Artificial Intelligence-Based Solution in Personalized Computer-Aided Arthroscopy of Shoulder Prostheses

Background: Early recognition of prostheses before reoperation can reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality. Because of the intricacy of the shoulder biomechanics, accurate classification of implant models before surgery is fundamental for planning the correct medical procedure and setting apparatus for personalized medicine. Expert surgeons usually use X-ray images of prostheses to set the patient-specific apparatus. However, this subjective method is time-consuming and prone to errors. Method: As an alternative, artificial intelligence has played a vital role in orthopedic surgery and clinical decision-making for accurate prosthesis placement. In this study, three different deep learning-based frameworks are proposed to identify different types of shoulder implants in X-ray scans. We mainly propose an efficient ensemble network called the Inception Mobile Fully-Connected Convolutional Network (IMFC-Net), which is comprised of our two designed convolutional neural networks and a classifier. To evaluate the performance of the IMFC-Net and state-of-the-art models, experiments were performed with a public data set of 597 de-identified patients (597 shoulder implants). Moreover, to demonstrate the generalizability of IMFC-Net, experiments were performed with two augmentation techniques and without augmentation, in which our model ranked first, with a considerable difference from the comparison models. A gradient-weighted class activation map technique was also used to find distinct implant characteristics needed for IMFC-Net classification decisions. Results: The results confirmed that the proposed IMFC-Net model yielded an average accuracy of 89.09%, a precision rate of 89.54%, a recall rate of 86.57%, and an F1.score of 87.94%, which were higher than those of the comparison models. Conclusion: The proposed model is efficient and can minimize the revision complexities of implants.

A Reproducible and Effective Technique for Coronary Sinus Injury Repair

Objective: Coronary sinus injury related to the use of a retrograde cardioplegia catheter is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication with mortality reported as high as 20%. We present a series of iatrogenic coronary sinus injuries as well as an effective method of repair without any ensuing mortality. Methods: There were 3,004 cases that utilized retrograde cardioplegia at our institution from 2007 to 2018. Of these, 15 patients suffered a coronary sinus injury, an incidence of 0.49%. A pericardial roof repair was performed in 14 cases in which autologous pericardium was sutured circumferentially to normal epicardium around the injury with purified bovine serum albumin and glutaraldehyde injected into the newly created space as a sealant. Incidence of perioperative morbidity and mortality, operative time, and length of stay were collected. Results: In our series, there were no intraoperative or perioperative mortalities. Procedure types included coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve replacement and repair, or combined CABG and valve procedures. Median (interquartile range) cross-clamp time was 100 (88 to 131) minutes, cardiopulmonary bypass duration was 133 (114 to 176) minutes, and length of stay was 6 (4 to 8) days. None of the patients returned to the operating room for hemorrhage, and there were no complications associated with the repair of a coronary sinus injury when using the pericardial roof technique. Conclusions: Coronary sinus injuries can result in difficult to manage perioperative bleeding and potentially lethal consequences from cardiac manipulation. Our series supports the pericardial roof technique as an effective solution to a challenging intraoperative complication.

Management of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibitors and other antihypertensives and their clinical effects on pre-anesthesia blood pressure

Background: Blood pressure fluctuations appear more significant in patients with poorly controlled hypertension and are known to be associated with adverse perioperative morbidity. In the present study, we aimed to determine the effects of antihypertensive drug treatment strategies on preanesthetic operating room blood pressure measurements.Methods: A total of 717 patients participated in our study; 383 patients who were normotensive based on baseline measurements and not under antihypertensive therapy were excluded from the analysis. The remaining 334 patients were divided into six groups according to the antihypertensive drug treatment. These six groups were examined in terms of preoperative baseline and pre-anesthesia blood pressure measurements. Results: As a result of the study, it was observed that 24% of patients had high blood pressure precluding surgery, and patients using renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASI) had higher pre-anesthesia systolic blood pressure than patients using other antihypertensive drugs. Patients who received beta-blockers were also observed to have the lowest pre-anesthesia systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean blood pressure, compared to others. Conclusions: Recently, whether RAASI should be continued preoperatively remains controversial. Our study shows that RAASI cannot provide optimal pre-anesthesia blood pressure and lead to an increase in the number of postponed surgeries, probably due to withdrawal of medication before the operation. Therefore, the preoperative discontinuation of RAASI should be reevaluated in future studies.

Short-term preoperative drainage is associated with improved postoperative outcomes compared to that of long-term biliary drainage in pancreatic surgery

Purpose The treatment of choice for patients presenting with obstructive cholestasis due to periampullary carcinoma is oncologic resection without preoperative biliary drainage (PBD). However, resection without PBD becomes virtually impossible in patients with obstructive cholangitis or severely impaired liver cell function. The appropriate duration of drainage by PBD has not yet been defined for these patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 170 patients scheduled for pancreatic resection following biliary drainage between January 2012 and June 2018 at the University Hospital Dresden in Germany. All patients were deemed eligible for inclusion, regardless of the underlying disease entity. The primary endpoint analysis was defined as the overall morbidity (according to the Clavien-Dindo classification). Secondary endpoints were the in-hospital mortality and malignancy adjusted overall and recurrence-free survival rates. Results A total of 170 patients were included, of which 45 (26.5%) and 125 (73.5%) were assigned to the short-term (< 4 weeks) and long-term (≥ 4 weeks) preoperative drainage groups, respectively. Surgical complications (Clavien-Dindo classification > 2) occurred in 80 (47.1%) patients, with significantly fewer complications observed in the short-term drainage group (31.1% vs. 52%; p = 0.02). We found that long-term preoperative drainage (unadjusted OR, 3.386; 95% CI, 1.507–7.606; p < 0.01) and periampullary carcinoma (unadjusted OR, 5.519; 95% CI, 1.722–17.685; p-value < 0.01) were independent risk factors for postoperative morbidity, based on the results of a multivariate regression model. The adjusted overall and recurrence-free survival did not differ between the groups (p = 0.12). Conclusion PBD in patients scheduled for pancreatic surgery is associated with substantial perioperative morbidity. Our results indicate that patients who have undergone PBD should be operated on within 4 weeks after drainage.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax Mimicking Perforated Viscus in Covid-19 patient

Case presentation: A 65-year-old female diagnosed with COVID-19 developed worsening respiratory distress requiring invasive ventilation. Chest radiography post-intubation revealed air under the diaphragm, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. The case was referred to the surgical team for emergency laparotomy for suspected perforated viscus. Clinically, her abdomen was distended but there was no sign of peritonism. In view of the high risk of perioperative morbidity and absence of peritonism, a CT scan was done to rule out the cause of pneumoperitoneum. CT scan showed bilateral pneumothorax, presence of air in the extra peritoneum and retroperitoneum. There was no air in the peritoneum and no evidence of perforated viscus. She was treated conservatively with bilateral chest tube insertion. Unfortunately, she developed multiorgan failure and succumbed to death.

Perioperative Morbidity and Complications in Patients With an Established Ileostomy Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery: A Retrospective Study

Background: Recently formed ileostomies may produce an average of 1,200 ml of watery stool per day, while an established ileostomy output varies between 600–800 ml per day. The reported incidence of renal impartment in patients with ileostomy is 8–20%, which could be caused by dehydration (up to 50%) or high output stoma (up to 40%). There is a lack of evidence if an ileostomy could influence perioperative fluid management and/or surgical outcomes.Methods: Subjects aged ≥18 years old with an established ileostomy scheduled to undergo an elective non-ileostomy-related major abdominal surgery under general anesthesia lasting more than 2 h and requiring hospitalization were included in the study. The primary outcome was to assess the incidence of perioperative complications within 30 days after surgery.Results: A total of 552 potential subjects who underwent non-ileostomy-related abdominal surgery were screened, but only 12 were included in the statistical analysis. In our study cohort, 66.7% of the subjects were men and the median age was 56 years old (interquartile range [IQR] 48-59). The median time from the creation of ileostomy to the qualifying surgery was 17.7 months (IQR: 8.3, 32.6). The most prevalent comorbidities in the study group were psychiatric disorders (58.3%), hypertension (50%), and cardiovascular disease (41.7%). The most predominant surgical approach was open (8 [67%]). The median surgical and anesthesia length was 3.4 h (IQR: 2.5, 5.7) and 4 h (IQR: 3, 6.5), respectively. The median post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay was 2 h (IQR:0.9, 3.1), while the median length of hospital stay (LOS) was 5.6 days (IQR: 4.1, 10.6). The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 50% (n = 6). Two subjects (16.7%) had a moderate surgical wound infection, and two subjects (16.7%) experienced a mild surgical wound infection. In addition, one subject (7.6%) developed a major postoperative complication with atrial fibrillation in conjunction with moderate hemorrhage.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the presence of a well-established ileostomy might not represent a relevant risk factor for significant perioperative complications related to fluid management or hospital readmission. However, the presence of peristomal skin complications could trigger a higher incidence of surgical wound infections.

Spine surgery under awake spinal anesthesia: an Egyptian experience during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE Despite tremendous advancements in biomedical science and surgical technique, spine surgeries are still associated with considerable rates of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the elderly. Multiple novel techniques have been employed in recent years to adequately treat spinal diseases while mitigating the perioperative morbidity associated with traditional spinal surgery. Some of these techniques include minimally invasive methods and novel anesthetic and analgesic methods. In recent years, awake spine surgery with spinal anesthesia has gained attention as an alternative to general anesthesia (GA). In this study, the authors retrospectively reviewed a single-institution Egyptian experience with awake spine surgery using spinal anesthesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Overall, 149 patients who were admitted to As-Salam International Hospital in Cairo for lumbar and lower thoracic spine surgeries, between 2019 and 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and comorbidities were collected and analyzed. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were assessed at different time intervals including preoperatively, immediately after surgery, and 1 year postoperatively. Patient satisfaction was queried through a questionnaire assessing patient preference for traditional anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. RESULTS Of the 149 patients who successfully received spine surgery with spinal anesthesia, there were 49 males and 100 females. The cohort age ranged from 22 to 85 years with a mean of 47.5 years. The operative time ranged from 45 to 300 minutes with a mean estimated blood loss (EBL) of 385 ± 156 mL. No major cardiopulmonary or intraoperative complications occurred, and patients were able to eat immediately after surgery. Patients were able to ambulate without an assistive device 6 to 8 hours after surgery. Decompression and fusion patients were discharged on postoperative days 2 and 3, respectively. VAS and ODI scores demonstrated excellent pain relief, which was maintained at the 1-year postoperative follow-up. No 30- or 90-day readmissions were recorded. Of 149 patients, 124 were satisfied with spinal anesthesia and would recommend spinal anesthesia to other patients. The remaining patients were not satisfied with spinal anesthesia but reported being pleased with their postoperative clinical and functional outcomes. One patient was converted to GA due to the duration of the procedure. CONCLUSIONS Patients who received spinal anesthesia for awake spine surgery experienced short stays in the hospital, no readmissions, patient satisfaction, and well-controlled pain. The results of this study have validated the growing body of literature that demonstrates that awake spine surgery with spinal anesthesia is safe and associated with superior outcomes compared with traditional GA. Additionally, the ability to address chronic debilitating conditions, such as spinal conditions, with minimal use of valuable resources, such as ventilators, proved useful during the COVID-19 pandemic and could be a model should other stressors on healthcare systems arise, especially in developing areas of the world.

P-P30 Outcomes from resection of pancreatic metastases and non-neuroendocrine, non-pancreatic tumours

Background Isolated metastatic disease within the pancreas is an uncommon finding. The potentially higher perioperative risk and low incidence of resectable metastases has limited the development of evidence based guidelines for pancreatic metastectomy. However, reports in the literature suggest a considered approach to resecting patients with limited disease, favourable tumour type and a significant disease free interval. The aim of this study was to examine the indications and outcomes of pancreatic resection for metastatic disease and non-pancreatic, non-neuroendocrine malignancy at a high-volume pancreatic surgery centre. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively managed database of pancreatic resections for metastatic disease or primary non-pancreatic, non-neuroendocrine tumours at a single institution. Data collected and analysed included patient demographics, operative details and peri-operative outcomes, subsequent survival and mode of recurrence. Results Records of 711 patients who underwent pancreatic resection were examined. 21 consecutive patients met the inclusion criteria, representing 3% of the unit’s throughput. The perioperative morbidity and mortality were 33% and 0% respectively. Overall survival was 86months (95%CI 63-107) for renal cell carcinoma and 64months for other tumours. Conclusions When coupled with the low morbidity and mortality rates of a high-volume pancreatic surgery centre using careful patient selection, pancreatic metastectomy has the potential to result in good long-term survival. Recent improvement in the efficacy of systemic therapies, particularly for renal cell carcinoma and melanoma contribute to the utility of resection and to the improved survival of patients.

Elderly with refractory chronic severe hyponatremia and anesthesia management dilemma: a case report with literature review

Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte disorder, especially in the frail elderly population. With the increasing number of surgeries in the aging population, hyponatremia is frequently encountered by anesthesiologists and surgeons. Unfortunately, management of hyponatremia is often complex in the elderly population as it is often multifactorial, and they are physiologically susceptible. While it is well known that preoperative hyponatremia is associated with increased perioperative morbidity and mortality, a lack of recommendations or guidelines adds to the dilemma in managing such cases. The most common cause of chronic hyponatremia in the elderly is the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), which can be resistant to conventional treatment. On the other hand, paraneoplastic SIADH leading to hyponatremia is rare, and surgery may be the only option available for its correction. We present a case of a 78- years-gentleman to highlight such a dilemma. He was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma and had chronic refractory severe hyponatremia despite treatment with fluid restriction, low dose hydrocortisone, tolvaptan, and 3% sodium chloride.