ABSTRACT
Enteric fistulas are a common problem in gastrointestinal tract surgery and remain associated with significant mortality rates, due to complications such as sepsis, malnutrition, and electrolyte imbalance. The increasingly widespread use of open abdomen techniques for the initial treatment of abdominal sepsis and trauma has led to the observation of so-called entero-atmospheric fistulas. Because of their clinical complexity, the proper management of enteric fistula requires a multidisciplinary team. The main goal of the treatment is the closure of enteric fistula, but also mortality reduction and improvement of patients' quality of life are fundamental. Successful management of patients with enteric fistula requires the establishment of controlled drainage, management of sepsis, prevention of fluid and electrolyte depletion, protection of the skin, and provision of adequate nutrition. Many of these fistulas will heal spontaneously within 4 to 6 weeks of conservative management. If closure is not accomplished after this time point, surgery is indicated. Despite advances in perioperative care and nutritional support, the mortality remains in the range of 15 to 30%. In more recent years, the use of negative pressure wound therapy for the resolution of enteric fistulas improved the outcomes, so patients can be successfully treated with a non-operative approach. In this review, our intent is to highlight the most important aspects of negative pressure wound therapy in the treatment of patients with enterocutaneous or entero-atmospheric fistulas.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Appendiceal neoplasms (ANs) are rare, with an estimated incidence of around 1%: neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) and low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMNs) comprise most cases. Most tumours are cured by appendectomy alone, although some require right hemicolectomy and intra-operative chemotherapy. The aim of the present study is to evaluate our institution's experience in terms of the prevalence of AN, their histological types, treatment and outcomes in adult patients undergoing emergency appendectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Single-centre retrospective cohort analysis of patients treated for acute appendicitis at a large academic medical centre. Patients with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) where further compared with patients with acute appendicitis and a histologically confirmed diagnosis of appendiceal neoplasm (AN). RESULTS: A diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made in 1200 patients. Of these, 989 patients underwent emergency appendectomy. The overall incidence of appendiceal neoplasm was 9.3% (92 patients). AN rate increased with increasing age. Patients under the age of 30 had a 3.8% (14/367 patients) rate of occult neoplasm, whereas patients between 40 and 89 years and older had a 13.0% rate of neoplasm. No difference was found in clinical presentations and type of approach while we found a lower complicated appendicitis rate in the AN group. CONCLUSION: ANs are less rare with respect to the literature; however, clinically, there are no specific signs of suspicious and simple appendicectomy appears to be curative in most cases. However, age plays an important role; older patients are at higher risk for AN. ANs still challenge the non-operative management concept introduced into the surgical literature.
Subject(s)
Appendiceal Neoplasms , Appendicitis , Adult , Humans , Appendicitis/epidemiology , Appendicitis/surgery , Appendiceal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Appendiceal Neoplasms/surgery , Appendectomy , Retrospective Studies , Acute DiseaseSubject(s)
Botulinum Toxins , Fissure in Ano , Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy , Humans , Cohort StudiesABSTRACT
Dealing with acute cholecystitis in high-risk, critically ill, and unfit-for-surgery patients is frequent during daily practice and requires complex management. Several procedures exist to postpone and/or prevent surgical intervention in those patients who temporarily or definitively cannot undergo surgery. After a systematic review of the literature, an expert panel from the Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma (SICUT) discussed the different issues and statements in subsequent rounds. The final version of the statements was discussed during the annual meeting in Rome (September 2022). The present paper presents the definitive conclusions of the discussion. Fifteen statements based on the literature evidence were provided. The statements gave precise indications regarding the decisional process and the management of patients who cannot temporarily or definitively undergo cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. Acute cholecystitis management in high-risk, critically ill, and unfit-for-surgery patients should be multidisciplinary. The different gallbladder drainage methods must be tailored according to each patient and based on the expertise of the hospital. Percutaneous gallbladder drainage is recommended as the first choice as a bridge to surgery or in severely physiologically deranged patients. Endoscopic gallbladder drainage (cholecystoduodenostomy and cholecystogastrostomy) is suggested as a second-line alternative especially as a definitive procedure for those patients not amenable to surgical management. Trans-papillary gallbladder drainage is the last option to be reserved only to those unfit for other techniques. Delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with percutaneous gallbladder drainage is suggested in all those patients recovering from the conditions that previously discouraged surgical intervention after at least 6 weeks from the gallbladder drainage.
Subject(s)
Cholecystitis, Acute , Critical Illness , Humans , Cholecystitis, Acute/surgery , Drainage/methods , Cholecystectomy/methods , Italy , Societies, MedicalABSTRACT
Gastrosplenic fistula (GSF) is an unusual event that might occur in patients with various gastric or splenic diseases. While GSF related to gastric and splenic malignancies is well-documented in the literature, cases of GSF due to a splenic abscess are extremely rare. We experienced the case of a 49-year-old man with a medical history of tricuspid cardiac valve replacement for infective endocarditis who presented with a sudden onset of anemia and melena. With the assistance of imaging and endoscopy, a primary splenic abscess complicated by spontaneous GSF was diagnosed. A prompt splenectomy with partial gastrectomy was performed. GSF is a serious occurrence associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. The early recognition of GSF related to a splenic abscess is crucial to prevent major complications. Surgical resection with splenectomy and partial gastrectomy is frequently preferred for the treatment of large abscesses with GSF.
ABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal complications are common in patients undergoing various forms of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and molecular-targeted therapies. Surgical complications of oncologic therapies can occur in the upper gastrointestinal tract, small bowel, colon, and rectum. The mechanisms of action of these therapies are different. Chemotherapy includes cytotoxic drugs, which block the activity of cancer cells by targeting intracellular DNA, RNA, or proteins. Gastrointestinal symptoms are very common during chemotherapy, due to a direct effect on the intestinal mucosa resulting in edema, inflammation, ulceration, and stricture. Serious adverse events have been described as complications of molecular targeted therapies, including bowel perforation, bleeding, and pneumatosis intestinalis, which may require surgical evaluation. Radiotherapy is a local anti-cancer therapy, which uses ionizing radiation to cause inhibition of cell division and ultimately lead to cell death. Complications related to radiotherapy can be both acute and chronic. Ablative therapies, including radiofrequency, laser, microwave, cryoablation, and chemical ablation with acetic acid or ethanol, can cause thermal or chemical injuries to the nearby structures. Treatment of the different gastrointestinal complications should be tailored to the individual patient and based on the underlying pathophysiology of the complication. Furthermore, it is important to know the stage and prognosis of the disease, and a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to personalize the surgical treatment. The purpose of this narrative review is to describe complications related to different oncologic therapies that may require surgical interventions.
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Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a striking radiological diagnosis. Formerly a rare diagnostic finding, it is becoming more frequently diagnosed due to the wider availability and improvement of computed tomography scan imaging. Once associated only with poor outcome, its clinical and prognostic significance nowadays has to be cross-referenced to the nature of the underlying condition. Multiple mechanisms of pathogenesis have been debated and multiple causes have been detected during the years. All this contributes to creating a broad range of clinical and radiological presentations. The management of patients presenting PI is related to the determining cause if it is identified. Otherwise, in particular if an association with portal venous gas and/or pneumoperitoneum is present, the eventual decision between surgery and non-operative management is challenging, even for stable patients, since this clinical condition is traditionally associated to intestinal ischemia and consequently to pending clinical collapse if not treated. Considering the wide variety of origin and outcomes, PI still remains for surgeons a demanding clinical entity. The manuscript is an updated narrative review and gives some suggestions that may help make the decisional process easier, identifying patients who can benefit from surgical intervention and those who can benefit from non-operative management avoiding unnecessary procedures.
ABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause pancreatic damage, both directly to the pancreas via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors (the transmembrane proteins required for SARS-CoV-2 entry, which are highly expressed by pancreatic cells) and indirectly through locoregional vasculitis and thrombosis. Despite that, there is no clear evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is an etiological agent of acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive patients often recognizes biliary or alcoholic etiology. The prevalence of acute pancreatitis in COVID-19 positive patients is not exactly known. However, COVID-19 positive patients with acute pancreatitis have a higher mortality and an increased risk of intensive care unit admission and necrosis compared to COVID-19 negative patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is the most frequent cause of death in COVID-19 positive patients and concomitant acute pancreatitis. In this article, we reported recent evidence on the correlation between COVID-19 infection and acute pancreatitis.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pancreatitis , Acute Disease , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , COVID-19/complications , Humans , Pancreas , Pancreatitis/diagnosis , Pancreatitis/etiology , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Crohn's disease (CD) remains a chronic, incurable disorder that presents unique challenges to the surgeon. Multiple factors must be considered to allow development of an appropriate treatment plan. Medical therapy often precedes or complements the surgical management. The indications for operative management of CD include acute and chronic disease complications and failed medical therapy. Elective surgery comes into play when patients are refractory to medical treatment if they have an obstructive phenotype. Toxic colitis, acute obstruction, perforation, acute abscess, or massive hemorrhage represent indications for emergency surgery. These patients are generally in critical conditions and present with intra-abdominal sepsis and a preoperative status of immunosuppression and malnutrition that exposes them to a higher risk of complications and mortality. A multidisciplinary team including surgeons, gastroenterologists, radiologists, nutritional support services, and enterostomal therapists are required for optimal patient care and decision making. Management of each emergency should be individualized based on patient age, disease type and duration, and patient goals of care. Moreover, the recurrent nature of disease mandates that we continue searching for innovative medical therapies and operative techniques that reduce the need to repeat surgical operations. In this review, we aimed to discuss the acute complications of CD and their treatment.
Subject(s)
Colitis , Crohn Disease , Gastrointestinal Diseases , Colitis/complications , Crohn Disease/complications , Crohn Disease/diagnosis , Crohn Disease/surgery , Elective Surgical Procedures , Gastrointestinal Diseases/complications , HumansABSTRACT
Early gastric cancer (EGC) is an invasive carcinoma involving only the stomach mucosa or submucosa, independently of lymph node status. EGC represents over 50% of cases in Japan and in South Korea, whereas it accounts only for approximately 20% of all newly diagnosed gastric cancers in Western countries. The main classification systems of EGC are the Vienna histopathologic classification and the Paris endoscopic classification of polypoid and non-polypoid lesions. A careful endoscopic assessment is fundamental to establish the best treatment of EGC. Generally, EGCs are curable if the lesion is completely removed by endoscopic resection or surgery. Some types of EGC can be resected endoscopically; for others the most appropriate treatment is surgical resection and D2 lymphadenectomy, especially in Western countries. The favorable oncological prognosis, the extended lymphadenectomy and the reconstruction of the intestinal continuity that excludes the duodenum make the prophylactic cholecystectomy mandatory to avoid the onset of biliary complications.
Subject(s)
Stomach Neoplasms , Early Detection of Cancer , Gastric Mucosa/diagnostic imaging , Gastric Mucosa/pathology , Gastric Mucosa/surgery , Gastroscopy , Humans , Lymph Node Excision , Stomach Neoplasms/pathology , Stomach Neoplasms/surgeryABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting and postoperative ileus are common after major digestive surgery and represent one of the significant problems in Acute Care Surgery. The delivery model of emergency surgery needs to be improved in order to foster a patient-centered care. The multimodal approach suggested by Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Guidelines is gaining widespread acceptance but is difficult to apply to emergency surgery. Ultrasound examination of the gastric antrum allows a reliable assessment of gastric contents and volume and might help contribute to improve perioperative care in the emergency setting. METHODS: Gastric ultrasound examinations were performed preoperatively and postoperatively on forty-one patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Gastric cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured, in order to estimate the gastric volume. The data obtained were used to evaluate a possible relationship between delayed gastric emptying and postoperative adverse event. RESULTS: Gastric antrum detection rate varied from 31.8% in open up to 78.9% in laparoscopic surgeries (p = 0.003). Six patients experienced adverse outcomes, had an antiemetic therapy administered and/or a nasogastric tube inserted. Mean CSA was significantly higher in this group (12.95 cm2 vs 6.12 cm2; p = 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Sensitivity of gastric ultrasound varies depending on surgical technique. A dilated gastric antrum is significantly related to postoperative adverse outcomes and a careful ultrasound follow-up might help tailor postoperative nutrition and antiemetic therapy. In patients who experienced adverse events, antral CSA showed an average increase of more than 50% over a period of 72 h after surgery. A relative measure could be used to predict the risk of postoperative ileus. Overall, gastric ultrasound seems to be a promising diagnostic tool and a useful way to integrate ERAS® protocol in emergency abdominal surgery.
Subject(s)
Emergencies , Gastrointestinal Contents/diagnostic imaging , Point-of-Care Systems , Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting/prevention & control , Stomach/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography , Abdomen/surgery , Aged , Algorithms , Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Cohort Studies , Feasibility Studies , Female , Humans , Intubation, Gastrointestinal , Length of Stay , Male , Middle Aged , Risk AssessmentABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate safety and efficacy of a mesh reinforcement following stoma reversal to prevent stoma site incisional hernia (SSIH) and differences across the prostheses used. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS and Cochrane databases was conducted to identify comparative studies until September 2020. A meta-analysis of postoperative outcomes and a network meta-analysis for a multiple comparison of the prostheses with each other were performed. RESULTS: Seven studies were included in the analysis (78.4% ileostomy and 21.6% colostomy) with a total of 1716 patients with (n = 684) or without (n = 1032) mesh. Mesh placement was associated with lower risk of SSIH (7.8%vs18.1%, OR0.266,95% CI 0.123-0.577, p < 0.001) than no mesh procedures but also with a longer operative time (SMD 0.941, 95% CI 0.462-1.421, p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of Surgical Site infection (11.5% vs 11.1%, OR 1.074, 95% CI 0.78-1.48, p = 0.66), seroma formation (4.4% vs 7.1%, OR 1.052, 95% CI 0.64-1.73, p = 0.84), anastomotic leakage (3.7% vs 2.7%, OR 1.598, 95% CI 0.846-3.019, p = 0.149) and length of stay (SMD - 0.579,95% CI - 1.261 to 0.102, p = 0.096) between mesh and no mesh groups. Use of prosthesis was associated with a significant lower need for a reoperation than no mesh group (8.1% vs 12.1%, OR 0.332, 95% CI 0.119-0.930, p = 0.036). Incidence of seroma is lower with biologic than polypropylene meshes but they showed a trend towards poor results compared with polypropylene or biosynthetic meshes. CONCLUSION: Despite longer operative time, mesh prophylactic reinforcement at the site of stoma seems a safe and effective procedure with lower incidence of SSIH, need for reoperation and comparable short-term outcomes than standard closure technique. A significant superiority of a specific mesh type was not identified.
Subject(s)
Incisional Hernia , Surgical Stomas , Herniorrhaphy , Humans , Incisional Hernia/etiology , Incisional Hernia/prevention & control , Prostheses and Implants , Surgical Mesh , Surgical Stomas/adverse effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) preservation in elective laparoscopic left colectomy for diverticular disease may reduce the risk of anastomotic leakage. However, an increased risk of bleeding is assumed. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of colorectal anastomosis bleeding when IMA is resected or preserved during left colectomy. METHODS: A retrospective study of a prospectively collected database was performed. All patients who underwent elective left colectomy, from December 2018 to September 2020 were included. Patients' data and clinical information were collected and analyzed. Patients were categorized in two groups: IMA resected (IMA-R) and IMA preserving (IMA-P) left colectomy. Perioperative outcomes between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Sixty-three consecutive patients who underwent left colectomy over a period of three years were enrolled: 42 in IMA-R group and 22 in the IMA-P group. There were no significant differences in demographic and intraoperative characteristics between the two groups, except for patients' age and primary disease. Six patients (9.37%) developed anastomotic bleeding during recovery, more frequently in the IMA-P than IMA-R group, although the difference is not statistically significative (13.6% and 7.3%; P=0.406). All bleedings were self-limited and only one needed red blood cells transfusion. Using the bioabsorbable staple line reinforcement (BSLR) has proved to be advantageous in preventing anastomotic bleeding in the IMA-P group. CONCLUSIONS: IMA preserving left colectomy seems to be associated with a higher risk of mostly self-limited anastomotic bleeding during recovery. BSLR seems to be effective in this group of patients.