Effect of Mesoappendix Volume on Preoperative Pain of Acute Appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between preoperative pain scores and the mesoappendix volume and the presence of complications in patients with acute appendicitis. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of General Surgery at Kutahya Health Sciences University, Kutahya, Turkey, from January to December 2021. METHODOLOGY: Pain degrees in patients with acute appendicitis were measured by Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Wong-Baker Scale (WBS). Mesoappendix volume was calculated using the formula: mesoappendix length x width x height. Appendicitis type (as complicated or uncomplicated) was grouped. RESULTS: There was a positive and statistically significant correlation (17%) between the NRS and mesoappendix volume (p=0.065). In addition, there was a positive and statistically significant correlation (17%) between the WBS and mesoappendix volume (p=0.057). Additionally, there was a statistically significant relationship between the NRS, WBS, and complicated appendicitis (p=0.022, p=0.022, respectively). CONCLUSION: The mesoappendix volume might contribute to preoperative pain process in acute appendicitis patients. Specifically, there is a statistically significant correlation between complicated appendicitis and preoperative pain scores. KEY WORDS: Appendicitis, Pain, Mesentery, Complicated appendicitis.

How did the general surgeons intend to treat acute calculous cholecystitis during COVID-19 era?Results of online survey.

BACKGROUND: Acute calculous cholecystitis is one of the most encountered surgical pathologies. While early cholecystectomy is the first treatment choice during the first index hospitalization, it may change during COVID-19 era when hospital resources are restricted, and health-care personnel try to overcome pandemic difficulties. In this survey, our aim is to investigate surgeons' preferences and possible changing paradigms for acute cholecystitis therapy during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online survey was conducted on an internet site through private invitation by social media sent to general surgeons. The survey consisted of 13 questions, including surgeons' hospital properties, and it questioned treatment preferences against acute calculous cholecystitis during the pandemic. After 3 months of data collection, responded answers were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: About 56% of the surgeons stated that their treatment strategy changed during the COVID-19 pandemic partially or totally. About 48.8% of surgeons preferred early cholecystectomy for cases with acute cholecystitis before COVID-19 era; when only 23.2% of the surgeons preferred early surgery during COVID-19 era. However, patients who had received antibiotics as primary medical therapy had medical therapy failure with a range of 40.2%. Percutaneous cholecystostomy rate was raised to 20.7% from 4.9% before the COVID era. CONCLUSION: Although 96.3% of the surgeons did not have seen any unusual complication related to the COVID-19 disease, more than half of the surgeons who preferred early cholecystectomy changed their treatment strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the survey results, although the medical therapy failure rate is high, 48.8% of the surgeons may persist in this non-operative approach after the pandemic.

Comparison of Fenestrating and Reconstituting Subtotal Cholecystectomy Techniques in Difficult Cholecystectomy.

Purpose Cholecystectomy is one of the most frequently performed surgeries. Although laparoscopy is considered the gold standard approach, it cannot prevent biliary injuries. Subtotal cholecystectomy has been performed mainly to prevent biliary injuries during difficult cholecystectomies. This study aimed to analyse our subtotal cholecystectomy results for difficult cholecystectomy cases and to evaluate the fenestrating and reconstituting techniques. Methods Retrospective data were collected and analysed statistically for cases that underwent subtotal cholecystectomy in a single referral centre between 2015 and 2020. Comparisons were made of the patients' age, gender, preoperative American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) score, comorbidities, surgical timing, surgical procedure choice, postoperative complications, and mortality. Results The number of patients who underwent subtotal cholecystectomy was 46; 30.4% underwent emergent surgery and 69.6% underwent elective surgery. Twelve patients had subtotal fenestrating cholecystectomy and 34 had subtotal reconstituting cholecystectomy. Wound issues were noted in 17.4% of the patients, while 10.9% had temporary biliary fistulas that resolved spontaneously. Reoperation was performed in one patient due to high-output biliary drainage. Patients with postoperative complications had significantly higher co-morbid conditions (p=0.000), but surgery timing (p=0.192) and type of subtotal cholecystectomy (p=0.409) had no statistically significant effect on complications. Mortality showed a statistically significant correlation with patient comorbidities, surgery timing, and the type of procedure (p<0.05). Postoperative complications showed a statistically significant correlation with mortality (p<0.05). Conclusion Subtotal cholecystectomy prevents major biliary complications after cholecystectomy. Yet, the frequency of postoperative complications after subtotal cholecystectomy is incontrovertible. Intraoperative characteristics and the surgeon's expertise decide the optimal choice of the subtotal cholecystectomy technique.

Bridge treatment for early cholecystectomy in geriatric patients with acute cholecystitis: Percutaneous cholecystostomy.

BACKGROUND: The main cause of acute cholecystitis (AC) is gallstones, and the incidence of gallstones in elderly patients is high. METHODS: In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) before early cholecystectomy in geriatric patients with AC. This retrospective study included 85 patients undergoing laparoscopic or conventional cholecystectomy during early stage of calculous AC. RESULTS: All patients were over 65 years old and were divided into two groups: Group I, PC plus early cholecystectomy and Group II, only cholecystectomy without PC. Data on age, sex, status of PC before surgery, postoperative complications, postoperative mortality, surgical method, and postoperative hospitalization duration were recorded in our study. The average age in the groups I and II was 75.7±7.5 and 73.7±7.2 years, respectively, indicating insignificant difference (p=0.223). Although postoperative complication rate was two fold in the non-PC group, the PC plus cholecystectomy group has a few complications (p=0.032). Postoperative mortality was evidently lower in patients who first underwent PC and followed by cholecystectomy (p=0.017). The average hospitalization duration in groups I and II were 5.6±2.4 days and 11.2±7.7 days, respectively (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy is still the best surgical treatment modality for calculous AC. Further, our study results showed that in geriatric patients, bridge treatment, such as PC, can be useful for reducing postoperative complication rates.

Foreign bodies in the rectum: 2 Case reports.

Encountering a foreign object in the rectum is rare; however, the incidence has greatly increased in recent years. Treatment of these patients requires a multidisciplinary approach because this condition may have serious complications. Presently described is management of 2 cases of rectal foreign body treated in the clinic.

Antioxidant Effect of Ukrain Versus N-Acetylcysteine Against Acute Biliary Pancreatitis in An Experimental Rat Model.

Purpose/Aim: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP). We compared the therapeutic effects of Ukrain (NSC 631570) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in rats with AP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: controls; AP; AP with NAC; and AP with Ukrain. AP was induced via the ligation of the bile-pancreatic duct; drugs were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 min and 12 h after AP induction. Twenty-four hours after AP induction, animals were sacrificed and the pancreas was excised. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and activity levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured in tissue samples. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total bilirubin, as well as activity levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), amylase and lipase were measured in serum samples. Pancreatic tissue histopathology was also evaluated. RESULTS: Test drugs reduced levels of MDA, NO, TNF-α, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, TOS and MPO, amylase and lipase activities (P < 0.001), and increased TAS (P < 0.001). Rats treated with test drugs attenuated AP-induced morphologic changes and decreased pancreatic damage scores compared with the AP group (P < 0.05). Both test drugs attenuated pancreatic damage, but the therapeutic effect was more pronounced in rats that received Ukrain than in those receiving NAC. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that treatment with Ukrain or NAC can reduce pancreatic damage via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Prolidase activity and oxidative stress in patients with breast carcinoma A prospective randomized case-controlled study.

INTRODUCTION: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of malign diseases. Prolidase is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family, plays a major role in collagen metabolism, cell growth, and matrix remodeling. Elevated serum prolidase activity have beendemonstrated in several types of carcinoma. The aim of this study is to investigate the serum prolidase activity, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and to evaluate their relationship with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and tumor size in patients with breast carcinoma. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with breast carcinoma and forty healthy controls were enrolled to this study.Serum TAS, TOS levels, and prolidase activities were measured and oxidative stress indices (OSI) were calculated. RESULTS: TOS, OSI levels and prolidase activities were significantly higher in the patients with breast carcinoma compared to the control group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively).TAS levels were significantly lower in the in the patients with breast carcinoma compared to the control group (P = 0.016).Positive correlations were found between prolidase activity, TOS, OSI levels and tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and tumor size. A negative correlation was found between TAS levels and tumor size,hovewer there were no correlationsbetween tas levels and stage of the tumor,as well as lymph node infiltration. CONCLUSION: We conclude that elevatedserum prolidase activity and oxidative stress may be associated with breast carcinoma. Increased serum prolidase activity may be related to stage and prognosis of breast carcinoma. KEY WORDS: Breast carcinoma, Oxidative stress, Proline dipeptidase.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: clinicopathological characteristics of two cases.

Introduction. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare tumor, presenting difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. Peritoneum is the second most common area of the mesothelioma after pleura, and even synchronous pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas are observed in 30-45% of all cases. The diagnosis may be difficult due to lack of specific symptoms and clinical findings. In addition, a delay in the diagnosis is not rare especially in the absence of previous asbestos exposure. Here we report two cases of malignant peritoneal mesotheliomas. The diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for these rare neoplasms are discussed. Case Presentation. The cases were two men (one aged 54 years old and the other 40 years old). Prolonged abdominal pain and swelling were the primary presentation symptoms and findings. The mesotheliomas were developed in the right upper quadrant of abdomen in both of the cases. Both cases were treated with surgical resection. Final diagnosis were possible with histological and immunohistochemical documentation of tumor characteristics, which were consistent with dictating a mesothelial origin. No history of asbestos exposure was reported. Conclusion. Peritoneal mesotheliomas are rare clinical entities. However, patients with prolonged abdominal pain and abdominal masses should be considered to have atypical pathologies such as peritoneal mesotheliomas.

Atresia of the appendix vermiformis: a rare case of developmental abnormality.

Acute appendicitis, which requires immediate surgical intervention, is an important diagnosis in patients with acute abdomen. However, developmental abnormalities may interfere with the preoperative diagnosis and surgical treatment in some cases. Agenesis and atresia of the cecal vermiform appendix is an extremely rare clinical diagnosis. In addition, preoperative diagnosis may be difficult in some cases. Thus, diagnosis of the congenital absence of the vermiform appendix requires a thorough exploration of the retrocecal and ileocecal regions. A 59-year-old male was admitted from the emergency services with right lower abdominal pain. A celiotomy was performed with the suspicion of acute appendicitis. However, an atresia of the vermiform appendix was observed. The patient's appendix was thus removed. Pathological examination confirmed suppurative appendicitis. This case underlines the importance of the clinical entity for surgeons who may deal with a similar case.

Irritable bowel syndrome and chronic gastritis, hemorrhoid, urolithiasis.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 10-20% of the general population has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and IBS patients usually suffer from chronic gastritis (CG), hemorrhoids (H), and urolithiasis (U). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We randomly chose consecutive patients with upper abdominal discomfort. All possible causes of IBS including celiac sprue, giardiasis, lactose intolerance, and cholelithiasis were investigated. U was diagnosed either by medical history or as a result of laboratory findings. RESULTS: IBS patients (51) and patients without IBS (70) were studied. CG was diagnosed in 78.4% (40) of IBS cases, whereas this ratio was 50.0% (35) in cases without IBS (p<0.001). Similarly, H was detected in 33.3% (17) of IBS cases, but it was only detected in 15.7% (11) of cases without IBS (p<0.05). Additionally, U was detected in 17.6% (9) of IBS cases and in 5.7% (4) of cases without IBS (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Relationships between IBS and CG, H, and U are significant. IBS is a cascade of many physiologic events that is initiated by infection, inflammation, and psychological disturbances like many stresses, and this eventually terminates with gut dysfunction. Gastric acid is probably not involved in the etiology of IBS, but psychological factors also seem to be important in CG. The significant association between CG and IBS also support this hypothesis. Therefore, we believe CG is one of terminating points of the physiologic cascade of events in IBS. Bearing these associations in mind will be helpful during prevention, treatment, and follow up of these disorders, especially in internal medicine, urology, and general surgery polyclinics and primary health centers.

The role of erythropoietin in hemorrhagic shock-induced liver and renal injury in rats.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of erythropoietin (EPO) in liver and renal injury following hemorrhagic shock (HS) after inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity in rats.. METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to six groups: (I) HS alone; (II) HS followed by retransfusion; (III) EPO and genistein followed by HS; (IV) EPO and genistein followed by HS, followed by retransfusion; (V) HS followed by EPO and genistein; and (VI) HS followed by EPO and genistein, followed by retransfusion. HS was induced for 60 minutes after withdrawal of 30% of the calculated total blood volume of each rat from the left femoral artery. Blood and tissue samples (from the kidney and liver) were obtained 60 minutes after HS in Group I, III, and V; blood and tissue samples were obtained 60 minutes after retransfusion in Group II, IV, and VI. In Group III and IV, EPO was given 60 minutes before HS, and genistein 30 minutes before HS. In Group V and VI, EPO and genistein were given 30 minutes after HS. RESULTS: Liver and renal injury were significantly attenuated with EPO and genistein administration. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that EPO is effective in attenuating liver and renal injury in HS, even with inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity with genistein.