Perforation in colorectal stenting: a meta-analysis and a search for risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that there is a substantial risk of perforation after colorectal stent placement. OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for perforation from colonic stenting. DESIGN: A meta-analysis of 86 studies published between 2005 and 2011. SETTING: Multicenter review. PATIENTS: All patients who underwent colorectal stent placement. INTERVENTION: Colorectal stent placement. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The occurrence of perforation with subgroup analyses for stent design, stricture etiology, stricture dilation, and concomitant chemotherapy, including the use of bevacizumab. RESULTS: A total of 4086 patients underwent colorectal stent placement; perforation occurred in 207. Meta-analysis revealed an overall perforation rate of 7.4%. Of the 9 most frequently used stent types, the WallFlex, the Comvi, and the Niti-S D-type had a higher perforation rate (>10%). A lower perforation rate (<5%) was found for the Hanarostent and the Niti-S covered stent. Stenting benign strictures was associated with a significantly increased perforation rate of 18.4% compared with 7.5% for malignant strictures. Dilation did not increase the risk of perforation: 8.5% versus 8.5% without dilation. The subgroup of post-stent placement dilation had a significantly increased perforation risk of 20.4%. With a perforation rate of 12.5%, bevacizumab-based therapy was identified as a risk factor for perforation, whereas the risk for chemotherapy without bevacizumab was 7.0% and not increased compared with the group without concomitant therapies during stent therapy (9.0%). LIMITATIONS: Heterogeneity; a considerable proportion of data is unavailable for subgroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The perforation rate of colonic stenting is 7.4%. Stent design, benign etiology, and bevacizumab were identified as risk factors for perforation. Intraprocedural stricture dilation and concomitant chemotherapy were not associated with an increased risk of perforation.

An elevated level of TSH might be predictive of differentiated thyroid cancer.

Suppression therapy of thyreostimulin (TSH) using thyroid hormones improves survival of subjects operated for differentiated thyroid cancer. The TSH level might be different depending on the type of nodule. The objective of this study was to compare retrospectively the TSH level between two groups of subjects who underwent total thyroidectomy for a nodule, matched on sex, ethnicity, age and biological method of TSH measurement, one whose final histology was benign and one malignant. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, sex, family history of thyroid disease or thyroid autoimmunity. The subjects, whose final histology was malignant, had a mean TSH level significantly higher than subjects with benign disease (1.55 mU/l versus 0.96 mU/l, P=0.003). Cancer risk was greater when the TSH was in the upper tertile of normal range. There was no correlation between the risk of thyroid cancer and age, sex, family history of thyroid disease, or menopausal status. The relative risk of having thyroid carcinoma was higher when the margins of nodules were blurred or in the presence of microcalcifications. These data confirm a trend toward baseline values of TSH higher in subjects with a thyroid-differentiated cancer. However, we could not define a preoperative threshold that would reliably determine the malignant or benign nature of the nodule.

Intraperitoneal mesh repair of small ventral abdominal wall hernias with a Ventralex hernia patch.

BACKGROUND: Various surgical procedures have been described in the treatment of small ventral abdominal wall hernias. Mesh repair is becoming popular because of a low recurrence rate. AIM: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate an open intraperitoneal technique using the Bard Ventralex hernia patch in the treatment of small midline ventral hernias. METHODS: 101 patients were operated on (59 male, 42 female) with a mean age of 54.5 years (range 17-85). Mean operative time was 33 min (range 16-65). The median hospital stay was 2 days (range 1-15). RESULTS: Two patients had a hematoma without wound infection. There were 2 recurrences (2%). Mean postoperative follow-up time was 28.5 months (range 6-55). CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results suggest that Ventralex hernia patch repair for ventral hernias can be performed with minimal postoperative morbidity and a low recurrence rate.

Management of acute malignant large-bowel obstruction with self-expanding metal stent.

PURPOSE: Colorectal stents are being used for palliation and as a "bridge to surgery" in obstructing colorectal carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) as the initial interventional approach in the management of acute malignant large-bowel obstruction. METHODS: Between February 2002 and August 2009, 93 patients underwent the insertion of a SEMS for an obstructing malignant lesion of the left-sided colon or rectum. RESULTS: In 66 patients, the stents were placed for palliation; whereas, in 27 patients they were placed as a bridge to surgery. Stent placement was technically successful in 92.5% (n = 86) of the patients, with a clinical success rate of 86% (n = 80). Three perforations occurred during stent placement, two were treated by an emergency Hartmann operation, and one by a colostomy. In the intention to treat by stent, the peri-interventional mortality was 6.5% (6/93). Stent migration was reported in three cases (3%), and stent obstruction occurred in 11 cases (12%). Of the 24 patients with stents successfully placed as a bridge to surgery, 22 underwent elective single-stage operations with no death or anastomotic complication. CONCLUSION: Stent insertion provided an effective outcome in patients with malignant colonic obstruction as a palliative and preoperative therapy.

Management of a stenotic pancreatico-digestive tract anastomosis following pancreatoduodenectomy.

Early postoperative complications of pancreatico-digestive anastomosis following pancreatoduodenectomy are pancreatic fistula and pancreatitis affecting the pancreatic tail. Stenosis of the anastomosis is a later complication. Symptomatic and painful presentations are difficult to treat, and the optimal treatment is not currently defined. The aim of this work was to retrospectively report two cases of pancreaticogastrostomy stenosis. In both patients, the complication was diagnosed, with pancreatitis that developed following pancreatoduodenectomy. These patients were treated surgically, by fashioning a new anastomosis. Pancreaticogastrostomy has been viewed as a simpler and more secure reconstruction technique, with a lower occurrence rate of pancreatic fistula, than that of pancreaticojejunostomy. One complication of this surgery, however, is stenosis of the anastomosis. Following pancreatoduodenectomy, stenosis of the pancreaticogastrostomy may not occur until many years later. In a significant percentage of patients it is without clinical signs. It may be discovered after systematic explorations of patients following pancreaticogastrostomy or pancreaticojejunostomy. There is no study regarding the optimal treatment of postoperative stenosis of a pancreatico-gastric anastomosis. We believe that the optimal treatment is surgical. The intervention involves resection of the stenosis, and the formation of a new anastomosis.

Surgical treatment of large incisional hernias by an intraperitoneal Dacron mesh and an aponeurotic graft.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic problems of giant incisional hernias of the abdominal wall are difficult to resolve. The technique of repair must make up for the loss of abdominal wall substance and reestablish the interplay of the abdominal musculature. The use of prosthetic materials complies with these two imperatives. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the results of surgical treatment of postoperative incisional hernias by intraperitoneal insertion of Dacron (DuPont) mesh and an aponeurotic graft. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively studied 350 consecutive patients who were operated on for giant postoperative incisional hernia. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality was 0.6%. Seven patients (2%) developed subcutaneous infections that did not affect the prostheses. Another seven patients (2%) developed deep-seated infections that necessitated removal of the mesh in five cases. Eleven patients (3.1%) had recurrence of incisional hernia. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study shows that the intraperitoneal positioning of Dacron mesh and an aponeurotic graft can efficiently treat giant abdominal wall hernias.