Is Systemic Chemotherapy Useful in Patients Treated with Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases? A Propensity-Score Analysis.

PURPOSE: Multimodal treatment of colorectal (CRC) peritoneal metastases (PM) includes systemic chemotherapy (SC) and surgical cytoreduction (CRS), eventually with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), in select patients. Considering lack of clear guidelines, this study was designed to analyze the role of chemotherapy and its timing in patients treated with CRS-HIPEC. METHODS: Data from 13 Italian centers with PM expertise were collected by a collaborative group of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology (SICO). Clinicopathological variables, SC use, and timing of administration were correlated with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and local (peritoneal) DFS (LDFS) after propensity-score (PS) weighting to reduce confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 367 patients treated with CRS-HIPEC were included in the propensity-score weighting. Of the total patients, 19.9% did not receive chemotherapy within 6 months of surgery, 32.4% received chemotherapy before surgery (pregroup), 28.9% after (post), and 18.8% received both pre- and post-CRS-HIPEC treatment (peri). SC was preferentially administered to younger (p = 0.02) and node-positive (p = 0.010) patients. Preoperative SC is associated with increased rate of major complications (26.9 vs. 11.3%, p = 0.0009). After PS weighting, there were no differences in OS, DFS, or LDFS (p = 0.56, 0.50, and 0.17) between chemotherapy-treated and untreated patients. Considering SC timing, the post CRS-HIPEC group had a longer DFS and LDFS than the pre-group (median DFS 15.4 vs. 9.8 m, p = 0.003; median LDFS 26.3 vs. 15.8 m, p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CRC-PM treated with CRS-HIPEC, systemic chemotherapy was not associated with overall survival benefit. The adjuvant schedule was related to prolonged disease-free intervals. Additional, randomized studies are required to clarify the role and timing of systemic chemotherapy in this patient subset.

Steroid Hormones as Modulators of Emotional Regulation in Male Urogenital Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Tumors develop within an organism operating in a specific social and physical environment. Cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), two of the most abundant steroid hormones in humans, are involved in both emotional regulation and the tumor progression. Several studies reported preclinical findings that DHEA can have preventive and therapeutic efficacy in treating major age-associated diseases, including cancer, although the mechanisms of action are not yet defined. The main aim of current study was to investigate the relationship between psychological and physiological emotional regulation and cancer development. METHOD: This study assessed the quality of life of urogenital cancer male patients using several validated tools, including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General and the Profile of Mood States. Saliva samples were collected to monitor peripheral activity of both cortisol and DHEA. It was hypothesized that patients with a better quality of life would have higher levels of the DHEA/cortisol ratios. RESULTS: We found that the quality of life was positively related to DHEA, but not cortisol levels. Negative mood increases were related to lower levels of DHEA. Logistic regression of the predictors of metastases indicated three main independent factors involved: DHEA, age, and cortisol. In other words, the higher the DHEA levels in comparison to cortisol levels, controlling for age, the lower the probability of metastases. CONCLUSION: Our results appear to support the hypothesis that emotional dysregulation mediated by DHEA/cortisol activity is a key factor in the probability of metastasis in urogenital cancers.

Microsatellite and RAS/RAF Mutational Status as Prognostic Factors in Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases Treated with Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) leads to prolonged survival for selected patients with colorectal (CRC) peritoneal metastases (PM). This study aimed to analyze the prognostic role of micro-satellite (MS) status and RAS/RAF mutations for patients treated with CRS. METHODS: Data were collected from 13 Italian centers with PM expertise within a collaborative group of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology. Clinical and pathologic variables and KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutational and MS status were correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: The study enrolled 437 patients treated with CRS-HIPEC. The median OS was 42.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 33.4-51.2 months], and the median DFS was 13.6 months (95% CI, 12.3-14.9 months). The local (peritoneal) DFS was 20.5 months (95% CI, 16.4-24.6 months). In addition to the known clinical factors, KRAS mutations (p = 0.005), BRAF mutations (p = 0.01), and MS status (p = 0.04) were related to survival. The KRAS- and BRAF-mutated patients had a shorter survival than the wild-type (WT) patients (5-year OS, 29.4% and 26.8% vs 51.5%, respectively). The patients with micro-satellite instability (MSI) had a longer survival than the patients with micro-satellite stability (MSS) (5-year OS, 58.3% vs 36.7%). The MSI/WT patients had the best prognosis. The MSS/WT and MSI/mutated patients had similar survivals, whereas the MSS/mutated patients showed the worst prognosis (5-year OS, 70.6%, 48.1%, 23.4%; p = 0.0001). In the multivariable analysis, OS was related to the Peritoneal Cancer Index [hazard ratio (HR), 1.05 per point], completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score (HR, 2.8), N status (HR, 1.6), signet-ring (HR, 2.4), MSI/WT (HR, 0.5), and MSS/WT-MSI/mutation (HR, 0.4). Similar results were obtained for DFS. CONCLUSION: For patients affected by CRC-PM who are eligible for CRS, clinical and pathologic criteria need to be integrated with molecular features (KRAS/BRAF mutation). Micro-satellite status should be strongly considered because MSI confers a survival advantage over MSS, even for mutated patients.

Tumor Progression from a Fibroblast Activation Protein Perspective: Novel Diagnostic and Therapeutic Scenarios for Colorectal Cancer.

In 2020, the Global Cancer Observatory estimated the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) at around 10.7% coupled with a mortality rate of 9.5%. The explanation for these values lies in the tumor microenvironment consisting of the extracellular matrix and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) offers a promising target for cancer therapy since its functions contribute to tumor progression. Immunohistochemistry examination of FAP, fibronectin ED-B, and CXCR4 in primary tumors and their respective synchronous and/or metachronous metastases along with semiquantitative analysis have been carried out on histological samples of 50 patients diagnosed with metastatic CRC. The intensity of FAP, articulated by both "Intensity %" and "Intensity score", is lower in the first metastasis compared to the primary tumor with a statistically significant correlation. No significant correlations have been observed regarding fibronectin ED-B and CXCR4. Tumors that produce FAP have an ambivalent relationship with this protein. At first, they exploit FAP, but later they reduce its expressiveness. Although our study has not directly included FAP-Inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT, the considerable expression of FAP reveals its potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool worthy of further investigation. This dynamic relationship between cancer and FAP has substantial diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Program for Patients with Peritoneal Surface Malignancies Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery with or without HIPEC: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program refers to a multimodal intervention to reduce the length of stay and postoperative complications; it has been effective in different kinds of major surgery including colorectal, gynaecologic and gastric cancer surgery. Its impact in terms of safety and efficacy in the treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies is still unclear. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effect of ERAS after cytoreductive surgery with or without HIPEC for peritoneal metastases. MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar and Cochrane Database were searched from January 2010 and December 2021. Single and double-cohort studies about ERAS application in the treatment of peritoneal cancer were considered. Outcomes included the postoperative length of stay (LOS), postoperative morbidity and mortality rates and the early readmission rate. Twenty-four studies involving 5131 patients were considered, 7 about ERAS in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) + HIPEC and 17 about cytoreductive alone; the case histories of two Italian referral centers in the management of peritoneal cancer were included. ERAS adoption reduced the LOS (-3.17, 95% CrI -4.68 to -1.69 in CRS + HIPEC and -1.65, 95% CrI -2.32 to -1.06 in CRS alone in the meta-analysis including 6 and 17 studies respectively. Non negligible lower postoperative morbidity was also in the meta-analysis including the case histories of two Italian referral centers. Implementation of an ERAS protocol may reduce LOS, postoperative complications after CRS with or without HIPEC compared to conventional recovery.

External validation of COMPASS and BIOSCOPE prognostic scores in colorectal peritoneal metastases treated with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

INTRODUCTION: The selection of patients undergoing cytoreductive- surgery (CRS) followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is crucial. BIOSCOPE and COMPASS are prognostic scores designed to stratify survival into four classes according to clinical and pathological features. The purpose of this study is to analyze the prognostic role of these scores using a large cohort of patients as an external reference. METHODS: Overall survival analysis was performed using Log-Rank and Kaplan-Meier curves for each score. The probability of survival at 12, 36, and 60 months was tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to determine sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: From the validation cohort of 437 patients, the analysis included 410 patients in the COMPASS group and 364 patients in the BIOSCOPE group (100% data completeness). We observed a different patient distribution between classes (high-risk for BIOSCOPE compared to COMPASS, p = 0.0001). Nevertheless, both COMPASS and BIOSCOPE effectively stratified overall survival (Log-Rank, p = 0.0001 in both cases), with a lack of discrimination between COMPASS classes II and III (p = n.s.). COMPASS at 12 m and BIOSCOPE at 60 m showed the best performance in terms of survival prediction (AUC of 0.82 and 0.81). The specificity of the two tests is good (median 81.3%), whereas sensibility is quite low (median 64.2%). CONCLUSION: Following external validation in a large population of patients with CRC-PM who are eligible for surgery, the COMPASS and BIOSCOPE scores exhibit high inter-test variability but effectively stratify cancer-related mortality risk. While the quality of the scores is similar, BIOSCOPE shows better inter-tier differentiation, suggesting that tumor molecular classification could improve test discrimination capability. More powerful stratification scores with the inclusion of novel predictors are needed.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in the Management of Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Debated Issue for Gynecologic Oncologists.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been widely investigated in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, including those with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), with conflicting results. The hyperthermia enhances drug tissue penetration, synergizes with several cytotoxic drugs including cisplatin, degrades BRCA2, suppresses homologous recombination, and elicits an anticancer immune response. A meta-analysis of retrospective studies including both patients with primary advanced EOC and those with recurrent platinum-sensitive EOC failed to detect a benefit in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) from the addition of HIPEC after surgery. The aim of the present review was to analyze the recent randomized clinical trials designed to assess the value of HIPEC in the management of patients with primary advanced EOC. Although not free from criticism and bias, the available data from two phase III trials seem to suggest that the addition of HIPEC to interval debulking surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly improves PFS and OS. Conversely, HIPEC does not appear to offer any advantage after primary debulking surgery. Several phase III trials are currently ongoing on these issues and the use of HIPEC is still a matter of debate in the scientific community. Additional translational research is strongly warranted to detect biological variables able to identify a subset of patients who may have a major benefit from this therapeutic approach. In particular, the clinical outcome of patients who undergo HIPEC should be correlated with BRCA status and homologous recombination repair status.

Proposal for a New Diagnostic Histopathological Approach in the Evaluation of Ki-67 in GEP-NETs.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have shown that the Ki-67 index is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis, and classification of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). We re-evaluated the expression of Ki-67 based on the intensity of the stain, basing our hypothesis on the fact that the Ki-67 protein is continuously degraded. BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate whether a new scoring method would be more effective in classifying NETs by reducing staining heterogeneity. METHODS: Patients with GEP-NET (n = 87) were analyzed. The classification difference between the two methods was determined. RESULTS: The classification changed significantly when the Ki-67 semiquantal index was used. The percentage of G1 patients increased from 18.4% to 60.9%, while the G2 patients decreased from 66.7% to 29.9% and the G3 patients also decreased from 14.9% to 9.2%. Moreover, it was found that the traditional Ki-67 was not significantly related to the overall survival (OS), whereas the semiquantal Ki-67 was significantly related to the OS. CONCLUSIONS: The new quantification was a better predictor of OS and of tumor classification. Therefore, it could be used both as a marker of proliferation and as a tool to map tumor dynamics that can influence the diagnosis and guide the choice of therapy.

Complications and Mortality Rate of Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: Italian Peritoneal Surface Malignancies Oncoteam Results Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy may significantly improve survival for selected patients with peritoneal surface malignancies, but it has always been criticized due to the high incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Data were collected from nine Italian centers with peritoneal surface malignancies expertise within a collaborative group of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology. Complications and mortality rates were recorded, and multivariate Cox analysis was used to identify risk factors. RESULTS: The study included 2576 patients. The procedure was mostly performed for ovarian (27.4%) and colon cancer (22.4%). The median peritoneal cancer index was 13. Overall postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 34% and 1.6%. A total of 232 (9%) patients required surgical reoperation. Multivariate regression logistic analysis identified the type of perfusion (p ≤ 0.0001), body mass index (p ≤ 0.0001), number of resections (p ≤ 0.0001) and colorectal resections (p ≤ 0.0001) as the strongest predictors of complications, whereas the number of resections (p ≤ 0.0001) and age (p = 0.01) were the strongest predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a valuable option of treatment for selected patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis providing low postoperative morbidity and mortality rates, if performed in high-volume specialized centers.

dDAVP Downregulates the AQP3-Mediated Glycerol Transport via V1aR in Human Colon HCT8 Cells.

Vasopressin (AVP) plays a key function in controlling body water and salt balance through the activation of the vasopressin receptors V1aR and V2R. Abnormal secretion of AVP can cause the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis that leads to hyponatremia, which is an electrolyte disorder often observed in the elderly hospitalized and oncologic patients. Beyond kidneys, the colonic epithelium modulates water and salt homeostasis. The water channel AQP3, expressed in villus epithelial cells is implicated in water absorption across human colonic surface cells. Here, the action of dDAVP, a stable vasopressin analog, was evaluated on the AQP3 expression and function using human colon HCT8 cells as an experimental model. Confocal and Western Blotting analysis revealed that HCT8 cells express both V1aR and V2R. Long-term (72 h) treatment with dDAVP reduced glycerol uptake and cell viability. These effects were prevented by SR49059, a synthetic antagonist of V1aR, but not by tolvaptan, a specific V2R antagonist. Of note, the SR49059 action was impaired by DFP00173, a selective inhibitor of AQP3. Interestingly, compared to the normal colonic mucosa, in the colon of patients with adenocarcinoma, the expression of V1aR was significantly decreased. These findings were confirmed by gene expression analysis with RNA-Seq data. Overall, data suggest that dDAVP, through the V1aR dependent pathway, reduces AQP3 mediated glycerol uptake, a process that is reversed in adenocarcinoma, suggesting that the AVP-dependent AQP3 pathway may represent a novel target in colon diseases associated with abnormal cell growth.

Diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for colorectal peritoneal metastases. A consensus of the peritoneal surface malignancies onco-team of the Italian society of surgical oncology.

AIM: the surgical workup for colorectal cancer peritoneal metastases (CRCPM) is complex and should be managed in specialized centers. Diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms (DTA) have been proposed to balance optimal patients management and correct use of resources. Aim of this study was to establish a consensus on DTA for CRCPM patients in Italy. METHOD: a panel of 18 delegated members of centers afferent to Peritoneal Surface Malignancies Onco-team of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology was established. A list of statements regarding the DTA of patients with CRCPM was prepared according to different activities and decision-making nodes with a defined entry and exit point. Consensus was obtained through RAND UCLA methodology. RESULTS: two different DTA were defined and approved according to the modality of presentation of CRCPM (synchronous and metachronous). A consensus was also obtained on 17 of the 19 statements related to DTA. CONCLUSION: a shared model of DTA is now available for healthcare providers to monitor appropriateness in diagnosis and treatment of patients with isolated peritoneal metastases from CRC.

Management of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis With Cytoreductive Surgery Combined With Intraperitoneal Chemohyperthermia at a Novel Italian Center.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is a common manifestation of many gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and is an advanced stage that is often associated with disseminated disease. Considerable progress has been made to achieve safe elimination of macroscopic disease using cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and more recently in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for the treatment of microscopic disease or disease with minimal volume. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of such procedures on the quality of life (QoL), the long-term benefit and the functional status of the treated patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC for peritoneal metastasis (PM) at our center from November 2016 to November 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The drugs administered were mitomycin and cisplatin. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the Euroquol-5D-5L and National Comprehensive Cancer Network Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer Symptom Index v2 questionnaires before CRS-HIPEC, and 1, 3 and 6 months after were administered. RESULTS: In our series, the survival efficacy of CRS plus HIPEC was confirmed in the treatment of primary and secondary peritoneal pathologies, particularly in ovarian cancer, although larger studies are needed to investigate its role in the pathology of gastric, colonic and rectal cancer. The QoL data were promising, with essentially stable values between the preoperative and the 1-month follow-up, but with incremental benefits from the second to the third month.

[The Aymand's hernia. Case report and review of the literature]. / L'ernia di amyand. Caso clinico e revisione della letteratura.

The crural hernia containing an inflamed appendix is a rare entity and must be considered a variant of the hernia first described in 1735 by Claudius Amyand. This hernia is rarely recognised and diagnosed before the surgical treatment because it is often confused with a strangled hernia. In spite of this, the clinical presentation seems to follow a well determined pathway, so is possible to argue that the uncorrect diagnosis is to be attributed to the ignorance of this hernia. We report a case of Amyand's crural hernia in a woman 57 years old. The base of the appendix was not inflamed and, according to this, we made an appendectomy. We closed the hernia defect without the use of a synthetic mesh. The post operative period was regular and free of complications.

[Hemorrhagic shock caused by iatrogenic aorto-cava injury. Case report]. / Shock emorragico da lesione iatrogena aorto-cavale. Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Vascular injuries during lumbar disc surgery vary between 1 and 5 per 10,000 disc operations and usually represent life-threatening events. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors present a case of aorto-iliac and ICY laceration during lumbar disc hernia repair, successfully treated with immediate damage control and direct suture, followed by endovascular procedure. CASE REPORT: A 34-year-old lady was operated on for a symptomatic disc herniation at L4-L5. Shortly after this procedure, an ipovolemic shock (IV degree) suddenly occurred with an evident abdominal distension. An emergent laparotomy in the same neurosurgery OR was then performed and revealed an active haemorrhage arising fJom an expansive retroperitoneal bleeding at the level of aorto-iliac bifurcation. After a proximal and distal damage control (manual compression plus aortic clamping) aortic and caval lacerations were repaired. An abdominal packing completed the procedure, due to the concomitant coagulopathy applied. At the second surgical look, carried out 24 hours after the first procedure, no active bleeding or vascular impairment were detected but an intraoperative US examination revealed a 3.5 cm wide right iliac pseudoaneurism confirmed by angioCT scan. This pseudoaneurism was later successfully treated with a double endovascular stenting. Postoperative outcome was uneventful and the patient was then discharged 11 days after the discectomy. Follow up study at 2 years did not demonstrate significant sequels. CONCLUSION: Although rare, vascular injuries during lumbar disc hernia surgery, are extremely severe complications, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. In case of massive bleeding the presence of an "intrahospital" trauma team is a crucial factor for life-saving.

[Simultaneous laparoscopic treatment for common bile duct stones associated with acute cholecystitis. Results of a prospective study]. / Trattamento laparoscopico simultaneo per coledocolitiasi associata a colecistite acuta. Risultati di uno studio prospettico.

Laparoscopy for the management of acute cholecystitis has gained wide acceptance. Although it is well known that acute cholecystitis may be complicated by common bile duct stones in up to 15% of cases, to date there are no published studies addressing the management of common bile duct stones detected during laparoscopy for acute cholecystitis. We postulated that, when found, common bile duct stones associated with acute cholecystitis could be effectively and safety managed during the same laparoscopic procedure. We report on a five-year prospective study (2001-2005) involving 313 unselected patients who presented with a clinical diagnosis of acute cholecystitis (confirmed by specimen examination) and without any contraindication to laparoscopy. At surgery, transcystic cholangiograms were obtained in 289 (92%); the other 24 were excluded from the study. With an established diagnosis of common bile duct stones, attempts were made to clear the common bile duct by transcystic basket retrieval, ERCP or choledochotomy. Prevalence of common bile duct stones in acute cholecystitis, success of laparoscopic common duct clearance, conversion rate, operative time, morbidity, and postoperative hospital stay were the main outcome measures. Common bile duct stones were found in 63 pts (21.7%) presenting with acute cholecystitis. At laparoscopy, 12 patients (19%) required conversion to open surgery, 3 of these being due to failure to achieve common bile duct clearance. Common bile duct stones were cleared entirely laparoscopically in 51 patients (81%) by means of transcystic stone retrieval (38 pts, 75%), ERCP (12 pts, 23%) or choledocotomy (1 pt, 2%). At intention to treat analysis, patients undergoing cholecystectomy plus common bile duct clearance compared to those undergoing cholecystectomy alone, spent significantly more time in the operating theatre (mean 192 min vs 118 min, p < 0.001), needed open conversion more frequently (19% vs 6.1%, p = 0.0045), and had a higher overall morbidity rate (17.4% vs 4.4%, p = 0.015). The simultaneous procedure also adversely affected the postoperative hospital stay (mean 4.8 vs 3.4 days, p = 0.0164). Mortality was nil in both groups. The prevalence of common bile duct stones in patients presenting with acute cholecystitis should not be neglected. When common bile duct stones are found, clearance may be obtained laparoscopically in a substantial number of cases without any need for open surgery. The simultaneous laparoscopic approach for acute cholecystitis and common bile duct stones remains, however, a highly skilled and technically demanding procedure. Although a moderate incidence of drawbacks is observed, the results should be interpreted from the point of view of an all-in-one procedure that allows the patients to be cured without needing any further sequential interventions.

Sonographic visibility of the sinus tarsi with a 12 MHz transducer.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the value of ultrasonography in studies of the ligaments within the sinus tarsi (ST) in healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 20 healthy volunteers using a 12-MHz transducer with THI and compound imaging. With the foot in inversion, the following structures were examined with coronal and transverse scans: (1) the root of the inferior extensor retinaculum (RIER); (2) the interosseous talocalcaneal ligament (ITCL); (3) the cervical ligament (CL); (4) the bifurcate ligament (BL); (5) the synovial recesses, which were examined for possible distention (distended synovial recesses, DSR). The sonographic features, orientation, and thickness of each ligament were assessed. RESULTS: The easiest structure to identify (visualized in 20/20 subjects) was the RIER, which formed a semiarch. The two deeper layers were hypoechoic, the superficial layer hyperechoic. The ITCL was situated posteriorly and deep with an oblique course. It appeared hypoechoic with a mean thickness of 4.06 mm ± 0.7. It was visualized in 18/20 (90 %) subjects. The CL (isoechoic/hyperechoic) was located more anteriorly at an intermediate depth. The orientation was almost vertical. It was visualized in 17/20 (85 %) subjects, with a mean thickness of 2.28 mm ± 0.34. The BL appeared hypoechoic. It was visualized in 19/20 (95 %) subjects with transverse (anterior end of the ST) and longitudinal scans. The calcaneonavicular and calcaneocuboid components displayed mean (SD) thicknesses of 2.09 mm ± 0.37 and 2.7 mm ± 0.32, respectively. The ITCL and RIER were visualized in the same scan as a semiarch. DSR was observed in 4/20 (20 %) subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that, in patients with suspected ST pathology, the anatomic structures that make up this recess can be adequately examined with ultrasonography performed with ordinary 12-MHz transducers.