SUSS February Journal Club: Neurosurgery

The theme of the February SUSS Journal Club is Neurosurgery/Neuro-Oncology.

Glioblastomas are the most common primary malignant brain tumour in the adult population and the prognosis is currently very poor – with median survival from diagnosis often reported at under 12 months. This month we have two papers discussing the treatment of glioblastomas.

Konrad Schultz (stage 3 SMP student) will present a trial considering glioblastoma treatments. Traditionally, standard therapy consists of surgical resection, followed by radiotherapy. The article considers the efficacy and safety of either radiotherapy alone, radiotherapy plus temozolomide (a chemotherapeutic agent) – given concomitantly with and after radiotherapy.

Vijidha Rajkumar (stage 2 SMP student) is presenting an article focusing on the benefits of aggressive surgical resection for glioblastoma patient survival. Maximizing the extent of resection of tumours has been shown to improve survival in patients with GBM. This paper considers a number of tumour factors and the benefits of maximizing the extent of surgical resection.

Date: Monday, February 26th, 2018
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Venue: RPAH Institute of Academic Surgery
Topic: Neurosurgery

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Presenters:

Konrad Schultz
Stupp, Roger, et al. “Radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide for glioblastoma.” New England Journal of Medicine 352.10 (2005): 987-996.

Vijidha Rajkumar
Awad, Al-Wala, et al. “Impact of removed tumor volume and location on patient outcome in glioblastoma.” Journal of neuro-oncology 135.1 (2017): 161-171.

Hope you see you there!

SUSS Journal Club: Summer Break

Thank you to everyone who has joined us for Journal Club in 2017. We have had a lot of interesting topics from a range of year groups.

SUSS Journal club will be returning in 2018. Please sign up to our mailing list to be notified of our return and of subsequent journal club themes.

Have a relaxing time off and enjoy your summer break!

 

SUSS October Journal Club: Cardiac Surgery

The theme of the October SUSS Journal Club is cardiac surgery.
Our first presenter is Aran Kanagaratnam (stage 1 SMP student), who will present a clinical trial comparing transcatheter (TVAR) and surgical aortic-valve replacements. TAVR is a new therapy for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not candidates for surgery or who are at high risk for complications due to surgery.
 
Next Bronwen Needham (stage 2 SMP student) will present a systematic review of early outcomes in synchronous carotid endarterectomy and off-pump coronary bypass. Emerging evidence suggests that synchronous off-pump coronary artery bypass graft and carotid endarterectomy (OPCAB-CEA) is a viable alternative to performing the operations in stages, and that avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass (ie. performing the operation off-pump) may reduce the risk of perioperative stroke. For her MD Project, Bronwen is undertaking an updated Systematic Review investigating whether outcomes for patients undergoing this synchronous, combined operation off-pump are better than those for patients undertaking the same operation on-pump (CABG-CEA).
 
This is the last journal club meeting for 2017 so don’t miss out.
All are welcome. 
 
Presenters:
 
Aran Kanagaratnam
 
Transcatheter or Surgical Aortic-Valve Replacement in Intermediate-Risk Patients.
Leon, Martin B., et al. (2016).
The New England Journal of Medicine, 374 (17): 1609-1620.
 
Bronwen Needham
 
Synchronous carotid endarterectomy and off-pump coronary bypass: an updated, systematic review of early outcomes.
Fareed, K.R, et al. (2009).
European Journal of Vascular & Endovascular Surgery, 37, 375-8.
 
 
Don’t forget to sign up to our Journal Club newsletter.

SUSS September Journal Club: Peritonectomy and HIPEC

Thanks to everyone who joined us last month!

The theme for the September SUSS Journal Club is Peritonectomy and HIPEC (Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy).

Peritonectomy is a cytoreductive surgery to remove cancer from the peritoneal cavity. In the combined HIPEC procedure, the cavity is additionally treated with heated chemotherapy. While previously only offered at St. George Hospital, a new peritonectomy service has been established at RPA this year in April. This procedure is rare and complex but offers the only possibility of cure for many patients. Research continues to establish the best treatment protocols and patient selection criteria. This month we are very fortunate as one of our speakers is both a student in the SMP and a scrub nurse at RPA who has participated in this surgery. She will present a broad review of the procedure. This will be followed by a study comparing outcomes of two chemotherapy drugs used in HIPEC.

All are welcome. We hope to see you there!

Date: Thursday, September 21st 2017
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Venue: RPAH Institute of Academic Surgery
Topic: Peritonectomy and HIPEC (Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy).

Presenters:

Natalie Armstrong
Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of gastrointestinal cancers with peritoneal metastases: Progress toward a new standard of care. Sugarbaker, Paul H. (2016) Cancer Treatment Reviews 48: 42-49.

Nicole Cain
Oxaliplatin versus Mitomycin C for HIPEC in colorectal cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis. Leung, V., et al. (2017) European Journal of Surgical Oncology 43 (1): 144-149.

Hope to see you there!

Nicole Cain
Research Officer | Sydney University Surgical Society

SUSS August Journal Club: Anaesthetics & Post-Op Complications

Journal Club is back!

 

The use of anaesthesia is common among all surgical specialties and involves the maintenance of normal physiology and avoidance of complications both during surgery and post-operatively.

This month we will look at two trials researching the avoidance of post-operative nausea and vomiting; and residual neuromuscular block followed by a discussion of a student’s research into the same topic.

Anyone who is interested is welcome. Come along and join us!

Date: Wednesday, August 23rd 2017
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Venue: RPAH Institute of Academic Surgery
Topic: Anaesthetics and Post Operative Complications

Presenters:

David Cooper
DREAMS Trial Collaborators (2017), Dexamethasone versus standard treatment for postoperative nausea and vomiting in Gastrointestinal surgery: randomised controlled trial (DREAMS Trial). BMJ 2017;357:j1455

Akhil Bansal
Unterbuchner, C., Blobner, M., Pühringer, F., Janda, M., Bischoff, S., Bein, B., … & Fink, H. (2017). Development of an algorithm using clinical tests to avoid post-operative residual neuromuscular block. BMC anesthesiology, 17(1), 101.

Hope to see you there!

Nicole Cain
Research Officer | Sydney University Surgical Society