Rapid MRI Abdomen for Assessment of Clinically Suspected Acute Appendicitis in the General Adult Population: a Systematic Review.

Objectives: To perform a systematic review on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen to evaluate clinically suspected appendicitis in the general adult population. We examined the diagnostic accuracy, the reported trends of MRI use, and the factors that affect the utility of MRI abdomen, including study duration and cost-benefits.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases.

Gastric Injury at Laparoscopy for Gynecologic Indications: A Systematic Review.

Objective: This systematic review aims to identify causes of increased risk for and location and mechanism of gastric injury at laparoscopy for gynecologic indications and determine optimal management.

Data Sources: A prospectively registered systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42021237999) was undertaken and performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Databases searched included Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar from 1960 to 2021.

Necrotising soft tissue infection in western Sydney: An 8-year experience.

Background: This study aimed to assess the risk factors, management, imaging validity, Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising infection (LRINEC) score and outcomes of necrotising soft tissue infection (NSTI) at a western Sydney tertiary hospital.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of all patients with NSTI from 2012 to 2019 at our institution. Patient characteristics, imaging, microbiology and site, LRINEC score, surgical management and outcomes/disposition were collected.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty with Comparison to Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Purpose: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) has grown in popularity as a potential minimally invasive bariatric procedure with acceptable short- and medium-term outcomes. This review aims to assess the safety and weight loss outcomes of ESG and compare it with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).

Material And Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane and World Wide Web was conducted.

Reversal of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and conversion to sleeve gastrectomy - Two case reports.

Introduction: With the advent of more minimally invasive procedures like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) for weight loss and metabolic disorders, we are seeing more cases of patients presenting with sub-optimal results for consideration of alternative weight loss surgery. The report aims to describe our experience in converting ESG to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and highlight our suggested technique, challenges and pitfalls.

Presentation Of Cases: We described two bariatrics cases detailing our findings on initial endoscopy along with methods used to reverse ESG hardware, followed by issues encountered during sleeve gastrectomy 1 month later.

Implementation of electronic health records systems in surgical units and its impact on performance.

Background: Electronic health records (EHR) systems have been utilized in New South Wales for more than a decade; however, there is no agreement as to what clinical benefits they provide. This study aims at determining whether the introduction of EHR systems resulted in changes in documentation quality and other markers of clinical performance such as post-operative length of stay (PO LOS), use of imaging modality, rates of readmission and morbidity.

Methods: A before and after study was conducted utilizing both written and electronic patient documentation in a single surgical ward.

A series of three cases of severe Clostridium difficile infection in Australia associated with a binary toxin producing clade 2 ribotype 251 strain.

Three patients with severe Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) caused by an unusual strain of C. difficile, PCR ribotype (RT) 251, were identified in New South Wales, Australia. All cases presented with severe diarrhoea, two had multiple recurrences and one died following a colectomy.

Interhospital transfer delays emergency abdominal surgery and prolongs stay.

Background: Interhospital transfer of patients requiring emergency surgery is common practice. It has the potential to delay surgical intervention, increase rate of complications and thus length of hospital stay.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of adult patients who underwent emergency surgery for abdominal pain at a large metropolitan hospital in New South Wales (Hospital A) in 2013.

Preoperative chemical component relaxation using Botulinum toxin A: enabling laparoscopic repair of complex ventral hernia.

Background: Repair of complex ventral hernia can be very challenging for surgeons. Closure of large defects can have serious pathophysiological consequences. Botulinum toxin A (BTA) has recently been described to provide flaccid paralysis to abdominal muscles prior to surgery, facilitating closure and repair.

Educational Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Ineffective in Changing Surgical Prophylactic Antibiotic Prescribing.

Background: High rates of inappropriate use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery continue to be reported in the literature, with many institutions designing interventions aimed at improving prescription. This study evaluates the surgical arm of a clinician-focused educational antimicrobial stewardship program implemented in February 2014 at Blacktown Hospital, Australia.

Methods: A before-after analysis of the surgical antibiotic prophylaxis intervention was conducted at Blacktown Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.

Adherence to Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis Guidelines in New South Wales, Australia: Identifying Deficiencies and Regression Analysis of Contributing Factors.

Background: Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is frequently reported in the literature to be suboptimal, a finding having both clinical and public health implications. This study aimed to calculate rates and patterns of adherence to guidelines at two sites and identify extrinsic contributing factors.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted over two 12-mo periods during 2013-2014 at the metropolitan Blacktown Hospital and regional Lismore Base Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.

Preoperative abdominal muscle elongation with botulinum toxin A for complex incisional ventral hernia repair.

Background: Surgical repair of recurrent abdominal incisional hernia(s) can be challenging due to complex operative conditions, intense post-operative pain, potential respiratory compromise and lateral muscle traction predisposing to early recurrence. We report our preliminary results with botulinum toxin A (BTA) injection causing flaccid paralysis (relaxation) of the lateral abdominal wall muscles prior to surgery.

Methods: A prospective pilot study measured the effect of preoperative BTA prior to elective repair of recurrent abdominal hernias.

Live-donor nephrectomy.

Six decades after its first implementation, kidney transplantation remains the optimal therapy for end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis. Despite the incontrovertible mortality reduction and cost-effectiveness of kidney transplantation, the greatest remaining barrier to treatment of end-stage renal disease is organ availability. Although the waiting list of patients who stand to benefit from kidney transplantation grows at a rate proportional to the overall population and proliferation of diabetes and hypertension, the pool of deceased-donor organs available for transplantation experiences minimal to no growth.

The first decade of a laparoscopic donor nephrectomy program: effect of surgeon and institution experience with 512 cases from 1996 to 2006.

Background: Although the procedure is generally safe, significant morbidity and even mortality have occurred after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN). The learning curves for both surgeons and institutions with LDN have not been well delineated, and longterm donor data are not well reported.

Study Design: A retrospective study of the initial 512 patients undergoing LDN performed at Mount Sinai Medical Center between October 1996 and March 2006 was performed.

MRI estimation of total renal volume demonstrates significant association with healthy donor weight.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to correlate total renal volume (TRV) calculations, obtained through the voxel-count method and ellipsoid formula with various physical characteristics.

Materials And Methods: MRI reports and physical examination from 210 healthy kidney donors (420 kidneys), on whom renal volumes were obtained using the voxel-count method, were retrospectively reviewed. These values along with ones obtained through a more traditional method (ellipsoid formula) were correlated with subject height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and age.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: intraoperative safety, immediate morbidity, and delayed complications with 500 cases.

Background: Several large series of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) have been published, largely focusing on immediate results and short-term complications. The aim of this study was to examine the results of LDN and collect medium-term and long-term donor followup.

Methods: We examined the results of two surgeons who performed 500 consecutive LDNs from 1996 to 2005.

Accuracy of three-dimensional CT angiography for preoperative vascular evaluation of laparoscopic living renal donors.

Purpose: A retrospective review of preoperative three-dimensional (3D) CT and the operative findings during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Of these patients, 51 had preoperative 3D reconstructed CT scans.

Comprehensive MR imaging in the preoperative evaluation of living donor candidates for laparoscopic nephrectomy: initial experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the preoperative evaluation of potential living renal donors who are candidates for laparoscopic nephrectomy.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-eight donor candidates who underwent subsequent laparoscopic nephrectomy were examined by using a torso phased-array coil at 1.5 T.