Use of a Pfannenstiel incision in minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery is associated with a lower risk of wound complications.

BACKGROUND: The Pfannenstiel incision, widely used in gynecological surgery, has been reported to be associated with lower rates of wound complications than midline incisions in open surgery. However, its effect on wound complications in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is not well understood. We hypothesize that use of a Pfannenstiel incision in MIS colorectal cancer resections would be associated with fewer short-term wound complication rates. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 171 patients who had undergone MIS colorectal cancer surgery requiring a specimen extraction/hand-access site, divided into a Pfannenstiel and a midline group depending on the type of incision used. Wound complications compared included disruption, infection, dehiscence, evisceration, and fistula formation. The Mann-Whitney U and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyze differences in risk factors between the groups. Logistic regression was performed to determine factors associated with prevention of wound complications. RESULTS: Patients in the Pfannenstiel group had significantly lower rates of wound disruption (0 vs. 13%, p = 0.02), superficial surgical site infection (7 vs. 22%, p = 0.03), and overall wound complications (13 vs. 30%, p = 0.04). Using multivariate logistic regression, Pfannenstiel incisions and colon rather than rectal resections were significant predictors of prevention of wound complications. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a Pfannenstiel incision in MIS colorectal cancer resections is associated with a decreased risk of short-term wound complications.

Molecular prognosticators of complex karyotype soft tissue sarcoma outcome: a tissue microarray-based study.

BACKGROUND: Molecular markers are currently being utilized as sensitive prognosticators of cancer patient outcome. We sought to identify prognostic biomarkers for complex karyotype soft tissue sarcoma (STS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A large (n = 205) clinically annotated tissue microarray (TMA) was constructed and immunostained for several tumor-related markers. Staining was scored via an automated Ariol image analysis system; data were statistically analyzed to evaluate the correlation of clinicopathological and molecular variables with overall survival (OS) and local recurrence. RESULTS: Multivariable analysis identified older age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.62, P < 0.0001], nonextremity location (HR 2.95, P = 0.001), high tumor grade (HR 2.5, P = 0.02), and increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 expression (HR 1.74, P = 0.04) as predictors for poor OS. Similarly, older age (HR 1.51, P = 0.008), nonextremity location (HR 4.09, P = 0.001), and increased MMP2 expression (HR 6.28, P = 0.006) were all found to correlate with shorter local recurrence-free interval. High nuclear p53 expression was associated with shorter STS local recurrence-free interval, with a trend toward significance. CONCLUSIONS: Data presented indicate that a clinically annotated TMA can be utilized to identify STS-related prognostic markers. Specifically, MMP2 and nuclear p53 should be further evaluated for their potential inclusion in complex karyotype STS staging systems.

Postoperative nomogram for survival of patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma treated with curative intent.

BACKGROUND: Current American Joint Committee on Cancer retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) staging is not representative of patients with RPS specifically and has limited discriminative power. Our objective was to develop a RPS disease-specific nomogram capable of stratifying patients based on probability of overall survival (OS) after resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 1118 RPS patients were evaluated at our institution (1996-2006). Patients with resectable, nonmetastatic disease were selected (n = 343) and baseline, treatment and outcome variables were retrieved. A nomogram was created and its performance was evaluated by calculating its discrimination (concordance index) and calibration and by subsequent internal validation. RESULTS: Median follow-up and OS were 50 and 59 months, respectively. Independent predictors of OS were included in the nomogram: age (> or = 65), tumor size (> or = 15 cm), type of presentation (primary versus recurrent), multifocality, completeness of resection and histology. The concordance index was 0.73 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.75] and the calibration was excellent, with all observed outcomes within the 95% CI of each predicted survival probability. CONCLUSIONS: A RPS-specific postoperative nomogram was developed. It improves RPS staging by allowing a more dynamic and robust disease-specific risk stratification. This prognostic tool can help in patient counseling and for selection of high-risk patients that may benefit from adjuvant therapies or inclusion into clinical trials.

New perspectives for staging and prognosis in soft tissue sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Data suggest that the current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) soft tissue sarcoma (STS) staging criteria merit further evaluation. We sought to identify and validate factors as enhanced descriptors of STS clinical behavior. METHODS: Prospectively accrued data were analyzed for 1,091 AJCC stage I to III primary STS patients who had complete macroscopic resection at our institution from 1996 to 2007. Study factors were examined by univariable and multivariable analyses to identify independent prognostic factors for disease related mortality and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: In contrast to the current AJCC STS staging system, which stratifies size into T1 (5 cm) groups, we demonstrated three distinct cohorts (P < 0.0001): T1 (15 cm; OS 52%). A two-category system of histologic grade was demonstrably as informative as the current four histologic grade AJCC system. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model identified tumor size (5 to 15 cm vs. 15 cm vs.

Resectable well-differentiated versus dedifferentiated liposarcomas: two different diseases possibly requiring different treatment approaches.

BACKGROUND: Division of retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS) into well-differentiated (WD) and dedifferentiated (DD) subtypes is established; however, WD and DD are usually treated similarly. We hypothesized that WD and DD have distinct biological behaviors mandating different treatments. METHODS: A prospective sarcoma database identified all primary/recurrent RPLS treated between 1996 and 2007: 77 DD (52%) and 58 WD (39.2%) patients were analyzed for recurrence rate, recurrence free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: At presentation, WD were mostly primary whereas DD were mostly recurrent (75.9% versus 58.4%; p = 0.04). A significant proportion of DD (37.7%) received chemotherapy compared to WD (1.7%; p < 0.0001). Multivisceral resection was more common in DD versus WD (45.5% versus 31%; p = 0.01). Gross total resection rates were equivalent (WD: 86.2%; DD: 85.7%). Overall and local recurrence were higher in DD versus WD (82.2% versus 50% and 71.2% versus 46.3%; p < 0.0001). Only 3.7% WD recurred as high grade metastatic disease. Median time to recurrence was 55.5 months in WD versus 13.5 months in DD (p < 0.0001). RFS and OS (1, 2, and 5 year) were higher in WD than DD (80.3% versus 55.9%; 65.1% versus 34.1%; 41.9% versus 7.8%; p < 0.0001) and (98% versus 88.1%; 95.6% versus 71.9%; 92.1% versus 36.5%; p < 0.0001) respectively. CONCLUSION: WD and DD have distinct biological behaviors. Gross total resection is achievable in most WD; unlike DD, high-grade recurrence is uncommon. Treatment should therefore reflect these biologic differences by maximizing survivorship while avoiding unnecessarily extensive multivisceral resection. SYNOPSIS: The biological behaviors of well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas differ significantly. This article presents outcomes of two different surgical approaches that were implemented at the UTMDACC, treating these tumors as different disease entities.

Infección Intraabdominal / Intraabdominal Infection

La infeccion intraabdominal es una de las entidades que presentan mayor complejidad en su manejo. La clave para un tratamiento completo y adecuado se basa en cuatro pilares: eliminar la causa, extirpar la contaminacion, optimizar los mecanismos de defensa, y tratar oportunamente sus consecuencias. Puede originarse en cualquier organo intraabdominal o pelvico y se clasifica en hematogena, aguda, espontánea y postoperatoria. Se caracteriza por presentar germenes aerobios, anaerobios y en un alto porcentaje, crecimiento de hongos, lo cual debe ser tenido en cuenta para el uso adecuado de antibioticos. Es una entidad que puede evolucionar hacia un sindrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistemica y hacia sepsis. El diagnostico se hace con ayudas paraclinicas e imaginologicas que van desde una simple radiografia del abdomen hasta el uso de RMN, segun la patologia de base. Idealmente se realizan ECO y TAC abdominales las cuales no solo sirven de ayuda diagnostica sino terapeutica. El tratamiento debe basarse en los cuatro pilares ya enunciados y se logra mediante tres mecanismos: un adecuado, oportuno, pero no anticipado inicio de antibioticos; terapia de soporte en cuidado intensivo teniendo en cuenta que mecanismos como la hemodiafiltracion además de brindar soporte orgánico, remueve endotoxinas y citoquinas, modulando asi la respuesta inflamatoria y, finalmente, la cirugía mediante la cual se extirpa el foco de contaminacion y se elimina la causa de esta. Por tal razon es importante entender todos los aspectos de esta entidad y que su tratamiento debe ser integral utilizando diferentes herramientas que son sinergicas en el manejo de la misma.

Epidemiología de las heridas de tratamiento hospitalario en Colombia / Epidemiology of in hospital wounds and lessions in Colombia

Las heridas de tratamiento hospitalario son una entidad frecuente y aunque en Colombia no se conoce su epidemiologia, se sabe que no son un numero despreciable. El objetivo de este trabajo fue el de conocer la epidemiologia de las heridas en pacientes hospitalizados, en un periodo de 1 año, especificamente las heridas quirurgicas, por pie diabetico, ulceras por presion, ulceras varicosas y laparostomias. Además, quisimos investigar que especialidad las trata y quienes son los encargados de las cuidados básicos de estas. Enviamos un formato con su respectivo instructivo a hospitales de las diferentes regiones del pais, logrando la participacion de 11 de estos hospitales. Obtuvimos como resultados que de 185.405 egresos hospitalarios durante el año de 1995, 50.9 por ciento presentaba herida quirurgica; 0.17 por ciento, ulceras por presion; 0.14 por ciento, heridas por pie diabetico; 0.08 por ciento, ulceras varicosas; y 0.25 por ciento, laparostomias. De los pacientes con herida quirurgica, presentaron infeccion global 6.12 por ciento. En todas las heridas, el manejo básico era realizado por las enfermeras y en algunos casos tambien por auxiliares de enfermeria y/o medicos. El servicio de Cirugia General fue el encargado de tratar la herida quirurgica, las ulceras varicosas, las heridas por pie diabetico y las laparostomias, en la gran mayoria de los hospitales. Cirugia Plastica, Medicina Interna, Cirugia Vascular y Dermatologia fueron especialidades que, en orden de frecuencia, tambien trataron heridas en estos pacientes. Se plantea la necesidad de establecer un seguimiento y registro completo de las heridas en los hospitales como parte del tratamiento integral de estas.