Risk of villous histology or high grade dysplasia in patients with diminutive polyps: influence of number of polyps

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Current recommendations on post-polypectomy surveillance recommend shorter intervals in case of 3 or more polyps, irrespectively of histological findings (see reference below). These recommendations doesn't differentiate between diminutive (1-5 mm) polyps and polyps of larger size (>5 mm). AIMS & METHODS: Aim of the present study was to assess, in a group of patients with "isolated" diminutive polyps, i.e. without associated polyps of larger size, if the presence of 3 or more diminutive polyps is associated with higher number of polyps with villous histology (VH) or high grade dysplasia (HGD). Retrospective examination of endoscopical records and of histopathologica…

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a …

Delaying surgery for patients with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection

With at least 28 elective million operations delayed during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients who will require surgery after a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection is likely to increase rapidly1. Operating on patients with an active perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection is now known to carry a very high pulmonary complication and mortality rate2. Urgent information is needed to guide whether postponing surgery in patients with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to a clinical benefit, and the optimal length of delay.

The Messian Salinity Crisis and the catastrophic Zanclean flooding of the dessicated Mediterranean: the Red Sea record

Paleoceanographic and paleoenvironmental changes in the Red Sea during the Messinian/Zanclean: new data from Site 225.

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on planned cancer surgery for 15 tumour types in 61 countries: an international, prospective, cohort study

This international, prospective, cohort study enrolled 20 006 adult (≥18 years) patients from 466 hospitals in 61 countries with 15 cancer types, who had a decision for curative surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic and were followed up until the point of surgery or cessation of follow-up (Aug 31, 2020). Average national Oxford COVID-19 Stringency Index scores were calculated to define the government response to COVID-19 for each patient for the period they awaited surgery, and classified into light restrictions (index 60). The primary outcome was the non-operation rate (defined as the proportion of patients who did not undergo planned surgery). Cox proportional-hazards regression models wer…