Esophageal ulcer related to zinc deficiency following a total gastrectomy.

A 76-y-old Japanese man who had undergone gastrectomy 4.5 y earlier experienced 2 wk of sore throat, heartburn, and difficulty swallowing. Endoscopy showed deep, craterlike, longitudinal ulcers in the lower and middle esophagus. Immunohistochemistry and blood tests were negative for herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus infections. The patient reported no other symptoms affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Although his symptoms ameliorated after initial hospitalization and treatment, they re-emerged a few days after being discharged. Fifty-one days after being first admitted, he complained of glossalgia. The serum zinc level was found to be 38 µg/dL, which was below the reference range; the patient was diagnosed with zinc deficiency. After oral zinc administration, the patient was relieved of the symptoms, and his pain was alleviated. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy after symptom relief showed improvement in the esophageal ulcers. He has continued taking zinc supplementations, and has not developed similar symptoms in the 5 y since being treated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of esophageal ulcers related to zinc deficiency.

Skeletal Muscle Loss During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Predicts the Incidence of Postoperative Infectious Complications in Esophageal Cancer Patients Undergoing Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Malnutrition, immune deficiency, and skeletal muscle loss are associated with a risk of postoperative complications in patients with various types of cancer. This study evaluated whether malnutrition, immunological deficiencies, and skeletal muscle loss during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) predict postoperative complications in patients with esophageal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 123 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with NAC and esophagectomy at our hospital between 2014 and 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of postoperative infectious complications, such as pneumonia, anastomotic leakage, surgical site infections, pyothorax, acalculous cholecystitis, and peripheral phlebitis. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and Onodera prognostic nutritional index were used as indicators of systemic inflammation and nutritional status. Skeletal muscle mass was evaluated using the skeletal muscle index (SMI), calculated by evaluating the total cross-sectional area of muscle tissue at the third lumbar level in computed tomography imaging. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of postoperative infectious complications. RESULTS: Postoperative infectious complications occurred in 41 patients (33.3%). A reduction in SMI was observed in 105 patients (87.8%) during NAC. Univariable and multivariable analyses indicated that the reduction in SMI during NAC was an independent predictor of postoperative complications (odds ratio=0.89; 95% confidence interval=0.79-0.99; p=0.048). CONCLUSION: Skeletal muscle loss during NAC is a useful predictor of postoperative complications in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy.

Esophageal cancer presenting with brain abscess.

A 76-year-old man experienced fatigue and progressive dysphagia. He underwent endoscopy at another hospital and was diagnosed with thoracic esophageal cancer. Three days after the endoscopy, the patient was rushed to our hospital with sudden seizures of the right upper and lower extremities. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed a ring-shaped contrast-enhanced mass formation in the left parietal lobe with edema in the surrounding brain parenchyma. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging showed a ring-shaped lesion with a high intensity on diffusion-weighted images. He was diagnosed with a brain abscess in the left parietal lobe. For abscess drainage, a quasi-emergent small craniotomy was performed. Culture of the drainage fluid revealed Streptococcus species and Haemophilus parainfluenzae. After 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy, the patient underwent a thoracoscopic esophagectomy. After the esophagectomy, there was no recurrence of the brain abscess for more than 2 years and only symptomatic epilepsy remained. Conclusively, although brain abscesses caused by esophageal cancer are rare, the possibility of brain abscess and metastasis should be considered when patients present with convulsions or higher brain disorders.

Prehabilitation Ameliorates Gut Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Mice.

INTRODUCTION: We previously demonstrated that prehabilitation by running on a treadmill leads to improved survival after gut ischemia reperfusion (I/R) in mice. The purpose of this research was to examine whether prehabilitation attenuates inflammatory responses after gut I/R in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice (n = 92) were assigned to the sedentary (n = 46) or the exercise (n = 46) group. The exercise group ran on a treadmill for 4 wk, while the sedentary mice did not exercise. After the 4-week pretreatment, all mice underwent gut I/R and the blood, urine, small intestine, lung, liver, and gastrocnemius were harvested prior to ischemia or at 0, 3, 6, or 24 h after reperfusion. Histologically demonstrated organ damage, cytokine levels in the blood, gut and gastrocnemius, myeloperoxidase activity in the gut, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in urine and the gut, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and ATP + ADP + adenosine monophosphate levels in the gut and gastrocnemius were evaluated. RESULTS: The treadmill exercise reduced gut and lung injuries at 3 h and liver injury at 6 h after reperfusion. Running on the treadmill also decreased proinflammatory cytokine levels in the blood at 6 h, gut at 3 h and gastrocnemius at 6 h after reperfusion, myeloperoxidase activity in the gut prior to ischemia, and 6 h after reperfusion and the urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine level at 24 h after reperfusion, while ATP levels in exercised mice prior to ischemia and 3 h after reperfusion were increased in the intestine as compared to the levels in sedentary mice. CONCLUSIONS: Prehabilitation with treadmill exercise reduces inflammatory responses after gut I/R and may exert protective actions against gut I/R.

Risk factors for gallstone disease onset in Japan: Findings from the Shizuoka Study, a population-based cohort study.

In the research literature on factors associated with gallstones, large population-based cohort studies are rare. We carried out a study of this type to explore risk factors for the onset of gallstones. This study included Japanese participants aged 40-107 years who were followed prospectively from January 2012 to September 2020 using a dataset composed of two individually linked databases, one containing annual health checkup records and the other containing medical claims for beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance System and the Medical Care System for Elderly in the Latter Stage of Life in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Among the 611,930 participants in the analysis set, 23,843 (3.9%) were diagnosed with gallstones during the observational period (median [max]: 5.68 [7.5] years). Multivariate analysis revealed that risk of gallstone disease was increased by male sex, cerebrovascular disease, any malignancy, dementia, rheumatic disease, chronic pulmonary disease, hypertension, and H. pylori-infected gastritis. These findings provide essential insights into the etiology of cholelithiasis and may contribute to efforts to reduce the incidence of the disease.

The impact of the American Society of Anesthesiology-Physical Status classification system on the treatment and prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: The American Society of Anesthesiologists-Physical Status (ASA-PS) classification system has been shown to predict morbidity and mortality after surgery. However, the impact of the ASA-PS on esophageal cancer treatment remains unclear. This study examined both the impact of the ASA-PS on treatment, including surgery and perioperative chemotherapy, and the prognostic effects of ASA-PS class in patients who had undergone esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer or esophagogastric junction cancer. METHODS: ASA-PS status was collected for 301 patients who had undergone esophagectomy between January 2007 and June 2016 for thoracic esophageal cancer or esophagogastric junction cancer at a single institution. As the ASA-PS was updated in 2014, the previous classifications of all patients were reevaluated using the updated standard by a surgeon with the previous classifications masked. The dose intensity of preoperative chemotherapy was also compared across classes. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the association between ASA-PS class and overall survival. RESULTS: Patients whose reevaluations had placed them in a more severe ASA-PS class showed significantly poorer overall and cancer-specific survival rates. The dose intensities of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for preoperative chemotherapy were significantly lower in patients in the more severe ASA-PS classes. Multivariate analysis showed that ASA-PS class was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. CONCLUSION: Preoperative ASA-PS classification may influence the intensity of perioperative treatment and may be a valuable long-term prognostic factor for patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy.

Risk Factors for Candidiasis as an Intra-Abdominal Infection after Gastrectomy in Patients with Gastric Cancer.

Intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) develop in 2.4%-26.6% of patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer and are occasionally serious. However, there are few reports on the causative organisms of IAI following upper gastrointestinal tract surgery and subsequent risk factors for Candida infections. This study aimed to identify the microorganisms that cause IAIs after gastrectomy and risk factors for Candida-related IAI. The records of patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer between January 2009 and December 2019 at Shizuoka General Hospital were retrospectively collected. Patients with IAIs of grade II or higher, as measured by the Clavien-Dindo classification, were included in the analysis. The selected patients were divided into the Candida and non-Candida groups according to the presence or absence of Candida as the causative organism. Of 1,379 patients, 56 (4.1%) were diagnosed with IAIs after gastrectomy. Fifty-two patients were included in the study based on culture analyses. A total of 111 strains and 28 bacterial species were isolated during the initial culture test. Candida constituted 7.2% of all identified pathogens. Regarding the risk factors for Candida-related IAI, a history of antimicrobial use and ≥ 4 postoperative days of IAI development were independent risk factors for Candida-related IAI.

Serum carnitine as a biomarker of sarcopenia and nutritional status in preoperative gastrointestinal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is an important factor in the postoperative outcome of gastrointestinal cancer patients. However, little research has been carried out on potential biomarkers of sarcopenia. Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that is stored in skeletal muscle and is essential for muscle energy metabolism. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether serum carnitine level is a biomarker of sarcopenia in preoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The secondary purposes were (i) to examine the associations between carnitine, nutritional status, and albumin level, and (ii) to determine whether carnitine is a prognostic factor for postoperative complications. METHODS: One hundred fourteen patients scheduled to undergo gastroenterological surgery between August 2016 and January 2017 were enrolled. Their mean age was 68.4 ± 10.5, and 64.9% were male. Serum carnitine fractions [total carnitine (TC), free l-carnitine (FC), and acylcarnitine (AC)] were measured prior to surgery. The correlation between carnitine level and a variety of clinical features was analysed, including skeletal muscle index (SMI), sarcopenia, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Tumour locations included the oesophagus (n = 17), stomach (n = 16), pancreas (n = 20), bile duct (n = 9), liver [n = 33; primary liver cancer (n = 18), liver metastasis (n = 15)], and colorectal region (n = 19). TC and FC levels varied significantly by tumour location. TC and FC showed significant positive correlations with SMI [TC (r = 0.295, P = 0.0014), FC (r = 0.286, P = 0.0020)] and PNI [TC (P = 0.0178, r = 0.222), FC (P = 0.0067, r = 0.2526)]. These levels were significantly lower in the sarcopenia group (TC, P = 0.0124; FC, P = 0.0243). In addition, TC and FC showed significant positive correlations with ALB level [TC (P = 0.038 r = 0.19), FC (P = 0.016 r = 0.23)]. When patients were divided into high ALB (≥3.5 g/dL, 96 patients) and low ALB (<3.5 g/dL, 18 patients) groups, these correlations were no longer significant, but in the low ALB group there was a tendency towards a negative relationship between ALB level and both TC and FC. No significant relationship was found between postoperative complications and carnitine level. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that carnitine level is a biomarker of sarcopenia and nutritional status. However, it did not find an association between carnitine level and postoperative complications.

Esophageal inflammatory pseudotumor with low-dose corticosteroid therapy after surgery.

Inflammatory pseudotumors of the esophagus are extremely rare, and the treatment has been controversial. Herein, we report a case of esophageal inflammatory pseudotumor with low-dose corticosteroid treatment following surgery. A 50-year-old woman with a 3-month history of progressive dysphagia and weight loss, was admitted to our hospital for examination and treatment. Esophagography and endoscopic examination revealed a mass present from the cervical esophagus to the upper thoracic esophagus with severe esophageal stricture. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology, boring biopsy, and mucosal incision-assisted biopsy reveal chronic inflammation, but histological diagnosis was not proven. Surgery was performed to confirm diagnosis and to relieve esophageal stricture. However, because of dense adhesions around the tumor, complete tumor resection was not achieved. Histopathological examination showed an inflammatory infiltrate with plasma cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, suggesting an inflammatory pseudotumor. After surgical resection, the esophageal stricture remained, possibly due to the residual tumor. We used a postoperative low-dose steroid treatment that resulted in complete resolution. There has not been any evident sign of recurrence for more than 2 years.

Preoperative skeletal muscle index and visceral-to-subcutaneous fat area ratio are associated with long-term outcomes of elderly gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.

PURPOSE: Sarcopenia is a risk factor of severe surgical complications, short-term outcomes, and long-term outcomes for patients with gastric cancer. Several computed tomography (CT) measurements have been performed to diagnose sarcopenia. However, the optimal CT measurements for determining long-term outcomes have not been revealed. METHODS: A retrospective review of gastric cancer patients with clinical stage I, II, or III who underwent gastrectomy at age 75 years or more at Shizuoka General Hospital from 2007 to 2015 was performed. Using preoperative CT, skeletal muscle index (SMI), total psoas area, intramuscular adipose tissue content in multifidus muscle, morphologic change of psoas muscle, and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR) were measured in the third lumbar section. A Cox regression analysis was used to explore prognostic factors for overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 257 patients were reviewed. There were 171, 53, and 33 patients with clinical stages I, II, and III, respectively. A multivariate analysis indicated that, in addition to age, performance status, clinical stage, and types of resection, which are known prognostic factors, SMI and VSR are prognostic factors (p = 0.016, 0.046, respectively). The prognostic score, which was the frequency of positive SMI and VSR values within the cutoff, also indicates overall survival. The five-year OS rates of patients with prognostic scores of 0, 1, and 2 were 90.9%, 62.3%, and 52%, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Preoperative SMI and VSR were prognostic factors for the overall survival of elderly patients with gastric cancer after gastrectomy.

Hand-assisted robotic surgery in the abdominal phase of robot-assisted oesophagectomy.

Robot-assisted minimally invasive oesophagectomy (RAMIE) has been developed to overcome the technical limitations of conventional thoracoscopic oesophagectomy. Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) is used as a practical and useful technique during the abdominal phase of thoracoscopic oesophagectomy. During RAMIE, a robotic vessel sealer cannot be used with HALS; another vessel sealer or ultrasonic coagulating device for laparoscopic surgery is required. We report an initial experiment using hand-assisted robotic surgery (HARS) for abdominal manipulation during RAMIE as a novel method. Under the pneumoperitoneum induced by insufflating the abdomen to 10 mmHg with carbon dioxide, the assistant surgeon lifted the stomach and greater omentum using the left hand through a 7 cm upper abdominal midline incision at approximately 2 cm below the xiphoid. Subsequently, gastric mobilisation was performed by robot-assisted surgery. Between January 2019 and February 2020, eight patients with thoracic oesophageal cancer underwent RAMIE with HARS at our hospital. The median operative time for extracorporeal manipulation and preparation for the roll-in of the robot was 39.5 min. The median console time was 47.5 min. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications related to the use of the robot and no in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, HARS seems to be feasible and safe for abdominal manipulation during oesophageal cancer surgery.

Duplicate left gastric artery identified during laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.

The reported incidence of duplicate left gastric artery is not very low, with a rate of 0.4%. However, there have been no reports of the surgical management of patients with a duplicate left gastric artery. Here, we report a 60-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with clinical T1bN0M0 stage IA gastric cancer. Preoperative 5-mm slice CT showed no anatomical abnormality, and the patient underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. When we dissected the nerve plexus around the left gastric artery with an ultrasonic vessel-sealing device, pulsating bleeding was observed from a small vessel in the nerve plexus. The bleeding was stopped by suture and clipping. A 1.2-mm vessel was identified on 1-mm slice preoperative CT and postoperative CT angiography. The patient was discharged without any complications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient undergoing surgery for a duplicate left gastric artery.

Influence of a Low-Carbohydrate High-Fat Diet on Peritoneal Inflammation, Cancer-Associated Lymphocytes, and Survival in a Murine Carcinomatous Peritonitis Model.

BACKGROUND: Low-carbohydrate high-fat diets (LCHFDs) are thought to be beneficial for metabolic support in patients with advanced cancer. However, whether LCHFDs affect the progression of carcinomatous peritonitis (CP) remains unclear. Our study examined the influence of a lard-based LCHFD on host immunity and survival in a murine CP model. METHODS: Mice were fed either a normal diet (ND) or an LCHFD ad libitum. On day 7, Panc02 cancer cells were inoculated intraperitoneally. Mice were killed on days 7, 21, and 35, and cytokine levels in the peritoneal fluid, as well as the number and phenotypes of peritoneal, splenic, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were measured. Survival studies were performed with both ad libitum and isocaloric feeding in other sets of mice. RESULTS: The levels of all cytokines significantly increased in the LCHFD group compared with those in the ND group on day 21. The tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-10 levels were higher in the LCHFD group than in the ND group on day 35. In the LCHFD group, the regulatory T-cell (Treg) number was significantly higher in the peritoneal cavity and tumor. The survival times were worse in the LCHFD group than in the ND group. CONCLUSION: The ad libitum, lard-based LCHFD feeding of CP mice increases the peritoneal cytokine levels, which may reduce splenic, anticancer lymphocytes and increase the number of Tregs in the peritoneal cavity and tumor. The detrimental effects of LCHFD are linked to dietary composition rather than overfeeding.

A Case Report Using Goose Neck Microsnare for Severe Cervical Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion with Dolichoarteriopathy.

Objective: We report the use of a Goose Neck microsnare for cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion in a patient with dolichoarteriopathy in whom it was difficult to achieve recanalization. Case Presentation: A 65-year-old woman underwent thrombectomy for a tandem lesion of left M1 occlusion and left cervical ICA occlusion. Recanalization of left M1 occlusion was achieved. For left cervical ICA occlusion, we attempted multiple thrombectomy using an existing device, but a hard clot with mobility was caught due to dolichoarteriopathy, which made thrombectomy difficult. Using a Goose Neck microsnare, we were able to capture the thrombus and achieve recanalization. Conclusion: Thrombectomy by capturing the thrombus using a Goose Neck microsnare may be useful for capturing hard clots with mobility when it is difficult to achieve recanalization with existing devices.

Size of the thoracic inlet predicts cervical anastomotic leak after retrosternal reconstruction after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although an anastomotic leak after esophagectomy is one of the most common postoperative complications, it is not well understood whether specific anatomic factors of the different route of reconstruction can predispose to the development of anastomotic leak after esophagectomy. This study aimed to clarify whether various factors related to the size of the thoracic inlet are independent predictors of anastomotic leak after esophagectomy. METHODS: We reviewed 248 patients who underwent esophagectomy with retrosternal reconstruction of the gastric conduit between January 2013 and March 2019. Various factors related to the size of the thoracic inlet were measured using computed tomography. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between various measurements and anastomotic leak. RESULTS: Anastomotic leak occurred in 38 patients (15.3%). On univariate analysis, the thickness of the sternum, the thickness of the clavicle, the sternum-trachea distance, the ratio of the sternum-trachea distance/sternum-vertebral body distance, sex, body mass index, and method of anastomosis were statistically significantly associated with anastomotic leak. On multivariate analysis, the ratio of the sternum-trachea distance/sternum-vertebral body distance and the method of anastomosis were the independent risk factors for anastomotic leak. CONCLUSION: The ratio of the sternum-trachea distance/sternum-vertebral body distance is associated with cervical anastomotic leak after retrosternal gastric conduit reconstruction after esophagectomy. Measurement of the thoracic inlet space may contribute to preoperative planning, such as for the route of the conduit for reconstruction and anastomotic site.

Influences of Short-Term Fasting and Carbohydrate Supplementation on Gut Immunity and Mucosal Morphology in Mice.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative carbohydrate (CHO) supplementation has been recommended in enhanced recovery after surgery protocols. However, the effects of CHO supplementation on gut and systemic immunity are not well understood. METHODS: Mice (n = 60) were randomized to 1 of the following 5 groups: control (ad lib feeding), 12-hour fasting without CHO administration (fasting), and 12 hours of fasting with CHO administration at 2, 4, and 8 hours before sacrifice. Then, lymphocytes were isolated from gut-associated lymphoid tissue, that is, Peyer's patches, the intraepithelial space, and the lamina propria of the small intestine. These lymphocyte numbers and phenotypes were evaluated. IgA levels in respiratory and small-intestinal washings were determined by ELISA. Morphology, proliferation, and apoptosis of the intestinal epithelium were also evaluated histologically. RESULTS: Although there were no significant differences in IgA levels among the 5 groups, fasting decreased intraepithelial and lamina propria, but not Peyer's patches lymphocyte numbers. CHO at 2 hours prevented lymphocyte loss in intraepithelial, whereas CHO at 4 hours reversed lamina propria lymphocytes numbers. Percentages of lymphocyte phenotypes were similar in each site among the 5 groups. Fasting caused villous atrophy; however, CHO at 2 hours restored villous structure along with maintenance of epithelial cell proliferation rate. CONCLUSIONS: Only 12 hours of fasting causes marked gut-associated lymphoid tissue cell loss along with gut atrophy. However, CHO at 2 hours preserves gut immunity and morphology not completely but moderately.

Pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The reports of pregnancy after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer are rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 35-year-old woman, gravida 0, para 0, who became pregnant and delivered a baby 2 years and 6 months after laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy for early gastric cancer. Postoperatively, she showed a good progress during the follow-up and was continuously taking oral iron supplement and administered with methylcobalamin intramuscular injection. Two years after gastrectomy, she became pregnant. During the pregnancy, she kept taking iron and vitamin B12 supplementation and had a good course of pregnancy and a normal delivery. However, 2 months after the delivery, liver dysfunction was detected via blood examination. The patient switched from exclusive breastfeeding to combined feeding with formula, and her laboratory results returned to normal. During 10 years of follow-up after the delivery, the patient was in good condition without any recurrence and nutritional deficiencies, and her child had thrived. CONCLUSIONS: Careful monitoring and management of iron and vitamin deficiencies are essential during pregnancy and the lactation periods for patients who previously underwent total gastrectomy. During the lactation period, a combination of formula and breastfeeding provides maternal and fetal nutritional support.

Postoperative pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and portal venous gas (PVG) may indicate bowel necrosis: a 52-case study.

BACKGROUND: The significance of pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and portal venous gas (PVG) is controversial. This retrospective study evaluated the risk factors for bowel necrosis in patients with PI and/or PVG. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2015, 52 patients were diagnosed with PI and/or PVG and were included in this study. The patients were classified according to the presence or absence of bowel necrosis in surgical findings or at autopsy. Patient characteristics and clinical findings related to bowel necrosis were investigated. RESULTS: Bowel necrosis was diagnosed in 17 (32.7 %) patients. Amongst these 17, 10 patients received salvage surgical intervention, and seven of those diagnosed with bowel necrosis survived after the operation. The remaining 35 patients received conservative treatment with or without exploratory laparotomy. Between patients with and without bowel necrosis, laboratory data revealed significant differences in the levels of C-reactive protein (P = 0.0038), creatinine (P = 0.0054), and lactate (P = 0.045); clinical findings showed differences in abdominal pain (P = 0.019) and peritoneal irritation signs (P = 0.016); computed tomography detected ascites (P = 0.011) and changes of bowel wall enhancement (P = 0.03) that were significantly higher in patients with bowel necrosis. The rate of PI and/or PVG detected in patients postoperatively was significantly higher in patients with bowel necrosis (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that bowel necrosis was significantly more likely when PI or PVG was detected in postoperative patients than in patients who had not had surgery (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: PI and/or PVG, alone, are not automatically indicative of bowel necrosis. However, when these conditions occur postoperatively, they indicate bowel necrosis requiring reoperation.