Síndrome de resección anterior baja en pacientes con cáncer de recto medio e inferior ¿Qué más podemos hacer? / Low anterior resection syndrome in patients with medium and low rectal cancer. What else can we do?

Resumen Durante las últimas décadas los avances en técnicas quirúrgicas, radioterapia y quimioterapia han logrado de forma significativa aumentar la sobrevida y disminuir la recidiva local en el cáncer de recto evitando una colostomía definitiva; sin embargo, este trascendental progreso médico no ha ido acompañado de una mejoría en los resultados funcionales de los pacientes sometidos a una cirugía conservadora de esfínter, siendo el conjunto de síntomas defecatorios posterior a la resección rectal, conocido como síndrome de resección anterior baja (LARS), una secuela prácticamente inevitable, que generalmente se asocia a disfunción sexual, urinaria, dolor crónico, altos costos en rehabilitación y control sintomático, además de una alteración importante en la calidad de vida. En este artículo presentamos una revisión completa y actualizada de las características clínicas y alternativas de tratamiento del LARS, finalizando con una propuesta de manejo integral multidisciplinario que destaca la importancia de la prehabilitación, evaluación objetiva de los síntomas, educación e información adecuada del paciente y su familia, además del trabajo en equipo en unidades especializadas de rehabilitación de piso pélvico, requisito fundamental a la hora de manejar adecuadamente esta patología.

During the last decades, advances in surgical techniques, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have significantly increased survival and reduced local recurrence in rectal cancer, avoiding a definitive colostomy. However, this transcendental medical progress has not been accompanied by an improvement in the functional results of patients after sphincter-preserving rectal resection, being the set of defecatory symptoms after rectal resection, known as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), a practically inevitable sequel, which is usually associated with sexual or urinary dysfunction, chronic pain, high costs and an important alteration in the quality of life. In this article, we will present a complete and updated review of the clinical and alternative characteristics of LARS treatment, ending with a proposal for multidisciplinary and integral management that highlights the importance of prehabilitation, objective evaluation of symptoms, education and adequate information of the patient and his family, in addition to teamwork in units specialized in pelvic floor rehabilitation, a fundamental requirement when properly managing this pathology.

Efficacy and oncologic safety of nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer: a randomized controlled trial / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (NSRH) in preserving bladder function and its oncologic safety in the treatment of cervical cancer. METHODS: From March 2003 to November 2005, 92 patients with cervical cancer stage IA2 to IIA were randomly assigned for surgical treatment with conventional radical hysterectomy (CRH) or NSRH, and 86 patients finally included in the analysis. Adequacy of nerve sparing, radicality, bladder function, and oncologic safety were assessed by quantifying the nerve fibers in the paracervix, measuring the extent of paracervix and harvested lymph nodes (LNs), urodynamic study (UDS) with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and 10-year disease-free survival (DFS), respectively. RESULTS: There were no differences in clinicopathologic characteristics between two groups. The median number of nerve fiber was 12 (range, 6 to 21) and 30 (range, 17 to 45) in the NSRH and CRH, respectively (p<0.001). The extent of resected paracervix and number of LNs were not different between the two groups. Volume of residual urine and bladder compliance were significantly deteriorated at 12 months after CRH. On the contrary, all parameters of UDS were recovered no later than 3 months after NSRH. Evaluation of the IPSS showed that the frequency of long-term urinary symptom was higher in CRH than in the NSRH group. The median duration before the postvoid residual urine volume became less than 50 mL was 11 days (range, 7 to 26 days) in NSRH group and was 18 days (range, 10 to 85 days) in CRH group (p<0.001). No significant difference was observed in the 10-year DFS between two groups. CONCLUSION: NSRH appears to be effective in preserving bladder function without sacrificing oncologic safety.

Conventional versus nerve-sparing radical surgery for cervical cancer: a meta-analysis / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Although nerve-sparing radical surgery (NSRS) is an emerging technique for reducing surgery-related dysfunctions, its efficacy is controversial in patients with cervical cancer. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis to compare clinical outcomes, and urinary, anorectal, and sexual dysfunctions between conventional radical surgery (CRS) and NSRS. METHODS: After searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, two randomized controlled trials, seven prospective and eleven retrospective cohort studies were included with 2,253 patients from January 2000 to February 2014. We performed crude analyses and then conducted subgroup analyses according to study design, quality of study, surgical approach, radicality, and adjustment for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Crude analyses showed decreases in blood loss, hospital stay, frequency of intraoperative complications, length of the resected vagina, duration of postoperative catheterization (DPC), urinary frequency, and abnormal sensation in NSRS, whereas there were no significant differences in other clinical parameters and dysfunctions between CRS and NSRS. In subgroup analyses, operative time was longer (standardized difference in means, 0.948; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.642 to 1.253), while intraoperative complications were less common (odds ratio, 0.147; 95% CI, 0.035 to 0.621) in NSRS. Furthermore, subgroup analyses showed that DPC was shorter, urinary incontinence or frequency, and constipation were less frequent in NSRS without adverse effects on survival and sexual functions. CONCLUSION: NSRS may not affect prognosis and sexual dysfunctions in patients with cervical cancer, whereas it may decrease intraoperative complications, and urinary and anorectal dysfunctions despite long operative time and short length of the resected vagina when compared with CRS.

Tromboflebitis de Mondor del pene tras hernioplastia inguinal / Mondor's thrombophlebitis of the penis after inguinal hernioplasty

Paciente de 22 años de edad con antecedentes de salud. Hacía un mes se le había practicado una hernioplastia inguinal izquierda, y aproximadamente dos semanas después, comenzó a presentar aumento de volumen y dolor en el dorso del pene, tanto al tacto como con la erección. Al examen físico se constató, que la vena dorsal superficial del pene estaba aumentada de volumen, de color rojizo y dolorosa a la palpación. En el ultrasonido doppler-color peniano, se comprobó el engrosamiento de la pared de dicha vena, trombosis de esta, disminución del flujo sanguíneo, así como dolor al contacto del transductor. Se le indicó reposo sexual, tratamiento con antiinflamatorios no esteroideos y corticoides orales, además de iontoforesis local con pomada de heparina sódica. El paciente evolucionó satisfactoriamente, con la desaparición del dolor y la recanalización de la vena dorsal del pene. La aparición de la tromboflebitis de Mondor del pene, con posterioridad a una hernioplastia inguinal, es excepcional. Su sospecha clínica más la confirmación con el ultrasonido doppler-color, son pilares básicos para el diagnóstico de certeza. El tratamiento conservador ofrece óptimos resultados.

A male patient aged 22 years with a history of health problems. One month before, he had undergone left inguinal hernioplasty, but two weeks after surgery, he began suffering pain in the back of the penis together with increased volume, both on touch and at erect state. The physical examination revealed that the superficial dorsal vein of the penis was more swollen, red-colored and painful on palpation. Doppler-color ultrasound of the penis confirmed thickening of the vein wall, thrombosis, lower blood flow and patient's feeling of pain when the transducer touched it. He was prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs plus oral corticosteroids, cessation of sexual intercourse, in addition to local ionphoresis with sodium heparin ointment. The patient's progression was satisfactory since pain disappeared and the dorsal vein of the penis was re-canalized. Mondor's thrombophlebitis of the penis rarely occurs after inguinal hernioplasty. Clinical suspicion plus Doppler-color US confirmation are basic pillars for a correct diagnosis. The conservative treatment offers optimal outcomes.