Open versus minimally invasive total gastrectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: results of a European randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection with adequate lymphadenectomy is regarded the only curative option for gastric cancer. Regarding minimally invasive techniques, mainly Asian studies showed comparable oncological and short-term postoperative outcomes. The incidence of gastric cancer is lower in the Western population and patients often present with more advanced stages of disease. Therefore, the reproducibility of these Asian results in the Western population remains to be investigated. METHODS: A randomized trial was performed in thirteen hospitals in Europe. Patients with an indication for total gastrectomy who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were eligible for inclusion and randomized between open total gastrectomy (OTG) or minimally invasive total gastrectomy (MITG). Primary outcome was oncological safety, measured as the number of resected lymph nodes and radicality. Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, recovery and 1-year survival. RESULTS: Between January 2015 and June 2018, 96 patients were included in this trial. Forty-nine patients were randomized to OTG and 47 to MITG. The mean number of resected lymph nodes was 43.4 ± 17.3 in OTG and 41.7 ± 16.1 in MITG (p = 0.612). Forty-eight patients in the OTG group had a R0 resection and 44 patients in the MITG group (p = 0.617). One-year survival was 90.4% in OTG and 85.5% in MITG (p = 0.701). No significant differences were found regarding postoperative complications and recovery. CONCLUSION: These findings provide evidence that MITG after neoadjuvant therapy is not inferior regarding oncological quality of resection in comparison to OTG in Western patients with resectable gastric cancer. In addition, no differences in postoperative complications and recovery were seen.

Surgical approach for tumours of the third and fourth part of the duodenum. Distal pancreas-sparing duodenectomy.

The anatomic complexity of the duodenum makes surgical resection challenging. We describe our experience with distal pancreas-sparing duodenectomy (PSD) for tumours that arise in the third and fourth parts of the duodenum. Between July 2008 and January 2012 eight patients underwent surgical resection for tumours in the distal parts of the duodenum. Short and long-term outcomes of treatment are retrospectively analyzed. We used the Cattell and Braash surgical approach in six patients. Seven patients underwent a segmental resection of the distal duodenum with a duodenojejunal anastomosis and in one case we performed a wedge local excision with primary closure. There were 5 gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST), 1 primary duodenal adenocarcinoma, 1 metastasis of a lung adenocarcinoma and 1 patient with malignant duodenocolic fistula caused by advanced sigmoid colon carcinoma. Median operating time was 200 min and median intraoperatory blood loss 162 mL. Three patients showed postoperative complications and one of them died. There was no reoperation. Median hospital stay was 10 days (range, 7-28 days). The patient with primary adenocarcinoma died after 12 months due to hepatic metastases. All of five patients with GIST are alive without recurrence (mean follow up of 65.6 months), as well as the patient with metastatic duodenal infiltration (45 months after surgery). Segmental resection of the third and fourth portions of the duodenum is reliable and feasible. The Cattell and Braash manoeuvre provides a good exposure and makes this kind of resection easier.

Predictors of wound infection in elective colorectal surgery. Multicenter observational case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Vicryl Plus(®) suture in reducing the rate of postoperative wound infection in elective colorectal surgery. METHODS: A prospective case-control multicenter study with 480 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery was performed between 2006 and 2007. Patients were divided in 2 groups of equal sample size: group 1, closure of the abdominal wall using Vicryl Plus(®) and group 2 where PDS II(®) was used. The study involved 5 hospitals in the Spanish State. Wound infection was classified into superficial and deep. All patients diagnosed of wound infection during the hospital stay and up to 30 days after discharge were studied. For the statistical analysis Chi-square test and Fisher exact were used for bivariate analysis and logistic regression model for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Wound infection rates were significantly lower in group 1: 14.6 vs. 29.2. Multivariate analysis showed that risk of wound infection was higher in patients with cancer, lung disease, anemia, operative time greater than 2 h, lack of second dose intra-operative prophylactic antibiotic and laparotomy closure with PDS suture II(®). CONCLUSIONS: The use of suture coated with triclosan can be an effective prophylactic tool in reducing wound infection rate in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery.

General surgery: present and future.

General surgery is going through critical moments in recent years. Problems associated with the evolution and development of the specialty and training programs. Appearance of a sub-especialization in general surgery. All this in the context of an economic crisis of global impact. These changes have resulted in a state of emotional and mental fatigue known as burn out syndrome, in many cases. However not everything is negative and the development of the minimally invasive surgery techniques, NOTES, and single port surgery have been an incentive for surgeons in recent years. We must not fail to take into account the increase in cost of these procedures at the present time. I make some reflections about this topics, that although they reflect a very particular opinion I think they show the feeling of many surgeons. I think that in these times we are living in, we must fundamentally improve our efficiency and safety in daily practice.

[Multicentric inflammatory pseudotumor]. / Seudotumor inflamatorio multicéntrico.

Inflammatory pseudotumor is a non-neoplastic process characterized by irregular growth of inflammatory cells. This type of tumor can arise in any part of the body; most are confined to a single site and are benign. We present the case of a 51-year-old man in whom a solitary pulmonary nodule was detected as an incidental finding. Right pulmonary lobectomy was performed and histopathological analysis led to a diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor. The patient subsequently developed tumors in the contralateral lung and cervix, the latter being highly aggressive. We found no reports of this association in the literature, prompting the present case report.