A Modified Approach for Preventing Anterior Glottic Web Formation Using Mitomycin C in Bilateral Vocal Fold Lesions.

Objectives: Laryngeal keel insertion, mucosal suture, application of mitomycin-C (MMC), and staged operations are approaches to prevent the anterior glottic web, but there are limitations. Our study suggests a modified approach to prevent the formation of an anterior glottic web. Methods: This retrospective single-institution tertiary center study (N = 23) involved the simultaneous removal of bilateral vocal fold lesions with topical MMC application. If exudate was identified after 4 to 6 weeks, second laryngomicroscopic surgery (LMS) was performed to remove it with topical MMC application. Extent of anterior glottic web was measured as a percentage of the total length of the membranous vocal fold. Results: After the initial surgery, 18 patients recovered without anterior web or fibrin exudate. Thick exudate was observed in 5 patients. After the second LMS, all patients showed improvement and did not develop anterior web. Conclusion: This modified method has been developed to prevent the anterior glottic web without complications.

Single-incision versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: a meta-analysis of clinical and pathological outcomes.

Introduction: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for rectal cancer is technically challenging. There is a lack of high-level evidence for the feasibility and safety of SILS for rectal cancer. Aim: To compare clinical and pathological outcomes of SILS versus conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) for rectal cancer. Material and methods: The PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, and Web of Science databases were searched systematically up to November 2021. Eligibility criteria included randomized controlled trials and non-randomized clinical trials that compared the outcomes of SILS and CLS for rectal cancer. Outcomes of interest included operative, postoperative, and pathologic outcomes. Results: Meta-analysis was performed on 6 studies involving 417 patients. In total 181 patients underwent SILS and 236 underwent CLS. SILS had better outcomes for the incision length (MD = -49.58, 95% CI: -72.43 to -26.73), postoperative pain (visual analogue scale on postoperative day 1, MD = -0.96, 95% CI: -1.18 to -0.74; postoperative day 2, MD = -1.43, 95% CI: -2.29 to -0.57), and hospital stay (MD = -1.17, 95% CI: -1.84 to -0.50). Operative outcomes, including operation time, blood loss, conversion to laparotomy, and ileostomy rate, were similar. Perioperative mortality, overall complications, reoperation, and readmission were similar. Numbers of harvested lymph nodes, lengths of proximal and distal margin, circumferential resection margin involvements, incomplete mesorectal grade, and R0 resection rates were similar. Conclusions: SILS for rectal cancer presented superior outcomes for incision length, postoperative pain, and hospital stays. Perioperative mortality, morbidity, and pathologic outcomes of SILS were comparable to CLS. Future studies are required to determine the long-term oncologic outcomes of SILS for rectal cancer.

Role of physical exercise in modulating the insulin-like growth factor system for improving breast cancer outcomes: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity prevents cancer and improves cancer outcomes. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling plays a significant role in cancer development and progression. However, there are heterogeneous results regarding physical activity and its effect on the IGF system. This study meta-analyzed the results of randomized clinical trials which evaluated the effects of physical exercise on the changes of physiologic markers to identify the role of physical exercise in modulating the IGF system in women with breast cancer. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched until October 2020. Eligibility criteria included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of physical exercise on the insulin-like growth factor system among women with breast cancer. RESULTS: Twelve randomized controlled studies involving 736 participants were analyzed. Physical exercise significantly reduced levels of serum insulin (MD -1.24 µIU/mL, 95% CI -2.12 to -0.36, p = 0.006), IGF-II (MD -54.21 ng/mL, 95% CI -61.41 to -47.00, p < 0.00001), IGFBP-1 (MD -2.90 ng/mL, 95% CI -3.91 to -1.90, p < 0.00001), and HOMA score (MD -0.47, 95% CI -0.87 to -0.06, p = 0.02). In addition, serum glucose (MD -0.71 mg/dL, 95% CI -2.57 to 1.15; p = 0.45) and IGF-I levels (MD -5.23 ng/mL, 95% CI -13.00 to 2.53; p = 0.19) were decreased after physical exercise although they did not show a statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Physical exercise had a positive effect on the IGF system in women with breast cancer.

The First Additional Port During Single-Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) has become increasingly popular. Regarding the difficulties of SILC in acute cholecystitis, additional port insertion is sometimes required. However, appropriate locations for additional port insertion have not been well studied. In the present study, the safety and effectiveness of the first additional port insertion in the epigastric region during SILC was assessed. METHODS: Additional port insertions were needed in 52 of 113 patients who underwent SILC for acute cholecystitis. The first port was inserted in the epigastric region and the second (if required) was inserted in the right lateral subcostal area. A drainage catheter was positioned through the epigastric port. RESULTS: One additional port was inserted in 43 patients and two additional ports were inserted in 9 patients. Mean operation time was 45.0 minutes in the Pure SILC group and 83.3 minutes in Additional Port group. Mean hospital stay was 3.7 days in the Pure SILC group and 5.9 days in Additional Port group. There was no open conversion. Intra-operative (n = 5) and postoperative bile leakages (n = 2) were identified in six patients. Timing of operation after onset of symptoms was significantly greater in the group with bile duct injury than in those without bile duct injury in patients who required additional ports. CONCLUSIONS: The first additional port in the epigastric area during SILC for acute cholecystitis helps to complete the operation without open conversion. However, the procedure can be performed safely in selective patients with relatively short duration of symptoms.

Case Report: Schwannoma of the sigmoid colon: a case report of a rare colonic neoplasm and review of literature.

Background: Schwannomas are tumors originating in Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve system and uncommonly develop in the gastrointestinal tract. Sigmoid colon schwannomas are very rare and only 28 cases have been reported. This study aims to report a case of a sigmoid colon schwannoma and present a literature review. Case report: We report a case of a 66-year-old female with asymptomatic sigmoid colon schwannoma. The patient underwent a screening colonoscopy and about 4cm sized submucosal tumor was identified at the sigmoid colon. A colonoscopic biopsy was performed and the microscopic exam revealed an ulcerated lesion with a proliferation of fibroblast-like spindle cells beneath ulcer, which was insufficient for diagnosis. Abdominopelvic computerized tomography (CT) scan showed a well-defined, well-enhancing, round shaped and slightly heterogenous mass at the sigmoid colon. No distant metastasis was identified in abdominopelvic CT and chest CT scans. Carcinoembryonic antigen level was within a normal range (1.33ng/mL). The patient underwent laparoscopic anterior resection. Immunohistochemical staining of the resected specimen showed positivity for S-100 protein in tumor cells and schwannoma was diagnosed post-surgically. Surgical resection margins were free from tumor and no regional lymph node metastasis was reported. Conclusion: Colon schwannomas are rare diseases. Most cases of colon schwannomas are accidentally identified during screening colonoscopy. The tumors usually present as submucosal masses and colonoscopic biopsies are mostly non-diagnostic. Surgical resection is required, and definitive diagnosis is made by confirming S-100 positive tumor cells in immunohistochemical analysis. Most cases are benign; a few cases have been reported to be malignant. Surgical resection with free negative margins is the treatment of choice.

Electroacupuncture for postoperative pain and gastrointestinal motility after laparoscopic appendectomy (AcuLap): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is a widely serviced complementary medicine. Although acupuncture is suggested for managing postoperative ileus and pain, supporting evidence is weak. The AcuLap trial is designed to provide high-level evidence regarding whether or not electroacupuncture is effective in promoting gastrointestinal motility and controlling pain after laparoscopic surgery. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a prospective randomized controlled trial with a three-arm, parallel-group structure evaluating the efficacy of electroacupuncture for gastrointestinal motility and postoperative pain after laparoscopic appendectomy. Patients with appendicitis undergoing laparoscopic surgery are included and randomized into three groups: 1) electroacupuncture group, 2) sham acupuncture group, and 3) control group. Patients receive 1) acupuncture with electrostimulation or 2) fake electroacupuncture with sham device twice a day or 3) no acupuncture after laparoscopic appendectomy. The primary outcome is time to first passing flatus after operation. Secondary outcomes include postoperative pain, analgesics, nausea/vomiting, bowel motility, time to tolerable diet, complications, hospital stay, readmission rates, time to recovery, quality of life, medical costs, and protocol failure rate. Patients and hospital staff (physicians and nurses) are blinded to which group the patient is assigned, electroacupuncture or sham acupuncture. Data analysis personnel are blinded to group assignment among all three groups. Estimated sample size to detect a minimum difference of time to first flatus with 80 % power, 5 % significance, and 10 % drop rate is 29 × 3 groups = 87 patients. Analysis will be performed according to the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: The AcuLap trial will provide evidence on the merits and/or demerits of electroacupuncture for bowel motility recovery and pain relief after laparoscopic appendectomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in Clinical Research Information Service (CRiS), Republic of Korea ( KCT0001486 ) on 14 May 2015.

Long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic right hemicolectomy during the learning curve period: comparative study with cases after the learning curve period.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the learning curve in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy and compare the long-term oncologic outcomes of the learning curve period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 97 patients who underwent a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy by a single surgeon between July 2006 and January 2009. Among them, 87 patients, excluding patients with stage IV (n=10) disease, were evaluated for long-term oncologic outcomes. They were divided into 2 phases: phase 1 (the learning curve period) and phase 2 (the expert period). The cumulative sum method was used for estimating the learning curve. RESULTS: The learning curve was determined at the 42nd case. Patient characteristics and postoperative clinicopathologic outcomes were similar in both groups except for the operation time (212.5±65.0 min vs. 146.4±37.1 min; P<0.001) and length of stay (10.7±5.4 d vs. 8.4±2.9 d; P=0.015). The 5-year overall survival rates were similar in both groups throughout all stages. The 5-year disease-free survival rate of stage III disease in phase 2 (85%) was better than that of phase 1 (53.3%; P=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy during the learning curve period showed acceptable clinicopathologic outcomes. However, the 5-year disease-free survival rate was compromised in patients with stage III disease in phase I.

Short-term Outcomes of Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery vs. Open Surgery on Right Colon Cancer: A Case-Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate short-term clinical outcomes by comparing hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery with open surgery for right colon cancer. METHODS: Sixteen patients who underwent a hand-assisted laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (HAL-RHC group) and 33 patients who underwent a conventional open right hemicolectomy (open group) during the same period were enrolled in this study with a case-controlled design. RESULTS: The operation time was 217 minutes in the HAL-RHC group and 213 minutes in the open group (P = 0.389). The numbers of retrieved lymph nodes were similar between the two groups (31 in the HAL-RHC group and 36 in the open group, P = 0.737). Also, there were no significant difference in the incidence of immediate postoperative leukocytosis, the administration of additional pain killers, and the postoperative recovery parameters. First flatus was shown on postoperative days 3.5 in the HAL-RHC group and 3.4 in the open group (P = 0.486). Drinking water and soft diet were started on postoperative days 4.8 and 5.9, respectively, in the HAL-RHC group and similarly 4.6 and 5.6 in the open group (P = 0.402 and P = 0.551). The duration of hospital stay was shorter in the HAL-RHC group than in the open group (10.3 days vs. 13.5 days, P = 0.048). No significant difference in the complication rates was shown between the two groups, and no postoperative mortality was encountered in either group. CONCLUSION: The patients with right colon cancer in the HAL-RHC group had similar pathologic and postoperative recovery parameters to those of the patients in the open group. The patients in the HAL-RHC group had shorter hospital stays than those in the open group. Therefore, hand-assisted laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for right-sided colon cancer is feasible.

Colon carcinoma in childhood: review of the literature with four case reports.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) in childhood is extremely rare, and only a few case reports exist. We hereby present four cases of childhood CRC along with a literature review. METHODS: A retrospective review of four cases from our institute was conducted, and 15 articles from PubMed describing childhood CRC were reviewed. CASE REPORTS: Four patients ranging in age from 11 to 14 years were treated for colon cancer between the years 2000 and 2011. The presenting symptoms varied and included abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and hematochezia, with symptom duration ranging from a few days to 4 months. No patient had a predisposing disease or syndrome. All patients underwent surgical resections, with the most prevalent histology being mucinous adenocarcinoma. Despite radical surgery followed by systemic chemotherapy, the disease progressed in all patients. LITERATURE REVIEW: A total of 239 cases were reviewed. The youngest patient was 6 years old. The most frequent predisposing conditions were hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and familial adenomatous polyposis. Most of the patients presented advanced stage, with the most common histopathologic diagnosis being mucinous adenocarcinoma, followed by poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and signet ring cell carcinoma. Even though most of the patients underwent aggressive treatment, the overall prognosis was poor. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood CRC has an aggressive pathology and distinct genetic features, which result in an advanced stage at diagnosis and consequently a poor prognosis. Although the incidence is very low, every physician should be aware of CRC as a possible childhood diagnosis.

Usefulness of carcinoembryonic antigen for monitoring tumor progression during palliative chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) measurement for monitoring tumor progression during palliative chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients with initially unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (n=26, 54.2%) or recurrent unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (n=22, 45.8%) received FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy for palliation. Serum CEA levels and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels were measured and computed tomography (CT) studies were performed prior to chemotherapy and after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. From the CT images, tumor responses were evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria and categorized as complete response, partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of tumor marker assessments for determining tumor response were calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of CEA assessment for prediction of disease progression were 50%, 77% and 69%, respectively. When the patients were dichotomized according to baseline CEA level, the initially elevated CEA group showed higher sensitivity and higher diagnostic accuracy compared to the initially normal CEA group (sensitivity=67% vs. 20%; diagnostic accuracy=71% vs. 62%). CONCLUSION: CEA assessment could be useful for monitoring tumor progression during palliative chemotherapy in only patients with initially elevated CEA level.

Robotic versus laparoscopic anterior resection of sigmoid colon cancer: comparative study of long-term oncologic outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Robotically assisted colon resection is a new type of surgery for colon cancer. However, the evidence is inadequate for the general adaptation of robotic colon surgery. This study aimed to show the oncologic and perioperative clinical results of robotically assisted anterior resection (R-AR) compared with those of laparoscopically assisted anterior resection (L-AR) for sigmoid colon cancer. METHODS: A total of 180 patients (sigmoid colon cancer stages 1-3) were assigned to receive either R-AR (n = 34) or L-AR (n = 146) between April 2006 and September 2008. Patient characteristics, perioperative clinical results, and long-term oncologic outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The patient characteristics did not differ significantly between the two groups. The mean operation time was 217.6 ± 70.7 min for L-AR versus 252.5 ± 94.9 min for R-AR (p = 0.016). The total postoperative complication rate was 10.3 % for R-AR versus 5.9 % for L-AR (p = 0.281). The 3-year overall survival rate for all the patients was 93.4 % for L-AR versus 92.1 % for R-AR (p = 0.723). The 3-year overall survival rate was 100 % for both L-AR and R-AR in stage 1, 95.5 % for L-AR versus 100 % for R-AR (p = 0.386) in stage 2, and 88.4 % for L-AR versus 72.9 % (p = 0.881) for R-AR in stage 3. CONCLUSION: In this study, R-AR showed safety and feasibility in terms of perioperative clinical and long-term oncologic outcomes. However, the advanced technologies of R-AR did not translate into better long-term oncologic outcomes compared with L-AR.

Incidence and Multiplicities of Adenomatous Polyps in TNM Stage I Colorectal Cancer in Korea.

PURPOSE: In recent years, the incidence of early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) has markedly increased in the population within the Republic of Korea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic features of adenomatous polyps in TNM stage I CRC patients and in the general population. METHODS: Between March 2003 and September 2009, 168 patients with stage I CRC were enrolled in this study. In addition, the records of 4,315 members of the general population without CRC, as determined by colonoscopy during a health check-up, were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 168 patients with stage I CRC, 68 (40.5%) had coexisting colorectal adenomatous polyps and of the 4,315 members of the general population, 1,112 (26.0%) had coexisting adenomatous polyps (P = 0.006). The prevalences of adenomatous polyp multiplicity in early CRC and in the general population were 32% and 15%, respectively (P = 0.023). Patients with coexisting adenomatous polyps had a higher frequency of tubulovillous or villous adenomas than members of the general population with polyps (7.5% vs. 2.0%, P = 0.037). Furthermore, a subgroup analysis showed that the occurrence (44% vs. 34%, P = 0.006) and the multiplicity (32% vs. 15%, P = 0.023) of adenomatous polyps were greater for T2 than T1 cancer. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and the multiplicity of adenomatous polyps in TNM stage I CRC is higher than it is in the general population. The findings of this study suggest that depth of invasion of early stage CRC affects the prevalence and the number of adenomatous polyps in the remaining colon and rectum.

Splenomegaly during oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for colorectal carcinoma.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in splenic size and platelet counts, in patients with colorectal cancer during oxaliplatin based chemotherapy, and to determine their clinical significance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The prospectively archived records of 50 patients with colorectal cancer that received oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-eight men and 12 women, of median age 58 (range 35-77) years, were enrolled. Median spleen volume ratios were 1.3-fold after 6 cycles and 1.9-fold after 12 cycles. The incidence of splenomegaly was 30% after 6 cycles and 67% after 12 cycles, and of thrombocytopenia was 70% after 6 cycles, 82% after 9 cycles, and 80% after 12 cycles. Thrombocytopenia was found to be related to splenomegaly, and this pattern was notable after 6 cycles of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Splenic enlargement and reduction in platelet counts were common during chemotherapy. Furthermore, these changes were found to occur rapidly after 6 cycles of chemotherapy.

Is rectal MRI beneficial for determining the location of rectal cancer with respect to the peritoneal reflection?

BACKGROUND: An objective method for determining the location of the cancer with respect to peritoneal reflection would be helpful to decide the treatment modality for rectal cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of rectal MRI to determine spatial relations between the peritoneal reflection and rectal cancer and to compare these with operative findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients that underwent a rectal cancer operation after a rectal MRI check between November 2008 and June 2010 were considered for the study. The patients that received preoperative concurrent chemoradiation or trans-anal local excision were excluded. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients constituted the study cohort. By comparing surgical and radiologic findings, the accuracy for predicting tumour location in relation to the peritoneal reflection by rectal MRI in all patients was 90.7%. In terms of tumour location in relation to peritoneal reflection, the accuracy of rectal MRI was 93.5% in patients with a tumour located above the peritoneal reflection, 90.0% in patients with a tumour located on the peritoneal reflection, and 84.6% in patients with a tumour located below the peritoneal reflection (p=0.061). When the cohort was subdivided by gender, body mass index (BMI), operative findings, or tumour size, no significant difference was observed among subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal MRI could be a useful tool for evaluating the relation between rectal cancer and peritoneal reflection especially when tumour size is less than 8cm. Rectal MRI can provide information regarding the location of rectal cancer in relation to the peritoneal reflection for treatment planning purposes.

Oxaliplatin-induced Pulmonary Fibrosis: Two Case Reports.

Oxaliplatin with infusional 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin (FOLFOX regimen) is the one of the standard chemotherapy regimens for treating a colorectal carcinoma. The most common side effects include neutropenia, diarrhea, vomiting and peripheral neuropathy, and these are moderate and manageable. However, pulmonary toxicity is rarely reported to be associated with the FOLFOX regimen. Moreover, there is no established guideline for the management of this side effect. Here, along with a literature review, we report two cases of rapidly developing pulmonary fibrosis related to the use of the FOLFOX regimen in patients with colorectal carcinomas.

Impaction of a foreign body in the rectum by improper use of a (electronic) massager: a case report.

A male, 67 years old, visited the emergency room because of a foreign body impacted in his rectum. While he was being treated for grade-II hemorrhoids conservatively, he heard that massage of the peri-anal area could be helpful for preventing hemorrhoids. Thus, while using an electronic massager after placing the head of the machine into a short round bar, the head became separated from the machine, and this was inserted into the anus and impacted. The patient had anal discomfort without abdominal pain. His vital signs were stable, and no abnormal physical findings were found for the abdomen. On digital rectal examination, the rim of the foreign body was palpated about 8 cm from the anal verge. Anal bleeding, abnormal discharge, or foul odor was not found. On a simple abdominal X-ray, a radio-opaque foreign body was observed in the pelvic cavity, and mild leukocytosis was noted on the laboratory test. To avoid injury to the anal sphincter, we tried to remove the foreign body under the spinal anesthesia. After anesthesia had been administered, the foreign body was palpated more distally at 5-6 cm from the anal verge by digital examination, and the foreign body was found to have a hole in its center. This was held using a Kelly clamp, and with digital guiding, was removed through the anus. After removal, an anoscopic examination was performed to determine if mucosal injury had occurred in the rectum or anal canal. The patient was discharged without complication after 24 hours of close observation.