Surgery & Surgical Specialties

Considers the expansive area of general surgery practice, as well as the many clinical aspects of the surgical specialties. Includes the preoperative diagnosis of patients, the intraoperative performance of safe surgical procedures, the postoperative care of the surgical patient, and outcomes of surgery. Emphasizes the interdisciplinary care of the surgical patient.

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SMJ Article | Original Article

Impact of Sling Use on Functional Mobility in a Geriatric Population

Objectives: Sling immobilization is commonly used following rotator cuff repair. The purpose of this study was to determine the detrimental impact of sling usage on mobility and balance in an older adult population through validated gait and balance testing. The authors hypothesize that sling use will negatively affect balance and...

Posted in: Rheumatology and Orthopedics18

SMJ Article | Original Article

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Colectomy Outcomes for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). These two chronic inflammatory conditions can differ in severity, presentation, and anatomical localization, and can greatly affect quality of life if not managed properly. Given the many healthcare challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, we studied...

Posted in: Gastroenterology40

SMJ Article | Original Article

Patient Self-Reported Allergies and Their Correlation with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Outcomes

Objectives: Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is an uncommon neurovascular disorder that presents as neck and upper extremity pain secondary to brachial plexus trunk or subclavian vasculature compression. The orthopedic literature has correlated patient-reported allergies to postoperative patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores for a variety of surgical procedures. We sought to evaluate...

SMJ Article | Original Article

CME Article: Enhanced Notification of Radiographic Incidental Findings in Trauma Does Not Guarantee Follow-Up Compliance

Objectives: Follow-up care for incidental findings (IFs) on trauma computed tomography scans is a component of comprehensive healthcare. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of our IF predischarge disclosure practice guideline and identify factors contributing to follow-up failure. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective observational database:...

SMJ Article | Original Article

Racial Disparities in Clinical Outcomes of Emergency Colectomies for Diverticulitis

Objectives: The literature suggests that there are ongoing racial disparities in healthcare outcomes between patients in White and non-White populations. As such, we examined the outcomes of patients who underwent an emergency colectomy for diverticulitis. Methods: We identified 4841 White and 590 non-White patients, which include Black/African American and Asian...

Posted in: Gastroenterology40

SMJ Article | Original Article

A Strict Patient Selection Protocol Could Be the Key to Success for Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS)

Objectives: In recent years, the local excision of benign rectal lesions or early-stage rectal cancers using minimally invasive surgical techniques has replaced radical interventions that caused impairment in patients’ quality of life. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS), as...

SMJ Article | Original Article

Impact of Preoperative Echocardiograms on In-Hospital Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Surgical Hip Fracture Repair and Their Clinical Appropriateness

Objectives: Preoperative transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) before hip fracture repairs are controversial. This study aimed to quantify the frequency of ordering TTE, the appropriateness of testing based on current guidelines, and the impact of TTE on in-hospital morbidity and mortality outcomes. Methods: This retrospective chart review of adult patients admitted with...

SMJ Article | Original Article

Time to Hip Fracture Surgery and Mortality

Objective: This retrospective study explored the impact of time to surgery in acute hip fractures and outcomes in patients with acute hip fractures at a level I trauma center within an academic medical center in the southeastern United States. The objective was to explore the association between time to surgery...

SMJ Article | Original Article

Elective Hand Surgery Is Delayed among Private Insurance Holders

Objectives: Patients with private healthcare plans often defer nonemergent or elective procedures toward the end of the year once they have met their deductible. No previous studies have evaluated how insurance status and hospital setting may affect surgical timing for upper extremity procedures. Our study aimed to evaluate the influence...

SMJ Article | Review Article

Extensor Mechanism Reconstruction for Chronic Patellar Tendon Tears

Objectives: Reconstruction for a chronic patellar tendon rupture in a native knee is an uncommon surgical procedure. Although there have been case series investigating patient-reported outcomes, there is no systematic review of these studies to date. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the literature on this procedure to...

Posted in: Rheumatology and Orthopedics18

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