An international Delphi consensus on patient preparation for metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Global obesity rates have risen dramatically, now exceeding deaths from starvation. Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), initially for severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m), is performed globally over 500 000 times annually, offering significant metabolic benefits beyond weight loss. However, varying eligibility criteria globally impact patient care and healthcare resources.

Laparoscopic management of large colonic lipoma with atypical presentation: A case report.

Unlabelled: Colonic lipomas (CL) are a rare condition that typically causes symptoms in only a minority of patients. When large lipomas occur, they often necessitate extensive surgery, which carries significant risks.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a female patient who experienced abdominal pain and urinary urgency due to a large, 80 % obstructive lipoma in the descending colon.

Immunogenicity and real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in Lebanon: Insights from primary and booster schemes, variants, infections, and hospitalization.

In this study, we conducted a case-control investigation to assess the immunogenicity and effectiveness of primary and first booster homologous and heterologous COVID-19 vaccination regimens against infection and hospitalization, targeting variants circulating in Lebanon during 2021-2022. The study population comprised active Lebanese military personnel between February 2021 and September 2022. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated hospitalization was retrospectively determined during different variant-predominant periods using a case-control study design.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in neonates associated with pneumothorax: Case report.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that was spread worldwide since 2019 and showed a highly contagious character affecting the lifestyle of people worldwide causing symptoms that are not limited to the respiratory system only but had multi-systemic effects that may progress to severe complications that roughly affect people's health. A newly recognized SARS-CoV-2-associated syndrome called pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome has been described worldwide. Initially, it was reported as hyper-inflammatory shock and "Kawasaki-like" symptoms with fever and conjunctivitis, a similar syndrome is also reported in neonates and called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of neonates (MIS-N).

Diagnosis and Treatment of a 64-Year-Old Man with Chyle Leak Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Chyle leakage with chylous ascites is a rare complication of abdominal surgery, and few cases have been reported following cholecystectomy. This report is of a 64-year-old man with chyle leak following laparoscopic cholecystectomy and describes the diagnosis and approach to treatment. Immediate diagnosis, although challenging, remains imperative.

Revision/Conversion Surgeries After One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass-An Experts' Modified Delphi Consensus.

Purpose: There is a lack of evidence for treatment of some conditions including complication management, suboptimal initial weight loss, recurrent weight gain, or worsening of a significant obesity complication after one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). This study was designed to respond to the existing lack of agreement and to provide a valuable resource for clinicians by employing an expert-modified Delphi consensus method.

Methods: Forty-eight recognized bariatric surgeons from 28 countries participated in the modified Delphi consensus to vote on 64 statements in two rounds.

Paths to improve voluntary blood donation in mixed public/private blood donation systems such as in Lebanon?

Background: The World Health Organization advocates for the achievement of 100% voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRD) globally by the year 2020. However, until today, little was known in Lebanon regarding its actual rate or influencing factors, particularly donor motivations and behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of blood donors in Lebanon.

Technical Variations and Considerations around OAGB in IFSO-APC and IFSO-MENAC Chapters, an Expert Survey.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the technical variations of one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) among IFSO-APC and MENAC experts.

Background: The multitude of technical variations and patient selection challenges among metabolic and bariatric surgeons worldwide necessitates a heightened awareness of these issues. Understanding different perspectives and viewpoints can empower surgeons performing OAGB to adapt their techniques, leading to improved outcomes and reduced complications.

Characterization of -producing IncX3 plasmid isolated from carbapenem-resistant and .

The increase in the prevalence of carbapenem-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) is a major threat, with the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) enzyme-producing CPEs being one of the major causative agents of healthcare settings infections. In this study, we characterized an IncX3 plasmid harboring in Lebanon, recovered from three belonging to ST167 and one belonging to ST16 isolated from a clinical setting Plasmid analysis using PBRT, Plasmid Finder, and PlasmidSPAdes showed that all four isolates carried a conjugative 47-kb plasmid having and was designated as pLAU-NDM19. We constructed a sequence-based maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree and compared pLAU-NDM19 to other representative IncX3 plasmids carrying NDM-variants and showed that it was closely linked to NDM-19 positive IncX3 plasmid from reported in China.

Phenotypic and molecular characterization of multi-drug resistant Klebsiella spp. isolates recovered from clinical settings.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx with many being linked to nosocomial infections. Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-producing and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a critical public health concern.

Longitudinal genomic surveillance of multidrug-resistant carriage in critical care patients.

Colonization with multidrug-resistant strains causes a substantial health burden in hospitalized patients. We performed a longitudinal genomics study to investigate the colonization of resistant strains in critically ill patients and to identify evolutionary changes and strain replacement events within patients. Patients were admitted to the intensive care unit and hematology wards at a major hospital in Lebanon.

Pericardial effusion complicated by umbilical vein catheter in a preterm infant with respiratory distress syndrome: A case report.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is the most common respiratory illness in premature infants. This syndrome is characterized by a deficiency in surfactant, necessary for proper lung function. Serious complications of RDS include pericardial effusion and pulmonary hypertension.

Pneumatocele-induced pneumothorax after COVID-19 infection in a 45-day-old infant.

Throughout the literature, many pathologic lung lesions and complications following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection have been reported including pneumatocele formation which could potentially lead to pneumothorax development. This case report discusses the clinical course of a 45-day-old male with respiratory distress, whose condition worsened over time. Investigations revealed elevated COVID-19 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies with negative COVID polymerase chain reaction (PCR) accompanied by radiologic evidence of pneumatocele formation, which was further complicated by pneumothorax.

Congenital adhesion band: A rare case in a neonate.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal system may be congenital or acquired. Intestinal obstruction is common in children and neonates, and it has various causes. Obstructions due to congenital adhesion bands are rare.

Carbapenem resistance determinants and their transmissibility among clinically isolated Enterobacterales in Lebanon.

Background: The occurrence of carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections has increased significantly over the years with Gram-negative bacteria exhibiting the broadest resistance range. In this study we aimed to investigate the genomic characteristics of clinical carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE).

Methods: Seventeen representative multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates from a hospital setting showing high level of resistance to carbapenems (ertapenem, meropenem and imipenem) were chosen for further characterization through whole-genome sequencing.

Mapping of infection prevention and control education and training in some countries of the World Health Organization's Eastern Mediterranean Region: current situation and future needs.

Background: A strong understanding of infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures and comprehensive training among healthcare workers is essential for effective IPC programs. These elements play a crucial role in breaking the chain of nosocomial infections by preventing the transmission of resistant organisms to patients and staff members. This study mapped the components of IPC education and training across various member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) at national, academic, and healthcare institutional levels.

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Acute Kidney Injury during Colistin Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study from Lebanon.

Introduction: The current study aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and stages of severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by colistimethate sodium (CMS) treatment in patients diagnosed with systemic antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. The predictors of all-cause mortality in this patient population were also examined.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients who were admitted to a university-affiliated hospital and acute tertiary care referral center in Beirut, Lebanon between January 2015 and December 2018 and underwent CMS treatment for a period of 48 h or more.

The impact of vaccination on the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease from a nationwide surveillance program in Lebanon: an unexpected increase in mortality driven by non-vaccine serotypes.

Background: The impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and serotype distribution was examined across age groups from data collected by the Lebanese Inter-Hospital Pneumococcal Surveillance Program.

Methods: Between 2005 and 2020, 593 invasive isolates were collected from 79 hospitals throughout Lebanon. Serotypes and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles were identified, and trends compared over 3 eras: PCV7, post-PCV7/ pre-PCV13, and PCV13 eras.