Atrial dimension reference values in healthy participants using the biplane/monoplane method for clinical and research use.

AIM: To provide reference values of the dimensions of the left and right atrium (RA) obtained using the biplane and monoplane methods, respectively, on two- and four-chamber views, which represent the standard projections acquired in clinical practice, and correlation with body surface area (BSA), age, and gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy volunteers, M:F = 1:1, including five participants per gender and age decile from 20 to 70 years, who underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) were enrolled prospectively. Normal atrial reference values were calculated for male and female subpopulations and stratified by age. Atrial areas and volumes were assessed both as absolute values and indexed to BSA. Differences among genders and correlation with age were assessed. Intra- and interobserver reproducibility were assessed in a subpopulation. RESULTS: Fifty participants (mean age 43.3 ± 14 years, 25 men) were evaluated. Image analysis took <1 minute for each subject (mean time 30 ± 5 seconds). Intra- and interobserver reproducibility were excellent (ICC >0.85 for all datasets). RA areas were significantly higher in males (p=0.0001). The left atrial (LA) surface did not show significant differences among genders. Atrial areas normalised to BSA did not show significant gender differences. Both right and left absolute atrial volumes turned out to be significantly higher in males (p=0.0001 and p=0.0047, respectively), and normalised to BSA remained significantly different only for the RA (p=0.0006). Neither atrial volume nor areas showed significant correlation with age. CONCLUSIONS: The monoplane method is a fast and reproducible technique to assess atrial dimensions. Absolute atrial dimensions show significant variations among genders. Gender-specific reference ranges for atrial dimensions are recommended.

Five-year recurrence after endoscopic approach to pilonidal sinus disease: A multicentre experience.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the 5-year recurrence rate of pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) after endoscopic sinusectomy and identify risk factors for recurrence. METHODS: All consecutive patients from September 2011 through December 2017 who underwent endoscopic sinusectomy at seven referral centres for pilonidal sinus treatment were retrospectively analysed from a prospectively maintained database. RESULTS: Out of 290 patients (185 males versus 105 female, with a mean age of 25.5±6.9), 73 presented recurrence at 5-year follow-up with a recurrence rate of 25.2%. The number of pilonidal sinus with pits off the midline (p = 0.001) and the mean (SD) distance from the most lateral orifice to the midline (p = 0.001) were higher in the group of patients with recurrence at 5-year follow-up. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the position of the pits off the midline (p = 0.001) and the distance of the most lateral orifice from the midline (p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for recurrence at 5-year follow-up. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the distance of lateral orifice from midline predicted an 82.2% possibility of recurrence at 5-year follow-up and Youden's test identified the best cut-off as 2 cm for this variable. Out of 195 cases with the most lateral orifice less than 2 cm from the midline, 13 presented recurrence at 5-year follow-up with a recurrence rate of 6.7%. Out of 95 cases with the most lateral orifice more than 2 cm from midline, 60 showed recurrence at 5-year follow-up with a recurrence rate of 63.2%. CONCLUSIONS: This data may help guide which disease characteristics predict the optimal use of an endoscopic pilonidal sinus technique.

Consensus statement of the Italian society of colorectal surgery (SICCR): management and treatment of pilonidal disease.

Pilonidal disease (PD) is a relatively common, benign but challenging condition of the natal cleft. This consensus statement was drawn up by a panel of surgeons, identified by the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR) as having a "special interest" in PD, with the aim of recommending the best therapeutic options according to currently available scientific evidence. A three-step modified-Delphi process was adopted, implying: (1) choice of the panelists; (2) development of a discussion outline and of target issues; and (3) a detailed systematic review of the current literature. The agreement/disagreement level was scored on a five-point Likert scale as follows: "A + : strongly agree; A-: agree; N: unsure/no opinion; D-: disagree; D + : strongly disagree. Each panelist contributed to the production of this manuscript, and the final recommendations were reviewed by the Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee.

Internet and social media use among patients with colorectal diseases (ISMAEL): a nationwide survey.

AIM: Social media are used daily by both healthcare workers and patients. Online platforms have the potential to provide patients with useful information, increase their engagement and potentially revolutionize the patient-physician relationship. This survey aimed to evaluate the impact of the Internet and social media (I&SM) on patients affected by colorectal and proctological diseases to define a pathway to develop an evidence-based communications strategy. METHOD: A 31-item anonymous electronic questionnaire was designed. It consisted of different sections concerning demographics and education, reason for the visit, knowledge of the diseases, frequency of I&SM use and patients' opinions about physicians' websites. RESULTS: Over a 5-month period, 37 centres and 105 surgeons took part in the survey, and a total of 5800 patients enrolled. Approximately half of them reported using the Internet daily, and 74.6% of the study population used it at least once per week. There was a correlation (P < 0.001) between those who used the Internet for work and those who had knowledge of both symptoms and the likely diagnosis before consultation. Patients who used the Internet daily were more likely to request a consultation within 6 months of symptom onset (P < 0.0001). Patients with anorectal diseases were more likely to know about their disease and symptoms before the visit (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Colorectal patients use I&SM to look for health-related information mainly after their medical visit. Surgeons and hospital networks should plan a tailored strategy to increase patient engagement, delivering appropriate information on social media.

Full robotic Hartmann's reversal: technical aspects and preliminary experience.

AIM: Laparoscopic Hartmann's reversal (HR) is a major abdominal operation that is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The robotic approach, with its intrinsic advantages, could potentially overcome the technical complexity of laparoscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term results of a series of 24 robotic HR cases. METHOD: The data from 24 patients who underwent robotic HR between September 2016 and July 2019 at two different institutions were prospectively collected and retrospectively analysed. A full robotic single-docking reversal procedure with intracorporeal anastomosis was performed in all patients. RESULTS: The mean age and body mass index of the patients were 69 years and 26 kg/m2 , respectively. Of the patients, 58% were ≥ 70 years old and 42% had comorbidities (mean Charlson Comorbidity Index 3). The mean operating time was 240 min. There were no cases of conversion to the open or laparoscopic approach. No diverting loop ileostomies were constructed. The mean length of hospital stay was 6 days. Minor complications were recorded in three patients. Neither major complications nor 30-day readmissions were registered. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic HR is a feasible and safe procedure. The robotic approach has low rates of major complications and conversion and could potentially increase the number of patients undergoing HR.

Mid-transverse colon cancer and extended versus transverse colectomy: Results of the Italian society of surgical oncology colorectal cancer network (SICO CCN) multicenter collaborative study.

INTRODUCTION: Transverse colon cancer (TCC) is poorly studied, and TCC cases are often excluded from large prospective randomized trials because of their complexity and their potentially high complication rate. The best surgical approach for TCC has yet to be established. The aim of this large retrospective multicenter Italian series is to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of both hemicolectomy and transverse colectomy in order to identify the best surgical approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with mid-transverse colon cancer treated with a segmental colon resection or an extended hemicolectomy (right or left) between 2006 and 2016 in 28 high-volume (more than 70 procedures/year) Italian referral centers for colorectal surgery. RESULTS: The study included 1529 patients, 388 of whom underwent a segmental resection while 1141 underwent an extended resection. A higher number of complications has been reported in the segmental group than in the extended group (30.1% versus 23.6%; p 0.010). In 42 cases the main complication was the anastomotic leak (4.4% versus 2.2%; p 0.020). Recovery outcomes also showed statistical differences: time to first flatus (p 0.014), time to first mobilization (p 0.040), and overall hospital stay (p < 0.001) were significantly shorter in the extended group. Even if overall survival were similar between the groups (95.1% versus 97%; p 0.384), 3-year disease-free survival worsened after segmental resection (78.1% versus 86.2%; p 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, an extended right colon resection for TCC seems to be surgically safer and more oncologically valid.

Fashioning enterotomy closure after totally laparoscopic ileocolic anastomosis for right colon cancer: a multicenter experience.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy is a commonly performed procedure. Little is known on how to perform the enterotomy closure after stapled side-to-side intracorporeal anastomosis. METHOD: A multicentric case-controlled study has been designed to compare different ways to fashion enterotomy closure: double layer versus single layer, sewn versus stapled, and robotic versus laparoscopic approach. Furthermore, additional characteristics including sutures' materials, interrupted versus running suture and the presence of deep corner suture has been investigated. RESULTS: We collected data for 1092 patients who underwent right hemicolectomy at ten centers. We analyzed 176 robotic against 916 laparoscopic anastomosis: no significant differences were found in terms of bleedings (p = 0.455) and anastomotic leak (p = 0.405). We collected data from 126 laparoscopic sewn single-layer versus 641 laparoscopic sewn double-layer anastomosis: a significant reduction was recorded in terms of leaks in double-layer group (p = 0.02). About double-layer characteristics, we found a significant reduction of bleedings (p = 0.008) and leaks (p = 0.017) with a running suture; similarly, a reduction of bleedings (p = 0.001) and leaks (p = 0.005) was observed with the usage of deep corner closure. The presence of a barbed suture thread seemed to significantly reduce both bleedings (p = 0.001) and leaks (p = 0.001). We found no significant differences in terms of bleedings (p = 0.245) and anastomotic leak (p = 0.660) comparing sewn versus stapled anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS: Fashioning a stapled ileocolic intracorporeal anastomosis, we can recommend the adoption of a double-layer enterotomy closure using a running barbed suture in the first layer. Totally, stapled closure and robotic assistance have to be considered a non-inferior alternative.

Sterile carbon particle suspension vs India ink for endoscopic tattooing of colonic lesions: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Different markers have been used preoperatively to mark colonic lesions, especially India ink. In recent years, another kind of marker has been developed: sterile carbon particle suspension (SCPS). No comparison between these two markers has yet been made. The aim of the present study was to compare the pyrogenic, inflammatory and intraperitoneal effect of these two markers. METHODS: From September 2015 to December 2018, adult patients who were candidates for elective laparoscopic colon resection were randomized to the SCPS or conventional India ink injection group using computer-based randomization. The primary endpoint of the study was the presence of intraoperative adhesions related to the endoscopic tattoo. Secondary endpoints were differences in white blood cell, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen levels as well as, abdominal pain and body temperature at baseline (before endoscopic tattooing) and 6 and 24 h after colonoscopy. Finally, the visibility of the tattoo during the minimally invasive intervention was assessed. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients were included in the study, 47 for each arm. There were 45/94 females (47.9%) and 49/94 males (52.1%), with a median age of 67.85 ± 9.22 years. No differences were found between groups in WBC, fibrinogen levels, body temperature or VAS scores, but we documented significantly higher CRP values at 6 and 24 h after endoscopic tattooing with India ink injection. There were significantly fewer adhesions in the SCPS Endoscopic Marker group. All the endoscopic tattoos were clearly visible. CONCLUSIONS: SCPS is an effective method for tattooing colonic lesions and has a better safety profile than traditional India ink in terms of post-procedure inflammatory response and intraoperative bowel adhesions. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT03637933).

Robotic versus laparoscopic approach to treat symptomatic achalasia: systematic review with meta-analysis.

Minimally invasive Heller myotomy is considered the gold standard surgical approach for symptomatic achalasia because it is a safe and effective procedure. Over the last years, several studies comparing the laparoscopic and robotic approach for Heller myotomy have been published. Although the robotic approach appears to have some advantages over standard laparoscopy, data on this topic are still controversial and no definite conclusions have been drawn. This metanalysis has been designed to systematically evaluate and compare the effectiveness and safety of the robot-assisted Heller myotomy as compared to the standard laparoscopic approach. According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic search on both laparoscopic and robotic Heller myotomy was performed in all the major electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE), using the following search string: (achalasia OR Dor) AND robotic. Six articles were included in the final analysis. A metaregression analysis was performed to assess the possible effects of demographic variables (age, gender, body mass indes (BMI)) and previous abdominal surgery or endoscopic intervention on the analyzed outcomes. No statistical difference was observed in operative times (mean difference (MD) = 20.79, P = 0.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) -10.05,51,62), estimated blood loss (MD = -17.10, P = 0.13, 95% CI -40.48,5.08), conversion rate to open surgery (risk difference (RD) = -0.01, P = 0.33, 95% CI -0.05,0.02), length of hospital stay (MD = -0.73, P = 0.15, 95% CI -1.71,0.25) and long-term recurrence (odds ratio (OR) = 0.59, P = 0.45, 95% CI 0.15,2.33). On the contrary, the robotic approach was found to be associated with a significantly significant lower rate of intraoperative esophageal perforations (OR = 0.13, P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.04, 0.45). Our results suggest that the robotic approach is safer than the laparoscopic Heller myotomy, encouraging the use of robot-assisted surgery. However, our analysis is limited because of the exiguous number of comparative studies and because most of the included studies were statistically underpowered, given the small sample size. Moreover, a high degree of heterogeneity was observed in most of published studies. Taking in consideration the additional costs of robot-assisted procedures, larger Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are advocated to confirm the safety and effectiveness of the robotic approach, and its advantages over standard laparoscopic surgery. In conclusion, well-designed prospective trials and RCTs with homogeneous parameters are needed to draw definitive conclusions about the best surgical approach to pursue in treating symptomatic achalasia.

Robotic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis: Three case reports.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered as criterion standard for surgical treatment of acute calculous cholecystitis. During the last few years, there has been growing interest about the robotic approach. Several authors have reported the superiority of robotic cholecystectomy, associated with a lower percentage of conversion especially in patients with intraoperative diagnosis of acute or gangrenous cholecystitis. We report 3 case reports of moderate acute cholecystitis successfully treated by robotic cholecystectomy. PATIENT CONCERNS: Three patients presented moderate acute calculous cholecystitis with leukocytosis, fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain. DIAGNOSIS: Three patients of our study population had clinical and laboratory suspicion of moderate acute calculous cholecystitis verified by abdominal ultrasound examination, which found out cholelitiasis in all 3 cases. Final diagnosis was confirmed by intraoperative findings and histopathological examination, with two empyematous cholecystitis and one perforated cholecystitis. INTERVENTIONS: All patients underwent robotic cholecystectomy with the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. The entire procedure required a mean operation time of 128 minutes and the average blood loss was 60 mL, without any intraoperative complications. OUTCOMES: In all 3 cases postoperative period was uneventfull. All the patients were discharged within 24 hours and no readmissions were reported during a 30 days' follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic cholecystectomy for ACC is feasible and safe. Several studies have demonstrated that robotic approach reduces the risk of conversion to open surgery in case of acute or gangrenous cholecystitis. Our results are in line with current literature. In fact, we have successfully treated 2 patients with empyematous acute cholecystitis and 1 with gangrenous cholecystitis with a totally robotic approach, without any complications or need of conversion to open surgery. In conclusion, our results confirm that it is the time to include robotic surgery in the emergency setting.

Comparison between LigaSure™ and Harmonic® in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Single-Center Experience on 422 Patients.

Background: New laparoscopic devices, such as electrothermal bipolar-activated devices (LigaSure™ (LS)) or ultrasonic systems (Harmonic® scalpel (HS)), have been applied recently to bariatric surgery allowing to reduce blood loss and surgical risks. The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare intraoperative performance of HS and LS, postoperative results, and clinical outcomes in a large cohort of patients undergoing LSG. Methods: Data from 422 morbidly obese patients undergoing LSG in our Bariatric Unit at the Advanced Biomedical Sciences Department of the "Federico II" University of Naples (Italy) between January 2009 and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Subjects were divided into two groups (HS and LS), and operative time, intraoperative complications, and postoperative (within 30 days from surgery) complications were compared. Bleeding from the omentum or from the staple line, use of hemostatic clips, and absorbable hemostat were recorded as intraoperative complications; hemorrhages, abscess formation, gastric leaks, fever, and mortality were considered as postoperative complications. Results: Statistical analysis showed no difference in terms of baseline demographics between the two cohorts. Operative time (48 ± 9 vs 49 ± 6 min, p=0.646) and the rates of intraoperative and postoperative complications did not significantly differ between groups. Conclusion: Harmonic® and LigaSure™ are both useful tools in bariatric surgery, and these two advanced power devices are user-friendly and can facilitate surgeon work; from this point of view, the choice of the energy device should be based on the preference of the surgeon and on the hospital costs policy and availability.

Intracorporeal versus extracorporeal anastomosis after laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. A systematic review with meta-analysis.

AIM: To perform a systematic review and meta-analyses of studies comparing the totally laparoscopic procedures with intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) to laparoscopic-assisted surgery with extracorporeal anastomosis (EA) in gastric resections. METHODS: We performed a systematic search in the electronic databases. Outcomes analysed were: intraoperative (operative time and intraoperative blood loss), oncologic (harvested nodes, distance of the tumour from proximal and distal margin), postoperative complications (gastric stasis, intraluminal and extraluminal bleeding, leakage and wound infection) recovery (time to first flatus, time to first oral intake and hospital stay). We performed meta-regression analyses after implementing a regression model with the analysed outcomes as dependent variables (y) and the demographic and pathologic covariates as independent variables (x). RESULTS: A total of 26 studies (20 on distal gastrectomy and 6 on total gastrectomy) were included in the final analysis. Regarding distal gastrectomy, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in the above-mentioned outcomes, except for intraoperative blood loss (less in IA group, P=0.003), number of harvested nodes (better in the IA group, P=0.022) and length of hospital stay (shorter in the IA group, P=0.037). Regarding total gastrectomy, there was no statistical difference for all outcomes, except for the distal margin (further in the EA group, P=0.040). Meta-regression analysis showed that a lot of variables influenced results in distal gastric resections, but not in total gastric resections. CONCLUSION: We can state laparoscopic gastric resections with IA are safe and feasible when performed by expert surgeons. However, new well-designed studies comparing the two techniques are needed to confirm the benefits of laparoscopic IA.

Case report of a conservative management of cervical esophageal perforation with acrylic glue injection.

BACKGROUND: perforation of the upper aerodigestive tract is a potentially life-threatening condition. The appropriate treatment of cervical esophageal perforation is still controversial. CASE PRESENTATION: we report a case of cervical esophageal perforation that was effectively treated by a conservative management with acrylic glue injection. DISCUSSION: the management of cervical esophageal perforations has been controversial and little studied. Various treatment options, including surgical and nonsurgical management have been advocated, and no gold standard surgical treatment has yet been established. Some authors have recommended immediate surgical intervention, especially in penetrating trauma, conversely, several studies support conservative management. CONCLUSIONS: we consider that the application of acrylic glue can be considered a promising, minimally invasive therapeutic option in the management of cervical esophageal perforation. However, the sufficient accumulation of similarly treated cases is necessary in order to confirm the efficacy and safety of this treatment modality.