Pancreatic trauma is rare in Scotland but is associated with significant mortality. Outcome was worse in patients with advanced age, haemodynamic instability, blunt trauma and multiple injuries.

The aim of this population based study was to assess the incidence, mechanisms, management, and outcome of patients who sustained hepatic trauma in Scotland (population 5 million) over the period 1992-2002. The Scottish Trauma Audit Group database was searched for details of any patient with liver trauma. Data on identified patients were analyzed for demographic information, mechanisms of injury, associated injuries, hemodynamic stability on presentation, management, and outcome. A total of 783 patients were identified as having sustained liver trauma. The male-to-female ratio was 3:1 with a median age of 31 years. Blunt trauma (especially road traffic accidents) accounted for 69% of injuries. Liver trauma was associated with injuries to the chest, head, and abdominal injuries other than liver injury; most commonly spleen and kidneys. In all, 166 patients died in the emergency department, and a further 164 died in hospital. The mortality rate was higher in patients with increasing age (p < 0.001), hemodynamic instability (p < 0.001), blunt trauma (p < 0.001), and increasing severity of liver injury (p < 0.001). The incidence of liver trauma in Scotland is low, but it accounts for significant mortality. Associated injuries were common. Outcome was worse in patients with advanced age, blunt trauma, multiple injuries and those requiring an immediate laparotomy.

Although cholecystectomy is a relatively safe procedure, patients who die as a result of gallstone disease tend to be elderly, to have been admitted as emergency cases, and to have had co-morbidities. Future combined medical and surgical perioperative management may reduce the mortality rate associated with gallstones.

SummaryHigh-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) adds important prognostic information, not reflected by traditional risk factors, to the prediction of both the development and outcome of cardiovascular pathology. HsCRP levels also correlate inversely with cardiorespiratory fitness, an important determinant of peri-operative outcome. We hypothesised that pre-operative hsCRP should be associated with excess peri-operative morbidity and longer length of stay. Pre-operative hsCRP was measured blinded to standardised postoperative outcomes in 129 elective orthopaedic patients. HsCRP levels were divided into high (> 3 mg.l ) or low (< 3 mg.l )1 ) groups (Center for Disease Control stratification). High-CRP patients had significant cardiovascular history, received cardiac medication or steroid therapy (p < 0.05). Higher pre-operative hsCRP was associated with longer length of stay: mean 7.5 days (95% CI: 6.2-8.8) vs 6.0 days (95% CI: 5.5-6.5; p = 0.03; log rank test). In 21 patients with > 8 days length of stay, high pre-operative hsCRP patients were over-represented (p = 0.04). Pre-operative hsCRP is related to length of stay and delayed postoperative complications.

Femoral herniae are a diagnostic challenge and a high index of clinical suspicion is necessary. Ultrasonography or laparoscopy may be appropriate in equivocal cases. The long-term results of paediatric femoral hernia surgery are excellent.

ImportanceA textbook outcome (TO) is a composite quality measure that incorporates multiple perioperative events to reflect the most desirable outcome. The use of TO increases the event rate, captures more outcomes to reflect patient experience, and can be used as a benchmark for quality improvement.ObjectivesTo introduce the concept of TO to elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), propose the TO criteria, and identify characteristics associated with TO failure.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cohort study was performed at 3 surgical units in a single health board in the United Kingdom. Participants included all patients undergoing elective LC between January 1, 2015, and January 1, 2020. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2015, to January 1, 2020.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe TO criteria were defined based on review of existing TO metrics in the literature for other surgical procedures. A TO was defined as an unremarkable elective LC without conversion to open cholecystectomy, subtotal cholecystectomy, intraoperative complication, postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥2), postoperative imaging, postoperative intervention, prolonged length of stay (&gt;2 days), readmission within 100 days, or mortality. The rate of TOs was reported. Reasons for TO failure were reported, and preoperative characteristics were compared between TO and TO failure groups using both univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regressions.ResultsA total of 2166 patients underwent elective LC (median age, 54 [range, 13-92] years; 1579 [72.9%] female). One thousand eight hundred fifty-one patients (85.5%) achieved a TO with an unremarkable perioperative course. Reasons for TO failure (315 patients [14.5%]) included conversion to open procedure (25 [7.9%]), subtotal cholecystectomy (59 [18.7%]), intraoperative complications (40 [12.7%]), postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥2; 92 [29.2%]), postoperative imaging (182 [57.8%]), postoperative intervention (57 [18.1%]), prolonged length of stay (&gt;2 days; 142 [45.1%]), readmission (130 [41.3%]), and mortality (1 [0.3%]). Variables associated with TO failure included increasing American Society of Anesthesiologists score (odds ratio [OR], 2.55 [95 CI, 1.69-3.85]; P &lt; .001), increasing number of prior biliary-related admissions (OR, 2.68 [95% CI, 1.36-5.27]; P = .004), acute cholecystitis (OR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.08-1.85]; P = .01), preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (OR, 2.07 [95% CI, 1.46-2.92]; P &lt; .001), and preoperative cholecystostomy (OR, 3.22 [95% CI, 1.54-6.76]; P = .002).Conclusions and RelevanceThese findings suggest that applying the concept of TO to elective LC provides a benchmark to identify suboptimal patterns of care and enables institutions to identify strategies for quality improvement.

Intra-abdominal hypertension occurs in 12% of patients following major elective abdominal surgery and leads to a significantly delayed return to oral diet, but not to an increased length of hospital stay or increased incidence of major organ dysfunction.

In selected patients who have exhausted conventional routes for vascular access the SFV fistula can be used for the maintenance of HD. There is, however, significant associated morbidity and repeated intervention is often required.