The effects of using telemedicine for introductory bariatric surgery seminars during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required immediate systematic change in healthcare delivery. Many institutions relied on telemedicine as an alternative to in-person visits. There is limited data in the bariatric surgery literature to determine how telemedicine impacts patient volume.

Laparoscopic-Assisted Intra-Abdominal Section of the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve for Meralgia Paresthetica Following Anterior Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: Meralgia paresthetica, a pain syndrome that is caused by injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, is a well-documented complication after anterior hip arthroplasty (THA). Traditional treatment of this peripheral nerve entrapment syndrome can be complicated in patients who have had THA via an anterior approach owing to the presence of scar in the postoperative bed.

Case Description: In a 70-year-old man, we performed a novel laparoscopic-assisted intra-abdominal approach to treat meralgia paresthetica in the setting of previous anterior THA.

Cost-effectiveness of prophylactic appendectomy: a Markov model.

Background: Appendectomy is the most common emergency surgery performed in the USA. Removal of a non-inflamed appendix during unrelated abdominal surgery (prophylactic or incidental appendectomy) can prevent the downstream risks and costs of appendicitis. It is unknown whether such a strategy could be cost saving for the health system.

Contemporary management of median arcuate ligament syndrome provides early symptom improvement.

Objective: Optimal diagnosis and management of median arcuate ligament (MAL) syndrome (MALS) remains unclear in contemporary practice. The advent and evolution of laparoscopic and endovascular techniques has redirected management toward a less invasive therapeutic algorithm. This study examined our contemporary outcomes of patients treated for MALS.

Early morbidity and mortality of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass in the elderly: a NSQIP analysis.

Background: Even though the U.S. population is aging, outcomes of bariatric surgery in the elderly are not well defined.

Band removal and conversion to sleeve or bypass: are they equally safe?

Introduction: Patients who require laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) removal are often converted to sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The relative safety of these salvage bariatric procedures is unclear. We hypothesized that LAGB removal with conversion to SG (BSG) or RYGB (BRYGB) would be associated with higher morbidity and mortality compared to primary SG or RYGB.

Laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair: advanced age is associated with minor but not major morbidity or mortality.

Background: Large studies have documented the safety of laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair in the general population. Even though this condition affects primarily the elderly, data on the short-term outcomes of this procedure on the oldest-old are lacking.

Study Design: The NSQIP database was analyzed for all patients undergoing laparoscopic PEH repair in 2010 and 2011.

Ventral hernia repairs in the oldest-old: high-risk regardless of approach.

Background: Ventral hernia repairs (VHR) are among the most common procedures performed by general surgeons. Even though the US population is aging, outcomes of VHR in the elderly and oldest-old (≥80 years) are not well documented. Our study aims to evaluate the short-term outcomes of VHR in the oldest-old patients.

Fundamentals of endoscopic surgery: creation and validation of the hands-on test.

Background: The Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery™ (FES) program consists of online materials and didactic and skills-based tests. All components were designed to measure the skills and knowledge required to perform safe flexible endoscopy. The purpose of this multicenter study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the hands-on component of the FES examination, and to establish the pass score.

Laparoscopic repair of hiatal hernia after esophagectomy.

Background: Herniation of abdominal contents via the diaphragmatic hiatus is a potentially life-threatening complication of esophagectomy. Mounting evidence suggests that hiatal hernias are more common following minimally invasive esophagectomy. Therefore, post-esophagectomy hiatal hernia and its treatment bear increasing significance.

Transgastric-assisted endoscopic fundoplication.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common entity in the United States. Surgical fundoplication can be performed safely with well-established long-term results. In selected patients with GERD, endoluminal therapy has a potential role.

Laparoendoscopic transgastric resection of a submucosal mass at the gastroesophageal junction.

Introduction: Traditional management of gastric submucosal lesions usually involves wedge resection. However, lesions close to the gastroesophageal junction are difficult to manage with wedge resection without compromising the lower esophageal sphincter. This video highlights an interesting combined laparoscopic and endoscopic technique for safe resection of a submucosal lesion adjacent to the gastroesophageal junction.

The certifying examination of the american board of surgery: the effect of improving communication and professional competency: twenty-year results.

Purpose: In 1985, a small research group identified variables affecting applicant success on the oral Certifying Examination (CE) of the American Board of Surgery (ABS). This led to the design of an oral examination course first taught in 1991. The success of and need for this program led to its continuation.

Safety and effectiveness of Realize adjustable gastric band: 3-year prospective study in the United States.

Background: The effectiveness and safety of bariatric surgery using laparoscopic adjustable gastric bands have been demonstrated in numerous published studies. We present the results of the first U.S.

Initial experience with laparoscopic inferior epigastric vessel ligation for delayed transverse rectus abdominus musculocutaneous flap breast reconstruction.

Hypothesis: Transverse rectus abdominus musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction provides excellent cosmetic results. Pedicle flap viability is greatly enhanced by prereconstruction inferior epigastric vessel ligation, which encourages collateral arterial flow (delayed TRAM). We report our initial experience with laparoscopic inferior epigastric vessel ligation.

Determining an appropriate threshold for referral to surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background: Persistent symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be treated with medication or surgery. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine how poor the quality of life on medication would need to be to justify assuming the risks of surgery, and (2) to estimate the proportion of patients currently on medication whose quality of life is below this value.

Methods: We developed a Markov decision analysis model to simulate health outcomes (measured in quality adjusted life years [QALY]) over 10 years for medication and surgery in patients with typical GERD symptoms.