Post-ERCP Pancreatitis Risk Factors: Is Post-Sphincterotomy Bleeding Another Risk Factor?

BACKGROUND: Despite advancements in technology and expertise, ERCP carries risks of significant complications, such as pancreatitis, bleeding, and perforation. Post-ERCP pancreatitis is the most common and important complication following ERCP. In our study, we aimed to examine the relationship between patient and procedure-related parameters and the development of pancreatitis. METHODS: Four hundred patients who underwent ERCP between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020, at the General Surgery Clinic of the Bakirköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Health Application and Research Center of the University of Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine were retrospectively evaluated. Patient and procedure-related factors were analyzed statistically through univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Age, urgent indication, ERCP history, cholangitis, precut sphincterotomy, common bile duct diameter, pancreatic cannulation, pancreatic stent, and bleeding were statistically significant risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis (+). In multivariate analysis, the effects of urgent indication, ERCP history, cholangitis, precut sphincterotomy, common bile duct diameter, and pancreatic cannulation on post-ERCP pancreatitis were statistically significant risk factors ( P <0.05). DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that emergency indication, ERCP history, cholangitis, precut sphincterotomy, and pancreatic cannulation are significant risk factors for the development of post- ERCP pancreatitis. One notable contribution of our study to the existing literature is the unique analysis of post-sphincterotomy bleeding as an independent factor.

Repair of diaphragmatic hernias: Retrospective analysis of 70 cases.

BACKGROUND: Congenital and traumatic diaphragmatic hernias (DH) can lead to respiratory and gastrointestinal complications that can be the cause of serious morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to share our experience with the surgical repair of complicated or non-complicated DH. METHODS: Patients who were operated on under emergency or elective conditions with the diagnosis of DH between 2009 and 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic characteristics, histories, symptoms, etiology of DH, computed tomography find-ings, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes of the patients were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of the cases was 51.5±18.5, and 29 were female and 41 were male. Hernia etiology was found to be con-genital (40%), traumatic (32.8%), spontaneous (14.3%), and iatrogenic (12.8%), respectively. The mean diameter of the defects was 7.3±2.76 cm (range: 3-15 cm), and 84% of the defects were on the left side. Sixty percent of the cases were treated by laparoscopic surgery and 11.4% by laparotomy. The conversion rate from laparoscopic to open was 24.3%. Dual mesh was used in 48% of the pa-tients, and primary suturing was applied in 34%. The postoperative mortality rate was 7.1%. CONCLUSION: DH is an important cause of morbidity and mortality due to abdominal organ strangulation and pulmonary and cardiac complications. When a DH is diagnosed, laparoscopic or open surgery is the treatment that should be preferred.

Outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy by means of esophageal manometry and pH-metry, before and after surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Gastroesophageal reflux is a major problem after sleeve gastrectomy. There is still insufficient understanding of how it occurs and whether it is due to the sphincter length, relaxation, or pressure differences. AIM: This study evaluates the effect on the lower esophageal sphincter of the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) technique applied in surgery in cases of morbid obesity using ambulatory 24-h pH monitoring (APM) and esophageal manometry (EM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective examination was carried out on the APM and EM tests performed preoperatively and postoperatively in cases of LSG. The parameters examined were the body mass index (BMI), amplitude pressure of the esophagus (AP), total length of the lower esophageal segment (LESL), resting pressure of the LES (LESP), residual pressure of the LES (LESR), relaxation time of the LES, intragastric pressure, and the DeMeester score. RESULTS: A total of 62 cases with available data were evaluated. A statistically significant difference was determined between the preoperative values and the 3-month postoperative values of BMI, LESP, and relaxation time of the LES. A statistically significant increase was determined in the DeMeester score, and the increase in the total number of reflux episodes longer than 5 min was found to be the most responsible for this increase. No significant difference was determined in the other parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The LSG was found to cause a reduction in LESP, and an increase in acid reflux causing an extended relaxation time of the LES. This was confirmed by the increase seen in the DeMeester score.

Colonic Stent Use in Patients With Malignant Flexure Tumors Presenting With Obstruction.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Colonic stenting in left-sided tumor is being commonly used. However, placing a stent in the flexure tumors is rare because it is technically more difficult. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively screen patients with flexure tumors admitted to our clinic who were treated using a colonic stent and discuss our findings. METHODS: Patients admitted to the emergency department for obstructive colonic tumors between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively evaluated, and 21 patients treated using stents were included in the study. The expandable metal stent (Wallflex®, Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA) was placed at the obstruction through the lead wire. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 62 years, and the ratio of females to males was 3:18. Splenic flexure tumors were detected in 18 patients and hepatic flexure tumors in 3 patients. Seven of the patients were stented for palliative purposes. Fourteen of the cases underwent surgery. Three of them underwent laparoscopic surgery and eleven underwent open surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative stenting in colonic flexura tumors is associated with faster healing, less postoperative complications, lower rates of colostomy, and higher rates of minimally invasive surgery, and can be safely used at experienced centers.

Clinical Significance of Diminutive Colonic Polyps in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Excision of premalignant polyps has a significant impact on reducing colorectal cancer mortality and morbidity. Colonoscopy is considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis and affords an opportunity for treatment of colonic polyps. In recent years, serious debates have taken place because of the biological characteristics of diminutive polyps (DPs), polypectomy complications, and serious costs. There has not yet been a consensus on the management of DPs. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate the real clinical importance of DPs smaller than 5 mm in diameter, which are frequently seen in geriatric patients by new endoscopic techniques, and to help in determining screening and surveillance programs. METHODS: The patients who underwent colonoscopy and were found to have a diminutive colorectal polyp (<5 mm from September 1, 2016 through September 1, 2017), were classified into 3 groups according to the imaging method used: flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE), narrow band imaging (NBI), or I-SCAN. In all groups, demographic data were compared according to Paris classification (morphologic) and Kudo classification (correlation between the prediction of endoscopic diagnosis and final pathological examination) in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-seven patients were included in the study: 97 in the NBI group, 83 in the FICE group, and 87 in the I-SCAN group. There were no statistically significant differences between NBI, FICE, and I-SCAN in differentiating neoplastic and nonneoplastic polyps, according to the Kruskal-Wallis test (P = .809). CONCLUSIONS: The estimated progression rates of DPs to advanced adenomas or colorectal cancer (CRC) are very low. Missing these polyps or not excising them may lead to failure to diagnose some cancers. There is a need for further comprehensive studies of removing all polyps to determine whether non-high-risk lesions require further pathologic examination and to re-examine routine surveillance programs.

Self-Expanding Biodegradable Stents for Postoperative Upper Gastrointestinal Issues.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic stenting is a minimally invasive treatment modality for patients with various gastrointestinal conditions. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of uncovered biodegradable stents for postoperative leaks and strictures in the upper gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients treated endoscopically with biodegradable stents from January 2010 through November 2017. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were enrolled, 7 of whom were men. Their mean age was 46 (range, 21-82) years. The indications for stent placement were postoperative leakage and stricture in 9 and 4 patients, respectively. The primary diagnoses were obesity in 7 patients, gastric cancer in 5, and peptic ulcer in 1. The average time to stent placement after surgery was 35 (range, 17-125) and 166 (range, 153-185) days for patients with postoperative leakage and stricture, respectively. Stent insertion was successful at the first attempt in all patients. Complete resolution of the leak and stricture was achieved after stent application in 11 patients, for a clinical success rate of 85%. The mean follow-up duration was 50 (range, 24-76) months. There were no major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to self-expanding metal and plastic stents, the main advantages of uncovered biodegradable stents are that they do not have to be removed and have a low migration rate. Our results suggest that these stents have promise for management of postoperative gastrointestinal complications. Further randomized trials with larger sample sizes are necessary to determine the role of biodegradable stents in the treatment algorithm.

The importance of presepsin value in detection of gastrointestinal anastomotic leak: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of anastomotic leakage is the most important factor in reducing its morbidity and mortality. Anastomotic integrity monitoring of the leukocyte count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are commonly used laboratory parameters. The availability of follow-up presepsin anastomotic integrity was investigated in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included patients who had gastrointestinal anastomosis due to major abdominal surgery between January 2016 and February 2017. Blood samples were collected to determine the WBC, CRP, NLR, and presepsin values before the anastomosis was performed and then taken on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5. RESULTS: This is a prospective nonrandomized study with 100 consecutive patients enrolled in the anastomosis group (male/female, 42:58). WBC, CRP, NLR, and presepsin values are based on certain days in the complication group, and the complication group increased with statistical significance. Presepsin had a specificity of 98.63% in determining anastomotic leak. CONCLUSIONS: Presepsin can be used as a supplemental marker with CRP and NLR for anastomotic integrity.

Endoscopic repair of rectal perforation due to colonoscopy with a clamp method.

Colon perforation during colonoscopy is a rare complication that usually requires surgical intervention. Traditionally, primary repair by laparoscopy, laparotomy, resection, and anastomosis is performed for such perforations. More recently developed minimally invasive endoscopic instruments have also been used in the repair of these perforations; this is becoming increasingly common. An endoscopic over-the-scope clip clamp was used in a 59-year-old male patient who suffered a rectum perforation in connection with a diagnostic colonoscopy. He was referred to our clinic. A colonoscopy was performed in our clinic to assess the rectal perforation caused by a diagnostic colonoscopy 2 h after the initial colonoscopy, with the concurrent therapeutic purpose of repairing the perforation using an endoscopic clamping method. Oral feeding was started 24 h after the procedure. After three days, the patient was discharged. An endoscopic clamping method in appropriate cases can be a safe and appropriate alternative therapy in the management of colonoscopic perforations.

FICE in Predicting Colorectal Flat Lesion Histology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Colonoscopy is the gold standard for detection of polyps and is preventive against colorectal cancers. Flat adenomas are small, superficial lesions and have a high rate of going undetected during conventional white-light endoscopy. This article adds to the scant body of literature in English regarding in vivo detection and diagnosis of flat adenomas using Fujinon intelligent color enhancement (FICE) system. In this study, we investigated the diagnosis of flat lesions via the FICE endoscopy system and in vivo histologic diagnostic estimations of flat lesions. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in patients who underwent colonoscopy that found flat adenomas. Lesions were classified morphologically with regard to the Paris Classification and sent for histopathologic examination after in vivo histologic diagnostic estimations were made according to Kudo's pit pattern classification. The positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of in vivo endoscopic diagnostic estimations of flat lesions with the FICE system were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 217 flat lesions were identified in 137 patients. Of the lesions, 85.7% were Paris type 0-IIa, and 59.4% were Kudo pit pattern type III. When the FICE diagnostic estimations of flat lesions and final pathology results were considered, PPV was 68.5%, NPV value was 89.6%, sensitivity was 94.7%, specificity was 50.9%, and accuracy was 74.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Biologic importance of flat lesions is obscure, as they are usually missed during colonoscopy. The use of novel endoscopic techniques may improve their detection and diagnosis rates.

An alternative view on the necessity of EGD before sleeve gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is particularly recommended for choosing a surgical method to be used with asymptomatic patients and for the assessment of symptomatic patients prior to sleeve gastrectomy. The presence of hiatal hernia, for instance, is a relative contraindication. EGD is used for malignancy scanning as well as surgical planning, but seems inefficient in determining postoperative complications. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of the pathological evaluation of endoscopic biopsies obtained with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) according to Sydney classification prior to sleeve gastrectomy in identifying the risk of staple line leak, independently of clinical diagnosis. SETTING: Bakirköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy between January 2014-December 2016 received preoperative EGD as per the clinic's protocol and upon obtaining ethics board approval and patient consent. Biopsies were taken from the patients according to the Sydney protocol. The pathology results were examined retrospectively by considering the exclusion criteria. The results were given in line with the Sydney classification, and patients with and without Staple Line Leak were statistically compared. RESULTS: A total of 630 patients were enrolled in the study. Of these, 71.1% (n = 448) were female and 28.9% (n = 182) were male. Mean age was 38.9 years (17-68), mean body weight was 130.8kg (94-240) and body mass index (BMI) values were 47.4kg/m2 (36-106). In evaluation of median values, no statistically significant relationship was found between staple line leak and H. pylori occurrence grade (P = 0.438; P>0.05), activation grade (P = 0.568; P>0.05) or intestinal metaplasia grade (P = 0.319; P>0.05). Atrophy (P = 0.001; P<0.01) and chronic inflammation grade (P = 0.026; P<0.05) were significantly higher in Staple Line Leak patients. CONCLUSIONS: EGD prior to sleeve gastrectomy and biopsies obtained in line with the Sydney protocol predict Staple Line Leak risk.

Direct Trocar Insertion with Elevation of the Rectus Sheath in Bariatric Surgery: A Novel Technique.

INTRODUCTION: Initial trocar entry, the first step in laparoscopic surgery, is associated with several complications. In morbidly obese patients, initial trocar placement is associated with a greater number of complications compared to non-obese patients. Materials and Surgical Technique. In this study, we describe our use of an initial trocar entry technique which is direct trocar insertion with elevation of the rectus sheath by a single Backhaus towel clamp and we would like to evaluate the sa fety and efficacy of its administration in bariatric surgery. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that gaining initial trocar entry using our technique leads to successful laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Our technique is a safe, effective, and reliable first step in successful laparoscopic surgery for almost all patients, and is only contraindicated in patients with severe hepatomegaly.

FICE vs Narrow Band Imaging for In Vivo Histologic Diagnosis of Polyps.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal cancers are the most frequently occurring cancers worldwide. Diagnosis and removal of polyps during screening endoscopy decreases the prevalence of colon cancer and cancer-related mortality, and it is considered to be the gold standard in gastrointestinal system cancer prevention. Technological innovations in endoscopy have led to revolutionary developments in many areas. Flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE) and narrow-band imaging (NBI) are forms of digital chromoendoscopy and enhance the endoscopic images without the need for a dye. This study seeks to evaluate the efficacy of FICE and NBI on polyp screening and real-time histologic diagnosis with endoscopy and to compare them. METHODS: A total of 134 patients (male/female = 72/62) and 161 polyps were evaluated with FICE or NBI, and real-time histologic diagnosis predictions were classified as neoplastic or nonneoplastic, according to Kudo's pit pattern classification. Pathological results and real-time endoscopic diagnoses were statistically interpreted for both FICE and NBI. Positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates were calculated and compared for both modalities. RESULTS: When both systems were compared, the negative predictive value of NBI was found to be higher than that of FICE statistically (P < .001). Specificity and positive predictive value in the FICE group were higher than in the NBI group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .082 and P = .153, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Aside from being safe in polyp detection, digital chromoendoscopy also helps the endoscopist in selecting the type of simultaneous intervention (eg, polypectomy, endomucosal resection, or submucosal dissection) by enabling endoscopic histologic diagnosis.

Clinical significance of serum interleukin-17 levels in colorectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-17 (IL-17) plays a potent role in T-cell mediated angiogenesis and promotes tumorigenicity. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in relation to serum IL-17 levels. METHODS: Ninety-six CRC patients were enrolled in this study. Pre-treatment serum IL-17 levels were determined by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Thirty age - and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the analysis. RESULTS: The median patient age was 60 years (range: 24-84) and the most frequent localization was colon (N=59;61%). Median follow-up time was 14 months, 27 patients (28%) experienced disease progression, and 20 of the remaining patients (20%) died. The estimated and 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates for the whole patient group were 26.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]=9.9-44.0) and 71% (95% CI=56.0- 85.0), respectively. The number of patients who received neoadjuvant treatment was 25. Of the patients who received palliative treatment, 11 had oxaliplatin whereas 18 and 7 had irinotecan and FU/capecitabine, chemotherapy (CTx). Twenty-four and nine of the patients who received targeted therapy had bevacizumab and cetuximab, respectively. Thirty-three percent of 36 metastatic patients who received palliative CTx were CTx-responsive. The baseline median serum IL-17 levels were significantly lower in patients with CRC than in the healthy control group (p=0.01). Moreover, known clinical variables including older age, poor grade and low albumin levels were found to be correlated with high serum IL-17 concentrations (p=0.02, p=0.02, and p=0.04, respectively). No statistically significant serum IL- 17 concentrations were noted regarding PFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of IL-17 may be diagnostic marker in CRC patients. However, no predictive and prognostic values were determined.

Serum leptin levels may have diagnostic and predictive roles in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Leptin is a highly pleiotropic adipokine. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) and leptin relationship is important. Our aim was to investigate the serum levels of leptin in patients with PA, the relationship of leptin with tumor progression and known prognostic parameters and its diagnostic, predictive and prognostic role. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with PA were investigated. Serum samples were obtained on first admission before treatment and follow-up. Both serum leptin levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) matched to 20 healthy controls were included in the analysis. RESULTS: The median patient age at diagnosis was 59 years (range 32-84) and 20 (61%) patients were men. The tumor was located in the head of pancreas in 21 (63%) patients. The most common metastatic site was liver in 23 patients with metastasis (N=19; 83%). The median follow-up time was 26.0 weeks (range 1.0-184.0). At the end of the observation period, 32 patients (97%) had died. The baseline serum leptin levels were significantly higher in patients with PA than in the control group (p=0.02). Thirty-nine percent of 23 metastatic patients who received palliative gemcitabine-based chemotherapy (gCTx) were gCTx-responsive. Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in the gCTx-unresponsive patients compared with gCTx -responsive (median 5.32 vs 1.16 ng/mL, p=0.004). Conversely, serum leptin concentration was found to have no prognostic role on survival (p=0.20). CONCLUSION: Serum leptin levels may be a good diagnostic and predictive tool on the response to gCTx in PA patients.

Is non-operative approach applicable for penetrating injuries of the left thoraco-abdominal region?

OBJECTIVES: Currently, diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) is recommended for the left thoraco-abdominal region penetrating injuries (LTARP). However, organ and diaphragmatic injury may not be detected in all of these patients. Our aim is to focus on this LTARP patient group without any operative findings and to highlight the evaluation of diagnostic tools in the high-tech era for a possible selected conservative treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patients who were admitted to ED due to LTARP, and who underwent routine DL were evaluated retrospectively in terms of demographic, clinical, radiological, and operative findings of the patients. RESULTS: The current study included 79 patients with LTARP. In 44 of 79 patients, abdominal injury was not detected. In 30 patients an isolated diaphragmatic injury was revealed and in 4 patients a visceral injury was accompanying to diaphragmatic injury. Surgical findings revealed that the diaphragm was the organ most likely to sustain injury. In patients with more than one positive diagnostic findings need for surgery rate was 61.5%, however; in patients with one positive diagnostic finding (n = 53), positive surgical finding rate was only 35.8%, (p = 0.03). Regarding the combined use of all diagnostic tools in these patients; such as physical examination, plain chest X-ray, and computed tomography, when this method was used for pre-operative diagnosis, sensitivity was measured as 82.7%, specificity 84.1%, PPV 77.4% and NPV 88.1%. CONCLUSION: Although DL is reliable for diagnosis of diaphragmatic and visceral injury in patients with LTARP. However, individual decision making for laparoscopic intervention is needed to prevent morbidity of an unnecessary operation under emergent setting due to high rates of negative intraabdominal findings.

The effects of weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy on left ventricular systolic function in men versus women.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the effects of weight lost after sleeve gastrectomy on left ventricular (LV) systolic function using both two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-STE) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) in men versus women. METHODS: In 53 obese patients referred for sleeve gastrectomy, 2D-STE and 3DE were performed prior to and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: The study included 53 obese patients (62.3% female; mean age 36.8 ± 10.7 years). Six months after surgery, all patients demonstrated a significant decrease in body mass index, body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, LV end-diastolic dimension, myocardial wall thickness, LV mass, LV mass index, LV mass/height(2.7) , LV end-diastolic volume, LV end-systolic volume, and stroke volume as well as an increase in SV index and ejection fraction. There was no significant difference in measured variables between men and women at baseline or postsurgery, except for baseline LV end-diastolic dimension, and baseline and after surgery LV mass, LV mass index, and LV mass/height(2.7) , which were all significantly higher in men. CONCLUSIONS: Sleeve gastrectomy improves LV systolic function and contributes to reverse LV remodeling in both genders. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 44:492-499, 2016.

Plasma calprotectin level: usage in distinction of uncomplicated from complicated acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the diagnostic role of plasma calprotectin value for a distinction of presence acute appendicitis and the indifference of uncomplicated from complicated acute appendicitis. METHODS: Plasma calprotectin, white blood cell and C-reactive protein values of 89 patients, who have undergone laparoscopic appendectomy between January 2013 and May 2013 were evaluated. RESULTS: Calprotectin was 91 ng/mL (range 45-538) for acute appendicitis and 47 ng/ml (range 28-205) for the control group. There was a positive, statistically significant relation between calprotectin and C-reactive protein values (r = 0. 292 p = 0. 001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference was determined between calprotectin and white blood cell values (r = 0. 142 p = 0. 187, respectively). CRP and Cal values were significantly higher in patients with a complicated AA group than in those with uncomplicated AA (p = 0. 014, p = 0. 0001, respectively) whereas white blood cell counts did not differ significantly between two groups (p = 0. 164). CONCLUSION: Plasma calprotectin levels were increased in patients with acute appendicitis and should use in a distinction of uncomplicated from complicated acute appendicitis patients.

The marker C-reactive protein is helpful in monitoring the integrity of anastomosis: plasma calprotectin.

BACKGROUND: Despite improved surgical techniques and materials, anastomotic leakage is a big problem for surgeons. The most frequently used laboratory parameters is leukocyte (white blood cell) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Availability of plasma calprotectin with CRP to detect anastomotic leakage was studied. METHODS: In this prospective study of 41 (male/female 18/23) patients in the anastomosis group, 30 (male/female 20/10) patients were included in the control group. The anastomosis groups viewed in preoperatively day and postoperatively 1st, 3rd, and 5th day of CRP, white blood cell, and plasma calprotectin values. RESULTS: Anastomosis group with complications and without complications were studied. Statistically significant similarities between plasma calprotectin and CRP levels in the postoperative period were observed. CONCLUSION: Plasma calprotectin in monitoring the integrity of the anastomosis can be used with a marker CRP.

Clinical significance of serum claudin-1 and claudin-7 levels in patients with colorectal cancer.

The present study aimed to investigate the serum levels and clinical relevance of claudin (CLDN) 1 and CLDN7 in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). A total of 140 patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of CRC were enrolled in this study. The serum levels of CLDN1 and CLDN7 were determined using the solid-phase sandwich ELISA method. A total of 40 healthy age- and gender-matched controls were included in the analysis. The median age of the patients was 60 years (range, 24-84 years). The localization of the tumor in the majority of the patients was the colon (n=81, 58%). Of the 55 metastatic patients who received palliative chemotheraphy, 31% were chemotherapy-responsive. The baseline median serum CLDN1 and CLDN7 levels were significantly lower in non-metastatic and metastatic patients compared with those in healthy controls (CLND1, P=0.008 and 0.002; and CLND7, P=0.002 and 0.002, respectively). Moreover, known clinical variables, including poor performance status and high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were found to be associated with lower serum CLDN1 concentrations for all patients (P=0.03 and P=0.03, respectively). High T stage and high CEA levels were found to be correlated with lower serum CLDN7 concentrations for all patients (P=0.04 and 0.03, respectively). A correlation was identified between CLDN1 and CLDN7 levels in non-metastatic and metastatic CRC patients (both P-values <0.001). Our study results did not reveal any statistical significance for serum CLDN1 or CLND7 concentrations regarding progression-free and overall survival rate. Therefore, reduced serum levels of CLDN1 and CLND7 may be useful markers in the differential diagnosis of CRC.

Endoscopic balloon dilatation as an effective treatment for lower and upper benign gastrointestinal system anastomotic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) is currently accepted as an effective, safe, and first-line treatment of postoperative benign gastrointestinal anastomosis stenosis (BGAS); however, a limited number of publications on the subject exist in the literature. The aim of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficiency of endoscopic dilatation in patients with postoperative intestinal anastomotic stenoses at a single surgical center. METHODS: Patients with postoperative BGAS treated by EBD at our institution from February 2008 to 2012 were included. The dilatations were all performed using through-the-scope balloons. The balloon was introduced into the stricture using a guidewire under radiologic guidance. Each dilatation session consisted of 2 to 3 two-minute multistep inflations of the balloon until adequate dilatation was achieved. RESULTS: Of the 48 patients included in the study, 44 patients (91.7%) fully recovered and 4 (8.3%) did not respond to treatment. The mean follow-up period was 24 months (range, 3 to 57 mo). Four patients who did not respond to the procedure were treated surgically. Two patients (4.1%) with intestinal perforation during EBD were treated conservatively with a stent. CONCLUSIONS: EBD has a low rate of complications and a high success rate, is well tolerated, and avoids further surgical procedures for BGAS. Therefore, EBD should be the first choice of treatment for postoperative anastomotic stenoses.