The development of new surgical techniques and use of neoadjuvant therapy have increased the need for accurate preoperative staging of rectal cancer. We compared the ability of endoscopic ...ultrasonography (EUS) and two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coils to locally stage rectal carcinoma before surgery. Forty-nine patients with histologically proven rectal carcinoma were T and N staged by EUS and either body coil MRI or phased-array coil MRI. After radical surgery, the preoperative findings were compared with histologic findings on the surgical specimen. For T stage, accuracies were 70% for EUS, 43% for body coil MRI, and 71% for phased-array coil MRI. For N stage, accuracies were 63% for EUS, 64% for body coil MRI, and 76% for phased-array coil MRI. For T stage, EUS had the best sensitivity (80%) and the same specificity (67%) as phased-array coil MRI. For N stage, phased-array coil MRI had the best sensitivity (63%) and the same specificity (80%) as the other methods. EUS and phased-array coil MRI provided similar results for assessing T stage. No method provided satisfactory assessments of local N stage, although phased-array coil MRI was marginally better in assessing this important parameter. Although none of the results differed significantly, phased-array coil MRI seems to be the best single method for the preoperative staging of rectal cancer.
The multiorgan procurement (MOP) represents a chance for the general surgery resident to learn the fundamental steps of open abdominal surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact ...of MOP on the residents’ open surgical skills.
Residents' surgical skills were assessed during a 6-month transplant rotation (October 2020-March 2021) using a modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills with the global rating scale. The surgeries were self-assessed by residents and tutors based on 9 specific steps (SS) and 4 general skills (GS). Each item was rated from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) with a maximum score of 45 points for SS and 20 for GS. A crossed-effects linear regression analysis was performed both to evaluate any associations between GS/SS scores and some prespecified covariates, and to study differences in the assessments performed by residents and tutors.
Residents actively participated in a total of 59 procurements. In general, there were no significant differences in SS/GS mean scorings between residents (n = 15) and tutors (n = 5). There was a significantly positive association between mean GS/SS scorings and the number of donor surgeries performed (at least 5). Comparing the evaluations of the tutors with the residents, this significance was retained only when scorings were assigned by the tutors.
MOP was shown to improve basic open surgical skills among residents. Awareness of the utility of a clinical rotation in transplant surgery should be raised also on an institutional level.
The terminal ileum is the most frequent site of Crohn's Disease (CD) that necessitates surgery. Of the postoperative complications (POCs) associated with ileocaecal resection for CD, intra-abdominal ...septic complications (IASCs) include anastomotic leak, abscesses, and entero-cutaneous fistula.
We aimed to identify predictors of IASCs and severe POCs (Clavien-Dindo ≥3) after primary ileocaecal resection for CD.
This is a retrospective single-centre cohort study including all consecutive primary ileocaecal resection for CD in a tertiary IBD centre between 2004 and 2021.
A total of 853 patients underwent primary ileocaecal resection for CD. 307 (36.6 %) patients were receiving antibiotics, 253 (29.8 %), systemic steroids, and 178 (21.0 %) oral budesonide at surgery. At 90 days, 260 (30.8 %) patients developed POCs, 62 (7.3 %) severe POCs, and 56 (6.6 %) IASCs. At multivariate analysis, severe POCs were associated with lower preoperative albumin levels (OR1.58, 95 %CI 1.02–2.50, p = 0.040) and a history of cardiovascular diseases (OR2.36, 95 %CI 1.08–7.84, p = 0.030). IASCs were associated with lower preoperative albumin levels (OR1.81, 95 %CI 1.15–2.94, p = 0.011) and oral budesonide (OR2.07, 95 %CI 1.12–3.83, p = 0.021) with a dose-dependent effect.
The independent association, dose-dependent effect, and biological plausibility of budesonide and IASCs suggest a robust causal effect. Oral budesonide should be carefully assessed before primary ileocaecal resection for CD.
Surgical strategies are being adapted to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations on the management of acute appendicitis have been based on expert opinion, but very little evidence is available. ...This study addressed that dearth with a snapshot of worldwide approaches to appendicitis.
The Association of Italian Surgeons in Europe designed an online survey to assess the current attitude of surgeons globally regarding the management of patients with acute appendicitis during the pandemic. Questions were divided into baseline information, hospital organization and screening, personal protective equipment, management and surgical approach, and patient presentation before versus during the pandemic.
Of 744 answers, 709 (from 66 countries) were complete and were included in the analysis. Most hospitals were treating both patients with and those without COVID. There was variation in screening indications and modality used, with chest X-ray plus molecular testing (PCR) being the commonest (19·8 per cent). Conservative management of complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis was used by 6·6 and 2·4 per cent respectively before, but 23·7 and 5·3 per cent, during the pandemic (both P < 0·001). One-third changed their approach from laparoscopic to open surgery owing to the popular (but evidence-lacking) advice from expert groups during the initial phase of the pandemic. No agreement on how to filter surgical smoke plume during laparoscopy was identified. There was an overall reduction in the number of patients admitted with appendicitis and one-third felt that patients who did present had more severe appendicitis than they usually observe.
Conservative management of mild appendicitis has been possible during the pandemic. The fact that some surgeons switched to open appendicectomy may reflect the poor guidelines that emanated in the early phase of SARS-CoV-2.
Background
The surgical management of rectovaginal fistulae associated with Crohn’s disease is often frustrated by poor results regardless of the different techniques. The outcomes of the gracilis ...muscle transposition (GMT) for the treatment of recurrent Crohn’s-associated fistulae are still debated. The aim of the study is to determine whether the success rate of GMT is similar in Crohn’s disease patients and in a control group.
Materials and methods
All patients undergoing GMT for rectovaginal or pouch-vaginal fistula were collected from a prospectively maintained database (2005–2016). The primary study outcome was the comparison of the success rate of GMT in Crohn’s disease and control group patients.
Results
Twenty-one patients with a rectovaginal fistula due to Crohn’s disease (8, 38.1%) or other etiologies (13, 61.9%) were included. The groups had similar characteristics and postoperative outcomes. After a median follow-up time of 81 and 57 months (
p
0.34), the success rate of GMT was 75% in patients with Crohn’s disease and 68.4% in control group (
p
0.6). The median time to recurrence was 3.5 months (1–12). The success rate in patients who had more than two previous attempts of repair was lower regardless of the etiology (50 vs 79.4%,
p
0.1).
Conclusion
GMT is associated with a high success rate, especially in Crohn’s disease-related rectovaginal fistula. In consideration of the low morbidity rate and the fact that an increasing number of previous local operations might be associated with failure, the procedure should be considered as a first line of treatment for recurrent rectovaginal fistulae.
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) may occur in IBD and influence the disease progression.
To compare disease course and treatment outcomes in IBD patients with and without DM.
This is a systematic review with ...meta-analysis comparing patients with IBD plus DM with patients with IBD only. Primary endpoints: need for surgery, IBD-related complications, hospitalizations, sepsis, mortality. Quality of life and costs were assessed.
Five studies with 71,216 patients (49.1% with DM) were included. Risk for IBD-related complications (OR=1.12, I2 98% p = 0.77), mortality (OR=1.52, I2 98% p = 0.37) and IBD-related surgery (OR=1.20, I2 81% p = 0.26) did not differ. Risk of IBD-related hospitalizations (OR=2.52, I2 0% p < 0.00001) and sepsis (OR=1.56, I2 88% p = 0.0003) was higher in the IBD+DM group. Risk of pneumonia and urinary tract infections was higher in the IBD+DM group (OR=1.72 and OR=1.93), while risk of C. Difficile infection did not differ (OR=1.22 I2 88% p = 0.37). Mean Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire score was lower in the IBD+DM group (38.9 vs. 47, p = 0.03). Mean health care costs per year were $10,598.2 vs $3747.3 (p < 0.001).
DM might negatively affect the course of IBD by increasing the risk of hospitalization and infections, but not IBD-related complications and mortality.
Italy has been one of the most affected countries in the world by COVID-19. There has been increasing concern regarding the impact of COVID‐19 on patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ...particularly in patients treated with immunosuppressants or biologics. The aim of our study is to understand the incidence of COVID-19 in a large cohort of patients with IBD. Furthermore, we analyzed possible risk factors for infection and severity of COVID-19.
This was an observational study evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on IBD patients in a single tertiary center. A 23 multiple-choice-question anonymous survey was administered to 1200 patients with IBD between March 10th and June 10th 2020.
1158 questionnaires were analyzed. The majority of patients had Crohn's disease (CD) (60%) and most of them were in clinical remission. Among the 26 patients (2.2%) who tested positive for COVID-19, only 5 (3CD) were on biological treatment and none required hospitalization. Two patients died and were on treatment with mesalazine only. Of the 1158 patients, 521 were on biological therapy, which was discontinued in 85 (16.3%) and delayed in 195 patients (37.4%). A worsening of IBD symptoms was observed in 200 patients on biological therapy (38.4%). Most of these patients, 189 (94.5%), had stopped or delayed biological treatment, while 11 (5.5%) had continued their therapy regularly (p<0.001).
Our data are in line with the current literature and confirm a higher incidence compared to the general population. Biological therapy for IBD seems to not be a risk factor for infection and should not be discontinued in order to avoid IBD relapse.
Crohn's disease represents a heterogeneous entity, but its location tends to be relatively stable overtime. For extensive refractory Crohn's colitis, ileorectal anastomosis after colectomy is an ...engaging option, since the necessity of a permanent ileostomy is avoided.
In our study, the long-term outcome of two groups of patients with Crohn's colitis who underwent colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis was compared. The first group had isolated colonic Crohn's disease without rectal involvement and perianal disease, while the second group included patients who had rectal and/or ileal involvement, with or without perianal disease.
Between 1996 and 2016, in a single IBD tertiary center, 80 patients with a history of colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for refractory Crohn's colitis were retrospectively identified.
Recurrence of disease was diagnosed in 57/64 of patients with Crohn's colitis with rectal and/or ileal and/or perianal involvement compared with 1/16 of patients with isolated Crohn's colitis without rectal and perianal disease in a median time of recurrence of 2 years (IQR 1–6 years, minimum to maximum, 1–18 years, p < 0.001). Only 6 patients (7,5%) underwent definitive end ileostomy without proctectomy (1 in the noIRP group and 5 in the IRP group).
Our data suggest that colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis may represent a curative option in patients with refractory isolated colitis without rectal and perianal involvement.
The identification of patients prone to early recurrence of Crohn’s disease at the site of a strictureplasty is fundamental in the clinical practice.
Aim of the study is to detect the risk factors ...for early reoperation for recurrence after primary strictureplasty.
From 2000, patients undergoing a primary strictureplasty and a subsequent reoperation for recurrence of Crohn’s disease at the site of a strictureplasty were included. Univariate and multivariable linear regression models were performed to analyse the relationship between the time to recurrence and independent variables.
Fifty-nine patients were included. Median time to recurrence was 4.5 years (0.7–12.6). At the multivariate linear regression, early relapse was significantly associated with use of biologics before primary surgery (−2.69, p < 0.0001) and location of disease in the ileum (−1.61, p 0.017). The use of biologics after surgery was similar between groups (40.7 vs 37.5%, p 0.79).
The location of Crohn’s disease in the ileum and the use of biologics before surgery are strong predictors of early site-specific recurrence after strictureplasty. In this group of patients, a tailored follow-up and aggressive postoperative treatment should be considered.
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