Real-world accuracy of computed tomography in patients admitted with small bowel obstruction: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common surgical emergency. Previous studies have shown the value computed tomography (CT) scanning in both confirming this diagnosis and identifying indications for urgent surgical intervention, such as strangulated bowel or closed loop obstructions. However, most of the literature is based on retrospective expert review of previous imaging and little data regarding the real-time accuracy of CT reporting is available. Here, we investigated the real-world accuracy of CT reporting in patients admitted with SBO. METHODS: This was a multicentre prospective study including consecutive patients admitted with SBO. The primary outcomes were the sensitivity and specificity of CT scanning for bowel obstruction with ischaemia and closed loop obstruction. Data were retrieved from the original CT reports written by on-call radiologists and compared with operative findings. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-six patients were included, all of whom underwent CT scanning with intravenous contrast followed by operative management of SBO. Bowel obstruction with ischaemia was noted in 20 patients, with a sensitivity and specificity of CT scanning of 40.0% and 85.5%, respectively. Closed loop obstructions were noted in 26 patients, with a sensitivity and specificity of CT scanning of 23.1% and 98.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The real-world accuracy of CT scanning appears to be lower than previously reported in the literature. Strategies to address this could include the development of standardised reporting schemas and to increase the surgeon's own familiarity with relevant CT features in patients admitted with SBO.

Management and short-term outcomes of patients with small bowel obstruction in Denmark: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

AIMS: The optimal management of small bowel obstruction (SBO) remains a matter of debate and treatment varies internationally. In Denmark, a more surgically aggressive strategy has traditionally been used, but to what extent patient outcomes differ from international reports is unknown. This study aimed to describe the current management and outcomes of patients admitted with SBO in Denmark. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study conducted at six acute hospitals in Denmark over a 4-month period. Patients aged ≥ 18 years with a clinical or radiological diagnosis of SBO were eligible. Primary outcomes were 30 day morbidity and mortality rates. RESULTS: 316 patients were included during the study period. The median age was 72 years and 56% were female. Diagnosis was made by computed tomography (CT) in 313 patients (99.1%), with the remaining three diagnosed clinically. Non-operative management was the initial strategy in 152 patients (48.1%) and successful in 119 (78.3%). Urgent surgery was performed in the remaining 164 (51.9%), with a laparoscopic approach used in 84 patients (51.2%). The entire cohort had a 30 day mortality rate of 7.3% and a 30 day morbidity rate of 17.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The management of SBO in Denmark differs markedly to previous international reports, with an almost ubiquitous use of CT for diagnosis and a high proportion of patients undergoing urgent surgery. Despite higher rates of surgery, patient outcomes are broadly similar to reports of more conservative strategies, perhaps due to a reduction in delayed operations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: NCT04750811. Trial registration date: 11/02/2021.

Female gender is a risk factor for pain, discomfort, and fatigue after laparoscopic groin hernia repair.

PURPOSE: Female gender is a risk factor for early pain after several specific surgical procedures but has not been studied in detail after laparoscopic groin hernia repair. The aim of this study was to compare early postoperative pain, discomfort, fatigue, and nausea and vomiting between genders undergoing laparoscopic groin hernia repair. METHODS: Prospective consecutive enrollment of women and age-matched (± 1 year) and uni-/bilateral hernia-matched male patients undergoing elective transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair (TAPP). Patients in the two groups received a similar anesthetic, surgical, and analgesic treatment protocol. RESULTS: Between August 2009 and August 2010, 25 women and 25 men undergoing elective TAPP were prospectively included in the analysis (n = 50) with no significant difference between groups in psychological status regarding anxiety, depression, and catastrophizing. On day 0, women had significantly more pain during rest (p = 0.015) and coughing (p = 0.012), discomfort (p = 0.001), and fatigue (0.020) compared with men. Additionally, cumulative overall postoperative pain during coughing, discomfort, and fatigue on day 0-3 was significantly higher in women compared with men (all p values < 0.05). Women required significantly more opioids (p = 0.015) and had a significantly higher incidence of vomiting on days 0 and 1 (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Women experienced more pain, discomfort, and fatigue compared with men after laparoscopic groin hernia repair. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number NCT00962338 ( www.clinicaltrials.gov ).

Randomized clinical trial of dexamethasone versus placebo in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: The effect of dexamethasone on recovery and length of convalescence has not been evaluated in patients after laparoscopic groin hernia repair. It was hypothesized that preoperative intravenous dexamethasone would reduce postoperative pain. METHODS: Men undergoing transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair were randomized to receive either a single intravenous dose of 8 mg dexamethasone or placebo (saline) 30-60 min before operation in a randomized double-blind trial. Patients in the two groups received similar standardized anaesthesia and analgesic regimens. The primary outcome measure was pain during coughing on postoperative day 1. Secondary outcomes were postoperative discomfort, fatigue and length of convalescence. Pain scores, discomfort and fatigue were recorded before surgery and daily on postoperative days 0-3 in a standard manner using visual analogue, verbal rating and numerical rating scales. The use of analgesics and antiemetics on the day of operation was recorded. The duration of time away from work and leisure activities was registered. RESULTS: The study enrolled 80 patients. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding postoperative pain, need for analgesia, discomfort, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or length of convalescence. Patients who received placebo used significantly more antiemetics in the postanaesthesia care unit (PACU) than patients in the dexamethasone group (P = 0.026). CONCLUSION: A single preoperative dose of 8 mg dexamethasone before laparoscopic groin hernia repair had no clinical effect on early postoperative pain, discomfort or fatigue after TAPP inguinal hernia repair, but resulted in a significantly lower use of antiemetics in the PACU.

Early pain after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. A qualitative systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Early post-operative pain after laparoscopic groin hernia repair may, as in other laparoscopic operations, have its own individual pain pattern and patient-related predictors of early pain. The purpose of this review was to characterise pain within the first post-operative week after transabdominal pre-peritoneal repair (TAPP) and total extraperitoneal repair (TEP), and to identify patient-related predictors of early pain. METHODS: A qualitative systematic review was conducted. Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane database were searched for studies on early pain (first week) after TAPP or TEP. RESULTS: We included 71 eligible studies with 14,023 patients. Post-operative pain is most severe on day 0 and mainly on a level of 13-58 mm on a visual analogue scale and decreases to low levels on day 3. There seems to be no difference in pain intensity and duration when TEP and TAPP are compared. Deep abdominal pain (i.e. groin pain/visceral pain) dominates over superficial pain (i.e. somatic pain) and shoulder pain (i.e. referred pain) after TAPP. Predictors of early pain are young age and pre-operative high pain response to experimental heat stimulation. Furthermore, evidence supported early pain intensity as a predictive risk factor of chronic pain after laparoscopic groin hernia repair. CONCLUSION: Early pain within the first week after TAPP and TEP is most severe on the first post-operative day, and the pain pattern is dominated by deep abdominal pain. Early post-operative pain is most intense in younger patients and can be predicted by pre-operative high pain response to experimental heat stimulation.