Acute urinary retention rates following early removal or no placement in colon and rectal surgery: a single-center analysis.

BACKGROUND: The adequate duration of urinary drainage following colorectal surgery remains debated. The purpose of this study was to compare acute urinary retention (AUR) rates among various durations of urinary catheterization following colon and rectal surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing elective colorectal resection enrolled in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol from 2018 to 2019. Patients were placed into four groups: no catheter placement (NC), catheter removed immediately after surgery (CRAS), removal less than 24 h (CR < 24), and removal greater than 24 h (CR > 24). Our primary endpoint was the rate of AUR in each group. Secondary endpoints included hospital length of stay and urinary tract infections (UTI). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to predict AUR. RESULTS: A total 641 patients were included in this study. 27 patients (4.2%) had NC with an AUR rate of 3.7%. 249 patients (38.8%) had CRAS with an AUR rate of 6.8%. 214 patients (33.4%) had CR < 24 with an AUR rate of 4.2%. 151 patients (23.6%) had CR > 24 with an AUR rate of 2.6%. There was no significant difference in AUR among the groups (p = 0.264). In our multivariant logistic regression, pelvic surgery was an independent risk factor for AUR (p = 0.008). There was a statistically significant higher hospital length of stay (p = 0.001) and rate of UTIs (p = 0.017) in patients with prolonged catheterization. CONCLUSION: Deferral or early removal of urinary catheters is safe and feasible following colorectal surgery without a significant increase in AUR. Avoiding prolonged indwelling urinary catheterization may decrease associated complications such as UTI and hospital length of stay.

Evolution of technique in performance of minimally invasive colectomies.

BACKGROUND: Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery is commonly used in colorectal surgery and provides benefit in complex cases. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the minimally invasive surgical trends, patient characteristics, and operative variables unique to patients undergoing hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery. DESIGN: This was a retrospective medical chart review. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in a tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS: Patients included in the study were those who underwent pure laparoscopic colectomies, hand-assisted laparoscopic colectomies, and traditional open surgery for elective treatment of diverticular disease, colorectal cancer, IBD, and benign polyp disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes included patient characteristics and operative variables unique to patients undergoing hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery and documentation of operative technique trends within an experienced colorectal group. RESULTS: Diverticular disease characteristics specific to hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery included the presence of dense inflammatory adhesions (p < 0.0001), diverticular fistulas (p < 0.0001), and unresolved phlegmon (p = 0.0003). Characteristics specific for colorectal cancer included intraoperative tumor bulk (p < 0.0001) and the inability to achieve appropriate surgical resection margins (p < 0.001). Similarly, variables identified for benign polyp disease included adhesions (p < 0.0001) and the ability to gain adequate exposure (p < 0.0001). Limited use of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery was observed in patients with IBD. LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective, observational study from a single center. CONCLUSIONS: Conversion to hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery provides benefit in surgical scenarios where dense inflammatory adhesions, diverticular fistulas, and intra-abdominal postdiverticulitis phlegmon are present. In addition, benefit is observed in patients with colorectal cancer where laparoscopic dissection of bulky tumor proves to be difficult and where the technical ability to obtain margins using pure laparoscopy is compromised. Although our practice has changed to favor pure laparoscopy, hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery continues to play an important role in complex colorectal cases that otherwise would require open surgery (see video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/DCR/A146).

A large inflammatory fibroid polyp of the rectum removed by transanal excision.

Inflammatory fibroid polyps (IFP) are rare benign lesions arising from the submucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly found in the stomach and small intestine. IFPs are very rarely found in the rectum, with only a few reported cases, and their presentation is quite varied. The patient is a 53 year old male who underwent routine screening colonoscopy, during which a lobular mass of the proximal rectum was discovered. The patient subsequently underwent an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. Pathology displayed scant spindle cells with benign glandular epithelium suspicious for a spindle cell neoplasm. The mass was excised transanally. The morphological and immunohistochemical findings supported the diagnosis of inflammatory fibroid polyp. Although this is not a malignant tumor, the treatment and surveillance guidelines have not been determined and there is no standard of care.

Angiographic embolization for gastroduodenal hemorrhage: safety, efficacy, and predictors of outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the safety, efficacy, and predictors of outcome of angiographic embolization in the management of gastroduodenal hemorrhage. DESIGN: Retrospective record review. SETTING: University-affiliated tertiary care center. PATIENTS: All of the patients were referred after endoscopic treatment failure. Surgery was not immediately considered because of poor surgical risk, refusal to consent, or endoscopist's decision. Patients with coagulopathy, hemobilia, and variceal or traumatic upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding were excluded from review. INTERVENTIONS: Between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2006, 70 embolization procedures were performed in 57 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Technical success rate (target vessel devascularization), clinical success rate (in-hospital cessation of bleeding without further endoscopic, radiologic, or surgical intervention), and complications. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 94% (66 of 70 angiographies). The primary clinical success rate was 51% (29 of 57 patients), and the clinical success rate after repeat embolization was 56% (32 of 57 patients). Two factors were found to be independent predictors of poor outcome by multivariate analysis: recent duodenal ulcer suture ligation (P = .03) and blood transfusion of more than 6 units prior to the procedure (P = .04). There was no predictive value for angiographic failure based on age, sex, prior coagulopathy, renal failure at presentation, immunocompromised status, multiple organ system failure, empirical (blind) embolization, and use of permanent vs temporary embolic agents. Repeat embolizations were helpful for postsphincterotomy bleeding. Major ischemic complications (4 patients [7%]) were associated with previous foregut surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Angiographic embolization for gastroduodenal hemorrhage was associated with in-hospital rebleeding in almost half of the patients. Angiographic failure can be predicted if embolization is performed late, following blood transfusion of more than 6 units, or for rehemorrhage from a previously suture-ligated duodenal ulcer.

Colovesical fistula: not a contraindication to elective laparoscopic colectomy.

PURPOSE: Traditionally, diverticular fistula was thought to be a contraindication for laparoscopic colectomy. The advent of hand-assisted laparoscopy has allowed repair of a diverticular fistula to be technically feasible laparoscopically. We present our experience with laparoscopic colectomy in patients with diverticular fistulas. METHODS: Patients with colovesical or colovaginal fistulas secondary to diverticular disease were consecutively entered into a database over a five-year period. All operations were electively performed by a single group of colorectal surgeons. Patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, type of surgery, operating time, hospital length of stay, and early and late complications were recovered by chart review. These results were then compared to results from a group of patients who had undergone elective laparoscopic colectomy for recurrent diverticulitis during the same period by the same group of surgeons. RESULTS: Altogether, 40 consecutive operations for diverticular fistulas were performed, 36 of which were started laparoscopically (90 percent). The average patient age was 65 years and the average American Society of Anesthesiologists class was 2. Patient demographics were similar among the group with recurrent diverticulitis (n = 149). The average hospital stay was 6.2 days for the fistula group and 4.4 days in the recurrent diverticulitis group. The average operating time was 220 minutes for the fistula group vs. 176 minutes for the uncomplicated group (P < 0.002). The conversion rate was significantly higher in the fistula group (25 percent vs. 5 percent, P < 0.001). There were no postoperative anastomotic leaks or bleeding episodes requiring reoperation in the fistula group. CONCLUSIONS: Diverticular fistula should no longer be considered a contraindication for laparoscopic colectomy. These cases are more complex, as evidenced by the longer operating times and higher conversion rates when compared with resections for uncomplicated recurrent diverticulitis. Although the length of hospital stay was longer for patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy for diverticular fistula, those whose operations were completed laparoscopically had the same outcome as patients with uncomplicated disease. We anticipate that minimally invasive surgery will become the standard of care for colovesical fistula, as it now is for uncomplicated diverticular disease.