Results of redo pulmonary metastasectomy

: Repeat surgical resection (redo) for pulmonary metastases is a questionable, albeit intriguing topic. We performed an extensive review of the literature, to specifically analyze results of redo pulmonary metastasectomies. We reviewed a total of 3,523 papers. Among these, 2,019 were excluded for redundancy and 1,105 because they were not completely retrievable. Out of 399 eligible papers, 183 had missing information or missing abstract, while 96 lacked data on survival. A total of 120 papers dated from 1991 onwards were finally included. Data regarding mortality, major morbidity, prognostic factors and long-term survivals of the first redo pulmonary metastasectomies were retrieved and analyzed. Homogeneity of data was affected by the lack of guidelines for redo pulmonary metastasectomy and the risks of bias when comparing different studies has to be considered. According to the histology sub-types, redo metastasectomies papers were grouped as: colorectal (n=42), sarcomas (n=36), others (n=20) and all histologies (n=22); the total number of patients was 3,015. Data about chemotherapy were reported in half of the papers, whereas targeted or immunotherapy in 9. None of these associated therapies, except chemotherapy in two records, did significantly modify outcomes. Disease-free interval before the redo procedure was the prevailing prognostic factor and nearly all papers showed a significant correlation between patients' comorbidities and prognosis. No perioperative mortality was reported, while perioperative major morbidity was overall quite low. Where available, overall survival after the first redo metastasectomy ranged from 10 to 72 months, with a 5-years survival of approximately 50%. The site of first recurrence after the redo procedure was mainly lung. Despite the data retrievable from literature are heterogeneous and confounding, we can state that redo lung metastasectomy is worthwhile when the lesions are resectable and the perioperative risk is low. At present, there are no "non-surgical" therapeutic options to replace redo pulmonary metastasectomies

Autologous Cells for Kidney Bioengineering.

Worldwide, increasing numbers of patients are developing end-stage renal disease, and at present, the only treatment options are dialysis or kidney transplantation. Dialysis is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, poor life quality and high economic costs. Transplantation is by far the better option, but there are insufficient numbers of donor kidneys available. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore alternative approaches. In this review, we discuss how this problem could potentially be addressed by using autologous cells and appropriate scaffolds to develop 'bioengineered' kidneys for transplantation. In particular, we will highlight recent breakthroughs in pluripotent stem cell biology that have led to the development of autologous renal progenitor cells capable of differentiating to all renal cell types and will discuss how these cells could be combined with appropriate scaffolds to develop a bioengineered kidney

Molecular Pathways Underlying Adaptive Repair of the Injured Kidney: Novel Donation After Cardiac Death and Acute Kidney Injury Platforms

International audienceObjective: To test the hypothesis that gene expression profiling in peripheral blood from patients who have undergone kidney transplantation (KT) will provide mechanistic insights regarding graft repair and regeneration.Background: Renal grafts obtained from living donors (LD) typically function immediately, whereas organs from donation after cardiac death (DCD) or acute kidney injury (AKI) donors may experience delayed function with eventual recovery. Thus, recipients of LD, DCD, and AKI kidneys were studied to provide a more complete understanding of the molecular basis for renal recovery.Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from LD and DCD/AKI recipients before transplant and throughout the first 30 days thereafter. Total RNA was isolated and assayed on whole genome microarrays.Results: Comparison of longitudinal gene expression between LD and AKI/DCD revealed 2 clusters, representing 141 differentially expressed transcripts. A subset of 11 transcripts was found to be differentially expressed in AKI/DCD versus LD. In all recipients, the most robust gene expression changes were observed in the first day after transplantation. After day 1, gene expression profiles differed depending upon the source of the graft. In patients receiving LD grafts, the expression of most genes did not remain markedly elevated beyond the first day post-KT. In the AKI/DCD groups, elevations in gene expression were maintained for at least 5 days post-KT. In all recipients, the pattern of coordinate gene overexpression subsided by 28 to 30 days.Conclusions: Gene expression in peripheral blood of AKI/DCD recipients offers a novel platform to understand the potential mechanisms and timing of kidney repair and regeneration after transplantation

Prolonged higher dose methylprednisolone vs. conventional dexamethasone in COVID-19 pneumonia: a randomised controlled trial (MEDEAS)

Dysregulated systemic inflammation is the primary driver of mortality in severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Current guidelines favor a 7-10-day course of any glucocorticoid equivalent to dexamethasone 6 mg·day-1. A comparative RCT with a higher dose and a longer duration of intervention was lacking

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