{"title":"[Bacteriophages in Vascular Surgery - an Alternative Curative Therapeutic Approach for Graft Infections].","authors":"Theresa Angles, Simon Junghans, Justus Groß","doi":"10.1055/a-2773-1756","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2773-1756","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Vascular graft infections pose as severe complications in vascular surgery and are linked to high morbidity and mortality. Guidelines recommend resection of infected grafts and concomitant autologous reconstruction, though redo-surgery might not always be reasonable in high-risk patients with significant comorbidities. Additionally, conservative antibiotic treatment is hindered by increasing antibiotic resistance rates and biofilm formation.Bacteriophages are viruses that selectively infect and eradicate bacteria and are therefore a promising anti-infective therapeutic strategy. Though the therapeutic potential of bacteriophages has been known since the early 20th century, in western medicine only a few clinical studies on bacteriophage treatment in infectious diseases exist to date.This review aims to outline history, biology and challenges of bacteriophage therapy. It summarizes 9 cases published in literature as case reports or small case series in which the treatment of vascular graft infections with bacteriophages is used to circumvent high-risk graft explantation surgery.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":"413-418"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146041868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paula R Keschenau, Jan Brükkenkamp, Michael Maurer, Ursula Vigelius-Rauch, Horst-Detlef Litzlbauer, Gabriele Krombach, Jörn Pons-Kühnemann, Daniel Palacios, Johannes Kalder
{"title":"[Emergency Aortic Care at a Newly Established University Aortic Centre - Outcome Treatment Comparison of Acute Thoracic/Thoracoabdominal Pathologies to an Earlier Cohort at the Same Site].","authors":"Paula R Keschenau, Jan Brükkenkamp, Michael Maurer, Ursula Vigelius-Rauch, Horst-Detlef Litzlbauer, Gabriele Krombach, Jörn Pons-Kühnemann, Daniel Palacios, Johannes Kalder","doi":"10.1055/a-2817-4428","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2817-4428","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Managing complex aortic emergencies is challenging. During the establishment phase of a new aortic centre, outcomes might be additionally affected by limited team experience and varying levels of individual expertise. The aim was to analyse outcomes after treatment of acute thoracic/thoracoabdominal aortic pathologies during the establishment phase of a new university aortic centre, in comparison to an earlier reference cohort at the same site.</p><p><strong>Patients/materials and methods: </strong>The single centre study included all patients treated as emergency/urgently for an acute thoracic/thoracoabdominal aortic pathology during two time periods. Time-periods 1 (establishment phase, 2020-2022) and 2 (earlier reference cohort, 2007-2019) were compared regarding in-hospital morbidity/mortality, and the duration of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Potential factors influencing those outcome parameters were analysed using logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>197 patients were included. 42 (27 male, mean age 66 ± 14 years) were treated in period 1 and 155 (103 male, mean age 69 ± 12 years) in period 2. In-hospital mortality was 9.5% vs. 17.2% in period 1 vs. 2, despite higher proportions of extensive thoracoabdominal (69.2% vs. 40.4%) and rupture pathologies (57.1% vs. 47.3%). Perioperative stroke and spinal cord ischaemia occurred in 0% and 2.3% vs. 12.7% and 3.8% in periods 1 and 2, respectively. Median durations of hospital and ICU stay were 15 (4-56) vs. 14 (0-123) and 5 (0-42) vs. 5 (0-52) days in period 1 vs. 2. The confounders 1.) operation duration (p = 0.0032), 2.) neurological complication (p = 0.0051) and 3.) prolonged ventilation (p = 0.009), neurological complication (p = 0.0493) as well as need for blood transfusion (p = 0.0125) showed statistically significant associations with the outcome parameters 1.) in-hospital mortality, 2.) duration of hospital stay and 3.) duration of ICU stay. No statistically significant influence of the time-period on mortality, durations of hospital and ICU stay were detected (p = 0.146; p = 0.128; p = 0.430).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Reduced mortality and neurological complication rates compared with the earlier reference cohort demonstrate that, even during the establishment phase of a university aortic centre, high level care for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic emergencies is achievable.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":"444-451"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jan Niklas Hochstein, Julia Umstadt, Albrecht Neesse, Jan Hendrik Egberts
{"title":"[Robotic Management of a Bile Leak After Cholecystectomy Caused by an Aberrant Bile Duct of the Hepatic Segments, Using a Combined Biliodigestive Anastomosis Incorporating the Cystic Duct Stump].","authors":"Jan Niklas Hochstein, Julia Umstadt, Albrecht Neesse, Jan Hendrik Egberts","doi":"10.1055/a-2870-2129","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2870-2129","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Bile leaks are serious complications after cholecystectomy. Their management is usually individualised and requires interdisciplinary surgical and endoscopic expertise. In cases of leaks caused by aberrant bile ducts, closure of the leak may be impossible-depending on the size of the drained liver area; therefore, drainage-e.g., by means of a biliodigestive anastomosis-is required.</p><p><strong>Indication: </strong>We report the case of a 66-year-old female patient referred from an external hospital with a bile duct leak caused by an aberrant bile duct of segments V and VIII and concomitant cystic duct stump insufficiency following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Due to the extent of the drained liver area, surgical management with drainage of the bile duct was pursued. Preservation of the option for ERCP in the event of potential secondary complications, such as bile duct strictures, was considered important. Given the prior laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive approach was favoured.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A robot-assisted exploration of the hepatic hilum and bile ducts was performed. Primary anastomosis was not feasible, due to the distance between the structures. For drainage of the bile duct, a combined anastomosis was created: the cystic duct stump was anastomosed to the aberrant bile duct on the posterior wall, and a biliodigestive anastomosis using a Roux-en-Y reconstruction was performed on the anterior wall. Intraoperatively, a biliary stent was placed via the cystic duct stump into the aberrant bile duct.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The postoperative course was uneventful, with no recurrence of the bile leak. The patient was discharged after 11 days. The biliary stents were removed after 7 weeks, demonstrating good contrast drainage from the aberrant bile duct into the biliodigestive anastomosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Robot-assisted management of bile duct injuries should be considered in patients with prior laparoscopic surgery. Roux-en-Y reconstruction incorporating the cystic duct stump to preserve the option of ERCP is a viable treatment strategy for leaks originating from larger aberrant bile ducts.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":"407-409"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148240381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Urology and Andrology: Indications, Opportunities and Clinically Relevant Adverse Effects].","authors":"Theodor Klotz","doi":"10.1055/a-2943-1080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2943-1080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have evolved rapidly from an antidiabetic drug class into one of the most influential pharmacological groups in internal medicine. The approved agents - semaglutide, liraglutide and the dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist tirzepatide - achieve weight reductions of up to 22% of body weight. The close pathophysiological link between obesity, metabolic syndrome and urological-andrological disease creates direct clinical relevance for urology.This narrative review summarises a systematic PubMed search (2020-2026) covering erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism, male fertility, nephroprotection, prostate cancer, lower urinary tract symptoms and perioperative considerations in the context of GLP-1 RA therapy.GLP-1 RAs show clinically relevant effects in several urological domains: increase in total testosterone and improvement in erectile function in men with obesity-related hypogonadism, nephroprotection with reduction of albuminuria and slowing of eGFR decline, signals of reduced prostate cancer risk in epidemiological studies, and indirect benefit for stress incontinence and overactive bladder via weight loss. At the same time, clinically relevant warning signals exist: a 4.5-fold increased risk of new-onset erectile dysfunction in non-diabetic obese men on semaglutide, novel urological adverse effects in case reports, perioperative aspiration risk through delayed gastric emptying, and a near-complete absence of data in women.GLP-1 RAs represent both a therapeutic opportunity and a clinical challenge for urologists. Systematic andrological and nephrological monitoring as well as proactive patient education on urogenital and perioperative implications is recommended. Prospective controlled trials with urological endpoints are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148983585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Training in Robot-assisted Thoracic Surgery: Opportunities, Limitations, and the Need for Structured Curricula].","authors":"Bastian Fakundiny, Maike Tilk, Mohamed Hassan, Henning Busk, Thorsten Walles","doi":"10.1055/a-2942-5571","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2942-5571","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has emerged as an important extension of the minimally invasive thoracic surgical armamentarium. Currently, access to robotic platforms remains limited and unevenly distributed, resulting in considerable variability in training opportunities. This review aims to evaluate the current role of RATS in thoracic surgical education and to identify existing challenges and future perspectives.</p><p><strong>Patients/materials and methods: </strong>A narrative review was conducted based on a contemporary literature search. Relevant international publications addressing the adoption of RATS, training concepts, learning curves, educational strategies, and the development of national and international curricula were reviewed and analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The available literature indicates that RATS provides several educational advantages, including highly standardised surgical workflows, superior visualisation, and direct teaching opportunities through dual-console systems. These features facilitate stepwise skills acquisition and have been associated with shorter learning curves compared with conventional approaches. Nevertheless, access to robotic systems in Germany remains restricted to a limited number of centres, resulting in substantial disparities in training exposure. Existing industry-supported training programs primarily target experienced surgeons, whereas structured, technology-independent curricula for residents and early-career surgeons are still limited. Supplementary educational formats such as simulation-based training, boot camps, wet labs, and cadaver laboratories may help bridge this gap and standardise competency acquisition. At the same time, increasing reliance on robotic techniques may contribute to a decline in proficiency in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and open procedures, which remain essential for managing complex cases and conversions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>RATS has considerable potential to enhance thoracic surgical training, effectively enhances thoracic surgical training and provides an effective environment to competency-based education. However, its successful integration into residency and fellowship programs requires widespread implementation of standardised curricula that combine robotic training with the preservation of conventional surgical skills. The introduction of the first German Society for Thoracic Surgery (DGT)-certified multi-level RATS curriculum in 2025 is an important milestone toward achieving this goal.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dominik Lobinger, Andreas Hiebinger, Florian Eicher, Gudrun Groß, Henriette Klein, Ekaterina Mamonova, Alicia Reiche, Johannes Bodner
{"title":"[Rescue Resections in Thoracic Surgery for Septic Lung Carcinomas Undergoing Systemic Therapy: a Case Series].","authors":"Dominik Lobinger, Andreas Hiebinger, Florian Eicher, Gudrun Groß, Henriette Klein, Ekaterina Mamonova, Alicia Reiche, Johannes Bodner","doi":"10.1055/a-2919-5890","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2919-5890","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The use of modern systemic therapies, in particular immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted substances, has significantly improved the prognosis for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, with prolonged survival times and more intensive therapy exposure, the risk of severe tumor- or therapy-associated complications also increases. Infectious melting of the primary tumor is an acute life-threatening situation and often prevents the continuation of oncological therapy. The importance of thoracic surgical rescue procedures to control these complications is still unclear and is the subject of controversial debate.</p><p><strong>Patients/materials and methods: </strong>Ten patients with NSCLC who underwent rescue surgery over a period of 3 years due to progressive infectious tumor melting while undergoing systemic therapy were analyzed retrospectively in this case series. The indications, type and timing of previous systemic therapy, extent of surgery, perioperative complications, and postoperative survival were examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The cohort comprised 2 women and 8 men with a mean age of 67 years and predominantly advanced tumor stages (IIB-IVB). The rescue operation was performed on average 4.2 months after the start of systemic therapy. In all cases, the indications were progressive infectious melting of the primary tumor with septic constellation, sometimes accompanied by hemoptysis or pleural empyema, after exhausting all conservative options. Open thoracotomies were predominantly performed; the resection spectrum ranged from lobectomies to extended lobectomies to pneumonectomies. R0 resection was achieved in 9 out of 10 cases. In 8 patients, tumor-specific therapy could be resumed after convalescence. The median postoperative survival time was 19 months.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Rescue resections for infectious tumor melting under systemic therapy are technically demanding procedures in critically ill patients and are associated with an increased complication rate. In selected cases, however, surgical control of the infectious focus can help stabilize the patient's clinical condition and enable the resumption of tumor-specific therapy. Such procedures should therefore be considered as an individualized last-resort.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148689960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mona Breßer, Charlotte Wiedemann, Nils Sommer, Ambra Marx, Paula Tups, Hannah Schulz, Jörg C Kalff, Tim Vilz, Jonas Dohmen
{"title":"[Evaluation of Multimodal Perioperative Care Pathway Supported by a Patient-facing Mobile App in Colorectal Surgery - First Clinical Experience and Patient Satisfaction].","authors":"Mona Breßer, Charlotte Wiedemann, Nils Sommer, Ambra Marx, Paula Tups, Hannah Schulz, Jörg C Kalff, Tim Vilz, Jonas Dohmen","doi":"10.1055/a-2862-3085","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2862-3085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mobile health (mHealth) applications are gaining increasing importance in surgery, particularly for supporting prehabilitation, structured perioperative patient guidance, and post-discharge monitoring. However, in German-speaking countries, data on the systematic integration of such applications into routine surgical care remain limited. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility, user acceptance, and satisfaction associated with a newly developed multimodal perioperative patient app in colorectal surgery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective observational study included 14 patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery between June and October 2025 and used an mPOM-based (multimodal perioperative management) patient app throughout the perioperative period. The application comprised prehabilitation modules, educational content for the inpatient phase, and structured post-discharge monitoring with standardised symptom assessments and predefined escalation criteria. Evaluation took place 30 days postoperatively using the validated GER-MAUQ questionnaire and additional project-specific items.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All participants used the app regularly until completion of treatment. Usability, clarity of the content, and navigation were rated very positively. All patients reported that the app supported their preoperative preparation; 85% also perceived their postoperative recovery as facilitated. Approximately 80% felt less left alone during both the perioperative and post-discharge phases. Reminder functions, digital recording of clinically relevant parameters, and continuous access to health information received particularly high ratings. In addition, 71% of respondents stated that the app facilitated access to healthcare services. Overall satisfaction and willingness to recommend the app were high.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this pilot study demonstrate that multimodal digital patient guidance throughout the entire perioperative pathway in colorectal surgery is feasible and well accepted. Digital applications can effectively support prehabilitation, enhance patients' perceived sense of safety, promote self-management, and relieve organisational processes. However, larger prospective studies are required to reliably assess clinical outcome parameters and health economic effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":"353-363"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13489686/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148206276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Anaesthesiological Concepts in Interventional Bronchoscopy - Current Strategies and Anaesthesiological Challenges].","authors":"Axel Semmelmann, Torsten Loop","doi":"10.1055/a-2791-8690","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2791-8690","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>As lung cancer screening is now covered by statutory health insurance and with the goal of early cancer detection, the number of diagnostic and interventional bronchoscopic procedures is expected to increase substantially - in order to facilitate timely treatment and improve patient survival. This trend underscores the growing importance of evidence-based anaesthesiological management in interventional bronchoscopy.This review summarises current anaesthetic strategies, oxygenation and ventilation techniques, and the monitoring modalities used in interventional bronchoscopy. The review critically appraises the available evidence regarding safety, risk profiles, and procedural outcomes.While diagnostic bronchoscopy is commonly performed under local anaesthesia, with or without moderate sedation to improve patient comfort, modern interventional bronchoscopy imposes significantly higher demands on anaesthetic care. Increasingly complex and invasive procedures, such as transbronchial cryobiopsy, airway stent implantation, and endobronchial tumour ablation, require tailored approaches to analgesia, anaesthesia, airway management, and respiratory support, in order to ensure procedural success and patient safety. The shared airway necessitates close interdisciplinary collaboration and the continuous maintenance of adequate oxygenation and ventilation throughout the intervention.Anaesthetic strategies range from various levels of procedural sedation to general anaesthesia with neuromuscular blockade. Airway management options include augmented spontaneous breathing, supraglottic airway devices, infraglottic techniques such as rigid bronchoscopy, endotracheal tubes, and specialised catheters for jet ventilation. In addition to conventional oxygen supplementation, established respiratory support modalities include high-flow nasal oxygen therapy, controlled mechanical ventilation, and jet ventilation, which may be selected or combined - depending on procedural and patient-specific requirements.Individually adapted anaesthetic concepts are essential for minimising procedural complications and optimising outcomes. This requires structured pre-interventional interdisciplinary evaluation and the implementation of standardised peri-interventional strategies. The choice of anaesthetic technique should be individualised, considering patient-related risk factors, comorbidities, underlying pulmonary pathology, and the type and invasiveness of the bronchoscopic procedure.</p>","PeriodicalId":23956,"journal":{"name":"Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie","volume":" ","pages":"S46-S59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146228995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}