Two-year follow-up results of the use of a fecal diverting device as a substitute for a defunctioning stoma.

PURPOSE: Our previously published clinical studies described the short-term outcomes of a newly developed intraluminal fecal diverting device (FDD). FDD was a safe and effective substitute for a defunctioning stoma. However, the long-term efficacy and safety of this device remain unknown. We investigated the long-term outcomes of the use of the FDD as a substitute for a defunctioning stoma. METHODS: We examined the medical records of patients who participated in our two previous FDD clinical studies. The main outcome was the number of patients with bowel continuity for 2 years after undergoing the FDD procedure or defunctioning stoma creation. RESULTS: Between May 2015 and July 2018, 85 patients were screened for inclusion in this study. Of those, 27 patients underwent a defunctioning ileostomy after proctectomy. The remaining 58 underwent the FDD procedure after proctectomy. Seventy-two patients (ileostomy group, n = 22; FDD group, n = 50) with a follow-up duration > 24 months were included in this analysis. The mean duration of fecal diversion was significantly shorter (p < 0.001) in the FDD group (3.1 [1.6-6.1] weeks) than in the ileostomy group (16.7 [10.0-31.6] weeks). However, the rate of permanent stoma creation was not statistically different between the two groups (ileostomy and FDD groups, 13.6% [3/22] and 10.0% [5/50], respectively; p = 0.693). CONCLUSIONS: The FDD procedure is a feasible substitute for a defunctioning stoma after proctectomy. Multicenter large-scaled clinical studies are required to validate our results.

Prognostic Implications of Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia in Stage III Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) as a prognostic factor in stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC). However, only few reports analyzed the prognostic value of CIN in patients with stage III CRC who received adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFOX). We aimed to investigate the prognostic implications of CIN in patients with stage III CRC who received adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with stage III CRC who received adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX at a tertiary hospital between January 2007 and December 2017. Severe CIN was defined as an absolute neutrophil count of less than 1000/mm3. Three-y disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed as primary endpoints. RESULTS: Among the 199 patients included in this study, 110 patients (55.3%) experienced severe CIN. There were no significant differences in survival outcomes between the control and CIN groups (control group versus CIN group: 3-y OS, 82.0 % versus 72.7 %; log rank, P = 0.250 and 3-y DFS, 71.9 % versus 62.7; log rank, P = 0.294). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that CIN did not affect DFS and OS in patients with stage III CRC who received adjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe CIN occurring during adjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy did not play a significant role in the prognosis of patients with stage III CRC.

Ileostomy versus fecal diversion device to protect anastomosis after rectal surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Patients with rectal anastomosis commonly experience various ileostomy-related complications. This study aimed to elucidate the usefulness of a fecal diversion device (FDD) as an alternative to ileostomy for protecting rectal anastomosis. METHODS: Patients with rectal anastomosis were randomly assigned to the ileostomy and FDD groups except in cases of emergency surgery. The primary endpoint was the clinical safety and effectiveness of FDD. The mean operation time, delay of diet advancement, length of hospital stay, FDD and stoma durations, and anastomotic leakage (AL) management methods were compared. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were enrolled in this study. No cases of mortality occurred. Overall morbidity was similar between groups (P = 0.551). Six patients (22.2%) in the FDD group and nine (29.0%) in the stoma group (P = 0.555) had AL. The mean total hospital stay was 16.4 ± 6.7 and 23.4 ± 8.7 days in the FDD and stoma groups, respectively (P = 0.002). The mean total hospital cost was 12,726.8 ± 3422.8 USD and 17,954.9 ± 9040.3 USD in the FDD and stoma groups, respectively (P = 0.008). The mean FDD and stoma durations were 21.6 ± 6.1 days and 114.9 ± 41.3 days, respectively (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated FDD safety and effectiveness. We identified the possibility of FDD as an alternative technique to conventional stoma procedures.

Fecal diverting device for the substitution of defunctioning stoma: preliminary clinical study.

BACKGROUND: A novel fecal diverting device (FDD) made for the prevention of sepsis resulting from anastomotic leakage (AL) was tested successfully in an animal study. This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical safety and effectiveness of the FDD. METHODS: A prospective observation trial was implemented in a tertiary referral university hospital. The study enrolled patients who needed a defunctioning stoma to preserve low-lying rectal anastomosis. The FDD was fixed to the proximal colon 15 cm from the anastomosis and scheduled to divert feces for 3 weeks. The duration could be extended for more than 3 weeks if AL was noted. Postoperative evaluations of AL were performed by obtaining a computed tomography (CT) scan after 1 week and a contrast study after 3 weeks. The outcomes were FDD-related complications, and the capacity of the FDD to preserve the anastomosis. The median follow-up period was 10 (range 5-40) months. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients, including 5 benign cases, were evaluated. There was no case of stoma conversion or surgical re-intervention. Evidence of AL was identified in 10 (32%) patients using the CT scan at 1 week after surgery. However, in the contrast study at 3 weeks after surgery, only 5 cases of AL sinus were noted. Conservative treatments including 1-3 weeks prolongation of FDD maintenance were enough to preserve the anastomosis. There were 3 cases of partial colonic wall erosions at the FDD attachment area. All of these patients showed improvement with conservative treatment. The limitations were that the study was performed in a single institute and without a control group. CONCLUSIONS: The FDD showed a sufficient capacity of fecal diversion and maintenance duration that prevented aggravation of sepsis in the case of AL without significant complications.

Long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic versus open resection following stent insertion for obstructing colon cancer: a multi-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study compared oncologic outcomes between open and laparoscopic surgery following self-expanding metallic stents insertion for obstructing colon cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study included 50 patients who underwent open surgery and 44 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for obstructing left-sided colon cancer at four tertiary referral hospitals between June 2005 and December 2013. RESULTS: The median follow-up periods were 48 months and 47 months in the open and laparoscopic groups, respectively. The median operative time, time to soft diet, and length of stay were comparable between the groups. Four cases converted to open surgery (9.1%) in the laparoscopic group. The morbidity within 30 days after surgery was comparable between the groups (OR 0.931; 95% CI 0.357-2.426; p = 0.884). The proximal and distal resection margins, the histologic grade of tumor, TNM stage, median tumor size, and presence of lymphovascular invasion did not differ significantly between the groups. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of the open and laparoscopic groups were 67.1% and 71.7% (HR 1.028, 95% CI 0.491-2.15, p = 0.942) and the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 55.8% and 61.5% (HR 0.982; 95% CI 0.522-1.847; p = 0.955), respectively. The recurrence pattern did not differ between the groups. Multivariate analysis showed that sex (p = 0.027), nodal stage (p = 0.043), and the proportion of patients receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.002) were independent prognostic factors for OS. The proportion of patients receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.017) was an independent prognostic factor for DFS. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic resection following stent insertion for obstructing colon cancer can be performed safely, with long-term oncologic outcomes comparable with those of open surgery.

Selecting patients for hyperthermia combined with preoperative chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the role of hyperthermia combined with preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) according to hypoxic marker expression. METHODS: One hundred and nine LARC patients with tissue blocks available for immunohistochemical assessment of carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) expression were reviewed. CA9 expression was considered positive when the staining percentage of tumor cells was >25% (n = 31). Pelvic radiotherapy with a total dose of 39.6-45 Gy was delivered concurrently with fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Hyperthermia was administered to 52 patients twice a week during CCRT. Treatment response and outcomes were compared between hyperthermochemoradiotherapy (HCRT) and CCRT groups. RESULTS: In patients with positive CA9 expression, the rates of downstaging (p = 0.060) and pathologic complete response (p = 0.064) tended to be higher in the HCRT group than in the CCRT group. Distant metastasis-free survival (p = 0.029) and cancer-specific survival (p = 0.020) were significantly worse in tumors with both positive CA9 expression and poor tumor response. Negative CA9 expression, presence of major tumor response, and the use of hyperthermia were significant favorable prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival after the first recurrence in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperthermia might selectively enhance the preoperative treatment response in LARC with positive CA9 expression and offset the negative effect of hypoxia on prognosis. Pretreatment evaluation of hypoxia could aid in the selection of patients who might benefit from hyperthermia.

Comparison of oncologic outcomes of metastatic rectal cancer patients with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in stage IV rectal cancer. METHODS: Primary rectal cancer patients with synchronous distant metastases between September 2001 and August 2011 were enrolled. Of 86 patients, 40 patients underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (RTX group) and the remaining 46 patients underwent postoperative systemic chemotherapy without radiotherapy (NRTX group). Sharp mesorectal excision according to tumor location was performed. Oncologic outcomes were compared. RESULTS: The lower tumor location was more common in RTX group than NRTX group (60.0 vs. 28.3%, P = 0.003). Clinical T and N status and American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score were similar in both groups. The incidence of pathologic LN metastases in the NRTX group was 93.5% compared with 70.0% in RTX group (P = 0.007). Pattern of distant metastasis was similar between groups. However, metastatectomy was frequently performed in RTX group than NRTX group (57.5 vs. 30.4%, P = 0.020). There was no statistical difference in local recurrence rate between groups (10.0% in RTX vs. 15.2% in NRTX, P = 0.470). The median PFS was similar in both groups (12.00 months in RTX vs. 12.00 months in NRTX, P = 0.768). The median OS between groups was also not different (24.00 months in RTX vs. 27.00 months in NRT, P = 0.510). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy may not affect local control and overall survival in locally advanced rectal cancer with distant metastasis.

Late complications after proctectomy in rectal cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy for advanced rectal cancer is an important treatment to reduce local recurrence. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the late structural changes of pelvis and adverse effects after radiotherapy for rectal cancer. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2009, we performed a single-center case-control study with 687 patients who underwent curative treatments for rectal cancer. A radiotherapy group (RTX) and a non-radiotherapy group (NRTX) were compared. Of the 687 patients, 207 cases in the RTX group were identified, and 207 controls for the NRTX group were selected for analysis. Each case had one control matched for age (±5 y), sex, tumor location, and operation type. All instances of radiotherapy were performed as long-course treatment methods (45.0-50.4 Gy) with concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy. Late complications were usually assessed as structural changes of the pelvic organ based on physical examination or radiologic or endoscopic findings 6 months after the rectal resection or pelvic radiation. RESULTS: In terms of overall complications, the RTX group (N = 45, 21.7 %) experienced more frequent complications than the NRTX group (N = 25, 12.1 %, p = 0.009). In particular, anastomosis-related complications were more common in the RTX group (9.2 %) than in the NRTX group (2.4 %, p = 0.003). Successful treatment after late complications in the RTX group (33.3 %) was less likely than in the NRTX group (70.0 %, p = 0.010). Late complications in the RTX group gradually increased with time (11.6 % at 2 y, 17.9 % at 3 y, 19.8 % at 4 y) at a higher rate than in the NRTX group (6.8 % at 2 y, 10.6 % at 3 y, 10.6 % at 4 y, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy for rectal cancer patients may induce late pelvic complications as time progresses, and irreversible tissue changes due to radiation could disrupt the successful treatment of radiation-related complications.

Introduction of extraperitoneal tunneling method: a way to secure the drain tube in the pelvic cavity after proctectomy.

The effectiveness of closed drainage tube insertion after low anterior resection has been controversial. We believe that drain tube displacement, which occurs up to 35% in real clinical practice, reduces the effectiveness of the drain tube. We report in this video a simple way to secure the drain tube in the pelvic cavity after low anterior resection and introduce a case that used the drain fixation method and treated anastomotic leakage without interventional procedure.

Long-term fecal diverting device for the prevention of sepsis in case of colorectal anastomotic leakage: an animal experiment.

BACKGROUND: A new fecal diverting device (FDD) was fabricated for fecal diversion from the proximal colon above the anastomosis to outside the anus for protecting the rectal anastomosis. The aim of the study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the FDD. METHODS: After a pilot study, a prospective observational trial was performed in 34 mongrel dogs. The experiment comprised of segmental resection and anastomosis of the colon, fixation of the FDD, and observation for 3 weeks (n = 15) and more than 3 weeks (n = 19) without initiation of parenteral nutrition. RESULTS: Four cases of perioperative death unrelated to the FDD were excluded. Twenty-six (87 %) of the 30 dogs survived. Sixteen (53 %) dogs were able to retain the FDD for more than 3 weeks until 82 days. The autopsy findings revealed that four (15 %) dogs showed colonic wall erosions and mucosal scarring respectively at the band fixation area without evidence of serious septic complications. The surviving dogs retained the FDD for more than 6 days. Mortality occurred in four of the five dogs that expelled the FDD within three postoperative days. A closed abscess cavity as the evidence of anastomotic leakage was noted in seven (23 %) of the surviving dogs. CONCLUSIONS: The newly designed fecal diverting device can be retained for more than 3 weeks until 82 days without any serious complications. The FDD may prevent sepsis in case of anastomotic leakage if it is retained for more than 6 days.

Peritoneofascial suture method for facilitating loop ileostomy mobilization.

BACKGROUND: Ileostomy closure is a minor procedure and is performed through a small peristomal incision. However, a hard adhesion increases the technical difficulty. A peritoneofascial suture (PFS) will reduce the adhesion layers of the abdominal wall. This study was performed to evaluate whether the PFS method may decrease the extent of adhesions between the bowel and the abdominal wall opening and facilitate ileostomy mobilization. METHODS: Forty-two patients (24 males and 18 females) with a mean age of 57 years (range = 31-80 years) and who were undergoing ileostomy closure were enrolled. The PFS group and the conventional group had 18 and 24 patients, respectively. The intraoperative findings such as degree of adhesion, mobilization time, and associated bowel injury were analyzed. RESULTS: The thickness of the abdominal wall and the rectus abdominis was similar in both groups. The overall operation time was shorter in the PFS group than in the conventional group (50.9 vs. 80.4 min, respectively, p = 0.001). The ileostomy mobilization time was also shorter in the PFS group than in the conventional group (18.9 vs. 44.7 min, respectively, p < 0.001). The procedure was technically easier in the PFS group more frequently than in the conventional group (77.8 % vs. 31.6 %, respectively, p = 0.013). Bowel injury during mobilization was more common in the conventional group than in the PFS group (50.0 % vs. 16.7 %, respectively, p = 0.053). CONCLUSIONS: The peritoneofascial suture method is a simple procedure, and it may facilitate ileostomy mobilization by decreasing adhesion layers. To confirm the technical advantage of this method a randomized study will be needed.

Clinical outcomes of mild hyperthermia for locally advanced rectal cancer treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this report was to determine the impact of hyperthermia (HT) on preoperative radiochemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2007, 235 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were treated with concurrent preoperative radiochemotherapy with or without HT. The total dose of radiotherapy was 39.6 Gy for 109 patients (group A) and 45 Gy for 126 patients (group B). Two or three cycles of chemotherapy were administered. Hyperthermia was given immediately after radiotherapy. RESULTS: In the HT subgroup of group A, more patients achieved down-staging of T stage when compared to the non-HT subgroup (57.9% versus 38%, p = 0.047). For the cN+ subgroup of all patients, the number of patients with ypN+ were significantly less in the HT subgroup (25% versus 50%, p = 0.022). In group A, HT appeared to reduce distant metastasis, increase disease-free survival, and improve overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: HT seemed to increase the response of both primary tumour and lymph nodes to preoperative radiochemotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The relationship between increased response by HT and survival should be confirmed by a large prospective randomised trial.

Effects of Cu addition on nanocluster formation and two-step aging behaviors of Al-Mg-Si alloys.

Two types of nanoclusters, i.e., Cluster (1) and Cluster (2), are detected in both Cu-free and Cu-added alloys. The Cu addition to the Al-Mg-Si alloys highly suppresses the formation of Cluster (1) at the initial stage of natural aging and causes higher peak hardness. The over-aging is suppressed in the Cu-added alloy, showing higher thermal stability.

The Effect of Anastomotic Leakage on the Incidence and Severity of Low Anterior Resection Syndrome in Patients Undergoing Proctectomy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

PURPOSE: Proctectomy for the treatment of rectal cancer results in inevitable changes to bowel habits. Symptoms such as fecal incontinence, constipation, and tenesmus are collectively referred to as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). Among the several risk factors that cause LARS, anastomotic leakage (AL) is a strong risk factor for permanent stoma formation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the severity of LARS and AL in patients with rectal cancer based on the LARS score and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) defecation symptom questionnaires. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent low anterior resection for rectal cancer since January 2010. Patients who completed the questionnaire were classified into the AL group and control group based on medical and imaging records. Major LARS and MSKCC scores were analyzed as primary endpoints. RESULTS: Among the 179 patients included in this study, 37 were classified into the AL group. After propensity score matching, there were significant differences in the ratio of major LARS and MSKCC scores of the control group and AL group (ratio of major LARS: 11.1% and 37.8%, P<0.001; MSKCC score: 67.29±10.4 and 56.49±7.2, respectively, P<0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that AL was an independent factor for major LARS occurrence and MSKCC score. CONCLUSION: This study showed that AL was a significant factor in the occurrence of major LARS and defecation symptoms after proctectomy.

Clinical effectiveness of omental transposition in facilitating perineal wound healing after abdominoperineal resection: a systematic review.

BACKGRUOUND: Omental transposition has been used to facilitate perineal wound healing in patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection (APR). However, there is no high-level evidence supporting the effectiveness of omental transposition in this regard. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of omental transposition in facilitating perineal wound healing after APR. METHODS: In this systematic review, we systematically searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for literature regarding the topic of our study. Studies published since the inception of each database were considered for review. The outcomes of interest were the perineal wound healing rate at 1 and 3 months postoperatively, perineal wound infection rate, and perineal wound healing period. RESULTS: Of the 1,923 studies identified, four articles representing 819 patients (omental transposition patients, n=295) were included in the final analysis. The wound healing rates at 1 and 3 months postoperatively in the omental transposition group (68.5% and 79.7%, respectively) did not significantly differ from those in the control group (57.4% and 78.7%, respectively) (p=0.759 and p=0.731, respectively). Perineal wound infection and chronic wound complication rates, including sinus, dehiscence, and fistula rates, also did not significantly differ between the omental transposition (8% and 7%, respectively) and control (11% and 7%, respectively) groups (p=0.221 and p=0.790, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that omental transposition does not affect perineal wound healing in patients who undergo APR.

Effect of pelvic drain displacement on anastomotic leakage-related morbidity after rectal cancer surgery.

Purpose: Drain insertion after proctectomy is common in clinical practice, although the effectiveness of drains has been questioned. However, drains are commonly displaced after surgery. We hypothesized that drain displacement is associated with clinical outcomes and aimed to assess differences in clinical outcomes, such as overall morbidity, including anastomotic leakage (AL), reintervention rates, length of hospital stay, and mortality rates, between patients who experienced displaced drains and those who did not. Methods: Rectal cancer patients who underwent proctectomy at a single institution between January 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical characteristics were compared between patients who experienced displaced drains and those who did not. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of reintervention in patients with AL. The secondary endpoints were overall morbidity rates, AL rates, length of hospital stay, and mortality within 30 days. Results: Among 248 patients who underwent proctectomy, 93 (37.5%) experienced displaced drains. A higher proportion of patients who experienced displaced drains required reintervention due to AL than those who did not experience displaced drains (odds ratio, 3.61; 95% confidential interval, 1.20-10.93; p = 0.016). However, no significant difference was found in the overall morbidity rate, mortality, and length of hospital stay between the groups. Conclusion: Drain displacement does not worsen outcomes such as overall morbidity rate, mortality, and length of hospital stay after proctectomy but is associated with an increase in the need for reintervention in patients with AL.

Comparison of the erectile function in male patients with rectal cancer treated by preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery and surgery alone.

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the erectile function of male patients treated by preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery and surgery alone for locally advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: A total of 112 men treated by total mesorectal excision with autonomic nerve preservation were included. Seventy-three patients were treated by preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery (RTS group), and 39 were treated by surgery alone (surgery group). Patients filled out the five-item version of the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) questionnaire at least 6 months after initial erectile function assessment. We analyzed the impact of age, surgery type, location, and size of tumor on erectile function. RESULTS: Total score was decreased significantly at follow-up compared to initial assessment in both RTS and surgery group (20.31 +/- 4.39 vs. 11.52 +/- 4.83, P = 0.012; 19.86 +/- 4.61 vs. 14.07 +/- 6.37, P = 0.031, respectively). Score difference was statistically higher in RTS group compared with surgery group (P = 0.028). In terms of surgery type for RTS group, score difference was statistically higher in the patients with abdominoperineal resection (APR) compared with those with lower anterior resection (P = 0.023). In comparison of score difference according to tumor location, difference was statistically higher in the patients with lower rectal cancer compared with those with upper rectal cancer (P = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The erectile functions of patients treated by preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery are more affected than that of patients treated by surgery alone in locally advanced rectal cancer. Also APR and lower rectal cancer were significantly associated with erectile dysfunction in the patients treated by preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery.

The Usefulness of a 180° Rotatable Monitor for an Assistant to Overcome the Hand-Eye Discordance in Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery.

Purpose: Hand-eye discordance during laparoscopic colon surgery is an obstacle to the assistant. We evaluated the usefulness of a 180° rotatable laparoscopic monitor for the colorectal surgery assistant to overcome hand-eye discordance. Methods: Twenty-six residents of the department of surgery (novice group, n=13; experienced group, n=13) participated in this study. They performed grasping a ring and transferring it to standing bars on a laparoscopic training kit under the conventional view and a 180° rotated monitor view. We defined successful performance when this procedure was completed in 3 minutes. Results: The number of successful performance was higher under the 180° rotated monitor view than under the conventional view monitor (6.88±2.79 vs. 0.92±0.80, p<0.01). Under the 180° rotated monitor view, the experienced group had a higher number of successful performances than the novice group (8.31±2.59 vs. 5.46±2.26, p=0.009). However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups under the conventional view (1.23±0.93 vs. 0.62±0.51, p=0.091). Conclusion: This study shows the usefulness of a 180° rotated monitor view to overcome hand-eye discordance, which adversely affects the laparoscopic performance of the colorectal surgery assistant.

Abdominopelvic Actinomycosis Mimicking Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: A Case Report.

Actinomycosis is a rare chronic bacterial infection primarily caused by Actinomyces israelii. A 47-year-old woman presented to our clinic with a 1-week history of lower abdominal pain. Preoperative imaging studies revealed multiple peritoneal and pelvic masses suggestive of malignancy. The primary tumor could not be identified despite further endoscopic and gynecological evaluation. On exploration for tissue confirmation, excisional biopsies from multiple masses were performed because complete excision was not possible. Histopathological examination confirmed actinomycosis with multiple abscesses, and the patient was treated with antibiotics. We present a case of disseminated peritoneal actinomycosis that mimicked malignant peritoneal carcinomatosis on imaging studies.

The effectiveness of a fecal diverting device for prevention of septic complications in a dog model of ischemic bowel anastomosis.

OBJECTIVE: A type of bypass tube for a fecal diversion device (FDD) was created to protect colorectal anastomosis. We evaluated the effectiveness of the FDD in an animal study. METHODS: The study was performed in an experimental animal laboratory of a tertiary referral center hospital. Thirty mongrel dogs were randomized to the FDD or control group (n = 15, each). An ischemic anastomosis model was used to readily produce anastomotic leakage (AL) in both groups. The FDD was fixed intraluminally at 10 cm above the anastomotic site in the FDD group. No protective methods were used in the control group. The postoperative observation period was 3 weeks. RESULTS: The 3 week-survival rates were higher in the FDD group compare with the control group (80%, 12/15 vs. 40%, 6/15; log-rank, P = 0.024). The incidence of AL causing generalized peritonitis was lower in the FDD group than in the control group (20.0%, 3/15 vs. 60.0%, 9/15; P = 0.025) despite the overall incidence of complications being similar in the both groups (53.3%, 8/15 vs. 66.7%, 10/15; P = 0.456). Colonic wall erosions in the FDD fixing area were seen in two subjects (13.3%) in the FDD group. However, the two subjects survived to the end of the experimental period. In the FDD group, five subjects (33.3%, 5/15) did not retain their FDD, and three among them died from generalized peritonitis. CONCLUSION: This study shows the effectiveness of the FDD at preventing septic complications in a dog model of ischemic bowel anastomosis.