BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the impact of peritoneal drainage and its type on prognosis, encompassing postoperative recovery and complications, in pediatric patients (≤ 16 years old) following appendectomy based on the grade of appendicitis.
METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed pediatric patients (≤ 16 years old) with appendicitis who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in our center from January 2017 to January 2024 and classified them into grade I-V based on the grade of appendicitis, with V representing the most serious cases. The patients were grouped according to drainage status and type. The main clinical outcomes included postoperative rehabilitation indexes such as time to resume a soft diet, time to remove the drain, duration of postoperative antibiotic use and length of hospitalization (LOH), as well as postoperative complications including intra-abdominal abscess (IAA), ileus and wound infection (WI), and readmission within 30 days after surgery.
RESULTS: A total of 385 pediatric patients with appendicitis were included in the study and divided into No-drainage (ND) group (n = 74), Passive drainage (PD) group (n = 246) and Active drainage (AD) group (n = 65) according to drainage status and type. Compared to the other two groups, the ND group had a significantly shorter time to resume a soft diet, duration of postoperative antibiotic use and LOH, and these differences were statistically significant. Similar findings were observed in grade I patients too (P < 0.05). In all cases examined here, the AD group had a significantly shorter time for drain removal compared to the PD group (3.04 [1-12] vs 2.74 [1-15], P = 0.049); this difference was also evident among grade I patients (2.80 [1-6] vs 2.47 [1-9], P = 0.019). Furthermore, within the same grade, only in grade IV did the AD group exhibit a shorter duration of postoperative antibiotic use compared to the PD group (4.75 [4-5] vs 8.33 [5-15], P = 0.009). Additionally, the LOH in the AD group was longer than that in the PD group (8.00 [4-13] vs 4.75 [4-5], P = 0.025). Among all cases, the ND group exhibited significantly lower incidences of overall complications and WI compared to the other two groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, the incidence of IAA in the ND group was significantly lower than that in the PD group (0% vs 5.3%, P = 0.008 < 0.0167). Furthermore, although there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of overall complications, IAA, ileus, and WI between the PD and AD groups during grade ≥ II analysis (P > 0.05), a higher readmission rate within 30 days was observed in the PD group compared to the AD group; however, these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Moreover, multivariate analysis revealed that a higher grade of appendicitis was associated with an increased risk of overall complications and IAA as well as a longer duration of postoperative antibiotic use and LOH.
CONCLUSIONS: The appendicitis grade is a crucial indicator for predicting postoperative IAA and LOH. In patients with grade I appendicitis, peritoneal drainage, even if active drainage, is not recommended; For patients with grade ≥ II appendicitis, active drainage may be more effective than passive drainage in reducing the duration of postoperative antibiotic use and LOH.

OBJECTIVE: Changes in glucolipid metabolism parameters in patients undergoing renal transplantation (RT) and their influences on the incidence of postoperative complications were analysed. The objective was to provide a reference for clinical practice and reliable and safe implementation of RT.
METHODS: A total of 131 patients treated with RT at our institution from January 2019 to March 2024 were selected for retrospective analysis: 71 patients who developed postoperative complications (research group) and 60 patients who did not (control group). Differences in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels before and three days after surgery were compared, and their predictive value for postoperative complications was analysed. In addition, relevant factors influencing complications after RT were identified.
RESULTS: HbA1c level changed significantly in neither group after surgery (p > 0.05), but FPG, TG and TC levels increased in both groups (p < 0.05). Differences in FPG and TC levels before and after surgery were larger than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed the excellent diagnostic value of differences in FPG and TC levels for postoperative complications, and logistic regression analysis indicated that such differences were independent risk factors for complications after RT (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The early evaluation of postoperative complications can be achieved by monitoring differences in FPG and TC levels before and after RT, allowing for the timely formulation and implementation of interventions.

Postoperative complications of radical gastrectomy seriously affect postoperative recovery and require accurate risk prediction. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a prediction model specifically tailored to guide perioperative clinical decision-making for postoperative complications in patients with gastric cancer. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between April 2022 and June 2023. A total of 166 patients were enrolled. Patient demographic characteristics, laboratory examination results, and surgical pathological features were recorded. Preoperative abdominal CT scans were used to segment the visceral fat region of the patients through 3Dslicer, a 3D Convolutional Neural Network (3D-CNN) to extract image features and the LASSO regression model was employed for feature selection. Moreover, an ensemble learning strategy was adopted to train the features and predict postoperative complications of gastric cancer. The prediction performance of the LGBM (Light Gradient Boosting Machine), XGB (XGBoost), RF (Random Forest), and GBDT (Gradient Boosting Decision Tree) models was evaluated through fivefold cross-validation. This study successfully constructed a model for predicting early complications following radical gastrectomy based on the optimal algorithm, LGBM. The LGBM model yielded an AUC value of 0.9232 and an accuracy of 87.28% (95% CI, 75.61-98.95%), surpassing the performance of other models. Through ensemble learning and integration of perioperative clinical data and visceral fat radiomics, a predictive LGBM model was established. This model has the potential to facilitate individualized clinical decision-making and the early recovery of patients with gastric cancer post-surgery.

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a useful negative predictor of infectious complications following colorectal surgery. Whilst a CRP level below reported cut-offs on postoperative day (POD) 3 to 5 can be reassuring, it can be difficult to interpret an elevated CRP above these cut-offs. This study evaluated whether investigating an elevated CRP on POD 3-5 allows earlier detection of infectious complications.
METHODS: Adult patients undergoing elective colonic or rectal resection were prospectively evaluated over two consecutive time periods. Group 1 had CRP levels measured on POD 3-5 with routine clinical care while Group 2 followed an algorithm where CRP levels above certain cut-offs (170 mg/L on POD3, 125 mg/L on POD4, or increase of 50 units from POD 3-4 or POD 4-5) led to an abdominopelvic CT scan and septic screen. Complications were graded as per the Clavien-Dindo classification and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI).
RESULTS: 120 patients were included in Group 1 and 60 patients were included in Group 2. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regards to patient, operation or disease characteristics. Whilst the overall complication burden was significantly greater in Group 2 (CCI 29.6 versus 12.2, P < 0.001), there were no significant differences between the groups in the day of diagnosis of infectious complication, the overall incidence, or type of complications.
CONCLUSIONS: Early investigation of an elevated or increasing CRP on POD 3-5 following elective major colorectal surgery did not allow earlier detection of infectious complications.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether hepatectomy, which ranges in invasiveness from partial to major hepatectomy, is safe and feasible for older adult patients. Therefore, we compared its postoperative complications and long-term outcomes between younger and older adult patients.
METHODS: Patients who underwent hepatectomies for hepatocellular carcinoma (N = 883) were evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups: aged < 75 years (N = 593) and ≥ 75 years (N = 290). Short-term outcomes and prognoses were compared between the groups in the entire cohort. The same analyses were performed for the major hepatectomy cohort.
RESULTS: In the entire cohort, no significant differences were found in complications between patients aged < 75 and ≥ 75 years, and the multivariate analysis did not reveal age as a prognostic factor for postoperative complications. However, overall survival was significantly worse in older patients, although no significant differences were noted in time to recurrence or cancer-specific survival. In the multivariate analyses of time to recurrence, overall survival, and cancer-specific survival, although older age was an independent poor prognostic factor for overall survival, it was not a prognostic factor for time to recurrence and cancer-specific survival. In the major hepatectomy subgroup, short- and long-term outcomes, including time to recurrence, overall survival, and cancer-specific survival, did not differ significantly between the age groups. In the multivariate analysis, age was not a significant prognostic factor for complications, time to recurrence, overall survival, or cancer-specific survival.
CONCLUSIONS: Hepatectomy, including minor and major hepatectomy, may be safe and oncologically feasible options for selected older adult patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

UNASSIGNED: Perioperative anesthetic management of patients with diabetic foot undergoing surgical treatment is challenging due to their poor cardiovascular health status. According to previous literature, general anesthesia and peripheral nerve block have their own advantages and disadvantages for such patients. We reported the effect of these two anesthesia techniques on perioperative hemodynamics and prognosis in these patients.
UNASSIGNED: This study employed a prospective randomized controlled design, where patients meeting the inclusion criteria were assigned to two groups: the general anesthesia group (GA group) and the peripheral nerve block group (PNB group). The primary outcomes were the differences in intraoperative hemodynamic stability and the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups. The second outcomes were postoperative numerical rating scale scores, analgesic drug remedies, postoperative sleep conditions monitored by sleep bracelets and health status assessed by EQ-5D-5 L scores.
UNASSIGNED: One hundred and nine subjects were enrolled in this study, including 54 in the GA group and 55 in the PNB group. The baseline parameters of the two groups were comparable. The GA group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of hypotension, and Colloid intake and total fluid intake were significantly higher in the GA group than in the PNB group. Additionally, a larger proportion of patients in the GA group. The scores of postoperative pain during the 48 hours after surgery were significantly higher, and more patients needed tramadol for postoperative analgesia during the 24 h after surgery in the GA group than in the PNB group. Patients in the PNB group slept better, first feeding time, earlier out-of-bed activity and earlier discharge from the hospital, compared to the GA group. However, there was no obvious difference in postoperative complications between the two groups except pharyngeal pain.
UNASSIGNED: Peripheral nerve block is a better option in patients with diabetes undergoing elective below-knee surgery than general anesthesia.

UNASSIGNED: To investigate the effects of interventions provided by a multidisciplinary team consisting of anesthesiologists, dentists, pharmacists, and nurses at a Preoperative Clinic (POC) on postoperative outcomes.
UNASSIGNED: We retrospectively investigated patients who underwent preoperative evaluation at the POC at Juntendo University Hospital between May and July, 2019. Patients were divided into intervention and non-intervention groups according to whether they received intervention(s) at the POC or not. Postoperative outcomes were compared between the groups, before and after propensity score (PS) matching.
UNASSIGNED: We investigated 909 patients who completed POC evaluation and underwent surgery. Patients in the intervention group (n = 455 [50.1%]) received at least one intervention delivered, in the order of higher delivery frequencies, by dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and anesthesiologists. Before PS matching, the intervention group was associated with older age, more frequent cardiovascular comorbidities, and higher ASA-PS grades than the non-intervention group, while neither frequencies nor severities of postoperative complications differed between the groups. These outcomes did not differ between 382 PS-matched pairs with comparable risk factors either.
UNASSIGNED: Before PS matching, postoperative outcomes did not differ between the groups, although the intervention group was associated with higher risks. These suggested that POC interventions could have improved postoperative outcomes in the higher-risk intervention group to the same level as in the non-intervention group. However, such potential beneficial effects of interventions could not be proven after PS matching. Further studies are required to elucidate effects of POC interventions on postoperative outcomes.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare low Hartmann\'s procedure (LHP) with abdominoperineal resection (APR) for rectal cancer (RC) regarding postoperative complications.
METHODS: RC patients receiving radical LHP or APR from 2015 to 2019 in our center were retrospectively enrolled. Patients\' demographic and surgical information was collected and analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the baseline information. The primary outcome was the incidence of major complications. All the statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 22.0 and R.
RESULTS: 342 individuals were primarily included and 134 remained after PSM with a 1:2 ratio (50 in LHP and 84 in APR). Patients in the LHP group were associated with higher tumor height (P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between the two groups for the incidence of major complications (6.0% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.290), and severe pelvic abscess (2% vs. 0%, P = 0.373). However, the occurrence rate of minor complications was significantly higher in the LHP group (52% vs. 21.4%, P < 0.001), and the difference mainly lay in abdominal wound infection (10% vs. 0%, P = 0.006) and bowel obstruction (16% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.028). LHP was not the independent risk factor of pelvic abscess in the multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated a comparable incidence of major complications between LHP and APR. LHP was still a reliable alternative in selected RC patients when primary anastomosis was not recommended.

OBJECTIVE: We retrospectively analyzed pancreatectomy patients and examined the occurrence rate and timing of postoperative complications (time-to-complication; TTC) and their impact on the length of postoperative hospital stay (POHS) to clarify their characteristics, provide appropriate postoperative management, and improve short-term outcomes in the future.
METHODS: A total of 227 patients, composed of 118 pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and 109 distal pancreatectomy (DP) cases, were analyzed. We examined the frequency of occurrence, TTC, and POHS of each type of postoperative complication, and these were analyzed for each surgical procedure. Complications of the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification Grade II or higher were considered clinically significant.
RESULTS: Clinically significant complications were observed in 70.3% and 36.7% of the patients with PD and DP, respectively. Complications occurred at a median of 10 days in patients with PD and 6 days in patients with DP. Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) occurred approximately 7 days postoperatively in both groups. For the POHS, in cases without significant postoperative complications (CD ≤ I), it was approximately 22 days for PD and 11 days for DP. In contrast, when any complications occurred, POHS increased to 30 days for PD and 19 days for DP (each with additional 8 days), respectively. In particular, POPF prolonged the hospital stay by approximately 11 days for both procedures.
CONCLUSIONS: Each postoperative complication after pancreatectomy has its own characteristics in terms of the frequency of occurrence, TTC, and impact on POHS. A correct understanding of these factors will enable timely therapeutic intervention and improve short-term outcomes after pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the rate of delayed emptying and other 90-day postoperative complications after total, subtotal, and distal gastrectomies for gastric adenocarcinoma in a population-based setting.
METHODS: This study included all patients who underwent total, subtotal, or distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer in Finland in 2005-2016, with follow-up until December 31, 2019. Logistic regression provided the odds ratios with 95% CIs of 90-day mortality. The results were adjusted for age, sex, year of surgery, comorbidities, pathologic stage, and neoadjuvant therapy.
RESULTS: A total of 2058 patients underwent total (n = 1227), subtotal (n = 450), or distal (n = 381) gastrectomy. In the total, subtotal, and distal gastrectomy groups, the rates of 90-day delayed emptying were 1.7%, 1.3%, and 2.1% in the whole cohort and 1.6%, 1.8%, and 3.5% in the subgroup analysis of R0 resections, respectively. The resection type was not associated with the risk of delayed emptying. Subtotal gastrectomy was associated with a lower risk of major complications and reoperations, whereas distal gastrectomy was associated with a lower risk of anastomotic complications.
CONCLUSIONS: The extent of resection did not affect delayed emptying, whereas fewer postoperative complications were observed after subtotal or distal gastrectomy than after total gastrectomy.