Breast Cancer Management Timelines in a Tertiary Care Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Makkah City, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent form of cancer and a leading cause of death among women worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, it accounted for 31.8% among females of all new cancer cases reported in 2018. Following the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, there was a complete redistribution of healthcare resources to face this crisis, which caused a significant delay in the management of various diseases, including BC. There is currently a lack of research in our region on the facility time interval in BC management. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap by determining the timelines of diagnosis, management, and factors influencing the delay. METHODS: This observational retrospective study included all female patients diagnosed with BC at or referred to King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2020 and August 2021. The data for this study were obtained from a centralized electronic chart review of all included patients at the KAMC center. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 50 ± 11 years. In terms of the disease management duration, 20 patients (26.3%) completed their management within 30 days, 28 patients (36.8%) had a management duration between 31 and 60 days, and the management duration of 28 patients (36.8%) exceeded 60 days. Patient deposition showed a significant association with delay (p = 0.033). A higher incidence of delays at the initiation of treatment was observed in patients who failed to attend appointments (p < 0.001). Among patients who skipped two or more appointments, 12 individuals (80%) experienced a delay of more than 60 days. Moreover, appointment cancellation was associated with delayed treatment initiation (p = 0.03). Patients' age and comorbidity showed no significant association (p = 0.49, p = 0.24, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the significant impact of patient deposition and canceled or skipped appointments on delayed initiation of therapy for BC patients. Further research should be conducted to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on other malignancies.

Benign Breast Disease in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Analytical Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction The most frequent reason for visiting breast clinics is benign breast disease (BBD), which accounts for 90% of all breast-related presentations globally. It is widespread among women of childbearing age, peaking between the ages of 30 and 50. However, owing to the lack of studies on BBD compared with breast cancer in Saudi Arabia, this study aimed to assess the common patterns of BBD and factors associated with the frequency of fibroadenoma (FA) occurrence. Methodology A retrospective analytical study was carried out at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from May to August 2022. The sample was all patients who attended the breast and endocrine unit from January 2015 to December 2020. Results This study included 222 of 367 patients who had BBD. Of them, 42.3% were aged 31-45 years, with a mean age of 36.71 ± 12.48 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.45 ± 6.69 kg/m2, and the mean tumor size was 4.22 ± 4.9 mm. Conclusion Fibroadenoma among BBD types is the most common lesion in the studied population. This study established the baseline pattern of BBD in a specialized hospital in Makkah.

Hereditary Multiple Intestinal Atresia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Hereditary multiple intestinal atresia (HMIA) is a rare form of intestinal atresia that affects the gastrointestinal tract from the pylorus to the rectum. A few cases have been reported in the literature. Here, we report the case of a three-day-old girl who was referred to our hospital as a case of upper intestinal obstruction. After initial resuscitation, the radiological examination revealed pyloric obstruction, multiple intra-abdominal calcifications, and rectal atresia making the diagnosis of HMIA most likely. Exploratory laparotomy revealed multiple intestinal atresia, the first started at the pylorus, the second was at the level of the duodenojejunal junction, and there were also multiple small bowel atresias. The colon was a cord-like structure, and there was rectal atresia. Multiple resections of the atretic intestinal segment followed by multiple anastomoses, terminal ileostomy, and the use of a trans-anastomotic tube were performed. In this study, the clinical picture, radiological findings, and management are described and compared to the findings reported in the literature.

Program Directors' Selection Criteria for General Surgery and Internal Medicine Residency Programs: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and aims General surgery is a specialty that calls for a variety of abilities such as strong hand-eye coordination, the ability to function well under pressure, and the ability to make quick, informed decisions. On the other hand, internal medicine focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing adult non-surgical disorders. The present study aims to investigate the commonly used selection criteria employed by program directors (PDs) for general surgery and internal medicine residency programs. It also identifies how PDs value those criteria in the western and central regions of Saudi Arabia. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire adopted from the literature and modified following expert opinion. It was distributed to PDs in both the central and the western regions of Saudi Arabia. Results In total, 34 PDs completed the questionnaire, of which 32 (94.1%) were men. The mean age of participants was 42.53 ± 5.05 years; 21 (61.8%) PDs were general surgeons, and 47.1% were from the Jeddah region. Conclusion The study showed that the most selected criterion for both specialties was communication skills followed by clinical rotation in the same hospital; leadership skills were also highly considered by PDs.