Clinical Research Directory

The ACURE Trial: Acupuncture for Colorectal Recovery

Purpose: The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether electroacupuncture (EA) can accelerate the recovery of bowel function in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer. Main Questions to be Answered: Does electroacupuncture reduce the time to the first bowel movement after surgery compared to standard care or a "sham" (placebo) treatment? Can electroacupuncture improve overall gastrointestinal tolerance and reduce postoperative discomfort? Study Design: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: Electroacupuncture Group: Receives active electrical stimulation at specific acupuncture points. Sham Acupuncture Group: Receives superficial needling at non-treatment points with no electrical current to serve as a placebo. Standard Care Group: Receives standard hospital recovery protocols (ERAS) without acupuncture. All treatments will consist of four 30-minute sessions: one before surgery and three on the days following the procedure. Researchers will compare the three groups to see if the electroacupuncture group experiences a faster return of digestive function.

Modified Essential Frailty Toolset in Older Adults Undergoing Major Elective Surgery

Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome associated with reduced physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to surgical stress. As the population ages, more older adults undergo major elective surgery, yet frailty is often insufficiently assessed in routine practice and no universally accepted screening tool exists. The Essential Frailty Toolset (EFT) is a simple validated frailty assessments and has demonstrated strong predictive value for mortality and major postoperative complications, particularly in cardiac surgery populations. EFT incorporates four key domains of cognition, anemia, serum albumin, and physical function capturing both physical and cognitive vulnerability. A modified version (mEFT) has been developed to improve feasibility and applicability in broader surgical settings, requiring minimal training and only a few minutes to administer. Despite its promise, mEFT has not been evaluated in elderly patients undergoing major elective non-cardiac surgery, representing an important gap in the current literature and motivating the present study. We therefore propose a modified and simplified frailty screening tool tailored for elderly patients undergoing major elective non-cardiac surgery at our institution. The modified Essential Frailty Toolset (mEFT) is a multi-dimensional assessment designed to address this gap by evaluating physical function, cognition, nutrition, and anemia in just a few minutes. In this version, the tool assigns points based on specific clinical markers: the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test provides one point for a time ≥11.0 seconds and two points for ≥15.0 seconds; the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) provides one point for a score of ≤2 on a 3-point scale; nutritional risk is captured with one point for a BMI \<22.0 or unintentional weight loss of 5% over the last six months; and anemia provides one point based on hemoglobin levels (below 130g/L for men and 120 g/L for women). These modifications were made to enhance feasibility and clinical relevance in our population. Low serum albumin was rare in our cohort and therefore demonstrated limited discriminatory value as a screening marker. In contrast, low BMI and recent weight loss are well-established risk factors for malnutrition and sarcopenia and are readily obtainable in routine preoperative assessment. Similarly, both the TUG and CDT are quick, inexpensive, and require minimal training, making them well suited for large-scale screening in preoperative clinics.Importantly, the proposed components have been evaluated in a pilot study conducted in our institution. This study will evaluate whether a high mEFT score (≥3) is associated with increased postoperative complications and 90-day readmissions among patients aged ≥70 years undergoing major elective surgery. Patients presenting for admission will be included. If mEFT accurately identifies high-risk patients, it may improve preoperative risk stratification, inform shared decision-making, and help identify individuals who could benefit from targeted prehabilitation, supporting broader implementation of frailty screening in surgical care.

Impact of Intraoperative Hemodynamic Instability on Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery

Intraoperative hemodynamic instability (IOHI) is a common occurrence during cardiac surgery and is associated with organ hypoperfusion. However, the specific impact of IOHI on composite adverse outcomes remains unclear. This prospective cohort study aims to evaluate the association between intraoperative hemodynamic instability (defined as MAP \< 65 mmHg or vasopressor requirement) and major postoperative complications (Delirium, Acute Kidney Injury, Stroke, or Mortality) in adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Assessment of the Impact of Intestinal Gas Emission Quality on the Postoperative Course After Abdominal Surgery

The recovery of transit after surgery is an important parameter in postoperative evaluation. It generally reflects simple postoperative outcomes and allows the patient to return home. The quality of gas recovery after surgery has not been studied to our knowledge, but it is not uncommon for an operated patient to emit some gas considered as a recovery of transit when it is ultimately a false transit preceding a postoperative ileus. Furthermore, intestinal gases and their composition reflect the intestinal microbiota. This microbiota has been shown to be predictive of the appearance of an operative complication. As the analysis of this microbiota cannot be carried out routinely, it is important to be able to use a reflection of this microbiota in routine practice and to correlate it with the surgical outcomes. Intestinal gas therefore seems to be the tool of choice. The main objective is to evaluate the association between the appearance of an operative complication and the resumption of gas transit qualified according to its quantity and quality. The secondary objectives are to compare the quantity and quality of gases pre- and post-operatively and to define a predictive score for surgical complications, based on the number and quality of post-surgical gases. Data regarding gas transit are collected by the patient in a questionnaire the two days before the surgery and until the patient leaves hospital (or until day 15 post-operative if the patient is still hospitalized). Data regarding possible complications ((defined according to Dindo-Clavien as any deviation from the expected postoperative outcomes within 90 days following surgery) are collected throughout the hospital stay (day 0 : surgery to day 15 post-operatively), during the post-operative consultation (day 30) and during a telephone call to the patient (day 90). The expected results are to highlight a correlation between the quality/quantity of gases and post-operative outcomes. A predictive score for complications could then be proposed and validated during this study.

Impact of Smoking Cessation Duration on Postoperative Complications in Lung Cancer Surgery

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the duration of smoking cessation before surgery and postoperative complications in lung cancer patients undergoing surgery. Lung cancer surgery patients who have recently quit smoking or are long-term nonsmokers will be evaluated to determine if the timing of smoking cessation impacts the risk of complications after surgery. By analyzing these factors, the study seeks to provide guidance on optimal smoking cessation timing to reduce postoperative risks.

CT and Endoscopic Biopsy Image-Based Deep Learning for Predicting Left Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Lymph Node Metastasis in Esophageal Cancer

The goal of this observational study is to develop a predictive model for left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) lymph node metastasis using deep learning algorithms. The model will be developed using clinical data from previous esophageal cancer surgeries, including preoperative CT imaging, and histopathological images from gastroscopic biopsies. The model will also be validated through prospective clinical trials to guide the intraoperative lymph node dissection, thereby reducing postoperative risks of RLN injury.

Comparison of Endodontic Flare up in Single Visit Root Canal Treatment Versus Multiple Visit Root Canal Treatment in Patients Visiting Scd, Swat.

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the incidence of endodontic flare-ups in patients undergoing single-visit versus multiple-visit root canal treatment (RCT) at Saidu College of Dentistry, Swat. The study will recruit 344 patients aged above 10 and below 60 years, with permanent first molars indicated for RCT and meeting specific clinical and radiographic criteria. Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: one receiving single-visit RCT and the other receiving multiple-visit RCT. Pain and flare-up incidence will be evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and swelling grading criteria at 6, 24, and 48 hours post-treatment. The primary outcome is the frequency of endodontic flare-ups requiring additional intervention. The study also examines the role of occlusal reduction in managing postoperative discomfort. Data will be analyzed using SPSS v23 with chi-square and Fisher's exact tests to compare outcomes. The findings aim to inform evidence-based protocols for endodontic treatment in the local population.

Prolonged Hospital Stay After Thoracoscopic Anatomical Lung Resections

In this study, the reasons for prolonged hospital stay after thoracoscopic (video- or robot-assisted) anatomical lung resections are investigated. Currently, whenever possible, these anatomical lung resections are performed thoracoscopically, as they offer significant improvements in terms of postoperative pain, number of postoperative complications, rehabilitation, tolerance for adjuvant chemotherapy, and length of hospital stay. The development of an 'Enhanced Recovery After Surgery' (ERAS) protocol for lung surgery has further reduced hospital stay and the need for opioids for analgesia. Despite the optimal implementation of the ERAS protocol, there are still patients who need to stay in the hospital longer than the median. The aim of this research is to investigate the reasons for this.

Comparing Immediate Removal and Postoperative 1 Day of Urinary Catheter After Colorectal Cancer Surgery

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program is widely applied in colorectal cancer surgery. Among the early recovery programs after surgery, the timing of removal of the urinary catheter after surgery has been emphasized recently, but the specific timing is still under discussion. Maintaining the urinary catheter after surgery is to prevent urinary retention after surgery, but it is known that the risk of urinary tract infection increases the longer it is maintained. Previously, it was removed 3 days after colorectal cancer surgery, but several studies reported that even if it was removed earlier, the incidence of urinary retention did not increase, and rather the incidence of urinary tract infection decreased. In particular, by applying the early recovery program after surgery, factors related to patient recovery before, during, and after surgery are applied to help rapid recovery, and it has been reported that early removal of the urinary catheter has a positive effect on postoperative recovery and complications. Therefore, it is necessary to prove that the timing of removal of the urinary catheter after surgery in colorectal cancer patients can help early recovery through clinical results such as patient recovery and occurrence of complications.