Quantification of Immune Dysregulation by Next-generation Polymerase Chain Reaction to Improve Sepsis Diagnosis in Surgical Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify immunological dysfunction in surgical patients with presence/absence of sepsis using a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) transcriptomic analysis. The study also aims to evaluate this approach for improving identification of sepsis in these patients. BACKGROUND: Immune dysregulation is a central event in sepsis. Quantification of the expression of immunological genes participating in the pathogenesis of sepsis could represent a new avenue to improve its diagnosis. METHODS: Expression of 6 neutrophil protease genes (MMP8, OLFM4, LCN2/NGAL, LTF, PRTN3, MPO) and also of 5 genes involved in the immunological synapse (HLA-DRA, CD40LG, CD3E, CD28, ICOS) was quantified in blood from 101 surgical patients with sepsis, 53 uninfected surgical patients, and 16 blood donors by using ddPCR. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) and multivariate regression analysis were employed to test individual genes and gene ratios to identify sepsis, in comparison with procalcitonin. RESULTS: Sepsis-induced overexpression of neutrophil protease genes and depressed expression of immunological synapse genes. MMP8/HLA-DRA, LCN2/HLA-DRA outperformed procalcitonin in differentiating between patients with sepsis and surgical controls in the AUROC analysis: LCN2/HLA-DRA: 0.90 (0.85-0.96), MMP8/HLA-DRA: 0.89 (0.84-0.95), procalcitonin: 0.80 (0.73-0.88) (AUROC, confidence interval 95%), and also in the multivariate analysis: LCN2/HLA-DRA: 8.57 (2.25-32.62); MMP8/HLA-DRA: 8.03 (2.10-30.76), procalcitonin: 4.20 (1.15-15.43) [odds ratio (confidence interval 95%)]. Gene expression levels of HLA-DRA were an independent marker of hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Quantifying the transcriptomic ratios MMP8/HLA-DRA, LCN2/HLA-DRA by ddPCR is a promising approach to improve sepsis diagnosis in surgical patients.

Endoscopic diagnosis of asymptomatic perforation of colonic diverticulum.

Colonic perforation as complication of acute diverticulitis is a relatively frequent pathology and generally very symptomatic. Nevertheless, when it occurs in the mesenteric border the course can be indolent.

Case report: Amyand's hernia, diagnosis to consider in a routine procedure.

Amyand hernia is a rare entity that is generally an unexpected intraoperative finding. The decision to perform prophylactic appendectomy, must take into account individual factors that may increase morbidity in a short, medium or long term future.

[Surgical training in Spain: results of a national survey]. / Formación quirúrgica en España: resultados de una encuesta nacional.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study is to try and find out the state of surgical training in Spain and to determine whether it meets the objectives of the Program. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of two surveys carried out on Residents and General Surgery Tutors by the Spanish Surgeons Association, based on the conclusions of the XXVII Congreso Nacional de Cirugía. The questions formulated referred to general aspects of the Service and specific ones related to access, teaching activity, surgery, research and personal perspectives. The responses were defined, adjusted and categorised as quantitative and qualitative variables. The statistics program G Stat 2.0 was used for processing and the descriptive presentation of the results. RESULTS: The surveys were sent to 626 Residents and 142 Tutors, with a response rate of 19% and 29%, respectively. First year residents predominated (32%) compared to later years, with an R-5 response index of 7.2%. A total of 91% knew the speciality Program well, and 76% were satisfied with the training received. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained as regards surgical activity agree with those established in the Program, both in the number of procedures and in their progression throughout the Residency, although it is not possible to ensure its uniformity. The functions and accreditation of the Tutors which are one of the main foundations of the training process are pending specific regulations.

Giant dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

Liposarcoma tumors only represent 0.1% of all cancers, but they are the more common of retroperitoneal sarcomas. It has a great tendency for local recurrence, mainly the dedifferentiated variety, but its complete resection can provide a 5-year survival of 70%. In this report, we present a case of a giant dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma that did not affect any neighboring organ and that was successfully treated by means of complete surgical resection.

Hemangioma fusocelular. Presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura

El hemangioma fusocelular es un tumor vascular benigno poco frecuente. Se ha relacionado con el síndrome de Maffucci, el síndrome de Klippel-Trenaunay y otras malformaciones venosas. Habitualmente son nódulos dérmicos de color violáceo en las extremidades distales de niños y adultos jóvenes, sin predilección por ningún sexo. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 22 años que padecía un nódulo subcutáneo, doloroso a la presión, en la pierna derecha. A la exploración física se observó una tumoración redondeada violácea de 1,5 cm. Se sospechó la presencia de un hemangioma. Se realizó una escisión simple y se envió al departamento de anatomía patológica. Se describió la muestra como nódulo intraluminal constituido por una proliferación de células de aspecto fusiforme con moderada atipia y aisladas figuras de mitosis y se confirmó el diagnóstico de hemangioma fusocelular de localización intravascular. El diagnóstico del hemangioma fusocelular es anatomopatológico y como tratamiento suele bastar la escisión simple, aunque frecuentemente recidivan. Dado que el hemangioma fusocelular es una entidad poco conocida y puede ser confundida con otras lesiones vasculares, se considera interesante la comunicación del presente caso. El conocimiento de este tipo de lesión puede aumentar los casos notificados.

Spindle cell hemangioma is a rare benign vascular tumor. It has been linked to Maffucci syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, and other venous malformations. They are usually purplish dermal nodules on the distal extremities of children and young adults, with no sex predilection. A case of a 22-years-old patient who suffered from a subcutaneous nodule, painful on pressure, in the right leg is presented. On physical examination, a 1.5 cm violaceous round tumor was observed. The presence of a hemangioma was suspected. A simple excision was performed and sent to the pathology department. The sample was described as an intraluminal nodule made up of a proliferation of spindle-shaped cells with moderate atypia and isolated mitotic figures, and the diagnosis of intravascular spindle cell hemangioma was confirmed. The diagnosis of spindle cell hemangioma is anatomopathological and simple excision is usually sufficient as treatment, although they frequently recur. Since spindle cell hemangioma is a little-known entity and can be confused with other vascular lesions, the communication of this case is considered interesting. Knowledge of this type of injury can increase reported cases.

Advantages of normothermic perfusion over cold storage in liver preservation.

BACKGROUND: To minimize the ischemia-reperfusion injury that occurs to the liver with the current method of preservation and transplantation, we have used an extracorporeal circuit to preserve the liver with normothermic, oxygenated, sanguineous perfusion. In this study, we directly compared preservation by the standard method of simple cold storage in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution with preservation by perfusion. METHODS: Porcine livers were harvested from large white sows weighing between 30 and 50 kg by the standard procedure for human retrieval. The livers were preserved for 24 hr by either cold storage in UW solution (n=5) or by perfusion with oxygenated autologous blood at body temperature (n=5). The extracorporeal circuit used included a centrifugal pump, heat exchanger, and oxygenator. Both groups were then tested on the circuit for a 24 hr reperfusion phase, analyzing synthetic function, metabolic capacity, hemodynamics, markers of hepatocyte and reperfusion injury, and histology. RESULTS: Livers preserved with normothermic perfusion were significantly superior (P=0.05) to cold-stored livers in terms of bile production, factor V production, glucose metabolism, and galactose clearance. Cold-stored livers showed significantly higher levels of hepatocellular enzymes in the perfusate and were found to have significantly more damage by a blinded histological scoring system. CONCLUSIONS: Normothermic sanguineous oxygenated perfusion is a superior method of preservation compared with simple cold storage in UW solution. In addition, perfusion allows the possibility to assess viability of the graft before transplantation.

Malformación de Abernethy: shunt portosistémico congénito / Abernethy malformation: Congenital portosystemic shunt

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A propósito de un caso: hernia de Amyand, diagnóstico a considerar en un procedimiento de rutina / Case report: Amyand’s hernia, diagnosis to consider in a routine procedure

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Formación quirúrgica en España: resultados de una encuesta nacional / Surgical training in Spain: Results of a national survey

Introducción: El objetivo del estudio intenta realizar una aproximación al estado de la formación quirúrgica en España y analizar su adecuación a los objetivos del programa. Material y métodos: Se presentan y se analizan los resultados de dos encuestas realizadas por la Asociación Española de Cirujanos a los residentes y a los tutores de Cirugía General basadas en las conclusiones del XXVII Congreso Nacional de Cirugía. Las cuestiones formuladas hacían referencia a aspectos generales del servicio y particulares en relación con el acceso, la actividad docente, la actividad quirúrgica, la actividad investigadora y las perspectivas personales. Las respuestas fueron definidas, adaptadas y categorizadas como variables cuantitativas y cualitativas. Se utilizó un programa estadístico G Stat 2.0 para el procesamiento y la presentación descriptiva de los resultados. Resultados: El número de residentes y tutores a quienes se enviaron las encuestas fue de 626 y 142. Fueron respondidas el 19% de las encuestas de residentes y el 29% de las encuestas de tutores. Según el año de residencia, predominaron las de residentes de primer año (32%) frente a los de años ulteriores, siendo el índice de respuesta de los R5 del 7,2%. El 91% conocía bien el programa de la especialidad y el 76% estaba satisfecho con la formación recibida. Conclusiones: Los resultados obtenidos en cuanto a actividad quirúrgica concuerdan con los previstos en el programa tanto en el número de procedimientos como en su progresión a lo largo de la residencia, aunque no es posible asegurar su uniformidad. Las funciones y la acreditación de los tutores que constituyen uno de los pilares fundamentales del proceso formativo están pendientes de regulación específica (AU)

Introduction: The aim of the study is to try and find out the state of surgical training in Spain and to determine whether it meets the objectives of the Program. Material and methods: The results of two surveys carried out on Residents and General Surgery Tutors by the Spanish Surgeons Association, based on the conclusions of the XXVII Congreso Nacional de Cirugía. The questions formulated referred to general aspects of the Service and specific ones related to access, teaching activity, surgery, research and personal perspectives. The responses were defined, adjusted and categorised as quantitative and qualitative variables. The statistics program G Stat 2.0 was used for processing and the descriptive presentation of the results. Results: The surveys were sent to 626 Residents and 142 Tutors, with a response rate of 19% and 29%, respectively. First year residents predominated (32%) compared to later years, with an R-5 response index of 7.2%. A total of 91% knew the speciality Program well, and 76% were satisfied with the training received. Conclusions: The results obtained as regards surgical activity agree with those established in the Program, both in the number of procedures and in their progression throughout the Residency, although it is not possible to ensure its uniformity. The functions and accreditation of the Tutors which are one of the main foundations of the training process are pending specific regulations (AU)