Comparison of Postoperative outcomes Among Patients Treated by Male Versus Female Surgeons: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical outcomes of patients treated by female surgeons versus those treated by male surgeons. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: It remains unclear as to whether surgical performance and outcomes differ between female and male surgeons. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis to compare patients' clinical outcomes-including patients' postoperative mortality, readmission, and complication rates-between female versus male surgeons. MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, ICTRP, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to September 8, 2022. The update search was conducted on July 19, 2023. We used random-effects models to synthesize data and GRADE to evaluate the certainty. RESULTS: A total of 15 retrospective cohort studies provided data on 5,448,121 participants. We found that patients treated by female surgeons experienced a lower post-operative mortality compared with patients treated by male surgeons (8 studies; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.93; 95%CI, 0.88 - 0.97; I2=27%; moderate certainty of the evidence). We found a similar pattern for both elective and non-elective (emergent or urgent) surgeries, although the difference was larger for elective surgeries (test for subgroup difference P=0.003). We found no evidence that female and male surgeons differed for patient readmission (3 studies; aOR, 1.20; 95%CI, 0.83 - 1.74; I2=92%; very low certainty of the evidence) or complication rates (8 studies; aOR, 0.94; 95%CI, 0.88 - 1.01: I2=38%; very low certainty of the evidence). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that patients treated by female surgeons have a lower mortality compared with those treated by male surgeons.

Prognostic Relevance of Primary Tumor Sidedness in Early-stage Colorectal Cancer: An Integrated Analysis of 4 Randomized Controlled Trials (JCOG2003A).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the genuine prognostic relevance of primary tumor sidedness (PTS) in patients with early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). BACKGROUND: The prognostic relevance of PTS in early-stage CRC remains a topic of debate. Several large epidemiological studies investigated survival only and did not consider the risk of recurrence so far. METHODS: Patients with stage II/III adenocarcinoma of the colon and upper rectum from 4 randomized controlled trials were analyzed. Survival outcomes were compared according to the tumor location: right-sided (cecum to transverse colon) or left-sided (descending colon to upper rectum). RESULTS: A total of 4113 patients were divided into a right-sided group (N=1349) and a left-sided group (N=2764). Relapse-free survival after primary surgery was not associated with PTS in all patients and each stage [hazard ratio (HR) adjusted =1.024 (95% CI: 0.886-1.183) in all patients; 1.327 (0.852-2.067) in stage II; and 0.990 (0.850-1.154) in stage III]. Also, overall survival after primary surgery was not associated with PTS in all patients and each stage [HR adjusted =0.879 (95% CI: 0.726-1.064) in all patients; 1.517 (0.738-3.115) in stage II; and 0.840 (0.689-1.024) in stage III]. In total, 795 patients (right-sided, N=257; left-sided, N=538) developed recurrence after primary surgery. PTS was significantly associated with overall survival after recurrence (HR adjusted =0.773, 95% CI: 0.627-0.954). CONCLUSIONS: PTS had no impact on the risk of recurrence for stage II/III CRC. Treatment stratification based on PTS is unnecessary for early-stage CRC.

Long-term survival and functional outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for clinical stage I ultra-low rectal cancers located within 5 cm of the anal verge: A prospective phase II trial (Ultimate trial).

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the long-term oncological outcomes and postoperative anal, urinary, and sexual functions after laparoscopic surgery for clinical stage I very low rectal carcinoma located near the anal canal. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Laparoscopic surgery is widely applied for rectal cancer; however, concerns remain, with some studies showing poorer outcomes compared to open surgery. METHODS: This single-arm, phase II trial included patients registered preoperatively from 47 institutions in Japan. The planned sample size was 300. The primary endpoint was the 3-year local recurrence rate. Anal, urinary, and sexual functions were evaluated using a prospective questionnaire. RESULTS: Three-hundred patients were registered between January 2014 and March 2017. Anus-preserving surgery was performed in 278 (93%), including 172 who underwent intersphincteric resection (58%) and 106 (36%) who underwent low anterior resection. The 3-year cumulative local recurrence rate was 6.3%. At 3 years postoperatively, 87% of patients used their own anus, and the median incontinence score improved from 12 at 3 months to 8 at 3 years. Only 5% of patients had severe incontinence (incontinence score of 16 points). Postoperative urinary function evaluation showed that International Prostate Symptom Score and Overactive Bladder Symptom Score decreased 1 week after surgery, but recovered to preoperative level 1 month after surgery. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Sort Form remained almost stable after surgery. Sexual function evaluation using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 and International Index of Erectile Function-15 revealed that the patients had deteriorated 3 months after surgery but had recovered only slightly by 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic surgery achieves feasible long-term oncological outcomes and a high rate of anus preservation with moderate anal function, and an acceptable incontinence score. While urinary function recovered rapidly, sexual function showed poor recovery.

Polysaccharide intercellular adhesin and proper phospholipid composition are important for aggregation in Tetragenococcus halophilus SL10.

Aggregating strains of Tetragenococcus halophilus tend to be trapped during soy sauce mash-pressing process and are, therefore, critical for clear soy sauce production. However, the precise molecular mechanism involved in T. halophilus aggregation remains elusive. In previous studies, we isolated a number of aggregating strains, including T. halophilus AB4 and AL1, and showed that a cell surface proteinaceous aggregation factor is responsible for their aggregation phenotype. In the present study, we explored the role of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) in aggregate formation in T. halophilus SL10, isolated from soy sauce. SL10 exhibited similar aggregation to AB4 and AL1 but formed a non-uniform precipitate with distinctive wrinkles at the bottom of the test tube, unlike AB4 and AL1. Insertion sequence mutations in each gene of the ica operon diminished aggregation and PIA production, highlighting the critical role of IcaADBC-mediated PIA production in T. halophilus aggregation. Furthermore, two non-aggregating cardiolipin synthase (cls) gene mutants with intact ica operon did not produce detectable PIA. Phospholipid composition analysis in cls mutants revealed a decrease in cardiolipin and an increase in phosphatidylglycerol levels, highlighting the association between phospholipid composition and PIA production. These findings provide evidence for the pivotal role of cls in PIA-mediated aggregation and lay the foundation for future studies to understand the intricate networks of the multiple aggregation factors governing microbial aggregation.IMPORTANCEAggregation, commonly observed in various microbes, triggers biofilm formation in pathogenic variants and plays a beneficial role in efficient food production in those used for food production. Here, we showed that Tetragenococcus halophilus, a microorganism used in soy sauce fermentation, forms aggregates in a polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA)-mediated manner. Additionally, we unveiled the relationship between phospholipid composition and PIA production. This study provides evidence for the presence of aggregation factors in T. halophilus other than the proteinaceous aggregation factor and suggests that further understanding of the coordinated action of these factors may improve clarified soy sauce production.

Differences in Prognosis and Recurrence Patterns Between Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer and Sporadic Colorectal Cancer: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Clinicopathological differences exist between ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer (UC-CRC) and sporadic colorectal cancer (S-CRC). However, differences in the prognosis remain controversial, and the reason for these differences remains unclear. We therefore assessed the differences between patients with UC-CRC and S-CRC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a matched-pair analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with UC-CRC and S-CRC who underwent colorectal resection between January 2000 and December 2021 at two institutions. Patients were matched according to age, sex, date of surgery, tumor location, and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage. RESULTS: A total of 5992 patients underwent surgery for CRC at the two institutions, and 288 patients (48 with UC-CRC and 240 with S-CRC) were matched in this study. Patients with UC-CRC underwent more invasive surgery and had a longer operative time than those with S-CRC, but there was no marked difference in postoperative complications or perioperative mortality. Long-term outcomes showed a similar 5-year overall survival (OS) for UC-CRC and S-CRC (86.5% versus 88.8%, p = 0.742); however, in stage 3 patients, patients with UC-CRC had a poorer 5-year OS than those with S-CRC (51.4% versus 83.8%, p = 0.032). The first recurrence sites in stage 3 UC-CRC were peritoneal dissemination followed by the bones, while those in S-CRC were the liver and pulmonary system. CONCLUSIONS: Despite no significant differences in surgical outcomes, patients with UC-CRC had a poorer prognosis than those with S-CRC at stage 3. The recurrence patterns in UC-CRC differed from those in S-CRC, suggesting a possible prognostic difference.

Reliable detection of genetic alterations in cyst fluid DNA for the diagnosis of brain tumors.

PURPOSE: Liquid biopsy of cyst fluid in brain tumors has not been extensively studied to date. The present study was performed to see whether diagnostic genetic alterations found in brain tumor tissue DNA could also be detected in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of cyst fluid in cystic brain tumors. METHODS: Cyst fluid was obtained from 22 patients undergoing surgery for a cystic brain tumor with confirmed genetic alterations in tumor DNA. Pathological diagnoses based on WHO 2021 classification and diagnostic alterations in the tumor DNA, such as IDH1 R132H and TERT promoter mutation for oligodendrogliomas, were detected by Sanger sequencing. The same alterations were analyzed by both droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and Sanger sequencing in cyst fluid cfDNA. Additionally, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assays were performed to assess 1p/19q status, presence of CDKN2A loss, PTEN loss and EGFR amplification, to assess whether differentiating between astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas and grading is possible from cyst fluid cfDNA. RESULTS: Twenty-five genetic alterations were found in 22 tumor samples. All (100%) alterations were detected in cyst fluid cfDNA by ddPCR. Twenty of the 25 (80%) alterations were also detected by Sanger sequencing of cyst fluid cfDNA. Variant allele frequency (VAF) in cyst fluid cfDNA was comparable to that of tumor DNA (R = 0.62, Pearson's correlation). MLPA was feasible in 11 out of 17 (65%) diffuse gliomas, with close correlation of results between tumor DNA and cyst fluid cfDNA. CONCLUSION: Cell-free DNA obtained from cyst fluid in cystic brain tumors is a reliable alternative to tumor DNA when diagnosing brain tumors.

Short-term and Mid-term Outcomes of Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Laparoscopic Right-Sided Colectomy: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: With the use of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging, intraoperative lymphatic flow assessment is possible. However, no report has indicated mid-term outcomes of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging-guided laparoscopic right-sided colectomy. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the mid-term outcomes of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging-guided laparoscopic right-sided colectomy. DESIGN: This was a retrospective, multi-institutional study that used propensity score matching. SETTINGS: We conducted this study within the framework of the Yokohama Clinical Oncology Group in Japan. PATIENTS: A total of 921 patients who underwent laparoscopic right-sided colectomy with lymph node dissection for colon cancer with clinical stages I to III between January 2009 and December 2020 were included. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 233 patients who underwent the lymphatic flow evaluation (indocyanine green group) and 688 patients who did not undergo lymphatic flow evaluation (non-indocyanine green group). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The 3-year relapse-free survival after laparoscopic right-sided colectomy with and without indocyanine green fluorescence imaging were compared. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, 231 patients were matched in each group. The numbers of dissected central lymph nodes (6 vs 4, p < 0.001), intermediate lymph nodes (7 vs 6, p = 0.03), and the total number of dissected lymph nodes (31 vs 27, p = 0.047) were significantly higher in the indocyanine green group. The median follow-up was 36.9 months. The estimated respective 3-year relapse-free survival and overall survival rates were 88.8% and 94.5% in the indocyanine green group and 89.4% and 94.7% in the non-indocyanine green group ( p = 0.721 and 0.300), respectively, with no difference between the 2 groups. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging-guided laparoscopic right-sided colectomy could increase the number of total, intermediate, and central lymph nodes. However, there was no difference in mid-term outcomes. See Video Abstract. RESULTADOS A CORTO Y MEDIO PLAZO DE LA COLECTOMA LAPAROSCPICA DEL LADO DERECHO GUIADA POR IMGENES DE FLUORESCENCIA CON VERDE DE INDOCIANINA UN ESTUDIO DE COHORTE EMPAREJADO POR PUNTAJE DE PROPENSIN: ANTECEDENTES:Con el uso de imágenes de fluorescencia verde de indocianina, es posible la evaluación del flujo linfático intraoperatorio. Sin embargo, no hay ningún reporte que indique los resultados a medio plazo de la colectomía laparoscópica del lado derecho guiada por imágenes de fluorescencia con verde de indocianina.OBJETIVO:Examinar los resultados a mediano plazo de la colectomía laparoscópica del lado derecho guiada por imágenes de fluorescencia con verde de indocianina.DISEÑO:Estudio multiinstitucional retrospectivo con emparejamiento de puntuación de propensión.CONFIGURACIÓN:Realizado en el marco del Grupo de Oncología Clínica de Yokohama en Japón.PACIENTES:Un total de 921 pacientes sometidos a colectomía laparoscópica del lado derecho con disección de ganglios linfáticos por cáncer de colon con estadio clínico I a III entre enero de 2009 y diciembre de 2020. Los pacientes se dividieron en dos grupos: 233 pacientes sometidos a la evaluación del flujo linfático (grupo con verde de indocianina) y 688 pacientes que no sometidos a la evaluación del flujo linfático (grupo sin verde de indocianina).PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADOS:Se comparó la supervivencia libre de recaídas a los 3 años después de la colectomía laparoscópica del lado derecho con y sin imágenes de fluorescencia con verde de indocianina.RESULTADOS:Después de emparejar el puntaje de propensión, 231 pacientes fueron emparejados en cada grupo. El número de ganglios linfáticos centrales disecados (6 frente a 4, p < 0,001) y de ganglios linfáticos intermedios (7 frente a 6, p = 0,03) y el número total de ganglios linfáticos disecados (31 frente a 27, p = 0,047) fueron significativamente mayor en el grupo verde de indocianina. La mediana de seguimiento fue de 36,9 meses. Las tasas respectivas estimadas de supervivencia libre de recaídas y supervivencia general a los 3 años fueron del 88,8 % y el 94,5 % en el grupo con verde de indocianina y del 89,4 % y el 94,7 % en el grupo sin verde de indocianina ( p = 0,721 y 0,300), sin diferencias entre los dos grupos.LIMITACIONES:Estudio de diseño retrospectivo.CONCLUSIONES:La colectomía laparoscópica del lado derecho guiada por imágenes de fluorescencia con verde de indocianina puede aumentar el número de ganglios linfáticos totales, intermedios y centrales. Sin embargo, no hubo diferencias en los resultados a medio plazo. (Traducción-Dr. Fidel Ruiz Healy ).

Long-term Outcome After Surgical Resection of Para-aortic Lymph Node Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: The significance of resection of para-aortic lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the prognosis of colorectal cancer after para-aortic lymph node metastasis resection. DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective study. SETTINGS: Thirty-six institutions in Japan participated in this study. Database and medical records at each institution were used for data collection. PATIENTS: Patients with resected and pathologically proven para-aortic lymph node metastasis of colorectal cancer between 2010 and 2015 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall survival after para-aortic lymph node metastasis resection, recurrence-free survival, and recurrence patterns after R0 resection of para-aortic lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients were included in the primary analysis population in this study. The 5-year overall survival rate (95% CI) was 41.0% (32.0-49.8), and the median survival (95% CI) was 4.1 (3.4-4.7) years. Independent prognostic factors for overall survival were the pathological T stage (pT4 vs pT1- 3, adjusted HR: 1.91, p = 0.006), other organ metastasis (present vs absent, adjusted HR: 1.98, p = 0.005), time to metastases (synchronous vs metachronous adjusted HR: 2.02, p = 0.02), and the number of para-aortic lymph node metastasis (3 or more vs less than 3, adjusted HR: 2.13, p = 0.001). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate (95% CI) was 21.1% (13.5-29.7), with a median (95% CI) of 1.2 (0.9-1.4) years. The primary tumor location (left- vs right-sided colon, adjusted HR: 4.77, p = 0.01; rectum vs right-sided colon, adjusted HR: 5.27, p = 0.006), other organ metastasis (present vs absent, adjusted HR: 1.90, p = 0.03), number of para-aortic lymph node metastases (3 or more vs less than 3, adjusted HR: 2.20, p = 0.001), and hospital volume (less than 10 vs 10 or more, adjusted HR: 2.18, p = 0.02) were identified as independent prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival. Para-aortic lymph node recurrence was the most common at 33.3%. LIMITATIONS: Selection bias cannot be ruled out because of the retrospective nature of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Less than 3 para-aortic lymph node metastases were a favorable prognostic factor for overall and recurrence-free survival. However, para-aortic lymph node metastases were considered to be a systemic disease, and the significance of resection was limited. See Video Abstract . RESULTADO A LARGO PLAZO POSTERIOR A LA RESECCIN QUIRRGICA DE METSTASIS EN GANGLIOS LINFTICOS PARAARTICOS DE CNCER COLORRECTAL UN ESTUDIO RETROSPECTIVO MULTICNTRICO: ANTECEDENTES:La importancia de la resección de metástasis en los ganglios linfáticos paraaórticos (PALNM) en el cáncer colorrectal (CCR) es controvertida.OBJETIVO:Aclarar el pronóstico del CCR después de la resección PALNM.DISEÑO:Estudio retrospectivo multicéntrico.ENTORNO CLINICO:Treinta y seis instituciones en Japón participaron en este estudio.PACIENTES:Pacientes con PALNM de CCR resecado y patológicamente probado entre 2010 y 2015.FUENTES DE DATOS:Base de datos y registros médicos de cada institución.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Supervivencia general (SG) después de la resección PALNM, supervivencia libre de recurrencia (SLR) y patrones de recurrencia después de la resección R0 de PALNM.RESULTADOS:Se incluyó un total de 133 pacientes en la población de análisis primario de este estudio. La tasa de SG a 5 años (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95 %) fue del 41,0 % (32,0, 49,8) y la mediana de supervivencia (IC del 95 %) fue de 4,1 (3,4, 4,7) años. Los factores de pronóstico independientes para la SG fueron el estadio T patológico (pT4 vs. pT1-3, índice de riesgo ajustado [aHR]: 1,91, p = 0,006), metástasis en otros órganos (presente vs. ausente, aHR: 1,98, p = 0,005), tiempo hasta las metástasis (síncronas vs. metacrónicas, aHR: 2,02, p = 0,02) y número de PALNM (≥3 vs. <3, aHR: 2,13, p = 0,001). La tasa de SLR a 5 años (IC del 95%) fue del 21,1% (13,5, 29,7), con una mediana (IC del 95%) de 1,2 (0,9, 1,4) años. La ubicación del tumor primario (colon del lado izquierdo vs. derecho, aHR: 4,77, p = 0,01; recto vs. colon del lado derecho, aHR: 5,27, p = 0,006), metástasis en otros órganos (presente vs. ausente, aHR: 1,90, p = 0,03), el número de PALNM (≥3 vs. <3, aHR: 2,20, p = 0,001) y el volumen hospitalario (<10 vs. ≥10, aHR: 2,18, p = 0,02) se identificaron como independientes factores pronósticos del SLR. La recurrencia de los ganglios linfáticos paraaórticos fue la más común con un 33,3%.LIMITACIONES:No se puede descartar un sesgo de selección debido a la naturaleza retrospectiva del estudio.CONCLUSIONES:Menos de tres PALNM fue un factor pronóstico favorable tanto para la SG como para la SLR. Sin embargo, las PALNM se consideraron una enfermedad sistémica y la importancia de la resección fue limitada. (Traducción- Dr. Francisco M. Abarca-Rendon ).

Clinical and histological impact of diffuse inflammation at pouchoscopy.

PURPOSE: The anatomical location of inflammation in and around the ileal pouch affects the pouch survival rate, and diffuse inflammation has poor pouch survival rates. We aimed to clarify the symptoms and histological findings of diffuse inflammation of the pouch. METHODS: We evaluated the symptoms, treatment, and histological findings according to the endoscopic phenotypes of diffuse inflammation, focal inflammation, and normal as the pouch body phenotype and afferent limb involvement, inlet involvement, cuffitis, and fistula as the peripheral findings. RESULTS: Of the 318 pouchoscopies, 47 had diffuse inflammation, 201 had focal inflammation, and 70 were normal. Symptomatic patients had diffuse inflammation more frequently (46.8%) than focal inflammation (13.4%) and normal (14.2%), with no difference between focal inflammation and normal. Antibiotics and steroids were higher rate administered in cases of diffuse inflammation, but not in cases of focal inflammation or in normal cases. Histological inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-specific finding, and colonic metaplasia showed severity in the order of diffuse inflammation > focal inflammation > normal. The number of peripheral inflammatory findings overlapped in the following order: diffuse inflammation > focal inflammation > normal. The number of symptomatic patients increased as the number of peripheral inflammatory findings increased. CONCLUSION: Pouches with diffuse inflammation are more symptomatic, have a higher use of therapeutic agents, and have more severe histological inflammation, IBD-specific finding, and colonic metaplasia accompanying peripheral inflammatory findings than the other groups. The higher the overlap of inflammatory findings in the surrounding tissues, the more symptomatic the patients will appear.

Preoperative risk factors for ileostomy-associated kidney injury in colorectal tumor surgery following ileostomy formation.

PURPOSE: Diverting ileostomy is related to postoperative high-output stoma (HOS) leading to kidney injury. The purpose of our study was to clarify the risk factors for ileostomy-associated kidney injury, which is kidney injury starting after the first operation to ileostomy closure after colorectal tumor surgery with diverting ileostomy. METHODS: Between January 2013 and December 2020, 442 patients who underwent colorectal tumor surgery (cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, and leiomyosarcoma) following diverting ileostomy formation were included. We used the KDIGO (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) guidelines, which defines the acute kidney injury (AKI) to classify patients with ileostomy-associated kidney injury. The definition of AKI was (i) serum creatinine (sCr) ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or (ii) sCr ≥1.5-fold the preoperative level. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for kidney injury. RESULTS: Kidney injury developed in 99/442 eligible patients (22.4%). Patients in the kidney injury group were older age, male sex, high American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System (ASA-PS) score, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes. The preoperative hemoglobin, albumin, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and creatinine clearance (CCr) were lower, and the maximum wound length was more extended than the non-kidney injury group. The median highest daily stoma output was significantly higher in the kidney injury group. The postoperative white blood cell (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also high in the kidney injury group. The univariate analysis showed older age, male sex, high ASA-PS score, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes were the risk factors for kidney injury. The multivariate analysis revealed that age 70 or older, ASA-PS III/IV, hypertension, and HOS ≥2000 ml/day were independent risk factors for kidney injury. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should consider diverting colostomy creation for patients with risk factors such as age 70 or older, ASA-PS III/IV, and hypertension.

Changes in thoracic radio density after living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes after liver transplantation have greatly improved, which has resulted in greater focus on improving non-hepatic outcomes of liver transplantation. The present study aimed to evaluate thoracic spine radio density in children and adolescents after liver transplantation. METHODS: A total of 116 patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. The radio density at the eleventh thoracic vertebra was measured using computed tomography scan performed preoperatively then annually for 5 years postoperatively and subsequently every 2 or 3 years. RESULTS: The mean thoracic radio density of male recipients of male grafts had the lowest values during the study. The radio density of patients receiving a graft from a female donor was higher than in recipients with grafts from males. Total mean radio density decreased for first 5 years postoperatively and then increased. Changes in radio density were equally distributed in both steroid withdrawal and no steroid withdrawal groups for 5 years, after which patients with steroid withdrawal had a greater increase. Changes in radio density were equally distributed in both the steroid withdrawal and no steroid withdrawal groups up to age 20, after which patients in the steroid withdrawal group had a greater increase. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences may affect the outcome of radio density changes after transplantation. Given the moderate association between thoracic radio density and bone mineral density in skeletally mature adults and further studies are needed to validate this relationship between thoracic radio density and bone mineral density changes in pediatric liver transplantation.

Efficacy of a whole slide image-based prediction model for lymph node metastasis in T1 colorectal cancer: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Accurate stratification of the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) following endoscopic resection of submucosal invasive (T1) colorectal cancer (CRC) is imperative for determining the necessity for additional surgery. In this systematic review, we evaluated the efficacy of prediction of LNM by artificial intelligence (AI) models utilizing whole slide image (WSI) in patients with T1 CRC. METHODS: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic review was conducted through searches in PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and the Cochrane Library for relevant studies published up to December 2023. The inclusion criteria were studies assessing the accuracy of hematoxylin and eosin-stained WSI-based AI models for predicting LNM in patients with T1 CRC. RESULTS: Four studies met the criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for these AI models ranged from 0.57 to 0.76. In the three studies in which AI performance was compared directly with current treatment guidelines, AI consistently exhibited a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. At a fixed sensitivity of 100%, specificities ranged from 18.4% to 45.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Artificial intelligence models based on WSI can potentially address the issue of diagnostic variability between pathologists and exceed the predictive accuracy of current guidelines. However, these findings require confirmation by larger studies that incorporate external validation.

Heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Shinshu N-07 exerts antiobesity effects in western diet-induced obese mice.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiobesity effects of heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Shinshu N-07 (N-07) isolated from fermented Brassica rapa L. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male mice were divided into three groups (n = 10/group); normal diet, western diet (WD), or WD + N-07 (N-07) group and administered each diet for 56 days. The N-07 group showed significant suppression of body weight gain and epididymal fat, perirenal fat, and liver weights compared with the WD group. Higher levels of fecal total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and free fatty acid (FFA) were observed in the N-07 group than in the WD group. The mRNA expression of the cholesterol transporter ATP-binding cassette transporter G5 (ABCG5) was significantly increased in the small intestine of N-07-fed mice compared with WD-fed mice. Moreover, N-07 supplementation significantly increased the mRNA expression of ABCG5 and ABCG8 in Caco-2 cells. Furthermore, the TG- and FFA-removal ability of N-07 was confirmed to evaluate its soybean oil- and oleic acid-binding capacities in in vitro experiments. CONCLUSIONS: The antiobesity effects of N-07 might be due to its ability to promote lipid excretion by regulating cholesterol transporter expression and lipid-binding ability.

Impact of the endoscopic surgical skill qualification system on conversion to laparotomy after low anterior resection for rectal cancer in Japan (a secondary analysis of the EnSSURE study).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Conversion to laparotomy is among the serious intraoperative complications and carries an increased risk of postoperative complications. In this cohort study, we investigated whether or not the Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System (ESSQS) affects the conversion rate among patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective secondary analysis of data collected from patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for cStage II and III rectal cancer from 2014 to 2016 across 56 institutions affiliated with the Japan Society of Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery. Data from the original EnSSURE study were analyzed to investigate risk factors for conversion to laparotomy by performing univariate and multivariate analyses based on the reason for conversion. RESULTS: Data were collected for 3,168 cases, including 65 (2.1%) involving conversion to laparotomy. Indicated conversion accounted for 27 cases (0.9%), while technical conversion accounted for 35 cases (1.1%). The multivariate analysis identified the following independent risk factors for indicated conversion to laparotomy: tumor diameter [mm] (odds ratio [OR] 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05, p = 0.0002), combined resection of adjacent organs [+/-] (OR 7.92, 95% CI 3.14-19.97, p < 0.0001), and surgical participation of an ESSQS-certified physician [-/+] (OR 4.46, 95% CI 2.01-9.90, p = 0.0002). The multivariate analysis identified the following risk factors for technical conversion to laparotomy: registered case number of institution (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00, p = 0.0029), institution type [non-university/university hospital] (OR 3.52, 95% CI 1.54-8.04, p = 0.0028), combined resection of adjacent organs [+/-] (OR 5.96, 95% CI 2.15-16.53, p = 0.0006), and surgical participation of an ESSQS-certified physician [-/+] (OR 6.26, 95% CI 3.01-13.05, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Participation of ESSQS-certified physicians may reduce the risk of both indicated and technical conversion. Referral to specialized institutions, such as high-volume centers and university hospitals, especially for patients exhibiting relevant background risk factors, may reduce the risk of conversion to laparotomy and lead to better outcomes for patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with the Japanese Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000040645.

C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio as a risk factor for anastomotic leakage after anterior resection for rectal cancer with intraoperative use of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

INTRODUCTION: Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI) reduces anastomotic leakage (AL) in rectal cancer surgery. However, no studies investigating risk factors for anastomotic leakage specific to the group using ICG-FI have ever previously been conducted. The purpose of this retrospective multicenter study was to ascertain the risk factors for AL in the group using ICG-FI. METHODS: A total of 638 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic anterior resection for rectal cancer between April 2018 and March 2023 were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: the ICG-FI group (n = 269) and the non-ICG-FI group (n = 369) for comparative analysis. The effects of clinicopathological and treatment-related factors on AL in the ICG-FI group were evaluated using both univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The incidence of AL in the ICG-FI group was 4.8%. Although there was no significant difference in the incidence of AL between the two groups, it was observed to be lower in the ICG-FI group. A multivariate analysis revealed a preoperative C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) ≥ 0.049 (odds ratio, 3.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-13.70; p = 0.048) as an independent risk factor for AL in the ICG-FI group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, CAR was the only identified risk factor for AL in the ICG-FI group. It was suggested that CAR could be a criterion for early surgical intervention, prior to the escalation of risks, or for considering interventions such as diverting stoma creation.

Preoperative osteopenia is associated with prognosis in patients after resection of esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Osteopenia reflects frailty and has been shown to be associated with outcomes in cancer patients. This study was undertaken to examine whether osteopenia is an independent prognostic factor in patients with esophageal cancer after resection. METHODS: A total of 214 patients who underwent surgery for esophageal cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the 11th thoracic vertebra was measured by computed tomography scan, and patients classified into osteopenia and normal BMD groups with BMD <160 Hounsfield units as the cutoff. Clinicopathological data and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate was 55.4% for the osteopenia group and 74.7% for the normal BMD group with a significantly worse prognosis in the osteopenia group (p = 0.0080). In multivariable analysis, osteopenia was a significant independent risk factor associated with overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-3.34, and p = 0.0151) along with R1/2 resection (HR 3.02, 95% CI 1.71-5.18, and p = 0.0002). CONCLUSION: In patients with esophageal cancer undergoing resection, osteopenia may be a surrogate marker for frailty and an independent predictor of prognosis.

Risk factors for lymph node metastasis in T2 colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) occurs in 20-25% of patients with T2 colorectal cancer (CRC). Identification of risk factors for LNM in T2 CRC may help identify patients who are at low risk and thereby potential candidates for endoscopic full-thickness resection. We examined risk factors for LNM in T2 CRC with the goal of establishing further criteria of the indications for endoscopic resection. METHODS: MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and EMBASE were systematically searched from inception to November 2023. Studies that investigated the association between the presence of LNM and the clinical and pathological factors of T2 CRC were included. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Certainty of evidence (CoE) was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Fourteen studies (8349 patients) were included. Overall, the proportion of LNM was 22%. The meta-analysis revealed that the presence of lymphovascular invasion (OR, 5.5; 95% CI 3.7-8.3; high CoE), high-grade tumor budding (OR, 2.4; 95% CI 1.5-3.7; moderate CoE), poor differentiation (OR, 2.2; 95% CI 1.8-2.7; moderate CoE), and female sex (OR, 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.7; high CoE) were associated with LNM in T2 CRC. Lymphatic invasion (OR, 5.0; 95% CI 3.3-7.6) was a stronger predictor of LNM than vascular invasion (OR, 2.4; 95% CI 2.1-2.8). CONCLUSIONS: Lymphovascular invasion, high-grade tumor budding, poor differentiation, and female sex were risk factors for LNM in T2 CRC. Endoscopic resection of T2 CRC in patients with very low risk for LNM may become an alternative to conventional surgical resection. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42022316545.

Lateral node metastasis in low rectal cancer as a hallmark to predict recurrence patterns.

BACKGROUND: Lateral node metastasis confers a poor prognosis in rectal cancer. Several multidisciplinary treatments have been proposed with favorable outcomes. However, appropriate neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatments or follow-up plans based on information about the probable recurrence site have not been specified. We aimed to clarify the distinctive features of recurrence patterns for lateral node-positive low rectal cancer according to the lateral and mesorectal lymph node status. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 508 patients with stage III low rectal cancer who underwent lateral node dissection. We investigated the impact of lateral and mesorectal lymph node status on site-specific recurrence rates and patient survival. RESULTS: Analyses for relapse-free survival revealed the prognostic impact of lateral node positivity in stage III low rectal cancer (p < 0.0001). Lateral node-positive patients exhibited higher risk of overall recurrence, local recurrence, and recurrence in extra-regional nodes than lateral node-negative patients (p < 0.0001, p = 0.001, and p < 0.0001, respectively). However, lateral node positivity was not statistically associated with a hematogenous recurrence rate. In lateral node-positive patients, both tumor-node-metastasis (TNM)-N status and number of lateral nodes involved were revealed as significant prognostic factors (p < 0.0001, both). In addition, the number of lateral nodes involved could be a discriminatory indicator of probabilities of local recurrence and recurrence in extra-regional nodes (p = 0.02, and p < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Lateral node-positive low rectal cancer exhibits higher local recurrence and extra-regional node recurrence rates that correlate with the number of lateral nodes involved.

Ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization around the neck: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization (CVC) has become the standard of care. However, providers use a variety of approaches, encompassing the internal jugular vein (IJV), supraclavicular subclavian vein (SupraSCV), infraclavicular subclavian vein (InfraSCV), proximal axillary vein (ProxiAV), distal axillary vein (DistalAV), and femoral vein. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to compare the first-pass success rate and arterial puncture rate for different approaches to ultrasound-guided CVC above the diaphragm. METHODS: In May 2023, Embase, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Platform were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the 5 CVC approaches. The Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis tool was used to assess confidence. Thirteen RCTs (4418 participants and 13 comparisons) were included in this review. RESULTS: The SupraSCV approach likely increased the proportion of first-attempt successes compared to the other 4 approaches. The SupraSCV first-attempt success demonstrated risk ratios (RRs) > 1.21 with a lower 95% confidence interval (CI) exceeding 1. Compared to the IJV, the SupraSCV approach likely increased the first-attempt success proportion (RR 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.40, moderate confidence), whereas the DistalAV approach reduced it (RR 0.72; 95% CI 0.59-0.87, high confidence). Artery puncture had little to no difference across all approaches (low to high confidence). CONCLUSION: Considering first-attempt success and mechanical complications, the SupraSCV may emerge as the preferred approach, while DistalAV might be the least preferable approach. Nevertheless, head-to-head studies comparing the approaches with the greatest first attempt success should be undertaken.

Risk factors for anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection for obese patients with rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: We aimed to analyze the risk factors for anastomotic leakage (AL) after low anterior resection (LAR) in obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25 kg/m2) with rectal cancer. METHODS: Data were collected from four hundred two obese patients who underwent LAR for rectal cancer in 51 institutions. RESULTS: Forty-six (11.4%) patients had clinical AL. The median BMI (27 kg/m2) did not differ between the AL and non-AL groups. In the AL group, comorbid respiratory disease was more common (p = 0.025), and the median tumor size was larger (p = 0.002). The incidence of AL was 11.5% in the open surgery subgroup and 11.4% in the laparoscopic surgery subgroup. Among the patients who underwent open surgery, the AL group showed a male predominance (p = 0.04) in the univariate analysis, but it was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis. Among the patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery, the AL group included a higher proportion of patients with comorbid respiratory disease (p = 0.003) and larger tumors (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Comorbid respiratory disease and tumor size were risk factors for AL in obese patients with rectal cancer. Careful perioperative respiratory management and appropriate selection of surgical procedures are required for obese rectal cancer patients with respiratory diseases.