A pilot study assessing the efficacy of posterior tibial nerve stimulation in the treatment of low anterior resection syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Low anterior resection for rectal cancer often results in severe bowel dysfunction, specifically low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), with symptoms such as incontinence, urgency, and frequent bowel movements. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) resulted in a high rate of success in patients with fecal incontinence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with PTNS in LARS and to identify predictors of the outcome of the technique. METHODS: The study was conducted from May 2012 to April 2015 at the Alvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, University Hospital Complex of Vigo, Spain. Ten patients with LARS were recruited consecutively. All patients underwent 2 sessions per week (30 min each one) for 6 weeks. Patients were followed for 3 weeks, and those who had a significant clinical improvement were recruited to a second phase of PTNS. Some patients presenting with relapse during follow-up underwent an additional phase of PTNS. Outcome measures included Wexner scores, quality of life scores, and urgency of defecation. RESULTS: Three patients did not complete the treatment due to poor response in the first phase. Incontinence was reduced in the remaining seven of ten patients. The median Wexner score at initial patient evaluation was 14 (IQR 10.75-18.5), which decreased to 10 (IQR 6.5-18) after treatment (p = 0.034). A statistically significant improvement was demonstrated in quality of life scale, lifestyle, depression, and daily defecation urgency (p < 0.05). LARS Score improvement was observed in five patients (50%) with a total resolution of LARS in 2 (20%). CONCLUSIONS: PTNS is an ambulatory treatment that could play an important role in the context of a multimodal treatment approach in patients with LARS. It could be a first-line treatment to identify non-responders to conservative management who need different and more invasive treatments.

Gallbladder perforation: morbidity, mortality and preoperative risk prediction.

INTRODUCTION: Gallbladder perforation (GBP) is a life threatening complication of acute cholecystitis occurring in approximately 2-11 % of patients. The aim of this study is to analyse all factors associated with morbidity and mortality and assess the accuracy of preoperative risk prediction scores. METHODS: Medical records of 1,033 patients who underwent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis in our centre between 2002 and 2012 were reviewed. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative relevant data were analysed with univariate and multivariate statistical methods to identify all factors associated with postoperative complications and mortality. Accuracy of ASA, POSSUM and APACHE II scores was also compared using receiver-operating characteristics methodology. RESULTS: 137 (12.4 %) patients with gallbladder perforation were identified. Morbidity and mortality rates were 57.7 and 9.5 %, respectively. At multivariate analysis, preoperative albumin (P = 0.007, OR 0.175), open surgery (P = 0.011, OR 37.78) and preoperative sepsis (P = 0.002, OR 51.647) were associated with complications, and preoperative sepsis was the only factor independently associated with hospital mortality (P = 0.007, OR 9.127). Both POSSUM and APACHE II scores were superior to ASA score in risk prediction. CONCLUSION: Preoperative severe sepsis is the most important factor associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality following GBP, and it can be helpful to identify those patients needing the highest level of care possible.

[An infrequent association: carcinoma of the colon and hypernephroma]. / Asociación infrecuente: carcinoma del colon e hipernefroma.

We present a case of an infrequent association of colonic carcinoma and hypernephroma. Despite the relative infrequency of this kind of association, they are now commonly reported, so we should not consider multiple primary carcinomas as a sporadic phenomenon, but rather as a frequent phenomenon with important clinical implications.

Tratamiento quirúrgico conservador del síndrome de HELLP (ELLP) asociado a hematoma hepático subcapsular / Conservative surgical treatment of HELLP syndrome (ELLP variant) associated with a subcapsular liver hematoma

Las complicaciones hemorrágicas graves asociadas al embarazo suelen ocurrir en el tercer trimestre del mismo y se relacionan frecuentemente con situaciones de preeclampsia y síndrome HELLP. El síndrome HELLP solo incide en el 0,5-0,9% de las gestaciones, pero su elevada morbimortalidad maternofetal nos obliga a tener en cuenta su diagnóstico en sus diversas formas de presentación clínica. Aunque la gran mayoría de las alteraciones hepáticas que ocurren en el embarazo tienen relación con las escasas hepatopatías inherentes al mismo, la duda diagnóstica ocurre con cierta frecuencia. Presentamos un caso de síndrome HELLP incompleto (variante ELLP) tratado efectivamente mediante actitud quirúrgica conservadora y cuyas peculiaridades inciden en diversos aspectos de esta entidad(AU)

Severe hemorrhagic complications associated with pregnancy usually occur within the third trimester and are frequently linked to preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. HELLP syndrome affects only 0.5-0.9% of pregnancies but, because it causes high maternal-fetal mortality, a correct diagnosis of the various forms of presentation of this syndrome is essential. Although most of the liver alterations observed during pregnancy are related to pregnancy itself, diagnostic doubts are not infrequent. We present a case of incomplete HELLP syndrome (ELLP variant) associated with a subcapsular liver hematoma, which was successfully treated with a conservative surgical approach(AU)

Angiomiolipoma hepático: una entidad de difícil diagnóstico preoperatorio / No disponible

No disponible