Upper extremity surface electromyography signal changes after laparoscopic training

Introduction: Objective measures of laparoscopic skill in training are lacking. Aim: To evaluate the changes in the surface electromyography (sEMG) signal during laparoscopic training, and to link them to intracorporeal knot tying. Material and methods: Ten right-handed medical students (6 female), aged 25 ±0.98, without training in laparoscopy, were enrolled in the study. With no additional training, they tied intracorporeal single knots for 15 min. Then underwent laparoscopic training and redid the knot tying exercise. During both events, sEMG was recorded from 8 measurement points on the upper extremities and neck bilaterally. We analyzed changes in sEMG resulting from training and tried to find sEMG predictive parameters for higher technical competence defined by the number of knots tied after the training. Results: The average number of knots increased after the training. Significant decreases in activity after the training were visible for the non-dominant hand deltoid and trapezius muscles. Dominant and non-dominant hands had different activation patterns. Differences largely disappeared after the training. All muscles, except for the dominant forearm and non-dominant thenar, produced a negative correlation between their activities and the number of tied knots. The strongest anticorrelation occurred for the non-dominant deltoid (r = –0.863, p < 0.05). Relatively strong relationships were identified in the case of the non-dominant trapezius and forearm muscles (r = –0.587, r = –0.504). Conclusions: At least for some muscle groups there is a change in activation patterns after laparoscopic training. Proximal muscle groups tend to become more relaxed and the distal ones become more active. Changes in the non-dominant hand are more pronounced than in the dominant hand

Calculation of second-order effects in columns – applications and examples

Standard PN-EN 1992-1-1 for designing reinforced concrete structures gives a major priority to the issues relating to second-order effects, but presents in detail only two approximate calculation methods: the nominal stiffness method and the nominal curvature method. As regards the general method, only certain requirements and suggestions are provided. In typical situations, when the appropriate assumptions are satisfied, the approximate methods yield satisfactory results. However, in engineering practice one can come across several cases (e.g. very tall columns, columns with a cantilever for a gantry girder, and floor joists) in which the approximate methods will prove unreliable. This paper presents and discusses a procedural algorithm for analysing second-order effects using the general method. The algorithm is employed to perform exemplary calculations and their results are compared with the results yielded by the approximate methods commonly used by engineers. Moreover, areas in which the approximate methods can be unreliable are indicated. The analyses have confirmed the significant advantage of the general method over the approximate methods. Therefore it is worth popularizing this method, the more so that its calculation procedures can be to a large extent automated and dedicated computer programs can be developed

How to improve the adenoma detection rate in colorectal cancer screening? Clinical factors and technological advancements

Introduction: Colonoscopy has been widely regarded as the gold standard in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Within recent years different endoscopic imaging techniques have been introduced to improve the quality of colonoscopy. The adenoma detection rate (ADR) is the single most important quality indicator for colonoscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of CRC screening expressed by ADR in two different eras of endoscopic technology advancement. Material and methods: We conducted a dual-center study that enrolled 24 055 patients, who underwent colonoscopy as part of a national screening program. Patients were sorted into two groups according to the advancement of endoscopic equipment used for colonoscopic examination: group I - 10 405 patients examined between 2004 and 2008 (standard electronic endoscopes); group II - 13 650 patients examined between 2009 and 2014 (modern endoscopes). The ADR in two different eras and the impact of endoscopic novelties were determined. Results: The ADR in group I was 29.14%, in group II 31.73% (p < 0.001). The overall ADR was 30.88% - 38.80% and 25.95% (p < 0.001) for the male and female patients, respectively. The mean adenoma number per colonoscopy was 0.366 (95% CI: 0.357-0.375; p < 0.001), 0.337 (0.321-0.352) and 0.380 (0.369-0.392) for patients in group I and group II, respectively. Conclusions: Our study shows that technological innovation, novel endoscopy devices and diagnostic techniques improve the quality in CRC screening by increasing the ADR. However, we need to determine which of the technologies are supreme to achieve excellence in colorectal cancer screening

Surgical interventions in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 : a review of seven months of experience working in a COVID-19 dedicated centre

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made changes to the traditional way of performing surgical consultations. The aim of the present study was to assess the need for surgical care performed by various surgical specialties among patients infected with COVID-19 hospitalized in a COVID-19 dedicated hospital. All surgical consultations performed for patients infected with COVID-19 in a COVID dedicated hospital in a seven month period were evaluated. Data on demographics, surgical specialty, consult reason, procedure performed, and whether it was a standard face to face or teleconsultation were gathered. Out of 2359 COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital in the seven month period, 229 (9.7%) required surgical care. Out of those 108 consultations that did not lead to surgery, 71% were managed by telemedicine. A total of 36 patients were operated on while suffering from COVID-19. Out of them, only three patients admitted primarily for COVID-19 pneumonia underwent emergency surgery. The overall mortality among those operated on was 16.7%. Conclusions: Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 may require surgical care from various surgical specialties, especially during peaks of the pandemic. However, they rarely require a surgical procedure and only occasionally require major surgery. A significant portion of potentially surgical problems could be managed by teleconsultations

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication in the treatment of Barrett's esophagus : 10 years of experience

INTRODUCTION: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a state in which the distal portion of esophageal mucosa becomes lined with cylindrical epithelium as a result of adaptive remodeling. It is widely accepted that the metaplastic lesions result from chronic irritation with gastric and/or duodenal contents in the course of reflux disease. For many years, research centered on the risk factors of BE and resulting adenocarcinoma. Anti-reflux operations are the only procedures which offer the possibility of treating the cause by restoring the anatomic barrier responsible for guarding against irritating effects of gastroduodenal content on the distal esophagus. Total (i.e. 360°) laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) is considered the most effective amongst these procedures. Still, controversies related to the indications for anti-reflux surgery are frequently encountered. AIM: Retrospective analysis of long-term treatment outcomes in patients with BE subjected to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The group included 42 BE patients, amongst them 30 men and 12 women. Initially, all the patients were treated conservatively for at least 1 year. The subgroup with dysplasia was subjected to preoperative argon plasma coagulation (APC). From 1 year after surgery (laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication), control biopsy specimens were obtained from the gastroesophageal junction of all the patients. RESULTS: None of the patients showed the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma during the follow-up period. Furthermore, no cases of dysplasia progression or de novo development of dysplasia were observed in the analyzed group. In the initial 12-24 months after surgery, complete regression of metaplasia was documented in 7 (31.8%) patients from group A, and a reduction in the area of Barrett's metaplasia was observed in another 7 patients (31.8%). Throughout the period of this study, persistent planoepithelial re-epithelialization was observed in 14 (70%) group B patients, i.e. in individuals with baseline dysplasia subjected to preoperative argon plasma ablation. In the remaining patients of this group, the developed changes of BE character were less advanced than at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our opinion is that laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, as a result of high effectiveness, represents the method of choice in the treatment of BE in the case of patients who were qualified for surgery

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients-single center early experience

Background: In recent years, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has become one of the most commonly used primary bariatric procedures for morbid obesity. While laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) has well documented positive clinical influence on type 2 diabetes, the role of LSG in diabetes treatment is debatable. The main aim of this study is to present our early experience in LSG as a method of bariatric treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes or abnormalities in glucose homeostasis. Methods: Prospectively collected data of patients operated for morbid obesity at the 2nd Department of Surgery. The study was designed to assess the influence of LSG on type 2 diabetes and glucose homeostasis. The primary endpoint was the diabetes type 2 remission. Secondary endpoint was the change of glucose metabolism parameters after LSG. Patients were assessed preoperatively and allocated to two groups: group 1—with any preoperative abnormalities in glucose homeostasis (prediabetes, diabetes) and group 2—with non-elevated fasting glucose level. During follow-up (6 months after surgery) all glucose homeostasis parameters were analyzed again. One hundred and thirty-six patients after LSG were enrolled in the study (90 females, 46 males; mean age 40.5±9.9 years). Preoperative abnormalities in glucose homeostasis were confirmed in 64 (47%) patients. Twenty (15%) patients in this group had diabetes. Results: We observed significant reduction of body mass index (BMI) after surgery. Mean percent of EBMIL for all groups after 6 months from surgery was 59.90% (46.75–69.28%). There were no full remissions after surgery in patients with preoperative diabetes. We found significant improvement in biochemical markers of glucose homeostasis. We observed significant reduction of HbA1c% after surgery in both groups. The level of postoperative HbA1c% was related to BMI loss after surgery. Conclusions: LSG leads to significant improvement in biochemical glucose homeostasis and can be considered as a method of treatment in morbidly obese patients with glucose metabolism abnormalities. LSG as a method of treatment for patients with clinical type 2 diabetes still needs some further observation