International Surgery Volume 101: Issue 1-2

As Editor-in-Chief, International Surgery, I dedicate this editorial letter to emphasizing the importance of complete transparency in scholarly publishing and of strict adherence to best publishing practices for International Surgery.

Our standards are based on the principles and guidelines outlined by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (ASPA), as well as several other highly principled, quality organizations dedicated to practicing complete transparency and following best publishing practices.

International Surgery is owned by the International College of Surgeons (ICS) and is the

Varicocele accounts for 40% of male infertility. Laparoscopic varicocelectomy was used for the treatment of a series of 4000 men. The operation was a high bilateral ligation. The average time for the operation was 1 hour and 15 minutes. There were no complications and patients were discharged on the same day of the operation. Testicular damage from varicocele was permanent, and the usual percentage was 10% of total testicular tissue examined. The surgery was very well accepted by patients. Semen parameters improved among 80% of the patients, with 45% of their wives becoming pregnant. There is clearly a role for video laparoscopic varicocelectomy in the treatment of male infertility.

Partial nephrectomy has become a treatment of choice for clinical T1a renal masses. Some international guidelines suggest that partial nephrectomy can be applied also in clinical T1b tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of partial nephrectomy for tumors larger than 4 cm. We reviewed the medical records of 1280 patients who underwent partial nephrectomy and had pathologically confirmed malignancy. Patients were categorized into two groups by the size of tumors on computed tomography image, with a cutoff value of 4 cm. The oncologic and functional outcomes were compared between the two groups. Recurrence-free survival after surgery was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Of the 1280 patients, 203 patients (15.9%) had renal tumors larger than 4 cm. There were significantly more exophytic tumors (P < 0.001) and the R.E.N.A.L. scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in partial nephrectomy >4 cm. Mean ischemic times were significantly different (P < 0.001). After 24 months, mean creatinine level between partial nephrectomy >4 cm and partial nephrectomy ≤4 cm was not different significantly (P = 0.554). And the percent changes of glomerular filtration rate after partial nephrectomy were not different at last follow-up (P = 0.082). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 96.6% in partial nephrectomy ≤4 cm, and 94.5% in partial nephrectomy >4 cm (P = 0.416). Based on the present findings, partial nephrectomy for tumors larger than 4 cm showed comparable feasibility and safety to partial nephrectomy for tumors ≤4 cm considering oncologic and functional outcomes, despite longer operative and ischemic time.

We previously demonstrated that subcutaneous drain is effective for preventing incisional surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with thick subcutaneous fat in colorectal surgery. We have recently attempted a novel closure technique in colorectal surgery for the prevention of incisional SSI. In the current study, we described this novel method for prevention of incisional SSI and share our assessment of efficiency of this incision management in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. The procedure “wound dressing with temporary negative pressure” using Opsite Post-Op Visible and an Atom Multipurpose Tube, is a simple and easy method. Immediately after incisions were closed, Opsite Post-Op Visible dressing was applied over the incision site with an Atom Multipurpose catheter, and negative pressure was applied through the catheter. We analyzed the cases of 203 patients who underwent colorectal resection. In 60 cases, we performed this negative pressure system for prevention of SSI. We reviewed the clinical features of these cases treated by this novel method and found that the incisional SSI rate in patients who underwent colorectal resection was significantly reduced following the use of the new method. There were no complications in any of the cases due to DNP. This dressing with negative pressure (DNP) may lead to wound drainage and a reduction of dead space in a subcutaneous wound area. These findings indicate that the use of DNP is safe, easy, and effective for preventing incisional SSI in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Inadequacy of anterior-only fixation for reducible three-column injury of the subaxial cervical spine: case report

Yu-ying WuM.D.,

Po-Yuan ChenM.D.,

Kang LuPhD., and

I-Fan LinM.D.

Transparency and Best Publishing Practices

Laparoscopic Varicocelectomy: My Personal Experience of 4000 Cases

Efficacy of Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Tumors >4 cm: Comparison With Renal Tumors ≤4 cm

Novel Method of Surgical Incision Management in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery

Anal Canal Duplication in Adults: Report of Five Cases

Effect of Intraoperative PEEP Application on Colonic Anastomoses Healing: An Experimental Animal Study

Compliance and Surgical Team Perceptions of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist; Systematic Review

Mean Platelet Volume as a Biomarker for Thyroid Carcinoma

Another Type of Choledochal Cyst Beyond the Todani Classification

The Choice of Palliative Treatment for Biliary and Duodenal Obstruction in Patients With Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: Is Surgery Bypass Better?

High-Resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (HR-PQCT) and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) Measurements of Proximal Tibia in Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty

Age-Related Changes of Posterior Tibial Slope and Its Roles in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Role of Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage in Patients With Complications After Gastrectomy

An Early Gastric Cancer Patient With Pleural Metastatic Recurrence

Sleeve Gastrectomy With Modified Jejunoileal Bypass Model in Goto-Kakizaki Rats

Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication: Analysis of 162 Patients

Erratum

Inadequacy of anterior-only fixation for reducible three-column injury of the subaxial cervical spine: case report

Lasers for Pulmonary Resections

miR-135a promotes tumor invasion by targeting BACH1 and GATA3 in gastric cancer

Treatment of Intertrochanteric Fractures in the Elderly with Minimally Invasive DAA for Hip Arthroplasty

Comparison of clinical outcomes between percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage with local lithotripsy and ERCP alone for treating intrahepatic bile duct stones