes of laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair in overweight and obese patients.

Background: Inguinal hernia repair in patients with high body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m is associated with higher technical difficulties and longer perioperative time. Few studies, however, have compared the outcomes of laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in patients with high BMI in the Australian population.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed the data from 315 adult patients with a healthy BMI of 18.

Fizz-computed tomography as a novel modality of objective esophageal hiatal assessment.

Background: Traditional investigations of esophageal hiatal assessment for reflux disease and hiatal hernia (HH), such as endoscopy and barium swallow are subjective. High resolution manometry (HRM) limits hiatal hernia assessment to vertical length. We report a novel use of 3D volumetric Computed Tomography with effervescent oral contrast (Fizz-CT) as a means of preoperative HH diagnosis.

Effectiveness of Adjuvant Semaglutide Following Bariatric Metabolic Surgery.

Background: Obesity is a relapsing condition and response to anti-obesity therapies appears to be normally distributed. Therefore, some patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) will demonstrate a partial response to therapy. When prescribing therapies to patients living with obesity (PwO) the median total weight loss (TWL) gives a good indication of the likely utility of prescription for that individual.

Comorbid anxiety predicts lower odds of depression improvement during smartphone-delivered psychotherapy.

Comorbid anxiety disorders are common among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and numerous studies have identified an association between comorbid anxiety and resistance to pharmacological depression treatment. However, the impact of anxiety on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for MDD is not as well understood. In this study, we applied machine learning techniques to predict treatment responses in a large-scale clinical trial ( = 493) of individuals with MDD, who were recruited online and randomly assigned to one of three smartphone-based interventions.

Metabolic bariatric surgery generates substantial, sustained weight loss and health improvement in a real-world setting.

Background: To determine if the positive outcomes from clinical trials regarding the safety and efficacy of metabolic bariatric surgery are reproducible at a national level.

Methods: A longitudinal registry-based observation study with data collected from all persons undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery in Australia from 28 February 2012-31 December 2021 including data from 122,567 index patients who underwent 134,625 completed bariatric procedures.

Main Outcomes And Measures: Defined adverse outcomes at 90-days (unplanned readmission, intensive care admission and re-operation; death), annual change in weight (percent total body weight loss (TBWL)), diabetes treatment and need for re-operation.