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OBJECTIVE: Rare but aggressive cancer types like non-pancreatic periampullary cancers pose unique challenges for cancer research due to their low incidence rates and lack of consensus on optimal treatment strategies, therefore necessitating a collaborative approach. The International Study Group on non-pancreatic peri-Ampullary CAncer (ISGACA) aimed to build a collaborative initiative to pool expertise, funding opportunities, and data from over 60 medical centers, in order to improve outcomes for underrepresented patients with rare cancers. METHODS: The ISGACA approach predefined a stepwise approach including a research scope, establishing a dedicated steering committee, creating a recognizable brand, identifying research gaps, following a well-defined timeline, ensuring robust data collection, addressing legal and ethical considerations, securing financial resources, investing in research ethics training and statistical expertise, raising awareness, creating uniformity, and initiating prospective studies. RESULTS: Overall, 60 medical centers joined the ISGACA consortium (41 in Europe, 15 in North-America, three in Asia, one in Australia). The database includes 4309 patients. Nine publications and several ongoing studies which in turn allowed for a successful application of research grants. Subsequently, an international consensus meeting established uniform definitions and classifications, and one prospective multicenter international clinical trial has been initiated. CONCLUSION: By sharing knowledge, expertise, and clinical data, the ISGACA approach has not only gathered sufficient evidence to secure grants and ethical approvals for prospective studies, but also demonstrates options for standardizing patient care and improving outcomes for patients with rare cancers. The ISGACA approach offers a detailed methodology for initiating research on rare cancers and could serve as a replicable model for future research initiatives.
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Background: Traumatic sternal fractures are rare injuries with little evidence supporting the best treatment strategy. This study assessed treatment outcomes from our level-I trauma centre. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including all sternal fracture patients admitted to our level-I trauma centre between 2007 and 2019. Patients with sternal fractures due to cardiopulmonary resuscitation, patients <16 years, patients who died during initial hospital stay, and patients lost to follow-up were excluded from analysis. Results: In 13 years, 355 patients with traumatic sternal fractures were admitted, corresponding to 2% of all trauma patients. 262 patients were included in analysis. Mean age was 52 years and 71% of patients were male. Mean ISS was 19 (range 4-66). The majority of sternal fractures was located in the sternal body. Six patients (2%) underwent primary sternal fixation. Treatment failure occurred in three patients (1%) and was significantly higher in the surgical treatment group (p=0.001). There was no difference in treatment failure between patients with and without concomitant spinal fractures. Conclusions: Conservative treatment is safe and effective for traumatic sternal fractures. Surgical treatment should be reserved for rare cases, such as imminent respiratory failure or debilitating symptomatic non-union.
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STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVES: Combined sternal and spinal fractures are rare traumatic injuries and present a high risk of spinal and thoracic wall instability. Limited research has addressed the treatment of sternovertebral injuries and biomechanical need for sternal fixation to achieve spinal healing. METHODS: A 10-year retrospective cohort study was conducted, including patients with sternovertebral fractures admitted to our level-1 trauma centre between 2007 and 2016. Patients who died during hospital admission, military patients, patients with isolated upper cervical spine or lower lumbar spine fractures, and patients lost to follow-up were excluded. RESULTS: In 10 years, 73 patients with sternovertebral fractures were included. Mean injury severity score was 24 (range 4-57). Most sternal fractures were located in the sternal body and manubrium. Spinal fractures were type A (52%), B (40%), or C (8%), and were located in the subaxial cervical (21%), upper thoracic (16%), thoracic (21%), thoracolumbar (47%) area; 7 patients had spinal fractures at multiple levels. Fourteen patients (19%) had a neurological deficit. A total of 42 patients received conservative and 31 patients received operative spinal treatment. Two patients (3%) underwent primary sternal fixation. Sternal failure rate was 1% and biomechanical spinal failure rate was 8%, there was no difference in treatment failure between surgical and conservative spinal treatment. Associated thoracic injuries did not influence sternal or spinal treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that conservative sternal treatment in presence of spinal fractures is safe and effective. The low spinal treatment failure rates imply that sternal fixation is not necessary to achieve spinal stability.
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PURPOSE: Combined sternal and spinal fractures are rare traumatic injuries with significant risk of spinal and thoracic wall instability. Controversy remains with regard to treatment strategies and the biomechanical need for sternal fixation to achieve spinal healing. The present study aimed to assess outcomes of sternovertebral fracture treatment. METHODS: A systematic review of literature on the treatment of traumatic sternovertebral fractures was conducted. Original studies published after 1990, reporting sternal and spinal healing or stability were included. Studies not reporting treatment outcomes were excluded. RESULTS: Six studies were included in this review, with a total study population of 98 patients: 2 case series, 3 case reports, and 1 retrospective cohort study. 10 per cent of sternal fractures showed displacement. Most spinal fractures were located in the thoracic spine and were AOSpine type A (51%), type B (35%), or type C (14%). 14 per cent of sternal fractures and 49% of spinal fractures were surgically treated. Sternal treatment failure occurred in 5% of patients and biomechanical spinal failure in 8%. There were no differences in treatment failure between conservative and operative treatment. CONCLUSION: Literature on traumatic sternovertebral fracture treatment is sparse. Findings indicate that in most patients, sternal fixation is not required to achieve sternal and spinal stability. However, results of the current review should be cautiously interpreted, since most included studies were of poor quality.
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Fracturas Óseas , Fracturas de la Columna Vertebral , Humanos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Fracturas de la Columna Vertebral/diagnóstico por imagen , Fracturas de la Columna Vertebral/cirugía , Esternón/diagnóstico por imagen , Esternón/lesiones , Esternón/cirugía , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
PURPOSE: Traumatic sternal fractures are rare injuries. The most common mechanism of injury is direct blunt trauma to the anterior chest wall. Most (> 95%) sternal fractures are treated conservatively. Surgical fixation is indicated in case of fracture instability, displacement or non-union. However, limited research has been performed on treatment outcomes. This study aimed to provide an overview of the current treatment practices and outcomes of traumatic sternal fractures and dislocations. METHODS: A systematic review of literature published from 1990 to June 2017 was conducted. Original studies on traumatic sternal fractures, reporting sternal healing or sternal stability were included. Studies on non-traumatic sternal fractures or not reporting sternal healing outcomes, as well as case reports (n = 1), were excluded. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included in this review, which reported treatment outcomes for 191 patients. Most included studies were case series of poor quality. All patients showed sternal healing and 98% reported pain relief. Treatment complications occurred in 2% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of traumatic sternal fractures and dislocations is an underexposed topic. Although all patients in this review displayed sternal healing, results should be interpreted with caution since most included studies were of poor quality.