Background and Objectives: Systemic inflammatory indices have been largely investigated for their potential predictive value in multiple inflammatory, infectious, and oncological diseases; however, their value in colorectal cancer is still a subject of research. This study investigates the dynamics of pre- and postoperative values of NLR, PLR, SII, and MLR in patients with colorectal cancer and their predictive value for early postoperative outcomes. Materials and Methods: A 2-year retrospective cohort study was performed on 200 patients operated for colorectal adenocarcinoma. Systemic inflammatory indices were calculated based on complete blood count preoperatively and on the first and sixth postoperative days. The patients were divided into two groups based on their emergency or elective presentation. The pre- and postoperative values of serum inflammatory biomarkers and their correlations with postoperative outcomes were separately analyzed for the two study subgroups. Results: There were no significant differences in sex distribution, addressability, associated comorbidities, or types of surgery between the two groups. Patients in the emergency group presented higher preoperative and postoperative values of WBC, neutrophils, NLR, and SII compared to elective patients. The postsurgery hospital stays correlated well with pre- and postoperative day one and day six values of NLR (p = 0.001; 0.02; and <0.001), PLR (p < 0.001), SII (p = 0.037; <0.001; <0.001), and MLR (p = 0.002; p = 0.002; <0.001). In a multivariate analysis, reintervention risk was higher for emergency presentation and anemia, and lower in right colon cancer. In the emergency group, a multivariate model including age, MLR PO1, and pTNM stage was predictive for severe postoperative complications (AUC ROC 0.818). First-day postoperative inflammatory indices correlated well with sepsis, with the best predictive value being observed for the first postoperative day NLR (AUC 0.836; sensibility 88.8%; specificity 66.7%) and SII (AUC 0.796; sensitivity 66.6%; specificity 90%). For elective patients, the first postoperative day PLR and anemia were included in a multivariate model to predict Clavien–Dindo complications graded 3 or more (AUC ROC 0.818) and reintervention (AUC ROC 0.796). Conclusions: Easy-to-calculate and inexpensive systemic inflammatory biomarkers could be useful in predicting early postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer for both elective and emergency surgery.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) represents evidence-based transformation in perioperative care, which has been demonstrated to reduce both recovery times and postoperative complication rates. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of the ERAS program in comparison with conventional postoperative care. This longitudinal cohort observational study enrolled 120 consecutive patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction caused by colorectal cancers, with 40 patients in the ERAS group and 80 patients receiving conventional postoperative care forming the non-ERAS group. Our study compares the effectiveness of ERAS protocols to non-ERAS methods, focusing on the time to first flatus, defecation, the resumption of normal diet, and early mobilization. The main endpoints are morbidity and hospitalization length. The results showed that despite a longer admission-to-surgery interval in the ERAS group, median hospitalization was significantly shorter compared to the non-ERAS group (p = 0.0002). The ERAS group showed a tendency towards a lower incidence of overall postoperative complications, indicating that implementing the ERAS protocol does not increase the risk of postoperative complications, ensuring the safety of enhanced recovery strategies for patients. Also, ERAS patients had notably fewer stomas than those in the non-ERAS group, indicating the potential effectiveness of reducing stoma necessity. This study shows that ERAS surpasses conventional care for colonic or rectal surgery patients, reducing hospital stays and costs while enhancing recovery. This highlights the comprehensive advantages of adopting ERAS in surgical settings.

Regenerative medicine based on Mg alloy implants is considered a modern approach to address bone defects. It represents a promising alternative to traditional grafting strategies (auto-, allo-, and xenografts) by potentially mitigating complications such as donor-site morbidity and limited supply, which are discussed in this paper. In line with this global topic, attention is devoted to an innovative manufacturing route for Mg-Nd and Mg-Zn implants for the treatment of small bone defects. First, the proposed manufacturing method is described in detail, including the materials used and the manufacturing steps, and then a comparison between the reference (cast alloys) and implant samples is performed. The mechanical properties, weight loss in simulated body fluid (SBF), surface analysis (contact angle and roughness measurements), and cytotoxicity were evaluated to determine whether the developed implants are suitable for consideration as future bone implants. The main conclusions of the study were that both Mg-based implants exhibited mechanical properties (compressive strength and Young’s modulus) with values very close to those of the human bone, reduced mass loss (a fact that is in a direct relationship with an increase in corrosion resistance due to MgF₂ conversion coating, which is a secondary result of the proposed manufacturing route), and finally, a good biocompatibility sustained by cell culture and cytotoxicity assessment, as well as by apoptosis and necrosis analysis on a human patella-derived osteoblastic cell line.

Mg-based alloys are one of the most promising materials used in regenerative medicine for bone tissue engineering. Considering the increasing prevalence of a continuously aging population, as well as the high incidence of accidents and bone cancers, it is crucial to explore biomaterials that can serve as bone substitutes. After carefully analyzing the literature in the introduction section, we proposed two Mg-based alloys as suitable for obtaining biodegradable structures for bone defect treatment. To achieve trustworthy results, the alloys’ microstructure was investigated using microscopic techniques coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The obtained results were comparable with those described in references on similar Mg alloys. Then, the mechanical compression properties were highlighted, and the in vitro corrosion behavior proved that Mg-Zn exhibited a reduced corrosion rate compared to the Mg-Nd alloy, as tested using electrochemical methods. However, the in vivo tests showed good biocompatibility for both magnesium alloys. In conclusion, both alloys are suitable for use as potential bone substitute applications, but it must be taken into consideration that Mg-Zn alloys present lower biodegradation and mechanical properties. For future investigations, we aim to develop bone substitutes made from these materials, specifically designed for small bone defect treatment and with patient-adapted geometry. Due to the differences mentioned above, various designs will be tested.

Objective: We present the case of a 26-year-old male with severe spinal tuberculosis of the thoracolumbar region. The patient suffered from worsening back pain over five years, initially responding to over-the-counter analgesics. Despite being proposed surgery in 2019, the patient refused the intervention and subsequently experienced significant disease progression. Methods: Upon re-presentation in 2022, mild involvement of the T12-L1 vertebrae was recorded by imaging, leading to a percutaneous needle biopsy which confirmed tuberculosis. Despite undergoing anti-tuberculous therapy for one year, the follow-up in 2024 revealed extensive infection from T10 to S1, with large psoas abscesses and a pseudo-tumoral mass of the right thigh. The patient was ultimately submitted to a two-stage surgical intervention: anterior resection and reconstruction of T11-L1 with an expandable cage, followed by posterior stabilization from T8-S1. Results: Postoperative recovery was uneventful, with significant pain relief and no neurological deficits. The patient was discharged on a continued anti-tuberculous regimen and remains under close surveillance. Conclusions: This paper presents details on the challenges of diagnosis and management of severe spinal tuberculosis, with emphasis on the importance of timely intervention and multidisciplinary care.

Cancer is considered today as a prevalent research direction due to the fact that, by 2050, more than 30 million cases will occur, followed by about 19 million deaths. It is expected that scholars will search for new, innovative, and localized therapies to ensure a much more targeted treatment with reduced side effects. Magnetic hydrogels overcome the disadvantages of classical magnetic nanoparticles in various oncological domains, including magnetic hyperthermia, theragnostic, immunotherapy, and, notably, regenerative medicine and contrast substances. We will review the magnetic hydrogel topics that may be involved as a potential application for cancer. Firstly, we present the international context and subject importance in the framework of statistics estimated by some researchers. Then, the magnetic hydrogel synthesis method will be briefly described with examples extracted from the literature. Supplementary, we will emphasize the main attributes of an ideal magnetic hydrogel, and last but not least, we will review some of the latest in vitro and in vivo studies in a direct relationship with magnetic hyperthermia, chemotherapeutic drug release dynamics, and immunotherapy used as single strategies or in combination, by underling the magnetic properties of the hydrogels and importance of application of magnetic fields. We will conclude our review paper by discussing toxicity issues, future trends, limitations, and proposed new approaches to address them.