Publications by authors named "Vanessa Baratta"

Article Synopsis
  • Researchers studied patients with a severe type of Crohn's disease and looked at two different times for surgery: early (within 7 days) and delayed (after 7 days).
  • They found that 112 out of 474 patients had serious issues, like abscesses, before surgery, with many needing a longer waiting period (median of 23 days) for treatment.
  • The study showed no big differences in surgery methods or recovery times between the two groups, with both having similar hospital stays after surgery.
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Aim: Laparoscopic surgery is the preferred approach for primary uncomplicated ileocolic resection (ICR); however, its role for repeat resections is unclear. This study assessed the outcomes of primary and repeated ICRs for Crohn's disease to examine rates of laparoscopy and patient morbidity.

Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted at a tertiary centre between 2013 and 2019.

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Objective: To assess whether children with torticollis have quantifiably greater facial asymmetry than their age-matched controls using 3-dimensional (3D) photogrammetry.

Design: We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with torticollis and age-matched volunteers who underwent 3D photogrammetry of their faces. We calculated the root mean square deviation (RMSD) between native and reflected facial images, as a measure of asymmetry.

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A very rare case of cellular angiofibroma arising from the rectum in a 62-year-old man with a normal colonoscopy 2 years earlier is reported. To our knowledge, this is the first such case reported in the literature. The tumor was transanally excised with clear margins, and the patient had no postoperative complications.

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Background/aims: The colonic H, K ATPase (HKA2) is a heterodimeric membrane protein that exchanges luminal K for intracellular H and is involved in maintaining potassium homeostasis. Under homeostatic conditions, the colonic HKA2 remains inactive, since most of the potassium is absorbed by the small intestine. In diarrheal states, potassium is secreted and compensatory potassium absorption becomes necessary.

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Nongenomic glucocorticoid (GC) and serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) signaling regulate ion transport, but CFTR has not been investigated in the intestine. We examined GC, SGK1, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) kinase signaling of CFTR ion transport in native intestine and the role of GCs on mRNA, protein, surface expression, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-elicited diarrhea. Rats were treated with dexamethasone (DEXA; 2 mg/kg ip) or DMSO for 1, 4, and 24 h.

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The stomach has unique embryologic and anatomic properties, making the study of the parietal cell technically challenging. Numerous individuals have devoted decades of research to unraveling the pathophysiological basis of this cell type. Here, we perform a scoping review of novel and methodology pertaining to the parietal cell.

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Objective: Physician burnout, including surgical trainees, is multidimensional. Input variables used to predict burnout include grit, exhaustion, and financial stress. Each instrument has intrinsic limitations of scope and strength.

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Cholecystocolic fistula (CCF), a connection between the gallbladder and neighboring colon, is a rare entity with little consensus as to the optimal surgical management. Existing case reports have described both open and laparoscopic repairs. We describe the first reported case of a successful robotic repair of a CCF in a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with cholangitis 5 years prior to surgery.

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Background: The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) has been localized and characterized in numerous tissues throughout the body. In the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, the CaSR is known to act as a nutrient sensor and has recently been found to play a role in intestinal fluid and electrolyte balance. This study aims to demonstrate the functionality of the CaSR as a modulator of fluid secretion and absorption along the small intestine.

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Gastrointestinal illnesses pose a significant worldwide disease burden and are associated with an array of medicinal and surgical therapies. Standard pharmaceutical options have adverse effects, prompting the rise of nutraceutical or food-derivative therapies. Here, we present an overview of the current nutraceutical therapies in gastrointestinal disease.

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Objective: To evaluate 3-dimensional (3-D) photogrammetry as a tool for assessing the postoperative head shape of patients who had undergone cranial vault remodeling for metopic synostosis.

Design: We prospectively analyzed images of patients with metopic craniosynostosis who had undergone anterior cranial vault remodeling and age-matched controls. To ensure standardized facial orientation, each 3-D image was positioned to "best fit" the preoperative face by aligning 6 soft tissue landmarks.

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Background: Hospital and surgeon volume each have an association with postoperative outcomes. The volume of lung cancer surgery at our Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) is lower than at our academic medical center (AMC). We compared the outcomes after lobectomy at VAMC versus AMC to identify specific areas of clinical care requiring quality improvement.

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