Factors Affecting Cotrimoxazole Prophylactic Therapy Compliance in HIV Patients Attending a Care and Treatment Clinic at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania

Introduction: Cotrimoxazole Prophylactic Therapy (CPT) compliance lowers the risk of opportunistic infections and other Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related diseases. The aim of this study was to examine factors that influence compliance with CPT among HIV patients in the Care and Treatment Clinic (CTC) at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the BMC between April 1, 2021, and June 30, 2021. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews and a semi-structured questionnaire. Data are presented in frequency, percentages, and cross-tabulation tables. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of compliance with CPT by self-reported measurement was 158 (63.7%). Most CPT-compliant participants were more likely to have a spouse who is familiar with CPT, have a family member who is aware of their HIV status, and be aware of the benefits of CPT. The majority of participants who complied with CPT were more likely to have experienced counseling during refill, felt that the length of time spent seeing doctors for treatment was reasonable, and received accurate information from them. Conclusion: Most adult HIV patients attending CTC at BMC were reported to be in compliance with CPT. These findings suggest that improving social support and patient-provider communication may be effective strategies for improving compliance with CPT among HIV patients.

Effectiveness of Prophylactic Transvaginal Cervical Cerclage in Improving Clinical Outcomes among Pregnant Women with Cervical Insufficiency: Meta-Analysis

Background: Cervical insufficiency is one of the major causes of preterm birth among pregnant women that leads to severe mortality and morbidity issues among newborns. Prophylactic cervical cerclage is a surgical procedure performed between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation upon diagnosis of cervix insufficiency among pregnant women. Aims & Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of prophylactic cervical cerclage in comparison to other interventions to treat cervical insufficiency among pregnant women using a meta-analysis approach. Methods: We searched the three databases (Coachrane Library, PubMed, and MEDLINE) that were used for articles related to research aims by using MeSH keywords. The timeline of research was set from January 2015 to January 2024. The methodological quality assessment of included studies was performed by the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies—of Interventions (ROBINS-I). A recent meta-analysis was conducted by using Review Manager 5.4.0 software. Results: About 441 research articles were extracted from three electronic databases and only 125 articles were assessed for eligibility criteria. Finally, 8 studies were included in the analysis for a recent meta-analysis. Six out of eight included retrospective or pilot studies were graded as having a moderate risk of bias, and two studies had low risk on the basis of owning bias. About 1008 pregnant women with cervical insufficiency were analyzed in a recent meta-analysis. By pooled analysis, it was evaluated that significant difference found in prolongation of delivery weeks (Mean difference = 1.05;Cl: 0.81 to 1.29: p > 0.00001), number of deliveries > 37 weeks (OR = 0.59;Cl: 0.19 to 1.84: p > 0.006), and preterm birth (OR = 0.73;Cl: 0.42 to 1.28: p > 0.50) among pregnant women receiving prophylactic cervical cerclage as compared to other treatment strategies. Conclusion: Recent meta-analysis suggested the prophylactic cervical cerclage reduces the rates of preterm birth, abortion rates, number of deliveries > 37 weeks, and other complications as compared to the other cervical cerclage types and conservative treatments.

Role of prophylactic central neck lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma in the era of de-escalation

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy.While there has been no appreciable increase in the observed mortality of well-differentiated thyroid cancer,there has been an overall rise in its incidence worldwide over the last few decades.Patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)and clinical evidence of central(cN1)and/or lateral lymph node metastases require total thyroidectomy plus central and/or lateral neck dissection as the initial surgical treatment.Nodal status in PTC patients plays a crucial role in the prognostic evaluation of the recurrence risk.The 2015 guidelines of the American Thyroid Association(ATA)have more accurately determined the indications for therapeutic central and lateral lymph node dissection.However,prophylactic central neck lymph node dissection(pCND)in negative lymph node(cN0)PTC patients is controversial,as the 2009 ATA guidelines recommended that CND“should be considered”routinely in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC.Although the current guidelines show clear indications for therapeutic CND,the role of pCND in cN0 patients with PTC is still debated.In small solitary papillary carcinoma(T1,T2),pCND is not recommended unless there are high-risk prediction factors for recurrence and diffuse nodal spread(extrathyroid extension,mutation in the BRAF gene).pCND can be considered in cN0 disease with advanced primary tumors(T3 or T4)or clinical lateral neck disease(cN1b)or for staging and treatment planning purposes.The role of the preoperative evaluation is fundamental to minimizing the possible detrimental effect of overtreatment of the types of patients who are associated with low disease-related morbidity and mortality.On the other hand,it determines the choice of appropriate treatment and determines if close monitoring of patients at a higher risk is needed.Thus,pCND is currently recommended for T3 and T4 tumors but not for T1 and T2 tumors without high-risk prediction factors of recurrence.

Cardiopulmonary prognosis of prophylactic endotracheal intubation in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding undergoing endoscopy

BACKGROUND:It is controversial whether prophylactic endotracheal intubation(PEI)protects the airway before endoscopy in critically ill patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).The study aimed to explore the predictive value of PEI for cardiopulmonary outcomes and identify high-risk patients with UGIB undergoing endoscopy.METHODS:Patients undergoing endoscopy for UGIB were retrospectively enrolled in the eICU Collaborative Research Database(eICU-CRD).The composite cardiopulmonary outcomes included aspiration,pneumonia,pulmonary edema,shock or hypotension,cardiac arrest,myocardial infarction,and arrhythmia.The incidence of cardiopulmonary outcomes within 48 h after endoscopy was compared between the PEI and non-PEI groups.Logistic regression analyses and propensity score matching analyses were performed to estimate effects of PEI on cardiopulmonary outcomes.Moreover,restricted cubic spline plots were used to assess for any threshold effects in the association between baseline variables and risk of cardiopulmonary outcomes(yes/no)in the PEI group.RESULTS:A total of 946 patients were divided into the PEI group(108/946,11.4%)and the non-PEI group(838/946,88.6%).After propensity score matching,the PEI group(n=50)had a higher incidence of cardiopulmonary outcomes(58.0%vs.30.3%,P=0.001).PEI was a risk factor for cardiopulmonary outcomes after adjusting for confounders(odds ratio[OR]3.176,95%confidence interval[95%CI]1.567-6.438,P=0.001).The subgroup analysis indicated the similar results.A shock index>0.77 was a predictor for cardiopulmonary outcomes in patients undergoing PEI(P=0.015).The probability of cardiopulmonary outcomes in the PEI group depended on the Charlson Comorbidity Index(OR 1.465,95%CI 1.079-1.989,P=0.014)and shock index>0.77(compared with shock index≤0.77[OR 2.981,95%CI 1.186-7.492,P=0.020,AUC=0.764]).CONCLUSION:PEI may be associated with cardiopulmonary outcomes in elderly and critically ill patients with UGIB undergoing endoscopy.Furthermore,a shock index greater than 0.77 could be used as a predictor of a worse prognosis in patients undergoing PEI.

The effect of prophylactic antibiotics in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding patients in the emergency department

BACKGROUND: Currently, prophylactic antibiotics are recommended only for cirrhotic patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding(AUGIB);however, the benefit for other AUGIB patients remains undetermined. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between patients with AUGIB with and without prophylactic antibiotics to identify the population that requires this therapy.METHODS: Patients with AUGIB admitted between 1st January 2019 and 31st December 2021 in the Emergency Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were enrolled. Patients were divided into the antibiotic and non-antibiotic groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was the onset of new infection. The risk factors for mortality and infection were analyzed, and stratification analysis of prophylactic antibiotics was performed. Continuous data were analyzed using the t-test or nonparametric rank sum test, and categorical data were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Indicators with significant differences between the groups were included for logistic regression analysis. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 392 individuals were included, among them, 281 patients received prophylactic antibiotics, and 111 patients did not receive prophylactic antibiotics. The mortality rates were significantly lower in the antibiotic group than in the non-antibiotics group(6.41% vs. 17.12%, P=0.001). The risk factors for infection were varicose veins(P=0.045) and endotracheal intubation(P=0.005) in the prophylactic antibiotic group, and endoscopic treatment(P=0.010) in the non-prophylactic antibiotic group. Stratified analyses showed that patients with age ≥ 65 years, endotracheal intubation, endoscopic treatment, and AUGIB of variceal etiologies benefited from prophylactic antibiotics.CONCLUSION: AUGIB patients may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics to decrease mortality, especially those aged ≥ 65 years and those with endotracheal intubation, endoscopic treatment, and variceal etiologies.

Surgical specimen extraction via a prophylactic ileostomy procedure: A minimally invasive technique for laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery

AIM To retrospectively evaluate the safety and feasibility of surgical specimen extraction via a prophylactic ileostomy procedure in patient with rectal cancer. METHODS We systematically reviewed 331 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer and prophylactic ileostomy in our institution from June 2010 to October 2016, including 155 patients who underwent specimen extraction via a prophylactic ileostomy procedure(experimental group), and 176 patients who underwent specimen extraction via a small lower abdominal incision(control group). Clinical data were collected from both groups andstatistically analyzed. RESULTS The two groups were matched in clinical characteristics and pathological outcomes. However, mean operative time was significantly shorter in the experimental group compared to the control group(161.3 ± 21.5 min vs 168.8 ± 20.5 min; P = 0.001). Mean estimated blood loss was significantly less in the experimental group(77.4 ± 30.7 mL vs 85.9 ± 35.5 mL; P = 0.020). The pain reported by patients during the first two days after surgery was significantly less in the experimental group than in the control group. No wound infections occurred in the experimental group, but 4.0% of the controls developed wound infections(P = 0.016). The estimated 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rate were similar between the two groups.CONCLUSION Surgical specimen extraction via a prophylactic ileostomy procedure represents a secure and feasible approach to laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery, and embodies the principle of minimally invasive surgery.

Efficacy and necessity of prophylactic vitrectomy for acute retinal necrosis syndrome

AIM: To compare the efficacy of prophylactic vitrectomy for acute retinal necrosis syndrome(ARN) with routine treatment in Chinese patients, thereby investigate the necessity of prophylactic vitrectomy for ARN. METHODS: Thirty patients (37 eyes) were retrospectively included in this study. The eyes were divided into 2 groups by treatment, including routine treatment, which consisted of antiviral medication and vitrectomy after retinal detachment (RD) (n=21), and prophylactic vitrectomy, which consisted of antiviral medication and vitrectomy for the prevention of RD performed during the active inflammatory phase (n=16). The extent of necrosis was determined by fundus photographs at the time of presentation (for eyes with mild vitreous opacity) or the drawings in the operation records. Necrosis of the 37 eyes was divided into 3 grades, including peripheral, middle-peripheral and extensive. The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 57 months. Differences in visual acuity and necrosis between groups were identified using independent samples t-test. RESULTS: Necrosis was more extensive in the routine treatment group than in the prophylactic vitrectomy group (P<0.05). In the routine treatment group, conservative treatment improved necrosis and prevented RD in 6 eyes (29%). Seven eyes (33%) obtained anatomical success, but retinal redetachment occurred in 8 eyes (57%). There were also 5 eyes (24%) developed ocular hypotony or atrophy. Ten eyes (48%) achieved equal or increased visual acuity. In the prophylactic vitrectomy group, RD occurred in 2 eyes (13%). Twelve eyes (75%) were completely anatomically successful, and 10 eyes underwent silicone oil removal. Only one eye (6%) became ocular hypotony. Fourteen eyes (88%) achieved equal or increased visual acuity. The prophylactic vitrectomy group achieved better vision trends than the routine treatment group (P<0.05). Eyes with peripheral necrosis had better visual outcomes than those with mid-peripheral (P<0.05) or extensive (P<0.05) necrosis. However, there was no significant difference between eyes with mid-peripheral and extensive necrosis (P=0.3008) CONCLUSION: Prophylactic vitrectomy can prevent RD and improve the prognosis of ARN, making it an option for cases with rapidly progressing necrosis despite antiviral treatment and cases with moderate to extensive necrosis and severe vitreous opacity.

Prophylactic and therapeutic roles of oleanolic acid and its derivatives in several diseases

Oleanolic acid(OA)and its derivatives are widely found in diverse plants and are naturally effective pentacyclic triterpenoid compounds with broad prophylactic and therapeutic roles in various diseases such as ulcerative colitis,multiple sclerosis,metabolic disorders,diabetes,hepatitis and different cancers.This review assembles and presents the latest in vivo reports on the impacts of OA and OA derivatives from various plant sources and the biological mechanisms of OA activities.Thus,this review presents sufficient data proposing that OA and its derivatives are potential alternative and complementary therapies for the treatment and management of several diseases.

Prophylactic lateral pelvic lymph node dissection in stage Ⅳ low rectal cancer

AIM To assess the clinical significance of prophylactic lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND) in stage Ⅳ low rectal cancer.METHODS We selected 71 consecutive stage Ⅳ low rectal cancer patients who underwent primary tumor resection,and enrolled 50 of these 71 patients without clinical LPLN metastasis.The patients had distant metastasis such as liver,lung,peritoneum,and paraaortic LN.Clinical LPLN metastasis was defined as LN with a maximum diameter of 10 mm or more on preoperative pelvic computed tomography scan.All patients underwent primary tumor resection,27 patients underwent total mesorectal excision(TME) with LPLND(LPLND group),and 23 patients underwent only TME(TME group).Bilateral LPLND was performed simultaneously with primary tumor resection in LPLND group.R0 resection of both primary and metastatic sites was achieved in 20 of 50 patients.We evaluated possible prognostic factors for 5-year overall survival (OS),and compared 5-year cumulative local recurrence between the LPLND and TME groups.RESULTS For OS,univariate analyses revealed no significant benefit in the LPLND compared with the TME group (28.7% vs 17.0%,P = 0.523); multivariate analysis revealed that R0 resection was an independent prognostic factor.Regarding cumulative local recurrence,the LPLND group showed no significant benefit compared with TME group (21.4% vs 14.8%,P = 0.833).CONCLUSION Prophylactic LPLND shows no oncological benefits in patients with Stage Ⅳ low rectal cancer without clinical LPLN metastasis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of prophylactic abdominal drainage after pancreatic resection

AIM: To investigate whether prophylactic abdominal drainage is necessary after pancreatic resection. METHODS: Pub Med, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched to obtain relevant articles published before January 2014. Publications were retrieved if they met the selection criteria. The outcomes of interest included: mortality, morbidity, postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF), clinically relevant pancreatic fistula(CRPF), abdominal abscess, reoperation rate, the rate of interventional radiology drainage, and the length of hospital stay. Subgroup analyses were also performed for pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD) and for distal pancreatectomy. Begg's funnel plot and the Egger regression test were employed to assess potential publication bias.RESULTS: Nine eligible studies involving a total of 2794 patients were identified and included in this meta-analysis. Of the included patients, 1373 received prophylactic abdominal drainage. A fixedeffects model meta-analysis showed that placement of prophylactic drainage did not have beneficial effects on clinical outcomes, including morbidity, POPF, CRPF, reoperation, interventional radiology drainage, and length of hospital stay(Ps > 0.05). In addition, prophylactic drainage did not significantly increase the risk of abdominal abscess. Overall analysis showed that omitting prophylactic abdominal drainage resulted in higher mortality after pancreatectomy(OR = 1.56; 95%CI: 0.93-2.92). Subgroup analysis of PD showed similar results to those in the overall analysis. Elimination of prophylactic abdominal drainage after PD led to a significant increase in mortality(OR = 2.39; 95%CI: 1.22-4.69; P = 0.01).CONCLUSION: Prophylactic abdominal drainage after pancreatic resection is still necessary, though more evidence from randomized controlled trials assessing prophylactic drainage after PD and distal pancreatectomy are needed.

Prophylactic Anti-inflammation Inhibits Cigarette Smoke-induced Emphysema in Guinea Pigs

In this study, the effect of prophylactic anti inflammation on the development of smoke induced emphysema was investigated. Young male guinea pigs aged 1.5 - 2 months (weighing 198.3±26.9 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups: group A (cigarette smoke exposure only), group B (cigarette smoke exposure plus pentoxifylline rich (PTX, 10 mg/d) forage feeding), group C (cigarette smoke exposure plus intermittent cortical steroid injection (Triamcinolone acetonide, 3 mg, im, every three weeks) and control group (group D: animals with sham smoke exposure, raised under the same conditions). Animals in group A, B and C were exposed to smoke of cigarettes for 1 to 1.5 h twice a day, 5 days a week. All animals were killed at the 16th week and followed by morphometrical analysis of the midsagittal sectioned lung slices. Smoke exposure of 16 weeks resulted in visible emphysematous development in Group A but not in Group B and C. It was evidenced by the indicator of air space size, mean linear intercept (L m): 120.6±16.0 μm in Group A; 89.8±9.2 μm in Group B and 102.4±17.7 μm in Group C. The average L m in either group B or group C was shorter than that in Group A (ANOVA and Newman Keuls test, F=8.80, P =0.0002) but comparable to that (94.8±13.2 μm) in group D ( P >0.05). It is concluded that long term prophylactic anti inflammation inhibits pulmonary emphysema induced by cigarette smoking in the guinea pigs.

Misuse of prophylactic antibiotics and prevalence of postoperative wound infection in obstetrics and gynecology department in a Sudanese hospital

Purpose: This study was conducted to audit prophylactic antibiotic use and to quantify the rate of wound infection. Methods: Across-sectional prospective study was conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department in Khartoum Teaching Hospital, Sudan during March 1st to 31st October 2010. All Patients (aged >18 years) were included. Results: Overall 725 patients were included. The performed surgical procedures were 751;of these 578 (76.9%) were Caesarean sections. Overall rate of wound infection was 7.8%. The rate of wound infection among patients operated on for caesarean section and abdominal hysterectomy was 8.3%, and 9.2%, respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2 OR 2.1, 95% CI (1.1 - 4.0), (P = 0.019) was the major independent risk factor for occurrence of wound infection. Evaluation of prescriptions’ parameters against the stated criteria showed that 113 (15.8%) patients were given antibiotics with adequate spectrum of activity, 611 (85.3%) given sub-dose/s, 83 (11.6%) received the first preoperative dose/s in a proper time window, and 716 (100%) had prophylaxis for extended duration. Overall conformity to the stated criteria for the evaluation of prescription’s parameters was not achieved in all prescriptions. Conclusions: In this setting, antibiotics were irrationally used and wound infection rate was high, and the situation calls for multiple interventions to correct the situation, through the activation of the infection control committee in the hospital and development of antimicrobial subcommittee to develop policies for the use and auditing of prophylactic antibiotics.

Prophylactic transcatheter arterial embolization reduces rebleeding in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Despite the improvement in the endoscopic hemostasis of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(NVUGIB),rebleeding remains a major concern.AIM To assess the role of prophylactic transcatheter arterial embolization(PTAE)added to successful hemostatic treatment among NVUGIB patients.METHODS We searched three databases from inception through October 19th,2020.Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)and observational cohort studies were eligible.Studies compared patients with NVUGIB receiving PTAE to those who did not get PTAE.Investigated outcomes were rebleeding,mortality,reintervention,need for surgery and transfusion,length of hospital(LOH),and intensive care unit(ICU)stay.In the quantitative synthesis,odds ratios(ORs)and weighted mean differences(WMDs)were calculated with the random-effects model and interpreted with 95%confidence intervals(CIs).RESULTS We included a total of 3 RCTs and 9 observational studies with a total of 1329 patients,with 486 in the intervention group.PTAE was associated with lower odds of rebleeding(OR=0.48,95%CI:0.29–0.78).There was no difference in the 30-d mortality rates(OR=0.82,95%CI:0.39–1.72)between the PTAE and control groups.Patients who underwent PTAE treatment had a lower chance for reintervention(OR=0.48,95%CI:0.31–0.76)or rescue surgery(OR=0.35,95%CI:0.14–0.92).The LOH and ICU stay was shorter in the PTAE group,but the difference was non-significant[WMD=-3.77,95%CI:(-8.00)–0.45;WMD=-1.33,95%CI:(-2.84)–0.18,respectively].CONCLUSION PTAE is associated with lower odds of rebleeding and any reintervention in NVUGIB.However,further RCTs are needed to have a higher level of evidence.

Feasibility of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy without prophylactic drains in gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Prophylactic drains have been used to remove intraperitoneal collections and detect complications early in open surgery.In the last decades,minimally invasive gastric cancer surgery has been performed worldwide.However,reports on routine prophylactic abdominal drainage after totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy are few.AIM To evaluate the feasibility performing totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy without prophylactic drains in selected patients.METHODS Data of patients with distal gastric cancer who underwent totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with and without prophylactic drainage at China National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital from February 2018 to August 2019 were reviewed.The outcomes between patients with and without prophylactic drainage were compared.RESULTS A total of 457 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer were identified.Of these,125 patients who underwent totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy were included.After propensity score matching,data of 42 pairs were extracted.The incidence of concurrent illness was higher in the drain group(42.9%vs 31.0%,P=0.258).The overall postoperative complication rates were 19.5%and 10.6%in the drain(n=76)and no-drain groups(n=49),respectively;there were no significant differences between the two groups(P>0.05).The difference between the two groups based on the need for percutaneous catheter drainage was also not significant(9.8%vs 6.4%,P=0.700).However,patients with a larger body mass index(≥29 kg/m2)were prone to postoperative complications(P=0.042).In addition,the number of days from surgery until the first flatus(4.33±1.24 d vs 3.57±1.85 d,P=0.029)was greater in the drain group.CONCLUSION Omitting prophylactic drainage may reduce surgery time and result in faster recovery.Routine prophylactic drains are not necessary in selected patients.A prophylactic drain may be useful in high-risk patients.

Prophylactic juxtapapillary laser photocoagulation in pediatric morning glory syndrome

AIM:To determine the anatomic and visual outcomes of prophylactic juxtapapillary laser photocoagulation treatment alone in the prevention of retinal detachment(RD)in a cohort of pediatric patients diagnosed with morning glory syndrome(MGS).METHODS:A total of 24 eyes of 22 consecutive patients aged 0-15 y diagnosed with MGS treated with prophylactic juxtapapillary laser photocoagulation alone were reviewed.Data including demographics,ocular examination,anatomic and visual outcomes,following treatment and complications were collected.RESULTS:Two patients had bilateral laser treatment and 20 had monocular laser treatment.The age at treatment of 13(59.1%)patients was less than 12 mo.The presenting symptoms included strabismus(6/22,27.3%),decreased vision(2/22,9.1%),and routine fundus screening(14/22,63.6%).Fifteen(68.2%)patients underwent cranial magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)examinations,and 3 of those 15(20.0%)had abnormal findings in the nervous system.Based on preoperative wide-field fundus photography and B-scan echography,all(100.0%)eyes had no obvious RD.On postoperative 1 mo and 6 mo and the following follow-ups,the anatomic outcomes of all eyes remained stable.The mean follow-up duration was 27.7±17.5 mo.No severe complications were found.Preoperative visual acuity acquired from 2(9.1%)patients ranged from light perception to 20/200.Postoperative acuity acquired from 11(50.0%)patients ranged from light perception to 20/125.CONCLUSION:The preliminary anatomic and visual outcomes of prophylactic juxtapapillary laser treatment alone in pediatric MGS patients are relatively stable in a short-term follow-up.Further long-term clinical observation will be needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.

Prophylactic tracheal intubation for upper GI bleeding: A meta-analysis

AIM: To evaluate usefulness of prophylactically intubating upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB) patients. METHODS: UGIB results in a significant number of hospital admissions annually with endoscopy being the key intervention. In these patients, risks are associated with the bleeding and the procedure, including pulmonary aspiration. However, very little literature is available assessing the use of prophylactic endotracheal intubation on aspiration in these patients. A comprehensive search was performed in May 2014 in Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane databases, Pub Med/Medline, Embase, and published abstracts from national gastroenterology meetings in the United States(2004-2014). Included studies examined UGIB patients and compared prophylactic intubation to no intubation before endoscopy. Meta-analysis was conducted using Rev Man 5.2 by Mantel-Haenszel and Der Simonian and Laird models with results presented as odds ratio for aspiration, pneumonia(within 48 h), and mortality. Funnel plots were utilized for publication bias and I2 measure of inconsistency for heterogeneity assessments. RESULTS: Initial search identified 571 articles. Of these articles, 10 relevant peer-reviewed articles in English and two relevant abstracts were selected to review by two independent authors(Almashhrawi AA and Bechtold ML). Of these studies, eight were excluded: Five did not have a control arm, one was a letter the editor, one was a survey study, and one was focused on prevention of UGIB. Therefore, four studies(N = 367) were included. Of the UGIB patients prophylactically intubated before endoscopy, pneumonia(within 48 h) was identified in 20 of 134(14.9%) patients as compared to 5 of 95(5.3%) patients that were not intubated prophylactically(P = 0.02). Despite observed trends, no significantdifferences were found for mortality(P = 0.18) or aspiration(P = 0.11).CONCLUSION: Pneumonia within 48 h is more likely in UGIB patients who received prophylactic endotracheal intubation prior to endoscopy.

Phenothiazine vs 5HT3 Antagonist Prophylactic Regimens to Prevent Post‐Anesthesia Care Unit Rescue Antiemetic: An Observational Study

Purpose: Our practitioners are asked to consider a patient’s postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) risk profile when developing their prophylactic antiemetic strategy. There is wide variation in employed strategies, and we have yet to determine the most effective PONV prophylactic regimen. The objective of this study is to compare prophylactic antiemetic regimens containing: phenothiazines to 5HT3 antagonists for effectiveness at reducing the incidence of Post‐Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) rescue antiemetic administration. Methods: This is an observational study of 4392 nonsmoking, women who underwent general anesthesia for breast surgery from 1/1/2009 through 6/30/2012. Previous history of PONV or motion sickness (HxPONV/MS) and the use of PACU opioids were recorded. Prophylactic antiemetic therapy was left to the discretion of the anesthesia care team. We compared phenothiazines and 5HT3 antagonists alone and with a glucocorticoid to determine the most effective treatment regimen in our practice for the prevention of the administration of PACU rescue antiemetics. Results: Patients who received a phenothiazine regimen compared to a 5HT3 antagonist regimen were less likely to have an antiemetic administered in the PACU (p = 0.0100) and this significant difference in rates holds in a logistic regression model adjusted for HxPONV/MS and PACU Opioid use (p = 0.0103). Conclusions: Based on our findings our clinicians are encouraged to administer a combination of a phenothiazine and a glucocorticoid in female, nonsmoking surgical breast patients for the prevention of PACU rescue antiemetic administration.

Prophylactic oophorectomy during primary colorectal cancer resection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To appraise the current evidence for prophylactic oophorectomy in patients undergoing primary curative colorectal cancer resection.METHODS: Occult ovarian metastases may lead to increased mortality, therefore prophylactic oophorectomy may be considered for women undergoing colorectal resection. A systematic review and meta-analysis wasperformed for English language studies from 1994 to 2014(PROSPERO Registry number: CRD42014009340), comparing outcomes following prophylactic oophorectomy(no known ovarian or other metastatic disease at time of surgery) vs no ovarian surgery, synchronous with colorectal resection for malignancy. Outcomes assessed: local recurrence, 5-year mortality, immediate post-operative morbidity and mortality, and rate of distant metastases.RESULTS: Final analysis included 4 studies from the United States, Europe and China, which included 627 patients(210 prophylactic oophorectomy and 417 non-oophorectomy). There was one randomized controlled trials, the remainder being non-randomised cohort studies. The studies were all at high risk of bias according to the Cochrane Collaboration's assessment tool for randomised studies and the NewcastleOttawa Score for the cohort studies. The mean age of patients amongst the studies ranged from 56.5 to 67 years. There were no significant differences between the patients having prophylactic oophorectomy at time of primary colorectal resection compared with patients who did not with respect to local recurrence, 5-year survival and distant metastases. There was no difference in post-operative complications or immediate post-operative mortality between the groups.CONCLUSION: Current evidence does not favour prophylactic oophorectomy for patients without known genetic predisposition. Prophylactic surgery is not associated with additional risk of post-operative complications or death.

Prophylactic drains in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy:are they always necessary?

Prophylactic drains have always been a useful tool to detect early complications and prevent postoperative fluid collections,particularly in gastrointestinal surgery.Recently,the utilization of such drains has been debated,due to mounting evidence that they could be harmful rather than beneficial.Based on recent published articles,Liu et al reported that the routine use of prophylactic drains in total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy might not be necessary for all patients.Herein,we express our opinion regarding this interesting publication.

Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy rate stable at major Canadian breast cancer center

AIM: To examine trends of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy(CPM) rates at a Canadian academic breast cancer center.METHODS: A single-institution retrospective cohort study was completed. Women of any age who underwent at least a unilateral mastectomy(UM) for primary unilateral breast carcinoma between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2010 were included. Patients who underwent CPM on the same day as UM were isolated to create two distinct cohorts. Patient and procedure characteristics were compared across groups using R software(version 3.1.0). The percentage of CPMs per year was determined. The Cochrane-Armitage test was used to assess the trend of CPMs over time. A P value of < 0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS: A total of 811 women met the inclusions/exclusion criteria; 759(93.6%) underwent UM alone and 52(6.4%) underwent UM with immediate CPM. The absolute number of procedures(UM and UM + CPM) increased over time, from 83 in 2004 to 147 in 2010 reflecting an increase in mastectomy volume. Annual CPM rates did not increase over time(P = 0.7) and varied between 2.6% to 10.7%. Family history of breast cancer [OR 3.6(1.8-7.3)] and immediate reconstruction [10.0(5.2-19.3)] were both significantly associated with CPM. Women who underwent CPM were younger(median age CPM 49 years vs UM 52 years, P < 0.0001) but age less than 50 years was not statistically associated with increased rates of CPM. CONCLUSION: CPM rates from 2004 to 2010 at a high-volume Canadian breast cancer center did not increase over time, in contrast to trends observed in the United States.