Publications by authors named "Nicola Cillara"

Educating and training young surgeons is a complex challenge that requires a structured pathway. Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) surgery is becoming a highly attractive subspecialty, yet it is not universally recognized. Currently, there are no standardized guidelines or curricula for UGI surgical training across Europe and a wide disparity among countries remains.

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Purpose: Anastomotic leaks (AL) remain a major complication following right colectomy for colon cancer. This multicenter, prospective, observational study evaluated the efficacy of Glubran 2, a cyanoacrylate-based sealant, in reducing the incidence of AL by reinforcing ileocolic anastomoses.

Methods: The study enrolled 380 patients undergoing right colectomy for colon cancer across 7 Italian hospitals.

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Aim: The aim of this work was to apply the 'win ratio' to compare the outcomes of rectal-sparing approaches [watch and wait (WW) and local excision (LE)] in the management of locally advanced rectal cancer responding to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Method: Patients enrolled in the ReSARCh study (NCT02710812) between 2016 and 2021 were divided into two cohorts (WW vs. LE).

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Introduction: Robot-assisted minimally invasive gastrectomy (RAMIG) represents a significant advancement in the surgical management of gastric cancer, offering superior dexterity, enhanced visualization, and improved ergonomics compared to laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG). This review systematically evaluates the current evidence on perioperative outcomes, oncological efficacy, learning curves, and economic considerations, providing insights into RAMIG's potential role in modern gastric cancer surgery.

Methods: A thorough analysis of retrospective, prospective, and meta-analytic studies was conducted to compare RAMIG with LG.

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Background: Esophageal cancer, the seventh most common malignancy globally, requires esophagectomy for curative treatment. However, esophagectomy is associated with high postoperative morbidity and mortality, highlighting the need for minimally invasive approaches. Robotic-assisted surgery has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional open and minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), offering potential benefits in improving clinical and oncological outcomes.

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Purpose: Time to closure and morbidity are significant issues associated with ileostomy reversal after rectal cancer resection. This study aimed to investigate the rate, time, and morbidity associated with ileostomy closure procedure.

Methods: Between February and December 2022, patients who underwent protective ileostomy after rectal cancer surgery across 45 Italian surgical centres were prospectively included.

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The patient activation measure (PAM), a recognized measure of how active patients are in their care, is one of the most extensively used, widely translated, and tested instruments worldwide in measuring patient activation. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties and construct validity of the Italian version of the 13-item Patient Activation Measure (PAM13-I) among patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A multicenter study was conducted across 111 surgical units in Italy.

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Adopting electronic health records (EHRs) offers improved communication and information sharing and reduces medical staff errors. Despite these potential benefits, EHR adoption often introduces new challenges for healthcare staff, including increased administrative burdens and workplace stress. This study examines the impact of EHR systems on the well-being and workplace stress of healthcare staff in a hospital setting.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on the perioperative outcomes of pancreatic cancer surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing data from 2019 and 2020.
  • Researchers analyzed 1815 patients, finding no significant difference in cancer stages between the two years, but noted a decrease in neoadjuvant chemotherapy use and an increase in minimally invasive procedures in 2020.
  • Despite some changes in treatment protocols and a rise in medical complications during surgery in 2020, the overall outcome for patients undergoing surgery for pancreatic cancer remained largely unaffected.
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Article Synopsis
  • Improving patient activation may lead to shorter hospital stays and better post-surgery outcomes for patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
  • In a study of over 4,500 patients, those with lower preoperative activation levels were more likely to experience delayed discharge, higher symptom burden, and increased need for unplanned healthcare after surgery.
  • The study, conducted across 90 Italian surgical centers, found no significant difference in postoperative complications between patients with low and high activation levels.
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  • This study compares two surgical methods, Hartmann's procedure (HP) and resection with primary anastomosis (RPA), for treating acute left-sided colonic emergencies among 1215 patients from 204 centers globally.
  • Results showed that while HP was the more common treatment (57.3%), RPA was favored for younger patients with fewer health issues and those needing surgery sooner.
  • The study concluded that although HP is still widely used, RPA might be the better option, emphasizing the importance of patient characteristics and surgeon experience in determining treatment choice.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the effectiveness and feasibility of rectal-sparing treatments for rectal cancer patients who showed a significant response after neoadjuvant therapy, although there is ongoing debate about their effectiveness.
  • In a multicenter study involving 178 patients, around 80.9% were able to preserve their rectum while showing promising survival rates over three years, including an overall survival rate of 80.6% and a stoma-free survival rate of 95%.
  • The findings suggest that for rectal cancer patients who achieve a major or complete response to neoadjuvant therapy, rectal preservation is possible in most cases without negatively affecting patient outcomes.
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Background: The concept of early discharge ≤24 hours after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC) is still doubted in Italy. This prospective multicentre study aims to analyze the prevalence of patients undergoing elective LC who experienced a delayed discharge >24 hours in an extensive Italian national database and identify potential limiting factors of early discharge after LC.

Methods: This is a prospective observational multicentre study performed from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 by 90 Italian surgical units.

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Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in significant patient morbidity and can prolong the duration of the hospital stay, causing high supplementary costs in addition to those already sustained due to the patient's underlying disease. Moreover, bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, making HAI prevention even more important nowadays. The public health consequences of antimicrobial resistance should be constrained by prevention and control actions, which must be a priority for all health systems of the world at all levels of care.

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Article Synopsis
  • The ChoCO-W study aimed to examine the effects of COVID-19 on the clinical presentation and outcomes of acute cholecystitis, particularly focusing on the rise of gangrenous cases during the pandemic.
  • Over 2,800 patients from 42 countries were enrolled, with a notable 6.9% testing positive for COVID-19, revealing a significantly higher prevalence of preexisting conditions and more severe outcomes in this group compared to those without the virus.
  • Patients with COVID-19 experienced higher postoperative complications (32.2% vs. 11.7%), longer hospital stays (13.21 days vs. 6.51 days), increased mortality rates (13.4% vs. 1.7
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Lipomatosis of the colon is rare in clinical practice although the majority of cases are found incidentally. In rare circumstances, patients may presents with acute complications such as bowel obstruction, intussusception, or perforation. Here we report a case of colonic lipomatosis that present as localized peritonitis mimicking acute appendicitis in a young COVID patient.

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Background: The objectives of the study were to investigate the organizational characteristics of acute care facilities worldwide in preventing and managing infections in surgery; assess participants' perception regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, antibiotic prescribing practices, and source control; describe awareness about the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and IPC measures; and determine the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on said awareness.

Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted contacting 1432 health care workers (HCWs) belonging to a mailing list provided by the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery. The self-administered questionnaire was developed by a multidisciplinary team.

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Splenic rupture in the absence of trauma or previously diagnosed disease is rare. Due to the delay of diagnosis and treatment, this is a potentially life-threatening condition. We report a case of atraumatic splenic rupture in a SARS-CoV-2 patient.

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Several regimens of oral and intravenous antibiotics (OIVA) have been proposed with contradicting results, and the role of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) is still controversial. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of oral antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing Surgical Site Infections (SSI) in elective colorectal surgery. In a multicentre trial, we randomized patients undergoing elective colorectal resection surgery, comparing the effectiveness of OIVA versus intravenous antibiotics (IVA) regimens to prevent SSI as the primary outcome (NCT04438655).

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Purpose: The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to compare antibiotic therapy and appendectomy as treatment for patients with uncomplicated appendicitis confirmed by ultrasound and/or computed tomography.

Methods: The study was conducted from January 2017 to January 2018. Data regarding all patients discharged from the participating centers with a diagnosis of uncomplicated appendicitis were collected prospectively.

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Background: Timing and adequacy of peritoneal source control are the most important pillars in the management of patients with acute peritonitis. Therefore, early prognostic evaluation of acute peritonitis is paramount to assess the severity and establish a prompt and appropriate treatment. The objectives of this study were to identify clinical and laboratory predictors for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute peritonitis and to develop a warning score system, based on easily recognizable and assessable variables, globally accepted.

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Background: A limited number of studies investigating perioperative risk factors associated with emergency appendectomy in elderly patients have been published to date. Whether older age may be associated with poorer outcomes following appendectomy is still a matter of debate. The primary aim of this study was to determine the predictors of postoperative morbidity following appendectomy in patients aged ≥ 65 years.

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Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis was to summarize the current available evidence on nonoperative management (NOM) with antibiotics for uncomplicated appendicitis, both in adults and children.

Summary Background Data: Although earlier meta-analyses demonstrated that NOM with antibiotics may be an acceptable treatment strategy for patients with uncomplicated appendicitis, evidence is limited by conflicting results.

Methods: Systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE databases for randomized and nonrandomized studies comparing antibiotic therapy (AT) and surgical therapy-appendectomy (ST) for uncomplicated appendicitis.

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