Low-cost, safe, and effective smoke evacuation device for surgical procedures in the COVID-19 age.

BACKGROUND: Smoke is generated by energy-based surgical instruments. The airborne by-products may have potential health implications. METHODS: We developed a simple way to use de conventional surgical evacuator coupled with de electrosurgical pen attached to a 14G bladder catheter for open surgery. It was used in ten prospective patients with breast cancer. RESULTS: We notice a high reduction in surgical smoke during all breast surgery. A questionnaire was used for all participants of the surgery to answer the impression that they had about the device. The subjective impression was that the surgical smoke in contact whit the surgical team was reduced by more than 95%. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical smoke is the gaseous by-product produced by heat-generating devices in various surgical procedures. Surgical smoke may contain chemicals particles, bacteria, and viruses that are harmful and increase the risk of infection for surgeons and all the team in the operation room due to long term exposure of smoke mainly in coronavirus disease 2019 age. The adapted device described is a very simple and cheaper way to use smoke evacuators attached with the monopolar electrosurgical pen to reduce smoke exposure to the surgical team worldwide.

Brazilian consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of extremities soft tissue sarcomas.

INTRODUCTION: Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare tumors and constitute only 1% of all tumors in adults. Indeed, due to their rarity, most cases in Brazil are not treated according to primary international guidelines. METHODS: This consensus addresses the treatment of STSs in the extremities. It was made by workgroups from Brazilian Societies of Surgical Oncology, Orthopaedics, Clinical Oncology, Pathology, Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, and Radiation Oncology. The workgroups based their arguments on the best level of evidence in the literature and recommendations were made according to diagnosis, staging, and treatment of STSs. A meeting was held with all the invited experts and the topics were presented individually with the definition of the degree of recommendation, based on the levels of evidence in the literature. RESULTS: Risk factors and epidemiology were described as well as the pathological aspects and imaging. All recommendations are described with the degree of recommendation and levels of evidence. CONCLUSION: Recommendations based on the best literature regional aspects were made to guide professionals who treat STS. Separate consensus on specific treatments for retroperitoneal, visceral, trunk, head and neck sarcomas, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor, are not contemplated into this consensus.

Surgical complications and metachronous rectal cancer risk in patients with classic familial adenomatous polyposis / Complicações cirúrgicas e risco de câncer retal metacrônico em pacientes com polipose adenomatosa familiar clássica

INTRODUCTION: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant disease characterized by development of numerous adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum, is caused by germline mutations in the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) gene. METHODS: To determine the surgical morbidity in patients with classical familial adenomatous polyposis and determine the incidence of metachronous colorectal cancer (CRC) in those undergoing total colectomy (TC) with ileorectal anastomosis or restorative total proctocolectomy (TPC) and ileal pouch anal anastomosis. We analyzed patients with familial adenomatous polyposis who received treatment and regular follow-up at the A.C. Camargo Cancer Center from 1994 to 2013. RESULTS: Operative complications occurred in 22 patients (34.3%), 16 (25%) being early complications and 8 (12.5%) late complications. No mortality occurred as a result of postoperative complications. The incidence of metachronous rectal cancer after total proctocolectomy was 2.3% and after total colectomy 18.18% (p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: In order to provide better quality of life for individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis, total colectomy is commonly offered, as this simple technique is traditionally associated with lower rates of postoperative complications and better functional outcomes. However, it has become a less attractive technique in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis in its classical or diffuse form, since it has a significantly higher probability of metachronous rectal cancer. (AU)

INTRODUÇÃO: Polipose adenomatosa familiar (PAF), uma doença autossômica dominante caracterizada pela formação de numerosos pólipos adenomatosos no cólon e reto, é causada por mutações da linha germinativa no gene da polipose adenomatosa do cólon (PAC). MÉTODOS: Para determinar a morbidade cirúrgica em pacientes com PAF clássica e determinar a incidência de câncer colorretal (CCR) metacrônico naqueles pacientes submetidos à colectomia total (CT) com anastomose íleo-retal ou submetidos à proctocolectomia restaurativa (PCT) e anastomose bolsa ileal-anal, foram analisados pacientes com PAF que foram tratados e tiveram acompanhamento periódico no A. C. Camargo Cancer Center de 1994 até 2013. RESULTADOS: Ocorreram complicações cirúrgicas em 22 pacientes (34,3%); 16 (25%) tiveram complicações precoces e 8 (12,5%) complicações tardias. Não houve mortes como resultado de complicações pós-operatórias. A incidência de câncer de reto metacrônico após PCT foi de 2,3% e após CT foi de 18,18% (p = 0,044). CONCLUSÕES: A fim de proporcionar melhor qualidade de vida para os pacientes com PAF, CT é comumente oferecida, pois esta técnica simples está tradicionalmente associada com menores percentuais de complicações pós-operatórias e melhores resultados funcionais. No entanto, CT se tornou uma técnica menos atraente em pacientes com PAF em sua forma clássica ou difusa, uma vez que traz consigo uma probabilidade significativamente maior de câncer retal metacrônico. (AU)