The "reverse air leak test": a new technique for the assessment of low colorectal anastomosis.

PURPOSE: Anastomotic leakage is a fearsome complication in rectal surgery. Surgeons perform the classic air leak test, although its real effectiveness is still debated. The aim of this study was to describe a personal technique of reverse air leak test in which low colorectal anastomosis was assessed transanally through the intrarectal irrigation of a few mL of saline solution. METHODS: From October 2014 to November 2019, 11 patients with low rectal cancer (type 1 in Roullier classification) were included in this study. At the beginning of the procedure, a circular anal dilator was inserted into the anus. A side-to-end colorectal anastomosis was performed. A few mL of saline solution were injected into the rectum and the entire anastomotic line was directly explored. The appearance of bubbles was considered as an anastomotic defect and repaired with an interrupted suture. A fluorescence angiography after intravenous injection of indocyanine green was performed in order to evaluate the perfusion of the anastomosis. RESULTS: The reverse air leak test was positive in 4 cases (36.4%). The defect was repaired and a confirmation test was performed. In all patients, near-infrared evaluation showed no perfusion defect (grade 0) in low colorectal anastomosis. No postoperative fistula was detected in cohort study. A protective stoma was performed in 10 patients. On day 90, there were no complications and stoma closure was performed as planned. CONCLUSION: The reverse air leak test is a simple, feasible, and effective procedure to identify anastomotic leaks in low colorectal anastomoses.

Ex vivo nephron-sparing surgery and kidney autotransplantation for renal tumors.

The nephron-sparing techniques allow the excision of kidney tumors preserving renal function and ensuring adequate oncological results. We describe a case of a 77-year-old patient who underwent an ex vivo partial nephrectomy with orthotopic autotransplantation for kidney cancer. The postoperative course was marked by bleeding which required radiological embolization. Postoperative dialysis was required for about 1 month. The anatomopathological examination showed a clear cell carcinoma staged pT1b, pNX, R0. At 2 years follow-up, no recurrence was detected with a complete renal function restoration. Our experience shows that ex vivo nephron-sparing surgery with autotransplantation is a good alternative to total nephrectomy in the case of voluminous or perihilar tumors. Considering the high morbidity of this procedure, it should be only performed in specialized centers.

Follicular adenoma in ectopic thyroid. A case-report.

INTRODUCTION: The term ectopic thyroid refers to the presence of thyroid tissue located far from its usual anatomic placement and with no vascular connection to the main gland. The presence of swelling in atypical locations is diagnostically differentiated from other pathologies like pleomorphic adenoma or carcinoma, inflammatory lesions like sialadenitis, neurogenic tumors, paraganglioma, fibrolipoma and lymphadenopaties of diverse etiologies. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Here we present the case of a submandibular ectopic thyroid in a 67year old woman. She came to our attention for a left submandibular swelling. The anamnesis did not show related pathologies, as well as blood tests. Diagnostic image studies and a FNAC were performed. The mass was surgically removed and histopatology showed a follicular adenoma in the contest of the capsulated lesion. DISCUSSION: It is important to not underestimate these types of lesions and procede with hematochemical, instrumental tests and above all surgery that can eliminate any diagnostic uncertainty and on the whole be therapeutic. CONCLUSION: It should not be forgotten that ectopic thyroid tissue can be a site for adenoma or papillary carcinoma and thus any watch and wait strategy should be avoided.

A rare case of Wunderlich syndrome five days after left hemicolectomy for colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Wunderlich syndrome (WS) is a surgical emergency characterized by spontaneous, non-traumatic retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Angiomyolipoma (AML), a benign mesenchymal tumor, is the most frequent cause of WS. We present a case of WS, appearance five days after a left hemicolectomy for cancer. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 66 years-old man with a sigmoid adenocarcinoma and a small left AML (3.4cm) was undergone to left hemicolectomy. He was subjected to bridging therapy with high doses of low-molecular-weight heparin for prosthetic replacement of heart valve secondary to endocarditis and atrial fibrillation. Five days after surgery he presents retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to rupture of AML diagnosed by a CT scan and scintigraphy with labeled red blood cells. Total left nephrectomy was performed as the patient became unstable. DISCUSSION: Rupture of a renal AML is the main cause of WS. This risk increases with the size of the tumor (>4cm) and during pregnancy. CT scan is the best imaging modalities for diagnosis. The bridging therapy increases the perioperative bleeding risk. These patients are conservative treated with selective transarterial embolization. Nephrectomy is limited for the patients hemodynamically unstable or in case of failed embolization. CONCLUSION: This is a unusual case of WS after surgery in patients with small AML and treated with high dose of anticoagulant for cardiac disease. There are no other similar cases in literature.

Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the lung: A rare case of three small intestinal intussusceptions and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Sarcomatoid carcinoma is an extremely rare, biphasic tumor characterized by a combination of malignant epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Limited data showed that most cases occurred with advanced local disease and metastasis. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a rare case of a 60-year-old man with three small intestinal intussusceptions due to metastatic pulmonary carcinosarcoma. He was explored for chest pain and hemoptysis in Emergency room. Due to his chest symptoms he had a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest which showed a lesion about 60mm in diameter in the inferior lobe of the left lung. After 2 weeks physical examination demonstrated a distended abdomen and auscultation was indicated by hyperactive bowel sounds. Further imaging studies with abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan, showed multiple protruding small bowel tumors with entero enteric intussusceptions at three sites requiring a massive bowel resection at surgery. The pathology showed that it was positive for cytokeratin, vimentin, CD-34, and LIS; CK7 was focally positive; and CD117, CD20, and desmine were negative. The final diagnosis was metastatic small bowel carcinosarcoma with a lung primary. DISCUSSION: Lung carcinosarcoma is a high grade biphase neoplasm. The survival rate at 6 months is only around 27%. CONCLUSION: There are rare reports of small intestinal intussusceptions caused by metastatic lung carcinosarcoma, this presentation shows the third case in literature. Physicians should be more alert to symptoms or signs indicating GI metastais in patients with a history of lung cancer.