Transanal endoscopic surgery in rectal cancer.

Total mesorectal excision (TME) is the standard treatment for rectal cancer, but complications are frequent and rates of morbidity, mortality and genitourinary alterations are high. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) allows preservation of the anal sphincters and, via its vision system through a rectoscope, allows access to rectal tumors located as far as 20 cm from the anal verge. The capacity of local surgery to cure rectal cancer depends on the risk of lymph node invasion. This means that correct preoperative staging of the rectal tumor is necessary. Currently, local surgery is indicated for rectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas invading the submucosa, but not beyond (T1). Here we describe the standard technique for TEM, the different types of equipment used, and the technical limitations of this approach. TEM to remove rectal adenoma should be performed in the same way as if the lesion were an adenocarcinoma, due to the high percentage of infiltrating adenocarcinomas in these lesions. In spite of the generally good results with T1, some authors have published surprisingly high recurrence rates; this is due to the existence of two types of lesions, tumors with good and poor prognosis, divided according to histological and surgical factors. The standard treatment for rectal adenocarcinoma T2N0M0 is TME without adjuvant therapy. In this type of adenocarcinoma, local surgery obtains the best results when complete pathological response has been achieved with previous chemoradiotherapy. The results with chemoradiotherapy and TEM are encouraging, but the scientific evidence remains limited at present.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery with 3-D (TEM) or high-definition 2-D transanal endoscopic operation (TEO) for rectal tumors. A prospective, randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is a three-dimensional viewing endoscopic system procedure which provides access to rectal tumors through a rectoscope. Two-dimensional transanal endoscopic operation (TEO), with the introduction of high-definition vision, achieves results that are comparable to those of the classical TEM. The main aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of TEO and TEM systems in a prospective, randomized clinical trial. STUDY POPULATION: patients meeting inclusion criteria for diagnosis of rectal tumors with curative intent. Sample size, 36 patients. Patients were randomized to receive one of the two procedures. Study variables recorded were the following: preoperative data (time taken to assemble equipment, surgical time, quality of pneumorectum), postoperative morbidity and mortality, pathology study of the tumors, and economic analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were analyzed according to intention to treat. Two patients were excluded. The final per-protocol analysis was 34 patients. There were no significant differences in the preoperative or operative variables, quality of pneumorectum, postoperative variables, or pathology results. A trend toward benefit was observed in favor of TEO in time required for assembly, surgical suture time, and total surgical time though the differences were not statistically significant. Statistically significant differences were found in terms of the total cost of the procedure, with mean costs of 2,031 ± 440 for TEO and 2,603 ± 507 for TEM (95% CI 218.15-926.486 , p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: No technical or clinical differences were observed between the results obtained with the two systems except lower cost with TEO.

Prospective randomized clinical trial assessing the efficacy of a short course of intravenously administered amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid followed by oral antibiotic in patients with uncomplicated acute diverticulitis.

INTRODUCTION: Medical treatment of uncomplicated acute diverticulitis is not standardized, and there is an enormous diversity in clinical practice. Our aim was to demonstrate that uncomplicated diverticulitis can be managed with orally administered amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid and a short hospital admission. METHODS: A prospective randomized trial was established to compare patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis who received oral antibiotic after a short course of intravenous antibiotic with those who received intravenous antibiotic for a longer period. The antibiotic treatment consisted of amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid 1 g every 8 h. We included 50 patients, 25 in each group. Patients in group 1 began oral antibiotic as soon as they improved and were discharged the day after. Patients in group 2 received intravenous antibiotic for 7 days. Both groups received oral antibiotic at discharge. The endpoint of the study was "failure of treatment," which was defined as the impossibility of discharging on the expected day, emergency admission, or hospital readmission. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable in patient demographics and clinical characteristics. Most patients clearly improved between 24 and 48 h after admission. There were no significant differences between the groups when comparing failure of treatment. Treatment of patients in group 1 represented a savings in hospitalization costs of 1,244 per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis can be managed safely with oral antibiotic; thus, a very short hospital stay is a safe option.