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Background: Stroke risk has been attributed to many pathological and behavioral conditions. Various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors have been recognized and found consistent throughout epidemiological studies. Herein, we investigate the effect of comorbidities seen with patient’s suffering from ischemic stroke and its effect on in-hospital mortality. Methods: We identified patients >18 year old in the National Inpatient Sample database with diseases of interest utilizing the tenth International Classification of Disease 10 diagnostic codes from the years 2016 to 2018. Interval data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Post hoc analysis was performed using Bonferroni correction methods. To determine independent predictors of in-hospital mortality, odds ratios were calculated using binary logistic regression for each comorbidity. Descriptive and numerical statistics, imputation, and logistic regression were calculated using SPSS software version 25. Results: Patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke were found to have the following comorbidities: atrial fibrillation (7.5%), carotid artery stenosis (1.1%), diabetes mellitus type 2 (11.4%), congestive heart failure (CHF) (7.5%), essential hypertension (21.2%), and ischemic heart disease (IHD) (2.3%). In-hospital mortality rates were higher in patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke and concomitant IHD (28.2%, P < 0.001). Hospital length of stay was longest in patients with concomitant CHF (5.96 days, P < 0.001). Similarly, patients with CHF accrued the greatest in-hospital costs (69,174 USD, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients hospitalized from ischemic stroke suffered from the coexistence of other comorbidities. Of the comorbidities studied, IHD was identified as having the most significant impact on in-hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The goal of this study was to systematically review the existing literature on neurosurgical management and outcomes of brain metastasis from pancreatic cáncer in comparison to our institutional experience of this patient cohort. METHODS Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature review was performed using PubMed, Ovid Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from date of database inception to January 2022. Studies were selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusión criteria. Simulteanously, a retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent neurosurgical evaluation and treatment for intracranial metastatic lesions from pancreatic origin at a single institution. RESULTS Of the total 292 articles in the original literature search, 17 studies were ultimately selected. A total of 23 patients with brain metastases of pancreatic origin were included. Median overall survival from original diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 22 months (3-84). In our institution’s cohort, 4 patients were identified with a median overall survival of 30.5 months (2- 108). Our institutional cohort experienced a prolonged median overall survival (3 vs 30.5 months, p=0.03) in comparison to the literature. CONCLUSIONS Brain metastasis is a rare and fatal outcome of pancreatic cancer that carries a poor survival. However, based on the data presented in this review, there are patient-specific and treatment-related factors that could signal better prognosis. Further studies are needed to elucidate multimodal therapy and survival to suggest a more personalized decision-making process.

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Purpose Autologous breast reconstruction improves patient satisfaction and quality of life after mastectomy. In Germany, free flap surgery and implant-based reconstruction is usually separate between reconstructive surgery and gynaecology. Cooperation between the specialist disciplines and implementation of microsurgery into breast surgeon training could enhance surgical treatment for breast cancer patients. Methods At the breast cancer center at Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU Munich, a three-stage training program for autologous breast reconstruction and microsurgery for gynecological breast surgeons was developed. Between 2019 and 2022 74 women received autologous free flap breast reconstruction by a consistent team consisting of a gynaecological surgeon in training and an expert microsurgeon. Peri- and postoperative data were collected to analyse the feasibility and safety of a microsurgical training in gynaecology. Results Within the training, operative steps of free autologous breast reconstruction were increasingly taken over by the gynaecological surgeon in training. The analysis showed a decrease in operating times with consistently low complication rates during the training. Conclusion This study demonstrated that a training in free autologous breast reconstruction for gynaecological surgeons is safely feasible through close cooperation between gynaecological and reconstructive surgery.