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Simple Summary: This study examines the viability of liver grafts from donors aged 85 years and older in liver transplantation (LT) compared to those from younger donors under 40 years old. The research, conducted on data from 2005 to 2023, evaluates post-LT outcomes using propensity score matching. Despite lower 5-year survival rates in the elderly group before matching, the proposed nomogram provides a more acceptable 10-year post-LT survival using grafts from older donors. Notably, the study emphasizes the importance of proper matching, particularly for recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in achieving satisfactory long-term results amid organ scarcity. Background: Despite the ongoing trend of increasing donor ages in liver transplantation (LT) setting, a notable gap persists in the availability of comprehensive guidelines for the utilization of organs from elderly donors. This study aimed to evaluate the viability of livers grafts from donors aged ≥85 years and report the post-LT outcomes compared with those from "ideal" donors under 40 years old. Methods: Conducted retrospectively at a single center from 2005 to 2023, this study compared outcomes of LTs from donors aged ≥85 y/o and ≤40 y/o, with the propensity score matching to the recipient's gender, age, BMI, MELD score, redo-LT, LT indication, and cause of donor death. Results: A total of 76 patients received grafts from donors ≥85 y/o and were compared to 349 liver grafts from donors ≤40 y/o. Prior to PSM, the 5-year overall survival was 63% for the elderly group and 77% for the young group (p = 0.002). After PSM, the 5-year overall survival was 63% and 73% (p = 0.1). A nomogram, developed at the time of graft acceptance and including HCC features, predicted 10-year survival after LT using a graft from a donor aged ≥85. Conclusions: In the context of organ scarcity, elderly donors emerge as a partial solution. Nonetheless, without proper selection, LT using very elderly donors yields inferior long-term outcomes compared to transplantation from very young donors ≤40 y/o. The resulting nomogram based on pre-transplant criteria allows for the optimization of elderly donor/recipient matching to achieve satisfactory long-term results, in addition to traditional matching methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The brutal COVID-19 pandemic has majorly impacted populations and health systems, and surgeons have observed dramatic changes in their daily clinical activities. A survey of French digestive surgeons was conducted to assess these changes. Methods: An electronic survey was sent to French digestive and general surgeons in the Societe Francaise de Chirurgie Digestive (SFCD) to assess the surgeons' daily activity during the pandemic and investigate changes in patients' management. The care deviations were classified as delay of management, modification of strategy, or modification of organization, and the impact of these changes on patients was evaluated by the surgeon's estimation of loss of chance. Results: A major reduction in surgical elective activity was observed in 50 (75%) of the 67 hospitals that responded. Of these, 48 hospitals (71.6%) reported receiving SARS-CoV-2 patients. A deviation from usual care was observed in 10% of patients admitted for emergency general surgery. Among 140 patients presenting a deviation from usual care, 74 (52.9%) had delayed management, 53 (37.9%) had a modification of strategy, and 64 (45.7%) had a modification of organization. Medical treatment instead of surgical treatment was decided for 37 (26.4%) patients, resulting in a high loss of chance for 6 patients. Delays (p < 0.001) and a switch from surgical to medical treatment (p = 0.002) were independently correlated with overall loss of chance based on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: This study highlighted the deviations in general emergency surgery patients and provided implications for the solutions that should be implemented during a new health crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bile duct injury (BDI) is a dangerous complication of cholecystectomy, with significant postoperative sequelae for the patient in terms of morbidity, mortality, and long-term quality of life. BDIs have an estimated incidence of 0.4–1.5%, but considering the number of cholecystectomies performed worldwide, mostly by laparoscopy, surgeons must be prepared to manage this surgical challenge. Most BDIs are recognized either during the procedure or in the immediate postoperative period. However, some BDIs may be discovered later during the postoperative period, and this may translate to delayed or inappropriate treatments. Providing a specific diagnosis and a precise description of the BDI will expedite the decision-making process and increase the chance of treatment success. Subsequently, the choice and timing of the appropriate reconstructive strategy have a critical role in long-term prognosis. Currently, a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary interventions with different degrees of invasiveness is indicated for BDI management. These World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines have been produced following an exhaustive review of the current literature and an international expert panel discussion with the aim of providing evidence-based recommendations to facilitate and standardize the detection and management of BDIs during cholecystectomy. In particular, the 2020 WSES guidelines cover the following key aspects: (1) strategies to minimize the risk of BDI during cholecystectomy; (2) BDI rates in general surgery units and review of surgical practice; (3) how to classify, stage, and report BDI once detected; (4) how to manage an intraoperatively detected BDI; (5) indications for antibiotic treatment; (6) indications for clinical, biochemical, and imaging investigations for suspected BDI; and (7) how to manage a postoperatively detected BDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In France, liver grafts which have been refused by at least five centers are proposed as rescue allocation (RA). The aim of this study is to clarify the feasibility and safety of RA grafts in liver transplantation (LT). Short‐ and long‐term outcomes of patients who received RA grafts (RA group) were compared with those of patients who received standard allocation (SA) grafts (SA group). From a total of 1635 patients, 102 patients received RA grafts. Before matching, the RA group was characterized primarily by less severe liver disease, but the quality of graft was worse. After matching recipients' characteristics of 102 patients who used RA grafts with 306 patients who used SA grafts, recipients' characteristics were well balanced (1:3 matching). Although the rate of primary dysfunction was significantly higher in the RA group, there is no significant difference in the occurrence of major complications, length of hospitalization, and mortality between two groups. Graft survival (GS) and overall survival (OS) in the RA group were not significantly different from the SA group (GS; HR = 1.03 P =.89, OS; HR = 1.03 P =.90). In the French allocation system, the feasibility and safety of RA grafts might be comparable to SA grafts for carefully selected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the main functional complications of surgical resections of the rectum due to rectal cancers or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The present systematic review aimed at revising ED management strategies applied after rectal resections and their efficacy in terms of improvement of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score. A literature search was conducted on Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases by two independent reviewers following the PRISMA guidelines. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials (RCTs, NRCTs), case-control studies, and case series evaluating medical or surgical therapies for ED diagnosed after rectal surgery for both benign and malignant pathologies were eligible for inclusion. Out of 1028 articles initially identified, only five met the inclusion criteria: two RCTs comparing oral phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor (PDE-5i) versus placebo; one NRCT comparing PDE-5i versus PDE-5i + vacuum erection devices (VEDs) versus control; and two before-after studies on PDE-5i. A total of 253 (82.7%) rectal cancer patients and 53 (17.3%) IBD patients were included. Based on two RCTs, PDE-5i significantly improved IIEF compared to placebo at 3 months (SMD = 1.07; 95% CI [0.65, 1.48]; p < .00001; I2 = 39%). Improved IIEF was also reported with PDE-5i + VED at 12 months. There is a paucity of articles in the literature that specifically assess efficacy of ED treatments after rectal surgery. Many alternative treatment strategies to PDE-5is remain to be investigated. Future studies should implement standardized preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up sexual function assessment in patients undergoing rectal resections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indocyanine green fluorescence-guided robotic total mesorectal excision with handsewn coloanal anastomosis for rectal cancer - a video vignette I Dear Sir, i When performing total mesorectal excision (TME) in rectal cancer patients using advanced surgical techniques such as robotics, a standardized approach is required [1]. To minimize complications, indocyanine-green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) can be used during construction of the anastomosis to ensure adequate vascularization before transection [2]. [Extracted from the article]

Background: In the recent years, robotic technology has been drastically improved and the last generation of robotic platforms is hardly comparable with the earlier ones. The present study aims to investigate the short-term outcomes of minor hepatectomies performed with da Vinci Xi surgical system vs. Si surgical systems., Methods: Consecutive patients operated on between 2013 and 2020 in two referral centers were selected if underwent elective robotic minor hepatectomy (<3 consecutive segments) for primarily resectable benign or malignant lesions. Operative, postoperative, and cost outcomes were compared between the two groups by univariate and multivariate analyses., Results: Eighty-nine patients were selected (64 in the Si system vs. 25 in the Xi system group). Wedge resection was the most commonly performed procedure (49.4%). The Si system group showed a significantly greater total incisional length (+8.99 mm; p<0.0001) related to the use of a higher number of robotic/laparoscopic ports. Pedicle clamping was more frequent in patients operated on by the Xi system (80% vs. 21.9%; p<0.0001) but without group differences in ischemia duration when clamping. A significantly shorter time to flatus (-0.75 days; p=0.015) was observed for patients operated on by the Xi system, whereas no group differences were found for operative time, conversion rate, estimated blood loss, postoperative complications, mortality, use of analgesics, and costs., Conclusion: The da Vinci Xi system represents a technological advancement with a potential clinical relevance, although further studies are needed to clearly detect the clinical impact of the use of this robotic platform in liver surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) critically influenced microscopically complete resection (R0) rates and long-term outcomes for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) with portomesenteric vein resection (PVR) from a diverse, world-wide group of high-volume centers., Summary of Background Data: Limited size studies suggest that NAT improves R0 rates and overall survival compared to upfront surgery in R/BR-PDAC patients., Methods: This multicenter study analyzed consecutive patients with R/BR-PDAC who underwent PD with PVR in 23 high-volume centers from 2009 to 2018., Results: Data from 1192 patients with PD and PVR were collected and analyzed. The median age was 68 [interquartile range (IQR) 60-73] years and 52% were males. Some 186 (15.6%) and 131 (10.9%) patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) alone and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, respectively. The R0/R1/R2 rates were 57%, 39.3%, and 3.2% in patients who received NAT compared to 46.6%, 49.9%, and 3.5% in patients who did not, respectively (P =0.004). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS in patients receiving NAT was 79%, 41%, and 29%, while for those that did not it was 73%, 29%, and 18%, respectively (P <0.001). Multivariable analysis showed no administration of NAT, high tumor grade, lymphovascular invasion, R1/R2 resection, no adjuvant chemotherapy, occurrence of Clavien-Dindo grade 3 or higher postoperative complications within 90 days, preoperative diabetes mellitus, male sex and portal vein involvement were negative independent predictive factors for OS., Conclusion: Patients with PDAC of the pancreatic head expected to undergo venous reconstruction should routinely be considered for NAT., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)