The prognostic impact of bowel perforation following self-expanding metal stent as a bridge to surgery in colorectal cancer obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) as a bridge to surgery for obstructive colorectal cancer may cause perforation of the tumor and thereby induce tumor spread and increase risk of recurrence, and eventually death. Evidence of the prognostic impact of SEMS-related perforation is, however, sparse. We conducted a long-term follow-up study to compare characteristics, overall survival, and recurrence rates between patients with and without SEMS-related bowel perforation. METHOD: This long-term follow-up study included obstructive colorectal cancer patients treated with SEMS as a bridge to surgery during a 10-year period at two primary and tertiary referral centers. The primary outcome was overall survival, and the secondary outcome was recurrence. We compared mortality and recurrence in patients with and without SEMS-related perforations by Cox proportion hazard regression, adjusting for age, comorbidity, and disease stage. The recurrence risk was examined for patients undergoing curative resection and computed treating death as a competing risk. RESULTS: From January 2004 to December 2013, 123 patients were treated with SEMS as a bridge to surgery. Of these patients, 15 (12%) had SEMS-related perforations. Median follow-up was 4.8 years (range 0.0-10.9 years). The overall 5-year survival was 58% for the entire cohort, but 37 and 61% for patients with and without perforations, respectively, corresponding to an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.6 (95% CI 0.8-3.3) in favor of patient without perforation. The overall 5-year recurrence rate was 34%, but 45 and 33% for patients with and without perforation, respectively, corresponding to an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.4 (95% CI 0.5-3.7) in disfavor of patients with perforation. CONCLUSION: SEMS-related perforations are common and may be associated with decreased survival and increased recurrence, although estimates in this study were imprecise.

Solubility of indium-tin oxide in simulated lung and gastric fluids: Pathways for human intake.

From being a metal with very limited natural distribution, indium (In) has recently become disseminated throughout the human society. Little is known of how In compounds behave in the natural environment, but recent medical studies link exposure to In compounds to elevated risk of respiratory disorders. Animal tests suggest that exposure may lead to more widespread damage in the body, notably the liver, kidneys and spleen. In this paper, we investigate the solubility of the most widely used In compound, indium-tin oxide (ITO) in simulated lung and gastric fluids in order to better understand the potential pathways for metals to be introduced into the bloodstream. Our results show significant potential for release of In and tin (Sn) in the deep parts of the lungs (artificial lysosomal fluid) and digestive tract, while the solubility in the upper parts of the lungs (the respiratory tract or tracheobronchial tree) is very low. Our study confirms that ITO is likely to remain as solid particles in the upper parts of the lungs, but that particles are likely to slowly dissolve in the deep lungs. Considering the prolonged residence time of inhaled particles in the deep lung, this environment is likely to provide the major route for uptake of In and Sn from inhaled ITO nano- and microparticles. Although dissolution through digestion may also lead to some uptake, the much shorter residence time is likely to lead to much lower risk of uptake.

Reconstruction of short bowel syndrome after internal hernia in a pregnant woman with previous bariatric surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Bariatric surgery is most often performed with the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. A complication to the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is internal hernia, which occurs in up to 16% of the patients. Since the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is performed in women of fertile age, internal hernia may occur during pregnancy. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 22-year old woman with a history of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass suffered from massive internal hernia during pregnancy with widespread bowel necrosis. Extensive surgery was performed leaving the patient with an intact duodenum, 15cm of jejunum, 35cm of ileum and colon. Parenteral nutrition was initiated and ten months after the internal hernia, intestinal continuity was re-established. Ten weeks later the patient reached parenteral nutrition independence. DISCUSSION: Internal hernia after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can be difficult to diagnose, especially during pregnancy and might be severe and life threatening for both mother and child. CONCLUSION: Obstetricians and abdominal surgeons must be aware of this condition. Surgery should be performed on a wide indication. When bowel necrosis is found it should be resected and in case of extensive bowel resection the patient should be evaluated in centres specialized in intestinal failure.

Danish national guidelines for treatment of diverticular disease.

In order to elaborate evidence-based, national Danish guidelines for the treatment of diverticular disease the literature was reviewed concerning the epidemiology, staging, diagnosis and treatment of diverticular disease in all its aspects. The presence of colonic diverticula, which is considered to be a mucosal herniation through the intestinal muscle wall, is inversely correlated to the intake of dietary fibre. Other factors in the genesis of diverticular disease may be physical inactivity, obesity, and use of NSAIDs or acetaminophen. Diverticulosis is most common in Western countries with a prevalence of 5% in the population aged 30-39 years and 60% in the part of the population > 80 years. The incidence of hospitalization for acute diverticulitis is 71/100,000 and the incidence of complicated diverticulitis is 3.5-4/100,000. Acute diverticulitis is conveniently divided into uncomplicated and complicated diverticulitis. Complicated diverticulitis is staged by the Hinchey classification 1-4 (1: mesocolic/pericolic abscess, 2: pelvic abscess, 3: purulent peritonitis, 4: faecal peritonitis). Diverticulitis is suspected in case of lower left quadrant abdominal pain and tenderness associated with fever and raised WBC and/or CRP; but the clinical diagnosis is not sufficiently precise. Abdominal CT confirms the diagnosis and enables the classification of the disease according to Hinchey. The distinction between Hinchey 3 and 4 is done by laparoscopy or, when not possible, by laparotomy. Uncomplicated diverticulitis is treated by conservative means. There is no evidence of any beneficial effect of antibiotics in uncomplicated diverticulitis, but antibiotics may be used in selected cases depending on the overall condition of the patients and the severity of the infection. Abscess formation is best treated by US- or CT-guided drainage in combination with antibiotics. When the abscess is < 3 cm in diameter, drainage may be unnecessary, and only antibiotics should be instituted. The surgical treatment of acute perforated diverticulitis has interchanged between resection and non-resection strategies: The three-stage procedure dominating in the beginning of the 20th century was later replaced by the Hartmann procedure or, alternatively, resection of the sigmoid with primary anastomosis. Lately a non-resection strategy consisting of laparoscopy with peritoneal lavage and drainage has been introduced in the treatment of Hinchey stage 3 disease. Evidence so far for the lavage regime is promising, comparing favourably with resection strategies, but lacking in solid proof by randomized, controlled investigations. In recent years, morbidity has declined in complicated diverticulitis due to improved diagnostics and new treatment modalities. Recurrent diverticulitis is relatively rare and furthermore often uncomplicated than previously assumed. Elective surgery in diverticular disease should probably be limited to symptomatic cases not amenable to conservative measures, since prophylactic resection of the sigmoid, evaluated from present evidence, confers unnecessary risks in terms of morbidity and mortality to the individual as well as unnecessary costs to society. Any recommendation for routine resection following multiple cases of diverticulitis should await results of randomized studies. Laparoscopic resection is preferred in case of need for elective surgery. When malignancy is ruled out preoperatively, a sigmoid resection with preservation of the inferior mesenteric artery, oral division of colon in soft compliant tissue and anastomosis to upper rectum is recommended. Fistulae to bladder or vagina, or stenosis of the colon may be dealt with according to symptoms and comorbidity. Resection of the diseased segment of colon is preferred when possible and safe; alternatively, a diverting stoma can be the best solution.