Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Peritonitis due to Hematogenous Dissemination from Central Venous Catheter in a Maintenance Dialysis Patient.

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium commonly associated with severe infections in hospitalized patients. S. aureus produces many virulence factors leading to local and distant pathological processes. Invasiveness of S. aureus generally induces metastatic infections such as bacteremia, infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, arthritis, and endophthalmitis. Peritoneal localization from extra-abdominal infection can be a potential consequence of S. aureus infection. Two cases of metastatic peritonitis have been described in patients on peritoneal dialysis with concomitant peripheral vascular catheter-related bloodstream infection. We reported a case of peritoneal metastatic infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a patient on maintenance hemodialysis. A 37-year-old man was admitted with fever and chill due to jugular central vascular catheter (CVC)-related bloodstream infection caused by MRSA. CVC was placed after switching the patient from peritoneal dialysis to hemodialysis for scarce adherence to fluid restriction. Detection of MRSA on the peritoneal effluent combined with a total white blood cell count of 554 cells/mm3 prompted the diagnosis of satellite MRSA peritonitis. Antibiotic treatment with daptomycin and simultaneous CVC and peritoneal catheter removal resolved the infectious process. No further metastatic localizations were detected elsewhere. In conclusion, S. aureus can induce metastatic infections far from the site of primary infection. As reported in this case, peritonitis can be secondary to the hematogenous dissemination of S. aureus especially in hospitalized patients having a central line.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer in the pediatric population: Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC. A systematic review.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a rare condition in the pediatric population, but it is usually associated with worse prognosis compared to the adult population. Surgical resection is the gold standard and most effective treatment for CRC. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and Heated Intra-Peritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a feasible option in resectable primary tumour with carcinomatosis and non-evidence of extra-abdominal disease. Although it is very uncommon in children when performed, CRS-HIPEC is based on the description by Sugarbaker et al. and the two most common administrated drugs are Cisplatin and Mitomycin-C. We present a review of the cases found in the literature of peritoneal carcinomatosis from CRC treated with CRS and HIPEC in children. A systematic search was performed in the major databases up to February 2020. We included all the reviews and studies reporting clinical data on pediatric patients with peritoneal colorectal carcinomatosis. Nine cases were extracted from the literature. Patient age was between 11 and 16 years old. All patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All patients were treated with HIPEC and the majority of them received a complete cytoreduction (CC-0). At follow-up, three patients were found free from disease with an average time of follow up of 74 weeks (40-100). In 33% of cases, recurrence was described. No postoperative death within 30 days from surgery was observed. CRS and HIPEC can be a feasible option for CRC peritoneal carcinomatosis in children. Because CRC is unusual among the pediatric population, multi-institutional studies should be done to achieve larger cohorts and a more reliable analysis.

A new anterior approach to parastomal hernia repair (PHR) with linear stapler suture: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Parastomal hernia is a type of incisional hernia occurring in abdominal integuments in the vicinity of a stoma. The best surgical approach for PSH remains controversial. Most studies report short follow-up time after surgery and a low number of cases to allow conclusions. Actually, we don't have a relevant recommendation about an optimal surgical technique or the most effective mesh for PSH repair. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: Once packaged the latero-lateral mechanical anastomosis to restore the continuity of the intestinal tract of the patient, an adequate disinfection of trough of the stoma was done. The lateral and medial margins of the defect are then transposed towards each other and kept side by side with a gripper; a 60 mm tristaple linear stapler was placed, incorporating both edges and the charge is fired to obtain a perfect synthesis of the retromuscular plane. DISCUSSION: In the literature has been described several surgical techniques for its repair: suture repair, relocation, mesh-based technique with open or laparoscopic approach. Both, the simple corrective surgery of Thorlakson in 1965 and the use of the peritoneomuscular flap for closing the defect, suggested by Bewes, led to high incidence of recurrence. An important reduction in the rate of parastomal hernia derives also from the mesh reinforcement of the stoma trephine. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that this technique should be help the surgeons to repair parastomal hernia in patients with multiple risk factors to develop a recurrence of parastomal hernia.

Case report: Acute hepatic failure secondary to metastatic LIVER'S infiltration by upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Acute liver failure (ALF) secondary to malignant infiltration of the liver from urothelial carcinoma is a very rare clinical condition and is often diagnosed only after death. Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare, from 5% to 10% of all urothelial tumours, but possible cause of ALF when there is extensive liver metastatic involvement. We report the case of a patient who died in the intensive care unit (ICU) of our hospital from multiple organ failure (MOF) secondary to ALF, as a result of infiltration of the liver from UTUC diagnosed after surgery.PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: A 69-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our hospital for hematuria, melena, right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain and jaundice developed over the previous two weeks. After multidisciplinary discussion, he underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy to perform cholecystectomy because of suspected acute cholecystitis considered as a septic focus within the left kidney. He developed MOF and died on the 6th postoperative day. DISCUSSION: From the diagnosis of the renal mass and the death of the patient, a few days have passed, and the diagnosis of UTUC has been put only at histological examination.The most common sites of metastases from UTUC are lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones and peritoneum. Moreover, liver metastases have been identified to have an independent negative impact on overall survival in a patient affected by UTUC. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that this condition should be taken into account when dealing with patients with evidence of a renal mass and simultaneous ALF.

A novel surgical approach with peritonectomy to extranodal multisystemic histiocytic sarcoma: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a very rare malignant histiocytic derivation cancer. The extranodal multisystemic HS has an aggressive clinical course and poor Disease-Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS). There are no shared and effective therapeutic protocols; our approach aims to improve the prognosis for advanced diseases. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: 53-year-old female patient admitted to hospital for intestinal obstruction in April 2016 with evidence of an ileal mass in the right iliac fossa and peritoneal metastases, undergoing urgent surgery of ileal resection, ileostomy and nodular peritoneal mass biopsy. Histological examination diagnosed HS. Staging exams excluded the involvement of other gastro-intestinal districts in the absence of concomitant lymphoproliferative disorders, and PET-CT revealed multiple abdominal and mediastinal nodes hyperplasia. The patient performed chemotherapy and, seeing the partial abdominal extranodal response, was performed cytoreductive surgery (CRS). Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of HS with multiple peritoneal, ileal, colic and omental localisation. Adjuvant second-line chemotherapy treatment (4 DHAP cycles) was performed. Disease Free Survival at ten months from cytoreductive surgery, Overall Survival at 21 months from diagnosis. DISCUSSION: Despite a multimodal therapy with surgery and chemotherapy, extranodal multisystemic HS has a poor prognosis. Up to now the role of surgery is limited to biopsies or complications treatment. Our results of DFS and OS show that cytoreductive surgery may be a valid therapeutic choice. CONCLUSION: The surgical approach with major cytoreductive purposes could improve the prognosis in cases with prevalent abdominal extranodal localisation.

Laparoscopic splenectomy in malignancies: is safe and feasible?

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) is considered the treatment of choice for benign hematologic diseases of the spleen. However, the role of LS in malignancies is still controversial. Technical difficulties, hemorrhagic risk, the need of pathological characterization of malignant disease, may be considered contraindications to LS in malignancies. This study aims to verify the efficacy and feasibility of LS for hematologic malignancies. METHODS: One hundred and forty-five patients underwent LS for hematologic disease and were retrospectively shared in two groups: Group A (N.=83) patients with preoperative diagnosis of benign hematologic disease and Group B (N.=62) with malignancies. Bipolar spleen diameter, mean operative time, conversion rate and causes, complications and need of transfusion were evaluated. RESULTS: Median splenic diameter was greater in Group B than in Group A with a statistically significant difference (P<0.005), and the number of accessory mini-laparotomies (P<0.005) and the conversion rate (P=0.024) in the group of patients with a diagnosis of malignancy were also higher. The mean operative time was 117.6 minutes in group A and 148.1 minutes in Group B (P<0.005). Besides, there were no significant differences relative to intraoperative and postoperative transfusions and the incidence of postoperative complications. No perioperative mortality occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of our data highlights that LS for hematologic malignancies is effective and feasible even if it associated with higher conversion rate due to splenomegaly and difficult hilum dissection. Besides, no differences in the patient outcome were highlighted. LS may be considered a safe procedure in the treatment of haematological malignancies of the spleen.

A rare case of acute abdomen in the adult: The intestinal duplication cyst. case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Duplications of the gastrointestinal tract are rare congenital anomalies that can occur anywhere throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The reported incidence is 1/4500, and more than 80% occurs before the age of two as an acute abdomen or bowel obstruction. The most common site is Ileum (60%), while the colonic localisation is reported between 4 and 18%. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: Herein we report the case of a 35-year-old man, presented at the Emergency Department with fever and localised abdominal pain in the right iliac fossa. Preoperative abdominal ultrasound and CT scan showed a cystic mass of 44 × 43 × 70 mm adjoining the posterior wall of the right colon. He underwent explorative laparoscopy, laparotomy conversion, right hemicolectomy with an intra-operative diagnosis of colonic duplication cyst, confirmed by histology. DISCUSSION: The review of the literature showed as the intestinal duplication cysts are rare congenital anomalies. The clinical presentation is variable and depends on the site and the related complications. A surgical approach based on the resection of the involved bowel tract is the treatment associated with the best long-term outcomes. CONCLUSION: It is important to include intestinal duplication in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen, to ensure the best therapeutic strategy.

Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC in a 14 years old patient with peritoneal recurrence of adenocarcinoma of the right colon.

INTRODUCTION: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is nowadays a feasible and effective treatment for peritoneal metastasis. We present a case of a 14 years old child with peritoneal metastasis from recurrent colorectal cancer. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Colonoscopy and CT-scan were performed leading to the diagnosis of a stenosing adenocarcinoma of the right colon in 2015. Two pelvic lesions were found at the total body PET scan, suspected for peritoneal metastasis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered, and restaging CT-scan and magnetic resonance (MRI) highlighted a partial response. The patient underwent right laparoscopic hemicolectomy. The postoperative staging was T4 N1 G3. Seven months after the last cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy, CT-scan revealed two huge abdominal masses. The patient underwent explorative laparotomy and bilateral oophorectomy, positive for metastasis from colorectal cancer and peritoneal washing cytology was positive for neoplastic cells. A CT-scan was performed on December 2017 showed a suspect lesion below the anterior abdominal wall. The case was discussed at the tumour board and the indication for CRS and HIPEC was given. In January 2018 the child underwent complete CRS and HIPEC with no complications. No adjuvant chemotherapy was administered. After 11 months the follow up is negative for the recurrent disease. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Cytoreduction and HIPEC can be performed even in children as a feasible and safe treatment with successful outcomes. As for adults, an appropriate multidisciplinary pre-operative work up and a correct cases selection is needed to have the best results even regarding the quality of life.

Peripheral lymphadenopathy: role of excisional biopsy in differential diagnosis based on a five-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral lymphadenopathy can be caused by benign disease, or it could be a manifestation of underlying hematological disease or metastasis of a yet undiagnosed malignant condition. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and image-guided core biopsy usually make up the first line of investigation. There are several disadvantages to these techniques: FNAC is an acellular aspirate that may provide non-diagnostic specimens, while core biopsy may fail in the presence of composite lymphoma, nodal necrosis, and insufficiency or fragmentation of the specimens. Our aim was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of excisional biopsy (EB) in a large case series. METHODS: The study included 220 consecutive patients who underwent lymph node EB under local anesthesia. All patients underwent complete and systematic physical examination. Any palpable lymph node was evaluated for its location, size, consistency, fixation, and tenderness. All specimens were sent to the pathologist as fresh tissue. RESULTS: The EB materials demonstrated 89 (40.5%) benign lesions, 130 (59%) malignant diagnoses, and one (0.5%) unclear diagnosis. Mean operative time was 42.9 minutes (range 10-120 minutes). Harvested lymph nodes had a mean diameter of 3.3 x 2.3 cm. All patients were discharged within 8 hours. No major complications were reported, with a mean of 1.16 postoperative outpatient visits. Temporary seroma and/or minor lymph leak at the site of the incision occurred in 14 cases (6.4%), hematoma in 7 (3.2%), and dehiscence of the surgical incision in 4 (1.8%), and in 3 cases (1.4%) pain was reported up to 7 days postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Excisional biopsy is a diagnostic method that can be applied safely with minimal morbidity and mortality.

First case of laparoscopic partial splenectomy in a child with hamartoma: Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: To date, laparoscopic surgery has played a key role in the treatment of not only splenic hematologic pathologies but also solid ones. Hamartoma is a rare disease; only twenty percent of them are of pediatric relevance; it is a benign tumor, but radiological features never allow proper differentiation from malignant neoplasms. In children, hamartoma may be associated with other morbid conditions, such as sickle cell disease or other hematological alterations. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: We report a case of hamartoma in a 7-year-old child treated with partial laparoscopic splenectomy. After a multidisciplinary evaluation, the indication of laparoscopic splenectomy was decided; upon evaluating the age of the patient and the affected spleen portion, a partial splenectomy was proposed. The histological examination during surgery was performed to exclude any form of malignancy. The intraoperative frozen section of the specimen was negative for malignancies, and a partial splenectomy was performed. DISCUSSION: Surgery remains the first choice in the definitive treatment of solid lesions of the spleen; minimally invasive technique, namely, laparoscopy, has set itself as the technique of choice for surgical treatment. In this case, the possibility of obtaining an intraoperative pathological diagnosis by frozen section of the specimen, confirming the benign nature of the lesion, allowed the surgeon to decide in favor of a laparoscopic partial splenectomy. CONCLUSION: Partial laparoscopic splenectomy can be considered a safe, effective and reproducible alternative in patients suffering from benign solid diseases, safeguarding the hematological functions of the organ itself in pediatric age.

Endoluminal Vacuum Therapy as Treatment for Anastomotic Colorectal Leakage.

BACKGROUND: The clinical leakage rate after anterior resection varies from 2.8-20%, with a 6-22% mortality rate and a 10-80% risk of permanent stoma. Endo-SPONGE® (B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany) may treat extraperitoneal anastomotic leakage in the lesser pelvis. It consists of an open-pored sponge inserted into the cavity. A drainage tube fixed to a low vacuum drainage system is then connected to the sponge through the anus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2007 and December 2014, 14 patients with anastomotic leakage following low anterior resection were treated with Endo-SPONGE® and were prospectively evaluated. In all patients, a CT-scan was performed and they received an intravenous antibiotic therapy with piperacillin+tazobactam (4.5g,3 times/daily). Complete healing was defined as endoscopically proven closure of the insufficiency cavity with a normal mucosa. RESULTS: Stapled straight end to end, colorectal anastomoses were performed in all patients between 3-7 cm above the anal verge, a protective loop ileostomy was performed in every patient. The diagnosis of anastomotic leakage was performed after a median interval of 14 days, the median size of the cavity was 81x46 mm. Fluid collection was drained, percutaneosly in 12 cases, surgically in two patients. The median duration of therapy was 35 days, with 3-14 sponge exchanges for each patient. Median healing time was 37 days. No intraoperative complications were recorded, however, we found five cases of mild anal pain treated medically. CONCLUSION: Considering the literature and our results, the Endo-SPONGE® seems an effective, minimally invasive procedure to treat extraperitoneal anastomotic leakage, reducing morbidity, mortality, and hospital stay.

Laparoscopic Treatment of Giant Ventral Hernia: Experience of 35 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Minimal access surgery for incisional hernia repair is still debated, especially for giant wall defects. Laparoscopic repair may reduce pain and hospital stay. This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of the laparoscopic technique in giant hernia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2007 to 2013, 35 consecutive patients with giant ventral hernia, according to the Chevrel classification, underwent laparoscopic repair. Fourteen patients were obese, with a body mass index (BMI) > 30 and in 21 patients the mean BMI was 24 (range 22-28). In all patients, the wall defect was larger than 20 cm. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 159±30 minutes, and, for defects larger than 25 cm, it was 210±20 minutes. Patient conversion did not occur. In 29 patients, the mean wall defect was 20x25 cm, and in six patients the mean wall defect was 26x31 cm, and, as measured from within the peritoneal cavity, the mean overlap was 5 cm (range 3-6). Short-term antibiotic prophylaxis consisted of Cefazolin 2 g IV (intravenous) the day of surgery. All patients were discharged within 72-96 hrs. The mean follow-up was 24 months. No infection occurred and no chronic pain was recorded. However, three seroma were observed (outpatient treatment) and two xiphoid recurrences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic hernia repair is technically feasible and is safe in patients with giant fascial defects as well as obese patients. This operation decreases postoperative pain, hastens the recovery period, and reduces postoperative morbidity and recurrence. This approach should be reserved for patients with no history of previous hernia repair. Further studies are expected to confirm these promising results.

Incidental thyroid carcinoma (ITC): a retrospective study in a series of 737 patients treated for benign disease.

AIM: Aim of the study is to evaluate correlations between incidental thyroid carcinoma (ITC) and benign thyroid pathologies (BTP), to determine the most represented histotype and to point out the total thyroidectomy's possible advantages in terms of radicality, follow-up management and incidence of complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 10 years, 739 patients underwent thyroid surgery for BTP. Fine needle biopsy (FNAB) was negative in all cases; 503 total thyroidectomies (TT), 5 subtotal thyroidectomies (ST) and 231 emithyroidectomies (ET) were performed. RESULTS: The specimens pathological examination revealed the presence of a ITC in 82 patients (11.1%); the prevalent histotype was the papillary one with a less than 1cm diameter in almost the totality of cases but with nodes metastasis in the 3.6% of cases. Complications were detected in 117 patients with a morbidity rate of 15.8%. DISCUSSION: In our study the ITC prevalence was of 11.1% similar to literature with a higher incidence in patients affected by multinodular than uninodular goiter. No statistical significant differences were found between euthyroid and toxic pathologies. In our series hyperthyroidism doesn't seem to hold a protective role towards the ITC onset. CONCLUSIONS: The ITC incidence is relevant; the prevalent histotype is papillary and nodes metastasis are present even if in a low percentage of cases. Besides, the complications of TT are similar to conservative procedures. The recurrence of goiter and ITC require a second surgical procedure, with a higher risk of complications. So we can claim that the standard surgical treatment of bilateral PBT would be represented by TT.