Evaluating the Accuracy, Comprehensiveness, and Validity of ChatGPT Compared to Evidence-Based Sources Regarding Common Surgical Conditions: Surgeons' Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and validity of ChatGPT compared to evidence-based sources regarding the diagnosis and management of common surgical conditions by surveying the perceptions of U.S. board-certified practicing surgeons. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was distributed to U.S. practicing surgeons from June 2023 to March 2024. The survey comprised 94 multiple-choice questions evaluating diagnostic and management information for five common surgical conditions from evidence-based sources or generated by ChatGPT. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests. RESULTS: Participating surgeons were primarily aged 40-50 years (43%), male (86%), White (57%), and had 5-10 years or >15 years of experience (86%). The majority of surgeons had no prior experience with ChatGPT in surgical practice (86%). For material discussing both acute cholecystitis and upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, evidence-based sources were rated as significantly more comprehensive (3.57 (±.535) vs 2.00 (±1.16), P = .025) (4.14 (±.69) vs 2.43 (±.98), P < .001) and valid (3.71 (±.488) vs 2.86 (±1.07), P = .045) (3.71 (±.76) vs 2.71 (±.95) P = .038) than ChatGPT. However, there was no significant difference in accuracy between the two sources (3.71 vs 3.29, P = .289) (3.57 vs 2.71, P = .111). CONCLUSION: Surveyed U.S. board-certified practicing surgeons rated evidence-based sources as significantly more comprehensive and valid compared to ChatGPT across the majority of surveyed surgical conditions. However, there was no significant difference in accuracy between the sources across the majority of surveyed conditions. While ChatGPT may offer potential benefits in surgical practice, further refinement and validation are necessary to enhance its utility and acceptance among surgeons.

Awakening neural survival mechanisms after stroke: Lipid metabolism in brain-autonomous repair.

In this issue of Neuron, Nakamura et al.1 report the discovery that neuronally secreted phospholipase PLA2G2E releases dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) that generates 15-hydroxy-eicosatrienoic acid (15-HETrE), which in turn induces peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4/PADI4) to elicit neuronal pro-survival and pro-reparative events following ischemic brain injury.

Metabolic activity of osteoarthritic knees correlates with BMI.

Osteoarthritis of the knee has consistently been linked to obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) >30kg/m(2). It has been hypothesized that obesity may lead to osteoarthritis through increased joint pressure, accumulated microtrauma, and disruption of normal chondrocyte metabolism. These changes in chondrocyte metabolism have not been thoroughly investigated, and it is the purpose of this study to identify a relationship between BMI and altered chondrocyte metabolism in osteoarthritic tissue. Articular cartilage was harvested from the femoral condyles of patients after total knee arthroplasty, and analyzed in explant and alginate models. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content was measured using a dimethylmethylene blue assay and normalized to DNA content using a PicoGreen(R) assay. Studies have reported GAGs to be a reliable measurement of chondrocyte metabolism and osteoarthritis progression. Our results show a significant linear relationship of increasing BMI and increasing GAG content in both alginate and explant models (p<0.001 and p=0.001). Obese (BMI>/=30kg/m(2)) and non-obese (BMI<30kg/m(2)) comparisons also demonstrated significant differences with higher GAG/DNA content in obese individuals compared to non-obese (p=0.001 and p=0.015). The study results reveal significant relationships between GAG content and BMI in this population of osteoarthritic patients. The significant difference in GAG content between the obese and non-obese patients supports the connection between osteoarthritis and obesity previously reported. Higher patient BMI (>30kg/m(2)) may be similar to dynamic compression injuries which cause increased GAG synthesis in response to cartilage damage.

The effect of early hyaluronic acid delivery on the development of an acute articular cartilage lesion in a sheep model.

BACKGROUND: Partial-thickness articular cartilage lesions occur with knee trauma and may progress to osteoarthritis. This study evaluates the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid on cartilage healing after acute knee injury in sheep. HYPOTHESIS: Early administration of hyaluronic acid to an acute cartilage injury will prevent chondrocyte death and improve cartilage metabolism. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: A 10 x 10 mm partial-thickness articular cartilage lesion was created on the medial condyle of 16 adult sheep stifles (hindlimbs). Eight sheep received intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections at days 0, 8, and 15, and 8 controls received saline. Contralateral stifles were nonoperated controls. All sheep were sacrificed at 12 weeks after surgery. Synovial fluid was drawn before surgery and after euthanasia for collagen II, nitric oxide, and interleukin-1 beta analysis. The medial condyle was analyzed by gross appearance, confocal laser microscopy for cell viability, histologic analysis for cartilage morphology, and dimethylmethylene blue assay for proteoglycan. RESULTS: At 12 weeks, histologic analysis revealed that the hyaluronic acid group had significantly better scores than the saline group (P = .001). The hyaluronic acid group had significantly greater glycosaminoglycan content than the saline group (P = .011), and showed a trend of reduced chondrocyte death compared with the saline group (P = .07). Synovial fluid showed no significant differences between the groups in collagen II, nitric oxide, and interleukin-1 beta levels. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that early administration of hyaluronic acid shows a significant improvement in cartilage histologic analysis and increased glycosaminoglycan content after acute traumatic cartilage injury. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Early hyaluronic acid treatment for acute partial-thickness articular cartilage lesions may decrease or delay articular degeneration.

Clinical experience with the use of bivalirudin in a large population undergoing endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the use of bivalirudin, a direct thrombin antagonist, compared with unfractionated heparin in endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 1994 and September 2007, 740 consecutive patients (mean age, 75.7 y +/- 7.7; 69 women) underwent elective EVAR for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. Bivalirudin was used in 98 of these 740 (13.2%) and unfractioned heparin was used in the other 642 (86.8%). Complications were classified according to the Society of Vascular Surgery/International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery criteria. Major bleeding was defined as clinically overt blood loss resulting in a decrease of hemoglobin of more than 3 g/dL, any decrease in hemoglobin of more than 4 g/dL, transfusion of 2 U or more of red blood cells, or intracranial or retroperitoneal hemorrhage. RESULTS: Grade 1 major complications were observed in 161 of 642 patients (25.2%) in the heparin group and 12 of 98 patients (12.2%) in the bivalirudin group (P = .0046), whereas the incidences of grade 3 major complications were not significantly different between groups (P = .57). The rate of total complications was higher in the heparin group than in the bivalirudin group (247 of 642 [38.5%] vs 21 of 98 [21.4%]; P = .001). Major bleeding occurred in 10 of 98 patients (10.2%) receiving bivalirudin and in 91 of 642 patients (14.2%) receiving heparin (P = .34). One of 21 major complications (4.76%) in the bivalirudin group and 12 of 247 major complications (4.86%) in the heparin group were attributable to thrombosis (P = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Bivalirudin is a safe and feasible alternative to unfractionated heparin in patients undergoing EVAR.

Fenestrated and branched endografts: why we need them now.

Standard endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has been shown to be associated with significant advantages compared with conventional surgery in the perioperative time frame related to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure. Given the encouraging long-term results of endovascular AAA repair, this method is increasingly applied to patients with complex AAA anatomies. The present article reviews the indications for branched and fenestrated endografts in various aortic pathologic processes.

Matched-pair analysis of endovascular versus open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms in young patients at low risk.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical outcomes of endovascular and open aortic repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in young patients at low risk. It was hypothesized that endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) compares favorably with open aneurysm repair (OAR) in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients aged 65 years or younger with a low perioperative surgical risk profile underwent EVAR at a single institution between April 1994 and May 2007 (23 men; mean age, 62 years+/-2.8). A sex- and risk-matched control group of 25 consecutive patients aged 65 years or younger who underwent OAR was used as a control group (23 men; mean age, 59 years+/-3.9). Patient outcomes and complications were classified according to Society of Vascular Surgery/International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery reporting standards. RESULTS: Mean follow-up times were 7.1 years+/-3.2 after EVAR and 5.9 years+/-1.8 after OAR (P=.1020). Total complication rates were 20% after EVAR and 52% after OAR (P=.0378), and all complications were mild or moderate. Mean intensive care unit times were 0.2 days+/-0.4 after EVAR and 1.1 days+/-0.4 after OAR (P<.0001) and mean lengths of hospital stay were 2.3 days+/-1.0 after EVAR and 5.0 days+/-2.1 after OAR (P<.0001). Cumulative rates of long-term patient survival did not differ between EVAR and OAR (P=.144). No AAA-related deaths or aortoiliac ruptures occurred during follow-up for EVAR and OAR. In addition, no surgical conversions were necessary in EVAR recipients. Cumulative rates of freedom from secondary procedures were not significantly different between the EVAR and OAR groups (P=.418). Within a multivariable Cox proportional-hazards analysis adjusted for patient age, maximum AAA diameter, and cardiac risk score, all-cause mortality rates (odds ratio [OR], 0.125; 95% CI, 0.010-1.493; P=.100) and need for secondary procedures (OR, 5.014; 95% CI, 0.325-77.410; P=.537) were not different between EVAR and OAR. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this observational study indicate that EVAR offers a favorable alternative to OAR in young patients at low risk.