The "Real R0": A Resection Margin Smaller Than 0.1 cm is Associated with a Poor Prognosis After Oncologic Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although resection margin (R) status is a widely used prognostic factor after esophagectomy, the definition of positive margins (R1) is not universal. The Royal College of Pathologists considers R1 resection to be a distance less than 0.1 cm, whereas the College of American Pathologists considers it to be a distance of 0.0 cm. This study assessed the predictive value of R status after oncologic esophagectomy, comparing survival and recurrence among patients with R0 resection (> 0.1-cm clearance), R0+ resection (≤ 0.1-cm clearance), and R1 resection (0.0-cm clearance). METHODS: The study enrolled all eligible patients undergoing curative oncologic esophagectomy between 2012 and 2018. Clinicopathologic features, survival, and recurrence were compared for R0, R0+, and R1 patients. Categorical variables were compared with the chi-square or Fisher's test, and continuous variables were compared with the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, whereas the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used for survival analysis. RESULTS: Among the 160 patients included in this study, 113 resections (70.6%) were R0, 34 (21.3%) were R0+, and 13 (8.1%) were R1. The R0 patients had a better overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than the R0+ and R1 patients. The R0+ resection offered a lower long-term recurrence risk than the R1 resection, and the R status was independently associated with DFS, but not OS, in the multivariate analysis. Both the R0+ and R1 patients had significantly more adverse histologic features (lymphovascular and perineural invasion) than the R0 patients and experienced more distant and locoregional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Although R status is an independent predictor of DFS after oncologic esophagectomy, the < 0.1-cm definition for R1 resection seems more appropriate than the 0.0-cm definition as an indicator of poor tumor biology, long-term recurrence, and survival.

Impact of ERAS compliance on the delay between surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary approach with adjuvant chemotherapy is the key element to provide optimal outcomes in pancreas and liver malignancies. However, post-operative complications may increase the interval between surgery and chemotherapy with negative oncologic effects. HYPOTHESIS AND STUDY AIM: The aim of the study was to analyse whether compliance to Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathway was associated with decreased interval to adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all consecutive ERAS patients with surgery for hepatobiliary or pancreatic malignancies at the University Hospital of Lausanne between 2012 and 2016. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the impact of ERAS compliance on time to chemotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients with adjuvant chemotherapy were included (n = 44 liver and n = 89 pancreatic cancer). Median compliance to ERAS was 61% (IQR 55-67) for the study population, and median delay to chemotherapy was 49 days (IQR 39-61). Overall, compliance ≥ 67% to ERAS induced a significant reduction in the interval between surgery and chemotherapy for young patients (< 65 years old) with or without severe comorbidities (reduction of 22 and 10 days, respectively). High compliance in young ASA3 patients with liver colorectal metastases was associated with an increase of 481 days of DFS. CONCLUSIONS: ERAS compliance ≥ 67% tends to be associated with a reduction in the delay to adjuvant chemotherapy for young patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies. More prospective studies with strict adhesion to the ERAS protocol are needed to confirm these results.

[Functional disorders in digestive surgery : an update]. / Chirurgie viscérale : quoi de neuf sur le plan fonctionnel ?

Surgical management of oncologic situations in visceral surgery is increasing. Overall survival and related quality of life are improved, due to enhanced perioperative care, improvement in strategies like surgical technique and oncological therapy. Functional disorders, whether or not related to oncologic disease, are not to be forgotten. Often underestimated, and causing significant distress, they deserve our best care. In the present review, the recent progresses on three particular topics are summarized : sacral neuromodulation for fecal incontinence, low anterior resection syndrome and achalasia.

Les interventions de chirurgie viscérale pour indications oncologiques sont en augmentation. Avec l'amélioration des traitements et des stratégies chirurgicales et oncologiques, la survie et la qualité de vie des patients sont en progression constante. Les aspects fonctionnels en chirurgie viscérale, qu'ils découlent ou non d'une pathologie oncologique préalable, sont souvent sous-estimés et invalidants, et méritent toute notre attention. Nous vous proposons, pour ce début d'année 2019, une combinaison de trois mini-revues sur le sujet : la neuromodulation sacrée lors d'incontinence fécale, le syndrome de résection antérieure basse et l'achalasie.

Preoperative hiatal hernia in esophageal adenocarcinoma; does it have an impact on patient outcomes?

BACKGROUND: The impact of hiatal hernia (HH) on oncologic outcomes of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (AC) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of pre-existing HH (≥3 cm) on histologic response after neoadjuvant treatment (NAT), overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). METHODS: All consecutive patients with oncological esophagectomy for AC from 2012 to 2018 in our center were eligible for assessment. Categorical variables were compared with the X2 or Fisher's test, continuous ones with the Mann-Whitney-U test, and survival with the Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test. RESULTS: Overall, 101 patients were included; 33 (32.7%) had a pre-existing HH. There were no baseline differences between HH and non-HH patients. NAT was used in 81.8% HH and 80.9% non-HH patients (p = 0.910), most often chemoradiation (63.6% and 57.4% respectively, p = 0.423). Good response to NAT (TRG 1-2) was observed in 36.4% of HH versus 32.4% of non-HH patients (p = 0.297), whereas R0 resection was achieved in 90.9% versus 94.1% respectively (p = 0.551). Three-year OS was comparable for the two groups (52.4% in HH, 56.5% in non-HH patients, p = 0.765), as was 3-year DFS (32.7% for HH versus 45.6% for non-HH patients, p = 0.283). CONCLUSION: HH ≥ 3 cm are common in patients with esophageal AC, concerning 32.7% of all patients in this series. However, its presence was neither associated with more advanced disease upon diagnosis, worse response to NAT, nor overall and disease-free survival. Therefore, such HH should not be considered as risk factor that negatively affects oncological outcome after multimodal treatment of esophageal AC.

A Comprehensive Review of Prognostic Factors in Patients with Gastric Adenocarcinoma.

Gastric adenocarcinoma remains associated with a poor long-term survival, despite recent therapeutical advances. In most parts of the world where systematic screening programs do not exist, diagnosis is often made at advanced stages, affecting long-term prognosis. In recent years, there is increasing evidence that a large bundle of factors, ranging from the tumor microenvironment to patient ethnicity and variations in therapeutic strategy, play an important role in patient outcome. A more thorough understanding of these multi-faceted parameters is needed in order to provide a better assessment of long-term prognosis in these patients, which probably also require the refinement of current staging systems. This study aims to review existing knowledge on the clinical, biomolecular and treatment-related parameters that have some prognostic value in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.

Management of a Complicated Internal Herniation After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in a 28-Week Pregnant Woman.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) due to internal hernia (IH) is a well-known late complication after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB), with an incidence between 0.5 and 10% as reported by Iannelli et al. (Obes Surg. 17(10):1283-6, 2007). It is reported most frequently 1-2 years after surgery because of the greater weight loss at that time, with rapid loss of the mesenteric fat consequently as discussed by Stenberg et al. (Lancet. 387(10026):1397-404, 2016). Currently, women constitute more than 50% of the patients undergoing bariatric surgery and most of them are of childbearing age as reported by the World Health Organization (2015). SBO, due to IH, is a rare complication during pregnancy, mostly occurring during the third trimester as discussed by Torres-Villalobos et al. (Obes Surg 19(7):944-50, 2009), and can result in fetal and maternal morbidity and even mortality as reported by Vannevel et al. (Obstet Gynecol. 127(6):1013-20, 2016). Moreover, the physiologic changes of pregnancy can mask the symptoms of SBO after LRYGB, leading to significant diagnostic and therapeutic delays as detailed by Wax et al. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 208(4):265-71, 2013). Therefore, an early surgical exploration is necessary in this particular and uncommon situation as discussed by Webster et al. (Ann R Coll Surg Engl 97(5):339-44, 2015). METHODS: A 32-year-old female patient, with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and chronic pain, was in the 28th week of her first pregnancy after bariatric surgery. She had had an antecolic LRYGB 6 years ago in another institution, resulting in a 35-kg weight loss. She presented to the emergency department with severe and persistent epigastric pain associated with nausea and vomiting during 24 h. On physical examination, her abdomen was painful and tender at the epigastrium and left hypochondrium, and her vital signs were normal. The blood tests were in the normal range except the white blood cell count at 12'000 G/l. The obstetric and neonatal team was involved, and fetal heart monitoring was normal. Abdominal ultrasonography ruled out other causes of pain. An abdominal MRI was performed and displayed a distended proximal small bowel, free abdominal fluid, and bowel mesenteric edema in the left upper quadrant with compression of the superior mesenteric vein. Internal hernia with intestinal suffering was suspected, and the patient consented for emergency laparoscopy. RESULTS: The laparoscopic exploration, reduction of the internal hernia, and closure of the mesenteric defects are demonstrated step-by-step in the presented intraoperative video. The postoperative course was uncomplicated for both patient and fetus. Oral feeding was resumed at day 1, with no residual symptom, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 3. At 1-month follow-up, she had no complaint and her pregnancy had resumed a normal course. She delivered a healthy baby at 36 weeks without any complication. CONCLUSIONS: Internal herniation after LRYGB represents a rare, high-risk complication during pregnancy. A low threshold for imaging, preferably by abdominal MRI, is recommended. Multidisciplinary management, including obstetricians and bariatric surgeons, is necessary in order to avoid maternal and fetal adverse outcomes. During surgery, recognition of the anatomy is often difficult, and parts of the bowel are distended and fragile. Starting to run the bowel backwards from the ileocecal valve is a crucial surgical step for reducing internal hernias during LRYGB, and reduces both the risk to worsen the situation and of bowel injury, making its management less hazardous.

End-colostomy diverticulitis with parastomal phlegmon: A case report.

RATIONALE: Acute colonic diverticulitis is a well-known surgical emergency, which occurs in about 10 percent of patients known for diverticulosis. PATIENT CONCERNS: The case of a 77-year-old woman is reported, with past history of abdominoperineal resection with end-colostomy for low rectal adenocarcinoma, and who developed an acute colonic diverticulitis in a subcutaneous portion of colostomy with parastomal phlegmon. DIAGNOSES: Initial computed tomography imaging demonstrated a significant submucosal parietal edema with local fat tissues infiltration in regard of 3 diverticula. INTERVENTIONS: A two-step treatment was decided: first a nonoperative treatment was initiated with 2 weeks antibiotics administration, followed by, 6 weeks after, a segmental resection of the terminal portion of the colon with redo of a new colostomy by direct open approach. OUTCOMES: Patient was discharged on the second postoperative day without complications. Follow-up at 2 weeks revealed centimetric dehiscence of the stoma, which was managed conservatively until sixth postoperative week by stomatherapists. LESSONS SUBSECTIONS: Treatment of acute diverticulitis with parastomal phlegmon in a patient with end-colostomy could primary be nonoperative. Delayed surgical treatment with segmental colonic resection was proposed to avoid recurrence and potential associated complications.