Textbook outcomes for liver resection: can a medium sized centre have acceptable outcomes?

Background: Textbook outcome (TO) is an objective, composite measure of clinical outcomes in surgery. TO in liver surgery has been used in previous international studies to define and compare performance across centres. This study aimed to review TO rates following liver resection at a single institution.

Centralisation of specialist cancer surgery: an assessment of patient preferences for location of care in the upper South Island of New Zealand.

Background: A positive association between volume and outcome for certain operations has led to increasing centralization. The latter is associated with a greater travel burden for patients. This study investigated patient preferences for location of care for cancer surgery.

Perioperative interventions to reduce pancreatic fistula following pancreatoduodenectomy: meta-analysis.

Background: Data on interventions to reduce postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) following pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) are conflicting. The aim of this study was to assimilate data from RCTs.

Methods: MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched systematically for RCTs evaluating interventions to reduce all grades of POPF or clinically relevant (CR) POPF after PD.

Rare case of intrahepatic splenosis masquerading as malignancy.

A 54-year-old man presented with abdominal pain and a history of post-traumatic splenectomy 33 years prior, imaging revealed an incidental hepatic mass.

External validation of postoperative pancreatic fistula prediction scores in pancreatoduodenectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Multiple risk scores claim to predict the probability of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy. It is unclear which scores have undergone external validation and are the most accurate. The aim of this study was to identify risk scores for POPF, and assess the clinical validity of these scores.

Using Textbook Outcomes to benchmark practice in pancreatic surgery.

Background: Textbook Outcome (TO) is a novel composite measure of clinical outcomes that can be used to measure the quality of surgical outcomes. TOs for pancreatic surgery were published by the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group (DPCG) in 2020. The aim of this study was to explore how a medium volume hepatopancreaticobiliary unit could use TO to benchmark local outcomes following pancreatic surgery.

A systematic review of the extra-pancreatic infectious complications in acute pancreatitis.

Background And Aim: Extra-pancreatic infectious complications in acute pancreatitis increase morbidity, but their incidence and association with infected pancreatic necrosis is unknown. Half of bacterial cultures of pancreatic necrosis are of non-enteric origin, raising the possibility of other sources of infection. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the incidence of extra-pancreatic infectious complications in acute pancreatitis, their timing, and relation to severity of pancreatitis and mortality.

Is there an alternative to centralization for pancreatic resection in New Zealand?

Background: Internationally pancreatic surgery has become increasingly centralized; however, geographical and population distribution within New Zealand (NZ) limits the practicalities of such an approach. The aim of this study was to review the short-term outcomes of patients undergoing pancreatic surgery by a single hepato-pancreato-biliary trained surgeon in a centre that would meet the minimum criteria set by the NZ National Standards but not necessarily the definition of a high-volume surgeon/centre.

Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic resection within an enhanced recovery programme by a single surgeon between March 2005 and April 2013.

Malignant melanoma amongst Maori and New Zealand Europeans, 2000-2004.

Background: Although cutaneous melanoma (CM) is rare among dark-skinned populations, it has been found that dark-skinned patients diagnosed with CM tend to have greater Breslow thickness and therefore a worse prognosis.

Methods: Data was obtained from the New Zealand Cancer Registry pertaining to CM ICD-10 codes from 2000 to 2004. This data was used to compare different ethnicities.

Is the PRIME (Primary Response In Medical Emergencies) scheme acceptable to rural general practitioners in New Zealand?

Aim: To ascertain the level of acceptance of the PRIME (Primary Response In Medical Emergencies) scheme by rural general practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand.

Methods: A nationwide, anonymous, postal/email questionnaire was sent to 536 rural/semi-rural GPs, inquiring as to their involvement in and opinions of emergency care, and the acceptability of the PRIME scheme.

Results: The overall response rate was 42%.