Background: s/Aims: To evaluate the impact of unplanned conversion to open surgery on resection margin status and postoperative complications in patients undergoing minimally-invasive resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Methods: This study performed a proportion meta-analysis and meta-regression using random-effects modelling in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies with at least 15 patients that reported conversion to open surgery in individuals receiving minimally-invasive CRLM resection were included. The association of unplanned conversion with postoperative outcomes was analyzed. Results: Eighty-six studies encompassing 18,138 patients were analyzed. The overall conversion rate was 5.8% (95% CI 5%–6.6%).Conversion was associated with improved R0 resection rates (coefficient: 2.167, p < 0.001) but was also linked to increased postoperative mortality (coefficient: 7.585, p = 0.001) and morbidity (coefficient: 1.737, p = 0.003); there was no significant impact on 5-year overall survival (coefficient: 0.700, p = 0.989) or 5-year disease-free survival (coefficient: –72.900, p = 0.157). Specifically, conversion due to oncological concern was associated with higher rates of R0 resection (coefficient: 0.638, p = 0.005); conversion resulting from iatrogenic injuries was associated with lower R0 resection rates (coefficient: –1.478, p < 0.001); conversion for technical difficulties was associated with lower postoperative morbidity (coefficient: –0.380, p = 0.006). Conclusions Unplanned conversion to open may carry prognostic and oncological implications for minimally-invasive resection of CRLM. Although conversion due to bleeding and iatrogenic injury is routinely considered, conversion prompted by technical difficulties or oncological concerns should not be considered failure, as it may be associated with improved patient outcomes.

Purpose: Fracture union after osteosynthesis of a fracture neck femur (FNF) occurs by compression of the fracture ends and potential neck shortening. Selection of an implant for fixation of a femoral fracture of the neck can be challenging when making management decisions. Femoral neck shortening after internal fixation of FNFs using a femoral neck system (FNS) or multiple cannulated cancellous screws (MCS) was compared. Materials and Methods: This prospective interventional single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted at a university teaching hospital. Sixty patients undergoing internal fixation for management of sub-capital or trans-cervical FNFs were randomized and assigned, to one of the two groups—the test group (FNS group) and the control group (MCS group). Primary outcome was determined by measuring the difference in 1-year shortening of the femoral neck on radiographs between FNS and MCS. The secondary objective was to determine the correlation between neck shortening with patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) at the end of the final follow-up. Results: At the final follow-up, shortening of the femoral neck was 3.77±1.87 mm in the FNS group, significantly lower compared with the MCS group, 6.53±1.59 mm. Conclusion Significantly less shortening of the femoral neck was observed in the FNS group compared with the MCS group. No statistically significant difference in PROMs was observed at 1-year follow-up. The findings of the study suggest that FNS can be regarded as a suitable alternative for internal fixation in young adults (<60 years) with trans-cervical and subcapital FNFs.

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) is an endovascular technique frequently employed in the management of bleeding gastric varices among patients with portal hypertension. Bleeding from gastric varices is associated with higher mortality and morbidity compared to bleeding from esophageal varices, which are typically managed endoscopically. Compared to other interventions for gastric varices, BRTO is less invasive and can be performed in patients with poor hepatic reserve. The procedure involves occlusion of the outflow of the portosystemic shunt— often a gastrorenal shunt—using an occlusion balloon, followed by injection of a sclerosant into the varix. In this report, we describe a technique for accessing gastric varices that lack a gastrorenal shunt; this is accomplished using alternative shunt routes, such as the inferior phrenic vein. The reported approach is technically challenging due to the relatively small size of these shunts and the scarcity of cases documented in the literature regarding their use.

Portal hypertension, a known complication of liver cirrhosis, typically leads to variceal bleeding in the esophagus and stomach. However, ectopic varices can also occur outside the gastroesophageal region and may present with life-threatening massive bleeding. We report a case of bleeding ileal ectopic varices in a patient with cirrhosis that were not detected during routine endoscopy. These varices were ultimately diagnosed with the aid of abdominal computed tomography. A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was created to decrease portal pressure, and the TIPS tract was then used to selectively embolize the bleeding ectopic ileal varices.