Peri-operative outcome for day-case laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair.

This study documents the results obtained in 30 day patients undergoing open hernia repair under local infiltration block with patient-controlled sedation (group A) and 29 day patients undergoing laparoscopic hernia repair under general anaesthesia (group B). The mean operating time was less in group A (44.8 min) compared with group B (66.6 min) (p < 0.0001). Similarly, stage 1 recovery room times were longer in group B (98.1 min) than group A (45.1 min) (p < 0.0001). Time to discharge for group A (139.1 min) was significantly shorter than group B (224.2 min) (p < 0.002), with more peri-operative complications occurring in group B and greater analgesic requirements. An open inguinal hernia repair under local infiltration block is the optimal approach for unilateral non-recurrent herniae as a day surgical procedure. These results have important cost and efficiency implications

Thirty years experience with heart valve surgery: isolated mitral valve replacement

Journal compilation © 2009 Royal Australasian College of SurgeonsBackgroundThirty years have elapsed since the commencement of open-heart surgery in South Australia. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate mortality and complication rates and to identify factors associated with poor outcomes in all patients who underwent prosthetic mitral valve replacement during this period.MethodsQuestionnaires and personal contact have been used to generate a combined database of pre-operative and post-operative information and long-term follow-up on 938 patients who underwent isolated prosthetic mitral valve replacement at the Cardio-Thoracic Surgical Unit of the Royal Adelaide Hospital between 1963 and 1993.ResultsComplete survival follow-up data were obtained for 92% (865) of the patients. The Starr-Edwards valve was used in 95% (891) of the patients, a Bjork-Shiley prosthesis in 2.5% (23) of the patients, and only 24 (2.5%) other valves were inserted. The hospital mortality rate for the 30-year period was 4.7%. The mean age of the patients who underwent surgery was greater in each of the three successive decades. A long-term survival advantage was observed for patients with mitral stenosis, however, survival was significantly shorter for patients with higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classifications and for patients in pre-operative atrial fibrillation. Pre-operative dyspnoea was significantly improved following mitral valve replacement. The rates of postoperative haemorrhagic and embolic complications were low by comparison with other published series.ConclusionMitral valve recipients do not regain a normalized life expectancy, but risk factors that determine long-term survival can be identified pre-operatively to aid appropriate patient selection.Justin R. Bessell , Georgina Gower, David R. Craddock, John Stubberfield and Guy J. Madder