Perfusion assessment by fluorescence time curves in esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction: a prospective clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative perfusion assessment with indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) may reduce postoperative anastomotic leakage rates after esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction. This study evaluated quantitative parameters derived from fluorescence time curves to determine a threshold for adequate perfusion and predict postoperative anastomotic complications. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included consecutive patients who underwent FA-guided esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction between August 2020 and February 2022. After intravenous bolus injection of 0.05-mg/kg ICG, fluorescence intensity was registered over time by PINPOINT camera (Stryker, USA). Fluorescent angiograms were quantitatively analyzed at a region of interest of 1 cm diameter at the anastomotic site on the conduit using tailor-made software. Extracted fluorescence parameters were both inflow (T0, Tmax, Fmax, slope, Time-to-peak) as outflow parameters (T90% and T80%). Anastomotic complications including anastomotic leakage (AL) and strictures were documented. Fluorescence parameters in patients with AL were compared to those without AL. RESULTS: One hundred and three patients (81 male, 65.7 ± 9.9 years) were included, the majority of whom (88%) underwent an Ivor Lewis procedure. AL occurred in 19% of patients (n = 20/103). Both time to peak as Tmax were significantly longer for the AL group in comparison to the non-AL group (39 s vs. 26 s, p = 0.04 and 65 vs. 51 s, p = 0.03, respectively). Slope was 1.0 (IQR 0.3-2.5) and 1.7 (IQR 1.0-3.0) for the AL and non-AL group (p = 0.11). Outflow was longer in the AL group, although not significantly, T90% 30 versus 15 s, respectively, p = 0.20). Univariate analysis indicated that Tmax might be predictive for AL, although not reaching significance (p = 0.10, area under the curve 0.71) and a cut-off value of 97 s was derived, with a specificity of 92%. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated quantitative parameters and identified a fluorescent threshold which could be used for intraoperative decision-making and to identify high-risk patients for anastomotic leakage during esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction. A significant predictive value remains to be determined in future studies.

Impact of shifting from laparoscopic to robotic surgery during 600 minimally invasive pancreatic and liver resections.

BACKGROUND: Many centers worldwide are shifting from laparoscopic to robotic minimally invasive hepato-pancreato-biliary resections (MIS-HPB) but large single center series assessing this process are lacking. We hypothesized that the introduction of robot-assisted surgery was safe and feasible in a high-volume center. METHODS: Single center, post-hoc assessment of prospectively collected data including all consecutive MIS-HPB resections (January 2010-February 2022). As of December 2018, all MIS pancreatoduodenectomy and liver resections were robot-assisted. All surgeons had participated in dedicated training programs for laparoscopic and robotic MIS-HPB. Primary outcomes were in-hospital/30-day mortality and Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3 complications. RESULTS: Among 1875 pancreatic and liver resections, 600 (32%) were MIS-HPB resections. The overall rate of conversion was 4.3%, Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3 complications 25.7%, and in-hospital/30-day mortality 1.8% (n = 11). When comparing the period before and after the introduction of robotic MIS-HPB (Dec 2018), the overall use of MIS-HPB increased from 25.3 to 43.8% (P < 0.001) and blood loss decreased from 250 ml [IQR 100-500] to 150 ml [IQR 50-300] (P < 0.001). The 291 MIS pancreatic resections included 163 MIS pancreatoduodenectomies (52 laparoscopic, 111 robotic) with 4.3% conversion rate. The implementation of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy was associated with reduced operation time (450 vs 361 min; P < 0.001), reduced blood loss (350 vs 200 ml; P < 0.001), and a decreased rate of delayed gastric emptying (28.8% vs 9.9%; P = 0.009). The 309 MIS liver resections included 198 laparoscopic and 111 robotic procedures with a 3.6% conversion rate. The implementation of robotic liver resection was associated with less overall complications (24.7% vs 10.8%; P = 0.003) and shorter hospital stay (4 vs 3 days; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The introduction of robotic surgery was associated with greater implementation of MIS-HPB in up to nearly half of all pancreatic and liver resections. Although mortality and major morbidity were not affected, robotic surgery was associated with improvements in some selected outcomes. Ultimately, randomized studies and high-quality registries should determine its added value.

The role of fluorescence angiography in colonic interposition after esophagectomy.

Colonic interposition is an alternative for gastric conduit reconstruction after esophagectomy. Anastomotic leakage (AL) occurs in 15-25% of patients and may be attributed to reduced blood supply after vascular ligation. Indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) can visualize tissue perfusion. We aimed to give an overview of the first experiences of ICG-FA and AL rate in colonic interposition. This study included all consecutive patients who underwent a colonic interposition between January 2015 and December 2021 at a tertiary referral center. Surgery was performed for the following indications: inability to use the stomach because of previous surgery or extensive tumour involvement, cancer recurrence in the gastric conduit, or because of complications after initial esophagectomy. Since 2018 ICG-FA was performed before anastomotic reconstruction by administration of ICG injection (0.1 mg/kg/bolus), using the Spy-phi (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI). Twenty-eight patients (9 female, mean age 62.8), underwent colonic interposition of whom 15 (54%) underwent ICG-FA-guided surgery. Within the ICG-FA group, three (20%) AL occurred, whereas in the non-ICG-FA group, three AL and one graft necrosis (31%) occurred (P=0.67). There was a change of management due to the FA assessment in three patients in the FA group (20%) which led to the choice of a different bowel segment for the anastomosis. Mean operative times in the ICG-FA and non-ICG-FA groups were 372±99 and 399±113 minutes, respectively (P=0.85). ICG-FA is a safe, easy and feasible technique to assess perfusion of colonic interpositions. ICG-FA is of added value leading to a change in management in a considerable percentage of patients. Its role in prevention of AL remains to be elucidated.

Incidence and oncological implication of adrenal incidentalomas in esophageal cancer patients.

Adrenal incidentalomas are regularly encountered during imaging for esophageal cancer patients, but their oncological significance remains unknown. This study aimed to describe the incidence and etiology of adrenal incidentalomas observed throughout the diagnostic workup. This retrospective cohort study included all esophageal cancer patients referred to or diagnosed in the Amsterdam UMC between January 2012 and December 2016. Radiology and multidisciplinary team meeting reports were reviewed for adrenal incidentalomas. In case of adrenal incidentaloma, the 18FDG-PET/CT was reassessed by a radiologist blinded for the original report. In case of a metachronous incidentaloma during follow-up, visibility on previous imaging was reassessed. Primary outcome was the incidence, etiology and oncological consequence of synchronous adrenal incidentalomas. This study included 1,164 esophageal cancer patients, with a median age of 66 years. Patients were predominantly male (76.1%) and the majority had an adenocarcinoma (69.0%). Adrenal incidentalomas were documented in 138 patients (11.9%) during the diagnostic workup. At primary esophageal cancer workup, 22 incidentalomas proved malignant. However, follow-up showed that four incidentalomas were inaccurately diagnosed as benign and three malignant incidentalomas were visible on staging imaging but initially missed. Stage migration occurred in 15 of 22 (68.2%), but this would have been higher if none were missed or inaccurately diagnosed. The oncological impact of adrenal incidentalomas in patients with esophageal cancer is significant as a considerable part of incidentalomas changed treatment intent from curative to palliative. As stage migration is likely, pathological examination of a synchronous adrenal incidentaloma should be weighted in mind.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for resected duodenal adenocarcinoma: a case-matched analysis in nation wide cohort.

BACKGROUND: Duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA) is a rare tumor for which survival data on adjuvant chemotherapy in patients after surgical treatment are unclear. This case-matched study in a nationwide cohort aims to investigate the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with resectable DA on overall survival. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with DA and intestinal type periampullary adenocarcinoma (PVA) in the Netherlands between 2000 and 2015 were included (n = 1316). Patients with disease stages II and III who underwent resection and adjuvant chemotherapy were matched (1:2), based on identified covariates associated with OS, with patients who underwent surgery alone. Overall survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier estimates. RESULTS: The median OS was 49.9 months in patients who underwent curative resection (n = 649). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed a significant influence of age, lymph node involvement, and T- stage on survival. The group of patients receiving adjuvant treatment consisted of 43 patients and the non-adjuvant group of 83 case-matched patients. The median OS of the complete matched cohort (n = 126) was 26.9 months. No statistically significant survival benefit was found for the adjuvant group as compared to the group treated with surgery alone (median OS = 34.4 months and 23.0 months, p = 0.20). CONCLUSION: This population-based, case-matched analysis demonstrates no statistically significant survival benefit for adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection in stages II and III patients. Future studies with specified treatment regimens as well as thorough stratification for prognostic factors will be required in order to more definitively determine the role of adjuvant therapy.

Extended Resections for Advanced Gallbladder Cancer: Results from a Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Extended resections (i.e., major hepatectomy and/or pancreatoduodenectomy) are rarely performed for gallbladder cancer (GBC) because outcomes remain inconclusive. Data regarding extended resections from Western centers are sparse. This Dutch, multicenter cohort study analyzed the outcomes of patients who underwent extended resections for locally advanced GBC. METHODS: Patients with GBC who underwent extended resection with curative intent between January 2000 and September 2018 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Extended resection was defined as a major hepatectomy (resection of ≥ 3 liver segments), a pancreatoduodenectomy, or both. Treatment and survival data were obtained. Postoperative morbidity, mortality, survival, and characteristics of short- and long-term survivors were assessed. RESULTS: The study included 33 patients. For 16 of the patients, R0 resection margins were achieved. Major postoperative complications (Clavien Dindo ≥ 3A) occurred for 19 patients, and 4 patients experienced postoperative mortality within 90 days. Recurrence occurred for 24 patients. The median overall survival (OS) was 12.8 months (95% confidence interval, 6.5-19.0 months). A 2-year survival period was achieved for 10 patients (30%) and a 5-year survival period for 5 patients (15%). Common bile duct, liver, perineural and perivascular invasion and jaundice were associated with reduced survival. All three recurrence-free patients had R0 resection margins and no liver invasion. CONCLUSION: The median OS after extended resections for advanced GBC was 12.8 months in this cohort. Although postoperative morbidity and mortality were significant, long-term survival (≥ 2 years) was achieved in a subset of patients. Therefore, GBC requiring major surgery does not preclude long-term survival, and a subgroup of patients benefit from surgery.

A multicentre cohort study of serum and peritoneal biomarkers to predict anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer resection.

AIM: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most feared complications after rectal resection. This study aimed to assess a combination of biomarkers for early detection of AL after rectal cancer resection. METHOD: This study was an international multicentre prospective cohort study. All patients received a pelvic drain after rectal cancer resection. On the first three postoperative days drain fluid was collected daily and C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), MMP9, glucose, lactate, interleukin 1-beta (IL1ß), IL6, IL10, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and amylase were measured in the drain fluid. Prediction models for AL were built for each postoperative day using multivariate penalized logistic regression. Model performance was estimated by the c-index for discrimination. The model with the best performance was visualized with a nomogram and calibration was plotted. RESULTS: A total of 292 patients were analysed; 38 (13.0%) patients suffered from AL, with a median interval to diagnosis of 6.0 (interquartile ratio 4.0-14.8) days. AL occurred less often after partial than after total mesorectal excision (4.9% vs 15.2%, P = 0.035). Of all patients with AL, 26 (68.4%) required reoperation. AL was more often treated by reoperation in patients without a diverting ileostomy (18/20 vs 8/18, P = 0.03). The prediction model for postoperative day 1 included MMP9, TNFα, diverting ileostomy and surgical technique (c-index = 0.71). The prediction model for postoperative day 2 only included CRP (c-index = 0.69). The prediction model for postoperative day 3 included CRP and MMP9 and obtained the best model performance (c-index = 0.78). CONCLUSION: The combination of serum CRP and peritoneal MMP9 may be useful for earlier prediction of AL after rectal cancer resection. In clinical practice, this combination of biomarkers should be interpreted in the clinical context as with any other diagnostic tool.

Diagnostic accuracy of urinary intestinal fatty acid binding protein in detecting colorectal anastomotic leakage.

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage (AL) remains a severe complication following colorectal surgery, having a negative impact on both short- and long-term outcomes. Since timely detection could enable early intervention, there is a need for the development of novel and accurate, preferably, non-invasive markers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether urinary intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) could serve as such a marker. METHODS: This prospective multicenter cross-sectional phase two diagnostic study was conducted at four centers in the Netherlands between March 2015 and November 2016. Urine samples of 15 patients with confirmed colorectal AL and 19 patients without colorectal AL on postoperative day 3 were included. Urinary I-FABP levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and adjusted for urinary creatinine to compensate for renal dysfunction. RESULTS: Urinary I-FABP levels were significantly elevated in patients with confirmed AL compared to patients without AL on postoperative day 3 (median: 2.570 ng/ml vs 0.809 ng/ml, p = 0.006). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) was 0.775, yielding a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 74% at the optimal cutoff point (> 1.589 ng/ml). This difference remained significant after calculation of I-FABP/creatinine ratios (median: 0.564 ng/µmol vs. 0.158 ng/µmol, p = 0.040), with an AUROC of 0.709, sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 90% at the optimal cutoff point (> 0.469 ng/µmol). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of urinary I-FABP and urinary I-FABP/creatinine were significantly elevated in patients with confirmed AL following colorectal surgery, suggesting their potential as a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal anastomotic leakage.

Costs and quality of life in a randomized trial comparing minimally invasive and open distal pancreatectomy (LEOPARD trial).

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy decreases time to functional recovery compared with open distal pancreatectomy, but the cost-effectiveness and impact on disease-specific quality of life have yet to be established. METHODS: The LEOPARD trial randomized patients to minimally invasive (robot-assisted or laparoscopic) or open distal pancreatectomy in 14 Dutch centres between April 2015 and March 2017. Use of hospital healthcare resources, complications and disease-specific quality of life were recorded up to 1 year after surgery. Unit costs of hospital healthcare resources were determined, and cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses were performed. Primary outcomes were the costs per day earlier functional recovery and per quality-adjusted life-year. RESULTS: All 104 patients who had a distal pancreatectomy (48 minimally invasive and 56 open) in the trial were included in this study. Patients who underwent a robot-assisted procedure were excluded from the cost analysis. Total medical costs were comparable after laparoscopic and open distal pancreatectomy (mean difference €-427 (95 per cent bias-corrected and accelerated confidence interval €-4700 to 3613; P = 0·839). Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy was shown to have a probability of at least 0·566 of being more cost-effective than the open approach at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €0 per day of earlier recovery, and a probability of 0·676 per additional quality-adjusted life-year at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €80 000. There were no significant differences in cosmetic satisfaction scores (median 9 (i.q.r. 5·75-10) versus 7 (4-8·75); P = 0·056) and disease-specific quality of life after minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robot-assisted procedures) versus open distal pancreatectomy. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy was at least as cost-effective as open distal pancreatectomy in terms of time to functional recovery and quality-adjusted life-years. Cosmesis and quality of life were similar in the two groups 1 year after surgery.

Transanal total mesorectal excision: how are we doing so far?

AIM: This subgroup analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study aims to compare postoperative morbidity between transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME). METHOD: The study was designed as a subgroup analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study. Patients undergoing TaTME or LaTME for rectal cancer were selected. All patients were followed up until the first visit to the outpatient clinic after hospital discharge. Postoperative complications were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification and the comprehensive complication index (CCI). Propensity score matching was performed. RESULTS: In total, 220 patients were selected from the overall prospective multicentre cohort study. After propensity score matching, 48 patients from each group were compared. The median tumour height for TaTME was 10.0 cm (6.0-10.8) and for LaTME was 9.5 cm (7.0-12.0) (P = 0.459). The duration of surgery and anaesthesia were both significantly longer for TaTME (221 vs 180 min, P < 0.001, and 264 vs 217 min, P < 0.001). TaTME was not converted to laparotomy whilst surgery in five patients undergoing LaTME was converted to laparotomy (0.0% vs 10.4%, P = 0.056). No statistically significant differences were observed for Clavien-Dindo classification, CCI, readmissions, reoperations and mortality. CONCLUSION: The study showed that TaTME is a safe and feasible approach for rectal cancer resection. This new technique obtained similar postoperative morbidity to LaTME.

Urinary volatile organic compound markers and colorectal anastomotic leakage.

AIM: Inflammatory markers such as serum C-reactive protein (CRP) are used as routine markers to detect anastomotic leakage following colorectal surgery. However, CRP is characterized by a relatively low predictive value, emphasizing the need for the development of novel diagnostic approaches. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gaseous metabolic products deriving from all conceivable bodily excrements and reflect (alterations in) the patient's physical status. Therefore, VOCs are increasingly considered as potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of urinary VOCs for colorectal anastomotic leakage. METHODS: In this explorative multicentre study, urinary VOC profiles of 22 patients with confirmed anastomotic leakage and 27 uneventful control patients following colorectal surgery were analysed by field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS). RESULTS: Urinary VOCs of patients with anastomotic leakage could be distinguished from those of control patients with high accuracy: area under the receiver operating characteristics curve 0.91 (95% CI 0.81-1.00, P < 0.001), sensitivity 86% and specificity 93%. Serum CRP was significantly increased in patients with a confirmed anastomotic leak but with lower diagnostic accuracy compared to VOC analysis (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve 0.82, 95% CI 0.68-0.95, P < 0.001). Combining VOCs and CRP did not result in a significant improvement of the diagnostic performance compared to VOCs alone. CONCLUSION: Analysis by FAIMS allowed for discrimination between urinary VOC profiles of patients with a confirmed anastomotic leak and control patients following colorectal surgery. A superior accuracy compared to CRP and apparently high specificity was observed, underlining the potential as a non-invasive biomarker for the detection of colorectal anastomotic leakage.

Improving enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS): ERAS APPtimize study protocol, a randomized controlled trial investigating the effect of a patient-centred mobile application on patient participation in colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative care in colorectal surgery is systematically defined in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol. The ERAS protocol improves perioperative care in a multimodal way to enhance early and safe release from the hospital. Adequate compliance to the elements of the ERAS protocol is multifactorial. There are still opportunities to improve compliance of the protocol by actively involving the patient. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether compliance of selected items in the ERAS protocol can be improved through actively involving patients in the ERAS care pathway through the use of a patient-centred mobile application. METHODS: A multicentre randomized controlled trial will be conducted. Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery, who are 18 years or older and in possession of an eligible smartphone, will be included. Patients assigned to the intervention group will install a patient-centred mobile application to be guided through the ERAS care pathway. Patients in the control group will receive care as usual. Both groups will wear an activity tracker. The primary outcome is overall compliance to selected active elements of the ERAS protocol, as registered by the patient. Secondary outcomes include Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) such as health-related quality of life, physical activity, and patient satisfaction of received care. Care-related outcomes, such as length of hospital stay, number of complications, re-intervention, and readmission rates, will also be assessed. RESULTS: The enrolment of patients will start in the second quarter of 2019. Data collection had not begun by the time this protocol was submitted. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that by providing patients with a patient-centred mobile application, compliance to the active elements of ERAS protocol can be improved, resulting in an increased health-related quality of life, physical activity, and patient satisfaction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register, NTR7314 , prospectively registered on the 9th of November 2017 ( http://www.trialregister.nl ).

Evaluation of PET and laparoscopy in STagIng advanced gastric cancer: a multicenter prospective study (PLASTIC-study).

BACKGROUND: Initial staging of gastric cancer consists of computed tomography (CT) and gastroscopy. In locally advanced (cT3-4) gastric cancer, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with CT (FDG-PET/CT or PET) and staging laparoscopy (SL) may have a role in staging, but evidence is scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of PET and SL in addition to initial staging in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study will include all patients with a surgically resectable, advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (cT3-4b, N0-3, M0), that are scheduled for treatment with curative intent after initial staging with gastroscopy and CT. The modalities to be investigated in this study is the addition of PET and SL. The primary outcome of this study is the proportion of patients in whom the PET or SL lead to a change in treatment strategy. Secondary outcome parameters are: diagnostic performance, morbidity and mortality, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness of these additional diagnostic modalities. The study recently started in August 2017 with a duration of 36 months. At least 239 patients need to be included in this study to demonstrate that the diagnostic modalities are break-even. Based on the annual number of gastrectomies in the participating centers, it is estimated that approximately 543 patients are included in this study. DISCUSSION: In this study, it is hypothesized that performing PET and SL for locally advanced gastric adenocarcinomas results in a change of treatment strategy in 27% of patients and an annual cost-reduction in the Netherlands of €916.438 in this patient group by reducing futile treatment. The results of this study may be applicable to all countries with comparable treatment algorithms and health care systems. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03208621 . This trial was registered prospectively on June 30, 2017.

Treatment of paraesophageal hiatal hernia in octogenarians: a systematic review and retrospective cohort study.

Over the coming years octogenarians will make up an increasingly large proportion of the population. With the rise in octogenarians more paraesophageal hiatal hernias may be identified. In research for the optimal treatment for paraesophageal hiatal hernias, octogenarians are often omitted and the optimal surgical strategy for this patient group remains unclear. A systematic search in PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library was conducted, including articles compromising 'surgery,' 'paraesophageal hiatal hernia,' and 'octogenarians.' Selection of articles was based on independent review by two authors. Alongside, a retrospective cohort study was conducted including all type II-IV hiatal hernia repairs performed in the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, from 2005 to 2015. A total of 486 papers were eligible for selection. After careful selection, a total of eight articles were included. All articles were retrospective cohort studies describing different proportions of octogenarians. The populations and surgical techniques were very heterogeneous. Elective paraesophageal hiatal hernia repair was performed safely in symptomatic octogenarians in all studies. Additional analysis of 84 patients, of which 9.5% octogenarians, was performed at our tertiary referral center. A larger hernia type, more acute interventions and a higher morbidity and mortality rate was observed in octogenarians compared to patients aged <80 years. In conclusion, elective paraesophageal hiatal hernia repair can be performed in octogenarians, especially in patients without comorbidity. Findings suggest improvement in symptoms in short-term follow up, with minimal morbidity and mortality. With regard to surgical techniques, laparoscopy and fundoplication were performed safely. Octogenarians need to be included in future clinical trials to further evaluate the optimal surgical intervention. Preoperative risk assessment by clinical prediction rules should guide operative intervention, in order to evaluate risks and benefits in this challenging population.

Relation between postoperative ileus and anastomotic leakage after colorectal resection: a post hoc analysis of a prospective randomized controlled trial.

AIM: Anastomotic leakage (AL) following abdominal surgery is a critical determinant of postoperative recovery, of which the aetiology is largely unknown. Interestingly, interventions aimed at reducing the inflammatory response and postoperative ileus (POI) have an unexpected effect on AL. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation of POI with inflammation and AL after colorectal resection. METHOD: A post hoc analysis of a prospective randomized controlled trial in which patients underwent a colorectal resection was performed. Patients undergoing a colorectal resection were stratified into having or not having POI. The incidence of AL and other clinical parameters was registered prospectively. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP, a marker for tissue damage) and the inflammatory response in plasma and colon tissue were determined. RESULTS: AL was present in nine of 43 patients in the POI group, and in one of 65 in the group without POI (P < 0.001). There was a significant association between POI and AL (OR 12.57, 95% CI: 2.73-120.65; P = 0.0005). Patients with POI had significantly higher plasma levels of soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFRSF1A) at 4 h postoperatively (0.89 ng/l, interquartile range 0.56) than patients without POI (0.80 ng/l, interquartile range 0.37; P = 0.04) and higher plasma levels of C-reactive protein on the second day postoperatively (234 ± 77 vs 163 ± 86 mg/l; P = 0.001). Patients who developed AL had significantly higher plasma levels of I-FABP compared with patients without AL at 24 h after onset of surgery. CONCLUSION: POI is associated with a higher prevalence of AL and an increased inflammatory response.

Identification of anastomotic leakage after colorectal surgery using microdialysis of the peritoneal cavity.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of colorectal anastomotic leakage (AL) may lead to better outcome. AL may be preceded by change in local metabolism and local ischaemia. Microdialysis of the peritoneal cavity is able to measure these changes in real-time and is minimally invasive. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to compare values of intraperitoneal microdialysis in patients with AL to patients without AL after open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS: Twenty-four patients underwent surgery for left-sided, sigmoid and rectal carcinoma with creation of an anastomosis. Intraoperatively a juxta-anastomotical intraperitoneal and subcutaneous microdialysis catheter was placed. The levels of lactate, pyruvate, glucose and glycerol in the dialysate were measured every 4 h during the first 5 post-operative days, and mean values and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. RESULTS: Mortality was 0 % and morbidity 38 %. In 3 patients (17 %), AL occurred. In patients with AL, post-operative peritoneal lactate level was 3.2 mmol/l (standard deviation (SD) 0.9) for patients without AL, compared to 4.4 mmol/l (SD 1.5) in case of AL (p = 0.03 for AUC). Intraperitoneal glucose levels were 8.1 mmol/l (SD 1.3), compared to 7.8 mmol/l (SD 2.2) in the complicated course (ns for AUC). Mean intraperitoneal lactate/pyruvate-ratio was 19.2 (SD 3) after colorectal surgery without AL compared to 25 (SD 4.7) in case of AL (non-significant (ns) for AUC). No significant differences were observed between patients who underwent laparoscopic resection and those who underwent open resection. CONCLUSIONS: Anastomotic leakage was preceded by a significantly higher AUC and mean value of lactate levels during the first 5 post-operative days. To identify cut-off values for clinical use, pooling of data is necessary.

Diagnostic workup for esophageal cancer patients can be improved with checklists and clearer protocols; a comparative study between two tertiary centers in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Rapid and complete workup of newly diagnosed esophageal cancer is vital for a timely, individual and high-quality treatment strategy. The aim of this study was to uncover potential delay, inefficiencies and non-contributing investigations in the diagnostic process in two tertiary referral centers. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients referred to or diagnosed in the Amsterdam UMC and Karolinska University Hospital between July 2020 and July 2021. Radiology, pathological assessment and multidisciplinary team meeting reports were reviewed. To assess time interval from diagnosis to treatment, dates of diagnosis, admittance to referral hospital, MDT meeting and start of treatment were collected. RESULTS: In total, 252 esophageal cancer patients were included, 187 were treated with curative intent. Curatively treated patients had a mean age of 66 years, were predominantly male (74.9 %) with an adenocarcinoma (71.1 %). Curatively treated patients had a median time from diagnosis to referral of seven days (IQR:0-11) and of 35 days (IQR:28-45) between diagnosis and start of treatment. Main reasons for the significant (P < 0.001) differences in time between diagnosis and treatment between centers, Amsterdam UMC (39 days) vs Karolinska (27 days), were need for additional diagnostics (47.8 %) and differences in referral routine. Gastroscopy was repeated in 32.2 % of patients, mainly for further anatomical mapping. CONCLUSION: Significant time differences between centers in the path from diagnosis to start treatment can be explained by differences in workup approach, referral routines and MDT meeting regulations. Repeat of gastroscopy can be prevented with clearer endoscopy guidelines.