Association between bacterial growth in chest tube and anastomotic leakage after esophageal resection: prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine whether collagenase producing bacteria could be detected, in fluid collected from chest tubes, before clinical presentation of anastomotic leakage after esophageal resection. METHODS: We conducted a prospective single-center study of patients who underwent resection of the gastroesophageal junction. All patients had a chest tube placed in the pleural cavity perioperatively. Drain fluid was collected and cultured from the first post-operative day and at time of routine removal of the drain (days 3-5). RESULTS: From January 2018 to July 2019, a total of 84 patients were included in the study. Twenty (36%) patients experienced severe complications with a Clavien-Dindo score of 3b-5. Eleven (13%) patients were diagnosed with anastomotic leakage which occurred after 8 days (mean, range 2-13). Twenty patients (24%) had drain samples with significant growth of microbes. Among the 11 patients with anastomotic leakage, we found 2 with microbe growth at POD 2 and POD 4, the remaining 9 samples were negative (p = 0.638). Thirty-day mortality rate was zero. CONCLUSION: Cultured fluid from the pleural cavity of asymptomatic patients following esophageal resection did not indicate a significant association with anastomotic leakage.

Endoscopic treatment of colorectal perforations--a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Iatrogenic colon perforation is a feared complication to colonoscopy. Optimal management of the complication remains controversial. Traditionally, patients have been referred to surgery. Now, with technological advances, endoscopic closure is increasingly performed as minimally invasive therapy. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the existing evidence in this field. METHODS: Literature was searched on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane databases. Papers found were reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. Trials on animals were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 32 articles were assessed, including 19 case reports, one case control, three prospective studies and nine retrospective studies. The total number of patients who have undergone endoscopic closure (apart from case reports) and reported in the literature is 203 patients. Studies have reported a clinical success rate of 87.8% (standard deviation: ± 13.0%) on average and a median of 92.3% (range: 58.6-100%). The total number of patients needing surgery after attempted clip closure was 30 (14.7%); another four were found to have sealed perforations during surgery. One patient died after clip failure (0.5%). Articles presented a favourable, high outcome for endoscopic closure of iatrogenic colorectal perforations. CONCLUSION: In a highly selective group of patients, endoscopic closure of iatrogenic colon perforations is recommended if the expertise is available.

Mushroom lectins: specificity, structure and bioactivity relevant to human disease.

Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind diverse sugar structures with a high degree of selectivity. Lectins play crucial role in various biological processes such as cellular signaling, scavenging of glycoproteins from the circulatory system, cell-cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation and protein targeting to cellular compartments, as well as in host defence mechanisms, inflammation, and cancer. Among all the sources of lectins, plants have been most extensively studied. However, more recently fungal lectins have attracted considerable attention due to their antitumor, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activities. Given that only 10% of mushroom species are known and have been taxonomically classified, mushrooms represent an enormous unexplored source of potentially useful and novel lectins. In this review we provide an up-to-date summary on the biochemical, molecular and structural properties of mushroom lectins, as well as their versatile applications specifically focusing on mushroom lectin bioactivity.

[Retroperitoneal benign cyst with osseous metaplasia as the cause of abdominal pain].

A 27-year-old female patient with no previous medical history, presented a computed tomography displaying a calcified retroperitoneal cyst. The patient had experienced occasional abdominal pain in her right side. The tumour was found in the retroperitoneum, was non-adherent to neighbouring organs and was excised laparoscopically without postoperative complications. Histology revealed a benign, cystic mass, with calcification and osseous metaplasia in the cyst wall, and no epithelia. The material of the cyst was amorphic and necrotic. No other retroperitoneal masses alike has been described in the literature.