Background: Whether robot-assisted cholecystectomy reduces bile duct injury compared with laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains uncertain because prior studies have inadequately accounted for disease severity and have rarely classified injury severity using standardized criteria. This study compared perioperative outcomes after robot-assisted and laparoscopic cholecystectomy across a large healthcare system while adjusting for operative complexity. Study Design: Adults undergoing robot-assisted or laparoscopic cholecystectomy within the Mayo Clinic Enterprise (2014–2025) were retrospectively evaluated. Propensity score weighting adjusted for demographics, surgeon case volume, learning curve, and disease severity using the Tokyo Guidelines and Parkland grading system in patients with acute cholecystitis. The primary outcome was bile duct injury; secondary outcomes included general and procedure-specific complications. Results: Among 23,513 patients (19,998 laparoscopic; 3,515 robotic), robot-assisted cholecystectomy was used more frequently for Parkland grade ≥3 disease. Overall, 227 bile duct injuries occurred (204 laparoscopic; 23 robotic), corresponding to absolute risks of 1.02% and 0.65%, respectively (absolute risk difference −0.37%, 95% CI −0.72% to −0.02%; number needed to treat, 273). Robot-assisted cholecystectomy was associated with lower odds of conversion to open surgery, 30-day readmission, and mortality, shorter hospital stay (β −0.56, 95% CI −0.66 to −0.45; P<0.001), and a 5-minute longer median operative time. In acute cholecystitis, robot-assisted cholecystectomy was associated with lower adjusted odds of bile duct injury (aOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.07–0.78; P=0.011). Conclusions: After adjustment for disease severity and surgeon-related factors, robot-assisted cholecystectomy was associated with lower odds of bile duct injury in acute cholecystitis and improved perioperative outcomes, including shorter hospitalization and lower conversion rates, despite greater use in more complex cases.
Efficacy of intraoperative hemoadsorption in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, a meta-analysis
Objectives Comparing clinical outcomes after cardiopulmonary bypass with hemodsorption (HA) versus cardiopulmonary bypass without HA in patients undergoing cardiac surgery in terms of mortality and major complications. Methods PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant randomized control trials (RCTs) that compared postoperative clinical outcomes between patients receiving intraoperative HA with cardiopulmonary bypass versus patients receiving cardiopulmonary bypass without intraoperative HA in cardiac surgery. Results Sixteen RCTs with 851 patients (433 in the HA group and 418 in the control group), were included in our meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis found no significant differences between the intraoperative HA group and the control group in patients undergoing cardiac surgery in terms of 30-days/in-hospital mortality, new-onset atrial fibrillation, stroke or cerebrovascular events, postoperative delirium, renal failure/acute kidney injury, need for renal replacement, postoperative liver dysfunction, thrombocytopenia, bleeding, volume of blood loss, pneumonia, sepsis, respiratory insufficiency, duration of postoperative ventilation, distributive/septic shock, pericardial tamponade, need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at ICU admission, plasma-free hemoglobin levels, and fibrinogen levels. However, the pooled analysis showed a significant association between HA and decreased albumin at ICU admission (MD = − 0.28, 95% CI [0.55 to 0.01], p -value = 0.04), decreased length of ICU stay (MD = −0.66, 95% CI [−1.24 to 0.08], p -value = 0.03), and decreased length of hospital stay (MD = −0.99, 95% CI [−1.88 to −0.10], p -value = 0.03). Conclusion Our findings suggest that there is not enough evidence to endorse the role of routine intraoperative HA during cardiopulmonary bypass in improving clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery. Factors such as patient risk profile, procedure complexity, and cost implications should be taken into account when considering this adjunct therapy.
Financial Comparison of Single- vs 2-Stage Management of Bile Duct Stones
This economic evaluation assesses the costs, reimbursements, and estimated net operating margin of single- and 2-stage strategies for managing bile duct stone clearance to compare the financial outcomes of both strategies.
Cardiac surgical outcomes and predictors of redo sternotomy in patients with Marfan syndrome: a retrospective multicentre cohort study
Background Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with progressive aortic and valvular disease requiring cardiac surgery, but contemporary data on repeat cardiac operations in adults remain limited. Methods We performed a retrospective multicentre cohort study of 783 adults with MFS evaluated across three Mayo Clinic sites. Cardiac operations, postoperative complications, echocardiographic findings and redo sternotomy events were identified by chart review. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with redo sternotomy. Results Overall, 454 patients (58.0%) underwent at least one cardiac operation, and 185 patients (23.6% of the total cohort; 41.0% of operated patients) required redo sternotomy. The most common procedures were aortic root intervention (53.4%), aortic valve intervention (39.6%), mitral valve intervention (16.1%) and tricuspid valve intervention (2.6%). Valvular abnormalities were frequent, including mitral regurgitation (51.5%), mitral valve prolapse (41.1%), tricuspid regurgitation (44.6%) and aortic regurgitation (28.5%). Major postoperative complications occurred in 15.3% of patients. On multivariate analysis, hypertension (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.54 to 3.72), emergent initial operation (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.97 to 5.80) and postoperative complications (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.58 to 4.27) were independently associated with redo sternotomy, whereas repair extending beyond the aortic root was associated with lower odds (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.53). Conclusion In this large multicentre cohort of adults with MFS, cardiac surgery was common, and redo sternotomy occurred frequently among operated patients. These findings provide a contemporary description of the long-term need for cardiac surgery in adults with MFS managed at tertiary referral centres.
Association of GLP-1 receptor agonists versus bariatric surgery with outcomes in obese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a multicenter propensity-matched analysis
Abstract Aims Obesity is linked with worse outcomes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). While both bariatric surgery (BS) and GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) promote weight loss and may improve cardiometabolic risk, their comparative outcomes in HCM remain unclear. Methods and results Adults with HCM and body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m were divided into two cohorts: (i) GLP-1 RA users who never had BS, and (ii) BS patients who never received GLP-1 RA. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed to balance demographics, comorbidities, and medications. Outcomes over 24 months include all-cause mortality, acute heart failure (HF) hospitalization, arrhythmias, change in BMI, and cardiovascular symptoms. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Cox models. Of 5002 patients, 955 were included in each matched cohort after matching (mean age 54 ± 13 years, 70% female, BMI 40.0 kg/m). GLP-1 RA was associated with a significantly lower observed rate of all-cause mortality compared with BS (2.0% vs. 4.4%; HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.27–0.80; P = 0.004) and HF hospitalization (8.7% vs. 14.0%; HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.46–0.79; P < 0.001). Similarly, GLP-1 RA use was associated with a lower incidence of composite cardiovascular outcomes (10.7% vs. 17.2%; HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.47–0.77; P < 0.001). Rates of arrhythmia and cardiovascular symptoms were comparable between the two groups. BMI reduction was greater after bariatric surgery (−4.0 vs. −2.6 kg/m; P < 0.001). Conclusion In obese patients with HCM, GLP-1 RA therapy was associated with lower all-cause mortality and fewer HF events compared with BS. Future studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
Early Predictors of Surgical Explantation of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Multi-Center International Database Analysis
Background: Indications for TAVR explant have been established, although limited data exist regarding pre-TAVR baseline characteristics that predict eventual explantation. Methods: The TriNetX network, a database comprising medical records from over 105 institutions, was used. Two cohorts were created: those who underwent TAVR without explant and those requiring subsequent TAVR explant and SAVR. Predictors of explantation were analyzed by multivariate models. Results: Among the 63,377 patients undergoing TAVR, 273 (0.4%) required explantation. Patients in the explant group were younger (69.1 ± 11.3 vs. 78.1 ± 8.8 years; p < 0.001), more likely to have a thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) (10.6% vs. 4.7%; p < 0.001) and had higher LDL levels (88.2 ± 41.3 vs. 80.7 ± 34.6 mg/dL; p = 0.011). They also had increased post-TAVR rates of acute kidney injury (9.2% vs. 5.2%; p = 0.004) and paravalvular leak (5.9% vs. 0.9%; p < 0.001). Age at TAVR (HR 1.04; CI 1.03–1.06), baseline TAA (HR 1.69; CI 1.09–2.63), history of infective endocarditis (HR 1.92; CI 1.10–3.35), and higher LDL (HR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00–1.03) were independent predictors for explantation. Conclusions: Younger age at TAVR, TAA, history of endocarditis, and elevated baseline LDL were notable predictors of explantation. These findings highlight the necessity of pre-procedural assessment and follow-up in high-risk patients to optimize TAVR durability.