Telemedicine and Access to Elective Cholecystectomy for Socially Vulnerable Adults: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Socially vulnerable patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis are more likely to face barriers to accessing surgical care. This barrier to access can lead to delays in treatment, the need for emergent cholecystectomy, and worse outcomes.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of telemedicine vs in-person surgical consultation on access to elective cholecystectomy in socially vulnerable populations and to evaluate the association of scheduling navigation with access to elective cholecystectomy in these populations.

A virtual simulation-based clinical skills course.

Background: Advancements in technology continue to transform the landscape of medical education. Virtual reality (VR) and remote simulation represent unique approaches to teaching students clinical skills through experiential learning.

Approach: We developed, implemented and evaluated a virtual simulation-based course modelled on Kolb's Learning Cycle.

Three-Year Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life after Retromuscular Resorbable Mesh Repair Using Fibrin Glue.

Background: With 400,000 hernias repaired annually, there is a need for development of efficient and effective repair techniques. Previously, the authors' group compared perioperative outcomes and hospital costs of patients undergoing ventral hernia repair with retromuscular mesh using suture fixation versus fibrin glue. This article reports on 3-year postoperative outcomes, including hernia recurrence, long-term clinical outcomes, and patient-reported quality of life.

Outcomes After Tracheostomy in COVID-19 Patients.

Objective: To determine the outcomes of patients undergoing tracheostomy for COVID-19 and of healthcare workers performing these procedures.

Background: Tracheostomy is often performed for prolonged endotracheal intubation in critically ill patients. However, in the context of COVID-19, tracheostomy placement pathways have been altered due to the poor prognosis of intubated patients and the risk of transmission to providers through this highly aerosolizing procedure.

Gastric Electric Stimulation for Refractory Gastroparesis: A Prospective Analysis of 151 Patients at a Single Center.

Background: Gastric electric stimulation (GES) is used to treat patients with refractory gastroparesis symptoms. However, the effectiveness of GES in clinical practice and the effect of GES on specific symptoms of gastroparesis are not well delineated.

Aims: To determine the effectiveness of GES for treatment for refractory symptoms of gastroparesis, the improvement in specific symptoms of gastroparesis, and clinical factors impacting on outcome.

Surgical outcomes after gastric electric stimulator placement for refractory gastroparesis.

Background: Gastric electric stimulation (GES) is used for refractory gastroparesis symptoms. Although symptomatic improvement has been reported with GES, few studies describe the need for additional surgery after placement. Our goal was to evaluate the outcomes of a large series of GES at a single institution.

Retroperitoneal cystic lymphangioma in an adult: A case report and review of the literature.

Lymphangiomas are rare benign cystic tumors of the lymphatic system. Retroperitoneal lymphangiomas account for 1% of all lymphangiomas, and approximately 186 cases have been reported. They may clinically present as a palpable abdominal mass and can cause diagnostic dilemmas with other retroperitoneal cystic tumors, including those arising from the liver, kidney and pancreas.

Gastric neuromuscular pathology in gastroparesis: analysis of full-thickness antral biopsies.

Background: Pathologic assessment of gastric tissue in patients with gastroparesis is limited. Aims To evaluate gastric histopathology in patients with gastroparesis.

Methods: Full-thickness antral biopsies were obtained in 28 patients with gastroparesis.

Predictive factors for clinical improvement with Enterra gastric electric stimulation treatment for refractory gastroparesis.

Unlabelled: The objectives of this study were to determine the clinical response to Enterra gastric electric stimulation (GES) in patients with refractory gastroparesis and to determine factors associated with a favorable response.

Methods: This study was conducted in patients undergoing Enterra GES for refractory gastroparesis. Symptoms were scored before and after GES implantation using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) with additional questions about abdominal pain and global clinical response.

Correlating virtual reality and box trainer tasks in the assessment of laparoscopic surgical skills.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation in the assessment of laparoscopic surgical skills in medical students with the use of a virtual reality laparoscopic trainer and a low-fidelity video box trainer with comparative tasks.

Study Design: Third-year medical students were asked to perform 3 basic skills set modules on LapSim (Surgical Science, Gothenburg, Sweden): coordination, grasping and lifting, and handling the intestines. Each task was set at the easiest level, and each student was allowed a maximum of 10 attempts to complete each task.