[Follow-up after surgical treatment of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis: results in a southern Spanish population]. / Seguimiento posquirúrgico de los pacientes con poliposis adenomatosa familiar: resultados en una población del sur de España.

OBJECTIVE: The study was to assess changes in the rectal mucosa and pouch in a series of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) who underwent either subtotal colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) or proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA), and to evaluate the suitability of the follow-up interval and postoperative treatment employed to prevent the development of cancer. METHOD: This study involved 28 patients with FAP who underwent IRA (n=20) or IPAA (n=8), and were followed endoscopically over a mean period of 7.47 years. The number and both macroscopic and histological features of polyps before and after surgery, the treatment, and complications were all analyzed. The suitability of the follow-up interval was assessed. RESULTS: None of the 26 patients who complied with follow-up developed rectal cancer. Two patients developed rectal cancer at 21 and 36 months after withdrawing from the protocol. Except in two cases in which surgery was indicated, patients who developed adenomas during follow-up were treated by endoscopic polypectomy. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, the failure to comply with follow-up examinations was associated with cancer development.

Seguimiento posquirúrgico de los pacientes con poliposis adenomatosa familiar: resultados en una población del sur de España / Follow-up after surgical treatment of patients with familial adenomtous polyposis: Results in a Southern Spanish population

Objetivo: analizar la evolución de la mucosa rectal y del reservorioasí como idoneidad de los intervalos de seguimiento y deltratamiento realizado para evitar la aparición del cáncer, en unaserie de pacientes con poliposis adenomatosa familiar (PAF), intervenidos.Método: estudio prospectivo de 28 pacientes con PAF intervenidosmediante anastomosis íleo-rectal (20 pacientes) y anastomosisíleo-anal con reservorio (8 pacientes). A todos se les habíarealizado un control endoscópico dos veces al año y análisis delnúmero y características macroscópicas e histológicas de los póliposantes y después de la cirugía así como del tratamiento realizado,de sus complicaciones y de la adecuación del intervalo de seguimiento.El seguimiento medio fue de 6,47 años (DE = 4,59;rango = 0,72-16,75 años).Resultados: ninguno de los 26 pacientes que cumplimentaroncorrectamente el protocolo de seguimiento desarrolló cáncer.Sólo dos pacientes lo desarrollaron al 1,75 y los 3 años, respectivamentedel abandono del protocolo. Los pacientes que desarrollaronadenomas durante el seguimiento fueron tratados con éxitomediante polipectomía endoscópica, salvo en dos casos que se indicócirugía.Conclusiones: en nuestra serie, el incumplimiento de las revisionesha sido el factor que ha condicionado la aparición de cáncer

Objective: the study was to assess changes in the rectal mucosaand pouch in a series of patients with familial adenomatouspolyposis (FAP) who underwent either subtotal colectomy and ileorectalanastomosis (IRA) or proctocolectomy and ileal pouchanalanastomosis (IPAA), and to evaluate the suitability of the follow-up interval and postoperative treatment employed to preventthe development of cancer.Method: this study involved 28 patients with FAP who underwentIRA (n=20) or IPAA (n=8), and were followed endoscopicallyover a mean period of 7.47 years. The number and bothmacroscopic and histological features of polyps before and aftersurgery, the treatment, and complications were all analyzed. Thesuitability of the follow-up interval was assessed.Results: none of the 26 patients who complied with follow-updeveloped rectal cancer. Two patients developed rectal cancer at21 and 36 months after withdrawing from the protocol. Except intwo cases in which surgery was indicated, patients who developedadenomas during follow-up were treated by endoscopic polypectomy.Conclusions: in our series, the failure to comply with followupexaminations was associated with cancer development

[Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. Reality in the intra- and extra-community clinical nutritional practice]. / La gastrostomía endoscópica percutánea. Realidad en la práctica nutricional clínica intra y extrahospitalaria.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to review our experience during 8 years in the use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and its application in home enteral nutrition (HEN). MATERIAL: We studied 207 patients (56 women and 151 men) who had undergone a PEG from the beginning of 1994 to the end of 2002 as they needed prolonged enteral nutrition (> 4 weeks). In those cases in which home enteral nutrition was programmed, the patients/relatives were trained in the techniques and care of the PEG and EN, and the control was done through the nutrition out-patient clinic. RESULTS: Mean duration time of the PEG was 640 days and 175 patients (84.6%) needed PEG for more than 60 days and 135 for more than 6 months. Mean calorie supply was 1,730 +/- 288 Kcal/day. Administration mode was by intermittent infusion due to seriousness in 162 cases and continuous infusion through volemetric pump in 45 patients. In 2 patients with hyperemesis gravidarum, percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEGJ) was done in the 3rd and 4th month of pregnancy, the pregnancy finishing successfully by vaginal delivery. Performance of PEG facilitated hospital discharge and programming of home enteral nutrition in 195 patients (94%). The most frequent complications were gastrostomy infection that occurred in 41 patients and the appearance of granuloma in the ostomy in 34 cases. Only one patient died in direct relationship due to peritonitis after PEG. CONCLUSION: Our study includes the advantages of PEG as an enteral nutrition technique, permitting the establishment of a home enteral nutrition program with limited incidence of complications and very low mortality.

Results of an upper endoscopy protocol in liver transplant candidates.

OBJECTIVE: our aims is to understand endoscopic findings from a preoperative systematic study of patients with hepatic cirrhosis who were candidates for transplantation and their impact on a protocol for primary and secondary prophylaxis of variceal haemorrhage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: this study involves a retrospective evaluation of upper digestive tract lesions detected before inclusion and a prospective evaluation of new episodes of variceal haemorrhage, associated mortality rates, and factors that are likely to be involved in the development of this condition. Primary prophylaxis with beta-blockers was considered indicated in cases of varices of grande II or greater or with signs associated with increased risk. Secondary prophylaxis was essentially always associated with medical and endoscopic treatment. RESULTS: of 134 patients, there were 9 deaths, with a median time on the waiting list of 3 months. Of all patients, 33.6% presented with high risk oesophageal varices, 11.2 % with gastric varices, 42.6% with portal hypertensive gastropathy, and 26.9% with peptic lesions. Primary prophylaxis was indicated in 33 of 90 patients, and was initiated in almost half of the cases as a results of the study. Optimum fulfiment of the pre-established objectives was 75.3%. The incidence of new haemorrhagic events due to varices was 10.4% and accounted for almost half of the deaths during the monitoring period. The only statistically significant predictive factors were the presence of gastrict varices and previous history. CONCLUSION: upper endoscopy should play a role in the preoperative examination of liver transplant candidates due to the significant impact it has on subsequent management.

Validity of early colonoscopy for the treatment of adenomas missed by initial endoscopic examination.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the features of adenomas identified in a first endoscopic examination may predict the presence of polyps with advanced pathological features that may have gone unnoticed and whether early colonoscopy may benefit these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 133 patients with diagnosis of colonic adenomas who had undergone complete colonoscopy and endoscopic polypectomy. All of them underwent colonoscopic follow-up at 3 years. Seventy nine patients underwent colonoscopic follow-up both at 6 months and at 3 years, while 54 patients underwent just colonoscopic follow-up at 3 years and 47 just at 6 months. RESULTS: Fifteen per cent of the patients analyzed developed polyps with pathological features after 6 months. The size and histological analysis of the polyps detected in the initial colonoscopic examination did not affect these results (p < 0.05). The number of polyps was statistically significant: patients with 3 or more polyps in the initial colonoscopic examination presented more polyps with pathological features after six months (25.8 versus 5.8%, p = 0002). This follow-up examination at 3 years did not reveal a higher occurrence of polyps with pathological features in any of the two groups of patients, namely, those who had undergone early colonoscopy and those who had not. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with multiple polyps have greater probability of developing synchronous polyps with some pathological features which may have gone unnoticed. Since early examination has not shown to provide a benefit for these patients, the first follow-up colonoscopy should be performed at 3 years, particularly if the initial colonoscopy is negative.

[Psittacosis of avian origin as etiology of community-acquired pneumonia with severe onset]. / Psitacosis de origen aviar como etiología de neumonías extrahospitalarias de presentación grave.

We present two cases of community acquired pneumonia (extra-hospital) of severe onset, secondary to Chlamydia psittaci of avian origin. Each patient have bought a parakeet in the same pet-shop, and took care of them personally. Both developed a respiratory insufficiency, one of them needing mechanical ventilation. Out of nine relatives to whom serological determinations were performed, there was evidence of infection in two of them, but only one referred an auto-limited febrile syndrome during that period of time. Psittacosis incidence is discussed as origin of community acquired pneumonias, as well as its epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment.