iColon, a patient-focused mobile application for perioperative care in colorectal surgery: Results from 444 patients.

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess if a patient-focused mobile application can increase compliance with active Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) items and thereby improve surgery-related outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Method: This is a prospective observational study of patients admitted for elective colorectal surgery, under the ERAS protocol, and having access to the mobile application iColon during all perioperative phases.

Results: The 444 participants were included in the study.

Laparoscopic colorectal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis: can we reliably predict anastomotic leakage and major postoperative complications in the early postoperative period?

Background: Anastomotic leakage (AL) and major complications after colorectal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) have a remarkable impact on patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess the predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), white blood cell count (WBCs) and the Dutch Leakage Score (DLS) as reliable markers in the early diagnosis of AL and major complications after laparoscopic colorectal resection for DIE.

Methods: 262 consecutive women undergoing laparoscopic colorectal resection for DIE between September 2017 and September 2018 were prospectively enrolled.

RASSF1 tumor suppressor gene in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: correlation of expression, chromosomal status and epigenetic changes.

Background: The Ras Association Domain Family Member 1 (RASSF1) is one of the most frequently reported methylation-inactivated tumor suppressor genes in primary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC). Limited information is still available about the impact of RASSF1 gene silencing on the expression of its different isoforms in neoplastic cells.

Methods: A series of 96 primary PDAC, with known clinico-pathological parameters, was tested for RASSF1 methylation status by methylation-specific PCR, RASSF1 locus copy number alterations by fluorescence in situ hybridization, and Rassf1a protein expression by immunohistochemistry.

Withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroids can be safe in COPD patients at low risk of exacerbation: a real-life study on the appropriateness of treatment in moderate COPD patients (OPTIMO).

Background: It has been suggested that withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in COPD patients on maintenance treatment results in deterioration of symptoms, lung function and exacerbations. The aim of this real-life, prospective, multicentric study was to investigate whether withdrawal of ICS in COPD patients at low risk of exacerbation is linked to a deterioration in lung function and symptoms and to a higher frequency of exacerbations.

Methods: 914 COPD patients, on maintenance therapy with bronchodilators and ICS, FEV1>50% predicted, and <2 exacerbations/year were recruited.

Visual acuity and refraction with a diffractive multifocal toric intraocular lens.

Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcomes and optical performance of the AT Lisa 909M diffractive multifocal toric intraocular lens (IOL).

Setting: Multicenter study.

Design: Cohort study.

Endothelial keratoplasty in a newborn baby with CHED.

Purpose: Congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED) may be present at birth in the form of whitish cloudy corneas. Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty has been attempted to solve the problem but never in babies. We report a case of successful bilateral surgery in a 3-month-old baby.

Side-port stabilizer to assist implantation of microincision intraocular lenses.

We describe a new instrument for incision-assisted implantation of microincision intraocular lenses (IOLs). The instrument is a short nail, smooth and oval, that is inserted into the side-port incision to stabilize the eye during IOL implantation. The head prevents deep penetration and escape of the ophthalmic viscosurgical device through the incision.

Spherical aberration and coma with an aspherical and a spherical intraocular lens in normal age-matched eyes.

Purpose: To study optical aberrations in eyes having uneventful cataract surgery and in-the-bag implantation of an aspherical Tecnis Z9000 intraocular lens (IOL) (AMO) or a spherical CeeOn Edge 911 IOL (Pharmacia) and compare the results with those in a group of phakic age-matched eyes.

Setting: Ophthalmic Unit, Hospital and University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Materials: Three groups, each with 30 patients (30 eyes), were examined with the Topcon KR-9000PW topographer/aberrometer.

Optimizing higher-order aberrations with intraocular lens technology.

Purpose Of Review: Aspheric intraocular lens technology has been implemented during the past 5 years, and more and more intraocular lenses with different amounts of asphericity are becoming available. Despite the efficacy in the correction of spherical aberration and the good results on implanted eyes, the theoretical advantages of aspheric intraocular lenses are still controversial.

Recent Findings: All investigations showed the ability of the aspheric intraocular lenses to correct the positive spherical aberration of the cornea, with variable impact on the total eye wavefront but with constant advantages in the optical quality of the eyes as measured by the Modulation Transfer Function, the Point Spread Function, and the contrast sensitivity of implanted patients.

Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity comparison between Tecnis and AcrySof SA60AT intraocular lenses: A multicenter randomized study.

Purpose: To evaluate best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity in pseudophakic patients implanted either with the aspheric intraocular lens (IOL) designed to correct for corneal spherical aberration or with a conventional IOL.

Setting: Three surgical centers participated this prospective randomized masked comparative study.

Methods: Thirty eyes of 30 patients after aspheric lens implantation (Pfizer/Pharmacia Tecnis Z9000) were compared with 30 eyes of 30 age-matched patients after conventional lens implantation (Alcon AcrySof SA60AT).

Multifocal intraocular lenses.

Purpose Of Review: Multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) are growing in popularity among patients and surgeons, and opened the way to refractive lens exchange. Still they are not used routinely in cataract surgery, for reasons probably connected to the frequently observed reduction in contrast sensitivity. Recent papers with clinical study outcomes can help in understanding the advantages and the limits of multifocal IOLs.

Comparison of wavefront aberrations and optical quality of eyes implanted with five different intraocular lenses.

Purpose: We compared corneal and total higher order wavefront aberrations in 25 pseudophakic eyes implanted with five different types of intraocular lenses to obtain an objective evaluation of the optical quality of these pseudophakic eyes. Five IOLs per type were studied.

Methods: Implanted lenses were the Pharmacia Tecnis Z9000 with negative spherical aberration, Pharmacia 911 Edge, Alcon Acrysof SA60AT and MA60BM, and Allergan Sensar AR40e.