Among patients with DFU, the WIfI classification system correlated well with wound healing but was not associated with risk of major amputation at 1 year. Although further prospective research is warranted, our results suggest that use of a multidisciplinary approach for DFUs may augment healing time and reduce amputation risk compared with previously published historical controls of standard wound care among patients with advanced stage 4 disease.

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome is a complex but rare disease that often can have excellent outcomes if quickly recognized and treated. The syndrome results from compression of the subclavian vein along its exit from the thoracic cavity and frequently affects young otherwise healthy patients. Modern diagnosis is made with a combination of clinical exam, appropriate non-invasive imaging, and, finally, contrast venography, which can be both diagnostic and therapeutic. Treatments have evolved over time to the point where patients can undergo less extensive procedures than previously performed and still maintain excellent outcomes. One of the most important predictors of outcome is the initiation of treatment within 14 days of symptoms. Hence, the importance of the accurate and prompt diagnosis of this syndrome in patients with an upper-extremity deep vein thrombotic episode cannot be further underscored. This review is a concise summary of the background and treatment algorithm for this patient population.

Although patients with NTOS < 40 years old achieve more symptom relief overall after transaxillary decompression as compared to patients ≥ 40 years old, the selective use of lidocaine blocks is more beneficial in predicting surgical success in patients ≥ 40 years old given that younger patients < 40 years old seem to do well regardless.

The optimal timing of chemotherapy relative to resection of synchronous colorectal liver metastases (SCRLM) is not known. The objective of this retrospective multi-institutional study was to assess the influence of chemotherapy administered before and after hepatic resection on long-term outcomes among patients with initially resectable SCRLM treated from 1995 to 2005. Clinicopathologic data, treatments, and long-term outcomes from patients with initially resectable SCRLM who underwent partial hepatectomy at three hepatobiliary centers were reviewed. Four hundred ninety-nine consecutive patients underwent resection; 297 (59.5%) and 264 (52.9%) were treated with chemotherapy before and after resection. Chemotherapy strategies included pre-hepatectomy alone (n = 148, 24.7%), post-hepatectomy alone (n = 115, 23.0%), perioperative (n = 149, 29.0%), and no chemotherapy (n = 87, 17.4%). Male gender (p = 0.0029, HR = 1.41 [1.12-1.77]), node-positive primary tumor (p = 0.0046, HR = 1.40 [1.11-1.77]), four or more SCRLM (p = 0.0005, HR = 1.65 [1.24-2.18]), and post-hepatectomy chemotherapy treatment for 6 months or longer (p = 0.039, HR = 0.75 [0.57-0.99]) were associated with recurrence-free survival after discovery of SCRLM. Carcinoembryonic antigen >200 ng/ml (p = 0.0003, HR = 2.33 [1.48-3.69]), extrahepatic metastatic disease (p = 0.0025, HR = 2.34 [1.35-4.05]), four or more SCRLM (p = 0.033, HR = 1.43 [1.03-2.00]), and post-hepatectomy chemotherapy treatment for 2 months or longer (p < 0.0001, HR = 0.59 [0.45-0.76]) were associated with overall survival. Pre-hepatectomy chemotherapy was not associated with recurrence-free or overall survival. Patients treated with perioperative chemotherapy had similar outcomes as patients treated with post-hepatectomy chemotherapy only. We conclude that chemotherapy administered after but not before resection of SCRLM was associated with improved recurrence-free and overall survival. However, prospective randomized trials are needed to determine the optimal timing of chemotherapy.

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