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Background: This study reviews our use of laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy over the last decade to track the trends in their usage in a middle-income country. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with intraoperative confirmed acute appendicitis from January 2013 to December 2019 at Grey's Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Results: Eight hundred fifty-one cases of AA were included. 724 (85%) patients underwent open surgery; 435 (60%) via a midline incision and 194 (27%) via a local incision. 127 (15%) patients underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy. A significant rend was noted for an increasing proportion of surgery performed by laparoscopy compared to open surgery (p = 0.02). Patients who underwent open surgery compared to laparoscopy presented with greater peritonism (48.5% vs. 28%, p < 0.001), delay from symptom onset (3 vs. 2 days, p < 0.001), more frequently from rural areas (94% vs. 86%, p = 0.002) and with higher AAST scores (46.7% AAST ≥ 4, vs. 14.9%, p < 0.001). This former group had significantly greater morbidity (42% vs. 35%, p < 0.001) with higher Clavien-Dindo scores, were more likely to require ICU admission (8.3% vs. 2.3%, p < 0.001) and have longer hospital stay (4 days vs. 2 days, p < 0.001); no statistically significant difference in mortality was observed (1.1% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.75). Conclusions: There has been a steady increase in the uptake of laparoscopic appendicectomy and decrease in open approaches in our centre. There is still a high rate of patients with advanced disease, and it is unlikely that this cohort will be suitable for laparoscopic surgery. If we hope to increase the uptake of laparoscopic surgery for acute appendicitis even further, we must focus on identifying patients with early and low-grade disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) for oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC) is associated with malnutrition due to treatment‐related mucositis and dysphagia. While percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding can improve nutrition, it has acute and late complications, including dependence on PEG feeding. We retrospectively evaluated patient outcomes by whether gastrostomy placement was prophylactic (P‐G) or reactive to RT complications (R‐G). Methods: Retrospective analysis of OPSCC patients undergoing curative‐intent RT at Waikato Hospital between 2010 and 2015. Results: Of 103 OPSCC patients treated with RT (+/− chemotherapy) 21 had P‐G, 15 had R‐G and 67 had none (No‐G). P‐G patients were significantly more likely to be female, older, have higher tumour stage and receive bilateral RT (all p < 0.05). P‐G and No‐G patients had similar rates and duration of hospital admission for complications during treatment, but both were significantly less than in R‐G patients (admission rates 52.3%, 49.3% and 86.7%, and mean length of stay 3.5, 3.3 and 11.9 days, respectively; p < 0.001). R‐G patients also had greater RT treatment delays than P‐G or No‐G patients (mean 1.1, 0.7 and 0.4 days, respectively, p < 0.05). No significant differences were noted between groups in PEG dependence or weight change during, or 1, 3 or 6 months after, RT. Weight loss was not significantly different with P‐G than R‐G despite more frequent use of bilateral RT fields in the former group. Conclusions: P‐G placement affords shorter and less frequent hospital admissions than R‐G during RT for OPSCC, with no increased complications or gastrostomy‐dependence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Penetrating injuries to the buttock are relatively rare but are associated with significant morbidity. This study aimed to review our experience in managing penetrating trauma to the buttocks to contextualize the injury, document the most common associated injuries, and generate an algorithm to assist with the management of these patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a major trauma center in South Africa over 8 years (January 2012 to January 2020). All patients presenting with a penetrating buttock injury were included. Results: Our study included 40 patients. Gunshot wounds accounted for 93% (37/40), stab wounds accounted for 5% (2/40), and 1 case was gored by a cow. The majority (98%) underwent further investigation in the form of imaging or endoscopy. Forty percent (16/40) required surgical intervention. Of these 16 cases, 14 required a laparotomy, and 2 required gluteal exploration. Fifty-six percent (9/16) required a stoma. Five percent (2/40) experienced one or more complications, both of whom had stomas. The median length of stay for all patients was 3 days, whereas for the patients with stomas was 7 days. There were no ICU admissions or mortality in this study. Only 3 of the 9 stomas were reversed, and the median time to reversal was 16 months. Conclusion: Penetrating trauma to the buttock may result in injuries to surrounding vital structures, which must be actively excluded. Rectal injury was the most common injury, and most required a defunctioning colostomy as part of the management resulting in significant morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The foley catheter balloon tamponade (FCBT) has been widely employed in the management of trauma. This study reviews our cumulative experience with the use of FCBT in the management of patients presenting with a penetrating neck injury (PNI). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a major trauma centre in South Africa over a 9-year period from January 2012 to December 2020. All patients who presented with a PNI who had FCBT were included. Results: A total of 1581 patients with a PNI were managed by our trauma centre, and 44 (3%) patients had an FCBT. Of the 44 cases of FCBT, stab wounds accounted for 93% (41/44) and the remaining 7% were for gunshot wounds. Seventy-five per cent of all FCBT (33/44) were inserted at a rural hospital prior to transfer to our trauma centre; the remaining 25% (11/44) were inserted in our resuscitation room. The success rate of FCBT was 80% (35/44), allowing further CT with angiography (CTA) to be performed. CTA findings were: 10/35 (29%) positive, 18/35 (51%) negative, and 7/35 (20%) equivocal. Fifteen patients required additional intervention (open surgery or endovascular intervention). The overall morbidity was 14% (6/44). Eighteen per cent required intensive care unit admission. The median length of stay was 1 day. The overall mortality rate was 11% (5/44). Conclusion: FCBT is a simple and effective technique as an adjunct in the management of major haemorrhage from a PNI. In highly selective patients, it may also be used as definitive management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to review our decade-long experience with the management of abdominal gunshot wounds (GSWs), to document trends in our approach and to develop an evidence base for our contemporary management algorithms in a major trauma in South Africa. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study that included all adult patients with abdominal GSWs between January 2013 and October 2020 managed at a major trauma centre in South Africa. Result: Five hundred and ninety-six cases were included (87% male, mean age: 32 years). The median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 12. 52% (309/596) of cases had indications of immediate laparotomy and proceeded directly to the operating room without any CT imaging. Of this cohort, the laparotomy was positive in 292 and in the remainder (5%) was negative. Of the remaining 287 cases, 209 underwent a CT scan (35%). 78 were managed without any CT imaging. Of the 78 who did not undergo CT scan, all were managed without any operation and discharged home well. Of the 209 who underwent CT scan, 99 were observed and only one case in this group subsequently required a laparotomy. The remaining 110 cases underwent a laparotomy, which was negative in 7. There were correlations with increasing use of CT, as well as a decrease in those proceeding directly to laparotomy. The overall morbidity rate was 8% (47/596). 32% (190/596) require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The overall mortality rate was 8% (67/596). Conclusions: The management of abdominal GSWs has continued to evolve. There is now a well-defined role for selective non-operative management in this group of patients and relies on accurate CT assessment. CT scan is now an important component in the management of abdominal GSW even in our resource-constrained environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]