Clinical Significance of Metastatic Lymph Nodes in the Gut of Patients with Pure and Mixed Primary Appendiceal Carcinoids.

BACKGROUND: Right hemicolectomy is indicated for primary appendiceal carcinoids with diameters greater than 2 cm because of an increased risk of metastasis to the lymph nodes of the gut. However, the natural history of positive nodes remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of metastatic lymph nodes on survival among patients with pure or mixed primary appendiceal carcinoids, while controlling for potential confounders such as age, sex, tumor size, surgical intervention, and lymph node rate (number of positive lymph nodes/lymph node yield). DESIGN: This is a retrospective comparative study.. SETTINGS: Data were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing colectomy for appendiceal carcinoids between 1998 and 2009 were selected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The survival curves for the 2 groups were compared to evaluate differences in prognosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Lymph node rates did not significantly differ between the pure and mixed carcinoid groups (p = 0.768), although overall survival was poorer among patients with mixed carcinoids (p = 0.004; HR, 0.498; 95% CI, 0.310-0.800). For pure carcinoids, surgical intervention (p = 0.029; HR, 0.241; 95% CI, 0.067-0.867), age (p < 0.001; HR, 1.083; 95% CI, 1.051-1.116), and lymph node rate (p = 0.039; HR, 5.295; 95% CI, 1.089-25.754) were independent predictors of overall survival. For mixed carcinoids, surgical intervention (p = 0.019; HR, 1.675; 95% CI, 1.088-2.578), tumor size (p < 0.001; HR, 0.442; 95% CI, 0.286-0.683), age (p < 0.001; HR, 1.041; 95% CI, 1.026-1.056), and lymph node rate (p < 0.001; HR, 17.471; 95% CI, 10.047-0.382) were significant prognostic factors. LIMITATIONS: The study is limited by its retrospective nature and by the shortcomings of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database related to the availability and quality of data. CONCLUSION: Based on the data retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database and adjusted for potential confounding factors, the lymph node rate of metastasis strongly impacts overall survival among patients with pure or mixed carcinoids. Nodal metastasis thus appears to be a reliable clinical hallmark of tumor aggressiveness.

Laparoscopic versus open appendectomy in obese patients: A meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective studies.

BACKGROUND: A meta-analysis of different kinds of studies was performed to assess outcomes of laparoscopic versus open appendectomy in obese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective and prospective studies enrolling patients with a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m(2) were included. Primary outcomes were days of hospital stay, surgical procedure duration, and overall post-operative complication rate. Secondary outcomes were wound infection and intra-abdominal abscesses formation rate, hospital charges. RESULTS: Laparoscopic appendectomy showed to be significantly associated with lower wound infection (P < 0.001) and post-operative complication rate (P < 0.001). Surgical time was considered as a hallmark of technical challenge and resulted diminished in the laparoscopic group (P = 0.018). Although not clinically relevant per se, the statistically significant shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001) was probably the reason of decreased hospital charges (P < 0.001). Intra-abdominal abscesses formation rate was higher in the open appendectomy group (P = 0.058), although slightly above the statistical significance threshold. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic approach seemed to show relevant advantages compared to open appendectomy, but a large prospective trial is necessary to collect high quality data and investigate long-term outcomes.

Results of surgical treatment in chronic anal fissure complicated by abscess or fistula in a retrospective cohort of patients.

We report the results of the surgical treatment of anal fissures complicated by abscess or fistula and formulate hypotheses about their nature. Among patients operated between 2012 and 2020 for anal fissure resistant to medical therapy, those affected by septic complications were selected for our inquiry. Surgical treatment consisted in the drainage of the sepsis, fissurectomy, posterior sphincterotomy and anoplasty. Intra-sphincteric fistulas were removed with the fissure, whereas low trans-sphincteric tracks, including horseshoe fistulas, were partially opened and curetted. Patients were followed on post-operative days 7-10 and then until healing. Pre- and post-operative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score (CCIS) scores were compared. Recurrence rates of disease were recorded. We operated 988 patients and 55 of them showed local sepsis (5.5%) complicating anal fissures. There were 23 abscesses and 32 fistulas. Of these latter, 17 were intra or inter-sphincteric (2 anterior) and 15 low trans-sphincteric (6 horseshoes). Pre-operative VAS score was 7.6 ± 0.9 (mean ± sd), CCIS was 0.1 ± 0.5. Complete healing occurred after a median of 6 weeks (range 3-14 weeks). Mean VAS score dropped to 2.3 ± 0.6 at first follow-up visit and CCIS rose to 0.4 ± 0.2. After a mean of 56.4 months, 41 patients agreed to a visit and 14 were interviewed by phone. At office visit no disease recurrences were observed; pain and continence scores were within normal ranges in all patients. Abscess and fistula in anal fissures are not frequent and may represent a different disease from cryptoglandular fistulas. Surgical treatment achieves higher success than that reported for cryptoglandular fistulas.

Colostomy Reversal following Hartmann's Procedure: The Importance of Timing in Short- and Long-Term Complications: A Retrospective Multicentric Study.

The restoration of bowel continuity following Hartmann's Procedure (HP) has been reported hitherto with high morbidity and mortality rates. No clear guidelines exist about timing in Hartmann's Reversal (HR), the literature data being conflicting. We have sought to investigate the effect of the interval time between HP and HR in short- and long-term HR outcomes through a retrospective study based on consecutive patients undergoing HR between 2009 and 2017 in two regional hospitals in Italy. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, intra- and post-operative data, as well as early complications, were recorded. Long-term data were collected on the surgical site occurrences of Incisional Ventral Hernia (IVH). One hundred and five patients were recruited for the study. Late HR, female gender, and long operating time were related to the highest incidence of peri-operative complications. Patients who developed IVH had undergone HR at significantly shorter times and had a higher Body Mass Index (BMI). The timing of HR seems to be an important variable linked to the onset of early and late post-operative complications. The patients submitted to early HR show a significantly lower complication rate but, at the same time, a higher rate of IVH incidence after restorative surgery. These data, in our opinion, reflect the need for planning, where possible, an early restoration of bowel continuity after HP.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Tumors of the Appendix: a Critical Review.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the current paper was to critically collect, select and summarize the evidence regarding diagnosis, treatment and follow up of primary tumors of the appendix. METHODS: A literature review was performed by search and review of the scientific studies pertaining to the subject of our inquiry. RESULTS: Recommendations regarding pimary tumors of the appendix were formulated on the basis of the collected evidence. CONCLUSION : Primary tumors of the appendix are rare and a high index of suspicion is required not to miss a potentially life threatening medical condition.

Acute chest pain and esophageal mucosal injury following an extreme yoga position Case report.

A young lady complained of the sudden onset of intense chest pain, in consequence of an extreme hyperextension of the back in a yoga position. At endoscopy a large lesion of the esophageal epithelium was detected, involving the middle third of the anterior wall of the esophagus. Other symptoms reported by the patient were dysphagia and odynophagia, depicting the typical features of intramural hematoma, also known as intramural dissection or intramural perforation of the oesophagus. The patient was managed conservatively and symptoms disappeared within a week. A barium swallow at six months reported normal findings. Different types of accidents occurring during yoga practice are reported in the literature, mainly involving musculoskeletal or nervous systems. Visceral lesions are exceptional and no similar cases have been reported in the literature. KEYWORDS: Acute chest pain, Esophageal lesion, Intramural hematoma, Management of esophageal lesion.

Rectal versus non-rectal primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colorectum: a retrospective survival analysis controlled for confounders.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to compare the outcomes of rectal and non-rectal primary signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the colorectum. METHODS: A retrospective survival analysis was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database between 2004 and 2009 on subjects who were diagnosed as having a primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colorectum. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis controlled for confounders was used to assess overall survival comparing rectal and non-rectal cancers. RESULTS: Our population was composed of 1,484 patients: 200 affected by rectal cancer and 1,284 by non-rectal cancer. Unadjusted survival curves resulted to be almost superimposable (P = 0.916). After controlling for age, gender, race, tumor stage, grade, and size, tumor location demonstrated a statistically significant impact on overall survival (P = 0.032; 95% confidence interval 0.640-0.980; hazard ratio 0.792). CONCLUSION: On the basis of analysis of information from the SEER database, the signet ring cell carcinoma of the rectum was associated to a worse prognosis as compared to non-rectal cancer.

Safety and impact on diagnostic accuracy of early analgesia in suspected acute appendicitis: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The safety of early analgesia in patients suspected to have acute appendicitis (AA) is still controversial. METHODS: Double blind randomized clinical trials comparing patients receiving or not receiving opiates for early analgesia in suspected AA were selected for meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines. Primary outcomes were the number of patients with AA confirmed by histology and the number of patients undergoing surgical intervention. Secondary outcomes were missed diagnoses, false positive AA and complication rate. Effect sizes were calculated using a Mantel-Haenszel fixed effects model. RESULTS: Previously published papers mostly analyzed surrogate end-points such as physician's confidence about the diagnosis or the alteration of clinical signs, subjective parameters dependent on personal perception. Our article focused on clinical outcome and specifically investigated those potentially related to AA instead of unspecified abdominal pain. Opiate administration did not have an impact on the number of histologically proven AA (OR = 1.196 [0.875-1.635]; P = 0.261). Differences in appendectomy rates were only slightly above the threshold for statistical significance (OR = 1.350 [0.966-1.887]; P = 0.079), suggesting that analgesia might influence the treatment approach. On the other hand missed diagnoses (OR = 0.509 [0.087-2.990]; P = 0.455) and false positive AA (OR = 1.071 [0.596-1.923]; P = 0.818) ascertained by histologic examination were unaffected, so diagnostic accuracy was retained. Safety was not compromised by opiates, as the difference in complication rates did not reach statistical significance (OR = 0.615 [0.217-1.748]; P = 0.372). CONCLUSION: Early analgesia with opiates in suspected AA might influence the approach to treatment, but does not appear to alter diagnostic accuracy or surgical outcome. To support our findings, further trials on larger sample sizes from different age groups and both genders are needed.

Sporadic carcinoma of the colon-rectum in young patients: a distinct disease? A critical review.

INTRODUCTION: Colon carcinoma is rare in patients under 40 years but incidence is increasing. Results regarding outcome of this age group have been controversial and difficult to interpret. Some authors have reported a worse prognosis related to advanced stage at diagnosis and cancer-aggressive behavior. We tried to assess whether sporadic colon carcinoma in young patients is a distinct disease with different etiology and how this reflects on outcome. METHODS: Most relevant papers published and indexed on PubMed in the last 20 years were reviewed. Epidemiological data were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database and discussed. DISCUSSION: Stage-specific analyses adjusted for age have demonstrated that prognosis is related to tumor stage regardless of age. Advanced stage is partly due to tumor biology and to delayed diagnosis. Younger patients show a better performance status that allows aggressive multimodal treatment. CONCLUSION: Colon carcinoma in young adults appears to be a distinct disease characterized by biological aggressiveness, but prognosis is not worse due to a better performance status at time of surgical intervention.