Cost-effectiveness of robotic vs laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. Results from the national prospective trial ROBOCOSTES.

INTRODUCTION: Although several studies report that the robotic approach is more costly than laparoscopy, the cost-effectiveness of robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP) over laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) is still an issue. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the RDP and LDP approaches across several Spanish centres. METHODS: This study is an observational, multicenter, national prospective study (ROBOCOSTES). For one year from 2022, all consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy were included, and clinical, QALY, and cost data were prospectively collected. The primary aim was to analyze the cost-effectiveness between RDP and LDP. RESULTS: During the study period, 80 procedures from 14 Spanish centres were analyzed. LDP had a shorter operative time than the RDP approach (192.2 min vs 241.3 min, p = 0.004). RDP showed a lower conversion rate (19.5% vs 2.5%, p = 0.006) and a lower splenectomy rate (60% vs 26.5%, p = 0.004). A statistically significant difference was reported for the Comprehensive Complication Index between the two study groups, favouring the robotic approach (12.7 vs 6.1, p = 0.022). RDP was associated with increased operative costs of 1600 euros (p < 0.031), while overall cost expenses resulted in being 1070.92 Euros higher than the LDP but without a statistically significant difference (p = 0.064). The mean QALYs at 90 days after surgery for RDP (0.9534) were higher than those of LDP (0.8882) (p = 0.030). At a willingness-to-pay threshold of 20,000 and 30,000 euros, there was a 62.64% and 71.30% probability that RDP was more cost-effective than LDP, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The RDP procedure in the Spanish healthcare system appears more cost-effective than the LDP.

Laparoscopic Right Adrenalectomy in a Large Right Adrenal Oncocytic Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Adrenocortical carcinomas are rare and aggressive tumors. The recently described oncocytic subtype has been reported approximately 40 times in the literature.1 In this video, we describe an unusual case of a large adrenal oncocytic carcinoma, its minimally invasive approach, and its anatomopathological features. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 43-year-old male presented to the emergency room with acute abdominal pain and fever. Blood tests showed 20,000 white blood cells and a reactive C-protein of 25. Tomography showed a large right adrenal tumor with necrosis. Antibiotics were started at the intensive care unit. A complete study showed normal tests, including hormones, cortisol, and metanephrines. At the multidisciplinary team meeting it was decided to perform a right transabdominal laparoscopic adrenalectomy. The tumor was approached from the medial side to the lateral side, always controlling the inferior vena cava. Indocyanine green was used to identify vascular structures. Anatomical pathology revealed a 15 cm lesion corresponding to a malignant adrenal oncocytic carcinoma according to the modified Lin-Weis-Bisceglia criteria.2 The patient was discharged without complications on the fifth day. He is receiving mitotane and is disease-free 5 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Oncocytic subtype is a rare entity described only a few times in the literature. Surgical treatment is of choice due to its curative potential, and the open versus laparoscopic approach will be chosen depending on the size of the tumor and the surgeon's experience. It is believed that this subtype may have a less aggressive behavior than the typical adrenal carcinoma,1 therefore its better understanding may help to define therapeutic decisions and prognosis in the future.

Novel mutation in ENG gene causing Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia in a Peruvian family.

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare disorder of vascular development. Common manifestations include epistaxis, telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in multiple organs. Most patients have deletions or missense mutations in the ENG or ACVRL1 gene respectively, significantly affecting endothelium homeostasis. We analyzed the ENG gene in five members of a Peruvian family affected by HHT. One novel mutation was found in exon four of the ENG gene c.408delA, at aminoacid residue 136. This mutation changes the subsequent reading frame producing an early stop at residue 162, preserving only one fourth of the normal protein of 658 aa. This mutation was found in the four affected members of family.

First Case of ROLL Technique for Mesorectal Recurrence Excision.

The radio-guided occult lesion localization (ROLL) technique has been in use since the mid-1990s, mainly in breast surgery. Today, ROLL is used for numerous oncologic pathologies, including parathyroid lesions, melanomas, and colorectal tumors. We report a patient with an 11-mm left mesorectal solitary recurrence of a primary ovarian cancer in whom the ROLL technique was used to identify the implant. A radioisotope was introduced through a 22-gauge needle with endoscopic ultrasound technique using an linear echo endoscope. On the day of surgery, the patient's perianal region was scanned with a gamma probe to identify the area of maximal radioactivity, to determine the optimal placement of the incision over the lesion. After macroscopic excision of the lesion, radioactivity was measured in the lesion bed to ensure complete removal of affected tissues. In our case, the ROLL technique was performed safely for the detection and excision of a recurrent lesion of difficult identification. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case involving use of the ROLL technique to aid the excision of a mesorectal lesion.

[Evaluation and nutritional therapy in cirrhotic patients of the "Edgardo Rebagliati Martins" hospital]. / Evaluación y Terapia Nutricional en Pacientes Cirróticos del Hospital "Edgardo Rebagliati Martins"

A nutritional evaluation was carried out in 43 cirrhotic outpatients who came to the Digestive Disease Department of the Edgardo Rebagliati Martins Hospital for a checkup. The evaluation included a dietary composition analysis; nutritional status through the analysis of lean and fatty mass through anthropometric parameters (tricipital skin fold thickness, midarm muscle circumference, muscle arm circumference and creatinine excretion in the 24 h urine/height ratio), measuring of visceral proteins (albumin, transferrin) and bioelectric Impedance. Finally, a nutritional dietary intervention was made according to international standards for cirrhotic patients. The Child - Pugh score was: Child A: 16 patients (37.1%), Child B: 20 patients (46.5%) and Child C: 7 patients (16.4%). The dietary analysis showed the following: Hypoprotein diets in 42 patients (98%), hypocaloric diets in 38 patients (88%), low fat diets in 36 patients (83.7%) only one patient had a normal diet. Nutritional status was normal in 15 patients (35%), 24 patients had protein malnutrition (56%) and 4 patients had protein-calorie malnutrition (9.3%). There was an association between Child B and C and the malnutrition diagnosis was (p = 0.045). The nutritional intervention was carried out in 19 of the 43 patients (dietary therapy) during 15 months; the results were 17 hospital admissions in the group without nutritional intervention and 6 in the group that had received nutritional intervention: (p = 0.01). Malnutrition and inadequate diets are becoming a prevalent problem in our cirrhotic population. Nutritional support may provide an additional and valuable therapy to decrease patient morbidity.

Método de la cuerda encapsulada (enterotests) comparado con el examen de heces en el diagnóstico de criptosporidium spp. e isospora belli en pacientes VIH (+) con síntomas gastrointestinales / Encapsulated cord method (enterotest) compared with fecal test on the diagnosis of criptosporium Sp. e isospora belli in HIV (+) patients with gastrointestinal symptoms

Se colectó de pacientes VIH (+) con síntomas gastrointestinales muestras fecales y contenido intestinal obtenido por enterotest en el período comprendido entre diciembre de 1994 a enero de 1996. Se realizó una comparación multiatributiva entre muestras fecales (no concentradas y concentradas por Sheater, Ritchie y sedimentación espontanea) y contenido intestinal recuperado por enterotest; todas ellas teñidos con la coloración de ácido resistencia modificada de Ziehl Nielsen, en base a los siguientes parámetros: rendimiento, costo en realizar cada técnica, morfología y número de parásito por campo: en el diagnóstico de criptosporidium spp. e isospora belli. El contenido intestinal recuperado por enterotest, no fue superior al examen de heces pero a un costo medianamente alto alcanzó un buen rendimiento diagnóstico, con morfología y número de parásito adecuados en el diagnóstico de criptosporidium spp. e isospora belli; convirtiéndose en un método adicional al examen de heces y alternativo al uso de la endoscopía en el diagnóstico de estos parásitos en lugares donde esta no sea disponible.

Evaluación y terapia nutricional en pacientes cirróticos del Hospital "Edgardo Rebagliati Martins" / Evaluation and nutritional therapy in cirrhotics patients of the Hospital \"Edgardo Rebagliati Martins

Se realizó una evaluación nutricional en 43 pacientes cirróticos que acudieron a la consulta externa del Departamento de Enfermedades Digestivas del Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, la que incluyó un análisis del tipo de dieta que consumió cada paciente; una evaluacón del estado nutricional basado en evaluación de masa magra a través de parámetros antropométricos (pliegue subcutáneo tricipital, circunferencia muscular del brazo, área muscular del brazo e índice de creatinina urinaria en 24 horas / talla), medición de proteínas viscerales (albúmina, transferrina) y a través de impedancia bioeléctrica, y finalmente se realizó una intervención nutricional dietética basada en los parámetros establecidos a nivel mundial. El score de Child Pugh fue: child A: 16 pacientes (37.1 por ciento), Child B: 20 pacientes (46 por ciento) y Child C: 07 pacientes (16.4 por ciento). El análisis dietético mostró dietas hipoproteicas en 42 pacientes (98 por ciento), hipocalóricas en 38 pacientes (88 por ciento), hipograsa en 36 (83.7 por ciento) sólo 1 paciente tuvo una dieta normoproteica y normocalórica. 15 pacientes (35 por ciento) no mostraron algún grado de desnutrición, 24 pacientes (56 por ciento) tuvieron desnutrición proteica aislada y 4 pacientes (9.3 por ciento) tuvieron desnutrición calórico-proteica. Hubo asociación entre Child B y C y el diagnóstico de desnutrición (p=0.05). De los 43 pacientes, 19 recibieron intervención nutricional (terapia dietética) por 15 meses; se produjo 17 hospitalizaciones en el grupo que no recibió intervención nutricional y 6 en los que si recibieron (p = 0.01). La desnutrición y las dietas inadecuadas se convierten en un problema prevalente en nuestra población cirrótica y la intervención nutricional dietética se convertiría en un tratamiento adicional importante que disminuiría la morbilidad en esta población.