Primary delayed gastric emptying after pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy: A matched-pair comparison of Roux-en-Y vs. Billroth-II reconstruction.

Background: After pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy (PrPD), delayed gastric emptying (DGE) might partially be attributed to biliary reflux. We investigated whether the incidence of primary DGE is reduced after Roux-en-Y instead of Billroth-II reconstruction.

Methods: Patients undergoing PrPD from 2016 to 2019 at a high-volume center were identified.

Outcome of a 3-day vs 7-day selective digestive tract decontamination-based regimen for oral antibiotic bowel decontamination in left-sided colorectal surgery: A noninferiority study.

Background: Colorectal surgery still experiences high rates of infectious complications, such as anastomotic leakage (AL) and surgical site infections (SSIs). Therefore, oral antibiotic bowel decontamination (OABD) has experienced a renaissance. However, data on perioperative selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD)-based regimens or combined bowel preparation are inconsistent.

Pyrocarbon hemiprostheses show little glenoid erosion and good clinical function at 5.5 years of follow-up.

Background: The success of traditional shoulder hemiarthroplasty (HA) with cobalt-chromium heads is limited by painful glenoid erosion with problematic bone loss. Hemiprostheses with pyrolytic carbon (PyC) heads have shown reduced glenoid erosion in experimental laboratory studies. Few in vivo data are available.

German Patient Blood Management Network: effectiveness and safety analysis in 1.2 million patients.

Background: Patient Blood Management (PBM) is a patient-centred, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve patient outcomes by managing and preserving a patient's own blood whilst promoting patient safety and empowerment. The effectiveness and safety of PBM over a longer period have not yet been investigated.

Methods: We performed a prospectively designed, multicentre follow-up study with non-inferiority design.

Association of anaemia, co-morbidities and red blood cell transfusion according to age groups: multicentre sub-analysis of the German Patient Blood Management Network Registry.

Background: Blood transfusions are common medical procedures and every age group requires detailed insights and treatment bundles. The aim of this study was to examine the association of anaemia, co-morbidities, complications, in-hospital mortality, and transfusion according to age groups to identify patient groups who are particularly at risk when undergoing surgery.

Methods: Data from 21 Hospitals of the Patient Blood Management Network Registry were analysed.

Laparoscopic in-bag morcellation - a comparison of two tissue extraction systems.

Objectives: Morcellation is an integral part of laparoscopic procedures related to uterine fibroids, which consist of the mechanical fragmentation of the tumor and its extraction outside the abdominal cavity. To avoid the risk of tissue dissemination, special extraction systems have been developed, which allow morcellation of the specimen under visual control and its removal without contact with the abdominal organs. The aim of the paper is to compare the two systems for laparoscopic morcellation.

Thick Mucus in ALS: A Mixed-Method Study on Associated Factors and Its Impact on Quality of Life of Patients and Caregivers.

Unlabelled: In this explorative mixed-method pilot study, we set out to have a closer look at the largely under-recognized and under-investigated symptom of thick mucus in patients with ALS and its impact on patients and relatives. Thick mucus is a highly distressing symptom for both patients and caregivers. It complicates the use of non-invasive ventilation and is therefore an important prognostic factor of survival.

Palliative Care Challenges of Patients With Progressive Bulbar Palsy: A Retrospective Case Series of 14 Patients.

Progressive bulbar palsy (PBP) is a form of motoneuron disease and is widely classified as a subtype of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with a shorter time of survival and female predominance. In this retrospective case series of 14 patients with PBP, we focus on challenges in palliative care for this patient cohort, including symptom control, gastrostomy, non-invasive ventilation, and end-of-life phase. We show that rapid physical decline at the end of life is associated with bronchopulmonary infection and excessive oral secretion leading to a high level of symptom burden.

Anastomotic Leak: Toward an Understanding of Its Root Causes.

Background: When an anastomotic leak is discussed at a typical surgical morbidity and mortality conference, it is often presented as a due to an error in surgical technique involving ischemia, tension, or device failure. Here we assert that without direct visual analysis of the leak site and its tissue histology, an ex post facto claim that an anastomotic leak is due to an error in surgical technique remains speculative.

Methods: The arguments and rationale used to conclude that an anastomotic leak is due to an error in surgical technique are critically reviewed and assessed for their validity.

Intraoperative Fascia Tension as an Alternative to Component Separation. A Prospective Observational Study.

Incisional hernias are common late complications of abdominal surgery, with a 1-year post-laparotomy incidence of about 20%. A giant hernia is often preceded by severe peritonitis of various causes. The Fasciotens® Abdomen device is used to stretch the fascia in a measurably controlled manner during surgery to achieve primary tension-free abdominal closure.

Quality of life and surgical outcome of ABBA versus EndoCATS endoscopic thyroid surgery: a single center experience.

Background: Thyroid surgery is often performed, especially in young female patients. As patient satisfaction become more and more important, different extra-cervical "remote" approaches have evolved to avoid visible scars in the neck for better cosmetic outcome. The most common remote approaches are the transaxillary and retroauricular.

Oral antibiotic bowel decontamination in open and laparoscopic sigmoid resections for diverticular disease.

Purpose: There is an ongoing debate on whether or not to use oral antibiotic bowel decontamination in colorectal surgery, despite the numerous different regimens in terms of antibiotic substances and duration of application. As we routinely use oral antibiotic bowel decontamination (selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) regimen and SDD regimen plus vancomycin since 2016) in surgery for diverticular disease, our aim was to retrospectively analyze the perioperative outcome in two independent centers.

Methods: Data from two centers with a routine use of oral antibiotic bowel decontamination for up to 20 years of experience were analyzed for the perioperative outcome of 384 patients undergoing surgery for diverticular disease.

Endoscopic cephalic access thyroid surgery (EndoCATS) using the retroauricular approach - a single centre retrospective data analysis.

Background: Due to improvements in endoscopic as well as robotic technology, and a request for better cosmetic results, there was a significant increase in thyroid surgery using these methods during the past decade.

Methods: The aim of our study is to evaluate the perioperative short- and long-term outcome as well as the learning curve of EndoCATS and the Quality of Life (QoL).

Results: A total of 150 patients with 152 hemithyroidectomies who underwent endoscopic thyroid surgery by EndoCATS between 2010 and 2016 were enrolled in this study.

Caregiver Burden in Late-Stage Parkinsonism and Its Associations.

Background: Patients in the late stages of parkinsonism are highly dependent on others in their self-care and activities of daily living. However, few studies have assessed the physical, psychological and social consequences of caring for a person with late-stage parkinsonism.

Patients And Methods: Five hundred and six patients and their caregivers from the Care of Late Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP) study were included.

Characteristics of Patients with Late-Stage Parkinsonism Who are Nursing Home Residents Compared with those Living at Home.

Objectives: To determine clinical characteristics and treatment complications of patients with late-stage Parkinsonism living in nursing homes compared with those living at home.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting And Participants: This study is an analysis of 692 patients with late stage Parkinsonism recruited to an in-depth international study, Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP).

Spiritual care as an integrated approach to palliative care for patients with neurodegenerative diseases and their caregivers: a literature review.

A literature review of the PubMed and Web of Science was conducted to identify peerreviewed publications on this topic. Additional search was carried out using Google Scholar. This article reflects on the current state of art in spiritual care as an integrated palliative care approach for patients with neurodegenerative diseases and their caregivers.

Prevention of anastomotic leak in rectal cancer surgery with local antibiotic decontamination: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled single center trial.

Purpose: Anastomotic leak and other infectious complications are septic complications of rectal cancer surgery caused by bacteria. Data from registry analysis show a beneficial effect of local antimicrobial administration on anastomotic leaks, but data are inconsistent in recent clinical trials. Therefore, our aim was to study the efficacy of topical antibiotic treatment on the incidence of anastomotic leaks in rectal cancer surgery.

C1-C2 posterior screw fixation in atlantoaxial fractures revisited: technical update based on 127 cases.

Introduction: Posterior fusion of traumatic odontoid fractures by C1 lateral mass and C2 isthmic screws (modified Harms-Goel technique) is a viable alternative to transarticular screw fixation due to its universal applicability. This retrospective study reports on a series of 127 patients.

Material And Methods: Our clinical database was screened for patients with fractures of the upper cervical spine incorporating a C2 fracture, operated on between 2007 and 2015.

Long-term outcome and chronic pain in atraumatic fibrin glue versus staple fixation of extra light titanized meshes in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (TAPP): a single-center experience.

Background: Inguinal hernia repair belongs to the most frequently performed surgical procedures. Endoscopic techniques like TAPP and TEP have become standard of care together with the conventional open techniques. Especially in endoscopic techniques, there is a confusing amount of different meshes and fixation techniques with impact on perioperative and long-term outcome.

Peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer: results from the German database.

Background: Patients with peritoneal metastases of gastric cancer have a poor prognosis with a median survival of 7 months. A benefit of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) could be shown in several selected patient cohorts but remains controversial. The aim of this study was, to reflect the results of a national German HIPEC registry initiated by the German Society of General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV).

Evaluation of implant fit and frontal plane alignment after bi-compartmental knee arthroplasty using patient-specific instruments and implants.

Introduction: The goals of successful bi-compartmental knee arthroplasty are to achieve correct fit and positioning of the implant, while appropriately correcting the mechanical alignment of the leg after surgery. As these requirements are not always reliably fulfilled using off-the-shelf implant systems, newer approaches for bi-compartmental resurfacing have been explored.

Material And Methods: In this article we report the radiographic results of 30 patients with anteromedial osteoarthritis (OA) who were treated with a novel patient-specific fixed-bearing bi-compartmental knee resurfacing system using custom-made implants and instruments.

New insights into the pathophysiology of postoperative hemorrhage in thyroid surgery: An experimental study in a porcine model.

Background: Postoperative cervical hemorrhage is a rare but life-threatening complication that can cause severe morbidity. Different mechanisms leading to asphyxia have been described based only on clinical observation.

Methods: We performed a series of in vivo animal studies simulating post-thyroidectomy hemorrhage and its effect on respiratory drive.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Isolated from the Anterior Cruciate Ligament: Characterization and Comparison of Cells from Young and Old Donors.

Purpose: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) share multiple characteristics of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), allowing their use for regenerative therapies. Injuries to the ACL can affect people of all ages. This study assesses whether the regenerative potential of ACL-derived MSCs (ACL-MSCs) from old donors is as high as the potential of ACL-MSCs from young donors.

Report of the survey on current opinions and practice of German Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy (AGE) members regarding the laparoscopic treatment of ovarian malignancies.

Purpose: The purpose of this survey was to assess the opinions of members of the German Society of Gynecologic Endoscopy (AGE) regarding the laparoscopic treatment of ovarian malignancies and current practice at their institutions.

Methods: Between February and October 2015, the AGE sent an anonymous online survey via mail to its members. The questionnaire solicited participants' opinions about the laparoscopic treatment of ovarian cancers according to T stage and borderline tumors, and information about current practice at their institutions.