Robotic-Assisted versus Laparoscopic Surgery for Rectal Cancer: An Analysis of Clinical and Financial Outcomes from a Tertiary Referral Center.

: The popularity of robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer is increasing, but its superiority over the laparoscopic approach regarding safety, efficacy, and costs has not been well established. : A retrospective single-center study was conducted comparing consecutively performed robotic-assisted and laparoscopic surgeries for rectal cancer between 1 January 2016 and 31 September 2021. In total, 125 adult patients with sporadic rectal adenocarcinoma (distal extent ≤ 15 cm from the anal verge) underwent surgery where 66 were operated on robotically and 59 laparoscopically.

Standardized digital solution with surgical procedure manager (SPM®)-an opportunity for maximizing patient safety and efficiency in ileostomy reversal?

Background: Standardization and digitalization are getting more and more essential in surgery. Surgical procedure manager (SPM®) is a freestanding computer serving as a digital supporter in the operating room. SPM® navigates step-by-step through surgery by providing a checklist for each individual step.

Robotic-Assisted versus Laparoscopic Proctectomy with Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis for Ulcerative Colitis: An Analysis of Clinical and Financial Outcomes from a Tertiary Referral Center.

Background: Robotic-assisted colorectal surgery is gaining popularity, but limited data are available on the safety, efficacy, and cost of robotic-assisted restorative proctectomy with the construction of an ileal pouch and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted comparing consecutively performed robotic-assisted and laparoscopic proctectomy with IPAA between 1 January 2016 and 31 September 2021. In total, 67 adult patients with medically refractory UC without proven dysplasia or carcinoma underwent surgery: 29 operated robotically and 38 laparoscopically.

Statistical review of animal trials-A guideline.

Any experiment involving living organisms requires justification of the need and moral defensibleness of the study. Statistical planning, design, and sample size calculation of the experiment are no less important review criteria than general medical and ethical points to consider. Errors made in the statistical planning and data evaluation phase can have severe consequences on both results and conclusions.

Impact of Adjuvant Ocular Interventions on the Quality of Life of Patients with Uveal Melanoma after Proton Beam Therapy.

Introduction: Proton beam therapy is an established primary treatment for patients with nonmetastasized uveal melanoma. Adjuvant local interventions, like intravitreal injections or surgery, were shown to improve long-term eye preservation; however, their impact on the patient's quality of life (QOL) remains unknown.

Methods: In a post-radiotherapeutic follow-up, we prospectively collected data on QOL, visual acuity, and interventional adjuvant procedures.

Contamination of CT scanner surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 and infective potential after examination of invasively ventilated, non-invasively ventilated and non-ventilated patients with positive throat swabs: prospective investigation using real-time reverse-transcription PCR and viral cell culture.

Background: During the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, computed tomography (CT) has become widely used in patients with suspected or known coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This prospective observational study in 28 invasively ventilated and 18 non-invasively ventilated patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 contamination aims at investigating SARS-CoV-2 contamination of CT scanner surfaces and its infectiousness.

Methods: Swab sampling of the CT table and gantry before and after CT examinations was performed.

Impact of myopenia and myosteatosis on postoperative outcome and recurrence in Crohn's disease.

Purpose: Myopenia and myosteatosis have been proposed to be prognostic factors of surgical outcomes for various diseases, but their exact role in Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate their impact on anastomotic leakage, CD recurrence, and postoperative complications after ileocecal resection in patients with CD.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of CD patients undergoing ileocecal resection at our tertiary referral center was performed.

90-yttrium-ibritumomab tiuxetan as first-line treatment for follicular lymphoma: updated efficacy and safety results at an extended median follow-up of 9.6 years.

Radioimmunotherapy with 90-yttrium-ibritumomab tiuxetan (90Y-IT) as first-line treatment in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) demonstrated promising results with a complete remission (CR) rate of 56% and a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 26 months, when initially analyzed after a median follow-up of 30.6 months. The aim of this long-term follow-up was to investigate whether clinical benefits were maintained and new safety signals appeared.

Elevated Serum Inflammatory Markers in Subacute Stroke Are Associated With Clinical Outcome but Not Modified by Aerobic Fitness Training: Results of the Randomized Controlled Trial.

Inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive Protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and fibrinogen, are upregulated following acute stroke. Studies have shown associations of these biomarkers with increased mortality, recurrent vascular risk, and poor functional outcome. It is suggested that physical fitness training may play a role in decreasing long-term inflammatory activity and supports tissue recovery.

Quality of life and treatment-related burden during ocular proton therapy: a prospective trial of 131 patients with uveal melanoma.

Background: Proton beam therapy is a well-established treatment option for patients with uveal melanoma (UM). The treatment procedure, in general, includes placing radiopaque clips to ensure exact eye-positioning during radiotherapy, followed by the delivery of proton irradiation. The short-term burden associated with proton therapy in patients with UM has rarely been addressed.

Intermediate-term survival of robot-assisted versus open radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive and high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in The Netherlands.

Background: Radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection is the recommended treatment in non-metastatic muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). In randomised trials, robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) showed non-inferior short-term oncological outcomes compared with open radical cystectomy (ORC). Data on intermediate and long-term oncological outcomes of RARC are limited.

Risk factors for upper and lower type prolonged postoperative ileus following surgery for Crohn's disease.

Purpose: Prolonged postoperative ileus (PPOI) is common after bowel resections, especially in Crohn's disease (CD). The pathophysiology of PPOI is not fully understood. PPOI could affect only the upper or lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

PuraStat in gastrointestinal bleeding: results of a prospective multicentre observational pilot study.

Background: A recently developed haemostatic peptide gel for endoscopic application has been introduced to improve the management of gastrointestinal bleeding. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, efficacy and indication profiles of PuraStat in a clinical setting.

Methods: In this prospective observational multicentre pilot study, patients with acute non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding (upper and lower) were included.

Assessment of Risk Factors for the Occurrence of a High-Output Ileostomy.

Ileostomy is often required in patients undergoing bowel resections for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), colorectal cancer, and emergencies. Unfortunately, some patients develop a high-output stoma (HOS). This condition affects homeostasis and may be life threatening.

Benefit of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator for detection and therapy of arrhythmias in patients with myocarditis.

Aims: Myocarditis may lead to malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. As of today, there are no reliable predictors to identify individuals at risk for these catastrophic events. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) may detect and treat such arrhythmias adequately in the peracute setting of myocarditis.

Differential diagnostic value of rheumatic symptoms in patients with Whipple's disease.

Most patients with Whipple's disease have rheumatic symptoms. The aim of our prospective, questionnaire-based, non-interventional clinical study was to assess whether these symptoms are useful in guiding the differential diagnosis to the rheumatic disorders. Forty patients with Whipple's disease, followed by 20 patients for validation and 30 patients with rheumatoid-, 21 with psoriatic-, 15 with palindromic- and 25 with axial spondyloarthritis were recruited for the present investigation.

Stapled intestinal anastomoses are more cost effective than hand-sewn anastomoses in a diagnosis related group system.

Purpose: Creation of an optimal bowel anastomosis with low postoperative leakage rate is an immanent part of colorectal surgery contributing to recovery, length of hospital stay and overall hospital costs. We aimed to investigate costs of small and large bowel resection, length of hospital stay, anastomotic leakage rate and its risk factors depending on the anastomotic technique.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 198 patients (67 stapled and 131 hand-sewn anastomoses) undergoing elective bowel resection with a single anastomosis without protective ileostomy either stapled or in double-rowed running suture technique between 1st October 2012 and 30th September 2018 at Charité University Hospital Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin.

Increased proinflammatory cytokines in mesenteric fat in major surgery and Crohn's disease.

Background: Proinflammatory cytokines play an important role in abdominal surgery and are often associated with the development of postoperative ileus, especially in Crohn's disease. The aim of this study was to investigate proinflammatory cytokine levels in mesenteric fat in Crohn's disease and patients without Crohn's disease.

Methods: Human mesenteric tissue specimen were divided into 3 patient groups (n = 10 each): minor surgery (laparoscopic cholecystectomy), major surgery (colectomy) in patients without Crohn's disease, and major surgery (colectomy) in patients with Crohn's disease.

Validation of the German Classification of Diverticular Disease (VADIS)-a prospective bicentric observational study.

Purpose: The German Classification of Diverticular Disease was introduced a few years ago. The aim of this study was to determine whether Classification of Diverticular Disease enables an exact stratification of different types of diverticular disease in terms of course and treatment.

Methods: This was a prospective, bicentric observational trial.

Operative outcome of hernia repair with synthetic mesh in immunocompromised patients.

Background: The safety of synthetic mesh in elective hernia repair in the setting of immunosuppression lacks national and international consensus. The aim of our analysis was to explore the effects of immunosuppression on the rates of wound complications.

Methods: Comparative analysis of immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients with elective mesh repair of inguinal, femoral, primary ventral, incisional or parastomal hernia between January 2001 and December 2013.

First-line treatment with R-CHOP or rituximab-bendamustine in patients with follicular lymphoma grade 3A-results of a retrospective analysis.

Based on centroblast frequency, follicular lymphoma (FL) is subdivided into grades 1-2, 3A, and 3B. Grade FL3A frequently coexists with FL1-2 (FL1-2-3A). Based on clinical trials, FL1-2 is treated with rituximab (R) or obinutuzumab plus bendamustine (B) or CHOP, while FL3B is treated with R-CHOP.

Side effects of proton beam therapy of choroidal melanoma in dependence of the dose to the optic disc and the irradiated length of the optic nerve.

Purpose: To analyze the impact of the dose to the optic disc and the irradiated length of the optic nerve on radiation-induced optic neuropathy, radiation-induced retinopathy, iris neovascularization, secondary glaucoma, enucleation, and local tumor control after proton beam therapy (PBT) of choroidal melanoma.

Method: Retrospective analysis of 1129 patients, who received primary PBT for the treatment of choroidal melanoma with a dose of 60 cobalt gray equivalents (CGE) between 1998 and 2013 at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Germany. Kaplan-Meier curves and logrank test have been used for time-to-event analyses.

Association of simple renal cysts and chronic kidney disease with large abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) primarily affect men over 65 years old who often have many other diseases, with similar risk factors and pathobiological mechanisms to AAA. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of simple renal cysts (SRC), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and other kidney diseases (e.g.

The effect of iron deficiency on cardiac resynchronization therapy: results from the RIDE-CRT Study.

Aims: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves functional status, induces reverse left ventricular remodelling, and reduces hospitalization and mortality in patients with symptomatic heart failure, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and QRS prolongation. However, the impact of iron deficiency on CRT response remains largely unclear. The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of functional and absolute iron deficiency on reverse cardiac remodelling, clinical response, and outcome after CRT implantation.