The medical residency model, established over a century ago, remains the gold standard for medical education. Given its increasing significance in imparting expertise in medical specialties, understanding the profile of residents and changes over time is crucial.
This study aimed to assess graduates of digestive surgery and coloproctology residency programs at Hospital das Clínicas of the Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP) regarding their professional, academic, and research activities. It also aimed to analyze changes in resident profiles over the years, the impact of postgraduation on professional activities, and differences between graduates working in São Paulo capital and elsewhere.
A digital survey with 42 questions was sent to graduates who commenced training between 1979 and 2021. Results were analyzed in subgroups based on two eras (Era 1: 1979–2000; Era 2: 2001–2021), the impact of postgraduation, and respondents’ work locations.
The survey was responded by 213 graduates (87.6%). The training significantly impacted all respondents’ professional lives, with 92.5% willing to choose the same specialty again. Graduates from Era 2 showed a higher proportion of females, residents of cities other than São Paulo, and graduates from institutions outside FMUSP. Postgraduate responders were more involved in academic and research activities, publishing more papers, holding societal memberships, and performing more robot-assisted procedures. Those outside São Paulo capital were more involved in endoscopic procedures and associated with medical insurance.
The majority of graduates considered medical residency fundamental for career development. Social and economic changes influenced residents’ profiles and post-program activities.
Postoperative infectious complications are extremely important to surgeons and the entire medical care team. Among these complications, surgical site infection (SSI) appears to be one of the earliest and most prevalent events and is considered an inherent complication of surgical procedures. In oncological patients submitted to resections of digestive system tumors, there is a confluence of several risk factors for SSI, making it necessary to establish measures to maximize the control of this condition to provide a better prognosis for these patients. Some risk factors for SSI are the manipulation of structures hosting the highest density of pathogenic microorganisms, such as the colon, the patient's performance status, the patient's nutritional status, the use of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and the surgical procedure itself, which tends to last longer and be more complex than surgeries for benign conditions of the digestive system. Therefore, this review sought to provide a qualitative analysis and a summary of the literature regarding the SSI of postoperative tumor patients who underwent surgical resection and were well-structured postoperatively, to provide objective data on this problem, and alert about the well-structured needs of individualized pre-, peri-, and post-protocols to avoid the development of these events.
Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder, with clinical presentation of dysphagia and regurgitation. This is a chronic condition with no cure. Current treatment options aim to reduce lower esophageal sphincter tone by pharmacological, endoscopic or surgical means, with the aim of improving patients’ symptoms. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is an alternative endoscopic surgery to Heller cardiomyotomy, in which the procedure is performed orally, by endoscopy, offering efficacy comparable to surgical myotomy, with relative ease and minimal invasion, without external incisions.
To study the safety of POEM by analyzing its results, adverse events and perioperative complications and the main ways to overcome them, in addition to evaluating the effectiveness of the procedure and the short-term postoperative quality of life.
A qualitative and quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study that analyzed patients who underwent the POEM in a reference center, from December 2016 to December 2022, maintaining the technical standard of pre-, peri- and postoperative protocol.
A total of 94 patients were included in the study, and only three had postoperative complications. The average early postoperative Eckardt score was 0.93 and the late 1.40, with a mean improvement of 7.1 in early results and 6.63 in late results (p<0.05).
POEM can be reproduced with an excellent safety profile, significant relief of symptoms and improvement in esophageal emptying, and in quality of life.
Obesity is associated with different medical conditions, such as cardiologic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary, and constitutes a severe health problem.
This study aimed to evaluate the use of intragastric fluid-filled balloon in the reduction of weight and other measurements related to body composition.
This is a retrospective, monocentric study involving all patients who opted for the intragastric balloon Spatz® placement from January 2018 to July 2019, with fulfillment of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients were analyzed after 6 and 12 months after the intragastric fluid-filled balloon placed.
A total of 121 subjects were included in this study, with 83 (68.6%) females and 38 (31.4%) males. The mean age was 36 years and height was 1.64±0.09. Weight mean and standard deviation was 89.85±14.65 kg, and body mass index was 33.05±4.03; body mass index decreased to 29.4 kg/m2 with a mean weight of 79.83 kg, after 12 months of follow-up. There were statistical differences between body mass index and the 12 months in fat percentage, fat-free mass (kg), visceral fat area, and basal metabolic rate. There was a significant variation according to gender, with males having highest reduction. The percentage of excess weight loss was 46.19, and the total weight loss was 9.24 at the end of the study.
The study demonstrated a benefit of intragastric fluid-filled balloon on weight loss after 12 months. At the end of treatment, body mass index and the measurements of body composition were significantly lower. Men benefited more than women from the treatment.
The diagnosis of achalasia may be suggested by clinical features but a complete work-up is required not only to confirm the diagnosis but also to grade the disease by severity or clinical subtype.
To review the current evaluation of esophageal achalasia and its correct comprehension.
The literature review was based on papers published on Medline/Pubmed, SciELO and Lilacs, crossing the following headings: “esophageal achalasia”; “deglutition disorders”; “diagnostic techniques”, “digestive system”; “endoscopy, digestive system”; “manometry”.
The diagnosis of achalasia is suggested by clinical features but is not sufficient to distinguish this from other esophageal disease. It must be confirmed by further diagnostic tests, such as esophagogastroduodenoscopy, barium swallow and manometry. Recent advances in diagnostic methods, including high resolution manometry might even help predicting outcome or selected more appropriate procedures to treat the disease.
A detailed and systematic study of achalasia patients allows not only a correct diagnosis but also contributes to therapeutic decision making and prognosis.
Gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma are responsible for approximately 13.5% of cancer-related deaths. Given the fact that these tumors are not typically detected until they are already in the advanced stages, neoadjuvancy plays a fundamental role in improving long-term survival. Identification of those with complete pathological response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is a major challenge, with effects on organ preservation, extent of resection, and additional surgery. There is little or no information in the literature about which endoscopic signs should be evaluated after NAC, or even when such re-evaluation should occur.
To describe the endoscopic aspects of patients with gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomas who underwent NAC and achieved pCR, and to determine the accuracy of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in predicting the pCR.
A survey was conducted of the medical records of patients with these tumors who were submitted to gastrectomy after NAC, with anatomopathological result of pCR.
Twenty-nine patients were identified who achieved pCR after NAC within the study period. Endoscopic responses were used to classify patients into two groups: G1-endoscopic findings consistent with pCR and G2-endoscopic findings not consistent with pCR. Endoscopic evaluation in G1 was present in an equal percentage (47.4%; p=0.28) in Borrmann classification II and III. In this group, the predominance was in the gastric body (57.9%; p=0.14), intestinal subtype with 42.1% (p=0.75), undifferentiated degree, 62.5% (p=0.78), Herb+ in 73.3% (p=0.68). The most significant finding, however, was that the time interval between NAC and EGD was longer for G1 than G2 (24.4 vs. 10.2 days, p=0.008).
EGD after NAC seems to be a useful tool for predicting pCR, and it may be possible to use it to create a reliable response classification. In addition, the time interval between NAC and EGD appears to significantly influence the predictive power of endoscopy for pCR.
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