Anatomical relationship between fascia propria of the rectum and visceral pelvic fascia in the view of continuity of fasciae / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective@#To perform an anatomical observation on the extension of the mesocolon to the mesorectum and the continuity of the fasciae lining the abdomen and pelvis, in order to clarify the appropriate surgical plane of total mesorectal excision.@*Methods@#This is an descriptive study. The operation videos of 61 cases (28 males, 33 females, median age of 61) were collected. All the patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery from January 2018 to December 2018 in Yangpu Hospital, including low anterior resection for rectal cancer in 25 cases, left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer in 15 cases, and subtotal resection of the colon for intractable constipation in 21 cases. Among these 21 constipation patients, 8 received additional modified Duhamel surgeries. Gross anatomy was performed on 24 adult cadavers provided by Department of Anatomy, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, including 23 formalin-fixed and 1 fresh cadaver (12 males, 12 females). Sixty-one patients and 24 cadavers had no previous abdominal or pelvic surgical history. The anatomy and extension of fasciae related to descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum, especially the morphology of Toldt fascia, and the continuities of mesocolon and mesorectum were observed carefully. The distribution characteristics of the fasciae and anatomical landmarks during laparoscopic surgery were recorded and described.@*Results@#The anatomical study on 24 cadavers showed that visceral fascia was the densest connective tissue in the pelvic, posterolateral to the rectum, and stretched as a hammock to lift all pelvic organs. Among 61 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, 36 (59.0%) needed to free the left colon during operation, and Toldt fascia in the descending colon segment presented as potential, avascular and extensible loose connective tissue plane between the mesocolon and posterior Gerota fascia; 33 (54.1%) needed to free the rectum during operation, and Toldt fascia extended downward to pelvis as loose connective tissue between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia; the fascia propria of the rectum exposed completely in 32 (32/33, 97.0%) cases, which ran downward and fused with visceral fascia at the level of the fourth sacral vertebra. The anatomy of 24 cadavers also showed that fascia propria of the rectum fused with visceral fascia at the level of Waldeyer fascia. The fusion line of these two fasciae was supposed to be the extension of Waldeyer fascia. There were two avascular planes behind the rectum: one between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia, and the other between the visceral fascia and parietal fascia. In 8 constipation cases undergoing laparoscopic subtotal colon resection plus modified Duhamel operation, both mesocolon and mesorectum needed to be mobilized. It was obvious that the mesocolon of descending colon extended and became the mesocolon of sigmoid colon, and ran further into the pelvic and became the mesorectum. The colon fascia of descending colon served as the natural boundary of mesocolon extended downward as the fascia of sigmoid colon and the fascia propria of the rectum, respectively. Toldt fascia locating between mesocolon of descending colon and Gerota fascia extended to pelvis as the 'presacral space’ between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia. Gerota fascia in descending colon segment extended as urogenital fascia in sigmoid colon segment and visceral fascia in the pelvis, respectively. In the cadaver anatomy study, the visceral fascia served as a corridor carrying the hypogastric nerve, and ureter was observed in 23 (23/24, 95.8%) cases. The visceral fascia passed from posterior to anterior lateral of rectum, fusing with Denonvilliers fascia in a fan shape. The pelvic plexus located exactly external to the junction of visceral fascia and Denonvilliers fascia. Pelvic splanchnic nerves went through the parietal fascia toward to the inferolateral of the pelvic plexus.@*Conclusion@#Fascia propria of the rectum and the visceral pelvic fascia are two independent layers of fascia, and the TME surgical plane is between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral pelvic fascia instead of between the visceral and the parietal pelvic fascia.

Impact of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on the prognosis of patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the impact of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR) on the prognosis of patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer (LACRC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinicopathological data of 684 patients with stage II(-III( CRC undergoing radical resection at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital from January 2008 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. NLR was calculated from neutrophil and lymphocyte counts on routine blood tests prior to surgery. The optimal cutoff value of NLR for predicting 5-year overall survival (OS) was determined through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. According to the cut-off value, patients were divided into high NLR and low NLR groups. Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were compared between two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazards model to evaluate the impact of clinical factors on prognosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 396 male and 288 female patients were included in the study, with a median age of 62 years(range 21-92).Among these patients, 335 had rectal cancers and 349 had colonic cancers; 328 were TNM stage II( and 356 were stage III(. The end of follow-up was January 2016. ROC curve showed that the optimal cut-off value of NLR was 3.0, then patients were divided into low NLR group (NLR≤3.0, n=481) and high NLR group (NLR>3.0, n=203). Compared with low NLR group, the high NLR group was more likely to be older (median 64 vs. 61, t=-2.412, P=0.016), presented higher ratio of colonic cancer [66.0%(134/203) vs. 44.7%(215/481), χ=25.945, P=0.000] and stage III( tumor [60.1%(122/203) vs. 48.6%(234/481), χ=7.499, P=0.007], but lower ratio of first-degree relative cancer history [8.9%(18/203) vs. 15.6%(75/481); χ=5.496, P=0.020]. However, no significant differences were observed between two groups in gender, smoking and drinking history, tumor differentiation grade, vessel invasion and nerve invasion (all P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 67 months (range 3-92), and the 5-year OS rates of high NLR and low NLR group were 59.6% and 73.2% respectively, with significant difference (P=0.001). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that age >65 years (HR=2.07, 95%CI=1.59-2.70, P=0.000), no first-degree relative cancer history (HR=2.01, 95%CI=1.23-3.28, P=0.005), poor differentiation grade (HR=1.65, 95%CI=1.26-2.15, P=0.000), positive vessel or nerve invasion (HR=1.92, 95%CI=1.35-2.71, P=0.000), high TNM stage(HR=2.10, 95%CI=1.59-2.77, P=0.000) and preoperative NLR>3.0(HR=1.51, 95%CI=1.14-2.00, P=0.004) were independent risk factors of prognosis for patients with LACRC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Preoperative NLR can influence the prognosis of patients with LACRC receiving radical surgery. High NLR is associated with poor prognosis.</p>

TACE combined with IMRT for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: observation of its curative effect / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the curative effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),and to discuss the occurrence of adverse events.Methods A total of 59 patients with advanced HCC were enrolled in this study.The patients were randomly divided into TACE plus IMRT group (study group,n=30) and TACE group (control group,n=29).The early tumor response rate,progression free survival (PFS),median survival time (mST),and adverse reactions were analyzed.Results The early tumor response rate in the study group was 60.0％,which was significantly higher than 34.4％ in the control group (P=0.043).PFS of the study group was 260 days,which was remarkably higher than 195 days of the control group (P=0.006).The mST was 468 days in the study group,which was 431 days in the control group (P=0.195).In the study group,2 patients developed severe liver function damage,which was improved after active liver protection therapy for more than 20 days.Conclusion For the treatment of advanced HCC,TACE combined with IMRT can improve early tumor response rate and prolong PFS time,moreover,its adverse reactions can be well tolerated by patients.

Short-term Therapeutic Effect of Elemene Combined with Interventional Therapy for Moderate and Advanced Liver Cancer / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To evaluate the short-term effect of elemene combined with transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) interventional therapy for the treatment of moderate and advanced liver cancer.Methods A total of 63 patients with moderate and advanced liver cancer were randomized into test group(31 cases) and control group(32 cases). Both groups were given TACE, and additionally, the test group was given intra-arterial infusion of Elemene Emulsion(400-600 mg/m2)together with MAO(Mitomycin C 4-6 mg/m2 , adriamycin 20-40 mg/m2, Oxaliplatin 50-85 mg /m2), and the control group was given intra-arterial infusion of MAO. Short-term effect was evaluated by the clinical outcomes of tumor size, progression-free survival(PFS), total survival rate and adverse reactio n. Results(1)The overall response rate(ORR) in the test group was superior to that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P0.05).(3) No severe toxic or side effect was found in t he twogroups, the difference being not significant(P>0.05). The test group tended to have milder adverse reaction. Conclusion Intra-arterial infusion Elemene Emulsion combined with TACE interventional therapy is effective in increasing ORR, prolonging PFS, promoting adverse reaction endure and relieving symptoms of weakness, abdominal distension and pain.