Can CRM Status on MRI Predict Survival in Rectal Cancers: Experience from the Indian Subcontinent.

To determine the role of MRI as a predictor of circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement. To study the impact of CRM status on MRI on recurrence and survival, in correlation with pathology. Analysis of a prospective database was performed over a period of 1 year. All patients with adenocarcinoma of rectum were included in the study. The MRI at presentation for all patients irrespective of stage (MRIT), pre-NACTRT MRI (MRI1) for patients with locally advanced tumours, and post-NACTRT MRI (MRI2) of these patients were analysed separately. The status of CRM on MRI was compared to that on histopathology and as a predictor of recurrence and survival. Two hundred twenty-one patients were included with a median follow-up 30 months. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy were 50%, 65.46%, 5.63%, 96.95% and 64.85% for MRIT; 50%, 55.32%, 5.97%, 95.12% and 55.03% for MRI1; and 77.78%, 63.29%, 10.77%, 98.04% and 64.07% for MRI2, respectively. On multivariate analysis, pathological positive margin alone predicted a poor overall survival (OS) whereas involved CRM on pathology and MRIT predicted poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and local recurrence. Pre-treatment and post-treatment MRI scans have a moderate sensitivity, specificity and accuracy and a high negative predictive value to predict CRM status on pathology. Pathological CRM status is the only factor to impact OS, DFS and LR on multivariate analysis. CRM status on MRI at presentation (MRIT) does impact DFS and local recurrence but not OS.

Renal primitive neuroectodermal tumor as a second malignancy after chemotherapy and radiation for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma--treatment-related or just poor old bad luck?: A case report.

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a rare histology to be found in primary tumors of the kidney. There are less than a hundred cases reported in the English literature. Most of these have been diagnosed after surgery for a renal neoplasm diagnosed on imaging. PNET has rarely been reported as a second malignancy, and has never been reported as a second malignancy after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Herein, we present our case of a 38-year-old female who developed a second malignancy in the kidney after the treatment for NHL.

Laparoscopic intersphincteric resection and hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis: a natural orifice specimen extraction technique.

The incidence of rectal cancer in India is on the rise, and unlike in the West, predominantly younger individuals are affected. Surgery for rectal cancer has evolved over the years with the ultimate goals of sphincter preservation and better quality of life, besides oncological safety. With the routine use of magnetic resonance imaging for local staging, intersphincteric resection has become a viable alternative to abdominoperineal resection. Similarly, there is enough evidence to consider laparoscopic surgery as feasible and oncologically safe for rectal cancer. Thus laparoscopic intersphincteric resection fulfills all the objectives of modern-day rectal cancer surgery. Here we describe the technical points while performing the surgery as well as short-term results of our own series.

Rectovaginal Fistula with Anastomotic Stricture Post Anterior Resection - Sphincter Preservation, a Viable Option.

Rectovaginal fistula [RVF] is a devastating complication of anterior resection whose incidence worldwide is on a rise with widespread use of staplers for the rectal anastomosis. It is a special surgical challenge for the treating surgeon with limited suitable options available to treat this difficult situation. As there is no consensus on its management, most often patient ends up with permanent stoma and overall inferior quality of life. We are presenting a case of post anterior resection RVF which was treated with intersphincteric resection followed by hand sewn coloanal anastomosis. An intersphincteric resection avoids dissection in a previously violated rectovaginal plane and improves chances of sphincter preservation. A well vascularized colonic graft with hand sewn coloanal anastomoses well below the site of fistula and omental interposition further avoids the chances of recurrence of fistula.

Modified Technique of Mesh Hepatorrhaphy for Management of Juxtahepatic Venous Injury in a Case of Blunt Liver Trauma: A Case Report.

The liver is the most frequently injured organ in cases of blunt abdominal trauma. Injuries to the caudate lobe are rarely isolated and usually associated with retrohepatic caval injury or hepatic vein injury. The management of the associated vascular injuries is usually difficult owing to the short courses of the hepatic veins and the difficulty in obtaining proximal and distal control of the suprarenal and suprahepatic inferior vena cava - hence the frequency of perihepatic packing in the management of caudate lobe and hepatic venous injuries. We present here a rare case of the failure of perihepatic packing to effectively control hemorrhage from blunt injury to the caudate lobe and retrohepatic vena cava. A case of blunt abdominal trauma with injury to the caudate lobe and retrohepatic venous injury was initially managed with perihepatic packing. The patient developed hemorrhage 48 h after pack removal, which was then successfully managed with mesh hepatorrhaphy of the caudate lobe.