Surgical and Oncological Outcomes of Wedge Resection Versus Segment 4b + 5 Resection for T2 and T3 Gallbladder Cancer: a Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Liver resection is the standard operative procedure for patients with T2 and T3 gallbladder cancers (GBC). However, the optimal extent of hepatectomy remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search and meta-analysis to assess the safety and long-term outcomes of wedge resection (WR) vs. segment 4b + 5 resection (SR) in patients with T2 and T3 GBC. We reviewed surgical outcomes (i.e., postoperative complications and bile leak) and oncological outcomes (i.e., liver metastasis, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS)). RESULTS: The initial search yielded 1178 records. Seven studies reported assessments of the above-mentioned outcomes in 1795 patients. WR had significantly fewer postoperative complications than SR, with an odds ratio of 0.40 (95% confidence interval, 0.26 - 0.60; p < 0.001), although there were no significant differences in bile leak between WR and SR. There were no significant differences in oncological outcomes such as liver metastases, 5-year DFS, and OS. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with both T2 and T3 GBC, WR was superior to SR in terms of surgical outcome and comparable to SR in terms of oncological outcomes. WR that achieves margin-negative resection may be a suitable procedure for patients with both T2 and T3 GBC.

Thoracic esophageal injury due to a neck stab wound: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic esophageal injury leads to severe complications such as mediastinitis, pyothorax, and tracheoesophageal fistula. Although prompt diagnosis and treatment are required, there are no established protocols to guide diagnosis or treatment. In particular, thoracic esophageal injury tends to be diagnosed later than cervical esophageal injury because it has few specific symptoms. We report a case of thoracic esophageal injury caused by a cervical stab wound; the patient was stabbed with a sharp blade. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old woman was attacked with a knife while sleeping at home. The patient was taken to the emergency room with an injury localized to the left section of her neck. She was suspected of a left jugular vein and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury from cervical hematoma and hoarseness. On the day following the injury, computed tomography revealed a thoracic esophageal injury. Emergency surgery was performed for an esophageal perforation and mediastinal abscesses. Although delayed diagnosis resulted in suture failure, the patient was able to resume oral intake of food a month later following enteral feeding with a gastrostomy. Esophageal injuries due to sharp trauma are rare, and most are cervical esophageal injuries. There are very few reports on thoracic esophageal injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of thoracic esophageal injury should always be considered when dealing with neck stab wounds, particularly those caused by an attack.

Laparoscopic appendectomy during the second trimester of a twin pregnancy.

Acute appendicitis during pregnancy may lead to increased maternal and fetal risks. Laparoscopic appendectomy is commonly performed during pregnancy. Compared with open appendectomy in pregnant women, laparoscopic appendectomy has shown non-inferior safety for pregnancy outcomes and superior safety for surgical outcomes. Over the last few decades, the occurrence of twin pregnancy has been increasing. Performing an operation on a patient with a twin pregnancy is more difficult than with a singleton pregnancy. Only a few operations of this kind have been reported. Here, we present a case of a 20-week twin pregnant woman who presented with acute appendicitis. Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed, and no maternal complications occurred. This report contributes to discussions on the safety of the laparoscopic approach for appendicitis during twin pregnancies.

Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with Capecitabine plus Oxaliplatin in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Sigmoid Colon Cancer Invading the Urinary Bladder: A Report of Three Cases.

INTRODUCTION: We herein present three cases of locally advanced colon cancer (LACC) invading the urinary bladder, in whom combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy with surgical intervention was effective in disease control and preserving urinary function. CASE PRESENTATION: Before neoadjuvant chemotherapy, all three cases underwent loop transverse colostomy for symptomatic colonic obstruction. Case 1: after 6 courses of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX), we performed sigmoid colectomy and partial resection of the bladder. The histological examination revealed pathological complete response (pCR). The final diagnosis was ypStage 0 (ypT0ypN0M0). Case 2: after 13 courses of CAPOX plus bevacizumab, we performed Hartmann's operation with partial resection of the bladder. The histological examination revealed pCR. The final diagnosis was ypStage 0 (ypT0ypN0M0). Case 3: after 6 courses of chemotherapy with CAPOX plus bevacizumab, we performed sigmoid colectomy and partial resection of the bladder. The pathological response was grade 1a according to the Japanese Classification of Colorectal Carcinoma. The final diagnosis was ypStage IIC (ypT4bypN0M0). All three cases underwent capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after radical surgery and patients are alive without recurrence. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with CAPOX with or without bevacizumab followed by radical surgery could be an effective treatment option for LACC invading the urinary bladder.

Bevacizumab is associated with delayed anastomotic leak after low anterior resection with preoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab is an anti-angiogenesis agent used to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and is associated with a variety of complications. We present a patient with rectal cancer who developed a delayed anastomotic leak more than 5 years after undergoing low anterior resection. CASE REPORT: A 78-year-old man with hematochezia was diagnosed with two synchronous rectal cancers 7 years prior to presentation. Preoperative chemo-radiotherapy was given followed by a very low anterior resection. During follow-up, multiple lymph node metastases developed, which were treated with chemotherapy. First-line chemotherapy, capecitabine, oxizaliplatin, and bevacizumab, was given over 3 years, and second-line chemotherapy, capecitabine, irinotecan, and bevacizumab, was administered over a 3-month period. After the last treatment, the patient presented with pneumaturia and fecaluria. Computed tomography scan revealed extraluminal air between the prostate and rectum, adjacent to the anastomotic site. Ulceration and fistula formation were observed on colonoscopy, and contrast radiography demonstrated a fistula at the anastomotic site. An anastomotic-urethral fistula was diagnosed and transverse colostomy was performed. CONCLUSIONS: This patient highlights a rare late adverse event at the anastomotic site associated with bevacizumab treatment and preoperative chemo-radiotherapy. Signs and symptoms suggesting anastomotic complications should be thoroughly evaluated during bevacizumab treatment, even long after surgical resection.

The surgical treatment of acute and severe diversion colitis mimicking ulcerative colitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Diversion colitis (DC) is characterized by nonspecific inflammation in the remaining colon or rectum, and loss of the fecal stream plays a major role in the disease's development. Although the majority of patients are asymptomatic, medical and/or surgical treatment is required for those who are symptomatic. There is a particular interest on how to manage patients with acute and severe clinical presentations, but the pathogenesis is not fully understood. We report the rare case of a man with acute and severe DC mimicking ulcerative colitis (UC) with extra-intestinal manifestations that was successfully managed with surgical treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old man with a history of laparoscopic intersphincteric resection of the rectum with diverting loop ileostomy for lower rectal cancer suffered from anastomotic stenosis requiring repeated endoscopic dilatation. His loop stoma was not reversed because these treatments were unsuccessful. He denied having a history of inflammatory bowel disease. Twelve years postoperatively, he developed a perineal abscess requiring drainage. Subsequently, he developed a high-grade fever, bloody discharge per anus, and skin ulcers in the right ankle and around the stoma. Because culture tests were negative for bacteria, it was deemed that his acute illness reflected an inflammatory response rather than an infectious disease. Colonoscopy revealed anastomotic stenosis, a colonic fistula, and mucosa that hemorrhaged easily, with lacerations. A pathological examination with biopsy revealed inflammatory infiltration without malignancy. After reviewing the patient's clinical episodes and discussing the case with physicians in multiple specialties, we performed total colectomy with end ileostomy in accordance with the abdominoperineal resection. The postoperative course was uneventful. A resected specimen showed atrophic mucosa with the disappearance of haustra in the distal colon, as well as edematous and dilated mucosa in the proximal colon. The pathological diagnosis was suggestive of UC, including erosion and ulceration in edematous wall, crypt abscess, and inflammatory infiltration into the mucosa. The skin ulcers in the right ankle and around the stoma healed over time. CONCLUSIONS: DC can eventuate in a long-term period after fecal diversion surgery, possibly with extra-intestinal manifestations mimicking UC. Surgical treatment seems feasible for patients with acute and severe DC.

Surgical Resection with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locoregionally Recurrent Appendiceal Cancer Invading the External Iliac Vessels.

Recent advancements in multimodal therapy can provide oncologic benefits for patients with recurrent colorectal cancer. This report presents a case of locoregionally recurrent appendiceal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgical resection with vascular reconstruction. A 68-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with appendiceal cancer and underwent ileocecal resection. The pathological evaluation revealed KRAS-mutant adenocarcinoma with the final stage of T4bN1M0. She received oral fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. One year later, she was found to have peritoneal dissemination in the pelvic cavity and vaginal metastasis. She received an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy followed by surgical resection. One year after the second surgery, she developed a locoregional recurrence involving the right external iliac vessels and small intestine. She received an irinotecan-based regimen with bevacizumab as neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by surgical resection. At first, a femoro-femoral bypass was made to secure the blood supply to the right lower extremities. Subsequently, an en bloc resection including the recurrent tumor and the external iliac vessels was completed. Surgical resection for recurrent colorectal cancer is often technically challenging because of the tumor location and invasion to adjacent organs. In this case, a surgical approach with persistent chemotherapy achieved oncologic resection of locoregionally recurrent appendiceal cancer.

Intussusception secondary to descending colon lipoma presenting with simultaneous acute appendicitis.

We report a patient with a descending colon lipoma presenting with hematochezia who developed intussusception, which was simultaneously accompanied by acute appendicitis. A 43-year-old man presented with hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor with a reddish surface in the descending colon. A solid mass with fat density value measuring 5 cm in diameter was observed in the descending colon on CT. While awaiting elective resection, the patient developed lower abdominal pain. CT demonstrated antegrade colo-colonic intussusception in the descending colon. Simultaneously, the appendix was inflamed with a high density intraluminal lesion suspected to be a fecalith. The diagnosis of simultaneous intussusception and acute appendicitis was made. Appendectomy and partial resection of the descending colon was performed. Histopathological examination was consistent with descending colon lipoma and acute appendicitis. The mechanism for developing hematochezia and the risk for development of colo-colonic intussusception due to large colon lipoma and acute appendicitis were highlighted.

Monitoring circulating tumor DNA revealed dynamic changes in KRAS status in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

KRAS mutated circulating tumor DNA (MctDNA) can be monitored in the blood of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), but dynamic changes have not been determined. Four hundred and fifty-seven plasma samples were collected prospectively from 85 mCRC patients who underwent chemotherapy. MctDNA in plasma was detected by droplet digital PCR, and the percentage of MctDNA in total circulating cell-free DNA was calculated. KRAS assessment in tumor tissues showed 29 patients with the mutant-type (MT) and 56 patients with the wild-type (WT). Twenty-three of 29 MT patients (79.3%) and 28 of 56 WT patients (50.0%) showed MctDNA. Emergence of MctDNA was recognized during treatments with various drugs. Regardless of KRAS status in tumor tissues, patients with MctDNA in blood showed poor progression-free survival with first-line treatment. Median percentage of MctDNA accounted for 10.10% in MT patients and 0.22% in WT patients. These differences between MT and WT likely affected patterns of changes in MctDNA. KRAS monitoring identified dynamic changes in MctDNA, such as continuous, intermittent, and transient changes (quick elevation and disappearance). Emergence of MctDNA involved drug resistance, except for transient changes, which were seen in WT patients and likely corresponded with the drug response. Transient changes could be involved in recovery of sensitivity to anti-EGFR antibody in WT patients. Monitoring MctDNA during various treatments showed dynamic changes in KRAS status and could provide useful information for determining treatments for patients with mCRC.

Effect of triclosan-coated sutures on the incidence of surgical site infection after abdominal wall closure in gastroenterological surgery: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial in a single center.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection is one of the most common postoperative complications after gastroenterologic surgery. This study investigated the effect of triclosan-coated sutures in decreasing the incidence of surgical site infections after abdominal wall closure in gastroenterologic surgery. METHODS: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled parallel adaptive group-sequential superiority trial was conducted from March 2014 to March 2017 in a single center. Eligible patients were those who underwent gastroenterologic surgery. Patients were allocated randomly to receive either abdominal wall closure with triclosan-coated sutures (the study group) or sutures without triclosan (the control group). The primary end point was the incidence of superficial or deep surgical site infections within 30 days after operation. This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network-Clinical Trials Registry (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/), identification number UMIN000013054. RESULTS: A total of 1,013 patients (study group, 508 patients; control group, 505 patients) were analyzed by a modified intention-to-treat approach. The wounds in 990 (97.7%) of the 1,013 patients were classified as clean-contaminated. The primary end point (incidence of superficial or deep surgical site infections) was 35 (6.9%) of 508 patients in the study group and 30 (5.9%) of 505 in the control group. The incidence of surgical site infections did not differ markedly between the 2 groups (95% confidence interval: 0.686-2.010, P = .609). Of the 65 infections, 42 (64.6%) were superficial surgical site infections, with similar frequencies in the 2 groups, and 23 (35.4%) were deep surgical site infections, again with similar frequencies in the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Triclosan-coated sutures did not decrease the incidence of surgical site infections after abdominal wall closure in gastroenterologic surgery.

Morphological response contributes to patient selection for rescue liver resection in chemotherapy patients with initially un-resectable colorectal liver metastasis.

Morphological response is considered an improved surrogate to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) model with regard to predicting the prognosis for patients with colorectal liver metastases. However, its use as a decision-making tool for surgical intervention has not been examined. The present study assessed the morphological response in 50 patients who underwent chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab for initially un-resectable colorectal liver metastases. Changes in tumor morphology between heterogeneous with uncertain borders and homogeneous with clear borders were defined as an optimal response (OR). Patients were also assessed as having an incomplete response (IR), and an absence of marked changes was assessed as no response (NR). No significant difference was observed in progression-free survival (PFS) between complete response/partial response (CR/PR) and stable disease/progressive disease (SD/PD), according to RECIST. By contrast, PFS for OR/IR patients was significantly improved compared with that for NR patients (13.2 vs. 8.7 months; P=0.0426). Exclusion of PD enhanced the difference in PFS between OR/IR and NR patients (15.1 vs. 9.3 months; P<0.0001), whereas no difference was observed between CR/PR and SD. The rate of OR and IR in patients treated with bevacizumab was 47.4% (9/19), but only 19.4% (6/31) for patients that were not administered bevacizumab. Comparison of the survival curves between OR/IR and NR patients revealed similar survival rates at 6 months after chemotherapy, but the groups exhibited different survival rates subsequent to this period of time. Patients showing OR/IR within 6 months appeared to be oncologically stable and could be considered as candidates for surgical intervention, including rescue liver resection. Comparing the pathological and morphological features of the tumor with representative optimal response, living tumor cells were revealed to be distributed within the area of vascular reconstruction induced by bevacizumab, resulting in a predictive value for prognosis in the patients treated with bevacizumab. The present findings provided the evidence for physicians to consider patients with previously un-resectable metastatic colorectal cancer as candidates for surgical treatment. Morphological response is a useful decision-making tool for evaluating these patients for rescue liver resection following chemotherapy.

Sequential administration of XELOX and XELIRI is effective, feasible and well tolerated by patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Sequential administration of the chemotherapy regimes capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) and capecitabine and irinotecan (XELIRI) in the first- to second-line treatment setting would allow patients to be managed more easily in an outpatient unit. However, a small number of studies have raised concerns of cumulative adverse events as a consequence of the continuous use of capecitabine. To investigate this, the present study conducted a retrospective review of 81 consecutive metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients treated with the oxaliplatin, fluorouracil and leucovorin-irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFOX-FOFIRI/F-F) regimen (n=40) or the XELOX-XELIRI (X-X) regimen (n=41) in first- to second-line chemotherapy in Saitama Medical Center between 2006 and 2012. The disease control rate (DCR), the progression free survival (PFS), the overall survival (OS) and the time to failure of strategy (TFS) from first to second-line chemotherapy, as well as adverse events, were assessed and compared between patients receiving X-X or F-F. A total of 10 and 20 patients were additionally treated with bevacizumab in the F-F and X-X regimens, respectively, during first or second-line chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in DCR and the median PFS between the two regimens for first or second-line chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in the median OS and TFS between the two regimens (OS=24.5 and TFS=14 months in the F-F vs. 23.2 and 12.0 months in the X-X). Regarding adverse events, 45.0% of patients (18/40) exhibited grade 3-4 neutropenia throughout treatment with F-F. Whilst, 15.0% of patients (6/41) exhibited grade 3 hypertension throughout treatment with X-X, which was effectively controlled by a single antihypertensive drug. The results show that sequential administration of X-X is as effective and feasible as F-F treatment, while additionally reducing the frequency of infusion visits and eliminating the need for a central venous access device or home infusion pump, thereby offering a more convenient treatment option to patients with mCRC.

Clinical and molecular assessment of regorafenib monotherapy.

Regorafenib has shown survival benefits in metastatic colorectal cancer patients who were exacerbated after all standard therapies. Some patients, however, exhibit severe adverse events (AEs) resulting in treatment discontinuation. Therefore, the selection of patients likely to benefit from regorafenib is crucial. Twenty patients were treated with regorafenib for metastatic colorectal cancer; 122 plasma samples were taken from 16 of these patients for monitoring of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood. The treatment response, AEs, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and tumor morphologic changes on CT images were evaluated. KRAS mutant ctDNA was determined using digital PCR. Median PFS and OS were 2.5 and 5.9 months, respectively. Treatment was discontinued because of disease progression (PD) in 10 patients, and AEs in another 10 patients. AEs included hyperbilirubinemia, severe fatigue and skin rash. Hyperbilirubinemia was seen in two patients with multiple bilateral liver metastases, and severe fatigue in another 2 patients with poor performance status (PS). These severe AEs resulted in treatment discontinuation. Ten patients had a median PFS of 2.1 months with AE related discontinuation; PD occurred at 3.5 months (p=0.00334). Four patients exhibited a morphologic response, achieving better PFS times of 3.5, 5.3, 5.6 and 14.2 months. Emergence of the KRAS mutation in ctDNA was observed during anti-EGFR antibody treatment in 3 patients among 11 with KRAS wild-type tumors; it was detectable in the blood prior to radiographic detection of PD. Moreover, the KRAS mutation declined in two patients during regorafenib monotherapy. These patients were re-challenged with anti-EGFR antibody. Patients with extensive multiple liver metastases or poor PS are unlikely to benefit from regorafenib. Patients with a morphologic response will probably benefit from regorafenib with adequate management of other AEs. KRAS monitoring in ctDNA could be useful regarding treatment response and in determining treatment strategy.

Laparoscopic resection of retroperitoneal ectopic thyroid tissue.

A 43-year-old otherwise healthy woman was found to have a retroperitoneal mass during a routine medical examination and was referred for further evaluation. Abdominal CT scan showed a well-delineated, low-density area that exhibited heterogeneous contrast enhancement. The area measured about 20 mm in size and was to the left of the aorta at the level of the inferior mesenteric artery. MRI showed a mass with heterogeneous hypointensity on T1 -weighted images and heterogeneous hyperintensity on T2 -weighted images. PET-CT scan showed slightly increased 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation within the mass. Laparoscopic resection was performed. A smooth, brownish mass was seen in the retroperitoneum and was resected with minimal blood loss. Histopathological examination showed a nodular mass measuring 40 × 26 × 20 mm that was composed solely of ectopic thyroid tissue. This case shows the exceptional development of ectopic thyroid in the infradiaphragmatic retroperitoneum and demonstrates the usefulness of laparoscopy for resecting such masses.

Successful treatment of recurrent stoma prolapse after Hartmann's procedure through ileorectal anastomosis: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment strategy for recurrent stoma prolapse has not been well-established because of the rarity and complexity of the condition. We report a case of recurrent stoma prolapse that was successfully managed using unique surgical treatments. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 72-year-old man with a history of Parkinson's disease presented with transverse (T3N0M0) and sigmoid (T3N0M0) colon cancer. Considering the status of large bowel obstruction, Hartmann's procedure was indicated. Four months after surgery, stoma prolapse occurred, which became irreducible. Six months after surgery, local resection of the prolapsed bowel was performed. The patient continued to receive laxatives for bowel movement control and his abdomen remained distended. Ten months later, stoma prolapse recurred with evident bowel dilatation. Initially, we planned Hartmann's reversal. However, as the patient had intractable constipation secondary to Parkinson's disease, resection of the proximal colon and ileorectal anastomosis were considered as the treatment choices. Therefore, we performed right colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis. At 1.5 years after the last surgery, complications such as small bowel obstruction, difficulty in defecation, or fecal incontinence were not detected. DISCUSSION: The cause of stoma prolapse is generally ascribed to various anatomical factors such as redundant intestine, high intra-abdominal pressure, and intraperitoneal route. Stoma prolapse is also influenced by other factors, including old age, obesity, and the severity of illness that necessitated stoma creation. In this case, the decision regarding surgical management was complicated by colonic motility disorder with concomitant Parkinson's disease. CONCLUSION: We suggest that ileorectal anastomosis may be an optimal surgical treatment for patients with recurrent stoma prolapse and concomitant colonic motility disorder who have undergone Hartmann's procedure.

Oncological 3-port laparoscopic colectomy by 1 surgeon and 1 camera operator: a preliminary report.

This retrospective study analyzed the short-term outcomes of oncological reduced-port laparoscopic colectomy (RPLC) using 3 ports performed by 1 surgeon and 1 camera operator. Patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy for colorectal carcinoma in 2010 and 2011 were divided into 2 groups: the CLC group, which included 62 patients who underwent a conventional laparoscopic colectomy and the RPLC group, which included 28 patients who underwent reduced-port laparoscopic colectomy, respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to TNM stage, estimated blood loss, complications, conversion rate, pain score, the length of postoperative stay, or the number of harvested lymph nodes. However, the prevalence of right-side colectomy was higher and the operative time was significantly shorter in the RPLC group. RPLC was technically feasible, providing that the appropriate patients were selected. Therefore, even though its surgical benefit might be subtle, we believe that RPLC definitively contributes to the reduction of equipment and manpower costs and will be considered as a standard procedure in the near future.

Lymphatic invasion in small differentiated-type mucosal gastric cancer.

Endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer is indicated for patients who are at negligible risk of lymph node metastasis. A 71-year-old female underwent endoscopic resection for a 15-mm differentiated-type mucosal gastric tumor, as recommended in the Japanese treatment guidelines. A histological examination revealed lymphatic invasion. Therefore, we performed laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy and D1+ lymph node dissection. A histological examination detected no.3 lymph node metastasis, but no residual cancer cells were observed at the site of the endoscopic resection. This case is rare as lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis are highly unusual in small differentiated-type mucosal gastric cancer. Having experienced this case, we consider that en-bloc endoscopic resection of such lesions is extremely important, as it allows precise histological examinations to be performed, which can determine the necessity of additional treatment.