Global 30-day morbidity and mortality of surgery for perforated peptic ulcer: GRACE study.

BACKGROUND: There is little international data on morbidity and mortality of surgery for perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). This study aimed to understand the global 30-day morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing surgery for PPU and to identify variables associated with these. METHOD: We performed an international study of adults (≥ 18 years) who underwent surgery for PPU from 1st January 2022 to 30th June 2022. Patients who were treated conservatively or had an underlying gastric cancer were excluded. Patients were divided into subgroups according to age (≤ 50 and > 50 years) and time from onset of symptoms to hospital presentation (≤ 24 and > 24 h). Univariate and Multivariate analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with higher 30-day morbidity and mortality. RESULTS:  1874 patients from 159 centres across 52 countries were included. 78.3% (n = 1467) of the patients were males and the median (IQR) age was 49 years (25). Thirty-day morbidity and mortality were 48.5% (n = 910) and 9.3% (n = 174) respectively. Median (IQR) hospital stay was 7 (5) days. Open surgery was performed in 80% (n = 1505) of the cohort. Age > 50 years [(OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2), (OR = 4.7, 95% CI 3.1-7.6)], female gender [(OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.4-2.3), (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.9)], shock on admission [(OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.7-2.7), (OR = 4.8, 95% CI 3.2-7.1)], and acute kidney injury [(OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.9-3.2), (OR = 3.9), 95% CI 2.7-5.6)] were associated with both 30-day morbidity and mortality. Delayed presentation was associated with 30-day morbidity [OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6], but not mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that surgery for PPU was associated with high 30-day morbidity and mortality rate. Age, female gender, and signs of shock at presentation were associated with both 30-day morbidity and mortality.

Achieving Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia (SOTA) care for all in South Asia.

South Asia is a demographically crucial, economically aspiring, and socio-culturally diverse region in the world. The region contributes to a large burden of surgically-treatable disease conditions. A large number of people in South Asia cannot access safe and affordable surgical, obstetric, trauma, and anesthesia (SOTA) care when in need. Yet, attention to the region in Global Surgery and Global Health is limited. Here, we assess the status of SOTA care in South Asia. We summarize the evidence on SOTA care indicators and planning. Region-wide, as well as country-specific challenges are highlighted. We also discuss potential directions-initiatives and innovations-toward addressing these challenges. Local partnerships, sustained research and advocacy efforts, and politics can be aligned with evidence-based policymaking and health planning to achieve equitable SOTA care access in the South Asian region under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

An Indian surgeon's perspective on management of asymptomatic gallstones.

INTRODUCTION: Cholelithiasis is widely prevalent in India, with a majority of patients being asymptomatic while a small proportion experiencing mild complications. In the laparoscopic era, the rate of cholecystectomies has increased owing to early recovery and fewer complications. In asymptomatic patients, the risk of complications must be balanced against the treatment benefit. Recent guidelines suggest no prophylactic cholecystectomy in asymptomatic patients. We aimed to find out the Indian surgeons' perspective on asymptomatic gallstone management. METHODS: A cross-sectional e-survey was conducted of practicing surgeons, onco-surgeons and gastrointestinal-surgeons in India. The survey had questions regarding their perspective on laparoscopic cholecystectomy and treatment modalities in asymptomatic gallstones. RESULTS: A total of 196 surgeons responded to the survey. Their mean age was 42.3 years. Overall, 111 (57%) respondents worked in the private sector. Most surgeons (164) agreed that the rate of cholecystectomy has increased since the advent of laparoscopy; 137 (70%) respondents agreed that they would not operate on patients without risk factors. Common bile duct stones, chronic hemolytic diseases, transplant recipients, and diabetes mellitus were the risk factors. Majority of the participants agreed on not performing a cholecystectomy in patients with asymptomatic gallstones. CONCLUSION: There exists a lack of consensus among Indian surgeons on asymptomatic gallstone management in India. Where the majority of cases are asymptomatic and do not require surgery, certain comorbidities can influence the line of treatment in individual patients. Currently, the treatment guidelines for asymptomatic patients need to be established as cholecystectomies may be overperformed due to the fear of development of complications.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules (THYCOVID): a retrospective, international, multicentre, cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Since its outbreak in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has diverted resources from non-urgent and elective procedures, leading to diagnosis and treatment delays, with an increased number of neoplasms at advanced stages worldwide. The aims of this study were to quantify the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic; and to evaluate whether delays in surgery led to an increased occurrence of aggressive tumours. METHODS: In this retrospective, international, cross-sectional study, centres were invited to participate in June 22, 2022; each centre joining the study was asked to provide data from medical records on all surgical thyroidectomies consecutively performed from Jan 1, 2019, to Dec 31, 2021. Patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules were divided into three groups according to when they underwent surgery: from Jan 1, 2019, to Feb 29, 2020 (global prepandemic phase), from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021 (pandemic escalation phase), and from June 1 to Dec 31, 2021 (pandemic decrease phase). The main outcomes were, for each phase, the number of surgeries for indeterminate thyroid nodules, and in patients with a postoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancers, the occurrence of tumours larger than 10 mm, extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastases, vascular invasion, distant metastases, and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence. Univariate analysis was used to compare the probability of aggressive thyroid features between the first and third study phases. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05178186. FINDINGS: Data from 157 centres (n=49 countries) on 87 467 patients who underwent surgery for benign and malignant thyroid disease were collected, of whom 22 974 patients (18 052 [78·6%] female patients and 4922 [21·4%] male patients) received surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules. We observed a significant reduction in surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the pandemic escalation phase (median monthly surgeries per centre, 1·4 [IQR 0·6-3·4]) compared with the prepandemic phase (2·0 [0·9-3·7]; p<0·0001) and pandemic decrease phase (2·3 [1·0-5·0]; p<0·0001). Compared with the prepandemic phase, in the pandemic decrease phase we observed an increased occurrence of thyroid tumours larger than 10 mm (2554 [69·0%] of 3704 vs 1515 [71·5%] of 2119; OR 1·1 [95% CI 1·0-1·3]; p=0·042), lymph node metastases (343 [9·3%] vs 264 [12·5%]; OR 1·4 [1·2-1·7]; p=0·0001), and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence (203 [5·7%] of 3584 vs 155 [7·7%] of 2006; OR 1·4 [1·1-1·7]; p=0·0039). INTERPRETATION: Our study suggests that the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic period could have led to an increased occurrence of aggressive thyroid tumours. However, other compelling hypotheses, including increased selection of patients with aggressive malignancies during this period, should be considered. We suggest that surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules should no longer be postponed even in future instances of pandemic escalation. FUNDING: None.

An inguinal enigma: Myxoid liposarcoma in a female.

Myxoid liposarcoma of the inguinal region is rare, can mimics an inguinal hernia. Any swelling in the inguinal region, that is partially reducible, fluctuant, soft, and without any signs of bowel obstruction should be evaluated further.

Breast Conservative Surgery for Breast Cancer: Indian Surgeon's Preferences and Factors Influencing Them.

Background: It is well established that disease-free survival and overall survival after breast conservation surgery (BCS) followed by radiotherapy are equivalent to that after mastectomy. However, in Asian countries, the rate of BCS continues to remain low. The cause may be multifactorial including the patient's choice, availability and accessibility of infrastructure, and surgeon's choice. We aimed to elucidate the Indian surgeons' perspective while choosing between BCS and mastectomy, in women oncologically eligible for BCS. Methods: We conducted a survey-based cross-sectional study in January-February 2021. Indian surgeons with general surgical or specialised oncosurgical training, who consented to participate were included in the study. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess the effect of study variables on offering mastectomy or BCS. Results: A total of 347 responses were included. The mean age of the participants was 43 ± 11 years. Sixty-three of the surgeons were in the 25-44 years age group with the majority (80%) being males. 66.4% of surgeons 'almost always' offered BCS to oncologically eligible patients. Surgeons who had undergone specialised training in oncosurgery or breast conservation surgery were 35 times more likely to offer BCS (p < 0.01). Surgeons working in hospitals with in-house radiation oncology facilities were 9 times more likely to offer BCS (p < 0.05). Surgeons' years of practice, age, sex and hospital setting did not influence the surgery offered. Conclusion: Two-thirds of Indian surgeons preferred BCS over mastectomy. Lack of radiotherapy facilities and specialised surgical training were deterrents to offering BCS to eligible women. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13193-022-01601-y.

Candida prostatitis: A rare entity.

Prostatitis may present with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) attributable to acute and chronic bacterial infections (NIH Category I/II) or as asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis (NIH Category IV). Patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, (CP/CPPS, NIH Category III) may present with a wide range of symptoms resulting from varied etiology, however, seldom caused by fungal infections. Occasional case reports have been published on prostatitis due to Candida sp. We report a case of an elderly diabetic patient who underwent perurethral prostatic resection (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and returned with complaints of LUTS and perineal discomfort one month later. After repeat surgery, the TURP chips on histopathology showed features of prostate hyperplasia and prostatitis with numerous hyphae and yeast forms of Candida admixed with acute and chronic inflammatory exudate. After confirmation by special stains and positive urine culture, a final diagnosis of prostatic candidiasis was made.

It is time to define an organizational model for the prevention and management of infections along the surgical pathway: a worldwide cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of the study were to investigate the organizational characteristics of acute care facilities worldwide in preventing and managing infections in surgery; assess participants' perception regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, antibiotic prescribing practices, and source control; describe awareness about the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and IPC measures; and determine the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on said awareness. METHODS: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted contacting 1432 health care workers (HCWs) belonging to a mailing list provided by the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery. The self-administered questionnaire was developed by a multidisciplinary team. The survey was open from May 22, 2021, and June 22, 2021. Three reminders were sent, after 7, 14, and 21 days. RESULTS: Three hundred four respondents from 72 countries returned a questionnaire, with an overall response rate of 21.2%. Respectively, 90.4% and 68.8% of participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary IPC team or a multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team. Local protocols for antimicrobial therapy of surgical infections and protocols for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis were present in 76.6% and 90.8% of hospitals, respectively. In 23.4% and 24.0% of hospitals no surveillance systems for surgical site infections and no monitoring systems of used antimicrobials were implemented. Patient and family involvement in IPC management was considered to be slightly or not important in their hospital by the majority of respondents (65.1%). Awareness of the global burden of AMR among HCWs was considered very important or important by 54.6% of participants. The COVID-19 pandemic was considered by 80.3% of respondents as a very important or important factor in raising HCWs awareness of the IPC programs in their hospital. Based on the survey results, the authors developed 15 statements for several questions regarding the prevention and management of infections in surgery. The statements may be the starting point for designing future evidence-based recommendations. CONCLUSION: Adequacy of prevention and management of infections in acute care facilities depends on HCWs behaviours and on the organizational characteristics of acute health care facilities to support best practices and promote behavioural change. Patient involvement in the implementation of IPC is still little considered. A debate on how operationalising a fundamental change to IPC, from being solely the HCWs responsibility to one that involves a collaborative relationship between HCWs and patients, should be opened.

Axillary nodal metastasis of operated gallbladder carcinoma: remote site of aggression-a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder cancer is a very aggressive type of biliary tract cancer. The only curative treatment is complete surgical excision of the tumour. However, even after surgery, there is still a risk of recurrence of the cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old gentleman presented with the complaint of a non-healing ulcer at upper abdomen for the last 1 month. He had undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a private centre 4 months ago. Investigations confirmed the diagnosis of epigastric port site metastasis from a primary from gall bladder adenocarcinoma. After undergoing completion radical cholecystectomy with wide local excision of the epigastric ulcer, he received 6 cycles of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Eighteen months later, he presented to us with bilateral axillary swellings. Investigations confirmed isolated bilateral axillary metastasis and the patient underwent a bilateral axillary lymphadenectomy (Level 3). However, PET scan after 6 months showed widespread metastasis and the patient succumbed to the illness 1 month later. CONCLUSION: Axillary metastasis probably occurs due to the presence of microscopic systemic metastasis at the time of development of port site metastasis. An R0 resection of the malignancy is the only viable option for effective therapy. The present case highlights the rare involvement of isolated bilateral axillary lymph nodes as a distant metastatic site with no evidence of disease in the locoregional site. However, the prognosis after metastasis remains dismal despite multiple treatment modalities.

Assessing the Rates and Reasons of Elective Surgical Cancellations on the Day of Surgery: A Multicentre Study from Urban Indian Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Cancellations of elective surgeries on the day of surgery (DOS) can lead to added financial burden and wastage of resources for healthcare facilities; as well as social and emotional problems to patients. These cancellations act as barriers to delivering efficient surgical services. Optimal utilisation of the available resources is necessary for resource-constrained low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). This study investigates the rate and causes of cancellations of elective surgeries on the DOS in various surgical departments across ten hospitals in India. METHODS: A research consortium 'IndSurg' led by World Health Organisation Collaboration Centre (WHOCC) for Research in Surgical Care Delivery in LMICs, India conducted this multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study to analyse the cancellations of elective/planned surgical operations on DOS across urban secondary and tertiary level hospitals. We audited surgical records of a pre-decided period of six weeks for cancellations, documented relevant demographic information and reasons for cancellations. RESULTS: We analysed records from the participating hospitals, with an overall cancellation rate of 9.7% (508/5231) on the DOS for elective surgical operations. Of these, 74% were avoidable cancellations. A majority (30%) of these 508 cancellations were attributed to insufficient resources, 28% due to patient's refusal or failure to show-up, and 22% due to change in patient's medical status. CONCLUSION: We saw a preponderance of avoidable reasons for elective surgery cancellations. A multidisciplinary approach with adequate preoperative patient counselling, timely communication between the patients and caregivers, adequate preoperative anaesthetic assessment, and planning by the surgical team may help reduce the cancellation rate.

Epiploic Appendagitis: A Riddle for Right Lower Quadrant Pain!

Epiploic appendagitis (EA) is inflammation of epiploic appendages, which are pedunculated fatty structures, extend from the cecum to the rectosigmoid junction, and are covered by the peritoneum. Torsion, infarction, and inflammation of it present with acute lower abdominal pain and localized tenderness in a well-looking patient. It poses as diagnostic conundrum due to its rarity and not picked by conventional radiography. A 50-year-old male presented with pain in RLQ for past 1 day, which kept on increasing without any other symptoms. His abdomen was soft with tenderness localized to the right lower quadrant (RLQ), classically at McBurney's point along with mild peritonism. Rest laboratory test, chest, and abdominal X-ray were normal except slight leukocytosis. Ultrasound was inconclusive. A working clinical diagnosis of appendicitis was made. Patient did not consent for surgery and was started on antibiotics with pain killers. With no significant improvement, he underwent CT scan which revealed focal area of soft-tissue attenuation along the lateral wall of ascending colon with fat stranding. He was diagnosed as EA and improved on conservative treatment. EA of RLQ of abdomen mimics acute appendicitis and can be considered as an uncommon differential diagnosis in presence of radiological findings of normal-appearing appendix. CT is the investigation of choice, and treatment is essentially conservative. Further, if appendix is found normal at exploration, surrounding epiploic appendages of the cecum and ascending colon should also be evaluated carefully for inflammation/hematoma/gangrene, besides looking for Meckel's diverticulum.

Inverted Meckel's diverticulum: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Inverted Meckel's diverticulum refers to the condition in which the diverticulum inverts on itself. The reasons for such an inversion are poorly understood due to the rarity of the condition. We present a case of inverted Meckel's diverticulum, an uncommon finding, as a cause of recurrent intussusception. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year old Indian woman presented with complaints of pain in the central abdomen for 3 days, accompanied with vomiting and loose stools. Computed tomography images were suggestive of intussusception with intestinal obstruction. Intra-operative findings were suggestive of an intussuscepted segment of ileum measuring 10 cm in length, proximal to ileocecal junction. Ileo-ileal anastomosis was performed after appropriate resection. Upon opening the specimen, we were surprised to find an inverted Meckel diverticulum with lipoma at one end causing the intussusception. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged after 5 days. CONCLUSION: The reasons for inversion include abnormal peristalsis around the diverticulum and non-fixity of the diverticulum itself. The inverted diverticulum itself can cause luminal compromise and acts as a lead point for intussusception leading to obstruction. Computed tomography remains the diagnostic tool of choice for identifying intestinal obstruction and intussusception. Although pathological signs, such as lipoma, can be identified, the identification of any inversion will require a proficient radiologist. Inverted Meckel's diverticulum is a rare condition which is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Treatment is surgical, whether diagnosed pre-operatively or intra-operatively, and includes segmental resection and anastomosis. This uncommon condition should be noted as one-off differential diagnosis for intussusception and intestinal obstruction.

Oral Lactulose vs. Polyethylene Glycol for Bowel Preparation in Colonoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background Colonoscopy is the method of choice to evaluate colonic mucosa and the distal ileum, allowing the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Appropriate bowel preparation necessitates the use of laxative medications, preferentially by oral administration. These include polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium picosulfate, and sodium phosphate (NaP). Lactulose, a semi-synthetic derivative of lactose, undergoes fermentation, acidifying the gut environment, stimulates intestinal motility, and increases osmotic pressure within the lumen of the colon. Methods In this prospective randomized controlled study, we analyzed 40 patients who presented with symptomatic bleeding per rectum and underwent bowel preparation either with lactulose or polyethylene glycol for colonoscopy. The quality of bowel preparation and other variables like palatability, discomfort, and electrolyte levels were analyzed. Results The majority of the patients (90%) were comfortable with the taste of lactulose solution, whereas the PEG group patients (55%) were equally divided on its palatability. On lactulose consumption, 40% of patients reported nausea/vomiting and around 10% of patients complained of abdominal discomfort. Serum sodium levels showed insignificant changes from 4.33 ± 0.07 mEq/L to 4.21 ± 0.18 mEq/L while potassium also remained similar from 4.26 ± 0.03 mEq/L to 4.22 ± 0.17 mEq/L. The mean Boston Bowel Preparation Score (BBPS) in patients who received lactulose solution was 6.25 ± 0.786 and in those who received PEG solution, it was 6.35 ± 0.813 (P-value = 0.59). Conclusions Lactulose is a significantly more palatable form of bowel preparation and causes minor discomfort. It has a good bowel cleansing action comparable to PEG without causing any hemodynamic changes. It can be considered a cheaper and safe alternative for bowel preparation in colonoscopy in low-resource settings.

Giant Calculus with More than 100 Small Calculi in Choledochal Cysts.

Giant biliary calculus in the common bile duct (CBD) is rare. Giant calculus of choledochal cyst (CC) is even rarer, and no case of giant calculus of CC with more than 100 calculi has been reported in the indexed literature. We present the case of a 8.0 × 4.5 × 4.0 cm sized giant calculus with >100 small calculi in type IVa CCs with heterotopic pancreas in a 45-year-old male, which is a surprisingly rare occurrence. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed multifocal irregular dilatation of intrahepatic biliary radicles with multiple filling defects with a giant calculus in CC with cholelithiasis. The case was successfully managed with open cholecystectomy and choledochotomy with retrieval of 1 giant and more than 100 small calculi with excision of CC with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Histopathological examination (HPE) showed inflamed CC identified with focal areas of surface ulceration with increased fibrosis areas in the wall and few pancreatic acini. A bile duct calculus is defined as "giant" when the size is 5 cm or more. Stone formation within is the most frequent complication of CC. Most intracystic calculi have been described as soft, earthy, and pigmented in appearance, supporting bile stasis as a primary etiologic factor. The only treatment for giant calculus of CBD or CC is surgical. Endoscopic treatment is mostly unsuccessful and open surgery is the treatment of choice due to giant size, increased load of calculus, and presence of calculi in the left and right hepatic ducts.

The giant resectable carcinoma of gall bladder-a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gall bladder cancer (GBC) is the fifth most common malignancy in the gastrointestinal system and the most common malignancy of the biliary system. GBC is a very aggressive malignancy having a 5 year survival rate of 19%. Giant Gall Bladder (GGB) is an uncommon condition that can result from cholelithiasis or chronic cholecystitis and rarely with malignancy. CASE REPORT: A 65 year old lady presented with vague abdominal pain for 12 years and right abdominal lump of size 20 × 8 cms was found on examination. CT scan showed a circumferentially irregularly thickened wall (2.5 cm) of gall bladder indicative of malignancy. Per-operatively a GB of size 24 × 9 cm was noted and patient underwent radical cholecystectomy. It was surprise to find such a giant malignant GB with preserved planes. Histopathology, it was well differentiated adenocarcinoma of gall bladder of Stage II (T2a N0 M0). DISCUSSION: It is known that mucocoele of GB can attain large size, however chronic cholecystitis will lead to a shrunken gall bladder rather than an enlarged one. A malignant GB of such size and resectable is rare without any lymph node involvement or liver infiltration. Few cases of giant benign gall bladder have been reported in literature, however this appears to be the largest resectable gall bladder carcinoma reported till date as per indexed literature. CONCLUSION: Giant GB is an uncommon finding. They are mostly benign, however malignant cases can occur. Radiological findings may suggest features of malignancy and define extent of disease. Prognosis depends on stage of disease and resectability, irrespective of size.

Role of intra-abdominal pressure in the outcomes of perforation peritonitis: A prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) has been investigated for its role in causing morbidity and mortality, with various studies showing different degrees of correlation. There remains paucity of literature on this subject, applied to patients of perforation peritonitis, especially in the Indian subcontinent. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It is a prospective observational study involving 40 patients of perforation peritonitis undergoing exploratory laparotomy. IAP was measured as per WSACS (World Society of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome) guidelines. APACHE II (Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation- II) and SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) were calculated. Data was collected regarding occurrence of prolonged ileus, burst abdomen, duration of hospital stay, 30 day mortality, and was statistically analyzed to correlate with IAP. RESULTS: At admission, mean IAP was 13.37 mmHg, and the incidence of IAH was 65%. IAH was seen in 17.9% and 7.6% at 24 h and 48 h post-operatively. Incidence of prolonged ileus and burst abdomen were 7.7% and 22.5% respectively. Mortality rate was 17.5%. Mean duration of hospital stay was 13.45 days. Post-operative IAP correlated with mortality (p: 0.014) and post-operative SOFA score (p <0.05). Statistically significant correlation was also seen with the occurrence of prolonged ileus (p: 0.006). IAP did not significantly correlate with APACHE II score, occurrence of burst abdomen, and duration of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Rise in IAP correlates with deterioration of SOFA score, and also with the occurrence of prolonged ileus. IAP is also a predictor of mortality. IAP measured post-operatively (24 and 48 hours) had a better correlation with these outcomes than the value measured at admission. No statistically significant correlation of IAP with the occurrence of burst abdomen and duration of hospital stay could be found, which warrants further studies with a larger population.

Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast: Case series with review of literature.

BACKGROUND: The breast tumors with neuroendocrine differentiation show features similar to their counterparts in other organs. Neuroendorine carcinomas account for less than 0.1% of all breast carcinomas. AIMS: To study the demographics and clinicopathological prameters ten cases showing neuroendocrine carcinoma breast. Material and Methods: Ten cases showing neuroendocrine carcinoma were studied. The data was analysed for demographics and clinicopathological prameters. The Immunohistochemistry for ER, PR, Her2neu, Synaptophysin, Chromogranin, NSE, Ki67 index and EMA were done in these cases. RESULTS: Nine Trucut biopsies were reported as infiltrating duct carcinoma and one case as IDC with neuroendocrine differentiation with focal mucinous areas.The histopathological slides of breast excision specimens revealed clusters of cells arranged in sheets and small nests separated by thin fibrous septae in eight of the cases. Trabeculae were noted in two case and in another rosettes were noted. DCIS component was noted in two cases. Infiltration into fat in five of the cases. One case showed pools of mucin. The tumour cells were positive for synaptophysin in 5/10 cases, chromogranin in 8/10 cases and NSE in 9/10 cases. Estrogen receptor positivity was noted 6 cases (6/10), progesterone receptor positivity in 8 cases (8/10) and Her2neu positivity in 5 cases (5/10). CONCLUSION: NECB cases are more likely to ER/PR positive with variability of expression of neuroendocrine markers. These tumors are more aggressive with propensity for distant metastasis. Endocrine therapy may be more beneficial than standard chemotherapy. Anti-angiogenic markers are an exciting new approach for these case, which is yet to be explored.