Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie最新文献

Severe thoracic trauma can occur as a penetrating or blunt mono-injury or as part of a polytrauma. Almost half of all severely injured patients documented in the TraumaRegister DGU were diagnosed with severe chest trauma, defined according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) as ≥ 3. In our own collective, the proportion was even higher with 60%. Emergency surgical treatment with a thoracotomy within the Trauma Resuscitation Unit or within the first hour of admission is an extremely rare intervention in Germany, accounting for 0.9% of severe thoracic injuries. The management of complex polytraumas and extensive pathophysiological reactions to the trauma, as well as knowledge about the development of secondary damage have led to the conclusion that minimally invasive procedures such as video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) or inserting a chest drain can resolve most severe thoracic injuries. At < 4%, penetrating injuries to the thorax are a rarity. Among blunt thoracic injuries, > 6% show an unstable thoracic wall that requires surgical reconstruction. The demographic development in Germany leads to a shift in injury pattern. Low-energy trauma results have lower incidence than higher-grade chest wall injuries with penetrating rib fractures in the pleura, lungs, peri-/myocardium and diaphragm. Sometimes this results in instability of the chest wall with severe restriction of respiratory mechanics, which leads to fulminant pneumonia and even ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). With this background, surgical chest wall reconstruction has become increasingly important over the past decade. Together with the underlying strong evidence, the assessment of the extend and severity of the trauma and the degree of respiratory impairment are the basis for a structured decision on a non-surgical or surgical-reconstructive strategy, as well as the timing, type and extent of surgery. Early surgery within 72 hours can reduce morbidity (pneumonia rate, duration of intensive care and ventilation) and mortality. In the following article, evidence-based algorithms for surgical and non-operative strategies are discussed in the context on the management of severe thoracic injuries. Thus, a selective literature search was carried out for the leading publications on indications, treatment strategy and therapy recommendations for severe thoracic injury, chest wall reconstruction.

Non-intubated minimally invasive lung surgery garnered renewed interest during the past decade and many centers across the country successfully implemented the technique for minor procedures like pleurodesis or wedge resection. Anatomical lung resection under spontaneous breathing still is considered as challenging, and as existing data to support it is conflicting and confusing, the approach remains limited to few dedicated outfits. We seek to present the historical perspective, critically report potential advantages and limitations of the technique and hand out a guideline that might prove to be helpful in building up a dedicated program.

Introduction: Perioperative myocardial ischemia (PMI) is a serious postoperative complication. Aortic operations represent an especially high-risk surgery concerning cardiac complications. This aim of this study was to analyse the clinical features of PMI after elective aortic aneurysm surgery.

Patients and methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of 863 patients who underwent elective aortic aneurysm surgery between 2005 and 2012 in the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of Heidelberg University Hospital with regard to PMI. The PMI diagnosis was based on a positive serum troponin diagnostic test. We evaluated the clinical course, time point of the diagnosis and features of diagnostics to characterise PMI. Moreover, we analysed the treatment options and management of the patients' discharge.

Results: Thirty-one patients (3.6% of 863) with PMI after elective aortic aneurysm surgery were identified. Of these, 21 patients (67.7%) underwent open surgery and 10 patients (32.3%) received endovascular treatment. PMI was diagnosed in 24 patients (77%) during the first 3 days. More than half of these patients (16/31) were clinically asymptomatic. Electrocardiogram did not show pathological findings in 24 cases (77.4%). The first troponin measurement was not elevated in eight patients (25.8%). Drug therapy alone was used in 17 cases (54.8%) of PMI, coronary catheterisation was performed in 12 patients (38.7%) and two patients (6.5%) received aortocoronary bypass. Fourteen patients (45.1%) were discharged home and another 14 patients (44.1%) were transferred to another hospital or to a rehabilitation institution. Two patients died because of multi-organ failure.

Conclusion: PMI is not a rare complication after elective aortic surgery. The diagnosis of PMI can be challenging because of occult symptoms especially in a perioperative setting. Due to the potentially serious consequences, cardiac enzyme diagnostics should be initiated immediately if there is suspicion of PMI or routinely in defined at-risk patients after aortic surgery.

Immunotherapy has drastically changed the treatment of lung cancer not only in systemic disease but also in the perioperative setting in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. In particular, the neoadjuvant and perioperative therapy regimes of the CheckMate 816 and KEYNOTE-671 studies as well as the adjuvant therapy according to the IMPower010 and the PEARLS/KEYNOTE-091 protocols have already been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of selected cases. Other therapy protocols and combination therapies with varying drug classes and therapy modalities are currently being examined for their effectiveness and tolerance. The new treatment landscape creates new opportunities but also challenges for the treating disciplines. This article will focus on the current evidence for perioperative immunotherapy for resectable lung cancer and the resulting therapy standards, especially with regard to patient selection for both neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy, as well as current research efforts.

Every year, thousands of people in Germany succumb to severe injuries. But what causes the death of these patients? In addition to the trauma, pre-traumatic health status, age, and other influencing factors play a role in the outcome after trauma. This study aims to answer the question of what causes the death of a severely injured patient.For this publication, in addition to previously published results, we examined current data from patients in German hospitals from the years 2015-2022 (8 years) documented in the TraumaRegister DGU®. The feature "Presumed Cause of Death", introduced in 2015, was considered. Patients transferred out early (< 48 h) as well as patients with minor injuries were excluded from this analysis.The number of fatalities decreases over time and does not correspond to a traditionally postulated tri-modal mortality distribution. Instead, over time, the distribution of causes of death shows significant variation. In over half of the cases (54%), traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the presumed cause of death, followed by organ failure (24%) and haemorrhage (9%). TBI dominates, especially in the first week, haemorrhage in the first 24 h, and organ failure as a cause steadily increases over time.In summary, it can be observed that the risk of death due to trauma-related consequences is highest in the first minutes, hours, and days, decreasing steadily over time. Particularly, the extent of injuries, head injuries, and significant blood loss are early risk factors.

Radiotherapy plays a critical role in the management of non-metastatic lung cancer, offering curative potential and symptom relief. It serves as a primary treatment modality or adjuvant therapy post-surgery, enhancing local control and survival rates. Modern techniques like Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) enable precise tumor targeting, minimizing damage to healthy tissue and reducing treatment duration. The synergy between radiotherapy and systemic treatments, including immunotherapy, holds promise in improving outcomes. Immunotherapy augments the immune response against cancer cells, potentially enhancing radiotherapy's efficacy. Furthermore, radiotherapy's ability to modulate the tumor microenvironment complements the immunotherapy's mechanism of action. As a result, the combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy may offer superior tumor control and survival benefits. Moreover, the integration of radiotherapy with surgery and chemotherapy in multidisciplinary approaches maximizes treatment efficacy while minimizing toxicity. Herein we present an overview on modern radiotherapy and potential developments in the close future.

Trauma surgical care in Germany faces major challenges. The increasing number of cases due to demographic change, combined with reduced bed capacity, requires a rethink in many areas. In order to continue to ensure basic and standard care at a high level and across the board in the future, economic incentives must be created to maintain sufficient locations for trauma care. At the same time, there is a shortage of skilled workers that will worsen in the coming years if appropriate measures are not taken to counteract it. Structural changes will also be needed to improve cross-sector networking between outpatient and inpatient care. With the increase in outpatient care, future shortages of both bed capacity and staff shortages may be buffered.

The most common organs affected by abdominal trauma are the spleen and the liver, often in combination. Pancreatic injuries are rare. In the case of blunt abdominal trauma, which is much more common, a clinical and laboratory examination as well as sonography should be performed. In the initial assessment, the circulatory situation must be screened. If there is haemodynamic instability and presentation of free fluid, an emergency laparotomy is indicated. If the situation is stable or stabilised and a pathological sonography is present, it is essential to perform triphasic contrast enhanced computed tomography, which is also mandatory in polytraumatised patients. If a renal injury is suspected, a late venous phase should be attached. In addition to the classification of the injury, attention should be paid to possible vascular injury or active bleeding. In this case, angiography with the possibility of intervention should be performed. Endoscopic treatment is possible for injuries of the pancreatic duct. If the imaging does not reveal any intervention target and a circulation is stable, a conservative approach is possible with continuous monitoring using clinical, laboratory and sonographic controls. Most injuries can be successfully treated by non-operative management (NOM).There are various surgical options for treating the injury, such as local and resecting procedures. There is also the option of "damage control surgery" with acute bleeding control and second look. Complex surgical procedures should be performed at centres. Postoperative complications arise out of elective surgery.In the less common case of penetrating abdominal trauma, the actual extent of the injury cannot be estimated from the visible wound. Here again, the circulatory situation determines the next steps. An emergency laparotomy should be carried out in case of instability. If the condition is stable, further diagnostics should be performed using contrast enhanced computed tomography. If penetration through the peritoneum cannot be clearly excluded, diagnostic laparoscopy should be performed.