Clinical safety and efficacy of microwave ablation for small renal masses.

Purpose: CT-guided MWA is a safe and effective tool that should be utilized in the treatment of small renal masses (SRMs). We aim to clarify the utility of CT-guided MWA by examining patient outcomes such as recurrence, treatment success, changes in renal function, and complications.

Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients with SRMs who underwent same day renal mass biopsy (RMB) and CT-guided MWA between 2015 and 2022 was performed.

Is There Really a Difference in Outcomes between Men and Women with Hepatocellular Cancer?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a male-dominated disease. Currently, gender differences remain incompletely defined. Data from the state tumor registry were used to investigate differences in demographics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, and cancer-specific survival (HSS) among HCC patients according to gender.

Pelvic Organ Preservation in Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: Less Is More.

Radical cystectomy (RC) is a treatment option for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) but is associated with high morbidity and a negative impact on quality of life. Reproductive or pelvic organ-sparing cystectomy (ROSC) techniques have emerged as a potential strategy to mitigate some potential effects of standard RC. Here we discuss current knowledge regarding oncological, functional, and sexual function outcomes associated with ROSC and their applicability in NMIBC.

Radical cystectomy and women's sexual health - can we do better?

Purpose Of Review: Female sexual function after radical cystectomy is a crucial, but historically overlooked component of bladder cancer survivorship. This review focuses on recent studies, which have investigated pelvic health and sexual function after radical cystectomy. We discuss modifiable factors, which may contribute to decreased sexual function after radical cystectomy and techniques, which may lead to improved outcomes.

Chronic pain and substance abuse disorders: Preoperative assessment and optimization strategies.

There is an ever-increasing number of opioid users among chronic pain patients and safely managing them can be challenging for surgeons, anesthesiologists, pain experts, and addiction specialists. Healthcare providers must be familiar with phenomena typical of opioid users and abusers, including tolerance, physical dependence, hyperalgesia, and addiction. Insufficient pain management is very common in these patients.

Managing preoperative anemia: Evolving concepts and strategies for improving patient outcomes.

Anemia is the most common hematological disease, and is defined by the World Health Organization as a condition in which the number of red blood cells and consequently oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet the physiological needs of the body. Anemia can occur throughout the perioperative period and has important clinical consequences. Preoperative anemia is usually regarded as no more than a surrogate marker of a patient's physical status, and it is not always adequately addressed before surgery.

Perioperative acute kidney injury: Stratification and risk reduction strategies.

Perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Patient comorbidities, the type of surgery, timing of surgery, and exposure to nephrotoxins are important contributors for developing acute kidney injury. Urgent or emergent surgery, cardiac, and organ transplantation procedures are associated with a higher risk of acute kidney injury.

Complications and liability related to regional and neuraxial anesthesia.

Regional anesthesia is responsible for approximately one-fifth of professional liability claims. The present investigation evaluated common and rare complications related to regional and neuraxial anesthesia, including postdural puncture headache, backache, transient neurological symptoms, inadvertent intrathecal injection, epidural hematoma and abscess, meningitis, arachnoiditis, postoperative urinary retention, local anesthetic systemic toxicity, and cardiac arrest. Regional anesthetic techniques are increasingly used in perioperative care of surgical patients for acute pain management and for chronic pain states.

End-tidal carbon dioxide underestimates plasma carbon dioxide during emergent trauma laparotomy leading to hypoventilation and misguided resuscitation: A Western Trauma Association Multicenter Study.

Background: End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) is routinely used during elective surgery to monitor ventilation. The role of ETCO2 monitoring in emergent trauma operations is poorly understood. We hypothesized that ETCO2 values underestimate plasma carbon dioxide (pCO2) values during resuscitation for hemorrhagic shock.

Perioperative implications of common and newer psychotropic medications used in clinical practice.

Psychotropic medications are widely prescribed by clinicians as both primary therapy for a variety of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and as adjunctive analgesics for use in the perioperative period. It is critical to understand various modes of action, drug-drug interactions, side effects, and clinical implications. Health care providers must understand how these medications interact with anesthetics, as well as other drugs used in perioperative care.

Macrolide and fluoroquinolone mediated cardiac arrhythmias: clinical considerations and comprehensive review.

While there is evidence for cardiac arrhythmias associated with macrolide and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, there is still debate among health care providers as to whether this risk of arrhythmia is overstated. A joint panel of the US Food and Drug Administration suggested that macrolide and fluoroquinolone labels need much stronger warnings regarding the possible serious adverse cardiac effects associated with these antibiotics, especially since they are so widely prescribed. And while health care providers may differ on the pertinence of the cardiac risks associated with antibiotic use, they can undoubtedly minimize the cardiac effects that are associated with these antibiotics by paying attention to the cardiac risk factors and drug history associated with the patient.

Minimally invasive or noninvasive cardiac output measurement: an update.

Although cardiac output (CO) by pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) has been an important guideline in clinical management for more than four decades, some studies have questioned the clinical efficacy of CO in certain patient populations. Further, the use of CO by PAC has been linked to numerous complications including dysrhythmia, infection, rupture of pulmonary artery, injury to adjacent arteries, embolization, pulmonary infarction, cardiac valvular damage, pericardial effusion, and intracardiac catheter knotting. The use of PAC has been steadily declining over the past two decades.

Five-year follow-up of laser in situ keratomileusis for hyperopia using the Technolas Keracor 117C excimer laser.

Purpose: To evaluate safety, predictability, efficiency, and long-term stability of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for spherical hyperopia.

Methods: This study was a retrospective 5-year analysis of 67 patients (125 eyes) who had LASIK for spherical hyperopia; preoperative mean manifest spherical equivalent refraction was +3.84+/-1.