[Thyroid surgery in a context of scarce resources at Saint Martin de Porres Dominican Hospital (Yaounde, Cameroon)]. / Chirurgie thyroïdienne dans le contexte de populations avec de faibles ressources à l'hôpital dominicain Saint Martin de Porres (Yaoundé, Cameroun).

Introduction: Surgical campaigns for thyroid surgery in low-income environments are very efficient, but there is little literature reporting results. These campaigns are complex due to multiple particularities: highly evolved cases, the need for professionals to travel or an obvious socio-cultural barrier influence towards the surgical act. We describe a surgical campaign in Cameroon to treat patients with goiter and issue some medical and sociocultural recommendations in view of our experience for its implementation with guarantees. Material and methods: An experienced group carried out an 11-day campaign at the Saint Martin de Porres Dominican Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon. Demographic data, TSH values, surgery and complications after a 12-month follow-up were analyzed. Results: Thirty-eight patients with goiter were selected for the campaign and 32 patients (mean age, 40-years-old; 30 females) were operated. Bilateral goiter, as assessed with echography, was diagnosed in 13 patients (41%). Ten patients (31%) had a WHO grade II goiter (visible with the neck in a normal position). The surgical procedures were 18 unilateral thyroidectomy with isthmectomie, 13 total thyroidectomy, and 1 totalizing thyroidectomy, due to previous unilateral thyroidectomy (cancer recurrence). A pathological study in 13 patients (40%, extra cost 60 €) showed benign multinodular goiter/thyroid nodule (12 patients) and an extensive papillary carcinoma (one patient). Six months postoperatively, 3 patients had a slight dysphonia and one patient had persistent hypocalcemia. Follow-up was completed in all patients, either face to face (75%, 24 patients) or by phone (25%, 8 patients who failed to have a TSH test because of its cost, 23 €). Conclusions: Surgical campaigns to treat thyroid pathology can be carried out with guarantees if a series of important steps are followed: active participation of the patient's environment, thyroid ultrasound by the surgical team to decide which technique, intense awareness about monitoring and hormone replacement therapy, and the participation of local personnel for long-term follow-up.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Abdominal CT for Locally Advanced Colon Tumors: Can We Really Entrust Certain Decisions to the Reliability of CT?

Many different options of neoadjuvant treatments for advanced colon cancer are emerging. An accurate preoperative staging is crucial to select the most appropriate treatment option. A retrospective study was carried out on a national series of operated patients with T4 tumors. Considering the anatomo-pathological analysis of the surgical specimen as the gold standard, a diagnostic accuracy study was carried out on the variables T and N staging and the presence of peritoneal metastases (M1c). The parameters calculated were sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratios, as well as the overall accuracy. A total of 50 centers participated in the study in which 1950 patients were analyzed. The sensitivity of CT for correct staging of T4 colon tumors was 57%. Regarding N staging, the overall accuracy was 63%, with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 62%; however, the positive and negative likelihood ratios were 1.7 and 0.58, respectively. For the diagnosis of peritoneal metastases, the accuracy was 94.8%, with a sensitivity of 40% and specificity of 98%; in the case of peritoneal metastases, the positive and negative likelihood ratios were 24.4 and 0.61, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of CT in the setting of advanced colon cancer still has some shortcomings for accurate diagnosis of stage T4, correct classification of lymph nodes, and preoperative detection of peritoneal metastases.

Internal audit of oncological results in gastric cancer surgery.

INTRODUCTION: National information on the oncological results of gastric cancer surgery is scarce, so foreign figures are used, which may completely differ from local ones. The aim of our study is to analyse these results in the patients operated on in our centre. METHODS: Survival results of 134 patients that underwent gastric cancer surgery with curative intent from 2004 to June 2016 were analysed. RESULTS: A percentage of 76.8 of the patients (103/134) presented in advanced clinical stages (≥ii). Staging laparoscopy was performed in 67% of them (69/103), an extensive lymphadenectomy (≥LD1+) was carried out in 89.3% of patients (92/103), and 76.7% (79/103) received perioperative chemotherapy. The distribution by pathological stage 0, i, ii, iii and iv was 8.2, 20.2, 26.1, 37.3, and 8.2%, respectively. Median follow-up was 87 months. Median OS was 68 months and one-, 3- and 5-year OS were 81.2, 62, and 53.8%, respectively. The 5-year OS according to pathological staging was 100% for stage 0, 88.4% for stage i, 62.5% for stage ii, 23.6% for stage iii and 17% for stage iv. CONCLUSIONS: Our survival rates are in the high ranges of western literature. These results could not be compared with national ones due to the lack of information regarding oncological outcomes in gastric cancer surgery in our closest environment.

Esophagectomy with Ileocoloplasty, Last Treatment for a Leak After Laparoscopic Sleeve: "From Less to More".

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is increasingly playing a key role in obesity management. Such operations, however, carry complications sometimes including leaks. The esophageal stent is one of the frequent options used to treat leaks after a sleeve gastrectomy. The fully covered stents are the ones of choice. However, their use can result in serious consequences requiring aggressive solutions. The longer the stent is maintained, there is more risk of withdrawal, even esophageal mucosal avulsion developing stenosis afterward. Endoscopic stenting is a double-edged sword that must be handled cautiously. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 36-year-old woman with BMI 44 and obstructive apnea syndrome undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in November 2017 with a 36 Fr bougie and reinforced staplers. She presented a leak as immediate complication. It was initially treated with an esophageal stent and removed 2 months afterwards with a mucosal avulsion during the procedure. She developed after an esophageal stenosis which was treated with enteral nutrition and endoscopic dilatations for 6 months without results. RESULTS: We present an open esophagectomy with ileocoloplasty reconstruction due to intrathoracic esophageal stricture after conservative management with partially covered metal stents and dilatations of a leak in a laparoscopic sleeve. She presented a neck leakage in the postoperative period with a good evolution after parenteral nutrition for 3 weeks and antibiotic therapy. She was discharged one month after surgery eating soft food in a reasonable manner. CONCLUSIONS: Although one of the existing options to treat leaks after a sleeve gastrectomy is the use of an esophageal stent, it is essential to choose the correct type, being the fully covered the ones of choice. The use of self-expandable metal stents appears to be a safe and effective method in the treatment of post-LSG leaks. The longer it is maintained, there is more risk in withdrawal, even esophageal mucosal avulsion. Endoscopic stenting is a double-edged sword that must be handled cautiously.

Revision of a Previous Capella Bypass due to dysphagia, GERD and Candy Cane Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Capella ringed gastric bypass is a technical variant of gastric bypass which seeks to improve long-term outcomes with a greater restriction. Frequent complications are due to the band, due to its inclusion or slippage, without being able to reject others. Our purpose is to present the video of a revisional bariatric surgery made by laparoscopic approach in a patient with a previous open retrogastric retrocolic Capella gastric bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patient presents dysphagia, gastroesophagic reflux disease (GERD), and pain, with a BMI of 36 kg/m2. Her supplementary tests show a hiatal hernia, GERD, and a Candy Cane Syndrome. The surgery was difficult due to multiple adhesions. Hiatal hernia was repaired and pillars were closed. The band was visualized intraoperatively close to the gastrojejunal anastomosis, although the high endoscopy did not detect neither stenosis nor difficulty of passage to the gastric pouch. It showed the retrogastric gastrojejunal anastomosis with a normal food loop and a 15-cm widened blind loop (Candy Cane Syndrome), which was resected. RESULTS: She had a left pneumonia and damage in left hepatic lobe (LHL). She was discharged after antibiotic treatment for 7 days. The patient has improved clinically, without dysphagia nor GERD. Her current BMI is 29.8 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, bariatric revisional surgery can lead to serious complications, but it is justified in patients with poor quality of life. A ringed retrocolic retrogastric bypass poses more difficulties in revisional procedures. It is mandatory to know which technique was performed before. The duration of the procedure can result in more complications like liver damage.

Internal audit of oncological results in gastric cancer surgery. / Auditoría interna de resultados oncológicos en la cirugía del cáncer gástrico.

INTRODUCTION: National information on the oncological results of gastric cancer surgery is scarce, so foreign figures are used, which may completely differ from local ones. The aim of our study is to analyse these results in the patients operated on in our centre. METHODS: Survival results of 134 patients that underwent gastric cancer surgery with curative intent from 2004 to June 2016 were analysed. RESULTS: A percentage of 76.8 of the patients (103/134) presented in advanced clinical stages (≥ii). Staging laparoscopy was performed in 67% of them (69/103), an extensive lymphadenectomy (≥LD1+) was carried out in 89.3% of patients (92/103), and 76.7% (79/103) received perioperative chemotherapy. The distribution by pathological stage 0, i, ii, iii and iv was 8.2, 20.2, 26.1, 37.3, and 8.2%, respectively. Median follow-up was 87 months. Median OS was 68 months and one-, 3- and 5-year OS were 81.2, 62, and 53.8%, respectively. The 5-year OS according to pathological staging was 100% for stage 0, 88.4% for stage i, 62.5% for stage ii, 23.6% for stage iii and 17% for stage iv. CONCLUSIONS: Our survival rates are in the high ranges of western literature. These results could not be compared with national ones due to the lack of information regarding oncological outcomes in gastric cancer surgery in our closest environment.

Results of a survey on peri-operative nutritional support in pancreatic and biliary surgery in Spain.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: a survey on peri-operative nutritional support in pancreatic and biliary surgery among Spanish hospitals in 2007 showed that few surgical groups followed the 2006 ESPEN guidelines. Ten years later we sent a questionnaire to check the current situation. Methods: a questionnaire with 21 items sent to 38 centers, related to fasting time before and after surgery, nutritional screening use and type, time and type of peri-operative nutritional support, and number of procedures. Results: thirty-four institutions responded. The median number of pancreatic resections (head/total) was 29.5 (95% CI: 23.0-35; range, 5-68) (total, 1002); of surgeries for biliary malignancies (non-pancreatic), 9.8 (95% CI: 7.3-12.4; range, 2-30); and of main biliary resections for benign conditions, 10.4 (95% CI: 7.6-13.3; range, 2-33). Before surgery, only 41.2% of the sites used nutritional support (< 50% used any nutritional screening procedure). The mean duration of preoperative fasting for solid foods was 9.3 h (range, 6-24 h); it was 6.6 h for liquids (range, 2-12). Following pancreatic surgery, 29.4% tried to use early oral feeding, but 88.2% of the surveyed teams used some nutritional support; 26.5% of respondents used TPN in 100% of cases. Different percentages of TPN and EN were used in the other centers. In malignant biliary surgery, 22.6% used TPN always, and EN in 19.3% of cases. Conclusions: TPN is the commonest nutrition approach after pancreatic head surgery. Only 29.4% of the units used early oral feeding, and 32.3% used EN; 22.6% used TPN regularly after surgery for malignant biliary tumours. The 2006 ESPEN guideline recommendations are not regularly followed 12 years after their publication in our country.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: realizamos una encuesta sobre soporte nutricional perioperatorio en cirugía pancreática y biliar en hospitales españoles en 2007, que mostró que pocos grupos quirúrgicos seguían las guías de ESPEN 2006. Diez años después enviamos un cuestionario para comprobar la situación actual. Métodos: treinta y ocho centros recibieron un cuestionario con 21 preguntas sobre tiempo de ayunas antes y después de la cirugía, cribado nutricional, duración y tipo de soporte nutricional perioperatorio, y número de procedimientos. Resultados: respondieron 34 grupos. La mediana de pancreatectomías (cabeza/total) fue de 29,5 (IC 95%: 23,0-35; rango, 5-68) (total, 1002), la de cirugías biliares malignas de 9,8 (IC 95%: 7,3-12,4; rango, 2-30) y la de resecciones biliares por patología benigna de 10,4 (IC 95%: 7,6-13,3; rango, 2-33). Solo el 41,2% de los grupos utilizaban soporte nutricional antes de la cirugía (< 50% habian efectuado un cribado nutricional). El tiempo medio de ayuno preoperatorio para sólidos fue de 9,3 h (rango, 6-24 h), y de 6,6 h para líquidos (rango, 2-12). Tras la pancreatectomía, el 29,4% habían intentado administrar una dieta oral precoz, pero el 88,2% de los grupos usaron algún tipo de soporte nutricional y el 26,5% usaron NP en el 100% de los casos. Los demás grupos usaron diferentes porcentajes de NP y NE en sus casos. En la cirugía biliar maligna, el 22,6% utilizaron NP siempre y NE en el 19,3% de los casos. Conclusiones: la NP es el soporte nutricional más utilizado tras la cirugía de cabeza pancreática. Solo el 29,4% de las unidades usan nutrición oral precoz y el 32,3% emplean la NE tras este tipo de cirugía. El 22,6% de las instituciones usan NP habitualmente tras la cirugía de tumores biliares malignos. Las guías ESPEN 2006 no se siguen de forma habitual en nuestro país tras más de 10 años desde su publicación.

Factors infuencing the sensitivity of ultrasound and gamma location of the parathyroid adenoma. / Factores que condicionan la sensibilidad de la ecografía y la gammagrafía en la localización del adenoma paratiroideo.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of choice for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) when there is proper preoperative localization of the adenoma is minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. However, imaging techniques are not always able to provide the exact location. The objective is to identify potential factors that might influence the sensitivity and concordance of ultrasound (US) and 99mTc-methoxy-isonitrile parathyroid scintigraphy (MIBI-PS) and the actual location of the adenoma. METHODS: We reviewed the data of patients who underwent parathyroidectomies for PHPT. All patients had undergone ultrasound and 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy as a preoperative location study. Multiple endocrine neoplasms, other hyperplasias and non-cervical ectopic adenomas were excluded. The sensitivity, PPV and concordance have been estimated for the location of the gland in both tests compared with the intraoperative location, using a multivariable analysis of the factors that might influence their localization capacity. RESULTS: 139 patients (82% women) have been analysed. The US sensitivity was 56.7%, concordance (Kappa index) 0.387 and PPV 96.3%. The MIBI-PS sensitivity was 81.6%, the concordance (Kappa index) 0.669 and the PPV 97.4%. The factor that improved localization of the glands by US in the multivariable analysis was the absence of a concomitant thyroid pathology. The factor that improved the MIBI-PS results was a gland weight greater than 600mg. CONCLUSIONS: US sensitivity improves when there is no concomitant thyroid pathology. MIBI-PS sensitivity improves when the gland weight is greater than 600mg.

Systematic Second-look Surgery Plus HIPEC in Patients Without Evidence of Recurrence, at High Risk of Carcinomatosis After Colorectal Cancer Resection. / Cirugía de second look más HIPEC en pacientes sin evidencia de recidiva con alto riesgo de desarrollar carcinomatosis tras resección de cáncer colorrectal.

INTRODUCTION: To analyze the impact of systematic second-look surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) performed 1 year after resection of the primary tumor, in asymptomatic patients at high risk of developing peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). METHODS: Between 2012-2016, 33 patients without any sign of peritoneal recurrence on imaging studies were prospectively included in the study and underwent second-look surgery aimed at treating limited PC earlier and were prospectively recorded. They were selected based on 5 primary tumor-associated criteria: resected minimal synchronous macroscopic PC (n = 10), synchronous ovarian metastases (n = 2), positive peritoneal cytology (n = 2), pT4 primary tumors (n = 15) and perforation (n = 4). RESULTS: PC was found and treated by cytoreduction plus HIPEC in 10 of the 33 (30.3%) patients, although it was detected in only 2/15 patients of the pT4 subgroup (13.3%). The patients without PC underwent complete abdominal exploration plus HIPEC. Median follow-up was 14.5 months. One patient died postoperatively at day 55. Severe morbidity rate (Clavien-Dindo III-V) was low (15.2%). The 3-year overall survival rate was 93% and the 3-year disease-free survival rate was 33%. Peritoneal recurrences occurred in 4 patients (12.1%), 2 of whom had macroscopic PC discovered at the second-look (20%), while the other 2 patients had no macroscopic PC (8.7%) (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The second look + HIPEC strategy in our series of patients at high risk of developing PC, allows its early detection and its treatment in 30.3% of cases, with a very low rate of peritoneal recurrence. It is important to continue evaluating the results to increase the accuracy of the inclusion criteria, especially the pT4 criterion that in this series has a low predictive power for the occurrence of PC.

Early and Late Complications in Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass: Comparative Study between Manual and Stapled Anastomosis.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the early and late complications of laparoscopic gastric bypass (GBP) with manual versus stapled gastrojejunal anastomosis. Eighty-two patients with morbid obesity and body mass index (35-56 kg/m2) who underwent GBP were divided into two groups: manual gastrojejunal anastomosis (Group 1) and stapled anastomosis (Group 2). Early and late complications were evaluated. No differences were found between both groups in age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesia classification, and comorbidity. The mean operative time was 184.8 minutes [standard deviation (SD) = 61]; 203.5 minutes (SD = 51.9) in Group 1 and 167.4 minutes (SD = 64.2) in Group 2 (P = 0.001). The average length of stay was 5.9 days (SD = 3.9) in Group 1 and 5 days (SD = 2.1) in Group 2 (P = 0.039). Early complications were recorded in 9.7 per cent of the cases, without any differences between the two groups: 12.2 per cent in Group 1 and 7.3 per cent in Group 2 (P > 0.05). Late complication rate was 8.5 per cent, significantly higher in Group 1 (14.6%) than in Group 2 (2.4%; P < 0.05). However, in the logistic regression analysis these differences were not statistically significant (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.03-8.37; P = 0.61). In our series, the GBP with stapled gastrojejunal anastomosis has shown lower hospital length of stay and operative time than the hand-sewn anastomosis. We have not found significant differences between both groups in early complications or in the need for reoperation. Fewer late complications were found in the group of stapled anastomosis; however, this has not been confirmed in the logistic regression analysis.

Conversion of an Open Salmon's Technique to a Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass.

BACKGROUND: There are a growing number of patients who require revisional bariatric surgery due to the failure of their primary procedures. The aim of this video is to present a laparoscopic revisional procedure for dysphagia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after an uncommonly performed bariatric surgery, Salmon's technique, consisting of a vertical banded gastroplasty and a horizontal stomach stapling with a Roux-en-Y bypass. METHODS: A 42-year-old obese male, with a history of dyslipidemia and a current body mass index (BMI) of 33, presented with severe dysphagia to solids and frequent spitting 10 years after the primary bariatric surgery (Salmon's procedure) with a BMI of 43. Endoscopy revealed a hiatal hernia. The endoscope passed down without difficulty to the antrum-duodenum and to efferent loop of the small bowel, demonstrating the presence of a fistula in the horizontal stapling of the stomach. Helicobacter pylori was negative. Esophageal transit showed the contrast passing adequately through the esophagogastric junction. Esophageal manometry revealed a hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter (mean pressure of 8 mmHg) and an ineffective peristalsis (40% of waves with normal amplitude and duration). Esophageal pHmetry showed severe GERD with a DeMeester score of 88.5 and a pH less than four, 18.7% of the total time. The patient was on PPIs at the time of symptom evaluation, but stopped the treatment before the performance of the pH study. Laparoscopic conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was successfully performed. An extensive adhesiolysis was needed. The esophageal hiatus was dissected and the stomach was partially descended to reduce the hiatal hernia. A subsequent hiatal closure was performed. The efferent loop of the small bowel was freed from the gastric pouch. The new gastric pouch was performed stapling superiorly to the gastric ring and medially to the vertical gastroplasty. The new gastrojejunal anastomosis was performed using a mechanical linear stapler, in an antecolic fashion, and checked for leaks using methylene blue dye. RESULTS: The procedure took 300 min and no intraoperative complications occurred. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course, with a hospital stay of 4 days. One month after the revisional surgery, the patient presented with a stenosis of the gastrojejunal anastomosis, which was successfully solved after two endoscopic dilations. A year and a half after revisional surgery, the patient is completely asymptomatic, has a BMI of 29, and dyslipidemia as the only comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Salmon's technique is an uncommon bariatric procedure. Revisional surgery might be needed in case of late complications, like dysphagia and reflux, as it was the case in our patient. In addition, a fistula in the previous horizontal partitioning of the stomach was present. Laparoscopic conversion from Salmon's technique to a gastric bypass was decided. This procedure was successful in solving patient's symptoms and resulted in an increased weight lost. Laparoscopic revisional surgery after an open Salmon's technique is a complex procedure with an increased risk of complications. Our patient developed an anastomotic stenosis 1 month after surgery, probably due to the use of the same gauge as in non-fibrotic tissues.

Pancreas neuroendocrine tumors - not so rare or benign.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by a common embryonic origin and highly variable clinical outcome.

Thyroid surgery at a volunteer program in Sub-Saharan Africa. / Cirugía tiroidea en programas de cooperación en África subsahariana.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to demonstrate our experience at a volunteer surgical program in Cameroon, which is of special interest given to the inability to adopt international treatment guidelines for thyroid surgery in areas of limited resources due to the lack of preoperative testing and to the difficulty to obtain sustitutive hormonal treatment. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study that includes 16 cases of thyroid surgery in Dschang (Cameroon) during June 2015. The patients were previously selected by a local medical team. All patients were black, 15 women and one man, with a mean age of 41 years. The surgical technique used for the removal of unilateral disease was hemithyroidectomy with isthmectomy and bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy for bilateral disease. RESULTS: Five subtotal thyroidectomies, 9hemithyroidectomies and 2isthmectomies were performed. Prethyroid muscles were divided only in one case. We visualized 86% of the parathyroid glands and 84% of the recurrent laryngeal nerves. The main complications observed were one symptomatic cervical haematoma that required reoperation and 2surgical wound infections. There were no clinical episodes of hypocalemia or recurrent nerve lesion. The mean length of stay was 2.3 days. At follow-up, all bilateral thyroidectomies developed high TSH levels. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid surgery is safe in developing countries adopting protocols and techniques we use in our environment (avoiding total thyroidectomy). Bilateral thyroidectomies should not be performed unless functional studies are available in the follow-up and a thyroid hormone supplement stock guaranteed whenever necessary.

[Cervical sympathetic chain schwannoma associated with parathyroid adenoma]. / Schwannoma de la cadena simpática cervical asociado a adenoma paratiroideo.

BACKGROUND: Schwannoma is a rare benign tumor derived from nerve sheaths. When derived from the cervical sympathetic chain, it usually presents itself as an asymptomatic mass located in the posterior cervical region, at paravertebral level. Its diagnosis is not easy, usually requiring multiple imaging tests. Its differential diagnosis includes parathyroid adenoma. CLINICAL CASE: A new case of schwannoma of the cervical sympathetic chain in a patient with a synchronous overactive parathyroid adenoma is reported. This case adds to the sixty described in the literature, although to our knowledge no association between schwannoma and parathyroid adenoma has been reported to date. CONCLUSIONS: Despite being a benign tumor, its treatment is a complete surgical resection. The most common complication after the surgery needed for these tumors is ipsilateral Horner syndrome.

Incidence of surgical site infection in colon surgery: comparison with regional, national Spanish, and United States standards.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of surgical site infection (SSI) in colon surgery, and the clinical and economic impacts of such infections, make its monitoring and prevention a priority. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study to estimate the rate of SSI in colon surgery and the degree of compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis and pre-operative preparation protocols. The study population comprised patients who underwent colon surgery at the University Hospital of the Alcorcon Foundation in Alcorcon, Spain, from October 2007 to December 2009. Risk factors, the observance of antibiotic prophylaxis, and compliance with pre-operative preparation protocols were monitored; and their influence on SSIs was followed for 30 days after surgery. The main outcome measure was comparisons of the rates of SSI in patients undergoing colon surgery in Madrid and across the whole of Spain and in the United States, as determined in accordance with the surveillance parameters of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) index. RESULTS: Among a total of 132 patients, we found a 10.6% rate of SSI. The indirect standardization rate at our hospital was 1.75-fold for the United States and 0.64-fold and 0.61-fold, respectively, the rates for Madrid and all of Spain. The rates of compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis and pre-operative preparation protocols were 93.6% and 56.8%, respectively. No relation could be established between these data and the rate of infection. The risk factors for SSI found in a multivariable analysis were the degree of contamination in surgery and the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of SSI in our study population was below that for Madrid and Spain but higher than that for the United States. Thorough adherence to the monitoring system was essential for obtaining these results.

[Appendicovesical fistula treated with elective laparoscopic surgery]. / Fístula apendicovesical tratada mediante cirugía laparoscópica electiva.

BACKGROUND: appendicovesical fistula is a rare complication of advanced acute appendicitis and represents a rare type of enterovesical fistula. Its symptoms are vague and imprecise and its diagnosis is difficult, requiring a high level of suspicion. Exploratory laparotomy has been the key for diagnosis and definitive treatment for many years, but recently the laparoscopic approach is standing out among different experienced groups as the method of choice. CLINICAL CASE: we report a new case of appendicovesical fistula in a 45 year old female, who was remitted from Urology with symptoms of persistent dysuria and pyuria. She was finally diagnosed by computerized tomography and the appendicovesical fistula was resolved by laparoscopic surgery. This case adds to the one hundred and fifteen cases published so far and to the four treated by the laparoscopic approach. DISCUSSION: conventional imaging methods are not reliable for the diagnosis of enterovesical fistula. Since most appendicovesical fistula are found to be secondary to non-diagnosed and advanced acute appendicitis in the majority of the consulted publications laparotomy is the key for the diagnosis of apendicovesical fistula. However laparoscopy is described as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in few articles. We only found three articles in the literature referring to the laparoscopic approach as a therapeutic option. CONCLUSION: computerized tomography is the diagnostic method of choice when communication between the digestive tract and urinary tract is suspected, particularly if the suspected fistula is an appendicovesical one. The laparoscopic approach of an appendicovesical fistula is able to confirm the radiological diagnosis and provide a definitive treatment.

Antecedentes: la fístula apendicovesical es una complicación infrecuente de la apendicitis aguda en estadio avanzado y representa un tipo poco habitual de fístula enterovesical. La laparotomía exploradora ha sido durante muchos años pieza clave para el diagnóstico y su tratamiento efinitivo, pero actualmente el abordaje laparoscópico se está imponiendo entre diferentes grupos experimentados. Caso clínico: aportamos un nuevo caso de fístula apendicovesical en una mujer de 45 años de edad remitida del servicio de Urología por disuria y leucocituria permanente; finalmente, el diagnóstico se estableció mediante técnica de imagen (tomografía computada) y se resolvió por laparoscopia. Este caso se suma a los 115 casos descritos hasta ahora en la bibliografía y a los cuatro tratados mediante laparoscopia. Discusión: los métodos de imagen convencionales no son fiables para el diagnóstico de fístula enterovesical. La mayoría de los casos de fístula apendicovesical son secundarios a una apendicitis aguda no evidenciada y evolucionada. En la mayor parte de las publicaciones consultadas la laparotomía es una herramienta de diagnóstico de la fístula apendicovesical y, en pocos artículos, se describe la laparoscopia como alternativa diagnóstica y terapéutica. En la bibliografía sólo se encontraron tres artículos que hacen referencia al abordaje laparoscópico con fines terapéuticos. Conclusión: ante la sospecha de comunicación entre el tubo digestivo y el aparato urinario, la tomografía computada es el método diagnóstico de elección, sobre todo si se sospecha una fístula apendicovesical. El abordaje laparoscópico de la fístula apendicovesical puede confirmar el diagnóstico radiológico a la vez que constituye una opción quirúrgica definitiva.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: diagnosis and treatment.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the digestive tract. They originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal and are characterized by the overexpression of KIT protein (tyrosine kinase). Their prognosis has improved significantly with the discovery of imatinib mesylate for advanced GIST treatment. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective, descriptive study of GISTs diagnosed in our center during the past 5 years. We excluded patients with incidental diagnoses in the context of other pathologies because GIST did not affect outcome or prognosis. The variables studied were clinical characteristics, location, size, imaging techniques, resectability, neoadjuvant imatinib, surgical technique, histology, immunohistochemistry, prognostic classification of Fletcher, morbidity, monitoring, and disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were diagnosed (14 males/5 females) with a mean age of 63 years (range: 30-84 years). Diagnosis was incidental in eight patients (42%). Tumor location of the remaining 11 patients (58%) was six tumors of the small intestine (55%), four gastric (36%) and one rectal (9%). Predominant gastrointestinal bleeding and anemia were diagnosed mainly by abdominal computed tomography (CT). At diagnosis, nine patients were considered resectable with radical intent (82%) and the other two patients (18%) received neoadjuvant treatment with a favorable response after 6 months. Three patients were treated with imatinib after surgery (33%). Median survival was 34 months (range: 5-58 months). CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of GIST is often incidental. The predominant clinical symptom is usually gastrointestinal bleeding and anemia and the most widely used imaging test is CT. Treatment is surgical unless advanced GIST is diagnosed, which will be treated with imatinib mesylate neoadjuvant therapy. A multidisciplinary approach to this pathology is essential, a fact that affects prognosis and patient survival.