Treating strangeness: Medicine and human dignity at the time of COVID-19.

The concomitance of a migratory wave and the hospital crisis once again raises the question of the care that the French healthcare system is able to provide to migrants. On the occasion of SFFEM's 19th annual day, we present a synthesis of the research work that has been communicated at that time. Firstly, we will discuss how doctors have been able to overcome strangeness to revive the notion of hospitality according to Levinas; secondly, we will discuss how the hospital is departing from its mission of institutional hospitality because of administrative injunctions; thirdly, we will discuss how ethnomedicine gives us keys to open up to other cultural norms; fourthly, we will see the inadequacy that exists between rights of access to medical care and their effectiveness; finally, the conclusion of Xavier Emmanuelli, founder of the social ambulance service, will remind us how much the values of the French Republic call us to the notion of care and openness to otherness.

The effect of metabolic syndrome on postoperative outcomes following laparoscopic colectomy.

BACKGROUND: Among the criteria used to diagnose metabolic syndrome (MS), obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM) are associated with poor postoperative outcomes following colectomy. MS is also associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) and diverticulosis, both of which may be treated with colectomy. However, the effect of MS on postoperative outcomes following laparoscopic colectomy has yet to be clarified. METHODS: In an academic tertiary hospital, data from all consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy from 2005 to 2014 were prospectively recorded and analysed. Patients presenting with MS [defined by the presence of three or more of the following criteria: elevated blood pressure, body mass index > 28 kg/m2, dyslipidemia (decreased serum HDL cholesterol, increased serum triglycerides) and increased fasting glucose/DM] were compared with patients without MS regarding peri-operative outcome [mainly anastomotic leaks, severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo III and IV)] and mortality. RESULTS: Overall, 1236 patients were included: 508 (41.1%) right colectomies and 728 (58.9%) left colectomies. Seven hundred seventy-two (62.4%) of these procedures were performed for CRC. MS was diagnosed in 85 (6.9%) patients, who were significantly older than the others (70 vs. 64.2 years, p < 0.001), and presented with more cardiac comorbidities (p < 0.001). MS was associated with increased blood loss (122.5 vs. 79.9 mL p = 0.001) and blood transfusion requirement (5.9 vs. 1.7%, p = 0.021). The anastomotic leak rate was 6.6% (with 2.2% of anastomotic leaks requiring surgical treatment), and the overall reoperation rate was 6.9%. The incidence of severe postoperative complications was 11.5%, and the overall mortality rate 0.6%. No differences were found between the groups in overall postoperative morbidity and mortality. Median length of stay was similar in both groups (7 days). CONCLUSIONS: MS does not jeopardize postoperative outcomes following laparoscopic colectomy.

Adrenal ectopy of adult groin region: a systematic review of an unexpected anatomopathologic diagnosis.

PURPOSE: Adrenal ectopy is a rare condition, caused by abnormal embryological development of the adrenal glands and testis. This anomaly is asymptomatic and is generally diagnosed in childhood. Most cases of adrenal ectopy of the groin region have been found incidentally during surgery. This review aims to evaluate the incidence of adrenal ectopy of the adult groin region, as well as its short- and long-term significance. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed using the EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed and Cochrane Central databases to identify all studies published until December 2015. Articles written in English containing the keywords: ''ectopic adrenal tissue'' or ''aberrant adrenal tissue'' or ''adrenal heterotopy'' combined with ''groin region'' or ''inguinal'' or ''testicular" or "scrotum" and "adult" were selected. RESULTS: Fifteen articles matched the review criteria. A total of 21 cases (100 % male) were included. No cases of bilateral nodules have been reported. The mean age at diagnosis was 43.5 years old (range 19-78 years). A predominance of right-sided lesions was observed (71.4 %). The mean size reached 7.6 mm (range 2-40 mm) and hernia sacs were the most common location (47.6 %). All histological analyses of harvested tissues consisted of adrenal cortex without medulla. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that routine pathological examination of any groin tissue excised during inguinal hernia repairs is required for the diagnosis of adrenal ectopy in the groin. Although there is no current evidence that endocrine or oncologic complications can occur from excision of ectopic adrenal tissue, further confirmatory studies may be required.

Meta-analysis of drain amylase content on postoperative day 1 as a predictor of pancreatic fistula following pancreatic resection.

BACKGROUND: Drain amylase content in the days immediately after major pancreatic resection has been investigated previously as a predictor of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Its accuracy, however, has not been determined conclusively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of drain amylase content on the first day after major pancreatic resection in predicting the occurrence of POPF. METHODS: A literature search of the MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus(®) databases to 13 May 2015 was performed to identify studies evaluating the accuracy of drain amylase values on day 1 after surgery in predicting the occurrence of POPF. The area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUChSROC ) was calculated as an index of accuracy, and pooled estimates of accuracy indices (sensitivity and specificity) were calculated at different cut-off levels. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Thirteen studies involving 4416 patients were included. The AUChSROC was 0·89 (95 per cent c.i. 0·86 to 0·92) for clinically significant POPF and 0·88 (0·85 to 0·90) for POPF of any grade. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the different cut-offs: 90-100 units/l (0·96 and 0·54 respectively), 350 units/l (0·91 and 0·84) and 5000 units/l (0·59 and 0·91). Accuracy was independent of the type of operation, type of anastomosis performed and octreotide administration. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of drain amylase content on the first day after surgery is highly accurate in predicting POPF following major pancreatic resection. It may allow early drain removal and institution of an enhanced recovery pathway.