Impact of Gift Giving During General Surgery Resident Match Interviewing Since Initiation of Virtual Interviews.

Objective: Following the transition to virtual interviews in 2021, interviewees began receiving gifts as a recruitment strategy in lieu of the preinterview dinner. This study characterizes quantity, type, and frequency of gift receipt in relation to program perception and ranking.

Design: An anonymous survey study was conducted.

Association Between Nil Per Os Status and Intubated Patients Undergoing Surgery.

Introduction: Patient outcomes heavily rely on nutritional support. However, holding enteric feeds prior to surgical operations in critically ill patients is still a common practice in intensive critical units. Our objective is to describe the relationship between duration of nil per os (NPO) and respiratory outcomes in intubated, critically ill patients requiring operative intervention.

Association Between Social Vulnerability Index and Hospital Readmission Following Gunshot Injuries.

Introduction: No association regarding classification of social vulnerability and outcomes of patients with gunshot injury have been described. Our goal was to assess whether the socioeconomic vulnerability index (SVI), is associated with an increased risk of hospital readmission following gunshot wounds.

Methods: We conducted an exploratory retrospective cohort study on Massachusetts patients with trauma following gunshot wounds from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2020 using the institutional trauma registry.

Prehospital Transport Time and Outcomes for Pediatric Trauma: A National Study.

Introduction: Historically, emergency medical services have aimed to deliver trauma patients to definitive care within the 60 min (min) "Golden Hour" to optimize survival. There is little evidence to support or refute this for pediatric trauma. The objective of this investigation was to describe national trends in prehospital transport time, in relation to the "Golden Hour," and pediatric trauma outcomes.

Factors Associated With Successful Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Traumatic Hemothorax in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Due to the rarity of traumatic hemothorax in children, no studies have evaluated factors associated with successful video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) as definitive management.

Methods: We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional analysis of pediatric patients in the Trauma Quality Programs database from 2008 to 2017 with traumatic hemothorax managed with primary VATS. Those with early resuscitative thoracotomy for cardiac arrest were excluded.

Association Between the SARS-Cov2 Pandemic and Pediatric Surgical Consultations.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes to acute pediatric surgical needs during the early phase of the SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all in-hospital pediatric surgery consultations placed through the consult paging system at a single institution. We compared both median and absolute differences for emergency department (ED), operative, and hospital outcomes between March, April, and May of 2019 versus 2020.

Subcutaneous Endoscopic-Assisted Ligation of the Internal Ring for Inguinal Hernia Repair in Neonates Under Spinal Anesthesia.

While laparoscopy is now widely accepted for inguinal hernia repair in infants, it traditionally has required general anesthesia. We sought to evaluate the safety of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in infants under spinal anesthesia. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all inguinal hernia repairs at a single institution between December 2011 and June 2019 in patients younger than 6 months of age.

Use of minimally invasive surgery for the management of hollow viscus traumatic injuries.

Background: The objective of this study is to assess surgical outcomes following the initial use of laparoscopy versus laparotomy when managing patients with hollow viscus injuries due to trauma.

Methods: Using the database from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program we identified all patients from 2015-2017 with ICD-10 Diagnosis codes for hollow viscus trauma. Types of procedures were identified by ICD-10 PCS codes.

Return of the Banana Knife: An Alternative Instrument for Laparoscopic Pyloromyotomy.

When the disposable arthroscopic banana knife (Linvatec, Largo, FL) became unavailable, many pediatric surgeons adapted the use of spatula tip cautery for laparoscopic pyloromyotomy; however, reusable arthroscopic knives remain readily available and are well suited to the procedure. We compared laparoscopic pyloromyotomy with a reusable arthroscopic banana knife (Sklar, West Chester, PA; catalog no. 45-6050) to those using spatula tip cautery at a single institution between September 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019.

Factors Associated with Successful Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery and Thoracotomy in the Management of Traumatic Hemothorax.

Background: Few studies have identified factors associated with successful VATS or thoracotomy as the initial operative strategy among patients with traumatic hemothorax.

Material And Methods: We performed an exploratory analysis using the 2008 to 2017 TQP database. We identified all patients aged 18 to 89 years with traumatic hemothorax who were treated with tube thoracostomy alone in the first 24-hours of admission, followed by VATS or thoracotomy.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery is likely safe, but underutilized in adolescents aged 13-17 years.

Background: Bariatric surgery is now accepted for adolescents; however, we may need to improve access to surgery for this vulnerable age group.

Objectives: To compare the demographic characteristics and short-term safety outcomes of adolescents, college-aged individuals, and young adults who have had metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Setting: Bariatric surgery centers.

Increasing incidence of complicated appendicitis during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) strain has resulted in restrictions potentially impacting patients presenting with acute appendicitis and their disease burden.

Methods: All acute appendicitis admissions (281 patients) between 1/1/2018-4/30/2020 were reviewed. Two groups were created: 6 weeks before (Group A) and 6 weeks after (Group B) the date elective surgeries were postponed in Massachusetts for COVID-19.

Clinical outcomes following identification of tip appendicitis on ultrasonography and CT scan.

Background/purpose: With recent improvements in imaging technology, subtler variations in the anatomy of the appendix can be appreciated. We hypothesized that radiographic findings of tip appendicitis may not correlate strongly with a pathologic diagnosis of appendicitis.

Methods: Our radiology database was searched for reports of a diagnosis of tip appendicitis between January 2013 and June 2017 for patients between the ages of 2 and 17.

Evaluation of Rhodiola crenulata on growth and metabolism of NB-1691, an MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell line.

Outcomes of children with high grade neuroblastoma remain poor despite multi-agent chemotherapy regimens. Rhodiola crenulata extracts display anti-neoplastic properties against several cancers including breast cancer, melanoma, and glioblastoma. In this study, we evaluated the anti-neoplastic potential of Rhodiola crenulata extracts on human neuroblastoma cells.

A Novel Macroscale Acoustic Device for Blood Filtration.

Retransfusion of a patient's own shed blood during cardiac surgery is attractive since it reduces the need for allogeneic transfusion, minimizes cost, and decreases transfusion related morbidity. Evidence suggests that lipid micro-emboli associated with the retransfusion of the shed blood are the predominant causes of the neurocognitive disorders. We have developed a novel acoustophoretic filtration system that can remove lipids from blood at clinically relevant flow rates.

Single incision laparoscopic proficiency correlates with residency training level.

Background: With experience, certain psychomotor skills should translate from standard laparoscopy to single-incision laparoscopy (SIL). We proposed to compare all surgical postgraduate year (PGY) levels and determine if experience translated to improved SIL skills.

Methods: Surgical residents of all PGY levels (1-5) at our institution were included.

Laparoscopic Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Pilot Study in a Novel Guinea Pig Animal Model.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare different techniques for pediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. We hypothesize that the amount of dissection performed at the internal ring, with or without division of the peritoneum, will impact healing and thus long-term success of the repair.

Methods: Following the Institution's Animal Care and Use Committee approval (708024-4), 20 Hartley guinea pigs underwent laparoscopic repair of their natural open internal rings.

Operative vs Nonoperative Management of Pediatric Blunt Pancreatic Trauma: Evaluation of the National Trauma Data Bank.

Background: Traumatic pancreatic injury is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the differences in outcomes among children with blunt pancreatic injuries managed operatively and nonoperatively.

Study Design: The National Trauma Data Bank was evaluated from 2002 to 2011.

Rhodiola crenulata inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling in glioblastoma.

Background: Rhodiola crenulata is a perennial plant that grows in the high altitudes of Eastern Europe and Asia. R crenulata has been used for many years in Eastern traditional medicine for a variety of medicinal purposes and it has been shown to elicit antineoplastic effects. The purpose of this study is to determine if R crenulata extract exhibits antitumor properties on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor.

Evaluation of the treatment of pectus carinatum with compressive orthotic bracing using three dimensional body scans.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure the effectiveness of compressive orthotic brace therapy for the treatment of pectus carinatum using an adjusted Haller Index (HI) measurement calculated from 3D body scan (BS) images.

Methods: Pediatric patients with pectus carinatum were treated with either compressive orthotic bracing or observation. An adjusted BS Haller index (HI) was calculated from serial 3D BS images obtained on all patients.

Improving tactile sensation in minimally invasive pediatric surgery.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate factors that impact tactile sensation during minimally invasive pediatric surgery.

Methods: Three different 3-mm Maryland laparoscopic instruments were tested with and without the resistance of a trocar (Ethicon 3-mm): Jarit (24-cm shaft, 113 g), Storz (30-cm shaft, 62 g), and an ultra-light prototype (24-cm shaft, 5 g). Experiments were conducted in a custom-designed laparoscopic simulator that directs instruments at fixed angles toward a central target.

The deflux procedure reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections in patients with vesicoureteral reflux.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the experience of a single institution with the Deflux (Q-Med Scandinavia; Uppsala, Sweden) procedure and assess its effectiveness in reducing the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children with vesicoureteric reflux (VUR).

Materials And Methods: After institutional review board approval, the charts of 100 patients with VUR, who presented between June 2003 and June 2005, were prospectively reviewed. Data collected included: demographics, the number of preoperative and postoperative UTIs, a radiologic grade of VUR on a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) and the presence of VUR on a radionuclide VCUG 3 months after the procedure.

Giant polypoid gastric heterotopia of the jejunum presenting with intermittent intussusception.

We report the case of a 17-year-old female with symptoms of intermittent small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed an intussusception. The patient underwent a laparoscopic-assisted resection of the mass, which proved to be gastric heterotopia of the jejunum.