A systematic review and meta-analysis of valued obstetric and gynecologic (OB/GYN) procedures in resource-poor areas.

Background: Obstetric and gynecologic procedures are valuable in rural settings. Data identifying common procedures may better prepare surgeons to meet patient needs in remote settings.

Materials And Methods: A literature review using key MeSH terms was performed according to methods described by the Cochrane Collaboration and PRISMA on studies that described obstetric and gynecologic surgery in rural high-income countries or any setting in middle- to low-income countries.

The Evidence against Prophylactic Nasogastric Intubation and Oral Restriction.

Evidence-based perioperative care plans after colorectal surgery serve to improve quality outcome, decrease complications, and reduce medical cost. The benefits of routine nasogastric decompression and prolonged enteral restriction after bowel resection are not supported in this new era of evidence-based surgical care. Prophylactic nasogastric decompression fails to improve bowel function, length of stay, and prevent anastomotic leak, wound complications (infection, fascial dehiscence, incisional hernia), pulmonary complications (atelectasis, aspiration, pneumonia, fever, pharyngolaryngitis), and abdominal discomfort (distension, nausea, vomiting).

Emergency management of diverticulitis.

The most common indications for emergency operative intervention in the treatment of sigmoid diverticulitis are peritonitis and failure of medical therapy. Primary resection and diversion (Hartmann's procedure) followed by delayed colostomy closure is the current standard of emergency surgical care. Guidelines for best operative strategy, however, remain controversial and continue to evolve based on recent comparative reviews of surgical outcomes.

Management of serrated adenomas and hyperplastic polyps.

The benign serrated architecture of the hyperplastic polyp has now been recognized in morphologically similar lesions with potential for transformation to colorectal carcinoma: the sessile serrated adenoma (SSA), traditional serrated adenoma (TSA), and mixed polyp. These represent a group of serrated polyps with potential to evolve into colorectal cancer through a different molecular pathway than the traditional adenoma-carcinoma sequence, called the serrated pathway. Genetic characteristics involve a defect in apoptosis caused by BRAF and K-ras mutations that create distinct histologic characteristics of atypia in serrated architectural distortion of the crypts.

Allergic reactions to isosulfan blue in sentinel lymph node mapping.

Background: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is often used in the assessment of lymph node status in melanoma and early stage breast cancer. With the rapidly increasing use of the technique, we can now better characterize and assess the rate of adverse reactions to the dye.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing SLN mapping at the Columbia-Presbyterian Breast Center were identified from June 2000 to July 2002.

Interpectoral nodes as the initial site of recurrence in breast cancer.

Hypothesis: Interpectoral nodes can be the initial site of recurrent breast cancer.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Comprehensive breast center, located in a university-based tertiary care center.

The management of lobular neoplasia identified on percutaneous core breast biopsy.

The management of lobular neoplasia (LN) found on percutaneous core biopsy remains a clinical dilemma. The purpose of this study was to establish guidelines for the management of LN when obtained on percutaneous core needle biopsy. A retrospective review of the Breast Imaging Tissue Sampling Database at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia Comprehensive Breast Center was performed from 1998 to 2000.