General Surgery & Trauma
Practice Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting
9 Jun, 2017 | 16:03h | UTCPractice Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting and the Use of Pharmacologic Agents to Reduce the Risk of Pulmonary Aspiration – Anesthesiology, via Medscape (free registration required)
Antibiotics Versus Surgical Therapy for Uncomplicated Appendicitis (again)
7 Jun, 2017 | 15:21h | UTCAntibiotics Versus Surgical Therapy for Uncomplicated Appendicitis: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Antibiotics Versus Surgery: Equally Effective in Treating Appendicitis? – Medscape (free registration required)
This meta-analysis and the author’s conclusions do not favor antibiotics alone for the treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis, contradiction the results of other recent meta-analysis, as well as a recent guideline on the subject, suggesting antibiotics might be an option in selected cases.
Guidelines on the Management of Intra-Abdominal Infection
26 May, 2017 | 15:10h | UTCRelated: Management of intra-abdominal infections: recommendations by the WSES 2016 consensus conference – World Journal of Emergency Surgery (free)
Effect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery
25 May, 2017 | 14:50h | UTCEffect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Surgery (free) (RT @PreetiNMalani see Tweet)
Commentary: Anti-delirium strategy reduces after-surgery confusion in elderly – Reuters Health (free)
Multicomponent nonpharmacologic interventions, including orienting communications, oral and nutritional assistance, and early mobilization reduced postoperative delirium by 56% and length of stay by 2 days.
Perioperative management of patients on direct oral anticoagulants
24 May, 2017 | 14:42h | UTCReview: Perioperative management of patients on direct oral anticoagulants – Thrombosis Journal (free)
New Advice to Move More After a Concussion
19 May, 2017 | 17:55h | UTCNew Advice to Move More After a Concussion – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Related: Consensus statement on concussion in sport—the 5th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016 – British Journal of Sports Medicine (free) AND So, Tom Brady had a concussion. What does that mean? Your guide to the latest science – STAT News (free)
Hip fracture guideline
15 May, 2017 | 19:45h | UTCGuideline: Hip fracture: management – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE – UK) (free)
Management of intra-abdominal infections
15 May, 2017 | 19:41h | UTCSource: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 2017
5 May, 2017 | 20:29h | UTCCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 2017 – JAMA Surgery (free) (RT @jankluytmans and @CIDRAP_ASP see Tweet)
Invited commentary: Surgical Site Infection Prevention – What We Know and What We Do Not Know – JAMA Surgery (free)
Commentary: ‘Long-Awaited’ CDC Guidelines on SSI Prevention Released – Medscape (free registration required)
Related: Global guidelines on the prevention of surgical site infection 2016 – World Health Organization (free)
The World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic
5 May, 2017 | 20:23h | UTCThe World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic – TIME cover story (RT @HealthTalkUMN and @paimadhu see Tweet)
Related: The World Is Completely Unprepared for a Global Pandemic – Harvard Business Review (free) Seven reasons we’re at more risk than ever of a global pandemic – CNN (free)
Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage
27 Apr, 2017 | 16:33h | UTCEditorial: WOMAN: reducing maternal deaths with tranexamic acid (free)
Commentary: Overlooked Drug Could Save Thousands Of Moms After Childbirth – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
“Tranexamic acid reduced deaths of mothers caused by bleeding after childbirth by 1/3” (RT @LSHTMpress see Tweet)
Mortality Trends After Surgical Safety Checklist
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:31h | UTCMortality Trends After a Voluntary Checklist-based Surgical Safety Collaborative – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – free PDF available)
Sources: Global Health NOW Newsletter (free) AND South Carolina Hospitals Saw Surgery Deaths Drop After Implementing WHO Checklist – AJMC News (free) AND A simple checklist prevents deaths after surgery, a large new study suggests – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
See also: WHO Surgical Safety Checklist – World Health Organization (free) AND A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
The wound/burn guidelines – Japanese Dermatological Association
5 Apr, 2017 | 21:55h | UTCThe wound/burn guidelines – Japanese Dermatological Association (all guidelines are free)
Wounds in general / Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment for pressure ulcers / Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment for diabetic ulcer/gangrene / Guidelines for the management of skin ulcers associated with connective tissue disease/vasculitis / Guidelines for the management of lower leg ulcers/varicose veins / Guidelines for the management of burns
American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria Adds Topics
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:19h | UTCACR Appropriateness Criteria Adds Topics, Covers More Clinical Variants Than Ever Before (free)
Browse Appropriateness Criteria Topics (free)
Source: Newswise
This comprehensive guide from American College of Radiology (ACR) covers 230 topics with more than 1,100 clinical indications and has just been updated. It is a very useful resource for doctors in all specialties to guide which exam is most appropriate in each clinical situation.
Antibiotic Therapy versus Appendectomy for Acute Uncomplicated Appendicitis
29 Mar, 2017 | 17:05h | UTCEditorial: Medical Treatment of Pediatric Appendicitis: Are We There Yet? (free)
See also a recent meta-analysis and related commentaries on the same subject (free)
Nonoperative treatment was successful in 90% of cases. Subgroup analysis indicated an increased risk for initial fails and recurrent appendicitis in those with appendicolith.
ESPEN guideline: Clinical nutrition in surgery
27 Mar, 2017 | 00:54h | UTCESPEN guideline: Clinical nutrition in surgery – Clinical Nutrition (free)
Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
Enhanced recovery after surgery
28 Mar, 2017 | 16:43h | UTC
Surgeries are being performed with the patient awake
27 Mar, 2017 | 00:59h | UTCGoing Under the Knife, With Eyes and Ears Wide Open – New York Times (free access to 10 articles per month)
“More and more surgeries are being performed with the patient awake and looking on, for financial and medical reasons”.


