BACKGROUND: The most challenging and mortal complication of gastric sleeve surgery (SG) is staple line leakage. Although many agents have been used for increasing tissue healing on the stapler line, there is still no consensus on its effectiveness and efficacy. The aim of study is to determine the effect of phenytoin on the healing process of gastric sleeve surgery in rats.
METHODS: On the 10th post-operative day, the effects of phenytoin on bursting pressure in the stapler line were evaluated along-side pathohistological examinations. To investigate the molecular impact of phenytoin on the expression of TGF-β, VEGF, FGF2, and p53 genes, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized. In addition, gene expressions at the protein level were deter-mined by immunohistochemical analysis.
RESULTS: No signs of intra-abdominal leakage were observed in the resected samples. A statistically essential extend in stable line bursting pressure measure was observed between the control group and the group treated with phenytoin application. Pathohisto-logical results indicate that the mean score of collagens of the study group (3.2±0.42) was significantly higher than the control group (2.3±0.48) (P=0.003). In addition, the mean epithelization score of the study group (3.4±0.52) was significantly higher than the control group (2.1±0.57) (P=0.001). mRNA of TGFβ, FGF2, VEGF, and p53 genes drastically increased phenytoin treated group. High FGF2 protein expression levels were determined from phenytoin use compared to the control group.
CONCLUSION: Molecular studies suggest that phenytoin may increase the healing process of Gastric sleeve following SG in rats and may become a new agent for the prevention of human gastric leaks.

BACKGROUND: This experimental study was designed to investigate the histopathological and immunohistochemical effects of Shilajit in rats with experimentally induced spinal cord injury (SCI).
METHODS: The rats were divided into three groups: Control group: The group in which spinal cord damage was created but no drug was administered. Low-dose group: This is the group in which intraperitoneal Shilajit is given at a dose of 150 mg/kg at the 1st h, 1st day, 2nd day, and 3rd day after spinal cord damage was induced. High-dose group: This is the group in which intraperitoneal Shilajit is given at a dose of 250 mg/kg at the 1st h, 1st day, 2nd day, and 3rd day after spinal cord damage was induced. Thin sections taken from the spinal cord after euthanasia were sent for histopathological and immunohistochemical examination.
RESULTS: Histopathological examination of the high-dose group showed lower amounts of morphological findings compared to the low-dose group and control group. While a significant CD68 immune reaction was observed in the control group of rats with spinal injury, the positive immune reaction was found to be significantly decreased in the Shilajit-applied groups.
CONCLUSION: It is thought that the use of Shilajit in SCI will reduce the effects of secondary damage in SCI and that its administra-tion to such patients will have positive effects on the results.

BACKGROUND: Limb injuries caused by landmine explosions are tricky to treat and difficult to protect. It is necessary to establish an animal model for studying lower limb injury and to investigate the characteristics and mechanisms of lower limb injury induced by landmine blasts.
METHODS: Twenty-six mature white rabbits were randomly divided into sham group (n=10) and injury group (n=16). Landmine blast was simulated by electric detonators under the right lower limb in upright state by a special modified fixation frame. High-speed photography was used to observe the body movements. Vital signs, vascular injury (determining by digital subtraction angiography), pathological characteristics, and ATP concentration of the tibialis anterior muscle and triceps surae of shank were recorded for com-parison.
RESULTS: Generally, middle and lower segment of the injured legs of the rabbits was seriously damaged. The limb stump presents a distribution of three areas, tissue free zone, contusion hematoma, and edema contusion. Sneak wound track, myofascial destruction, and periosteum stripping were typical characteristics of landmine blast injury. ATP concentration and pathological analysis showed that the tibialis anterior muscle was the most seriously injured, followed by the gastrocnemius and soleus. ATP concentration of affected muscle of both the contusion and commotio area declined remarkably over time, but the muscle in the avulsion area stayed at a low activity level with no change over the time. Small vascular injury in the contusion area was evident. The site of the sciatic nerve lesion was higher than the muscle. Injured site of sciatic nerve injury was higher than serious contusion muscle. High-speed photography demonstrated that the joints of the injured limb extremely flexed followed by a rapid stretch under the blast shock wave.
CONCLUSION: The established experimental model presents typical effect of lower limbs wounded by the mine blast in war field. Landmine blast can cause typical damage on lower limbs including nerve lesion, knee injury, and microcirculation damage that is pro-gressive over time. The limb stump is divided into three zones based on gross pathology and micropathology, which can provide an important reference for clinical treatments and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether Passiflora Incarnata (PI) has a protective effect against ischemia-reperfu-sion (IR)-induced oxidative and inflammatory ovarian damage.
METHODS: The effects of PI on ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury were investigated in female Wistar albino rats. The animals were randomly divided into three groups: Group 1 (sham), Group 2 (IR), and Group 3 (IR+PI).
RESULTS: The mean levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Myeloperoxidase (MPO), and Total Oxidant Status (TOS) were higher in the IR group (p=0.025, p<0.001, and p=0.016, respectively). The Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) levels were lower in the IR group (p=0.005). Immunostaining revealed significant differences across the groups for Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α): 13.84%, 49.51%, and 22.51% for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.01). Bax: 10.53%, 46.74%, and 26.46% for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.01). Annexin V: 12.24%, 44.86%, and 23.28% for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.01). The mean scores for hemorrhage, inflammation, follicular degeneration, and congestion showed significant variations among the groups, all registering p<0.001.
CONCLUSION: Passiflora Incarnata exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties, promoting cell survival, histologically protecting ovarian tissue, and ameliorating IR injury by reducing oxidative stress.

AMAÇ: Ýleus, baðýrsak geçiþinin týkanmasý olarak tanýmlanan ve baðýrsaklarda mekanik obstrüksiyon veya paralitik nedenlere baðlý olarak geliþen klinik durumdur. Ýnce baðýrsak obstrüksiyonlarý primer olarak cerrahi durumlar olarak anýlsada, konservatif tedavi bazý hastalarda seçilen bir tedavi protokolüdür. Bu çalýþmanýn amacý, ileus hastalarýnda HALP skorunun konservatif-cerrahi tedavi kararýný, mortaliteyi ve hastanede kalýþ süresini belirlemede efektivitesini ve enflamasyonla iliþkili diðer parametrelere üstünlüðünü deðerlendirmektir.
GEREÇ VE YÖNTEM: Çalýþmaya ileus tanýsý alan hastalar dahil edildi. Yaþ, cinsiyet, komorbiditeler, seçilen tedavi yöntemi (konservatif veya cerrahi), hastanede kalýþ süresi ve hastane içi mortalite kaydedildi. Biyokimya parametrelerinden beyaz kan hücresi, hemoglobin, trombosit, nötrofil, lenfosit, nötrofil, lenfosit, üre, kreatinin, aspartat aminotransferaz, bilirubin, albümin ve C-reaktif protein seviyeleri kaydedildi. HALP skoru hesaplandý ve mortalite, hastanede kalýþ süresi, konservatif ve cerrahi tedavi kararý arasýndaki iliþki analiz edildi.
BULGULAR: Çalýþmaya toplam 286 hasta alýndý. 245 (%85.7) hastada konservatif tedavi uygulandý. 262 (%91.6) hastada mortalite izlenmedi, 24’ünde (%8.4) mortalite izlendi. HALP skoru mortalite izlenmeyen hastalarda anlamlý olarak yüksekti (p=0.045). Mortalite izlenmeyen hastalarýn medyan albümin deðeri mortalite izlenen hastalardan daha düþüktü (p<0.001). Mortalite izlenen hastalarýn yaþ, üre, kreatinin, AST ve CRP deðer-leri, izlenmeyenlere göre anlamlý olarak daha yüksekti (sýrasýyla, p=0.002, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001 ve p=0.001). Konservatif tedavi uygulanan hastalarýn HALP skoru, cerrahi tedavi uygulananlara göre anlamlý olarak yüksekti (p=0.003). Lenfosit deðeri konservatif tedavi ile izlenen hastalarda anlamlý olarak yüksekti (p=0.027). Ameliyat olan hastalarda yaþ, üre, kreatinin ve CRP skorlarý daha yüksekti (sýrasýyla, p=0.007, p<0.001, 0.003 ve p<0.001). Tedavi yöntemi ve HALP skoru için ROC analizi yapýlýp HALP skoru 28 olarak alýndýðýnda konservatif tedaviyi saptamada du-yarlýlýk 50.6%, özgüllük 78.0%, pozitif LR 2.3 ve negatif LR 0.63 olarak tespit edildi. (EAA 0,645 [%95 güven aralýðý = 0.556–0.735) ]; p=0.003). SONUÇ: HALP skoru ileuslu hastalarda mortalite ve tedavi þeklinin belirlenmesinde faydalý olabilecek önemli bir skorlama sistemidir. HALP skoru-nun ileus tanýlý hastalarýn yönetiminde, hem mortaliteyi azaltmada hem de uygun tedavi yöntemini belirlemede olumlu katký saðlayacaðý kanaatindeyiz.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have been done in the literature on perforations due to substance abuse, and there are limited publications on perforations related to inhaled methamphetamine. Recently, in our clinic, we observed an increase in the number of patients with perforated peptic ulcer, which we think is secondary to a significant increase in the consumption of this drug. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of inhaled methamphetamine known as “fire and ice” is a factor directly related to peptic perforation and its complications and also to determine the demographic variables of patients with peptic ulcer perforation due to this substance use, in the context of the literature.
METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted by examining the medical records of 29 gastric perforation patients who underwent surgical treatment in our clinic in 2021. Data were transferred to SPSS.23 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) program and evaluated with statistical analysis. Normality assumptions of continuous variables were examined with Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and variance homogeneity was examined with Levene’s test. Bi-level comparisons, t-test if the data are normally distributed and Mann–Whitney U-test for bi-level comparisons where the data are not normally distributed were used. Relationships between categorical variables were examined by Chi-square test analysis. P<0.05 was accepted as the level of significance in all analyzes.
RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were divided into two groups as methamphetamine users (n=13) and non-users (n=16). There was a statistically significant difference according to the lower age in the group using methamphetamine (31.69−48.8-P=0.025). The pres-ence of PU history differed significantly between the groups (P=0.009). Interestingly, aspartate transaminase alanine aminotransferase values were lower in substance dependents (P=0.020). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in localization between groups (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, clinical presentation, and other laboratory values.
CONCLUSION: Methamphetamine consumption, known as fire and ice, is an important risk factor for ulcer development and subsequent perforation, especially in young patients and long-term consumption of this narcotic substance. It has been determined that this risk factor, which is currently considered rare, has been seen in a very large number in a short time in our clinic. The use of this substance, which is considered a major social threat, is becoming more and more widespread, and this study is only a small part of the iceberg reflected in the general surgery clinic of a hospital.

BACKGROUND: Congenital and traumatic diaphragmatic hernias (DH) can lead to respiratory and gastrointestinal complications that can be the cause of serious morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to share our experience with the surgical repair of complicated or non-complicated DH.
METHODS: Patients who were operated on under emergency or elective conditions with the diagnosis of DH between 2009 and 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic characteristics, histories, symptoms, etiology of DH, computed tomography find-ings, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes of the patients were recorded.
RESULTS: The mean age of the cases was 51.5±18.5, and 29 were female and 41 were male. Hernia etiology was found to be con-genital (40%), traumatic (32.8%), spontaneous (14.3%), and iatrogenic (12.8%), respectively. The mean diameter of the defects was 7.3±2.76 cm (range: 3–15 cm), and 84% of the defects were on the left side. Sixty percent of the cases were treated by laparoscopic surgery and 11.4% by laparotomy. The conversion rate from laparoscopic to open was 24.3%. Dual mesh was used in 48% of the pa-tients, and primary suturing was applied in 34%. The postoperative mortality rate was 7.1%.
CONCLUSION: DH is an important cause of morbidity and mortality due to abdominal organ strangulation and pulmonary and cardiac complications. When a DH is diagnosed, laparoscopic or open surgery is the treatment that should be preferred.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of the femoral nerve block (FNB) with that of the pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block in the lateral decubitus position for spinal anesthesia in geriatric hip fracture surgery.
METHODS: Patients aged ≥65 years scheduled to undergo hip fracture surgery for proximal femur fractures with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of class I–IV and body mass index of 18–40 kg/m2 were included in the study. The PENG block or FNB was performed 20 min before positioning for spinal anesthesia. Lateral position, hip flexion, and lumbar spine flexion pain were evaluated during spinal anesthesia.
RESULTS: Sixty patients completed the study. The median pain scores for lateral positioning were 2 (0–4) and 2.5 in the PENG and FNB groups, respectively (P=0.001). The median pain scores during hip flexion were 1 (0–4) and 2.5 in the PENG and FNB groups, respectively (P<0.001). The median pain score during lumbar flexion was 1 (0–4) and 2.0 in the PENG and FNB groups, respectively (P=0.001). The two groups did not show a significant difference in the quality of the spinal anesthesia position (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION: Pre-operative PENG block is more effective in reducing the pain associated with spinal anesthesia position than FNB in geriatric hip fractures. Both blocks had a similar effect on posture quality and the number of spinal interventions.

BACKGROUND: The posterior malleolus is an important component of the distal tibiofibular complex and plays a crucial role in maintaining ankle joint stability. This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of fixation with anteroposterior (AP) and posteroanterior (PA) compression screws in patients with Haraguchi Type 1 PMFs.
METHODS: Data from 306 patients who underwent surgery for trimalleolar fractures between January 2018 and March 2022 were retrospectively reviewed, and 60 patients meeting the criteria were included in the study. Thirty-one patients with AP screw fixation and 29 patients with PA screw fixation were compared clinically and radiologically. Radiological parameters such as fracture healing time, step-off amount, displacement amount, and development of arthritis were evaluated. Clinical outcomes including ankle joint range of motion at final follow-up, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Olerud-Molander Score were compared.
RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of average age, gender distribution, smoking history, fracture etiology, time from injury to surgery, operation time, fracture healing time, and follow-up duration. Step-off and displacement amounts were lower in the PA screw group (P<0.001, P=0.004, respectively). When comparing the development of arthritis, according to the Kellgren-Lawrence Classification, no signs of arthritis were observed in 62.1% of the PA screw group, while this rate was 22.6% in the AP screw group. Ankle dorsiflexion, plantar flexion range of motion, AOFAS score, Olerud-Molander Score, and VAS results were statistically better in the PA screw group (P=0.002, P=0.001, P=0.002, P=0.001, P=0.002, respectively). There were no significant differences between the groups regarding complications.
CONCLUSION: Two different screw fixation techniques used in the treatment of trimalleolar fracture patients with Haraguchi Type 1 PMF were compared. In conclusion; percutaneous PA screw fixation is more advantageous than the AP screw fixation method because it provides less step-off in the fracture line, less arthrosis in the ankle, and better functional scores.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) is a simple and effective method of enteral nutrition in many patients who cannot take oral food. The accidental dislodgement of the PEG tube after the maturation of the gastro-cutaneous fistula (stoma) is called late dislodgement. If it is not detected early, the stoma lumen gets narrower; and does not permit the passage of the replacement tube. In this case, the commonly followed method is to continue enteral nutrition by opening a new gastro-cutaneous fistula after the complete closing of the original stoma. Here, we present a stoma-saving bougie dilatation method in 3 cases with severely narrowed stomas after late accidental dislodgement of the PEG tube.