0000000000017310

AUTHOR

M. Podda

Development and validation of the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System (IHS4), a novel dynamic scoring system to assess HS severity

Background A validated tool for the dynamic severity assessment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is lacking. The aim of this study was to develop and validate such a novel scoring system. Methods A Delphi voting procedure was conducted among the members of the European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation (EHSF) to achieve consensus towards an initial HS Severity Score System (HS4). Strengths and weaknesses of HS4 were examined by a multicenter prospective study. Multivariate logistic regression, discriminant analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves and examination for correlation (Spearman's rho) and agreement (Cohen's kappa) with existing scores were engaged to recognize the v…

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The impact of conversion on the risk of major complication following laparoscopic colonic surgery: an international, multicentre prospective audit.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy has now been implemented as a standard of care for elective colonic resection around the world. During the adoption period, studies showed that conversion may be detrimental to patients, with poorer outcomes than both laparoscopic completed or planned open surgery. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether laparoscopic conversion was associated with a higher major complication rate than planned open surgery in contemporary, international practice.METHODS: Combined analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology 2017 and 2015 audits. Patients were included if they underwent elective resection of a colonic segment from the caecum to the rectosigmoid jun…

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SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18–49, 50–69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results NNVs were more favourable in su…

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Emergency hernia repair in the elderly: multivariate analysis of morbidity and mortality from an Italian registry

Abstract Purpose The incidence of inguinal hernia is higher in elderly because of aging-related diseases like prostatism, bronchitis, collagen laxity. A conservative management is common in elderly to reduce surgery-related risks, however watchful waiting can expose to obstruction and strangulation. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of emergency surgery in a large series of elderly with complicated groin hernia and to identify the independent risk factors for postoperative morbidity and mortality. The predictive performance of prognostic risk scores has been also assessed. Methods This is a prospective observational study carried out between January 2017 and June 2018 in…

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Frailty and emergency surgery in the elderly: protocol of a prospective, multicenter study in Italy for evaluating perioperative outcome (The FRAILESEL Study)

Improvements in living conditions and progress in medical management have resulted in better quality of life and longer life expectancy. Therefore, the number of older people undergoing surgery is increasing. Frailty is often described as a syndrome in aged patients where there is augmented vulnerability due to progressive loss of functional reserves. Studies suggest that frailty predisposes elderly to worsening outcome after surgery. Since emergency surgery is associated with higher mortality rates, it is paramount to have an accurate stratification of surgical risk in such patients. The aim of our study is to characterize the clinicopathological findings, management, and short-term outcom…

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Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in elderly patients with multimorbidity

none 327 si Pharmacological thromboprophylaxis (TP) is known to reduce venous thromboembolism (VTE) in medical inpatients, but the criteria for risk-driven prescription, safety and impact on mortality are still debated. We analyze data on elderly patients with multimorbidities admitted in the year 2010 to the Italian internal medicine wards participating in the REPOSI registry to investigate the rate of TP during the hospital stay, and analyze the factors that are related to its prescription. Multivariate logistic regression, area under the ROC curve and CART analysis were performed to look for independent predictors of TP prescription. Association between TP and VTE, bleeding and death in …

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Early outcomes and complications following cardiac surgery in patients testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019: An international cohort study

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus-2, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 represented a global emergency accounting for more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide.1 It has had an unprecedented influence on cardiac surgery internationally, resulting in cautious delivery of surgery and restructuring of services.2 Understanding the influence of COVID-19 on patients after cardiac surgery is based on assumptions from other surgical specialties and single-center studies. The COVIDSurg Collaborative conducted a multicenter cohort study, including 1128 patients, across 235 hospitals, from 24 countries demonstrating perioperative COVID-19 infection…

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Surgeons' fear of getting infected by COVID19: A global survey

During the last three months, COVID- 19 pandemic had led to a serious backlog of operations globally, and plans for restarting operation are imperative. Recommendations for surgical activities were studied, aiming to protect the surgical staff from being infected. In the meantime, it is also important to give attention to the surgeon’s personal feeling during work. We conducted a survey to investigate global surgi- cal practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surgeon’s personal feeling was also investigated in the sur- vey. In this special letter, we performed multivariate analysis to explore factors that associated with surgeon’s fear of getting infected by COVID-19.

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Evaluating the incidence of pathological complete response in current international rectal cancer practice: the barriers to widespread safe deferral of surgery

INTRODUCTION: The mainstay of management for locally advanced rectal cancer is chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection. Following chemoradiotherapy, a complete response may be detected clinically and radiologically (cCR) prior to surgery or pathologically after surgery (pCR). We aim to report the overall complete pathological response (pCR) rate and the reliability of detecting a cCR by conventional pre-operative imaging.METHODS: A pre-planned analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) 2017 audit was performed. Patients treated by elective rectal resection were included. A pCR was defined as a ypT0 N0 EMVI negative primary tumour; a partial response represented any r…

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An international multicentre prospective audit of elective rectal cancer surgery; operative approach versus outcome, including transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME)

Introduction: Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) has rapidly emerged as a novel approach for rectal cancer surgery. Safety profiles are still emerging and more comparative data is urgently needed. This study aimed to compare indications and short-term outcomes of TaTME, open, laparoscopic, and robotic TME internationally. Methods: A pre-planned analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) 2017 audit was performed. Patients undergoing elective total mesorectal excision (TME) for malignancy between 1 January 2017 and 15 March 2017 by any operative approach were included. The primary outcome measure was anastomotic leak. Results: Of 2579 included patients, 76.2% (1966/257…

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Impact of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in global surgical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has changed the global surgical care. Patients infected with COVID-19 may present without typical symptoms, and such asymptomatic patients may potentially trigger in-hospital outbreaks by transmitting the disease to health care providers and other hospitalized patients. Further, asymptomatic COVID-19 patients have worse postop- erative outcomes with an unexpectedly high morbidity and mortality, reaching 20⋅5 per cent deaths. However, we do not have objective global data on this issue. In an attempt to clarify the current global surgical practice under the COVID-19 pandemic particularly focusing on the preoperative screening of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, we …

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Machine learning risk prediction of mortality for patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2: the COVIDSurg mortality score

The British journal of surgery 108(11), 1274-1292 (2021). doi:10.1093/bjs/znab183

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Effects of a preparation containing a standardized ginseng extract combined with trace elements and multivitamins against hepatotoxin-induced chronic liver disease in the elderly

A preparation containing a standardized ginseng extract which has been shown to exert anti-hepatotoxic activity in vitro, combined with trace elements and multi-vitamins was compared to placebo in 24 elderly out-patients with toxin-induced (alcohol and drugs) chronic liver disease in order to evaluate its effect on liver function. Each patient was blindly treated either with the preparation containing ginseng extract or placebo for 12 weeks. The preparation containing ginseng extract significantly modified bromsulphthalein retention and blood zinc levels when compared to pre-treatment levels and to placebo. Serum bile acids, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase before and after a fatty meal were …

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