Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Meckel’s diverticulum complicated with gastro-intestinal stromal tumor: Case report

Introduction: Meckel’s diverticulum is a common congenital anomaly, mostly asymptomatic. Tumors may arise rarely in these diverticulae. We claim presenting a new problem to the medical staff in Egypt. Case presentation: We report a case of a 49 year old male patient who attended our center with pelvic mass insinuated between the bladder and the rectum. On exploration the mass was found arising at the tip of a Meckel’s diverticulum, Gastro-intestinal stromal tumor (GIST) was confirmed by pathology. Discussion: In review of recently published cases most of these tumors were presented with vague abdominal pain as in our case. Tumors were treated by resection with or without adjuvant Imatinib. Conclusion: Surgeons and oncologists should bear in mind this rare diagnosis and know how to treat it

Epidemiology and survival of colon cancer among Egyptians: a retrospective study

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the 4th commonest cancer in the world. Studies had shown different tumor behavior depending on the site, pathology and stage. However the characters of Egyptian colon cancer patients are not well addressed. Method: Computerized registry of a tertiary cancer hospital in Egypt was searched for colon cancer cases. Demographic, pathologic and treatment data were collected and analyzed using SPSS program. Results: About 360 colon cancer patients attended our center in the last 12 years. Tumor characters showed great diverse from that of developed countries, with especially different prognosis and survival. Conclusion: Egyptians have unique tumor characters and behavior, and different compliance with treatment regimens. Multicenter prospective studies, as well as evolving Egyptian treatment guidelines are needed to address this. Resumo: Introdução: Câncer colorretal é a quarta neoplasia mais comum a nível mundial. Estudos demonstraram diferentes comportamentos do tumor, dependendo do local, da patologia e do estágio. Contudo, ainda não estão devidamente definidas as características dos pacientes egípcios com câncer de cólon. Métodos: Foi realizada pesquisa no registro computadorizado de um hospital terciário para pacientes com câncer, à busca de casos de câncer de cólon. Foi feita coleta de dados demográficos, patológicos e terapêuticos. Tais dados foram então submetidos à análise com o programa SPSS. Resultados: Nos últimos 12 anos, cerca de 360 pacientes portadores de câncer de cólon foram atendidos em nosso Centro. As características dos tumores demonstraram grandes diferenças em comparação com os achados de países desenvolvidos e, em especial, com relação ao prognóstico e à sobrevida. Conclusão: Os egípcios exibem características e comportamentos singulares com relação aos tumores, além de diferentes graus de cooperação com os regimes terapêuticos. Para que tais aspectos sejam sanados, há necessidade de mais estudos prospectivos multicêntricos, bem como de um aprimoramento das diretrizes terapêuticas para os egípcios. Keywords: Colon cancer, Registry, Incidence, Survival, Recurrence, Palavras-chave: Câncer de cólon, Registro, Incidência, Sobrevida, Recorrênci