Technical considerations depending on the level of vascular ligation in laparoscopic rectal resection.

AIM: In addition to ischemia there is also anastomotic ends tension proven to be a risk factor for anastomotic leak. HT vascular ligation is accepted as a rule, in attempt to achieve tension-free anastomosis. LT is a preferred option, based on the more accurate preservation of proximal intestinal segment microperfusion and lower risk of damage to the hypogastric plexus. The aim of this study is evaluation of comparative indicators in high tie (HT) and low tie (LT) laparoscopic rectal resections. METHODS: A prospective nonrandomized comparative cohort study of patients in our department with cancer of the rectum in clinical stage I-III, operated on in laparoscopic approach over a 6-years period. RESULTS: For the period 2015-2020, a number of 208 laparoscopic surgeries have been done for rectal cancer. Patients were divided into three groups-group A with HT vascular ligation 116 pts. (69%), group B-53 pts. (25%), underwent low ligation-LT and group C-39pts. (19%) low tie plus lymph node dissection of the apical LN group (LT-appic LND). The distribution was made without randomization, based on the operators' expertise. Anastomotic leaks were 3.8% in group A, 3.0% in group B and 2.9% in group C (p > 0.05) with no significance difference. There is no significant difference in the number of lymph nodes obtained in group A and group B, while in group C the number of the harvested lymph nodes was higher (p < 0.05). The indicators for intestinal / defecation dysfunction, as well as for urinary/sexual dysfunction, according to our data, are significantly more favorable in patients with LT, in contrast to the other two groups. CONCLUSION: HT vascular ligation attempts to achieve tension-free anastomosis and more harvested lymph nodes. However, LT could be a preferred option, based on the lack of significant evidence for a difference in specific oncological survival and due to more accurate preservation of proximal intestinal segment microperfusion to prevent anastomosis dehiscence, also for its lower risk of damage to the hypogastric plexus. Splenic flexure mobilization provides elongation of the proximal intestinal segment, but has no proven effect on anastomotic leakage incidence. It increases surgical duration and is in fact necessary in up to 30% of the cases. At the present moment there is no precise data whether LT has an advantage in terms of prevention of autonomic nervous and urogenital dysfunction. New prospective randomized and highly probative studies are needed to standardize the procedures in specific clinical situations.

Clinical and prognostic significance of pathological and inflammatory markers in the surgical treatment of locally advanced colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Locally advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) may vary in its clinical and pathological appearance. It is now accepted that progression of disease in patients with locally advanced CRC is determined not only by local tumor characteristics but also by the immune system and inflammatory response in the body. METHODS: We investigated patients with confirmed CRC who were treated in the surgical clinic at the University Hospital Alexandrovska over a 10-year period and retrospectively evaluated the histological features of the preoperative biopsies and operative specimens removed during radical multivisceral resections. We also collected prospective data for serum C-reactive protein levels and Jass-Klintrup score, Petersen Index score, and Glasgow Prognostic Score in patients with locally advanced CRC. RESULTS: Of 1,105 patients with CRC, 327 (29.6%) were diagnosed with locally advanced disease. In total, 108 combined multivisceral resections (79 for primary tumors and 29 for recurrent tumors) were performed. Overall survival was 34 months for pR0 cases and 12 months for pR1 cases (P<0.05). Our data confirmed that C-reactive protein is a prognostic marker of overall survival. Data for 48 patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced tumors showed significantly increased survival with a higher Jass-Klintrup score (P=0.037). In patients with node-negative disease, 5-year survival was 49%. However, where there were high-risk pathological characteristics according to the Petersen Index, survival was similar to that for node-positive disease (P=0.702). Our data also showed a significant difference in survival between groups divided according to whether they had a modified Glasgow Prognostic Score of 1 or 2 (P=0.031). CONCLUSION: In order to maintain a reasonable balance between an aggressive approach and so-called meaningless "surgical exorbitance", we should focus on certain histopathological and inflammatory markers that can be identified as additional factors for planning the type and volume of surgical treatment.

ANESTHESIA CHARACTERISTICS OF A PATIENT WITH HYPERKALEMIC PERIODIC PARALYSIS--CASE REPORT.

We report a case of a successfully conducted anesthesia, without complications of a patient with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy for chronic calculous cholecystitis. The perioperative considerations, the characteristics of anesthesia, and the factors that can lead to complications in this rare genetic disorder are discussed.