The Effect of Laparoscopic Technique on the Surgical Outcome of Colorectal Cancer in a Small-Volume Rural Finnish Lapland Central Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic colorectal surgery has become widely used in treating colorectal cancer. Multicenter studies have shown that laparoscopy decreases postoperative complications and provides equivalent long-term oncological results compared to open surgery. Previous studies were conducted in high-volume institutions, with selected patients, which may influence the reported outcome of laparoscopy. METHODS: All patients with colorectal cancer that underwent surgery for a primary tumor between 2005 and 2015 in the Lapland Central Hospital were retrospectively collected. We retrieved data on the primary surgical outcome and complications within the first 30 days after surgery from patient records. We surveyed the national patient registry to determine long-term oncological results and patient survival. RESULTS: We identified 349 patients treated for colorectal cancer during 2005-2015. Of these, 219 patients (median age 71 years) underwent laparoscopy and 130 (median age 72 years) underwent open surgery. The 5-year disease-specific survival rates for stages I-III colon cancer were 83.3 and 87.7%, respectively. The 3-year disease-specific survival rates for stages I-III rectal cancer were 86.1 and 65.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the introduction of laparoscopic colorectal surgery for treating cancer in a rural, small-volume hospital provided short- and long-term results comparable to findings from previous studies conducted in high-volume centers. Therefore, laparoscopy should be considered the treatment of choice for colorectal cancer in small, rural clinics.

Prospective, Randomized Study on the Use of Prosthetic Mesh to Prevent a Parastomal Hernia in a Permanent Colostomy: Results of a Long-term Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Parastomal hernias are common with permanent colostomies and prone to complications. The short-term results of trials of parastomal hernia prevention are widely published, but long-term results are scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to detect the long-term effects and safety of preventive intra-abdominal parastomal mesh. DESIGN: This is a long-term follow-up of a previous prospective randomized, controlled multicenter trial. SETTINGS: This study was conducted at 2 university hospitals and 3 central hospitals in Finland. PATIENTS: Patients who had a laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer between 2010 and 2013 were included in the study and invited for a follow-up visit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes measured were clinical and radiological parastomal hernias. RESULTS: Twenty subjects in the mesh group and 15 in the control group attended the follow-up visit with a median follow-up period of 65 (25th-75th percentiles, 49-91) months. A clinically detectable parastomal hernia was present in 4 of 20 (20.0%) and 5 of 15 (33.3%) subjects in the mesh and control groups (p = 0.45). A radiological parastomal hernia was present in 9 of 19 (45.0%) subjects in the mesh group and 7 of 12 (58.3%) subjects in the control group (p = 0.72). However, when all subjects (n = 70, 1:1) who attended the 12-month follow-up were screened for long-term results according to register data, 9 of 35 (25.9%) subjects in the mesh group and 16 of 35 (45.6%) subjects in control group were diagnosed with a parastomal hernia during the follow-up period (p = 0.10). In addition, only 1 of 35 (2.7%) subjects in the mesh group but 6 of 35 (17.1%) subjects in the control group underwent a parastomal hernia operation during the long-term follow-up (p = 0.030). LIMITATIONS: The study is limited by the small number of patients. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic intra-abdominal keyhole mesh did not decrease the rate of clinically detectable hernias but reduced the need for the surgical repair of parastomal hernias. Further trials are needed to identify a more efficient method to prevent parastomal hernias. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B171. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT02368873. ESTUDIO PROSPECTIVO ALEATORIZADO SOBRE EL USO DE MALLA PROTÉSICA PARA PREVENIR UNA HERNIA PARAESTOMAL EN UNA COLOSTOMÍA PERMANENTE: RESULTADOS DE UN SEGUIMIENTO A LARGO PLAZO: PREVENCIÓN DE HERNIA PARAESTOMAL, NEOPLASIA COLORRECTAL/ANAL: Las hernias paraestomales son comunes con colostomías permanentes y son propensas a complicaciones. Los resultados a corto plazo de los ensayos sobre la prevención de la hernia parastomal se publican ampliamente, pero los resultados a largo plazo son escasos.El objetivo del estudio es detectar los efectos a largo plazo y la seguridad de la malla parastomal intraabdominal preventiva.Este es un seguimiento a largo plazo de un estudio aleatorizado prospectivo, controlado y multicentrico previo.Este estudio se realizó en dos hospitales universitarios y tres hospitales centrales en Finlandia.Los pacientes que se sometieron a una resección abdominoperineal laparoscópica por cáncer de recto 2010-2013 fueron incluidos en el estudio e invitados a una visita de seguimiento.Hernias parastomales clínicas y radiológicas.Veinte sujetos en el grupo de malla y 15 en el grupo control asistieron a la visita de seguimiento con una mediana de seguimiento de 65 meses (25-75 ° percentil 49-91). Una hernia paraestomal clínicamente detectable estuvo presente en 4/20 (20.0%) y 5/15 (33.3%) en los grupos de malla y control, respectivamente (p = 0.45). Una hernia parastomal radiológica estuvo presente en 9/19 (45.0%) en el grupo de malla y 7/12 (58.3%) en el grupo de control (p = 0.72). Sin embargo, cuando todos los sujetos (n = 70, 1: 1) que asistieron a los 12 meses de seguimiento fueron evaluados para obtener resultados a largo plazo de acuerdo con los datos del registro, 9/35 (25.9%) sujetos en el grupo de malla y 16/35 (45,6%) sujetos en el grupo control fueron diagnosticados con una hernia paraestomal durante el período de seguimiento (p = 0,10). Además, solo 1/35 (2.7%) en el grupo de malla pero 6/35 (17.1%) en el grupo control se sometieron a una operación de hernia paraestomal durante el seguimiento a largo plazo (p = 0.030).El estudio está limitado por un pequeño número de pacientes.La malla intra-abdominal profiláctica en ojo de cerradura no disminuyó la tasa de hernias clínicamente detectables, pero redujo la necesidad de la reparación quirúrgica de las hernias paraestomales. Se necesitan ensayos adicionales para identificar un método más eficiente para prevenir las hernias parastomales. Vea el resumen del video en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B171. (Traducción-Dr. Gonzalo Hagerman).NCT02368873.

The effect of interventions on appropriate use of lumbar spine radiograph and CT examinations in young adults and children: a three-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: According to international guidelines, radiological examinations of the lumbar spine are of limited value and do not improve clinical outcome unless there are clinical red flags present suggesting serious pathology. Nevertheless, the utilization of lumbar spine imaging remains high. PURPOSE: To follow up the effects of active referral guideline implementation and education on the number and appropriateness of lumbar spine radiographs and computed tomography (CT) examinations in young patients and to evaluate whether the appropriate radiographs have more significant findings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Referral guidelines for spine examinations and info pocket cards on radiation protection were distributed to referring practitioners. Educational lectures were provided annually. The number of lumbar spine radiographs and CT examinations on patients aged <35 years was analyzed before and three years after the interventions. Appropriateness and findings of 313 radiographs and appropriateness of 117 CT scans of the lumbar spine were assessed. RESULTS: The number of lumbar spine radiographs and CT scans decreased significantly after the interventions and the level remained unchanged during the follow-up (-33% and -72%, respectively, P < 0.001). Appropriateness improved significantly in radiographs from 2005 to 2009 (65% vs. 85%) and in CT scans already from 2005 to 2007 (23% vs. 63%). Radiographs that were in accordance with the guidelines had more significant findings compared to radiographs that were not; in young adults, this was 56% versus 21% (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A combination of interventions can achieve a sustained reduction in the number of lumbar spine examinations and improve appropriateness. Inappropriate lumbar spine radiographs do not seem to contain significant findings that would affect patient care.

Justification and active guideline implementation for spine radiography referrals in primary care.

Background Spinal disorders are a major public health problem. Appropriate diagnostic imaging is an essential part in the management of back complaints. Nevertheless, inappropriate imaging increases population collective dose and health costs without improving outcome. Purpose To determine the effects of active implementation of referral guidelines on the number and justification of spine radiography in primary care in one city. Material and Methods Specified guidelines for spine radiography were distributed to referring practitioners altogether three times during the study period. Educational lectures were provided before the guidelines were taken into use. The guidelines were also made available via the intranet. The number of spine radiography referrals during similar 6-month periods in the year preceding the interventions and the following 2 years was analyzed. Justification of 448 spine radiographs was assessed similarly. Results After interventions, the total number of spine radiography examinations decreased by 48% (P < 0.001) and that of cervical spine radiography by 46% ( P < 0.001), thoracic spine by 53% ( P < 0.001), and lumbar spine by 47% ( P < 0.001). The results persisted after 1-year follow-up. Before interventions, 24% of the cervical, 46% of the thoracic, and 32% of the lumbar spine radiography referrals were justified. After interventions, only justification of lumbar spine radiography improved significantly, 64% being justified ( P = 0.005). Conclusion Spine radiography in primary care can be reduced significantly by active referral guideline implementation. The proportion of inappropriate radiography was unexpectedly high. Thus, further education and studies concerning the appropriate use of spinal radiography seems to be needed.

The "Air in the CT X-ray Tube Oil" Artifact-Examples of the Quality Control Images and the Evaluation of Four Potential Clinical Patients' Head Computed Tomography Cases.

We present a newly reposted scanner-based artifact-with 4 potential patients' head computed tomography (CT) cases-the "Air in the CT X-ray Tube Oil" artifact with a 64-slice multidetector CT. This artifact mimics diseases, which cause hypodense findings in CT images. It can be difficult to notice in the clinical patient imaging but can be also very difficult to verify in quality control tests.