3%, 1.0%, and 2.4% of operations, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the incidence of postoperative complications (odds ratio 1.21, 95% CI 0.90-1.64, p = 0.207) and the length of hospital stay (median 4 days in both groups, p = 0.835) were not significantly different between patients who underwent laparoscopic or open appendectomy. Subgroup analysis in complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis cases also demonstrated no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative complications between those who underwent laparoscopic or open appendectomy. CONCLUSION This study suggested that the occurrence of postoperative complication and the length of hospital stay in pediatric patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy are similar with those in pediatric patients who underwent open appendectomy for acute appendicitis.BACKGROUND To define early versus late recurrence based on post-recurrence survival (PRS) among patients undergoing curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS Patients who underwent curative-intent resection for HCC between 2000 and 2017 were identified from an international multi-institutional database. The optimal cut-off time point to discriminate early versus late recurrence was determined relative to PRS. RESULTS Among 1004 patients, 443 (44.1%) patients experienced recurrence with a median recurrence-free survival time of 12 months. A cut-off time point of 8 months was defined as the optimal threshold based on sensitivity analyses relative to PRS for early (n = 165, 37.2%) versus late relapse (n = 278, 62.8%) (p = 0.008). Early recurrence was associated with worse PRS (median PRS, 27.0 vs. 43.0 months, p = 0.019), as well as overall survival (OS) (median OS, 32.0 versus 74.0 months, p  less then  0.001) versus late recurrence. In addition, patients who recurred early were more likely to recur at extra- ± intrahepatic (35.5% vs. 19.8%, p = 0.003) sites and were less likely to have the recurrence treated with curative intent (33.8% vs. 45.7%, p = 0.08). Patients undergoing curative re-treatment of late recurrence had a comparable OS with patients who had no recurrence (median OS, 139.0 vs. 140.0 months); patients with early recurrence had inferior OS after curative re-treatment versus patients with no recurrence (median OS, 69.0 vs. Etanercept inhibitor 140.0 months, p = 0.036), yet still better than patients who received palliative treatment for early recurrence (median OS, 69.0 vs. 21.0 months, p  less then  0.001). CONCLUSIONS Eight months was identified as the cut-off value to differentiate early versus late recurrence. Curative-intent treatment for recurrent intrahepatic tumors was associated with reasonable long-term outcomes.Treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) requiring intervention must be tailored to each patient’s individual clinical situation. Surgical transgastric debridement addresses necrosis confined to the lesser sac with the option to perform cholecystectomy in a single intervention.1 With proper patient selection, this technique achieves resolution of necrosis in 90% of patients.2 In the setting of disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome, cystogastrostomy achieves pancreatic tail drainage with durable long-term success in 80% of patients.3 This case presentation and step-by-step walkthrough demonstrates critical technical aspects and decision-making for surgical transgastric debridement of walled-off pancreatic necrosis.BACKGROUND The prevalence of incidental pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs) has increased dramatically with advancements in cross-sectional imaging. Diagnostic imaging is limited in differentiating between benign and malignant PCNs. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of biomarkers that can be used to distinguish PCNs. METHODS A review of the literature on molecular diagnosis of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas was performed. RESULTS Pancreatic cysts can be categorized into inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions. Inflammatory cysts include pancreatic pseudocysts. Noninflammatory lesions include both mucinous and non-mucinous lesions. Mucinous lesions include intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) and mucinous cystic neoplasm. Non-mucinous lesions include serous cystadenoma and solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas. Imaging, cyst aspiration, and histologic findings, as well as carcinoembryonic antigen and amylase are commonly used to distinguish between cyst types. However, molecular techniques to detect differences in genetic mutations, protein expression, glycoproteomics, and metabolomic profiling are important developments in distinguishing between cyst types. DISCUSSION Nomograms incorporating common clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings have been developed in a better effort to predict malignant IPMN. The incorporation of top molecular biomarker candidates to nomograms may improve the predictive ability of current models to more accurately diagnose malignant PCNs.BACKGROUND A high rate of postoperative recurrence, especially early recurrence (ER) occurring within 1 year, seriously impedes patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from achieving long-term survival. This study aimed to establish a genomic-clinicopathologic nomogram for precisely predicting ER in HCC patients after R0 resection. METHODS Two reliable datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were selected as the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The prognostic genes related to ER were screened out by univariate Cox regression analysis and differential expression analysis. The gene-based prognostic index was constructed using LASSO and Cox regression analyses, and its independent prognostic value was assessed by Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox analyses. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the biological pathways related to the prognostic index. Finally, the nomogram integrating all the independent prognostic facto in the training and validation cohorts (all P  less then  0.05). CONCLUSIONS The novel genomic-clinicopathologic nomogram may be a convenient and powerful tool for accurately predicting ER in HCC patients after R0 resection.