Human hepatocyte-derived extracellular vesicles attenuate the carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice

Acute liver injury (ALI) induced by chemicals or viruses can progress rapidly to acute liver failure (ALF), often resulting in death of patients without liver transplantation. Since liver transplantation is limited due to a paucity of donors, expensive surgical costs, and severe immune rejection, novel therapies are required to treat liver injury. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are used for cellular communication, carrying RNAs, proteins, and lipids and delivering them intercellularly after being endocytosed by target cells. Recently, it was reported that EVs secreted from human hepatocytes have an ability to modulate the immune responses; however, these roles of EVs secreted from human hepatocytes were studied only with in vitro experiments. In the present study, we evidenced that EVs secreted from human hepatocytes attenuated the CCL4-induced ALI by inhibiting the recruitment of monocytes through downregulation of chemokine receptor in the bone marrow and recruitment of neutrophils through the reduction of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) and CXCL2 expression levels in the liver.

Injection syringe designed as surgical tools in resource-limited settings

Surgical innovations have a long tradition and are fundamental to the future of surgery. Practical application of an idea is its essence. It is the surgeon’s responsibility to discover, translate and propagate such ideas to reduce surgical costs for the economically downtrodden. Our article addresses one aspect of this.

Impact of inflammatory bowel disease on radical prostatectomy outcomes and costs of care.

230 Background: Recent studies suggest an association between prostate cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our objectives were to investigate clinical and financial impacts of IBD on radical prostatectomy (RP), and to determine the impact of surgical approach on our findings. Methods: The Premier Hospital Database was queried for patients who underwent RP from 2003 to 2017. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the independent impact of IBD on complications and readmission rates. We determined 90-day readmissions and examined 90-day hospital costs adjusted to 2019 US dollars with multivariable quantile regression models. Results: Our study population included 262,189 men with prostate cancer, including 3,408 (1.3%) with IBD. There were higher odds for any complication for IBD patients compared to non-IBD controls for RP (15.64% vs. 10.66%). IBD patients had overall complication rates of 14.1% ( P < 0.05) for open surgery and 17.2% for MIS ( P < 0.01). Between 2013-2017, the IBD cohort had significantly more complications (OR: 2; 95% CI: 1.5 to 2.67; P < 0.0001), was more likely to have surgical costs in the top quartile (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.23 to 2.1; P < 0.01), and had higher readmission rates (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.06; P = 0.01). Conclusions: The IBD cohort who underwent MIS had the highest complication rates. Hospital readmissions and surgical costs were significantly higher for the IBD cohort who underwent RP between 2013-2017, when a minimally invasive approach was more prevalent than an open approach. These findings may be important when deciding which surgical approach to take when performing RP on men with IBD. [Table: see text]

85% Improved Optical Power Delivery to Epiretinal Prostheses Using Rigid Body Compensation Algorithm

Vision impairment caused by degenerative retinal pathologies such as age-related macular degeneration can be treated using retinal implants. Such devices receive power and data using cables passing through a permanent surgical incision in the eye wall (sclera), which increases risk to patients and surgical costs. A recently developed retinal implant design eliminates the necessity of the implant cable through a photonic power converter (PPC) which receives optical power and data through the pupil using an ellipsoidal reflector and microelectromechanical mirror. We present a misalignment compensation algorithm model that accounts for rigid body motions of the reflector relative to the eye, and applies correction to the mirror coordinates in the presence of angular misalignment of the reflector. We demonstrate that up to 85\% of the nominal optical power can be delivered to the implant with axial reflector misalignments up to 30 degrees using the compensation algorithm.

EVLW and its Importance in Fluid Management

Fluid management and optimization is one of the most frequently observed problems in anesthesiology and critical care. An ideal hemodynamic management increases oxygen supply to tissues, improves postoperative outcomes and decreases surgical costs. Extravascular lung water (EVLW) measurement has gained widespread acceptance in the early prediction and management of adverse effects caused by fluid treatment. The fundamental aim of acute circulatory failure treatment is to improve tissue perfusion and oxygenation while avoiding fluid overload. EVLW consists of extravascular interstitial, intracellular, alveolar and lymphatic fluid in the lungs and its normal values are 3-7 ml kg-1. Studies have reported that values above 10 ml kg-1 as a cut-off value points to pulmonary edema. Although the gold standard in EVLW measurement is the gravimetric method, lung ultrasound and transpulmonary thermodilution is more widely utilized since gravimetric measurement can only be performed post-mortem. EVLW measurement is expected to gain importance in the hemodynamic measurement of ALI/ARDS patients and future studies will benefit from focusing on EVLW based fluid therapy.

Smith-Peterson osteotomy and lordotic posterior column compressive screw fixation proceed by postural pillow reduction improved realignment for unstable lumbar burst fracture

Lumbar burst fractures (LBF) is a common trauma case of the spine, recently still a difficult problem to solve. Experts have published the approaches and techniques, but there is still a high incidence of morbidity and mortality, unsatisfactory clinical and radiological results especially in developing countries. The minimal tissue destruction approach with rigid screw-rod construction allowed to lowering surgical costs and earlier patient recovery with successfully clinical and radiological results in the short term follow up.

Cost Implications of Varying the Surgical Setting and Anesthesia Type for De Quervain Release Surgery

Background First extensor compartment release is a common surgical procedure that represents a financial burden to the health care system. Questions/Purposes Study questions included (1) whether surgical encounter costs differ based upon surgical setting (operating room [OR] vs. procedure room [PR]) or (2) based upon anesthesia choice (local only, Bier's block [BB], monitored anesthesia care [MAC], or general [GA]) for De Quervain release (DQR). Patients and Methods Consecutive adult patients undergoing isolated unilateral DQR at a single academic medical center were identified retrospectively by Current Procedural Terminology code (25000). Using our institution's information technology value tools, we calculated total direct costs for each surgical encounter. Costs were adjusted to January 2016 dollars using the Consumer Price Index, normalized using each participant's surgical encounter cost divided by the median cost in the PR group, then compared across each group using Kruskal–Wallis and Nemenyi's post hoc pair-wise tests. Multivariable gamma regression analysis with a log link was performed to identify factors associated with surgical costs. QuickDASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and the hand) scores were compared using a t-test at final follow-up. Results Among 58 included patients, 29% (17/58) were treated in the PR and 71% (41/58) in the OR. Compared with local only in the PR, all other groups were significantly more costly. Multivariable gamma regression indicated that use of OR/BB, OR/MAC, or OR/GA independently led to 211, 222, and 357% greater surgical costs as compared with the PR with local only while controlling for provider and patient age. Furthermore, QuickDASH scores were similar between PR and OR groups at final follow-up. Conclusion Performing DQR in the PR setting under local only anesthesia yields greater value than the OR, as patient-reported outcomes are similar despite significantly lower surgical costs. Level of Evidence This is a Level III, cost analysis study.