Safe implementation of robotic right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis.

The robotic platform can overcome technical difficulties associated with laparoscopic colon surgery. Transitioning from laparoscopic right colectomy with extracorporeal anastomosis (ECA) to robotic right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis (ICA) is associated with a learning phase. This study aimed at determining the length of this learning phase and its associated morbidity. We retrospectively analyzed all laparoscopic right colectomies with ECA (n = 38) and robotic right colectomies with ICA (n = 67) for (pre)malignant lesions performed by a single surgeon between January 2014 and December 2020. CUSUM-plot analysis of total procedure time was used for learning curve determination of robotic colectomies. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Compared to laparoscopy, the learning phase robotic right colectomies (n = 35) had longer procedure times (p < 0.001) but no differences in anastomotic leakage rate, length of stay or 30-day morbidity. Conversion rate was reduced from 16 to 3 percent in the robotic group. This study provides evidence that robotic right colectomy with ICA can be safely implemented without increasing morbidity.

Role of intra-operative touch imprint cytology in the treatment of breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: A prospective study was carried out to evaluate the role of intra-operative touch imprint cytology (TIC) in the assessment of sentinel lymph node (SLN) involvement for staging and treatment of early-stage, clinically node-negative breast carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-five patients with early-stage, clinically node-negative breast cancer underwent a SLN biopsy with intra-operative TIC. The SLN was bisected if its width was less than 4 mm or sliced every 2 mm if it was more than 4 mm. The imprint specimens were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Rapid immunochemistry (IH) was performed in case of equivocal cytological result. Permanent sections were evaluated with H&E and IH staining. The results of TIC were compared to histopathological results. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of TIC on a node basis were 65.5%, 96.3%, 85.5%, respectively. When calculated according to the size of SLN metastasis, the sensitivity of TIC for overt metastasis was 84.6%, while it was 62.5% for micrometastasis and 37.5% for sub-micrometastasis. The mean size of nodal metastasis was 5.08 mm and 1.25 mm for true positive and false negative results, respectively (P = 0.0236). Because of intra-operative TIC, 76.5% of the patients who needed further axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) could undergo this during the same operating time. CONCLUSIONS: TIC is a rapid and reliable method for the intra-operative assessment of metastatic sentinel node involvement in patients with early-stage, clinically node-negative breast carcinoma. Despite a low sensitivity comparable to frozen section (FS) in detecting micro- and sub-micrometastases, the technique offers the advantage of full tissue preservation for subsequent histological analysis.

An unusual case of acute psychosis in an adolescent.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) encephalitis is a severe form of encephalitis that has been identified within the context of acute neuropsychiatric manifestations. We report the case of an 18-year-old adolescent referred for a first episode of acute psychosis. The clinical picture rapidly deteriorated to a state of catatonia, decreased consciousness and autonomic instability. Detection of highly positive anti-NMDA-R antibodies confirmed the diagnosis of anti-NMDA-R encephalitis. Immunosuppressive treatment and repeated plasma exchange resulted in slow recovery. The literature on diagnosis and treatment of this specific type of encephalitis is reviewed.

Cortisone associated diverticular perforation.

Patients on glucocorticosteroid therapy are at increased risk of gastrointestinal perforation. The associated morbidity and mortality of perforations in this group is increased, compared with normal groups. This difference is due to the delay between onset of clinical symptoms and treatment. In the presence of steroids, gastrointestinal perforation is more difficult to diagnose clinically because signs and symptoms of perforation are masked by the anti-inflammatory effect of the steroids.