Objective To evaluate the short-term effectiveness and safety of laparoscopic versus conventional open left hepatectomy. Methods Databases including CENTRAL (Issue 1, 2012), MEDLINE/PubMed (1978 to 2012), EMbase (1966 to 2012), CBM (1978 to 2012), CNKI (1979 to 2012) and the Chinese Medical Association Figures Journal Systems (1990 to 2012) were searched to collect clinical trials on laparoscopic versus conventional open left hepatectomy. Relevant proceedings and references of the included studies were also retrieved manually. According to the inclusion criteria, two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed quality. Then meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan5.0 software. Results No randomized controlled trials were collected, and a total of 5 clinical concurrent controlled trials involving 319 patients were included finally. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with the conventional open group, the laparoscopic group was longer in the operation time (WMD=40.89, 95%CI 29.39 to 55.38, Plt;0.000 01), and was lower in the intraoperative blood loss (WMD=−107.84, 95%CI −208.96 to −6.73, Plt;0.04); but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of hospital stays (WMD=−3.78, 95%CI −9.60 to 2.04, P=0.20) or postoperative complications (WMD=0.69, 95%CI 0.37 to 1.29, P=0.25). Conclusion As a minimally invasive technique, laparoscopic left hepatectomy has advantages of small abdominal incision and less intraoperative blood loss, and it is helpful to improve the quality of life for patients. Due to the limitation of quantity and quality of the included studies, it is hard to estimate the impact of bias on the reliability of this conclusion. We advise to perform more high quality, large scale and multicenter studies with adequate follow-up in the future.
Objective To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with argon-helium cryotherapy system (AHCS) for primary hepatic carcinomas (PHC), and to provide references for clinical practice and research. Methods Such databases as The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched, and other sources like the relavant references were also retrieved to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about TACE combiend with AHCS for PHC published by May 1st, 2012. After literature screening, data extraction and quality evaluation performed by two reviewers independently according to the inclusion criteria, the meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.1 software. Results A total of 16 RCTs involving 1 467 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed: a) The TACE+AHCS group was superior to the TACE alone group in total effective rate, complete necrosis rate, 0.5-, 1-, 1.5-, 2- and 2.5-year survival rates, AFP, CD4 and Th/Ts cells, and there were significant differences (Plt;0.05); and b) The TACE+AHCS group was superior to the AHCS alone group in 0.5-, 1.5-, 2- and 2.5-year survival rates, AFP and Th/Ts cells, and there were significant differences (Plt;0.05). Conclusion Compared with the TACE or AHCS alone, TACE combined with AHCS can improve long-term survival rate and short-term curative effect, and improve PHC patients’ immunity. However, its long-term curative effect and safety still needs to be further verified by more large sample and high quality RCTs.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dexmedetomidine for postoperative sedation in cardiac patients. Methods Such databases as PubMed, EBSCO, Springer, Ovid, The Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched electronically from the date of their establishment to May 2012, and other relevant journals and references of the included literature were also searched manually. Two reviewers independently screened the studies in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed methodology quality. Then the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1software. Results A total of 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1 157 patients were included. The Jadad scores of 7 RCTs were more than 3, and only 1 RCT scored 2. The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group, dexmedetomidine significantly raised peripheral oxygen saturation (RR=0.90, 95%CI 0.31 to 0.49, P=0.003), decreased the incidence of average heart rate (RR=–5.86, 95%CI –7.31 to −4.40, Plt;0.000 01), ventricular tachycardia (RR=0.27, 95%CI 0.08 to 0.88, P=0.03), delirium (RR=0.28, 95%CI 0.16 to 0.48, Plt;0.000 01) and postoperative hyperglycemia (RR=0.57, 95%CI 0.38 to 0.85, P=0.006), and reduced the number of patients who needed vasoactive agents such as epinephrine (RR=0.53, 95%CI 0.29 to 0.96, P=0.04) and β-blocker (RR=0.60, 95%CI 0.38 to 0.94, P=0.03). However, it failed to shorten the time of both ICU stay (RR=−1.24, 95%CI −4.35 to 1.87, P=0.43) and mechanical ventilation (RR=−2.28, 95%CI −5.13 to 0.57, P=0.12), increase mean artery pressure (RR=−2.78, 95%CI −6.89 to 1.34, P=0.19), and well control postoperative nausea, vomiting and atrial-fibrillation. There were no significant differences between the two groups in myocardial infarction, acute cardiac failure, acute kidney failure, and mortality rate. Conclusion For postoperative sedation in cardiac patients, dexmedetomidine can effectively stabilize hemodynamic indexes, and reduce tachycardia, delirium, postoperative hyperglycemia and vasoactive agents. However, it has no marked influence on the prognosis. For the quantity and quality limitation of included studies, this conclusion needs to be proved by performing more high quality and large sample RCTs.
Objective To systematically review the effectiveness and safety of different laparoscopic surgeries for ovarian endometrioma (OE). Methods Such databases as The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2011), MEDLINE (1966 to November 2011), EMbase (1980 to November 2011), CNKI (1980 to November 2011), CBM (1980 to November 2011) and WanFang Data (1978 to November 2011) were searched on computer, and the relevant references of the included literature were also retrieved manually to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about laparoscopic cystectomy vs. laparoscopic coagulation for OE. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed quality. Then RevMan 5.1 software was used for meta-analysis. Results A total of 5 RCTs were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, laparoscopic cystectomy for OE could reduce the reocurrence rates of dysmenorrhoea (RR=0.29, 95%CI 0.15 to 0.55, P=0.000 2), dyspareunia (RR=0.27, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.77, P=0.01) and non-menstrual pelvic pain (RR=0.19, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.76, P=0.02), decrease 1-year (RR=0.33, 95%CI 0.15 to 0.74, P=0.007) and 2-year (RR=0.49, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.95, P=0.03) postoperative reoccurence of OE, and lower the risk of short-term secondary operation (RR=0.25, 95%CI 0.07 to 0.85, P=0.03). However, it didn’t increase the 12-month (RR=2.82, 95%CI 1.44 to 5.50, P=0.002) and 24-month (RR=2.62, 95%CI 1.47 to 4.68, P=0.001) postoperative spontaneous pregnancy rates (SPR). In addition, although laparoscopic coagulation was superior to laparoscopic cystectomy in the 6-month postoperative ovarian reserve function (ORF), there was no significant difference in the 5-year postoperative ORF between the two groups (WMD=0.27, 95%CI −0.18 to 0.73, P=0.24). Conclusion Laparoscopic cystectomy for OE can reduce the reoccurence of dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, non-menstrual pelvic pain and endometriosis, decrease the risk of short-term secondary operation, and increase the postoperative SPR in women who had been diagnosed as infertility. Because of the quantity limitation of present clinical trials, this conclusion requires to be further proved by performing more high quality RCTs.
Objective To assess the effectiveness of bariatric surgery for obese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Mainland China. Methods Such databases as the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 2, 2012), MEDLINE (1990 to February 2012), EMbase (1990 to February 2012), CBM (1990 to February 2012), CNKI (1990 to February 2012), WanFang Data (1999 to February 2012) and VIP (1996 to February 2012) were searched, and the references of the included literature were also retrieved. The studies were screened according to the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the data were extracted, the quality was evaluated, and then the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 software. Results A total of 6 controlled before-and-after studies involving 100 patients were included. The overall quality of all literature was as low as grade C. The results of meta-analysis showed that the following indexes after operation obviously decreased than before: 1-month postoperative fasting plasma glucose (MD= –2.27, 95%CI ?4.12 to ?0.42, P=0.02), 6-month postoperative fasting plasma glucose (MD= ?2.73, 95%CI ?2.91 to 2.56, Plt;0.000 01), and 6-month postoperative glycated hemoglobin (SMD= ?1.97, 95%CI ?2.98 to ?0.96, P=0.000 1), and the differences were statistically significant. The sensitivity analysis indicated the results of meta-analysis were credible and stable, but the funnel-plot analysis displayed publication bias might exist in the included studies. Conclusion Current studies show that bariatric surgery is effective for obese T2DM patients in mainland China. However, due to small sample size and low methodological quality of the included studies, its effect has to be proved by high quality, large sample, and long follow-up studies.
Objective To explore the influence of dexmedetomidine on wake-up test during spinal orthopaedic surgery. Methods All 80 patients taking spinal orthopaedic surgery were randomly divided into the trial group and the control group, with 40 cases in each group. The endotracheal intubation anesthesia was adopted in both groups with same anesthesia induction. Additionally, dexmedetomidine 0.8 μg/ (kg·h) was infused within 10 min in the trial group before anesthesia induction, and then another 0.5 μg/ (kg·h) was also infused from the intraoperation to suture of incision. For the control group, the same amount of normal saline was infused, and all the narcotics were stopped pumping 15 min before the wake-up test, but then were continued pumping after the wake-up test. Finally, the following indexes were analyzed: wake-up time, wake-up quality, hemodynamic changes at the time of 15 min before wake-up (T1), recovery of spontaneous breathing (T2), wake-up (T3) and 15 min after wake-up (T4), dosage of narcotics, and the incidence of adverse events. Results There was no significant difference in the operation time before wake-up between the two groups (P=0.07). For the trial group, the dosage of sevoflurane (P=0.03) and sufentanil (P=0.00) used before wake-up was significantly lower, the wake-up time (P=0.04) and bleeding amount during wake-up (P=0.00) were significantly less, the wake-up quality (P=0.03) was significantly higher, the blood pressure (P=0.00) and heart rate (P=0.00) when wake-up were significantly lower, and the incidence of adverse events (P=0.04) was significantly lower, compared with the control group. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine adopted in spinal orthopaedic surgery can significantly improve patient’s wake-up quality, shorten wake-up time, reduce bleeding amount when wake-up and adverse events after wake-up, and maintain the hemodynamic stability, so it has better protective effects.
Objective To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of frequently-used bariatric surgery versus conventional medical therapy for obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods Such databases as The Cochrane Library (Issue 12, 2012), PubMed, CNKI, CBM, VIP and WanFang Data were searched to collect the randomized controlled trails (RCTs) about frequently-used bariatric surgery vs. conventional therapy for obese patients with type 2 diabetes. The retrieval time was from inception to May, 2012. Two reviewers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality. Then the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1.2 software. Results A total of three RCTs involving 340 patients were included finally. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with conventional medical therapy, bariatric surgery could improve the diabetes remission, decrease both glycated hemoglobin level and patient’s weight. At the same time, the postoperative complications were fairly mild. Conclusion Frequently-used bariatric surgery is superior to conventional medical therapy when treating obese patients with type 2 diabetes, and it deserves to be recommended in clinic. However more studies are required to further confirm this conclusion because of the quality and quantity limitation of the included studies.
Objective To systematically review the effectiveness of different therapies for chronic periapical lesion (CPL), such as different root canal surgeries and conventional root canal obturation. Methods The following databases such as The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMbase, VIP, CNKI, CMB and WanFang Data were searched to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and concurrent controlled trials (CCTs) on CPL treated by both conventional root canal obturation and different root canal surgeries such as periapical curettage, retrograde obturation and apicoectomy. The references of the included studies were also retrieved, and the retrieval time was from inception to October 2012. Two reviewers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the data, and assessed the quality. Then after cross-checking, the meta-analyses were performed by using RevMan 5.0 software. Results A total of 7 RCTs and 11 CCTs involving 1 663 patients were included. Among all 1 727 teeth, 1 661 met the inclusion criteria which contained 1 151 in the root canal surgeries groups, and 510 in the conventional groups. The methodological quality of all included studies was low. The results of meta-analysis showed that, in general, different root canal surgeries plus conventional root canal obturation were more effective than root canal obturation alone (RR=1.12, 95%CI 1.08 to 1.18, Plt;0.000 01). The results of sub-group analysis revealed that, the total effective rate of both retrograde obturation (RR=1.3, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.46, Plt;0.000 1) and apicoectomy (RR=1.23, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.46, P=0.02) was superior to that of periapical curettage, with significant differences in both sub-groups. But retrograde obturation took similar effect as apicoectomy did, without a significant difference (RR=0.96, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.11, P=0.61). Conclusion This systematic review suggests that, root canal obturation plus root canal surgeries is superior to root canal obturation alone in treating chronic periapical lesions. The comparison among different root canal surgeries reveals that, both apicoectomy and retrograde obturation are superior to periapical curettage. For the quantity and quality limitation of the included studies, additionally, the possibly existing bias because it is difficult to conduct surgeon and patient blind methods in root canal obturation and root canal surgeries in clinic, so the above conclusion has to be further proved by performing more well-designed and high quality RCTs.
Objective To systematically review the effectiveness and safety of thoracic epidural analesis (TEA) for postoperative complications after cardiac surgery. Methods Such databases as PubMed, Science Citation Index, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI and CBM were electronically searched from inception to October 2012 for collecting the randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness and safety of thoracic epidural analgesisa for postoperative complications after cardiac surgery. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1 software. Results Totally 14 studies were eligible, involving 1 942 patients. The results of meta-analysis showed that, TEA combined with general anesthesia (GA) was superior to GA alone in reducing the incidences of myocardial ischemia/infarction (RR=0.63, 95%CI 0.41 to 0.96, P=0.03), respiratory complications (RR=0.55, 95%CI 0.40 to 0.75, P=0.000 1), supraventricular arrhythmias (RR=0.64, 95%CI 0.47 to 0.88, P=0.005), and duration of mechanical ventilation (MD= –2.15, 95%CI –3.72 to –0.58, P=0.007), with significant differences. Conclusions Current evidence shows that, TEA after surgery is effective in reducing the incidences of myocardial ischemia/infarction, respiratory complications, supraventricular arrhythmias, and duration of mechanical ventilation. There is the lack of data on the adverse events of TEA (mainly referring to epidural hematoma). Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, patients’ conditions should be fully considered before applying TEA in clinical practice.
Objective To compare endoscopic sinius surgery plus middle meatus fenestration with endoscopic sinius surgery plus middle and inferior meatus fenestration for fungus ball maxillary sinusitis. Methods Applying a prospective randomized controlled trial, 80 patients with fungal ball maxillary sinusitis from January, 2010 to March, 2011 were collected and then divided into two groups, including experiment (40 cases) and control groups (40 cases). The trial group received endoscopic sinius surgery plus middle and inferior meatus fenestration, which the control group received endoscopic sinius surgery plus middle meatus fenestration. Then a follow-up was conducted from the end of surgery to February 28th, 2013. All patients took subjective and objective assessment before and after the surgery, including VAS, SNOT-20, Lund-Mackay CT system scores and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic mucosal score. Results with the trial group was superior to the control group in VAS score, SNOT rating and Lund-Kennedy mucosa score 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery (Plt;0.01). Lund-Mackay CT score of the control group was significantly higher than the trial group after 1 year of surgery (Plt;0.01). According to the Haikou standard to assess the efficacy of surgery, we found that the total effectiveness rate of the trial group (100.0%; recovery: 36 cases; improved: 4 cases) was higher than that of the control group (87.5%; recovery: 28 cases; improved: 4 cases), with a significant difference (P=0.021). Conclusion Endoscopic sinius surgery plus middle and inferior meatus fenestration with a lower reoccurrence rate is superior to endoscopic sinius surgery plus middle meatus fenestration for fungus ball maxillary sinusitis in clinical efficacy.