Innovative integration of lung ultrasound and wearable monitoring for predicting pulmonary complications in colorectal surgery:A prospective study

BACKGROUND Postoperative pulmonary complications(PPCs)are common in patients who undergo colorectal surgery.Studies have focused on how to accurately diagnose and reduce the incidence of PPCs.Lung ultrasound has been proven to be useful in preoperative monitoring and postoperative care after cardiopulmonary surgery.However,lung ultrasound has not been studied in abdominal surgeries and has not been used with wearable devices to evaluate the influence of postoperative ambulation on the incidence of PPCs.AIM To investigate the relationship between lung ultrasound scores,PPCs,and postoperative physical activity levels in patients who underwent colorectal surgery.METHODS In this prospective observational study conducted from November 1,2019 to August 1,2020,patients who underwent colorectal surgery underwent daily bedside ultrasonography from the day before surgery to postoperative day(POD)5.Lung ultrasound scores and PPCs were recorded and analyzed to investigate their relationship.Pedometer bracelets measured the daily movement distance for 5 days post-surgery,and the correlation between postoperative activity levels and lung ultrasound scores was examined.RESULTS Thirteen cases of PPCs was observed in the cohort of 101 patients.The mean(standard deviation)peak lung ultrasound score was 5.32(2.52).Patients with a lung ultrasound score of≥6 constituted the high-risk group.High-risk lung ultrasound scores were associated with an increased incidence of PPCs after colorectal surgery(logistic regression coefficient,1.715;odds ratio,5.556).Postoperative movement distance was negatively associated with the lung ultrasound scores[Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient(r),-0.356,P<0.05].CONCLUSION Lung ultrasound effectively evaluates pulmonary condition post-colorectal surgery.Early ambulation and respiratory exercises in the initial two PODs will reduce PPCs and optimize postoperative care in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Predicting short-term major postoperative complications in intestinal resection for Crohn’s disease:A machine learning-based study

BACKGROUND Due to the complexity and numerous comorbidities associated with Crohn’s disease(CD),the incidence of postoperative complications is high,significantly impacting the recovery and prognosis of patients.Consequently,additional stu-dies are required to precisely predict short-term major complications following intestinal resection(IR),aiding surgical decision-making and optimizing patient care.AIM To construct novel models based on machine learning(ML)to predict short-term major postoperative complications in patients with CD following IR.METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data derived from a patient cohort that underwent IR for CD from January 2017 to December 2022.The study participants were randomly allocated to either a training cohort or a validation cohort.The logistic regression and random forest(RF)were applied to construct models in the training cohort,with model discrimination evaluated using the area under the curves(AUC).The validation cohort assessed the performance of the constructed models.RESULTS Out of the 259 patients encompassed in the study,5.0%encountered major postoperative complications(Clavien-Dindo≥III)within 30 d following IR for CD.The AUC for the logistic model was 0.916,significantly lower than the AUC of 0.965 for the RF model.The logistic model incorporated a preoperative CD activity index(CDAI)of≥220,a diminished preoperative serum albumin level,conversion to laparotomy surgery,and an extended operation time.A nomogram for the logistic model was plotted.Except for the surgical approach,the other three variables ranked among the top four important variables in the novel ML model.CONCLUSION Both the nomogram and RF exhibited good performance in predicting short-term major postoperative complic-ations in patients with CD,with the RF model showing more superiority.A preoperative CDAI of≥220,a di-minished preoperative serum albumin level,and an extended operation time might be the most crucial variables.The findings of this study can assist clinicians in identifying patients at a higher risk for complications and offering personalized perioperative management to enhance patient outcomes.

Acute worsening of microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus during rapid glycemic control:The pathobiology and therapeutic implications

While chronic hyperglycaemia resulting from poorly controlled diabetes mellitus(DM)is a well-known precursor to complications such as diabetic retinopathy,neuropathy(including autonomic neuropathy),and nephropathy,a paradoxical intensification of these complications can rarely occur with aggressive glycemic management resulting in a rapid reduction of glycated haemoglobin.Although,acute onset or worsening of retinopathy and treatment induced neuropathy of diabetes are more common among these complications,rarely other problems such as albuminuria,diabetic kidney disease,Charcot’s neuroarthropathy,gastroparesis,and urinary bladder dysfunction are also encountered.The World Journal of Diabetes recently published a rare case of all these complications,occurring in a young type 1 diabetic female intensely managed during pregnancy,as a case report by Huret et al.It is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the pathobiology,prevalence,predisposing factors,and management strategies for acute onset,or worsening of microvascular complications when rapid glycemic control is achieved,which serves to alleviate patient morbidity,enhance disease management compliance,and possibly to avoid medico-legal issues around this rare clinical problem.This editorial delves into the dynamics surrounding the acute exacerbation of microvascular complications in poorly controlled DM during rapid glycaemic control.

Can serious postoperative complications in patients with Crohn’s disease be predicted using machine learning?

The routine introduction of novel anti-inflammatory therapies into the mana-gement algorithms of patients with Crohn’s disease over the last 2 decades has not substantially changed the likelihood of ultimate surgery.Rather it has delayed the operative need and altered the presentation phenotype.The prospect of complic-ations continues to remain high in this modern era but depending upon the cohort assessed,it remains difficult to make strict comparisons between individual spe-cialist centres.Those patients who present rather late after their diagnosis with a septic complication like an intra-abdominal abscess and a penetrating/fistulizing pattern of disease are more likely to have a complicated course particularly if they have clinical features such as difficult percutaneous access to the collection or multilocularity both of which can make preoperative drainage unsuccessful.Eq-ually,those cases with extensive adhesions where an initial laparoscopic approach needs open conversion and where there is an extended operative time,unsur-prisingly will suffer more significant complications that impact their length of hospital stay.The need for a protective stoma also introduces its own derivative costs,utilizing a range of health resources as well as resulting in important alte-rations in quality of life outcomes.Having established the parameters of the pro-blem can the statistical analysis of the available data identify high-risk cases,promote the notion of centralization of specialist services or improve the allo-cation of disease-specific health expenditure?

Machine learning in predicting postoperative complications in Crohn’s disease

Crohn's disease(CD)is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of unknown origin that can cause significant disability and morbidity with its progression.Due to the unique nature of CD,surgery is often necessary for many patients during their lifetime,and the incidence of postoperative complications is high,which can affect the prognosis of patients.Therefore,it is essential to identify and manage post-operative complications.Machine learning(ML)has become increasingly im-portant in the medical field,and ML-based models can be used to predict post-operative complications of intestinal resection for CD.Recently,a valuable article titled“Predicting short-term major postoperative complications in intestinal resection for Crohn's disease:A machine learning-based study”was published by Wang et al.We appreciate the authors'creative work,and we are willing to share our views and discuss them with the authors.

Influencing factors and preventive measures of infectious complications after intestinal resection for Crohn’s disease

The incidence of Crohn’s disease(CD)has increased in recent years,with most patients requiring intestinal resection.Complications after intestinal resection for CD can lead to poor prognosis and recurrence,among which infectious complic-ations are the most common.This study aimed to investigate the common risk factors,including medications,preoperative nutritional status,surgery-related factors,microorganisms,lesion location and type,and so forth,causing infectious complications after intestinal resection for CD,and to propose corresponding preventive measures.The findings provided guidance for identifying suscept-ibility factors and the early intervention and prevention of infectious complic-ations after intestinal resection for CD in clinical practice.

Machine learning as a tool predicting short-term postoperative complications in Crohn’s disease patients undergoing intestinal resection: What frontiers?

The recent study,“Predicting short-term major postoperative complications in intestinal resection for Crohn’s disease:A machine learning-based study”invest-igated the predictive efficacy of a machine learning model for major postoperative complications within 30 days of surgery in Crohn’s disease(CD)patients.Em-ploying a random forest analysis and Shapley Additive Explanations,the study prioritizes factors such as preoperative nutritional status,operative time,and CD activity index.Despite the retrospective design’s limitations,the model’s robu-stness,with area under the curve values surpassing 0.8,highlights its clinical potential.The findings align with literature supporting preoperative nutritional therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases,emphasizing the importance of compre-hensive assessment and optimization.While a significant advancement,further research is crucial for refining preoperative strategies in CD patients.

Correlation Analysis Between Changes of D-Dimer Level and Rheumatoid Arthritis Complicated with Interstitial Lung Disease

Objective:To explore the correlation between the change of D-dimer level and rheumatoid arthritis complicated with interstitial lung disease.Methods:From January 2022 to February 2024,20 rheumatoid arthritis patients complicated with interstitial lung disease(interstitial lung disease group),20 rheumatoid arthritis patients without interstitial lung disease(without interstitial lung disease group),and 20 healthy people(control group)in Xijing Hospital were selected for this study.The fasting venous blood of the three groups of subjects was collected and their D-dimer,C-reactive protein(CRP),rheumatoid factor(RF),and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)were detected.Subsequently,the correlation between each index and rheumatoid arthritis complicated with interstitial lung disease was analyzed.Results:The D-dimer level of the interstitial lung disease group was significantly higher than the other two groups(P<0.05).The D-dimer level of the group without interstitial lung disease was significantly higher than the control group(P<0.05).CRP levels in the interstitial lung disease group and the group without interstitial lung disease were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).The ESR and RF levels of the interstitial lung disease group were significantly higher than the other two groups(P<0.05).The levels of ESR and RF levels of the group without interstitial lung disease were significantly higher than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:D-dimer levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients are higher than those of healthy individuals,and those complicated with interstitial lung disease present even higher levels.This finding shows that there is a correlation between D-dimer levels and rheumatoid arthritis with interstitial lung disease,which may facilitate the evaluation and diagnosis of this disease.

Intestinal complications in patients with Crohn's disease in the Brazilian public healthcare system between 2011 and 2020

BACKGROUND This is a secondary database study using the Brazilian public healthcare system database.AIM To describe intestinal complications(ICs)of patients in the Brazilian public healthcare system with Crohn’s disease(CD)who initiated and either only received conventional therapy(CVT)or also initiated anti-tumor necrosis factor(anti-TNF)therapy between 2011 and 2020.METHODS This study included patients with CD[international classification of diseases–10th revision(ICD-10):K50.0,K50.1,or K50.8](age:≥18 years)with at least one claim of CVT(sulfasalazine,azathioprine,mesalazine,or methotrexate).IC was defined as a CD-related hospitalization,pre-defined procedure codes(from rectum or intestinal surgery groups),and/or associated disease(pre-defined ICD-10 codes),and overall(one or more type of ICs).RESULTS In the 16809 patients with CD that met the inclusion criteria,the mean follow-up duration was 4.44(2.37)years.In total,14697 claims of ICs were found from 4633 patients.Over the 1-and 5-year of follow-up,8.3%and 8.2%of the patients with CD,respectively,presented at least one IC,of which fistula(31%)and fistulotomy(48%)were the most commonly reported.The overall incidence rate(95%CI)of ICs was 6.8(6.5–7.04)per 100 patient years for patients using only-CVT,and 9.2(8.8–9.6)for patients with evidence of anti-TNF therapy.CONCLUSION The outcomes highlighted an important and constant rate of ICs over time in all the CD populations assessed,especially in patients exposed to anti-TNF therapy.This outcome revealed insights into the real-world treatment and complications relevant to patients with CD and highlights that this disease remains a concern that may require additional treatment strategies in the Brazilian public healthcare system.

Postoperative Elevations of Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and Platelet-to- lymphocyte Ratios Predict Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)are found to increase in patients who develop postoperative complications(PCs).The aim of the present study was to explore the association of the perioperative changes of NLR(ANLR)and PLR(OPLR)with PCs in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Clinical data of 509 patients,who were diagnosed with NSCLC and underwent thoracoscopic radical resection between January 1,2014 and July 31,2016 at the Department of Thoracic Surgery,West China Hospital,were reviewed.Patients were divided into PC and non-PC groups,and clinical characteristics including ANLR and APLR were compared between them.The optimal cut-off values of ONLR and APLR were determined by receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curves and patients were assigned to high ANLR/APLR and low ONLR/OPLR groups in terms of the cut-off values.Clinicopathologic characteristics and the incidence of different PCs were compared between the dichotomized groups.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for PCs.The results showed that the ANLR and APLR in the PC group were significantly higher than those in the non-PC group(P<0.001 for both).The optimal cutoff values of ANLR and APLR were 6.6 and 49,respectively.Patients with ANLR>6.6 or 0PLR>49 were more likely to experience postoperative pulmonary complications(PPCs)(P<0.001 for both).Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that smoking[odds ratio(OR):2.450,95%confidence interval(95%CI):1.084--5.535,P=0.031)],tumor size(OR:1.225,95%CI:1.047-1.433,P=0.011),ANLR>6.6(OR:2.453,95%CI:1.2244.914,P-0.011)and APLR>49(OR:2.231,95%CI:1.182-4.212,P-0.013)were predictive of PPCs.In conclusion,the ONLR and APLR may act as novel predictors for PPCs in NSCLC patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical lung resection,and patients with ONLR>6.6 or APLR>49 should be treated more actively to prevent or reduce PPCs.

Factors affecting complications development and mortality after single lung transplant

Lung transplantation(LT)is a life-saving therapeutic procedure that prolongs survival in patients with end-stage lung disease.Furthermore,as a therapeutic option for high-risk candidates,single LT(SLT)can be feasible because the immediate morbidity and mortality after transplantation are lower compared to sequential single(double)LT(SSLTx).Still,the long-term overall survival is,in general,better for SSLTx.Despite the great success over the years,the early post-SLT period remains a perilous time for these patients.Patients who undergo SLT are predisposed to evolving early or late postoperative complications.This review emphasizes factors leading to post-SLT complications in the early and late periods including primary graft dysfunction and chronic lung allograft dysfunction,native lung complications,anastomosis complications,infections,cardiovascular,gastrointestinal,renal,and metabolite complications,and their association with morbidity and mortality in these patients.Furthermore,we discuss the incidence of malignancy after SLT and their correlation with immunosuppression therapy.

Imaging features of intrathoracic complications of lung transplantation:What the radiologists need to know

Lung transplantation has been a method for treating end stage lung disease for decades. Despite improvements in the preoperative assessment of recipients and donors as well as improved surgical techniques, lung transplant recipients are still at a high risk of developing postoperative complications which tend to impact negatively the patients' outcome if not recognised early. The recognised complications post lung transplantation can be broadly categorised into acute and chronic complications. Recognising the radiological features of these complications has a significant positive impact on patients' survival post transplantation. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of the radiological features of post lung transplantations complications over a time continuum.

Fatal Complications and Early Death after Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer in 2000 and 2010. A Population Based Study

In the year 2000 lung cancer was operated in 349 patients in Norway, in 2010 the number was 461. In the first period fatal surgical hemorrhage occurred in eight patients, in four of them peroperatively. Postoperative hemorrhage occurred in four patients in the year 2000 and in two in 2010. Ten patients died intra- or postoperatively in the two periods which is a mortality rate within 30 days after surgery of 4.3% in the first and 1.1% in the second period. Pneumonectomy was performed in 34 patients in 2000 and eight in 2010, respectively. Altogether 19 patients died within six months after surgery without having experienced surgical complications. Pneumonectomy should not be performed in elderly and debilitated persons.

Preoperative Exercise Testing Is a Better Predictor of Postoperative Complications than Pulmonary Function Testing for Patients with Lung Cancer

Objective: The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the feasibility of exercise testing (ET) for predicting postoperative complications in patients with impaired pulmonary function. Methods: Thirteen patients were prospectively enrolled. The enrollment criteria were FEV1.0% 8 by the Goddard classification or interstitial pneumonia on chest computed tomography. Patients underwent testing for pulmonary function, six-minute walking test (6MWT), and stair-climbing test (SCT). Postoperative cardiopulmonary complications (PCPCs) were recorded. Results: Four patients developed PCPCs. There were no significant differences between the patients with PCPCs (n = 4) and those without PCPCs (n = 9) for background data and PFT. The distances achieved in the 6MWT were 503 ± 72.7 m for patients without PCPCs and 369 ± 50.7 m for patients with PCPCs (p = 0.011). The SCT climbing heights were 20.4 ± 5.3 m for patients without PCPCs and 14.9 ± 4.0 m for patients with PCPCs (P = 0.187). Cut-off points, including a 6MFT distance of less than 400 m, SCT height lower than 15 m, and SCT climbing speed less than 8.5 m/min, were predictive of CPCP. Conclusions: Exercise testing is more feasible for predicting postoperative cardiopulmonary complications than stationary pulmonary function testing.

Strategies to reduce pulmonary complications after esophagectomy

Esophagectomy,the surgical removal of all or part of the esophagus,is a surgical procedure that is associated with high morbidity and mortality.Pulmonary complications are an especially important postoperative problem.Therefore,many perioperative strategies to prevent pulmonary complications after esophagectomy have been investigated and introduced in daily clinical practice.Here,we review these strategies,including improvement of patient performance and technical advances such as minimally invasive surgery that have been implemented in recent years.Furthermore,interventions such as methylprednisolone,neutrophil elastase inhibitor and epidural analgesia,which have been shown to reduce pulmonary complications,are discussed.Benefits of the commonly applied routine nasogastric decompression,delay of oral intake and prophylactic mechanical ventilation are unclear,and many of these strategies are also evaluated here.Finally,we will discuss recent insights and new developments aimed to improve pulmonary outcomes after esophagectomy.

Pulmonary complications after spine surgery

Spine surgery is one of the fastest growing branches of orthopedic surgery. Patients often present with a relatively high acuity and, depending on surgical approach, morbidity and mortality can be comparatively high. Among the most prevalent and most frequently fatalitybound perioperative complications are those affecting the pulmonary system; evidence of clinical or subclinical lung injury triggered by spine surgical procedures is emerging. Increasing burden of comorbidity among the patient population further increases the likelihood of adverse outcome. This review is intended to give an overview over some of the most important causes of pulmonary complications after spine surgery, their pathophysiology and possible ways to reduce harm associated with those conditions. We discuss factors surrounding surgical trauma, timing of surgery, bone marrow and debris embolization, transfusion associated lung injury, and ventilator associated lung injury.

Extraintestinal manifestations and complications in inflammatory bowel diseases

Crohn＇s disease （CD） and ulcerative colitis （UC） are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases （IBD） that often involve organs other than those of the gastrointestinal tract. These nonintestinal affections are termed extraintestinal symptoms. Differentiating the true extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases from secondary extraintestinal complications, caused by malnutrition, chronic inflammation or side effects of therapy, may be difficult. This review concentrates on frequency, clinical presentation and therapeutic implications of extraintestinal symptoms in inflammatory bowel diseases. If possible, extraintestinal manifestations are differentiated from extraintestinal complications. Special attention is given to the more recently described sites of involvement; i.e. thromboembolic events, osteoporosis, pulmonary involvement and affection of the central nervous system.

Risk factors and implications of anastomotic complications after surgery for Crohn's disease

Anastomotic complications occur more frequently in patients with Crohn's disease leading to postoperative intra-abdominal septic complications(IASC). Patients with IASC often require re-operation or drainage to controlthe sepsis and have an increased frequency of disease recurrence. The aim of this article was to examine the factors affecting postoperative IASC in Crohn's disease after anastomoses, since some risk factors remain controversial. Studies investigating IASC in Crohn's operations were included, and all risk factors associated with IASC were evaluated: nutritional status, presence of abdominal sepsis, medication use, Crohn's disease type, duration of disease, prior operations for Crohn's, anastomotic technique, extent of resection, operative timing, operative length, and perioperative bleeding. In this review, the factors associated with an increased risk of IASC are preoperative weight loss, abdominal abscess present at time of surgery, prior operation, and steroid use. To prevent IASC in Crohn's patients, preoperative optimization with nutritional supplementation or drainage of abscess should be performed, or a diverting stoma should be considered for patients with multiple risk factors.

Pulmonary complications of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) is an effective palliative intervention that is widely accepted for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Post-TACE pulmonary complications resulting in acute lung injury(ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) are rare events. Pulmonary complications after TACE are thought to be related to chemical injury subsequent to the migration of the infused ethiodized oil or chemotherapeutic agent to the lung vasculature, facilitated by arteriovenous(AV) shunts within the hyper-vascular HCC. We review herein the literature on pulmonary complications related to TACE for HCC. Post-TACE pulmonary complications have included pulmonary oil embolism, interstitial pneumonitis, chemical pneumonitis, ALI, ARDS, lipoid pneumonia, acute eosinophilic and neutrophilic pneumonia, bilious pleuritis, pulmonary abscess, pulmonary tumor embolism, and possibly pulmonary metastasis with HCC. The risk factors associated with post-TACE pulmonary complications identified in the literature include large hyper-vascular HCC with AV shunts, large-volume Lipiodol infusion, and embolization via the right inferior phrenic artery. However, the absence of known risk factors is not a guarantee against serious complications. An astute awareness of the potential post-TACE pulmonary complications should expedite appropriate therapeutic interventions and increase potential for early recovery.

Early urological complications after kidney transplantation: An overview

Urological complications, especially urine leaks, remain the most common type of surgical complication in the early post-transplant period. Despite major advances in the field of transplantation, a small minority of kidney transplants are still being lost due to urological problems. Many of these complications can be traced back to the time of retrieval and implantation. Serial ultrasound examination of the transplanted graft in the early post-operative period is of key importance for early detection. The prognosis is generally excellent if recognized and managed in a timely fashion. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the different presentations, compare various ureterovesical anastomosis techniques and provide a basic overview for the management of post-transplant urological complications.