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Ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI) arthroplasty is the procedure of choice of most hand surgeons in the treatment of basal joint arthritis of the thumb. Progressive and natural collapse after trapeziectomy is a common problem.We performed LRTI with flexor carpi radialis (FCR) hemitendon technique, then proceeded to block the hemitendon plasty with a bone fragment at the base of the metacarpal. This technique allows us to maintain tension and to obtain immediate stability.We conducted a single-center retrospective longitudinal observational study including 51 patients with diagnosis of symptomatic osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint. Group A consisted of 24 thumbs treated with trapeziectomy with LRTI with FCR hemitendon using the Burton-Pellegrini technique. Group B included 27 thumbs treated using the modified technique. The postoperative height of the Scaphometacarpal (SM) space was analyzed. Clinical outcome, opposition, retroversion, patient satisfaction and surgical timing were studied.The difference of the SM space, after applying correction factor, at one and six months postoperative is significantly less in the modified technique group (p=0.033 and p=0.001 respectively). The average height loss of the SM space from one to six months postoperative measurement was smaller in the study group, showing greater stability of the plasty.The use of a bone fragment to block the FCR plasty improves the results at one and six months postoperatively, showing a diminished height loss of the SM space, improved thumb opposition and without prolonging surgical timing in our series.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a tumor predisposition syndrome caused by heterozygous NF1 gene mutations. Patients with NF1 present with pleiotropic somatic secondary manifestations, including development of bone pseudarthrosis after fracture. Somatic NF1 gene mutations were reproducibly identified in patient-derived pseudarthrosis specimens, suggesting a local mosaic cell population including somatic pathologic cells. The somatic cellular pathogenesis of NF1 pseudarthroses remains unclear, though defects in osteogenesis have been posited. Here, we applied time-series single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to patient-matched control and pseudarthrosis-derived primary bone stromal cells (BSCs). We show that osteogenic specification to an osteoblast progenitor cell population was evident for control bone-derived cells and haploinsufficient pseudarthrosis-derived cells. Similar results were observed for somatic patient fracture-derived NF1

We describe a new species of Chiasmocleis from the Amazonian forest of Peru. The new species is characterized by its medium size (snout-to-vent length = 18.2–20.8 mm in females, and 16.5 mm in one male), hands and feet with slightly developed fridges in females (more developed in male), and presence of a femoral line in all individuals. We also infer its phylogenetic position using DNA sequences of fragments of the mitochondrial genes for 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI), and describe the mineralized skeleton through 3D models generated by computed tomography (CT-scan). Based on our results, we discuss the variation of some osteological characters traditionally used in the systematics of the genus.

BACKGROUND Measuring variation in perioperative outcomes to accurately discriminate performance between surgical providers may be limited by reliability. We aimed to evaluate reliability estimates of metrics associated with lung cancer resection. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study utilizing the 2015 National Cancer Database to identify patients undergoing lung cancer resection. Primary outcomes were reliability estimates for perioperative outcomes and for measures of adherence to clinical benchmarks, generated through hierarchical multi-level modeling techniques. RESULTS We identified 27,300 patients undergoing resection. Overall risk- and reliability-adjusted 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 1.7% and 3.3%, respectively; 61.0% and 41.1% of eligible patients received stage-appropriate adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed in 59.6% of cases with clinical stage I disease. The mean reliability of 30- and 90-day mortality was 0.11 (standard deviation (SD) 0.09) and 0.22 (SD 0.15), respectively; for performing VATS for stage I disease, 0.97 (SD 0.04). When stratified by hospital volume quartile, the mean reliability of 30-day mortality was 0.04 (SD 0.03) in the lowest and 0.20 (SD 0.10) in the highest quartile. Only 14% of hospitals met an established 0.7 reliability benchmark for 30- and 90-day mortality, but over 97% of hospitals exceeded these benchmarks for providing stage-appropriate systemic therapy and performing VATS for stage I disease. CONCLUSIONS Metrics used to compare lung cancer surgical performance between providers have varying levels of reliability. Reliability should be considered when profiling providers, which will become particularly important as lung cancer treatment under screening programs continues to expand.

The incidence of traumatic tympanic membrane rupture (TTMR) has increased over recent decades. The association of certain external injury causes and bone fracture patterns with TTMR is anecdotal. It has been suggested that a diagnosis of TTMR may be missed during the acute trauma admission. The authors sought to evaluate the incidence of TTMR according to external injury cause and evaluate the association of skull fracture patterns with TTMR using a national trauma database. A cross-sectional analysis of trauma encounters was conducted using the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) from 2008 to 2015. Demographic and injury data were abstracted. Poisson regression was used to determine the incidence rate ratios of tympanic membrane rupture by external injury cause and logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) of TTMR by skull fracture type. A total of 8214 patients were identified with TTMR during acute admission. The majority were on average 30 years old, 76% male, 71% White, had a mean Injury Severity Score of 14, and 42% were admitted to level I centers. The incidence rate ratio was only higher in lightning related injuries [5.262; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.194-6.602] when using those caused by explosives as a reference. Basilar skull (OR: 12.95; 95% CI: 12.095-12.866) and cranial vault (OR: 2.938; 95% CI: 2.647-3.260) fractures were most associated with TTMR. The high incidence TTMR in association with certain external causes of injury and types of skull fractures should drive screening in the acute setting in order to increase detection and reduce morbidity from missed injuries.

ImportanceProsthetic reinforcement of critically sized incisional hernias is necessary to decrease hernia recurrence, but long-term prosthetic-mesh footprint may increase complication risk during subsequent abdominal operations.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of prior incisional hernia repair with mesh (IHRWM) with postoperative outcomes and health care utilization after common abdominal operations.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis was a population-based, retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing inpatient abdominal surgical procedures during the period of January 2009 to December 2016, with at least 1 year of follow-up within 5 geographically diverse statewide inpatient/ambulatory databases (Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Utah). History of an abdominal operation was ascertained within the 3-year period preceding the index operation. Patients admitted to the hospital with a history of an abdominal operation (ie, bariatric, cholecystectomy, small- or large-bowel resection, prostatectomy, gynecologic) were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. Patients with prior IHRWM were propensity score matched (1:1) to controls both with and without a history of an abdominal surgical procedure based on clinical and operative characteristics. Data analysis was conducted from March 1 to November 27, 2021.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was a composite of adverse postoperative outcomes (surgical and nonsurgical). Secondary outcomes included health care utilization determined by length of hospital stay, hospital charges, and 1-year readmissions. Logistic and Cox regression determined the association of prior IHRWM with the outcomes of interest. Additional subanalyses matched and compared patients with prior IHR without mesh (IHRWOM) to those with a history of an abdominal operation.ResultsOf the 914 105 patients undergoing common abdominal surgical procedures (81 123 bariatric [8.9%], 284 450 small- or large-bowel resection [31.1%], 223 768 cholecystectomy [24.5%], 33 183 prostatectomy [3.6%], and 291 581 gynecologic [31.9%]), all 3517 patients (age group: 46-55 years, 1547 [44.0%]; 2396 majority sex [68.1%]) with prior IHRWM were matched to patients without a history of abdominal surgical procedures. After matching, prior IHRWM was associated with increased overall complications (odds ratio [OR], 1.43; 95% CI, 1.27-1.60), surgical complications (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.34-1.70), length of hospital stay (mean increase of 1.03 days; 95% CI, 0.56-1.49 days; P P P = .002). This trend persisted even when comparing matched patients with prior IHRWM to patients with a history of abdominal surgical procedures, and the treatment outcome disappeared when comparing patients with prior IHRWOM to those without a previous abdominal operation.Conclusions and RelevanceReoperation through a previously prosthetic-reinforced abdominal wall was associated with increased surgical complications and health care utilization. This risk appeared to be independent of a history of abdominal surgical procedures and was magnified by the presence of a prosthetic-mesh footprint in the abdominal wall.

The wide variety of clinical manifestations of the genetic syndrome neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are driven by overactivation of the RAS pathway. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitors (MEKi) block downstream targets of RAS. The recent regulatory approvals of the MEKi selumetinib for inoperable symptomatic plexiform neurofibromas in children with NF1 have made it the first medical therapy approved for this indication in the United States, the European Union, and elsewhere. Several recently published and ongoing clinical trials have demonstrated that MEKi may have potential benefits for a variety of other NF1 manifestations, and there is broad interest in the field regarding the appropriate clinical use of these agents. In this review, we present the current evidence regarding the use of existing MEKi for a variety of NF1-related manifestations, including tumor (neurofibromas, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, low-grade glioma, and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia) and non-tumor (bone, pain, and neurocognitive) manifestations. We discuss the potential utility of MEKi in related genetic conditions characterized by overactivation of the RAS pathway (RASopathies). In addition, we review practical treatment considerations for the use of MEKi as well as provide consensus recommendations regarding their clinical use from a panel of experts.

The public health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic reach beyond those of the disease itself. Various centers have anecdotally reported increases in the incidence of dog bite injuries which predominate in pediatric populations. The reasons for this increase are likely multifactorial and include an increase in canine adoptions, remote learning, and psychosocial stressors induced by lockdowns. We hypothesized that there was a significant increase in the proportion of dog bite injuries at our institution and within a nationally representative cohort.We queried our electronic health record and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for all records pertaining to dog bites between 2015 and 2020, and the annual incidence was calculated. Poisson regression was then used to estimate whether there was a significant difference in the adjusted risk ratio for each year.The institutional and national cohorts revealed relative increases in the incidence of dog bite injury of 243 and 147.9 per 100,000 over the study period, respectively. Both cohorts observed significant increases of 44% and 25% in the annual incidence relative to 2019, respectively. Poisson regression revealed a significantly elevated adjusted relative risk in the institutional cohort for 2020 (2.664, CI: 2.076-3.419, P 0.001). The national cohort also revealed an increase (1.129, CI: 1.091-1.169, P 0.001).A nationwide increase in the incidence of dog bite injuries among children was observed during COVID-19 in 2020. These findings suggest that dog bites remain a public health problem that must be addressed by public health agencies.

Panniculectomy and abdominoplasty are uptrending procedures to address excess skin after weight loss which affects patient-reported quality of life. The authors aimed to identify factors associated with low preoperative quality of life, quantify the benefit of these procedures, and evaluate benefits across grades of obesity.Patients seeking panniculectomy and abdominoplasty between 2018 and 2019 with a completed preoperative BODY-Q questionnaire were identified. Stratification by quality of life in tertiles for each BODY-Q domain allowed identification of characteristics associated with low quality of life using chi-square tests. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare preoperative to postoperative change in quality of life. Differences in quality of life by obesity class (1-2 vs. 3) were ascertained using chi-square tests.A total of 183 patients completed preoperative quality-of-life questionnaires. Preoperative factors associated with low quality of life included age older than 40 years, Black race, public insurance, hypertension, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class (all p0.05). Of patients who completed a preoperative BODY-Q and underwent surgery, 46 (63 percent) completed both surveys. Quality of life improved postoperatively across all domains ( p0.01). The presence of a surgical site occurrence (e.g., infection, delayed healing, hematoma, seroma) did not impact postoperative quality of life in any domain ( p0.05). Obesity classification did not affect change in quality of life preoperatively to postoperatively ( p0.05).Quality of life is significantly lower at baseline in older, Black, publicly insured patients, and multimorbid patients, but improves dramatically after panniculectomy and abdominoplasty regardless of incidence of complications or degree of obesity. .Therapeutic, IV.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a common and progressive spinal deformity in children that exhibits striking sexual dimorphism, with girls at more than five-fold greater risk of severe disease compared to boys. Despite its medical impact, the molecular mechanisms that drive AIS are largely unknown. We previously defined a female-specific AIS genetic risk locus in an enhancer near thePAX1gene. Here we sought to define the roles ofPAX1and newly-identified AIS-associated genes in the developmental mechanism of AIS. In a genetic study of 9,161 individuals with AIS and 80,731 unaffected controls, significant association was identified with a variant inCOL11A1encoding collagen (α1) XI (rs3753841; NM_080629_c.4004C>T; p.(Pro1335Leu); P=7.07e−11, OR=1.118). Using CRISPR mutagenesis we generatedPax1knockout mice (Pax1−/−). In postnatal spines we found that Pax1 and collagen (α1) XI protein both localize within the intervertebral disc (IVD)-vertebral junction region encompassing the growth plate, with less collagen (α1) XI detected inPax1−/−spines compared to wildtype. By genetic targeting we found that wildtypeCol11a1expression in growth plate cells (GPCs) suppresses expression ofPax1and ofMmp3, encoding the matrix metalloproteinase 3 enzyme implicated in matrix remodeling. However, this suppression was abrogated in the presence of the AIS-associatedCOL11A1P1335Lmutant. Further, we found that either knockdown of the estrogen receptor geneEsr2, or tamoxifen treatment, significantly alteredCol11a1andMmp3expression in GPCs. These studies support a new molecular model of AIS pathogenesis wherein genetic variation and estrogen signaling increase disease susceptibility by altering aPax1-Col11a1-Mmp3signaling axis in the growth plate.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a sideways curvature of the spine, is sexually dimorphic, with increased incidence in females. A GWAS identified a female-specific AIS susceptibility locus near thePAX1gene. Here, we used mouse enhancer assays, three mouse enhancer knockouts and subsequent phenotypic analyses to characterize this region. Using mouse enhancer assays, we characterized a sequence, PEC7, that overlaps the AIS-associated variant, and found it to be active in the tail tip and intervertebral disc. Removal of PEC7 or Xe1, a known sclerotome enhancer nearby, and deletion of both sequences led to a kinky phenotype only in the Xe1 and combined (Xe1+PEC7) knockouts, with only the latter showing a female sex dimorphic phenotype. Extensive phenotypic characterization of these mouse lines implicated several differentially expressed genes and estrogen signaling in the sex dimorphic bias. In summary, our work functionally characterizes an AIS-associated locus and dissects the mechanism for its sexual dimorphism.

Context Kenny–Caffey syndrome (KCS) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by short stature, hypoparathyroidism, and electrolyte disturbances. KCS1 and KCS2 are caused by pathogenic variants in TBCE and FAM111A, respectively. Clinically the phenotypes are difficult to distinguish. Objective The objective was to determine and expand the phenotypic spectrum of KCS1 and KCS2 in order to anticipate complications that may arise in these disorders. Methods We clinically and genetically analyzed 10 KCS2 patients from 7 families. Because we found unusual phenotypes in our cohort, we performed a systematic review of genetically confirmed KCS cases using PubMed and Scopus. Evaluation by 3 researchers led to the inclusion of 26 papers for KCS1 and 16 for KCS2, totaling 205 patients. Data were extracted following the Cochrane guidelines and assessed by 2 independent researchers. Results Several patients in our KCS2 cohort presented with intellectual disability (3/10) and chronic kidney disease (6/10), which are not considered common findings in KCS2. Systematic review of all reported KCS cases showed that the phenotypes of KCS1 and KCS2 overlap for postnatal growth retardation (KCS1: 52/52, KCS2: 23/23), low parathyroid hormone levels (121/121, 16/20), electrolyte disturbances (139/139, 24/27), dental abnormalities (47/50, 15/16), ocular abnormalities (57/60, 22/23), and seizures/spasms (103/115, 13/16). Symptoms more prevalent in KCS1 included intellectual disability (74/80, 5/24), whereas in KCS2 bone cortical thickening (1/18, 16/20) and medullary stenosis (7/46, 27/28) were more common. Conclusion Our case series established chronic kidney disease as a new feature of KCS2. In the literature, we found substantial overlap in the phenotypic spectra of KCS1 and KCS2, but identified intellectual disability and the abnormal bone phenotype as the most distinguishing features.

Repeated ventral hernia repair is associated with increased risk of complications and recurrence. The authors present the first study looking at how repeated ventral hernia repair affects quality of life, and whether there is a relationship between the number of prior repairs and quality-of-life improvement after surgery.A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients undergoing ventral hernia repair between August of 2017 and August of 2019, who completed at least one preoperative and postoperative Abdominal Hernia-Q. Patients were split into four cohorts based on number of prior repairs (zero, one, two, or three or more). Categorical data were compared using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, and continuous data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests.Ninety-three patients met inclusion criteria, with 19 (20 percent), 45 (48 percent), 15 (16 percent), and 14 patients (15 percent) in each cohort, ranging from zero to three or more prior repairs. Patients with more prior repairs were significantly more likely to be readmitted and undergo reoperation (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively), in addition to significantly higher cost of care (p = 0.004). Patients with three or more prior repairs had significantly lower preoperative quality of life when compared to patients with two or fewer prior repairs (p = 0.04). However, all patients reported a similar absolute level of quality of life postoperatively, irrespective of prior repairs (p = 0.34).Treatment of recurrent hernia remains a challenge because of poor clinical outcomes and higher risk of recurrence. This study shows that patients with multiple prior ventral hernia repairs report similar postoperative quality of life as patients undergoing primary repair. This information is valuable in determining appropriate surgical candidates and improving preoperative counseling.Risk, II.

Objectives To conduct brainstem MRI shape analysis across neurodegenerative parkinsonisms and control subjects (CS), along with its association with clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) correlates. Methodology We collected demographic and clinical variables, performed planimetric and shape MRI analyses, and determined CSF neurofilament-light chain (NfL) levels in 84 participants: 11 CS, 12 with Parkinson’s disease (PD), 26 with multiple system atrophy (MSA), 21 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and 14 with corticobasal degeneration (CBD). Results MSA featured the most extensive and significant brainstem shape narrowing (that is, atrophy), mostly in the pons. CBD presented local atrophy in several small areas in the pons and midbrain compared to PD and CS. PSP presented local atrophy in small areas in the posterior and upper midbrain as well as the rostral pons compared to MSA. Our findings of planimetric MRI measurements and CSF NfL levels replicated those from previous literature. Brainstem shape atrophy correlated with worse motor state in all parkinsonisms and with higher NfL levels in MSA, PSP, and PD. Conclusion Atypical parkinsonisms present different brainstem shape patterns which correlate with clinical severity and neuronal degeneration. In MSA, shape analysis could be further explored as a potential diagnostic biomarker. By contrast, shape analysis appears to have a rather limited discriminant value in PSP. Key Points • Atypical parkinsonisms present different brainstem shape patterns. • Shape patterns correlate with clinical severity and neuronal degeneration. • In MSA, shape analysis could be further explored as a potential diagnostic biomarker.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a class of membrane spanning cell-surface receptors that transmit extracellular signals through the membrane to trigger diverse intracellular signaling through tyrosine kinases (TKs), and play important role in cancer development. Therapeutic approaches targeting RTKs such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), and TKs, such as c-Src, ABL, JAK, are widely used to treat human cancers. Despite favorable benefits in cancer treatment that prolong survival, these tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and monoclonal antibodies targeting RTKs are also accompanied by adverse effects, including cardiovascular toxicity. Mechanisms underlying TKI-induced cardiovascular toxicity remain unclear. The transient receptor potential melastatin-subfamily member 7 (TRPM7) is a ubiquitously expressed chanzyme consisting of a membrane-based ion channel and intracellular α-kinase. TRPM7 is a cation channel that regulates transmembrane Mg2+ and Ca2+ and is involved in a variety of (patho)physiological processes in the cardiovascular system, contributing to hypertension, cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and atrial arrhythmias. Of importance, we and others demonstrated significant cross-talk between TRPM7, RTKs, and TK signaling in different cell types including vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which might be a link between TKIs and their cardiovascular effects. In this review, we summarize the implications of RTK inhibitors (RTKIs) and TKIs in cardiovascular toxicities during anti-cancer treatment, with a focus on the potential role of TRPM7/Mg2+ as a mediator of RTKI/TKI-induced cardiovascular toxicity. We also describe the important role of TRPM7 in cancer development and cardiovascular diseases, and the interaction between TRPM7 and RTKs, providing insights for possible mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease in cancer patients treated with RTKI/TKIs.

Since its outbreak in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has diverted resources from non-urgent and elective procedures, leading to diagnosis and treatment delays, with an increased number of neoplasms at advanced stages worldwide. The aims of this study were to quantify the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic; and to evaluate whether delays in surgery led to an increased occurrence of aggressive tumours. In this retrospective, international, cross-sectional study, centres were invited to participate in June 22, 2022; each centre joining the study was asked to provide data from medical records on all surgical thyroidectomies consecutively performed from Jan 1, 2019, to Dec 31, 2021. Patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules were divided into three groups according to when they underwent surgery: from Jan 1, 2019, to Feb 29, 2020 (global prepandemic phase), from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021 (pandemic escalation phase), and from June 1 to Dec 31, 2021 (pandemic decrease phase). The main outcomes were, for each phase, the number of surgeries for indeterminate thyroid nodules, and in patients with a postoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancers, the occurrence of tumours larger than 10 mm, extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastases, vascular invasion, distant metastases, and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence. Univariate analysis was used to compare the probability of aggressive thyroid features between the first and third study phases. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05178186. Data from 157 centres (n=49 countries) on 87 467 patients who underwent surgery for benign and malignant thyroid disease were collected, of whom 22 974 patients (18 052 [78·6%] female patients and 4922 [21·4%] male patients) received surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules. We observed a significant reduction in surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the pandemic escalation phase (median monthly surgeries per centre, 1·4 [IQR 0·6-3·4]) compared with the prepandemic phase (2·0 [0·9-3·7]; p

This article has been withdrawn due to a publisher error that caused it to be duplicated. The definitive version of this article is published under https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgad147.

In the title complex, [ZnCl2(C12H12N2)]·CH3CN, the zinc(II) atom is fourfold coordinated by two chloride ligands and a bidentate 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine ligand in a distorted tetrahedral shape with a molecule of acetonitrile sitting in the outer coordination sphere of the complex. π–π stacking interactions between the pyridyl rings in adjacent molecules contribute to the alignment of the complexes in columns parallel to the a axis.

Objective To report the 30-day outcomes of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection undergoing surgery in the USA. Summary background data Uncertainty regarding the postoperative risks of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exists. Methods As part of the COVIDSurg multicenter study, all patients aged ≥17 years undergoing surgery between January 1 and June 30, 2020 with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection in 70 hospitals across 27 states were included. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and pulmonary complications. Multivariable analyses (adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and procedure characteristics) were performed to identify predictors of mortality. Results A total of 1,581 patients were included; more than half of them were males (n= 822, 52.0%) and older than 50 years (n=835, 52.8%). Most procedures (n=1,261, 79.8%) were emergent, and laparotomies (n= 538, 34.1%). The mortality and pulmonary complication rates were 11.0 and 39.5%, respectively. Independent predictors of mortality included age ≥70 years (OR 2.46, 95% CI [1.65-3.69]), male sex (2.26 [1.53-3.35]), ASA grades 3-5 (3.08 [1.60-5.95]), emergent surgery (2.44 [1.31-4.54]), malignancy (2.97 [1.58-5.57]), respiratory comorbidities (2.08 [1.30-3.32]), and higher Revised Cardiac Risk Index (1.20 [1.02-1.41]). While statewide elective cancelation orders were not associated with a lower mortality, a sub-analysis showed it to be associated with lower mortality in those who underwent elective surgery (0.14 [0.03-0.61]). Conclusions Patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection have a significantly high risk for postoperative complications, especially elderly males. Postponing elective surgery and adopting non-operative management, when reasonable, should be considered in the USA during the pandemic peaks.

Background The American College of Surgeon (ACS), American Surgical Association (ASA), Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), and Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS) partnered to gain insight into whether inequities found in surgical society presidents may be present earlier. Methods ACS, ASA, AWS, and SBAS presidents’ CVs were assessed for demographics and scholastic achievements at the time of first faculty appointment. Regression analyses controlling for age were performed to determine relative differences across societies. Results 66 of the 68 presidents’ CVs were received and assessed (97% response rate). 50% of AWS future presidents were hired as Instructors rather than Assistant professors, compared to 29.4% of SBAS, 25% of ASA and 29.4% of ACS. The future ACS, ASA, and SBAS presidents had more total publications than the AWS presidents, but similar numbers of 1st and Sr. author publications. Conclusion Gender inequities in academic surgeon hiring practices and perceived scholastic success may be present at first hire.

BACKGROUND Breast reduction surgery has consistently fallen within the top 10 surgical procedures performed by plastic surgeons. This is because of its capability to relieve the physical and psychological impact of macromastia. Although numerous women pursue consultation, many never undergo the procedure. The authors aim to quantify the impact of breast reduction surgery on quality of life by comparing patients who underwent breast reduction surgery with those who did not. METHODS Patients seeking breast reduction surgery between 2016 and 2019 were identified. As standard-of-care, patients are surveyed during the consultation visit and postoperative visits using the BREAST-Q. The preoperative survey was readministered a second time for those who did not undergo breast reduction surgery. Propensity score matching, based on patient demographics, comorbidities, and breast examination, was used to balance baseline characteristics. RESULTS A total of 100 propensity-matched patients were identified (operative, n = 78; nonoperative, n = 22). Mean participant age was 39.5 ± 25 years and mean body mass index was 31.1 ± 7.4 kg/m2. Quality of life significantly improved in each domain for those in the operative group (p < 0.05). Those who did not undergo breast reduction surgery realized no improvement in quality of life and had a downward trend in quality of life across two of the four domains. CONCLUSIONS Breast reduction surgery offers a significant improvement in quality of life for macromastia. This matched study demonstrates that patients who are able to undergo breast reduction surgery have a statistically significant improvement in all aspects of quality of life, whereas nonsurgical patients experience no benefit with time, with a trend toward deterioration in specific domains.

Introduction Consensus on the safety and efficacy of various types of mesh in reconstructing the abdomen has yet to be reached. Hybrid mesh products have been designed to address the need for a cost-effective mesh leveraging the tensile strength of a synthetic mesh while minimizing the prosthetic footprint within the abdominal wall through resorbable materials. In this study we evaluate early clinical outcomes and health related quality of life (HR-QOL) of a new Hybrid mesh, SynecorTM, for Ventral Hernia Repair (VHR). Methods Adult (>18 y old) patients undergoing VHR with SynecorTM mesh by a single surgeon between 2017-2019 with ≥1-y follow-up were identified. We analyzed a composite of postoperative outcomes as well as the incidence of hernia recurrence, readmissions, mortality, and HR-QOL. Results Thirty-five patients were included in our analysis with a median follow up of 2.1 y. The median age and BMI were 54.1 y and 33.2 kg/m2, respectively. The rate of surgical site occurrences was 37.1%, with only one patient (2.9%) requiring surgical intervention. No patients developed a hernia recurrence. Overall HR-QOL improved significantly (preoperative mean 2.5 [SD 0.7] versus postoperative 3.4 [0.4]; P Conclusions Abdominal reinforcement with SynecorTM mesh at the time of VHR results in promising early recurrence rates, an acceptable safety risk profile, and an improvement in overall HR-QOL.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many Americans to adapt their daily routines. In 2020, there was a significant increase in house fires according to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in suspected smoke inhalations (SSIs) during the first year of the pandemic in the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS). The NEMSIS database was queried for all EMS transports captured between 2017 and 2020. Differences in the incidences of SSIs and fire dispatches in 2020 were estimated using Poisson regression models. There was a 13.4% increase in the incidence of fire dispatches and a 15% increase in SSIs transported in 2020 compared to the previous 3 years. The incidence rate ratio of both fire dispatches (1.271; 95% CI: 1.254–1.288; P < .001) and SSI (1.152; 95% CI: 1.070–1.241; P < .001) was significantly elevated in 2020. The increases in fire dispatches and SSIs observed in the NEMSIS database are in concordance with other literature indicating the increase in fire incidence and morbidity observed during the pandemic. These results should inform fire prevention outreach efforts and resource allocation in burn centers in the event of future pandemic.

Implementation of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) represents a critical barrier to their widespread use and poses challenges to workflow and patient satisfaction. The authors sought to implement PRO surveys into surgical practice and identify principles for successful and broader implementation.Outpatient surgical encounters from 2016 through 2019 related to hernia, breast surgery, or postbariatric body contouring were assessed with the Abdominal Hernia-Q, BREAST-Q, or BODY-Q surveys, respectively. Outcomes were implementation rates per quarter and time to optimal implementation (≥80%). Successful implementation principles were identified during the first implemented PRO instrument and applied to subsequent ones. Logistic regression models were used to estimate increase in rate of implementation per quarter by instrument controlling for clinic volume. Risk-adjusted generalized linear models determined predicted mean differences in total clinic time and patient satisfaction.A total of 1206 encounters were identified. The overall survey implementation rate increased from 15% in the first quarter to 90% in the last quarter ( P0.01). Abdominal Hernia-Q optimal implementation was reached by 15 months. Principles for successful implementation of PROs were workflow optimization, appropriate patient selection, staff engagement, and electronic survey integration. Consistent application of these principles optimized time to optimal implementation for BREAST-Q [9 months; 18.1% increase in implementation per quarter (95% CI, 1.5 to 37.5); P0.01] and BODY-Q [3 months; 56.3% increase in implementation per quarter (95% CI, 26.8 to 92.6); P = 0.03]. Neither patient clinic time ( P = 0.16) nor patient satisfaction differed during the implementation of PROs process ( P = 0.98).Prospective implementation of PROs can be achieved in surgical practice without an adverse effect on patient satisfaction or workflow. The proposed principles of implementation may be used to optimize efficiency for implementation of PROs.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of hair and skin disease have identified many genetic variants associated with disease phenotypes, but identifying causal variants and interpreting their function requires deciphering gene-regulatory networks in disease-relevant cell types. To this end, we generated matched scRNA- and scATAC-seq profiles of human scalp biopsies, identifying diverse cell types of the hair follicle niche. By interrogating the integrated datasets across multiple levels of cellular resolution, we infer 50-100% more enhancer-gene links than prior approaches, and show that the aggregate accessibility at linked enhancers for highly-regulated genes predicts expression. We use these gene-regulatory maps to prioritize cell types, genes, and causal variants implicated in the pathobiology of androgenetic alopecia (AGA), eczema, and other complex traits. AGA GWAS signals are strongly and specifically enriched in dermal papilla cell open chromatin regions, supporting the role of these cells as key drivers of AGA pathogenesis. Finally, we trained machine-learning models to nominate SNPs that affect gene expression through disruption of specific transcription factor binding motifs, identifying candidate functional SNPs linked to expression of WNT10A in AGA and IL18RAP in eczema. Together, this work reveals principles of gene regulation and identifies gene regulatory consequences of natural genetic variation in complex skin and hair diseases.

Mice expressing human Nox5 (hNox5) in VSMC exhibit cardfiovascular fibrosis, where mechanisms are unknown. We postulated that VSMC-Nox5 promotes fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation that contributes to fibrosis. Fibroblasts were cultured from wildtype (WT) and hNOX5 mice. Mice (20 weeks old) were infused with Ang II (600 ng/Kg/day) for 28 days and renal fibrosis/inflammation studied. Markers of myofibroblasts (αSMA), and pro-fibrotic and inflammatory signaling molecules were assessed by qPCR and immunoblotting. Inflammatory infiltrate was assessed by FACS. Fibroblasts from Nox5 mice exhibited increased mRNA of markers of myofibroblast αSMA (2 -ddC :1.54±0.05 vs. WT 0.78±0.17) and Myocd (2 -ddC :1.36±0.17 vs. WT 0.39±0.22), as well as, pro-fibrotic markers, Col1A1 (2 -ddC :1.74±0.16 vs. WT 0.67±0.11), Col3A1 (2 -ddC :1.74±0.18 vs. WT 0.96±0.24) and TIMP3 (2 -ddC :2.65±0.25 vs. WT 0.38±0.07), p-ddC :1.37±0.07 vs. WT 86±0.24), TNFα (2 -ddC :1.32±0.2 vs. WT 0.71±0.17) and TNFR1 (2 -ddC :1.26±0.04 vs. WT 1.02±0.10) were increased, while CD68 expression was decreased (2 -ddC :0.82±0.11 vs. WT 1.36±0.18) in fibroblasts from Nox5 mice (pvs. WT 1.4±0.06), as well as TGFβR2 gene expression (2 -ddC :2.04±0.17 vs. WT 0.57±0.12), were increased (pvs. WT 1.54±0.2) and IL-11 (AU: 0.64±0.08 vs. WT 0.39±0.04), p

Nox5 is an important source of reactive oxygen species and aberrant redox-sensitive signalling in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in human hypertension. We aimed to characterize the VSMC proteomic profile and investigate the effects of Nox5-derived ROS on VSMC phenotype in human hypertension. VSMC from resistance arteries from normotensive (NT) and hypertensive (HT) subjects were studied. Proteins were labelled with isobaric tandem mass tags and identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The oxidative proteome was assessed using stable isotope-labelled iodoacetamide to target cysteine thiols. Nox5 silencing was performed by siRNA. Protein expression was detected by western blotting. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8) and pro-collagen I was measured by ELISA in the culture media. Proteomic analysis identified 207 proteins upregulated in HT subjects (fold change>1.5, p1.5, p