Quality of life and functional outcomes after laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME) and transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) for rectal cancer. an updated meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Concerns exist regarding the potential for transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) to yield poorer functional outcomes compared to laparoscopic TME (LaTME). The aim of this study is to assess the functional outcomes following taTME and LaTME, focusing on bowel, anorectal, and urogenital disorders and their impact on the patient's QoL. METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and A Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted in Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. The variables considered are: Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Jorge-Wexner scales; European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C29 and QLQ-C30 scales. RESULTS: Eleven studies involving 1020 patients (497-taTME group/ 523-LaTME group) were included. There was no significant difference between the treatments in terms of anorectal function: LARS (MD: 2.81, 95% CI: - 2.45-8.08, p = 0.3; I2 = 97%); Jorge-Wexner scale (MD: -1.3, 95% CI: -3.22-0.62, p = 0.19). EORTC QLQ C30/29 scores were similar between the groups. No significant differences were reported in terms of urogenital function: IPSS (MD: 0.0, 95% CI: - 1.49-1.49, p = 0.99; I2 = 72%). CONCLUSIONS: This review supports previous findings indicating that functional outcomes and QoL are similar for rectal cancer patients who underwent taTME or LaTME. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the long-term impact of the functional sequelae of these surgical approaches.

Retrospective analysis of transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair in emergency cases: A cohort study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair (TAPP) for inguinal hernias in emergency settings, providing insights from a long-term follow-up. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent emergency TAPP repair in ASST Nord Milano from January 2005 to December 2023. A prospectively collected database of 54 consecutive TAPP hernia repairs was reviewed. The study evaluated the feasibility and safety of TAPP through operative time and the conversion rate. Effectiveness was gauged by recurrence and complication rates as well as acute and chronic pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Long-term follow-up included assessing recovery to normal activity. RESULTS: Overall, data from 54 consecutive patients were analyzed. Median age was 72 (IQR = 11), with 21 men and 33 women (38.8% vs. 61.2%). The primary diagnosis was a primary hernia (61.1%), while a recurrent type was identified in 21 patients (38.9%). Femoral hernia was identified in 36 cases (48%). The median operative time was 100 min (IQR = 53 min) with 6 cases of conversion (11.1%). One recurrence (1.85%) was noted and the complication rate was 5.55 %. At a median follow-up of 38 months, there was a low grade of chronic pain (VAS 3) in a patient (1.85%) and one recurrence (1.85%). CONCLUSION: TAPP is a safe, feasible, and effective option for emergency inguinal hernia repair, exhibiting low complication and recurrence rates on long-term follow-up when performed by surgeons with minimally invasive surgery experience and in selected patients.

Current Management of Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis: New Insights on the Surgical Approaches.

Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a life-threatening medical emergency with considerable morbidity. Despite recent advances in medical IBD therapy, colectomy rates for ASUC remain high. A scoping review of published articles on ASUC was performed. We collected data, such as general information of the disease, diagnosis and initial assessment, and available medical and surgical treatments focusing on technical aspects of surgical approaches. The most relevant articles were considered in this scoping review. The management of ASUC is challenging; currently, personalized treatment for it is unavailable. Sequential medical therapy should be administrated, preferably in high-volume IBD centers with close patient monitoring and indication for surgery in those cases with persistent symptoms despite medical treatment, complications, and clinical worsening. A total colectomy with end ileostomy is typically performed in the acute setting. Managing rectal stump is challenging, and all individual and technical aspects should be considered. Conversely, when performing elective colectomy for ASUC, a staged surgical procedure is usually preferred, thus optimizing the patients' status preoperatively and minimizing postoperative complications. The minimally invasive approach should be selected whenever technically feasible. Robotic versus laparoscopic ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has shown similar outcomes in terms of safety and postoperative morbidity. The transanal approach to ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (Ta-IPAA) is a recent technique for creating an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis via a transanal route. Early experiences suggest comparable short- and medium-term functional results of the transanal technique to those of traditional approaches. However, there is a need for additional comparative outcomes data and a better understanding of the ideal training and implementation pathways for this procedure. This manuscript predominantly explores the surgical treatment of ASUC. Additionally, it provides an overview of currently available medical treatment options that the surgeon should reasonably consider in a multidisciplinary setting.

Right-sided colonic diverticulitis. Short and long-term surgical outcomes and 2-year quality of life.

AIM: We aimed to investigate the short and the long-term outcomes and 2-year Quality of Life (QoL) of patients with right-sided colonic diverticulitis (RCD) surgically managed. METHOD: We conducted an ambidirectional cohort study of patients with RCD undergoing surgery between 2012/2022. A colonoscopy was performed at 1-year post surgery. The enrolled patients completed the EuroQoL (EQ-5D-3L) during a regular follow-up visit at 12 and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: Three hundred nineteen patients with RCD were selected: 223 (70%) patients were treated by non-operative management (NOM) while 33 underwent surgery. Acute diverticulitis occurred in 30 patients: 9 (27.2%) were classified by CT as uncomplicated and 21 (63.6%) as complicated diverticulitis. Additionally, chronic diverticulitis occurred in 3 cases (9.2%). Specifically, 27 patients were classified by CT as 1a (81.8%) and 6 patients as 3 (18.2%). Right hemicolectomy was performed in 30 patients (90.8%), and ileo-caecectomy in 3 (9.2%). Nine (27.27%) experienced postoperative complications: 7 (77.7%) were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo as grade I-II, and 2 (22.2%) as grade III. No disease recurrence or colorectal cancer (CRC) was detected on colonoscopy. Thirty (90.8%) patients completed the 24-month follow-up. A statistically significant difference between preoperative and 24-month QoL index values (median 0.72; IQR = 0.57-0.8 vs. median 0.9; IQR = 0.82-1; p = 0.0003) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The study results demonstrate satisfactory surgical outcomes and a better QoL after surgery. No disease recurrence or CRC was observed at colonoscopy 1 year after surgery.

Intraoperative transcystic laparoscopic common bile duct stone clearance with SpyGlass™ discover during emergency and elective cholecystectomy: a single-center case series.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: The development of a new cholangioscope, the SpyGlass™ Discover (Boston Scientific), has allowed the laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration and stone clearance. The possibility of simultaneous treatment of choledocholithiasis during early laparoscopic cholecystectomy offers the opportunity to enormously reduce the time between acute cholecystitis diagnosis and the execution of cholecystectomy with better outcomes for patients. Furthermore, an altered anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract is not an obstacle to this technique. The aim of the study was to determine whether this new procedure is feasible, safe, and effective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The investigation employs a retrospective case series study including all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of common bile duct stones undergoing cholecystectomy and intraoperative laparoscopic common bile duct clearance using SpyGlass™ Discover at IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo in Pavia (Italy). Eighteen patients were included from May 2022 to May 2023. RESULTS: A complete clearance of the common bile duct was obtained in 88.9% of patients. The mean postoperative length of stay was 3 days. No major complications occurred. After a median follow-up of 8 months, no recurrence of biliary events or readmissions occurred. CONCLUSION: This procedure has proven to be feasible, safe, and effective.

Long-term results and quality of life after stapled hemorrhoidopexy vs Doppler-guided HAL-RAR: a propensity score matching analysis.

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate and compare the short and long-term outcomes of doppler-guided (DG) hemorrhoidal artery ligation and rectoanal repair (HAL-RAR) using a wireless-doppler-guided probe and stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) for treatment of II-III hemorrhoids. METHODS: This cohort study included patients who underwent HAL-RAR (n = 89) or SH (n = 174) for grade II-III hemorrhoids between January 2020 and December 2021. After propensity score matching at a 1:1 ratio, 76 patients for each group were analyzed. Short and long-term outcomes were collected. Pain was measured using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at POD1, POD 10, 1 month, and 6 months after surgery. The enrolled patients completed the Hemorrhoidal Disease Symptom Score and Short Health ScaleHD quality of life (HDSS/SHS QoL) questionnaire preoperatively and during a regular follow-up visit at 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: Groups exhibited comparable overall postoperative complication rates (23% HAL-RAR/ 21% SH; p = 0.295). Postoperative pain via VAS showed median scores of 4, 3, 1, 1 for HAL-RAR and 6, 4, 2, 1 for SH at POD1, POD10, 1 month, and 6 months, respectively (p = < 0.001, 0.004, 0.025, 0.019). At a median follow-up of 12 months, the recurrence rate was 10.5% in the HAL-RAR group and 9.2% in the SH group (p = 0.785), respectively. At 24 months, 15.7% of HAL-RAR patients and 19.7% of SH patients remained symptomatic (p = 0.223). Median post-op QoL index was 1 (HAL-RAR) and 0.92 (SH), p = 0.036. CONCLUSIONS: HAL-RAR is a safe and feasible technique in treating grade II-III hemorrhoids showing better outcomes in terms of postoperative pain and QoL. SIGNIFICANCE: This paper adds a new perspective in comparing the HAL-RAR and SH, focusing the attention on the patients and not surgical techniques. A long and difficult follow-up was completed to fully understand the long-term results and the impact on the QoL of the patients who underwent these procedures.

A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis comparing nonoperative versus operative management for uncomplicated appendicitis: a focus on randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to provide a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing conservative and surgical treatment in a population of adults with uncomplicated acute appendicitis. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL. We have exclusively incorporated randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Studies involving participants with complicated appendicitis or children were excluded. The variables considered are as follows: treatment complications, complication-free treatment success at index admission and at 1 year follow-up, length of hospital stay (LOS), quality of life (QoL) and costs. RESULTS: Eight RCTs involving 3213 participants (1615 antibiotics/1598 appendectomy) were included. There was no significant difference between the two treatments in terms of complication rates (RR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.61-1.04, P = 0.07, I2 = 69%). Antibiotics had a reduced treatment efficacy compared with appendectomy (RR = 0.80; 95% CI 0.71 to 0.90, p < 0.00001, I2 = 87%) and at 1 year was successful in 540 out of 837 (64.6%, RR = 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.61 to 0.77, p < 0.00001, I2 = 81%) participants. There was no difference in LOS (mean difference - 0.58 days 95% confidence interval - 1.59 to 0.43, p = 0.26, I2 = 99%). The trial sequential analysis has revealed that, concerning the three primary outcomes, it is improbable that forthcoming RCTs will significantly alter the existing body of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: As further large-scale trials have been conducted, antibiotic therapy proved to be safe, less expensive, but also less effective than surgical treatment. In order to ensure well-informed decisions, further research is needed to explore patient preferences and quality of life outcomes.

The use of intra-abdominal prophylactic drainage in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: does it change in relation to surgical expertise? A multicenter case-control retrospective study on postoperative outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The routine use of abdominal drainage (AD) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is still controversial. The aim of this expertise-based study is to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic AD in terms of postoperative complications and analyze the factors linked to AD placement. METHODS: This case-control retrospective study included patients with cholelithiasis who underwent LC with AD (AD group) and LC without drainage (no-AD group) in two Italian centers. Allocation to groups was non-randomized and based on surgeons' decisions. Patient's characteristics, operative results, postoperative outcomes, surgeon's expertise related data were compared between the two groups with univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Patients in the two groups were comparable for age, sex ratio, and morbidity. Length of postoperative hospital stay (LOS) in the no-AD group was shorter than the AD group. Patients in the AD group had a higher rate of wound infection. No difference in postoperative pain measured 7 days after the surgery was found. Our results show an association between the first operator's expertise and age and the decision of placing the AD. The operative time seems to be the principal factor impacting the decision whether to place or not the AD. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that it is feasible not to insert routine AD after elective LC for cholelithiasis. The use of AD seems to cause more cases of postoperative wound infections, prolongs the LOS and the operative time. The drain placement choice seems to change in relation to the surgeon's expertise.

Standardization and learning curve in laparoscopic hernia repair: experience of a high-volume center.

PURPOSE: Groin hernias are a common condition that can be treated with various surgical techniques, including open surgery and laparoscopic approaches. Laparoscopic surgery has several advantages but its use is limited due to the complexity of the posterior inguinal region and the need for advanced laparoscopic skills. This paper presents a standardized and systematic approach to trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) groin hernioplasty, which is useful for training young surgeons. METHODS: The paper provides a detailed, step-by-step description of the TAPP based on evidence from literature, anatomical knowledge, and the authors' experience spanning over 30 years. The sample includes 487 hernia repair procedures, with 319 surgeries performed by experienced surgeons and 168 surgeries performed by young surgeons in training. The authors performed a descriptive analysis of their data to provide an overview of the volume of laparoscopic hernioplasty performed. RESULTS: The analysis of the data shows a low complication rate of 0.41% (2/487) and a low recurrence rate of 0.41% (2/487). The median duration of the surgery was 55 min, while the median operation time for surgeons in training was 93 min, specifically 83 min for unilateral hernia and 115 min for bilateral hernia. CONCLUSIONS: The TAPP procedure appears, to date, comparable to the open inguinal approach in terms of recurrence, postoperative pain and speed of postoperative recovery. In this paper, the authors challenge the belief that TAPP is not suitable for surgeons in training. They advocate for a training pathway that involves gradually building surgical skills and expertise. This approach requires approximately 100 procedures to achieve proficiency.

Anal canal gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST).

SummaryGastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are malignant mesenchymal tumours that originate from the interstitial pacemaker cells of Cajal. They are particularly rare, comprising only 5% of all GISTs, and often present at an advanced stage. Treatment for these tumours is still a topic of debate due to their low incidence and insidious location. A woman in her mid-70s presented with rectal bleeding and anal discomfort. A 4.5×4 cm anal GIST was diagnosed. A local excision was performed and the patient was further treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. At a 6-month follow-up, the MRI showed that she was disease free. Anorectal GISTs are unusual and tend to be aggressive. Surgical resection is the first-line treatment for primary, localised GISTs. However, the appropriate surgical technique for these tumours is still a topic of debate. Further studies are needed to fully understand the oncologic behaviour of these rare neoplasms.