Surgical Repair of Postoperative Perineal Hernia: A Case for the Perineal Approach.

BACKGROUND: Perineal hernia is a well-known, rare complication following abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer. Due to its rarity, the literature on its surgical repair is comprised of case reports and small case series, and not one surgical approach has been established as superior. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the repair methods used at our institution and their outcomes. We hypothesized that a perineal approach would have a similar recurrence rate to a transabdominal repair with shorter hospital length of stay. DESIGN: This study was a retrospective case series. SETTINGS: This study was conducted in a large, single institution setting. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent surgical repair for perineal hernia from January 2009 to December 2019 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were perineal hernia recurrence, surgical approach to repair, and length of stay. RESULTS: We identified 36 patients who underwent surgical repair of perineal hernia at our institution. Twenty patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Most patients (29) had previously undergone abdominoperineal resection; 5 were robotic, 15 were laparoscopic, 1 was robotic converted to open, and 8 were open. Patients were repaired through a perineal approach (22) or transabdominally (14). The median length of stay was 4 days (1-12) after a perineal approach and 8 days (3-18) after a transabdominal approach. At a median follow-up of 12.7 months (1-72), there were 4 recurrences after perineal repair and 3 recurrences after transabdominal repair. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its small sample size (36), the retrospective and nonrandomized nature of the case series, and a lack of routine postoperative imaging. A median follow-up length of 12.7 months may not be adequate to detect all recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: This case series supports the perineal approach for surgical repair; it should be the first approach considered, as it is less invasive and may be associated with shorter length of stay compared to an open transabdominal approach. Male gender and neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be possible risk factors for the development of perineal hernia after abdominoperineal resection. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B856. REPARACIN QUIRRGICA DE HERNIA PERINEAL POSOPERATORIA UN CASO PARA EL ABORDAJE PERINEAL: ANTECEDENTES:La hernia perineal es una complicación rara y bien conocida después de la resección abdominoperineal por cáncer de recto. Debido a su rareza, la literatura sobre su reparación quirúrgica se compone de informes de casos y pequeñas series de casos, y ningún abordaje quirúrgico se ha establecido como superior.OBJETIVO:El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar los métodos de reparación utilizados en nuestra institución y sus resultados. Presumimos que un abordaje perineal tendría una tasa de recurrencia similar a una reparación transabdominal, con una estancia hospitalaria más corta.DISEÑO:Ésta es una serie de casos retrospectiva.AJUSTES:El escenario fue una gran institución única.PACIENTES:Los pacientes que se sometieron a reparación quirúrgica por hernia perineal desde enero del 2009 hasta diciembre del 2019 se incluyeron en la revisión.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Los resultados primarios fueron la recurrencia de la hernia perineal, el abordaje quirúrgico para la reparación y la duración de la estadía.RESULTADOS:Identificamos 36 pacientes que fueron sometidos a reparación quirúrgica de hernia perineal en nuestra institución. La mayoría de los pacientes recibieron quimiorradioterapia neoadyuvante (n = 20). La mayoría de los pacientes (n = 29) se habrían sometido previamente a una resección abdominoperineal (n = 5 robótica, n = 15 laparoscópica, n = 1 robótica convertida a abierta, n = 8 abierta). Los pacientes fueron reparados mediante un abordaje perineal (n = 22) o transabdominal (n = 14). La mediana de la estancia hospitalaria fue de 4 días (rango, 1-12) después de un abordaje perineal y de 8 días (rango 3-18) después de un abordaje transabdominal. En una mediana de seguimiento de 12,7 meses (rango, 1-72) hubo 4 recurrencias después de la reparación perineal y 3 recurrencias después de la transabdominal.LIMITACIONES:El tamaño de la muestra pequeño (n = 36), la naturaleza retrospectiva y no aleatorizada de la serie de casos, la falta de imágenes posoperatorias de rutina, la mediana de seguimiento de 12,7 meses puede no ser adecuada para detectar todas las recurrencias.CONCLUSIONES:Esta serie de casos apoya el abordaje perineal para la reparación quirúrgica; debe ser el primer abordaje considerado, ya que es menos invasivo y puede estar asociado con una estadía más corta en comparación con el abordaje transabdominal abierto. El sexo masculino y la quimioterapia neoadyuvante podrían ser posibles factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de hernia perineal después de la resección abdominoperineal. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B856. (Traducción- Dr. Francisco M. Abarca-Rendon).

Diverting Loop Ileostomy in the Management of Medically Refractory Constipation Cases Not Falling Into Classical Categories.

BACKGROUND: The approach to constipation refractory to medical management does not necessarily follow classical teaching and is challenging. Although the role of surgery is unclear, diverting loop ileostomy may be offered to gauge symptom response followed by colectomy for appropriate patients. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to examine outcomes in patients with constipation not falling into classical subtypes who underwent diverting loop ileostomy creation as the initial surgical intervention. Our secondary aim was to offer patients colectomy and anastomosis and examine their outcome if they improved after ileostomy. DESIGN: The study design was a retrospective review. SETTINGS: This study was conducted in the pelvic floor center of our colorectal surgery department from January 2006 to December 2018. PATIENTS: Patients with medically refractory constipation referred for surgical consideration and not falling into classical constipation categories (slow transit, normal transit, or pelvic floor dysfunction) underwent evaluation with transit marker study, cinedefecography, and anal physiology and were offered ileostomy as initial surgical management. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary measures were symptom improvement and self-reported quality of life improvement with increased patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients underwent diverting loop ileostomy as initial surgical therapy. Group 1 had 54 (62%) patients who self-reported symptom improvement, discontinued anticonstipation medication, and had ileostomy output >200 mL/day. Of these 54 patients, 25 had colectomy with anastomosis, 16 (64%) of whom had symptom improvement, stayed off bowel medication, and had >1 bowel movement daily. Group 2 had 33 patients who did not meet the above criteria after initial ileostomy. Nine patients in group 2 elected colectomy with anastomosis after intensive counseling; 6 (66%) reported the same positive results above. LIMITATIONS: The study limitations included: 1) no objective outcome measures of patient's perceived symptom improvement and satisfaction and 2) retrospective review. CONCLUSION: Initial creation of diverting loop ileostomy may be offered to a subset of refractory constipation patients not falling into classical categories after thorough workup. Patients who self-report symptom improvement, have ileostomy output >200 mL/day, and do not require bowel medication may have acceptable results with subsequent colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B854. ILEOSTOMA EN ASA DERIVATIVA EN CASOS DE ESTREIMIENTO REFRACTARIOS AL TRATAMIENTO MDICO, QUE NO PERTENECEN A LAS CATEGORAS CLSICAS: ANTECEDENTES:El enfoque del estreñimiento refractario al tratamiento médico, que no siempre se presenta como las formas descritas clasicamente, es un desafío. Si bien el papel de la cirugía no está claro, se puede ofrecer una ileostomía en asa para medir la respuesta de los síntomas, seguida de colectomía en pacientes seleccionados.OBJETIVO:Evaluar los resultados de pacientes con estreñimiento, que no pertenecen a las formas clásicas de presentación, que se les realizó una ileostomía en asa de derivación, como intervención quirúrgica inicial. El objetivo secundario fue ofrecer a los pacientes una colectomía con anastomosis primaria y evaluar si mejoraban sus resultados después de la ileostomía.DISEÑO:El diseño del estudio fue una revisión retrospectiva.MARCO:Este estudio se realizó en el centro del piso pélvico de nuestro departamento de cirugía colorrectal, e incluyo los pacientes atendidos entre enero de 2006 y diciembre de 2018.PACIENTES:Se incluyeron los pacientes con estreñimiento refractario al tratamiento médico, derivados para evaluación quirúrgica, que no presentaban las formas clásicas de presentación (tránsito lento, tránsito normal, disfunción del suelo pélvico). Estos se sometieron a evaluación con estudio de tránsito colónico, cinedefecografía y fisiología anal, y se les ofreció una ileostomía en asa como tratamiento quirúrgico inicial.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Las primeras medidas fueron la mejora de los síntomas y la calidad de vida informado por el paciente.RESULTADOS:Ochenta y siete pacientes fueron sometidos a ileostomía en asa como tratamiento quirúrgico inicial. El grupo 1 tenía 54 (62%) pacientes que informaron mejoría de los síntomas, interrumpieron la medicación proquinética y tuvieron un débito por la ileostomía >200 cc/día. De estos 54 pacientes, 25 se sometieron a colectomía más anastomosis primaria y 16 (64%) tuvieron una mejoría de los síntomas, dejaron de tomar medicamentos proquinéticos y tuvieron más de una evacuación al día. El grupo 2 tenía 33 pacientes que no cumplían con los criterios de mejoría de los síntomas después de la ileostomía inicial. Nueve pacientes del grupo 2 eligieron colectomía con anastomosis después de un asesoramiento intensivo, 6 (66%) informaron resultados positivos de mejoría de los síntomas.LIMITACIONES:Las limitaciones del estudio incluyeron 1) ninguna medida de resultado objetiva de la mejora y satisfacción de los síntomas percibidos por el paciente 2) revisión retrospectiva.CONCLUSIÓNES:La creación inicial de una ileostomía en asa de derivación se puede ofrecer a un subgrupo de pacientes con estreñimiento refractario que no entran en las categorías clásicas después de un estudio exhaustivo. La mejoría de los síntomas, informado por los pacientes, producción de ileostomía >200 cc/día y que no requieren medicación proquinética, pueden tener resultados aceptables con colectomía y anastomosis ileorrectal. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/Bxxx. (Traducción-Dr. Rodrigo Azolas).

Outcomes after Early versus Delayed Urinary Bladder Catheter Removal after Proctectomy for Benign and Malignant Disease in 2,429 Patients: An Observational Cohort Study.

Background: There currently is no standard practice for optimal urinary catheter removal after rectal resection (proctectomy). Delayed removal may increase urinary tract infection risk, an important hospital quality metric. This study aimed to assess the effect of catheter duration on urinary tract infection rate. We hypothesized that early removal would be associated with fewer infections. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent proctectomy from January 2007 to December 2017 with urinary catheter placement in our colorectal surgery department. The main outcome measures were urinary tract infection, post-operative urinary retention, and length of stay. Patients were divided into early (post-operative day one or two) and late (day three or later) removal groups. Results: A series of 2,429 patients were included; 1,176 in the early and 1,253 in the late group. The early group had a shorter median length of stay (5.26 versus 7 days). The urinary tract infection (n = 77) multivariable logistic regression model showed no association between timing of removal and infection; however, females had more infections (odds ratio [OR] 2.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.65-4.41). The post-operative urinary retention model (n = 280) showed no association between the timing of removal and retention; however, patients who underwent pre-operative radiation (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.15-2.09) or total proctocolectomy (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.21-2.49) or were male (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.02-1.78) were more likely to have retention. When analyzed by specific removal day, each one-day delay in removal increased the odds of infection by 21% (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.09-1.35] and decreased the odds of retention by 12% (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80-0.97] with a cross-over at 9 days. Patients who experienced retention were not more likely to have infection. Conclusion: Early urinary catheter removal after proctectomy was associated with a lower urinary tract infection rate and a shorter hospital stay.

A Comparison of the Sensitivity of Brush Allodynia and Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament Testing in the Detection of Allodynia Within Regions of Secondary Hyperalgesia in Humans.

BACKGROUND: Two of the most common Quantitative Sensory Techniques (QST) employed to detect allodynia include mechanical brush allodynia and Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. However, their relative sensitivity at detecting allodynia is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity of brush allodynia against Semmes-Weinstein monofilament technique for detecting allodynia within regions of secondary hyperalgesia in humans. METHODS: Twenty subjects (10 males, 10 females; 21.1 ± 0.9 years) were recruited and randomly allocated to allodynia or monofilament groups. Topical capsaicin (Zostrix 0.075%) was applied to a target region defined by C4-C7 dermatomes. Allodynia testing was performed at 0- (baseline) and 10 minutes postcapsaicin. The Semmes-Weinstein group assessed changes in skin sensitivity 8 cm inferior to target region and 2 cm lateral to the spinous process, while brush allodynia was employed to detect the point inferior to the target region where subjects reported changes in skin sensitivity. The distance (cm) from this point to the inferior border of the target region was termed the Allodynia Score. RESULTS: Statistically significant increases in the Allodynia Score were observed at 10 minutes postcapsaicin compared to baseline (P < 0.001). No differences in monofilament scores were observed between 10 minutes postcapsaicin and baseline (P = 0.125). Brush allodynia also demonstrated superior sensitivity, detecting allodynia in 100% of cases compared to 60% in the Semmes-Weinstein group. CONCLUSION: Brush allodynia is more sensitive than Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments for detecting mechanical allodynia in regions of secondary hyperalgesia. Brush allodynia may be preferred over Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments for clinical applications requiring reliable detection of allodynia.

Acute experimentally induced neck pain does not affect fatigability of the peripheral biceps brachii muscle.

Evidence has shown that upper limb muscles peripheral to the cervical spine, such as the biceps brachii, can demonstrate functional deficits in the presence of chronic neck pain. However, few studies have examined how neck pain can affect the fatigability of upper limb muscles; therefore we were motivated to investigate the effects of acutely induced neuropathic neck pain on the fatigability of the biceps brachii muscle during isometric contraction to exhaustion. Topical capsaicin was used to induce neck pain in 11 healthy male participants. Surface EMG signals were recorded from the biceps brachii during an isometric elbow flexion fatigue task in which participants held a weight equivalent to 30% of their MVC until exhaustion. Two experimental sessions, one placebo and one capsaicin, were conducted separated by two days. EMG mean power frequency and average normalized activation values were calculated over the course of the fatigue task. In the presence of pain, there was no statistically significant effect on EMG parameters during fatigue of the biceps brachii. These results demonstrate that acutely induced neuropathic neck pain does not affect the fatigability, under the tested conditions, of the biceps brachii.

A comparative analysis of sonographic interpretation of peripheral nerves in the anterior compartment of the forearm between an experienced and novice interpreter.

PURPOSE: This article describes a pilot study that compares the ability of a novice interpreter and an experienced interpreter to interpret ultrasound images of peripheral nerves in the anterior compartment of the forearm. METHODS: Twenty subjects between 18 and 50 years of age were included. A student was taken through tutorials in which she was guided through identification of the peripheral nerves of the anterior forearm. After the tutorials, the experienced interpreter traced the subjects' ulnar nerve and artery neurovascular bundle proximally in the anterior compartment of the forearm until just before it separated into the artery and nerve. Here the distance between the median and ulnar nerve was measured by the investigators. The Bland and Altman design and paired t tests were used to compare the agreement between the results of the two investigators. RESULTS: The Bland and Altman analysis reveals that the difference between two sets of measurements (experienced investigator vs. student) is calculated to be 0.08 mm ± 0.22 mm for the left arm and 0.16 mm ± 0.43 mm for the right arm. A paired t test revealed that there is no significant difference in the measurements obtained by the two investigators (left arm: p = .12; right arm: p = .10). These results suggest that the measurements of the two investigators may be interchangeable. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study shows that after tutorials combining dissection and sonographic interpretation, the ability of a novice interpreter to identify ultrasonographic images of peripheral nerves in the anterior compartment of the forearm is comparable to that of an experienced interpreter.

Back to the debate: sternalis muscle / Volver al debate: músculo esternal

The sternalis muscle (SM) is an anatomical variant found in the anterior thoracic wall. While the attachment sites of SM are generally agreed upon, the innervation and function of this muscle are not well established. Cadaveric and surgical explorations to date report that SM is innervated by either the pectoral nerves or the anterior branches of the intercostal nerves, or a combination of both. Knowledge of SM is relevant to health care providers specialising in imaging and/or surgery of the anterior thoracic wall. This paper aims to raise awareness in the medical community of the clinical relevance of SM through two case reports and a brief literature review.

El músculo esternal (ME) es una variante anatómica en la pared torácica anterior. Mientras que los sitios de fijación del ME estan acordados, la inervación y la función de este músculo no están bien establecida. Exploraciones cadavéricas y quirúrgicas han informado que el ME está inervado por los nervios pectorales o ramos anteriores de los nervios intercostales, o una combinación de ambos. El conocimiento del SE es relevante para los proveedores de atención de salud especializada de imágenes y/o cirugía de la pared torácica anterior. Este documento tiene como objetivo crear conciencia en la comunidad médica de la relevancia clínica de ME a través de dos reportes de caso y una breve revisión bibliográfica.

A case of pseudo-angina pectoris from a pectoralis minor trigger point caused by cross-country skiing.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to illustrate the pectoralis minor muscle as a possible pain source in patients with anterior chest pain, especially those who are known to be beginner cross-country skiers. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 58-year-old man presented with anterior chest pain and normal cardiac examination findings. Upon history taking and physical examination, the chest pain was determined to be caused by active trigger points in the pectoralis minor muscle. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient was treated with Graston Technique and cross-country skiing technique advice. The subject's symptoms improved significantly after 2 treatments and completely resolved after 4 treatments. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates the importance of differential diagnosis and mechanism of injury in regard to chest pain and that chiropractic management can be successful when addressing patients with chest wall pain of musculoskeletal origin.