Background
Current guidelines recommend computed tomography (CT) for diagnosing diverticulitis and for routine follow-up colonoscopy to rule out cancer. Scientific data to support routine colonoscopy ...after acute diverticulitis are scarce and conflicting. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of colon cancer mimicking diverticulitis, and hence the need for routine colonoscopy after CT-diagnosed acute diverticulitis.
Methods
This study was a retrospective analysis of patients treated for acute diverticulitis in a single academic institution during 2006–2010. Data regarding age, sex, laboratory parameters, prior diverticulitis, surgical operations, pathology reports, and CT characteristics were collected. Risk factors for finding colon cancer after CT-diagnosed acute diverticulitis were identified by multivariate analysis.
Results
The study enrolled 633 patients with CT-diagnosed acute diverticulitis. Of these patients, 97 underwent emergency resection, whereas 536 were treated conservatively, 394 of whom underwent colonoscopy. The findings showed 17 cancers (2.7 %) in patients with an initial diagnosis of acute diverticulitis. As shown by CT, 16 cancer patients (94 %) had abscess, whereas one patient had pericolic extraluminal air but no abscess. Of the patients with abscess, 11.4 % had cancer mimicking acute diverticulitis. No cancer was found in the patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis. Besides abscess, other independent risk factors for cancer included suspicion of cancer by a radiologist, thickness of the bowel wall exceeding 15 mm, no diverticula observed, and previously undiagnosed metastases.
Conclusions
Routine colonoscopy after CT-proven uncomplicated diverticulitis seems to be unnecessary, but colonoscopy should be performed for patients with a diagnosis of diverticular abscess.
Appendicectomy remains the standard treatment for appendicitis. No international consensus exists on the surgical urgency for acute uncomplicated appendicitis, and recommendations vary from surgery ...without delay to surgery within 24 h. Longer in-hospital delay has been thought to increase the risk of perforation and further morbidity. Therefore, we aimed to compare the rate of appendiceal perforation in patients undergoing appendicectomy scheduled to two different urgencies (<8 h vs <24 h).
In this pragmatic, open-label, multicentre, non-inferiority, parallel, randomised controlled trial in two hospitals in Finland and one in Norway, patients (aged ≥18 years) with presumed uncomplicated acute appendicitis were randomly assigned (1:1) to an appendicectomy scheduled within 8 h or within 24 h to determine whether longer in-hospital delay (time between randomisation and surgical incision) is not inferior to shorter delay. Patients were excluded in cases of pregnancy, suspicion of perforated appendicitis (C-reactive protein level of ≥100 mg/L, fever >38·5°C, signs of complicated appendicitis on imaging studies, or clinical generalised peritonitis), or other reasons requiring prompt surgery. The recruiters were on-duty surgeons who decided to proceed with the appendicectomy. The randomisation sequence was generated using block randomisation with randomly varying block sizes and stratified by hospital districts; neither physicians nor patients were masked to group assignment. The primary outcome was perforated appendicitis diagnosed during surgery analysed in all patients who received an appendicectomy by intention to treat. The absolute difference in rates of perforated appendicitis was compared between the groups. Complications and other safety outcomes were analysed in all patients who received an appendicectomy. A margin of 5 percentage points was used to establish non-inferiority. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04378868) and is closed to accrual.
Between May 18, 2020, and Dec 31, 2022, 2095 patients were assessed for eligibility, of whom 1822 were randomly assigned to appendicectomy scheduled within 8 h (n=914) or 24 h (n=908). After randomisation, 19 (1%) of 1822 patients were excluded due to protocol violation. 1803 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analyses, 985 (55%) of whom were male and 818 (45%) female. Appendiceal perforation rate was similar between groups (77 8% of 907 patients assigned to the <8 h group and 81 9% of 896 patients assigned to the <24 h group; absolute risk difference 0·6% 95% CI –2·1 to 3·2, p=0·68; risk ratio 1·065, 95% CI 0·790 to 1·435). No significant difference was found between the complication rates within 30 days (66 7% of 907 patients in the <8 h group vs 56 6% of 896 patients in the <24 h group; difference –1·0% –3·3 to 1·3; p=0·39), and no deaths occurred during this follow-up period.
In patients with presumed uncomplicated acute appendicitis, scheduling appendicectomy within 24 h does not increase the risk of appendiceal perforation compared with scheduling appendicectomy within 8 h. The results can be used to allocate operating room resources, for example postponing night-time appendicectomy to daytime.
The Finnish Medical Foundation, Mary and Georg Ehrnrooth's Foundation, Biomedicum Helsinki Foundation, and the Finnish Government.
Purpose
To update the World Society of the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (WSACS) consensus definitions and management statements relating to intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and the abdominal ...compartment syndrome (ACS).
Methods
We conducted systematic or structured reviews to identify relevant studies relating to IAH or ACS. Updated consensus definitions and management statements were then derived using a modified Delphi method and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines, respectively. Quality of evidence was graded from high (A) to very low (D) and management statements from strong RECOMMENDATIONS (desirable effects clearly outweigh potential undesirable ones) to weaker SUGGESTIONS (potential risks and benefits of the intervention are less clear).
Results
In addition to reviewing the consensus definitions proposed in 2006, the WSACS defined the open abdomen, lateralization of the abdominal musculature, polycompartment syndrome, and abdominal compliance, and proposed an open abdomen classification system. RECOMMENDATIONS included intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) measurement, avoidance of sustained IAH, protocolized IAP monitoring and management, decompressive laparotomy for overt ACS, and negative pressure wound therapy and efforts to achieve same-hospital-stay fascial closure among patients with an open abdomen. SUGGESTIONS included use of medical therapies and percutaneous catheter drainage for treatment of IAH/ACS, considering the association between body position and IAP, attempts to avoid a positive fluid balance after initial patient resuscitation, use of enhanced ratios of plasma to red blood cells and prophylactic open abdominal strategies, and avoidance of routine early biologic mesh use among patients with open abdominal wounds. NO RECOMMENDATIONS were possible regarding monitoring of abdominal perfusion pressure or the use of diuretics, renal replacement therapies, albumin, or acute component-parts separation.
Conclusion
Although IAH and ACS are common and frequently associated with poor outcomes, the overall quality of evidence available to guide development of RECOMMENDATIONS was generally low. Appropriately designed intervention trials are urgently needed for patients with IAH and ACS.
To study mortality in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and to identify risk factors for mortality.
A retrospective 17-years' cohort study of 435 consecutive adult patients with SAP treated at ...intensive care unit of a university hospital.
Overall, 357 (82.1%) patients survived at 90 days follow-up. Three-hundred six (89.5%) patients under 60 years, 38 (60.3%) patients between 60 and 69 years, and 13 (43.3%) patients over 69 years of age survived at 90 days follow-up. Independent risk factors for death within 90-days were: 60 to 69 years of age (odds ratio OR 5.1), >69 years of age (OR 10.4), female sex (OR 2.0), heart disease (OR 2.9), chronic liver failure (OR 12.3), open abdomen treatment (OR 4.4) and sterile necrosectomy within 4 weeks (OR 14.7). The 10-year survival estimate was <70% in patients under 60 years and <30% in patients over 60 years. Underlying cause of death after the initial 90-day follow-up period was alcohol-related in 48 (57.1%) patients, and all of them had suffered from alcoholic SAP.
Although younger patients have excellent short-term survival after SAP, the long-term survival estimate is disappointing mostly due to alcohol abuse.
•90-day survival after severe acute pancreatitis is excellent in the young and healthy.•Age over 60 years statistically significantly increases mortality at 90-day follow-up.•Early sterile necrosectomy and certain comorbidities increases 90-day mortality risk.•Long-term survival is disappointing even in young patients due to alcohol abuse.
Background
In patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is associated with a worsened outcome. We studied risk factors and consequences of IPN in patients with ...necrotizing SAP.
Methods
The study consisted of a retrospective cohort of 163 consecutive patients treated for necrotizing SAP at a university hospital intensive care unit (ICU) between 2010 and 2018.
Results
All patients had experienced at least one persistent organ failure and approximately 60% had multiple organ failure within the first 24 h from admission to the ICU. Forty-seven (28.8%) patients had IPN within 90 days. Independent risk factors for IPN were more extensive anatomical spread of necrotic collections (unilateral paracolic or retromesenteric (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.5–21.1) and widespread (OR 21.8, 95% CI 6.1–77.8)) compared to local collections around the pancreas, postinterventional pancreatitis (OR 13.5, 95% CI 2.4–76.5), preceding bacteremia (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.3–17.6), and preceding open abdomen treatment for abdominal compartment syndrome (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4–9.3). Patients with IPN had longer ICU and overall hospital lengths of stay, higher risk for necrosectomy, and higher readmission rate to ICU.
Conclusions
Wide anatomical spread of necrotic collections, postinterventional etiology, preceding bacteremia, and preceding open abdomen treatment were identified as independent risk factors for IPN.
Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is typically defined as a group of diseases characterized by an interruption of the blood supply to varying portions of the small intestine, leading to ischemia and ...secondary inflammatory changes. If untreated, this process will eventuate in life threatening intestinal necrosis. The incidence is low, estimated at 0.09-0.2% of all acute surgical admissions. Therefore, although the entity is an uncommon cause of abdominal pain, diligence is always required because if untreated, mortality has consistently been reported in the range of 50%. Early diagnosis and timely surgical intervention are the cornerstones of modern treatment and are essential to reduce the high mortality associated with this entity. The advent of endovascular approaches in parallel with modern imaging techniques may provide new options. Thus, we believe that a current position paper from World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) is warranted, in order to put forth the most recent and practical recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of AMI. This review will address the concepts of AMI with the aim of focusing on specific areas where early diagnosis and management hold the strongest potential for improving outcomes in this disease process. Some of the key points include the prompt use of CT angiography to establish the diagnosis, evaluation of the potential for revascularization to re-establish blood flow to ischemic bowel, resection of necrotic intestine, and use of damage control techniques when appropriate to allow for re-assessment of bowel viability prior to definitive anastomosis and abdominal closure.
The aim of the study was to construct a new scoring system for more accurate diagnostics of acute appendicitis. Applying the new score into clinical practice could reduce the need of potentially ...harmful diagnostic imaging.
This prospective study enrolled 829 adults presenting with clinical suspicion of appendicitis, including 392 (47%) patients with appendicitis. The collected data included clinical findings and symptoms together with laboratory tests (white cell count, neutrophil count and C-reactive protein), and the timing of the onset of symptoms. The score was constructed by logistic regression analysis using multiple imputations for missing values. Performance of the constructed score in patients with complete data (n = 725) was compared with Alvarado score and Appendicitis inflammatory response score.
343 (47%) of patients with complete data had appendicitis. 199 (58%) patients with appendicitis had score value at least 16 and were classified as high probability group with 93% specificity.Patients with score below 11 were classified as low probability of appendicitis. Only 4% of patients with appendicitis had a score below 11, and none of them had complicated appendicitis. In contrast, 207 (54%) of non-appendicitis patients had score below 11. There were no cases with complicated appendicitis in the low probability group. The area under ROC curve was significantly larger with the new score 0.882 (95% CI 0.858-0.906) compared with AUC of Alvarado score 0.790 (0.758-0.823) and Appendicitis inflammatory response score 0.810 (0.779-0.840).
The new diagnostic score is fast and accurate in categorizing patients with suspected appendicitis, and roughly halves the need of diagnostic imaging.
The exact incidence and outcomes of acute occlusive arterial mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) are unclear as most studies include only patients diagnosed correctly while alive. The aim of this study was to ...assess the incidence, mortality, and diagnostics of AMI by also including patients diagnosed post-mortem.
This retrospective study comprised patients diagnosed with AMI either alive or post-mortem between 2006 and 2015 within a healthcare district serving 1.6 million inhabitants. Key exclusion criteria were venous or non-obstructive ischaemia.
A total of 470 patients were included in the study of which 137 (29%) were diagnosed post-mortem. The most common misdiagnoses on those not diagnosed alive were unspecified infection (n = 19, 17%), gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 13, 11%), and ileus (n = 13, 11%). Of those diagnosed alive (n = 333), 187 (56%) underwent active surgical or endovascular treatment. During the 2006 – 2015 period, the overall incidence of AMI was 3.05 (95% CI 2.78 – 3.34)/100 000 person years and 26.66 (95% CI 24.07 – 29.45) for those aged 70 years or more. The mean autopsy rate during the study period was 29% for the overall population (32% during 2006 – 2010 and 25% during 2011 – 2015) and 18% for those aged 70 years or more. Overall, the 90-day mortality was 83% in all patients. The ninety day mortality decreased, being 87% during the first period (2006 – 2010) and 79% during the second period (2011 – 2015) (p = .029), while at the same time the proportion of patients diagnosed alive rose from 71% to 80% (p = .030) and the number of endovascular revascularisations rose from 1% to 5% (p = .022).
A significant proportion of patients with AMI are not diagnosed alive, which is reflected in the mortality rates. Post-mortem examinations and autopsy rate data continue to be key factors in epidemiological studies on AMI.
Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is a common surgical emergency, causing high morbidity and even some mortality. The adhesions causing such bowel obstructions are typically the footprints of ...previous abdominal surgical procedures. The present paper presents a revised version of the Bologna guidelines to evidence-based diagnosis and treatment of ASBO. The working group has added paragraphs on prevention of ASBO and special patient groups.
The guideline was written under the auspices of the World Society of Emergency Surgery by the ASBO working group. A systematic literature search was performed prior to the update of the guidelines to identify relevant new papers on epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of ASBO. Literature was critically appraised according to an evidence-based guideline development method. Final recommendations were approved by the workgroup, taking into account the level of evidence of the conclusion.
Adhesion formation might be reduced by minimally invasive surgical techniques and the use of adhesion barriers. Non-operative treatment is effective in most patients with ASBO. Contraindications for non-operative treatment include peritonitis, strangulation, and ischemia. When the adhesive etiology of obstruction is unsure, or when contraindications for non-operative management might be present, CT is the diagnostic technique of choice. The principles of non-operative treatment are
per os, naso-gastric, or long-tube decompression, and intravenous supplementation with fluids and electrolytes. When operative treatment is required, a laparoscopic approach may be beneficial for selected cases of simple ASBO.Younger patients have a higher lifetime risk for recurrent ASBO and might therefore benefit from application of adhesion barriers as both primary and secondary prevention.
This guideline presents recommendations that can be used by surgeons who treat patients with ASBO. Scientific evidence for some aspects of ASBO management is scarce, in particular aspects relating to special patient groups. Results of a randomized trial of laparoscopic versus open surgery for ASBO are awaited.
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