The Clinical Efficacy, and Long-Term Outcomes Between Pneumatic Dilation and Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy in Achalasia.

Introduction: Achalasia is the most well-known motility disorder, characterized by the lack of optimal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter during swallowing and the absence of peristalsis of the esophageal body. Laparoscopic Heller esocardiomyotomy (LHM) and pneumatic dilation (PD) were the main treatment options for achalasia. Currently, the therapeutic methods are complemented by per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). Materials and Methods: we performed a retrospective study, analyzing the data and evolution of 98 patients with achalasia, admited and treated in the General and Esophageal Surgery Clinic of the St. Mary Clinical Hospital-Bucharest between January 2016 and June 2023. The treatment was performed by PD in 25 cases and the majority LHM. The average duration of symptoms in the case of PD was 48 months, and 24 months in LHM. The patients were evaluated before and after the treatment procedures by the Eckardt clinical score and investigations such as timed barium esophagogram (TBO) and esophageal manometry. Results: Although patients had the same Eckardt score before treatment, a statistically significant decrease of the Eckardt score was obtained at the post-therapeutic evaluation after undergoing LHM compared to PD. Recurrence of symptoms was more frequent in the case of PD, requiring another therapeutic intervention. The cost of treatment, as well as the number of hospitalization days were reduced in the case of PD. Conclusions: The treatment of achalasia with LHM is more effective regarding recurrence of symptoms, even if it involves higher costs and a longer hospital stay compared to DP.

Minimally invasive surgery for gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: Current evidence and future perspectives.

Minimally invasive surgery is increasingly indicated in the management of malignant disease. Although oesophagectomy is a difficult operation, with a long learning curve, there is actually a shift towards the laparoscopic/thoracoscopic/ robotic approach, due to the advantages of visualization, surgeon comfort (robotic surgery) and the possibility of the whole team to see the operation as well as and the operating surgeon. Although currently there are still many controversial topics, about the surgical treatment of patients with gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) adenocarcinoma, such as the type of open or minimally invasive surgical approach, the type of oesophago-gastric resection, the type of lymph node dissection and others, the minimally invasive approach has proven to be a way to reduce postoperative complications of resection, especially by decreasing pulmonary complications. The implementation of new technologies allowed the widening of the range of indications for this type of surgical approach. The short-term and long-term results, as well as the benefits for the patient - reduced surgical trauma, quick and easy recovery - offer this type of surgical treatment the premises for future development. This article reviews the updates and perspectives on the minimally invasive approach for GOJ adenocarcinoma.

Pregnancy and Gastric Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Cases of digestive cancers diagnosed during pregnancy are rare. The increasing prevalence of pregnancy in women aged 30-39 years (and not exceptionally 40-49 years) could explain the frequent co-occurrence of cancers and pregnancy. The diagnosis of digestive cancers in pregnancy is difficult due to the overlap between neoplasm symptomatology and the clinical picture of pregnancy. A paraclinical evaluation may also be difficult depending on the trimester of the pregnancy. Diagnosis is also delayed by practitioners' hesitation to use invasive investigations (imaging, endoscopy, etc.) due to fetal safety concerns. Therefore, digestive cancers are often diagnosed during pregnancy in advanced stages, where complications such as occlusions, perforations, and cachexia have already arisen. In this review, we highlight the epidemiology, clinical aspects, paraclinical evaluation, and particularities of the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer during pregnancy.

The Use of Esophageal Stents in the Management of Postoperative Fistulas-Current Status, Clinical Outcomes and Perspectives-Review.

Esophageal fistula remains one of the main postoperative complications, with the treatment often requiring the use of stents. This article reviews the updates on the use of endoscopic stents for the treatment of postoperative esophageal leakage in terms of indications, types of stents used, efficiency, specific complications and perspectives. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the PubMed and MEDLINE databases for the keywords postoperative esophageal anastomotic leak and postoperative esophageal anastomotic leak stent, and retrieved relevant papers published until December 2022. RESULTS: The endoscopic discovery of the fistula is usually followed by the insertion of a fully covered esophageal stent. It has an efficiency of more than 60% in closing the fistula, and the failure is related to the delayed application of the method, a situation more suitable for endo vac therapy. The most common complication is migration, but life-threatening complications have also been described. The combination of the advantages of endoscopic stents and vacuum therapy is probably found in the emerging VACstent procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Although the competing approaches give promising results, this method has a well-defined place in the treatment of esophageal fistulas, and it is probably necessary to refine the indications for each individual procedure.

Esophageal diverticula: from diagnosis to therapeutic management-narrative review.

Background and Objective: Esophageal diverticulum (ED) is a relatively rare condition, characterized by high etio- and pathophysiological versatility, with an uncommon clinical impact, consequently requiring a complete and complex diagnostic evaluation, so that the therapeutic decision is "appropriate" to a specific case. The aim of the paper is, therefore, a reassessment of the diagnostic possibilities underlying the establishment of the therapeutic protocol and the available therapeutic resources, making a review of the literature, and a non-statistical retrospective analysis of cases hospitalized and operated in a tertiary center. Methods: Thus, classical investigations (upper digestive endoscopy, barium swallow) need to be correlated with complex, manometric, and imaging evaluations with direct implications in therapeutic management. Moreover, in the absence of a precise etiology, the operative indication needs to be established sparingly, with the imposition of the identification and interception of the pathophysiological mechanisms through the therapeutic gesture. Key Content and Findings: The identification of the pathophysiological mechanisms is mandatory for the management of diverticular disease, the result obtained-restoring swallowing and comfort/good quality of life in the postoperative period-is directly related to the chosen therapeutic procedure. In addition, management appears to be a difficult goal in the context of the low incidence of ED but also of the results that emphasize important differences in the reports in the medical literature. Although ED is a benign condition, surgical techniques are demanding, impacted by significant morbidity and mortality. The causes of these results are multiple: possible localizations anywhere in the esophagus, diverticulum size/volume from a few millimeters to an impressive one, over 10-12 cm, metabolic impact in direct relation to the alteration swallowing, numerous diverticular complications but, perhaps most importantly, alteration of the quality of the diverticular wall by inflammatory phenomena, with an impact on the quality of the suture. Conclusions: The accumulation of cases in a tertiary profile center, with volume/hospital, respectively volume/surgeon + gastroenterologist could be a solution in improving the results. One consequence would be the identification of alternative solutions to open surgical techniques, a series of minimally invasive or endoscopic variants can refine these results.

Giant Gallbladder Tumor, Unusual Cancer-Case Report and Short Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND: Giant gallbladder is an uncommon condition that can result from a benign pathology and rarely presents with malignancy. Intracholecystic papillary-tubular neoplasm (ICPN) is a relatively new entity first described by V. Adsay in 2012 and included in the World Health Classification of Digestive System Tumours in 2019. Intracholecystic papillary-tubular neoplasm is a preinvasive lesion with an incidence of around 1% that may present as four histologic subtypes-biliary, gastric, intestinal, or oncocytic-of which the biliary subtype has the highest risk of associated invasive cancer. Although invasive carcinoma is present in about 50% of cases of ICPN, these patients have a significantly better prognosis than those with usual gallbladder cancer, suggesting that the entities may have distinct biological signatures. CASE REPORT: A 77-year-old female presented to the hospital with progressive swelling in the right hemiabdomen, a loss of appetite, and weight loss. MRI highlighted a giant abdominal tumor located in the right hypochondrium and right abdominal flank with liver invasion (segment V). Preoperatively, a gallbladder 25 × 17 cm in size was noted, and the patient underwent radical cholecystectomy. It was surprising to find such a giant malignant gallbladder tumor, diagnosed as invasive poorly cohesive carcinoma associated with ICPN. DISCUSSION: A megacholecyst is a rare discovery. Although most often found in benign pathologies, giant gallbladder cancer can be considered. The neoplastic features and the loco-regional extension of the tumor must be evaluated by imaging scans. Few cases of giant benign gallbladder have been reported in the literature; however, this appeared to be the largest resectable gallbladder carcinoma reported to date according to the literature. CONCLUSION: The stage of gallbladder neoplasia is not correlated with the size of the gallbladder. Regardless of tumor size, the prognosis seems to be directly related to the stage, morphology, and resectability.

Rare Diaphragmatic Hernias in Adults-Experience of a Tertiary Center in Esophageal Surgery and Narrative Review of the Literature.

A rare entity of non-hiatal type transdiaphragmatic hernias, which must be clearly differentiated from paraoesophageal hernias, are the phrenic defects that bear the generic name of congenital hernias-Bochdalek hernia and Larey-Morgagni hernia, respectively. The etiological substrate is relatively simple: the presence of preformed anatomical openings, which either do or do not enable transit from the thoracic region to the abdominal region or, most often, vice versa, from the abdomen to the thorax, of various visceral elements (spleen, liver, stomach, colon, pancreas, etc.). Apart from the congenital origin, a somewhat rarer group is described, representing about 1-7% of the total: an acquired variant of the traumatic type, frequently through a contusive type mechanism, which produces diaphragmatic strains/ruptures. Apparently, the symptomatology is heterogeneous, being dependent on the location of the hernia, the dimensions of the defect, which abdominal viscera is involved through the hernial opening, its degree of migration, and whether there are volvulation/ischemia/obstruction phenomena. Often, its clinical appearance is modest, mainly incidental discoveries, the majority being digestive manifestations. Severe digestive complications such as strangulation, volvus, and perforation are rare and are accompanied by severe shock, suddenly appearing after several non-specific digestive prodromes. Diagnosis combines imaging evaluations (plain radiology, contrast, CT) with endoscopic ones. Surgical treatment is recommended regardless of the side on which the diaphragmatic defect is located or the secondary symptoms due to potential complications. The approach options are thoracic, abdominal or combined thoracoabdominal approach, and classic or minimally invasive. Most often, selection of the type of approach should be made taking into account two elements: the size of the defect, assessed by CT, and the presence of major complications. Any hiatal defect that is larger than 5 cm2 (the hiatal hernia surface (HSA)) has a formal recommendation of mesh reinforcement. The recurrence rate is not negligible, and statistical data show that the period of the first postoperative year is prime for recurrence, being directly proportional to the size of the defect. As a result, in patients who were required to use mesh, the recurrence rate is somewhere between 27 and 41% (!), while for cases with primary suture, i.e., with a modest diaphragmatic defect, this is approx. 4%.

The Features of Stomach Vascularisation Pattern and Their Impact on Oesophageal Reconstruction with a Gastric Pull-up.

Regardless of the reconstruction surgery used, the fundamental concepts of visceral reconstruction are based on the vascular support needed for the substituting graft. The vascular factor is the main element of any reconstruction technique, as an underlying condition for the visceral material stretch and, along with other factor, for the suture safety. In the case of the stomach, a consistent vascular flow and the minimal vascular anatomy variations are the first theoretical argument. A second argument is based on the intraparietal vascular network features allowing for supplementing visceral perfusion as the blood flow is stopped in one or more pediculi. Graft hypoperfusion is, however, a potential cause of failure, and the most frequently invoked complication is, therefore, a high risk of anastomosis fistulae. A series of modern techniques - arteriography data for the pre-operative vascular reconstruction or Doppler laser fluorometry intraoperative assessments, graft oximetry, laser speckle (spot) scan or the use of indocyanine green staining (ICG) - represent methods of early determination of the gastric graft perfusion/microperfusion quality used in reducing such risks. The doubts regarding the gastric perfusion mandate the use of vascular augmentation techniques. If such techniques are not used, the final outcome is uncertain and difficult to correct.

The Role of Esophageal Stenting in the Management of Anastomotic Leaks after Esophageal and Esophago-Gastric Cancer Resections. Literature Review.

Introduction: Anastomotic fistulas after surgery for esophageal cancer, remain a challenge for both the surgeon and the gastroenterologist. The aim of the study is to highlight the role of esophageal stenting in the management of leaks after esophagectomy for malignancies. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the available literature on the endoscopic treatment of esophageal anastomotic leaks, especially articles on endoscopic stenting in the management of this complication. Pubmed and ClinicalKey databases were searched using keywords such as esophageal anastomotic leaks, fully covered self-expanding metal stents, esophageal neoplasm. The relevant literature has been reviewed and included in the article. Results and Conclusions: The insertion of self-expanding stents in the fistulas of the esophageal anastomosis, represents an efficient method of treatment both for the closure of the fistula and in the control of sepsis. The morbidity and mortality associated with this method of treatment may be significant.

Management of Esophageal Perforations During Achalasia Treatment Experience of the General and Esophageal Surgery Clinic, Sf Maria Hospital.

Introduction: Achalasia is a motility disorder characterized by the absence of optimal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) with swallowing and lack of peristalsis of the esophageal body. Excepting temporary medical options, the treatment aims to lower the LES pressure by endoscopic or surgical means. Either method involves a risk of perforation. We analyzed the management of esophageal perforations in patients who received treatment for achalasia. Material and Method: we conducted a retrospective study of patients with achalasia hospitalized and treated in the Clinic of General and Esophageal Surgery within the Sf. Maria Clinical Hospital in Bucharest between January 2016 and December 2021. Results: There were 57 patients, 35 men, with a mean age of 50 years and a mean duration of symptoms of 35 months. Almost all (91.89%) patients presented with dysphagia. Preoperative manometry was performed in 52 patients, of whom 17 were type I, 35 were type II. The treatment was laparoscopic Heller eso-cardiomyotomy (LHM) in most cases (55), with Dor anterior fundoplication. There were 10 recurrent cases after dilation or surgery in another medical unit. There were 3 mucosal perforations after LHM. The treatment varied from simple suture to a combined endoscopic and surgical approach, involving the use of esophageal stent, abscess drainage, and feeding jejunostomy. We also present the management of two cases of esophageal perforation after endoscopic dilation, in which the support of the surgical team was necessary. Conclusion: Esophageal perforation in the treatment of achalasia, either endoscopic or surgical, requires immediate identification and treatment to provide the best chance of favorable evolution. The treatment of achalasia is indicated to be performed in dedicated centers, prepared even in case of complications.

Management of Chylothorax in Esophageal Surgery by Minimally Invasive Thoracoscopic Approach: Case Series.

Chylothorax is a rare complication, especially after esophageal cancer surgery. It may occur mainly in the thoracic stage of esophagectomy. The management of chylothorax is usually conservative, surgical reoperation with thoracic duct ligation being reserved for those cases refractory to that treatment. We discuss issues of diagnosis and therapeutic attitude, as evidenced by the literature, although a general consensus has not been established, most likely due to the low frequency of this complication. We emphasize the minimally invasive thoracoscopic approach, as it has been applied for two cases with this type of complication. A high rate of suspicion for thoracic duct injury should be maintained in all patients after esophageal surgery, with any pleural effusion entering the differential diagnosis of chylothorax.

Idiopathic Megacolon-Short Review.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic megacolon (IM) is a rare condition with a more or less known etiology, which involves management challenges, especially therapeutic, and both gastroenterology and surgery services. With insufficiently drawn out protocols, but with occasionally formidable complications, the condition management can be difficult for any general surgery team, either as a failure of drug therapy (in the context of a known case, initially managed by a gastroenterologist) or as a surgical emergency (in which the diagnostic surprise leads additional difficulties to the tactical decision), when the speed imposed by the severity of the case can lead to inadequate strategies, with possibly critical consequences. METHOD: With such a motivation, and having available experience limited by the small number of cases (described by all medical teams concerned with this pathology), the revision of the literature with the update of management landmarks from the surgical perspective of the pathology appears as justified by this article. RESULTS: If the diagnosis of megacolon is made relatively easily by imaging the colorectal dilation (which is associated with initial and/or consecutive clinical aspects), the establishing of the diagnosis of idiopathic megacolon is based in practice almost exclusively on a principle of exclusion, and after evaluating the absence of some known causes that can lead to the occurrence of these anatomic and clinical changes, mimetically, clinically, and paraclinically, with IM (intramural aganglionosis, distal obstructions, intoxications, etc.). If the etiopathogenic theories, based on an increase in the performance of the arsenal of investigations of the disease, have registered a continuous improvement and an increase of objectivity, unfortunately, the curative surgical treatment options still revolve around the same resection techniques. Moreover, the possibility of developing a form of etiopathogenic treatment seems as remote as ever.

Palliative ("Toilet") Mammectomy, A Decision-Making Dilemma - Short Review.

Breast cancer is one of the most severe health issues globally, but the therapy advancements and the constant adaptation of treatment protocols radically changed its prognoses. This article review of the literature from a surgical perspective, thus allowing for the optimum detection and placement of its role and benefits in the surgical and oncology therapeutics. The role of surgery becomes controversial, with sometimes "pretentious" techniques, hard to quantify benefits and challenges that require a thorough assessment prior to opting for surgery. Another interesting aspect is the relative lack of guidelines for such cases with an extreme lesion plurimorphism. This is the very reason for the term "advanced breast cancer" NOT covering all possible situations, leaving room for niches difficult to frame within a therapy plan.

Recent Advances in Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.

The treatment of esophageal cancer has become more effective due to advances in surgical techniques, multidisciplinary approach, appropriate use of neoadjuvant therapy and perioperative care at centers of excellence in esophageal surgery. Esophagectomy is one of the most complicated and demanding procedures among all gastrointestinal surgeries with a very long learning curve in which excellence can only be achieved through improvement during all the surgical career. The results of esophagectomy are related not only to the volume of cases operated but also to the experience of surgeons in the management of postoperative complications. Initially, minimally invasive esophagectomy has encountered obstacles to implementation in several centers due to the cost and complexity of esophageal cancer treatment. Several meta-analyses and clinical trials published so far support the feasibility of the minimally invasive approach, the advantages of the post-operative period and the equivalence of oncological outcomes with the open technique, which is an important step in imposing minimally invasive techniques as a standard in the treatment of esophageal cancer. In this paper, we aim to analyze recent advances in minimally invasive esophagectomy, the evolution of endoscopic surgical techniques through our personal experience and the results of studies published in the medical literature in the last years.

Use of the Stomach in Esophageal Reconstructive Surgery in Era of Minimally Invasive Approach.

Esophagectomy is standard indication for surgical treatment of resectable esophageal cancer, but it can also be performed for the management of benign conditions. Esophagectomy is followed by esophageal reconstruction using other parts of the digestive tract and is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. Gastric interposition with intrathoracic or cervical esophago- gastric anastomosis is currently the preferred technique for reconstruction after esophagectomy. The incidence of esophagectomy performed by the minimal invasive approach has increased in recent years due to the advanced technology of endoscopic surgery and image enhancement that provides a better estimate of anatomical plans, facilitates access to narrow spaces and more precise dissection with less tissue trauma. Randomized clinical trials have found a significant reduction in postoperative respiratory complications, decreased hospital stay and equivalent oncological results to open esophagectomy. We present the operative technique of minimally invasive esophagectomy performed in our clinic by three-stage modified McKeown approach thoracoscopic, laparoscopic and cervical with esophageal reconstruction with stomach.

Somatostatinoma of the first jejunal loop in a patient with neurofibromatosis von Recklinghausen and bilateral pheochromocytoma.

Somatostatinoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor which especially develops in the pancreas. There are few communicated cases about extra-pancreatic localization, having as a particularity the absence of somatostatin hypersecretion syndrome and frequent association with von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis. We present the case of a 42-year old patient with Von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis admitted in our clinic with a chronic upper digestive obstruction syndrome. The presence of a first jejunal loop somatostatinoma was an intraoperative surprising diagnosis that imposed jejunal resection and association of complementary specific treatment. Despite the therapeutic correct management, the status of the patient deteriorated very fast, confirming the aggressiveness of this neoplasia.