Clinico-pathological characteristics of obstructing colorectal cancer and its management outcomes at a tertiary referral center of Eastern Nepal.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to explore the treatment strategies being followed for patients with obstructing colorectal cancer (OCRC) at our institute and to know the management outcomes. METHODS: This study included 28 patients who were diagnosed with obstructing colorectal cancer (OCRC) either preoperatively or intraoperatively over a period of 5 years. RESULTS: Most were in the younger age group with mean age of 49.78 ± 15.96 years with 1/4th of the patients being younger than 40. There was no difference in incidence of OCRC among genders. It was found to be common in rural areas of the eastern Nepal, 16(57%) patients from such areas. 21.4% patients had complete bowel obstruction at presentation. The investigating modalities used were abdominal X-ray, ultrasonoghraphy of abdomen/pelvis, abdominal CT-scan, colonoscopy, serum CEA, punch biopsy and Faecal occult blood test. The anatomical shift to the right was observed with 54% lesions in the proximal colon. Majority were in advanced stage (stage 3:53.6%, stage 4:32.1%) with histologically adenocarcinoma (100%) and a higher incidence of synchronous lesion (28.6%). Patients averaged 13.82 days in the hospital with post-operative mortality rate of 3.6%. The 1-year and 2-years disease free survivals were 89.3% and 82.1% while overall survivals were 92.8% and 82.1% respectively. CONCLUSION: In developing countries like ours, relatively younger patients present to health center with obstructive colorectal cancer with anatomical shift to the right sided lesions. The treatments provided at our center and their outcomes are not inferior to that of the developed world.

Primary adrenocortical carcinoma: a case report.

Adrenal tumors are very common, affecting 3-10% of the human population, and most are small, benign, nonfunctional adrenocortical adenomas. Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), in contrast, is a very rare disease. The median age of diagnosis is in the fifth to sixth decade. There is a predilection for the female gender (the ratio of female to male ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 : 1) the adult. Case presentation: A 28-year-old man who had no prior history of systemic hypertension or diabetes mellitus presented with bilateral limb swelling for 2 months and facial puffiness for 1 month. He had an episode of hypertensive emergencies. A radiological and hormonal work-up established the diagnosis of primary ACC. One cycle of chemotherapy was given until he lost follow-up and succumbed to death due to financial constraints. Conclusions: Adrenocortical carcinoma is an extremely uncommon tumor of the adrenal gland, and it is even more uncommon when it manifests without any symptoms. If patients exhibit signs of rapid and multiple adrenocortical hormone excess, such as weakness, hypokalaemia, or hypertension, ACC may be suspected. Recently developed gynecomastia in men may be brought on by an ACC producing too much sex hormone. To accurately diagnose the condition and give the patient a fair prognosis, a multidisciplinary approach involving endocrine surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, and internists is advised. Proper genetic counseling is recommended. It is critical to know whether the adrenal mass is malignant or not, and to get this ascertained by a computed tomography finding and biopsy.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Impact of Volume on Outcomes at a Tertiary Care Center-Our Experience in Single Institute of Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Pancreaticoduodenectomy is a complex high-risk surgical procedure usually done for malignant disease carrying significant postoperative morbidity and mortality. An audit and analysis of rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality and the impact of case volume can provide information about the lacunas in patient care and methods to improve it for safe and early discharge of patients. This study was conducted to find out demographic profile, the rate of perioperative morbidities, mortality, and impact of case volume on patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignant disease which may serve as a guide to uplift the patient care in our center. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy from 2015 to 2019 was performed. A total of 62 patients were included in the study. Patient's clinic-demographic details and intraoperative and postoperative events were recorded. The rate of various postoperative morbidities and mortality and year-wise trend of these factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Most of the patients were in the sixth decade of life (38.7%) with male preponderance (61.3%). Pancreatic cancer was most commonly seen followed by cholangiocarcinoma (46.8%). SSI (32.3%), intraabdominal collection (25.8%), anastomotic leak (14.5%), pancreatic fistula (22.6%), and postpancreatectomy hemorrhage (8.1%) were the major postoperative events. Mortality was found in 12.9% patients. CONCLUSION: There has been a decrease in rate of all these postoperative adverse events and improvement in the intraoperative blood loss and surgical duration with advancing years and increasing number of cases.

Non-malignant gall bladder perforation: Our experience from an institution-based retrospective analysis of 25 cases.

Gallbladder perforation still continues to perplex surgeons; 25 such patients diagnosed either pre- or intra-operatively and managed at our institute over the last 10 years period were analysed. Only eight were diagnosed pre-operatively, while a large majority (17) had a wrong initial working diagnosis. Symptoms and signs were variable. No blood investigation was specific. A computed tomography scan was generally better than ultrasound in detecting the perforation. All our cases were managed operatively with no mortality and a mean duration of hospital stay of 6.8 days. Most perforations were extra-hepatic (84%) and those of Niemeier's type I (52.2%). Because of its varied clinical presentation, gallbladder perforation is often an intra-operative diagnosis, but early intervention carries a good outcome.

Appendiculo-cecal intussusception: a case report and literature review.

Intussusception of the appendix is a rare disease that constitutes a diagnostic challenge to the surgeon. Intussusception is defined as the telescoping of a segment of the gastrointestinal tract into an adjacent one. We are reporting a case of a 14-year-old boy who presented in our institution with the features of acute appendicitis. On exploration appendiculo-cecal intussusception was found for which right hemicolectomy with ileotransverse colon anastomosis was done.

Pudendal flap-a good option for creating neo-scrotum after Fournier's gangrene: a case series.

Scrotal skin loss following Fournier's gangrene is very distressing to the patients. The management is complex and challenging shown by the multiplicity of flaps and techniques described in the literature. We included a total of 14 patients with the diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene over a period of 1 year in our department. We used a modified pudendal thigh flap to reconstruct neo-scrotum in patients with scrotal defects resulting from excision and debridement of Fournier's gangrene. The average age group of the patients in our study was 41.8 years. The average body mass index in our study was 22.36 kg/m2. The average defect size in our study was 7.05 × 13.07 cm2. There was a single case of flap necrosis. Modified pudendal thigh flap produces a neo-scrotum that looks natural in appearance, provides good quality skin cover and cushion to the testes as well as protective sensation.

Amyand's hernia in a 5-year-old child: a case report and literature review.

Amyand's hernia in a child is a very rare entity. It poses a diagnostic challenge to the surgeon due to its variety of presentation. We are presenting a case of a 5-year-old child who presented to our institute with right-sided irreducible inguinal hernia. On exploration, the content of the hernia was caecum with normal appendix for which herniotomy with appendectomy was done.

Anatomy of Rouviere's Sulcus and Its Association with Complication of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

METHODS: This is a prospective observational study involving patients of age ≥16 years who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for uncomplicated gall stone at BPKIHS between May and July 2019. RESULT: 230 cases were analyzed, and RS was present in 90.4%. Open sulcus type was the commonest (54%), followed by scar type (22.9%), closed sulcus type (12.5%), and slit type (10.6%), respectively. In 59.1% of cases, it was oblique to the anterior, inferior, and external edge of the liver, while in the remaining cases, it was transverse. The mean ± SD values for operative time and duration of hospital stay in the RS visible and the RS not visible groups were 29.16 ± 8.736 and 42.9 ± 23.646 minutes, and 1.26 ± 0.440 and 1.90 ± 0.910 days, respectively (p value ≤0.001). One minor complication occurred in each group: RS initially visible group and RS visible on the adhesion release group, while 3 minor complications occurred in the RS not visible group. Only one major complication occurred in the RS not visible group. CONCLUSION: Identification of RS by operating surgeons is a predictor of safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic approach for diaphragmatic hernia repair in adult: our experience of four cases.

Diaphragmatic hernia can be congenital or acquired. Usual clinical presentation may range from asymptomatic cases to serious respiratory/gastrointestinal symptoms and occasionally atypical presentation as lumbar hernia also. The diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia is based on clinical investigation and is confirmed by plain X-ray film and computed tomography scan. Various treatment approaches, open, laparoscopic and combination, are available for this condition. However, laparoscopic approach has recently gained in popularity. Surgical repair typically involves primary or patch closure of the diaphragm through an open or endoscopic abdominal or thoracic approach. This paper reflects our experience of repair of diaphragmatic hernias to evaluate its safety, efficacy and outcomes.

Simple and economical method for identification and speciation of Staphylococcus epidermidis and other coagulase negative Staphylococci and its validation by molecular methods.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have been increasingly recognized as a clinically important group of species that can cause several opportunistic nosocomial infections. There are at least 47 known species of Staphylococci and to differentiate all these species >40 biochemical tests need to be performed. The present study was able to refine the CoNS identification process by using only five tests to identify S. epidermidis from the rest and used six other tests to identify eleven other clinically significant CoNS species. A total of 242 CoNS isolates were collected from tertiary care hospitals and included in the study. The five-biochemical test scheme devised based on mathematical probability derived from a computer algorithm included fermentation of mannitol, maltose, mannose, trehalose and novobiocin susceptibility to differentiate S. epidermidis from other CoNS species. The remaining CoNS isolates other than S. epidermidis were further characterized with the help of six additional tests, which identified another eleven species. Species-specific PCR and 16SrDNA sequencing were used to confirm and validate the identification scheme. Species-specific PCR and 16SrDNA sequencing showed 100% agreement with non-divergent phenotypic test results, indicating that the five selected assays are highly specific for identifying S. epidermidis. In conclusion, this study used only 11 tests to identify most of the clinically significant CoNS that can reduce cost and time. This scheme is easy to perform in any laboratory with basic resources, the results of this study were validated using more accurate molecular methods such as PCR and 16S rDNA typing to confirm the utility of the proposed scheme.

Disruption of tetR type regulator adeN by mobile genetic element confers elevated virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important human pathogen and considered as a major threat due to its extreme drug resistance. In this study, the genome of a hyper-virulent MDR strain PKAB07 of A. baumannii isolated from an Indian patient was sequenced and analyzed to understand its mechanisms of virulence, resistance and evolution. Comparative genome analysis of PKAB07 revealed virulence and resistance related genes scattered throughout the genome, instead of being organized as an island, indicating the highly mosaic nature of the genome. Many intermittent horizontal gene transfer events, insertion sequence (IS) element insertions identified were augmenting resistance machinery and elevating the SNP densities in A. baumannii eventually aiding in their swift evolution. ISAba1, the most widely distributed insertion sequence in A. baumannii was found in multiple sites in PKAB07. Out of many ISAba1 insertions, we identified novel insertions in 9 different genes wherein insertional inactivation of adeN (tetR type regulator) was significant. To assess the significance of this disruption in A. baumannii, adeN mutant and complement strains were constructed in A. baumannii ATCC 17978 strain and studied. Biofilm levels were abrogated in the adeN knockout when compared with the wild type and complemented strain of adeN knockout. Virulence of the adeN knockout mutant strain was observed to be high, which was validated by in vitro experiments and Galleria mellonella infection model. The overexpression of adeJ, a major component of AdeIJK efflux pump observed in adeN knockout strain could be the possible reason for the elevated virulence in adeN mutant and PKB07 strain. Knocking out of adeN in ATCC strain led to increased resistance and virulence at par with the PKAB07. Disruption of tetR type regulator adeN by ISAba1 consequently has led to elevated virulence in this pathogen.

Anterior resection for rectal cancer with mesorectal excision: institutional review.

This study aims to compare the operative results and oncological outcomes of patients with total mesorectal excision (TME) for mid and distal cancer and partial mesorectal excision (PME) for proximal cancer. Anterior resection has become the preferred treatment option for rectal cancer. TME with sharp dissection has been shown to be associated with a low local recurrence rate. Controversies still exist as to the need for TME in more proximal tumor. Resection of primary rectal and rectosigmoid cancer was performed in 298 patients from January 2003 to November 2010. These 298 patients (163 men and 135 women; median age, 67 years) underwent anterior resection. The curative resection was performed in 269 patients (90.3 %). TME was performed in 202 patients (67.8 %). Significantly longer median operating time, more blood loss, and a longer hospital stay were found in patients with TME. The overall operative mortality and morbidity rates were 1.8 % and 32.6 %, respectively, and there were no significant differences between those of TME and PME. Anastomotic leak occurred in 8.1 % and 1.3 % of patients with TME and PME, respectively (P < 0.001). Independent factors for a higher anastomotic leakage rate were TME, the malegender, the absence of stoma, and increased blood loss. The advanced stage of the disease and the performance of coloanal anastomosis were independent factors for increased local recurrence. By performing TME in patients with mid and distal rectal cancer, the local control and survival of these patients are similar to those of patients with proximal cancers where adequate clearance can be achieved by PME.

Atypical presentation of Boerhaave's syndrome.

Boerhaave's syndrome is the rare and often fatal condition of spontaneous oesophageal rupture. When present with atypical symptoms, diagnosis is frequently late, which contributes to the high morbidity and mortality. The authors describe a unique case of a 50-year-old man presented with atypical Boerhaave's syndrome, in which the diagnosis was made several days following presentation by observing a large pleural effusion that had evolved rapidly on chest radiographs. He was managed without thoracotomy. Although survival has been reported with non-operative management of contained oesophageal perforations, to our knowledge, this is the rare case report of surviving Boerhaave's syndrome with free pleural rupture, without thoracotomy.

Congenital omental cyst.

Congenital omental cysts are rare intra-abdominal pathology, which are difficult to diagnose preoperatively; as such a high index of suspicion is required for accurate preoperative diagnosis. We present a case of congenital omental cyst in a 3-year-old girl who presented with huge abdominal distension. We performed diagnostic examinations including ultrasonography and CT of the abdomen. An omental cyst was diagnosed because of its position and connection to the surrounding tissues. She was operated and cyst was excised completely. Histological examination revealed an omental cyst with endothelial lining and haemorrhagic fluid inside. She had an uneventful recovery and doing well, without recurrence at follow-up of 24 months. Clinicians must rigorously pursue a preoperative diagnosis, as it may prevent a surprise upon laparotomy and result in proper management.