C-reactive protein as a marker of postoperative complication of emergency colorectal surgery

Introduction: The literature converges regarding the use of C-reactive protein (CRP) tests between postoperative days (PODs) 3 and 5 of elective procedures. In this period, they have great sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) for severe and anastomotic complications about two days before the first clinical sign. The few studies on colorectal urgency suggest that, despite the different initial values according to the surgical indication, following POD 3, the level of CRP is similar to that of elective procedures. However, given the heterogeneity of the studies, there is no consensus on the cutoff values for this use. Objective: To validate the use and propose a PO CRP cut-off value in urgent colorectal procedures as an exclusion criterion for complications of anastomosis or the abdominal cavity. Method: Retrospective analysis of the medical records of 308 patients who underwent urgent colorectal surgical procedures between January 2017 and December 2019. The following data were considered: age, gender, surgical indication, type of procedure performed, complications, CRP levels preoperatively and from POD 1 to 4, and the severity of the complications. We compared the CRP levels and the percentage variations between the preoperative period and PODs 1 to 4 as markers of severe complications using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The levels of CRP on POD4, and their percentage drops between PODs 2 to 4 and PODs 3 to 4, were better to predict severe complications. A cutoff of 7.45mg/dL on POD 4 had 91.7% of sensitivity and NPV. A 50% drop between PODs 3 and 4 had 100% of sensitivity and NPV. Conclusion: Determining the level of CRP is useful to exclude severe complications, and it could be a criterion for hospital discharge in POD 4 of emergency colorectal surgery. (AU)

Surgical management of gallbladder disease in the very elderly: are we operating them at the right time?

BACKGROUND: As life expectancy rises worldwide and the prevalence of gallstones increases with age, the number of very elderly patients requiring treatment for gallstone diseases is increasing. The aim of this study was to compare the results of cholecystectomy in patients 80 years or older according to different clinical presentations. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 81 patients 80 years or older. Indications for surgery were stratified into three groups: outpatients (symptomatic chronic cholecystitis), inpatients (complicated gallstone diseases), and urgent patients (acute cholecystitis). Data analysis included age, sex, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, indication for surgery, length of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 83.9 (range 80-94 years); there were 34 (42%) men. Thirty patients were operated on for acute cholecystitis. Patients in the urgency group significantly required the ICU more often, required a longer hospital stay, and had more complications, with 32% mortality. No differences were found between inpatients and outpatients, with both groups presenting low morbidity, no mortality, and the same postoperative length of stay. CONCLUSION: More than 80% of the patients were operated on because of complicated gallstone disease. Although the outcomes of patients undergoing semielective cholecystectomy were similar to those of patients treated as outpatients, patients operated with acute cholecystitis presented extremely high morbidity and mortality rates. Thus, we can only recommend that early elective cholecystectomy be performed in elderly patients as soon as they are found to have symptomatic gallstones. Also, further trials are required to elucidate the optimal management of acute cholecystitis in elderly patients.

Evaluation of the effects of noniodinized and iodinized ionic contrast media and gadoteric acid in acute necrotizing pancreatitis: experimental study in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of iodine contrast media and gadoteric acid in acute necrotizing pancreatitis. METHODS: Fifty rabbits were distributed in 5 groups: 10 rabbits were assigned in the control group (group 5) and 40 rabbits were assigned in the pancreatitis group, wherein acute necrotizing pancreatitis was induced through retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate (1 mL/kg weight) in the main pancreatic duct. After 3 hours, they were randomized to receive endovenous iodinized nonionic contrast medium (group 1), iodinized ionic contrast medium (group 2), gadoteric acid (group 3), and physiological serum at 0.9% (group 4). Six hours after induction of pancreatitis, these animals were reoperated. During surgery, pancreatic tissue flow through laser Doppler, hematometric values, biochemistry, and histopathology analysis by hematoxylin and eosin were done. Statistical analysis using Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher-Freeman-Halton, and parametric t tests was performed. RESULTS: There was statistical significance when comparing tissue flow before and after induction of pancreatitis (P < 0.0001). Ionic and nonionic contrast media and gadoteric acid did not increase the grade of pancreatic necrosis (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ionic and nonionic contrast media and gadoteric acid did not produce adverse effects in the present model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis.