The learning curve of laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery of millennial surgeons: Lessons for a safe implementation in low- and middle-income countries.

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the learning curve (LC) in laparoscopic rectal cancer resections of 2 millennial surgeons during the implementation of the first laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery programme in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) cancer centre. Methods: All consecutive patients operated by two millennial surgeons for primary rectal adenocarcinoma between January 2018 and March 2020 were included. The LC was analysed for operative duration and conversion to open surgery using both cumulative sum (CUSUM) and/or variable life-adjusted display (VLAD) charts. Results: Eighty-four patients were included, 45 (53.6%) men with a mean age of 57.3 years. Abdominoperineal resection was performed in 31 (36.9%) cases and resections were extended to other organs in 20 (23.8%) patients. Thirteen patients (15.5%) had conversion to open surgery. Using CUSUM, Learning curve based on conversion was completed at 12 cases for the first surgeon versus 10 cases for the second. While using VLAD and learning curve-CUSUM (LC-CUSUM), the cases needed were 26 vs 24 respectively. The median operative duration was 314 min with a LC completed at cases (17 vs. 26), and (18 vs. 29) using, respectively, standard and LC-CUSUM. Conclusions: This study shows a safe and short LC of millennial surgeons during the implementation of a laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery in an LMIC cancer centre, and the valuable use of modern statistical methods in the prospective assessment of LC safety during surgical training.

Delivering colorectal cancer screening integrated with primary health care services in Morocco: Lessons learned from a demonstration project.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are increasing rapidly in many low-income and middle-income countries. A demonstration project was implemented in Morocco in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and challenges of implementing CRC screening through routine primary care facilities. METHODS: The objective of the project was to screen 10,000 men and women aged 50 to 75 years through 10 primary health centers (PHCs) in 2 provinces. All eligible men and women attending the selected PHCs were offered the fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Stool specimens brought to the PHCs were tested immediately by trained nurses. FIT-positive individuals were referred to the National Oncology Institute for colonoscopy. RESULTS: In total, 9763 eligible men and women were screened by FIT between June 2017 and May 2019; most (73.3%) were women. The test was positive in 460 participants (4.7%). Among the individuals who had positive FIT results, 62.6% underwent colonoscopy. The main reasons for noncompliance to colonoscopy were competing life priorities (15.4%), other health problems (13%), and fear of getting a cancer diagnosis (12.3%). As the number of referrals to colonoscopy increased, the waiting time for the procedure increased, resulting in a drop in compliance. The detection rates of advanced adenomas and CRC were 4.0 in 1000 and 0.5 in 1000 individuals screened, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: An effective strategy to reach the target populations (especially men), a pragmatic assessment of the health system's capacity to deal with large numbers of referrals, and a formal cost-effectiveness analysis are essential before making any decision to introduce CRC screening in Morocco.

Available prediction scores of conversion for laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery seem to be unsuitable for nowadays rectal cancer management.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to externally evaluate the accuracy of four predictive scores for conversion to open surgery after rectal laparoscopic resection. None of the four scores achieved external validation previously. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of two prospectively maintained databases from two academic centers in France and Morocco. All consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic resection for rectal adenocarcinoma between 2005 and 2020 were included. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between the factors present in the four scores and conversion. The accuracy of each score was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC). Observed and predicted conversion rates were compared for each score using the Chi-square goodness-of-fit test. RESULTS: Four hundred patients were included. There were 264 men (66%) with a mean age of 65.95 years (standard deviation 12.2). The median tumor height was 7 cm (quartiles 4-11) and 29% of patients had low rectal tumors. Conversion rate was 21.75%. The accuracy to predict conversion was low with an AUC lower than 0,62 for the four models. The observed conversion rates were significantly different from the predicted rates, except for one score. CONCLUSIONS: The four models had low accuracy in predicting the conversion to open surgery for laparoscopic rectal resection. There is a need for new well-designed studies, analyzing more specific variables, in a multicentric design to ensure generalizability of the results for daily surgical practice.

Diagnostic Impact of Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Atypical Dementias in Canada.

BACKGROUND: In Canada, standard dementia workup consists of clinical, neurological, and cognitive evaluation, as well as structural brain imaging. For atypical dementia presentations, additional FDG-PET brain imaging is recommended. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers have recently been proposed as the gold standard for in vivo detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology (NIA-AA research framework, 2018). As clinical implementation of CSF assessment is still limited in Canada, the present study assessed its impact on diagnostic accuracy in atypical neurodegenerative disorders in the clinical practice. METHODS: This retrospective clinical chart review included patients with cognitive complaints who underwent lumbar puncture (LP) in addition to the standard diagnostic workup. CSF analysis determined the presence of biological AD based on reduced amyloid-ß42-to-total-tau index (ATI) and increased phosphorylated-tau (p-tau) levels. CSF-based diagnoses were compared to standard workup and FDG-PET-based diagnoses. RESULTS: A total of 28 patients with atypical dementia presentations were included in the present study after evaluation for cognitive complaints at a specialized dementia clinic between November 2017 and July 2019. CSF analysis changed or better specified the initial clinical diagnosis in 43.0% of cases (alternative diagnosis revealed in 25% and excluded in 18%). In patients with additional FDG-PET imaging (n = 23), FDG-PET and CSF-based diagnosis did not correspond in 35% of patients, even though FDG-PET appeared to increase diagnostic accuracy compared to the initial clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: CSF biomarkers improved diagnostic accuracy in atypical cognitively-impaired patients beyond standard workup and FDG-PET imaging. These results support CSF analysis implementation for atypical dementias in Canada, in addition to the standard diagnostic workup.

Functional outcomes over time following perineal pseudocontinent colostomy reconstruction after abdominoperineal resection for ultralow rectal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pseudocontinent-perineal colostomy (PCPC) following abdominoperineal resection (APR) is a promising technique associated with good quality of life. This study evaluates over time the functional results after PCPC using the Kirwan score. METHODS: All PCPC patients operated on from January 2001 to January 2016 were followed with their functional results assessed at four checkpoints. A/B Kirwan scores and a 48 to 72 hours colonic irrigation rhythm were considered "good" and "convenient" and their overall variations over time were assessed by means of Cochran's Q test corrected by Bonferroni post hoc test. RESULTS: Fifty-seven eligible patients were included in the study with 33 (58%) women. We noted a significant difference in both Kirwan score and colic irrigation rhythm during the four checkpoints in follow-up with Q(1) = 85.01 and Q(2) = 69. 86. By the fourth checkpoint, 86% of patients had a Kirwan score of A/B. Concerning the rhythm of colonic irrigation, there was a significant improvement between 6 months and other checkpoints. In the second year, 63% of patients reduced their colonic irrigation rhythm. CONCLUSIONS: The functional results of PCPC after APR improve and stabilize from 6 months to 1 year after surgery thus making PCPC a good alternative that surgeons can present to their patients.

Validation of the Moroccan arabic version of the low anterior resection syndrome score.

BACKGROUND: Sphincter sparing surgery is oftentimes associated with bowel dysfunction complaints, namely the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). The LARS questionnaire is widely used to assess this syndrome. The aim of this observational study is to translate this tool into arabic and test its psychometric properties in rectal cancer patients, in order to ease its use in clinical practice and future research. METHODS: The LARS questionnaire was translated to arabic and administered to a total of 143 patients. A subgroup of 42 patients took the test twice for test-retest reliability. Internal consistency was examined through cronbach's alpha. The score results were correlated to the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire for convergent validity assessment, while discriminant validity was established through the ability of the LARS score to differentiate patients with different clinical and pathological criteria. RESULTS: The Moroccan Arabic version of the LARS score was completed by 143 patients. The internal consistency was demonstrated through a cronbach alpha score of 0.66. The agreement between the test and retest was established by a Bland Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement. 85.6% of patients remained in the same LARS category. The LARS score showed negative correlation with all five of the QLQ-C30 functional scales as well as positive correlation to the diarrhea symptom scale. The questionnaire score differed between patients according to their tumor location, chemoradiotherapy, type of mesorectal excision and anastomosis. CONCLUSION: The Moroccan Arabic version of the LARS score shows good psychometric properties and can be used for bowel dysfunction assessment in clinical and research settings.

Validation of the French translation of the Dutch residency educational climate test.

BACKGROUND: The learning environment is one of the most influential factors in training of medical residents. The Dutch Residency Educational Climate Test (D-RECT) is one of the strongest instruments for measuring the learning environment. However, it has not been translated in French. The objective of this study is the psychometric validation of the DRECT French version. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After translation of the D-RECT questionnaire into French, residents of five Moroccan hospitals were invited to complete the questionnaire between July and September 2018. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the construct using the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), the root mean square error approximation (RMSEA), the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and the Tucker- Lewis Index (TLI). Reliability analysis was analysed using Internal consistency and Test-retest. RESULTS: During the study period, 211 residents completed the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate model fit with the following indicators: SRMR = 0.058 / RMSEA = 0.07 / CFI = 0.88 / TLI = 0.87. The French translation had a good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha score >  0.7 for all subscales) and a good temporal stability (correlation score between two measurements = 0.89). CONCLUSION: This French version has an acceptable validity of the construct, a good internal consistency and good temporal reliability, and may be used to evaluate the learning climate. Additional research is necessary in other French-speaking contexts, in order to confirm these results.

Perineal pseudocontinent colostomy for ultra-low rectal adenocarcinoma: the muscular graft as a pseudosphincter.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze objectively the role of the muscular graft in the continence using manometric study in the patients who underwent pseudocontinent perineal colostomy after abdominoperineal resection for rectal adenocarcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study including all the patients from January 2002 to December 2009 who underwent an abdominoperineal resection followed by perineal pseudocontinent colostomy for ultra-low rectal adenocarcinoma and agreed to perform the manometric evaluation of the muscular graft. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were included, six males and nine females, with a mean age of 50 years. According to Kirwan's classification, 2 (13.3%) patients had normal continence (Stage A) had 10 (66.6%) no soiling (stage B) and 3 (20%) patients had minimal soiling (Stage C). The manometric evaluation was performed after a median period of 12 months post-surgery. The mean maximal resting and squeeze pressures were respectively 41 cmH2O and 59 cmH2O and the mean colonic sensory volume was 12 ml. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the musculae graft of Pseudocontinent Perineal colostomy acted as a hypotonic sphincter that pressure can increase during the voluntary squeeze. These data may help to clarify the functional outcomes of this technique after APR for ultra-low rectal adenocarcinoma.

Broncho biliary fistula, a rare complication after hepatectomy: case report of endoscopic and radiological management.

Bronchobiliary fistula (BBF) is one of the most exceptional complications following hepatic surgery. By integrating evidence-based case studies from existing literature, this review offers critical insights into the efficacy of diverse imaging modalities and therapeutic approaches across a broad spectrum of clinical scenarios. Computed tomography, and magnetic resonance cholangiography or even scintigraphy shows an abnormal tractus between biliary ducts and pulmonary bronchi and minimally invasive techniques using endoscopy are considered the techniques of choice. Surgery should only be considered in complicated cases due to significant morbidity and mortality rate. We report the case of a 46-year-old man with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the rectum involving the liver, treated with metastasectomy, which was complicated by a BBF. The patient underwent radiological external drainage followed by endoscopic placement of biliary endoprosthesis with favorable outcome.

Endoscopic management of anastomotic leakage after colorectal cancer surgery in a Moroccan center: A case series and literature review.

Endoscopic management has become an alternate treatment to a revision surgery for colorectal fistulas. Eight patients who were treated by endoscopy for postoperative anastomotic leakage to colorectal cancer were included. A univariate analysis was carried out to determine the predictive factors of success. All our patients were treated using metallic clips. The primary efficiency of this technique was 50%. In a univariate analysis, the size of the fistula and its distance from the anal margin had an influence on the efficiency of the endoscopic treatment, which was not the case for either the surgical technique or the use of neoadjuvant radiotherapy. This endoscopic treatment is effective and represents a more secure alternative than revision surgery. In our study, the use of metallic clips showed a 50% success rate, going up to 100% for the group of patients with a fistula ostium of a size ⩽1 cm, proving the necessity of using this technique.

Beware of lethal Wernicke's encephalopathy after cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC for peritoneal pseudomyxoma: Case report of morbidity and mortality review.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) arising from the appendix is a rare entity. Complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is the only established curative treatment, and is reputedly linked to high morbidity and mortality. We report, to our knowledge, the first case of delayed lethal Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) complicating CRS with HIPEC for an appendicular PMP. WE, caused by a thiamine deficiency, is characterized by ataxia, nystagmus and changes in consciousness. METHODS: A patient underwent complete CRS with HIPEC for a low grade mucinous appendicular tumor at the stage of PMP with a peritoneal index of 31, and was readmitted at POD 36 for persistent vomiting and vague neurological symptoms of mental confusion. The classic triad of WE appeared tardily. Although thiamine substitution was promptly applied, the patient died at POD53. CONCLUSION: WE is an uncommon and severe neurological disorder with a mortality rate up to 20 % and only 16 % of treated patients can fully recover. This diagnosis should always be anticipated in patients undergoing major surgery such as CRS- HIPEC. Efficient treatment should be quickly introduced in order to avoid a lethal outcome.

Evaluation of the implementation of a quality improvement program through morbidity and mortality reviews in a developing country.

Background: Morbidity and mortality reviews represent an opportunity to discuss adverse events and healthcare issues. Aim: Report the first experience of implementing a procedure of MMR, and assess its impact on quality improvement. Methods: From July 2019 to December 2019, members of the surgical and ICU departments designed and implemented a regular procedure of MMR. Cases of severe postoperative complications after curative resection for digestive cancer were selected to be presented by a surgical resident and discussed in an interdisciplinary conference following a standardized presentation based on an analysis tool adapted from the ALARM framework. Process was assessed by the number of MMRs held, number and type of recommendations issued and implemented. Results: Among 13 serious complications during the study period, 10 were discussed. The "Tasks" category was activated in 90% of the cases where lack or misuse of protocols was identified in 90% of the events discussed. Test results availability or accuracy were incarnated in 30% of cases. Poor communication was a contributing factor in 60% of the cases. Written medical records were defective in 40% of the cases. From 16 recommendations for improvement emitted, 87.5% (14/16) were translated into projects and successfully implemented. Conclusions: a standardized and regular procedure of morbidity and mortality reviews in a tertiary care facility in a developing country allowed a significant improvement in patient care through quality initiatives implementation. MMRs might be a strong tool for the improvement of surgical care particularly for low-mid income countries.

Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner incontinence score in patients with low anterior resection syndrome after rectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Bowel dysfunction symptoms such as stool clustering, urgency, incomplete voiding, and fecal incontinence are frequent after colorectal surgery and known as the low anterior resection syndrome. The Wexner score is the most widely used tool for fecal incontinence assessment. We aimed to translate and test the psychometric properties of the Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner questionnaire in patients with low anterior resection syndrome after rectal surgery. METHODS: The Wexner questionnaire was translated to Moroccan Arabic and administered to a group of 158 patients, among which a subgroup of 43 patients took the test for a second time to examine test-retest reliability. Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to determine internal consistency and correlation, and the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life C30 and the low anterior resection syndrome questionnaires were assessed for convergent validity. Discriminant validity was demonstrated through the Wexner score ability to detect differences based on the patients' different clinical and pathological characteristics. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients completed the Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner score, which showed an excellent internal consistency with a Cronbach alpha score of 0.91. Test-retest reliability was established by a Bland-Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement. The score showed positive correlation to the low anterior resection syndrome score (r = 0.748; P < .001) and the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life C30 diarrhea symptom scale (r = 0.519; P < .001). A negative correlation was also demonstrated for each one of the 5 European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life C30 functional scales, namely physical functioning (r = -0.217 ; P = .006), role functioning (r = -0.267; P = .001), emotional functioning (r = -0.266; P = .001), cognitive functioning (r = -0.283; P < .001), and social functioning (r = -0,283; P < .001). The Wexner score differed between patients according to tumor location, chemoradiotherapy, type of mesorectal excision, and anastomosis. CONCLUSION: The Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner score shows good psychometric properties and can be used for fecal incontinence assessment, particularly in colorectal cancer patients.

Transanal total mesorectal excision for patients with rectal cancer : a Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) is a new technique that is designed to overcome the limits encountered during laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME) for rectal cancer, especially in male, obese patients with a narrow pelvis and mid and low rectal tumours. AIM: The objective of our meta-analysis is to evaluate short-term oncological and perioperative outcomes of transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) compared to laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME) for rectal cancer. METHODS: A meta-analysis based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed). All original studies published in English that compared TaTME with laTME were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed by the Newcastle- Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) and Cochrane Library Handbook 5.1.0. Data analysis was conducted using the Review Manager 5.3 software. RESULTS: Twelve studies including 835 TaTME patients and 1707 LaTME patients with rectal cancer met the inclusion criteria in this meta-analysis. No statistical significant differences were observed in regard to positive circumferential resection margin (PCRM), positive distal resection margin (PDRM), macroscopic quality of mesorectum (MQM) and harvested lymph nodes (HLN). Concerning the perioperative outcomes, the results of conversion rates, operative time, hospital stay (HS), anastomotic leakage (AL) and postoperative complications were comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis provides that TaTME may be a valid alternative approach for the treatment of rectal cancer in comparison with LaTME.

Predictive Factors for Impaired Mental Health among Medical Students during the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Morocco.

The COVID-19 pandemic has great consequences on mental health. We aimed to assess medical students' psychological condition and influencing factors as a baseline evidence for interventions promoting their mental wellbeing. We conducted an online survey from April 8 to April 18, 2020 to examine the mental health of medical students by the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, seven-item Insomnia Severity Index, and six-item Kessler psychological distress scale. Factors associated with mental health outcomes were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Five hundred forty-nine students completed the survey; 341 (62.3%), 410 (74.6%), 344 (62.6%), and 379 (69%) reported anxiety, depression, insomnia, and distress, respectively. Female students, living in high COVID-19 prevalence locations, more than 25 days confinement, psychiatric consult history, and being in a preclinical level of studies had higher median scores and severe symptom levels. Multivariable logistic regression showed female gender as a risk factor for severe symptoms of anxiety (odds ratio [OR]: 1.653; 95% CI: 1.020-2.679; P = 0.042), depression (OR: 2.167; 95% CI: 1.435-3.271; P < 0.001), insomnia (OR: 1.830; 95% CI: 1.176-2.847; P = 0.007), and distress (OR: 1.994; 95% CI: 1.338-2.972; P = 0.001); preclinical level of enrollment as a risk factor for depression (OR: 0.679; 95% CI: 0.521-0.885; P = 0.004), insomnia (OR: 0.720; 95% CI: 0.545-0.949; P = 0.02), and distress (OR: 0.650; 95% CI: 0.499-0.847; P = 0.001), whereas living in high COVID-19 prevalence locations was a risk factor for severe anxiety (OR: 1.628; 95% CI: 1.090-2.432; P = 0.017) and depression (OR: 1.438; 95% CI: 1.002-2.097; P = 0.05). Currently, medical students experience high levels of mental health symptoms, especially female students, those at a preclinical level and living in regions with a high prevalence of COVID-19 cases. Screening for mental health issues, psychological support, and long-term follow-up could alleviate the burden and protect future physicians.

Mid-Term Audit of a National Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program Implementation in a Low Middle Income Country: The Moroccan Experience.

Implementing a multimodal management of peritoneal surface malignancies is a steep and complex process, especially as complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) is the backbone and the major prognostic factor for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedures. The implementation of such a program is a challenging process, particularly in low-middle income (LMIC) countries where ressource restrictions may represent a major hurdle to HIPEC appliances acquisition. Herein is the first audit of the implementation of a national peritoneal malignancy program in a north African country. The audit process was performed according to the three implementation steps, namely initiation ("1":2005-2008), transition ("2":2009-2013) and consolidation ("3":2014-2017). We included all consecutive CRS without HIPEC performed with curative intent for ovarian, gastric, colorectal and pseudomyxoma peritonei type of malignancies with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance Status ≤ 2. Target outcomes for incomplete cytoreduction (ICRS), serious complications ≥ 3b according to the Clavien-Dindo scoring, and early oncologic failure (EOF; disease progression within 2 years of treatment) were compared between the three phases. Independent risk factors correlated to these three outcomes were calculated using a logistic regression model.198 CRS procedures were completed with 49, 60 and 89 cases performed in the three phases, respectively. Overall, patients were comparable except for ECOG and ASA scores which were more severe in the third phase. The comparison of ICRS, serious complications and EOF rates showed a significant reduction between the three phases with (34%, 18% and 4% p = <0.001), (30.6%, 20% and 11.2%, p = 0.019) and (38.8%, 23.3% and 12.4% p = 0.002) respectively. Undergoing CRS in phase 3 on the other hand was a predictive factor of better short term surgical and oncological outcomes and completeness of cytoreduction, while ECOG performance status and spleno-pancreatectomy were also predictive factors of serious complications.