Long-term outcomes following ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease: does earlier elective resection affect disease recurrence rates?

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection in Crohn's disease is sometimes the only alternative treating disease complications or refractory disease. The implications of early resection on disease course are still debatable. We aimed to assess the influence of preoperative disease duration on long-term postoperative disease course. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all Crohn's disease patients who underwent an elective primary ileocolic resection between 2010 and 2021 in a single tertiary medical center. The cohort was divided based on disease duration, Group A (47 patients) had a disease duration shorter than 3 years (median of 1 year) and Group B (139 patients) had a disease duration longer than 3 years (median of 11 years). RESULTS: Surgeries were less complex among Group A as noted by higher rates of laparoscopic assisted procedures (68.1% vs. 45.3%, P = 0.006), shorter surgery duration (134 vs. 167 min, P < 0.0001) less estimated blood loss (72.5 vs. 333 mL, P = 0.016) and faster return of bowel function (3 vs. 4 days, P = 0.011). However, propensity score matching nullified all the differences. Younger age (OR = 0.86, P = 0.004), pre-op steroids (OR = 3.69, P = 0.037) and longer disease duration (OR = 1.18, P = 0.012) were found to be independently significantly associated with severe complications. After a median follow-up time of 71.38 months no significant differences were found between the groups in terms of endoscopic (P = 0.59), or surgical recurrences rates (P = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: The main effect of preoperative short disease duration was noted within the surgical complexity; however, matching suggests confounders as cause of the difference. No significant long-term implication was noted on disease recurrence.

Increased risk for incisional hernia following cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of incisional hernias (IH) after midline laparotomy varies from 11% to 20%. Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is potentially prone to hernias because a Xiphoid to pubis laparotomy incision performed on patients who have undergone previous abdominal surgeries with the addition of chemotherapy and its related adverse effects. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis on a prospectively maintained single institution database from March 2015 to July 2020. The inclusion criteria were patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC and had at least 6 months postoperative follow-up with post-operative cross-sectional imaging study. RESULTS: Two hundred and one patients were included in the study. All patients underwent CRS-HIPEC with resection of previous scar and umbilectomy. Fifty-four patients were diagnosed with IH (26.9%). The major risk factors for IH in multivariate analysis were higher American society of Anesthesiologists score (ASA) (OR 3.9, P = 0.012), increasing age (OR 1.06, P = 0.004) and increasing BMI (OR 1.1, P = 0.006). Most of the hernia sites were median (n = 43, 79.6%). Eleven (20.4%) patients had lateral hernias due to stoma incisions or drain sites. Most of the median hernias were at the level of the resected umbilicus 58.9% (n = 23). Five (9.3%) of the patients with IH necessitated an urgent surgical repair. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that more than a quarter of the patients after CRS-HIPEC suffer from IH and up to 10% of them may require surgical intervention. More research is needed to find the appropriate intraoperative interventions to minimize this sequela.

Rectal Cancer following Local Excision of Rectal Adenomas with Low-Grade Dysplasia-A Multicenter Study.

Purpose: Rectal polyps with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) can be removed by local excision surgery (LE). It is unclear whether these lesions pose a higher risk for recurrence and cancer development and might warrant an early repeat rectal endoscopy. This study aims to assess the rectal cancer rate following local excision of LGD rectal lesions. Methods: A retrospective multicenter study including all patients that underwent LE for rectal polyps over a period of 11 years was conducted. Demographic, clinical, and surgical data of patients with LGD werecollected and analyzed. Results: Out of 274 patients that underwent LE of rectal lesions, 81 (30%) had a pathology of LGD. The mean patient age was 65 ± 11 years, and 52 (64%) were male. The mean distance from the anal verge was 7.2 ± 4.3 cm, and the average lesion was 3.2 ± 1.8 cm. Full thickness resection was achieved in 68 patients (84%), and four (5%) had involved margins for LGD. Nine patients (11%) had local recurrence and developed rectal cancer in an average time interval of 19.3 ± 14.5 months, with seven of them (78%) diagnosed less than two years after the initial LE. Seven of the nine patients were treated with another local excision, whilst one had a low anterior resection, and one was treated with radiation. The mean follow-up time was 25.3 ± 22.4 months. Conclusions: Locally resected rectal polyps with LGD may carry a significant risk of recurring and developing cancer within two years. This data suggests patients should have a closer surveillance protocol in place.

The Risk of Breakthrough Bleeding Justifies the Use of Combined Hormonal Contraception Over Progesterone-Only Pills While Breastfeeding.

Breakthrough bleeding is a side effect of progesterone-only pills (POPs) in 40% of women, and is reduced to 10% with combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs). In addition, breakthrough bleeding is reduced if POP is supplemented with norethisterone. As breakthrough bleeding is responsible for a quarter of women stopping the pill, it is vital to realize that CHC is an alternative to POP-even during lactation. CHCs are considered safe during lactation, do not reduce milk production, nor impede infant development. Nevertheless, CHCs are often not prescribed for lactating mothers due to this misconception that they reduce milk production. Among Orthodox Jews, breakthrough bleeding frequently results in stopping POP, as Jewish religious law prohibits any physical contact of the mother with her partner during active bleeding, and for 7 days after bleeding. When such bleeding occurs, not choosing a CHC alternative, results in couples risking discontinuation of POP, and in conceiving within a year of the previous birth, with its increased risk of preterm labor and birth defects. To measure how physicians respond to the presumed dilemma of balancing the risk of breakthrough bleeding versus the concern of reduction of milk production, we conducted a preliminary online survey. Physicians were asked if they would prescribe CHC instead of POP to breastfeeding mothers, 3 months postpartum with breakthrough bleeding. Half of the physicians responded they would prescribe CHC, whereas close to half of the physicians responded that they would not. The main reasons given by the respondents for avoiding CHC was a concern regarding possible milk reduction. These results confirm a significant degree of a lack of updated pharmacological information regarding the options of oral contraceptive use for lactating mothers, particularly for those where breakthrough bleeding has major behavioral and religious consequences. Thus, we contend that the risk of breakthrough bleeding justifies the more routine use of CHC in lieu of POP in lactating mothers.

Reduction in surgical site infections by localized administration with D-PLEX100 in patients with multiple risk factors undergoing colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: D-PLEX100 is a novel drug-eluting lipid polymer matrix that supplies a high, local concentration of doxycycline for approximately 30 days. The objective of this post-hoc analysis was to assess the efficacy of D-PLEX100 in preventing superficial and deep SSIs in patients with ≥2 risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A post-hoc analysis of a previously reported prospective randomized trial assessing D-PLEX100 plus Standard of Care (SOC) versus SOC alone in colorectal surgery was performed to assess SSI rate in patients with ≥2 risk factors. RESULTS: The overall incidence of SSI was significantly lower for the D-PLEX100 arm (9.9%) versus SOC (21%), p = 0.033. Patients with ≥2 risk factors, SSI incidence was 37.5% for SOC and 15.8% in D-PLEX100 treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: D-PLEX100 reduces the incidence of SSIs beyond benefits associated with SOC treatment alone and including patients with ≥2 risk factors. D-PLEX100 may be a promising addition to established SSI prophylaxis bundles.

Predisposing factors for high output stoma in patients with a diverting loop ileostomy after colorectal surgeries.

PURPOSE: One of the most common ileostomy-related complications is high output stoma (HOS) which causes significant fluids and electrolytes disturbances. We aimed to analyze the incidence, severity, and risk factors for readmission for HOS. METHODS: We reviewed all patients who underwent loop ileostomy closure in a single institution between 2010 and 2020. Patients that were readmitted for dehydration due to HOS during the time interval between the creation and the closure of the stoma were identified and divided into a study (HOS) group. The remaining patients constructed the control group. RESULTS: A total of 307 patients were included in this study, out of which, 41 patients were readmitted 73 times (23.7% readmission rate) for the HOS group, and the remaining 266 patients constructed the control group. Multivariate analysis identified; advanced American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status (PS) classification, elevated baseline creatinine, and open surgery as risk factors for HOS. Renal function worsened among the entire cohort between the construction of the stoma to its closure (mean creatinine of 0.82 vs. 0.96, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Loop ileostomy formation is associated with a substantial readmission rate for dehydration as a result of HOS, and increasing the risk for renal impairment during the duration of the diversion. We identified advanced ASA PS classification, open surgery, and elevated baseline creatinine as predictors for HOS.

Improving pre-bariatric surgery diagnosis of hiatal hernia using machine learning models.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric patients have a high prevalence of hiatal hernia (HH). HH imposes various difficulties in performing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Preoperative evaluation is generally inaccurate, establishing the need for better preoperative assessment. OBJECTIVE: To utilize machine learning ability to improve preoperative diagnosis of HH. METHODS: Machine learning (ML) prediction models were utilized to predict preoperative HH diagnosis using data from a prospectively maintained database of bariatric procedures performed in a high-volume bariatric surgical center between 2012 and 2015. We utilized three optional ML models to improve preoperative contrast swallow study (SS) prediction, automatic feature selection was performed using patients' features. The prediction efficacy of the models was compared to SS. RESULTS: During the study period, 2482 patients underwent bariatric surgery. All underwent preoperative SS, considered the baseline diagnostic modality, which identified 236 (9.5%) patients with presumed HH. Achieving 38.5% sensitivity and 92.9% specificity. ML models increased sensitivity up to 60.2%, creating three optional models utilizing data and patient selection process for this purpose. CONCLUSION: Implementing machine learning derived prediction models enabled an increase of up to 1.5 times of the baseline diagnostic sensitivity. By harnessing this ability, we can improve traditional medical diagnosis, increasing the sensitivity of preoperative diagnostic workout.

Long-term Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Versus Open Abdominoperineal Resection for Rectal Cancer: A Single Specialized Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Randomized studies have validated laparoscopic proctectomy for the treatment of rectal cancer as noninferior to an open proctectomy, but most of those studies have included sphincter-preserving resections along with abdominoperineal resection. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes between minimally invasive and open abdominoperineal resection. DESIGN: This study is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in a single specialized colorectal surgery department. PATIENTS: All patients who underwent abdominoperineal resection for primary rectal cancer between 2000 and 2016 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes measured were the perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes. RESULTS: We included 452 patients, 372 in the open group and 80 in the minimally invasive group, with a median follow-up time of 74 months. There were significant differences between the groups in terms of neoadjuvant radiation treatment (67.5% of the open versus 81.3% of the minimally invasive group, p = 0.01), operative time (mean of 200 minutes versus 287 minutes, p < 0.0001), and mean length of stay (9.5 days versus 6.6 days, p < 0.0001). Overall complication rates were similar between the groups (34.5% versus 27.5%, p = 0.177). There were no significant differences in the mean number of lymph nodes harvested (21.7 versus 22.2 nodes, p = 0.7), circumferential radial margins (1.48 cm versus 1.37 cm, p = 0.4), or in the rate of involved radial margins (10.8% versus 6.3%, p = 0.37). Five-year overall survival was 70% in the open group versus 80% in the minimally invasive group (p = 0.344), whereas the 5-year disease-free survival rate in the open group was 63.2% versus 77.6% in the minimally invasive group (p = 0.09). LIMITATIONS: This study was limited because it describes a single referral institution experience. CONCLUSIONS: Although both approaches have similar perioperative outcomes, the minimally invasive approach benefits the patients with a shorter length of stay and a lower risk for surgical wound infections. Both approaches yield similar oncological technical quality in terms of the lymph nodes harvested and margins status, and they have comparable long-term oncological outcomes. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B754.RESULTADOS A LARGO PLAZO DE LA RESECCIÓN ABDOMINOPERINEAL MÍNIMAMENTE INVASIVA VERSUS ABIERTA PARA EL CÁNCER DE RECTO: EXPERIENCIA DE UN SOLO CENTRO ESPECIALIZADOANTECEDENTES:Estudios aleatorizados han validado la proctectomía laparoscópica para el tratamiento del cáncer de recto igual a la proctectomía abierta, pero la mayoría de esos estudios han incluido resecciones con preservación del esfínter junto con resección abdominoperineal.OBJETIVO:Comparar los resultados oncológicos perioperatorios y a largo plazo entre la resección abdominoperineal abierta y mínimamente invasiva.DISEÑO:Análisis retrospectivo de una base de datos mantenida de forma prospectiva.ENTORNO CLINICO:Servicio único especializado en cirugía colorrectal.PACIENTES:Todos los pacientes que se sometieron a resección abdominoperineal por cáncer de recto primario entre 2000 y 2016.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE VALORACION:Resultados oncológicos perioperatorios y a largo plazo.RESULTADOS:Se incluyeron 452 pacientes, 372 en el grupo abierto y 80 en el grupo mínimamente invasivo, con una mediana de seguimiento de 74 meses. Hubo diferencias significativas entre los grupos en términos de tratamiento con radiación neoadyuvante (67,5% del grupo abierto versus 81,3% del grupo mínimamente invasivo, p = 0,01), tiempo operatorio (media de 200 minutos versus 287 minutos, p < 0,0001) y la duración media de la estancia (9,5 días frente a 6,6 días, p < 0,0001). Las tasas generales de complicaciones fueron similares entre los grupos (34,5% versus 27,5%, p = 0,177). No hubo diferencias significativas en el número medio de ganglios linfáticos extraídos (21,7 versus 22,2 ganglios, p = 0,7), márgenes radiales circunferenciales (1,48 cm y 1,37 cm, p = 0,4), ni en la tasa de márgenes radiales afectados (10,8 cm). % versus 6,3%, p = 0,37). La supervivencia general a 5 años fue del 70% en el grupo abierto frente al 80% en el grupo mínimamente invasivo (p = 0,344), mientras que la tasa de supervivencia libre de enfermedad a 5 años en el grupo abierto fue del 63,2% frente al 77,6% en el grupo mínimamente invasivo (p = 0,09).LIMITACIONES:Experiencia en una institución de referencia única.CONCLUSIONES:Si bien ambos tienen resultados perioperatorios similares, el enfoque mínimamente invasivo, beneficia a los pacientes con estadía más corta y menor riesgo de infecciones de la herida quirúrgica. Ambos enfoques, producen una calidad técnica oncológica similar en términos de ganglios linfáticos extraídos y estado de los márgenes, y tienen resultados oncológicos comparables a largo plazo. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B754. (Traducción - Dr. Fidel Ruiz Healy).

The pattern of peritoneal colorectal metastasis predicts survival after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intra-peritoneal chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal cancer index (PCI) has been used reliably to prognosticate patients with peritoneal metastasis, however, it fails to describe the patterns of peritoneal spread and to correlate these patterns to survival outcomes. We aim to define the scattered peritoneal spread (SPS) as a pattern associated with worse survival in colorectal peritoneal metastasis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of metastatic colorectal cancer patients from a prospectively maintained database of peritoneal surface malignances (n = 280) between 2015 and 2020. SPS was defined by the presence of at least two distant and non-contiguous PCI regions. We compared patients with SPS (n = 73) and clustered peritoneal spread (CPS) (n = 88) for demographics, perioperative and survival outcomes. RESULTS: No difference in demographics or post-operative course was noted between the groups. The median follow-up was 15.4 months (0.4-70.8 months). Worse disease-free survival (DFS) in the SPS group with an estimated median of 8.2 months compared to 22.5 months in the CPS spread group, (p = 0.001). The estimated median overall survival (OS) for SPS group was 35.7 months whereas in the CPS group the median was not reached (p = 0.025). The same effect of SPS was preserved even after stratification of PCI. CONCLUSIONS: We defined and described the association of the peritoneal spread pattern to survival outcomes. SPS patients exhibit worse DFS and OS independent of the PCI level. Integration of malignant spread pattern into prognostication models along with PCI may aid in predicting oncological outcomes.

Ratio of Pathological Response to Preoperative Chemotherapy in Patients Undergoing Complete Cytoreduction and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Correlates with Survival.

BACKGROUND: Pathological response of colorectal peritoneal metastasis (CRPM) may affect prognosis. We investigated the relationship between oncological outcomes and pathological response to chemotherapy of CRPM following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained Peritoneal Surface Malignancies database between 2015 and 2020. Analysis included patients with CRPM who underwent a CRS/HIPEC procedure (n = 178). The cohort was divided into three groups according to the response ratio (ratio of tumor-positive specimens to the total number of specimens resected): Group A, complete response; Group B, high response ratio, and Group C, low response ratio. RESULTS: The group demographics were similar, but the overall complication rate was higher in Group C (65.2%) compared with Groups A (55%) and B (42.8%) [p = 0.03]. Survival correlated to response ratio; the estimated median disease-free survival of Group C was 9.1 months (5.97-12.23), 14.9 months (4.72-25.08) for Group B, and was not reached in Group A (p = 0.001). The estimated median overall survival in Group C was 35 months (26.69-43.31), and was not reached in Groups A and B (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The pathological response ratio to systemic therapy correlates with survival in patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC. This study supports the utilization of preoperative therapy for better patient selection, with a potential impact on survival.

Restoring Intestinal Continuity in a Hostile Abdomen: The Deloyers Procedure.

BACKGROUND: Deloyers procedure enables anastomosis of the ascending colon to the rectum following extended resections that prevent usual fashion anastomosis. During the procedure, the right colon is completely mobilized and counterclockwise rotated to allow tension free and well-vascularized anastomosis while preserving the ileocecal valve. The purpose of this manuscript is to report our experience with laparoscopic Deloyers procedure in a hostile abdomen due to adhesions from previous surgeries. METHODS: We report the outcomes and our technique of laparoscopic Deloyers procedure in three patients. All patients had a surgical complication necessitating the creation of end colostomy with a short colonic remnant. The bowel status prevented restoration of continuity by the common colorectal anastomosis and laparoscopic Deloyers was elected. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in all patients, with no intra-operative complication and average surgery duration of three hours. Patients had uneventful postoperative recovery with only one case of minor complication and an adequate functional outcome. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic Deloyers is safe and allows the restoration of bowel continuity with preservation of ileocecal valve and good functional outcome even in hostile abdomen.

Outcomes of diverting loop ileostomy reversal in the elderly: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Although diverting loop ileostomy (DLI) reversal is considered to be a relatively simple procedure, it is not immune from major morbidity. We aimed to compare outcomes of DLI reversal between elderly and non-elderly patients. METHODS: Retrospective review of all patients who underwent DLI reversal at a single tertiary medical centre between 2010 and 2020. The elderly group consisted of patients 70 or older compared to a control group of those younger than 70 years. RESULTS: During the study period, 307 patients underwent DLI reversal. Of these, 76 patients were in the elderly group (mean age 75.6) and 231 in the control group (mean age 55.3). The groups were comparable in terms of mean time interval between the creation of the ileostomy and reversal (242 versus 255 days, respectively, P = 0.5), choice between stapled and hand-sewn anastomoses (97.4% stapled anastomosis versus 93.1%, P = 0.086), median post-operative length of stay (5 days in both, P = 0.086), rates of post-operative complications (26.3% versus 26.8%, P = 0.99), severe complications (5.3% versus 6.9%, P = 0.81) and 30-day readmission rates (13.2% versus 10.8%, P = 0.58). Multivariate analysis found the time interval between the creation of the stoma and its reversal to be the only significant risk factor for major post-operative morbidity. Age was not found to be correlated with post-operative morbidity. CONCLUSION: The outcomes of loop ileostomy reversal in elderly patients are similar to non-elderly patients. Efforts should be made to decrease the time interval between the creation of the stoma and its reversal as this is a significant risk factor for major post-operative morbidity.

Colorectal Surgery Surveillance: A Novel Method for Composing an Automated Real-time Prospective Registry.

BACKGROUND: Medical registries have been shown to be an effective way to improve patient care and reduce costs. Constructing such registries entails extraneous effort of either reviewing medical charts or creating tailored case report forms (CRF). While documentation has shifted from handwritten notes into electronic medical records (EMRs), the majority of information is logged as free text, which is difficult to extract. OBJECTIVES: To construct a tool within the EMR to document patient-related data as codified variables to automatically create a prospective database for all patients undergoing colorectal surgery. METHODS: The hospital's EMR was re-designed to include codified variables within the operative report and patient notes that documented pre-operative history, operative details, postoperative complications, and pathology reports. The EMR was programmed to capture all existing data of interest with manual completion of un-coded variables. RESULTS: During a 6-month pilot study, 130 patients underwent colorectal surgery. Of these, 104 (80%) were logged into the registry on the same day of surgery. The median time to log the rest of the 26 cases was 1 day. Forty-two patients had a postoperative complication. The most common cause for severe complications was an anastomotic leak with a cumulative rate of 12.3. CONCLUSIONS: Re-designing the EMR to enable prospective documentation of surgical related data is a valid method to create an on-going, real-time database that is recorded instantaneously with minimal additional effort and minimal cost.

Totally Laparoscopic Ileocolic Resection for Complex Enterovisceral Fistulas in Crohn's Disease: A Comparative Study.

INTRODUCTION: In primary Crohn's disease (CD), laparoscopic ileocolic resection has been shown to be both feasible and safe, and is associated with improved outcomes in terms of postoperative morbidity and length of hospital stay. However, it is unclear whether the laparoscopic approach can be routinely proposed as a safe procedure for patients with complex enterovisceral fistulas.The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic surgery for complex enterovisceral fistulas, and compare it with CD patients who underwent primary laparoscopic ileocolic resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who underwent laparoscopic primary ileocolic resection (LICR) for complex enterovisceral fistulas between July 2006 and July 2017 were included. They were compared with all consecutive patients who underwent LICR for nonfistulizing CD in the same period of time. Patients with previous bowel resections or recurrent disease were excluded. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with 20 enterovisceral fistulas (group I) were compared with 61 patients who underwent LICR for nonfistulizing disease (group II). There were no differences between the groups in age, sex, preoperative body mass index, nutritional status, and American Society of Anesthesiology score. There was no conversion to open surgery in both groups.There were no significant differences between groups in terms of operative time [120 (range: 65 to 232) vs. 117 (range: 62 to 217) min, P=0.7], hospital stay [6 (5 to 8) vs. 7 (5 to 65) days, P=0.56], overall morbidity 26.3% versus 16.4% (P=0.33), major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo >3) 15.7% versus 10% (P=0.66) and reoperation rates 5.3% versus 4.9% (P=0.9). There was no mortality in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience shows that the laparoscopic approach for complex enterovisceral fistulas in selected CD patients is both feasible and safe in the hands of experienced inflammatory bowel disease surgeons with extensive expertise in laparoscopic surgery. Larger study cohorts are needed to confirm these findings.

Transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: Surgical outcomes and short-term oncological outcomes in a single-institution consecutive series.

INTRODUCTION: Rectal cancer surgery is continuously evolving. Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) is a relatively new surgical approach with possible advantages in comparison to current standard surgical techniques. Several studies in recent years have validated this approach regarding safety and effectiveness. We describe our initial experience with TaTME evaluating surgical parameters, post-operative outcomes and short-term oncological outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective study reviewing all patients who underwent TaTME in a single institution from May 2015 to April 2018. RESULTS: The cohort included 25 patients with an average age of 60.4 (range: 40-86), of which 13 (52%) patients were male. The average body mass index was 26.1. The overall 30-day morbidity rate was 40%, with 20% (five cases) being severe complications, defined by Clavien-Dindo Grade of 3b or above. There were three major interoperative complications. Four cases (16%) required reoperation during the first 30 post-operative days. The median length of stay was 8 days. The surgery duration was on average 296 min (range: 205-510). Negative resection margins were achieved in all patients. At a median follow-up period of 14 months, there were no local recurrences, and 4 cases (16%) had a distant recurrence. CONCLUSION: This study describes our initial experience with TaTME, which requires a substantial learning curve to minimise complications and morbidity. Oncological outcomes as expressed by the resection margins, number of lymph nodes harvested and local recurrence rates were all comparable to previously published data.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on General Surgery Acute Admissions and Urgent Operations: A Comparative Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: As part of the effort to control the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak, strict emergency measures, including prolonged national curfews, have been imposed. Even in countries where healthcare systems still functioned, patients avoided visiting emergency departments (EDs) because of fears of exposure to COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To describe the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on admissions of surgical patients from the ED and characteristics of urgent operations performed. METHODS: A prospective registry study comparing all patients admitted for acute surgical and trauma care between 15 March and 14 April 2020 (COVID-19) with patients admitted in the parallel time a year previously (control) was conducted. RESULTS: The combined cohort included 606 patients. There were 25% fewer admissions during the COVID-19 period (P < 0.0001). The COVID-19 cohort had a longer time interval from onset of symptoms (P < 0.001) and presented in a worse clinical condition as expressed by accelerated heart rate (P = 0.023), leukocyte count disturbances (P = 0.005), higher creatinine, and CRP levels (P < 0.001) compared with the control cohort. More COVID-19 patients required urgent surgery (P = 0.03) and length of ED stay was longer (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 epidemic, fewer patients presented to the ED requiring acute surgical care. Those who did, often did so in a delayed fashion and in worse clinical condition. More patients required urgent surgical interventions compared to the control period. Governments and healthcare systems should emphasize to the public not to delay seeking medical attention, even in times of crises.

Long-Term Bowel Function after Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS).

BACKGROUND: Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) is a single port access platform used for full thickness local excision of rectal lesions. It is an appealing alternative to a radical resection of rectum that often can cause a significant bowel dysfunction described as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). LARS is evaluated using a validated score. Functional outcomes of patients undergoing TAMIS has not yet been evaluated using the LARS score. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate long-term bowel function in patients who underwent TAMIS. METHODS: In this case series, all patients who underwent TAMIS in a single tertiary institute between 2011 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated bowel function using the LARS score questionnaire through telephone interviews. RESULTS: The study consisted of 23 patients, average age of 67 ± 6.98 year; 72% were male. The median follow-up from the time of surgery was 5 years. Six patients (26.08%) had malignant type lesions. The average height of the lesion from the anal verge was 7.4 cm. The average size of the specimen was 4 cm. The total LARS score revealed that 17 patients (73.91%) had no definitive LAR syndrome following the surgery. Four patients (17.39%) fit the description of minor LARS and only two (8.69%) presented with major LARS. CONCLUSIONS: TAMIS provides relatively good long-term functional outcomes in terms of bowel function. Further randomized studies with larger cohorts are still needed to better evaluate the outcomes.

A Dinucleotide Deletion in the CD24 Gene Is a Potential Risk Factor for Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: CD24 is a sialoglycoprotein anchored to the cell surface via glycosylphosphatidylinositol and is involved in intracellular signaling processes. It plays an important role in the early stages of the multistep process of colorectal carcinogenesis. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CD24 gene are reported to exert a diverse effect on cancer risk. We aimed to elucidate whether CD24 TG/del genetic variants are associated with susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: The study included 179 subjects, 36 with CRC (prior to surgery) and 143 healthy control subjects. Deoxyribonucleic acid was purified from peripheral blood leukocytes, and by using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, the CD24 gene was genotyped for the specific genetic variant, TG deletion. Additionally, CD24 protein expression levels were determined by Western blotting analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of the TG/del was higher among the CRC patients compared with healthy controls, 14% and 10%, respectively (P = .54). CD24 protein levels were significantly higher among CRC patients. There were no significant differences in CD24 expression between CRC patients at different stages of the disease or between patients who carry the mutation and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: CD24 genetic variant might be of clinical value for risk assessment as part of cancer prevention programs. Further study on larger populations is needed to validate the importance of this dinucleotide deletion in CRC development. Overexpression of CD24 protein occurs early along the multistep process of CRC carcinogenesis, and a simple blood sample based on CD24 expression on peripheral blood leukocytes can contribute to early diagnosis.

The location of premalignant colorectal polyps under age 50: a further rationale for screening sigmoidoscopy.

PURPOSE: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) among young adults has been dramatically rising, with guidelines for screening recently adjusted to start at age 45. However, knowledge of the precursor lesions is limited. We recently reported that 83% of CRC diagnosed under age 50 are left sided. Our aim was to analyze the location and histology of benign colorectal lesions found in a cohort of patients younger than 50, documenting the presence of advanced histology. METHODS: We used the database in the Department of Pathology to retrospectively review the location and histology of all benign colorectal neoplasms in patients under age 50 submitted to pathology examination during 2006-2016. RESULTS: A total of 8364 lesions were examined from 4773 patients, and 3534 (65.5%) of the patients had only one polyp and the rest had multiple. Mean age was 41.9 years (range 16-49) while 3843 (72.8%) of the patients were between the ages of 40 and 49. In total, 4570/8364 lesions (54.6%) were distal to the splenic flexure. The most common pathology was tubular adenoma (63.7%), then hyperplastic polyps (16.6%), sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) (13.1%), and tubulovillous adenomas (6.3%). Tubulovillous adenomas, villous lesions, advanced adenomas, and adenomas with high-grade dysplasia were all predominantly left sided (left colon and rectum = 77.6%, 85%, 78.3%, and 87.6% respectively). Of the SSLs, 71.5% were in the right colon while 16.6% of hyperplastic lesions were right sided. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk advanced adenomas are predominantly left sided. This focuses attention on the rectum and left colon where carcinogenesis is strong in the young.