LIFT procedure: postoperative outcomes, risk factors for fistula recurrence and continence impairment.

Ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract has been recently employed as definitive treatment of anal fistulas. However, it carries a potential risk of continence impairment, fistula recurrence, and repeated operations. This study aimed to assess postoperative outcomes related to this procedure and evaluate the potential influence of preoperative and intraoperative features. Patients who underwent LIFT procedure between June 2012 and September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided according to whether they developed fistula recurrence and on the history of a surgery prior to the LIFT. Preoperative features, postoperative outcomes, and risk factors adverse outcomes were analyzed. Forty-eight patients were included, of which 25 received primary LIFT, being the high transsphincteric fistula pattern the most frequent (62.5%). The median follow-up was 13.3 months, with a recurrence rate of 20.8%, of which the majority presented an intersphincteric fistula pattern (50%); and continence impairment rate of 16.7%. A higher prevalence of diabetes (p = 0.026) and a trend towards a higher prevalence of patients with a history of high transsphincteric fistula (0.052) were observed in the group with fistula recurrence. The history of diabetes and the operation time with a cut-off value ≥ 69 min showed a trend as a risk factors for developing fistula recurrence (0.06) and postoperative continence impairment (0.07), respectively. The LIFT procedure seems to be safe in terms of morbidity, with a reasonable incidence of recurrences, showing better results when it is primarily performed. Preoperative characteristics should be considered as they may impact outcomes.

The Mexican consensus on fecal incontinence.

Fecal incontinence is the involuntary passage or the incapacity to control the release of fecal matter through the anus. It is a condition that significantly impairs quality of life in those that suffer from it, given that it affects body image, self-esteem, and interferes with everyday activities, in turn, favoring social isolation. There are no guidelines or consensus in Mexico on the topic, and so the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología brought together a multidisciplinary group (gastroenterologists, neurogastroenterologists, and surgeons) to carry out the «Mexican consensus on fecal incontinence¼ and establish useful recommendations for the medical community. The present document presents the formulated recommendations in 35 statements. Fecal incontinence is known to be a frequent entity whose incidence increases as individuals age, but one that is under-recognized. The pathophysiology of incontinence is complex and multifactorial, and in most cases, there is more than one associated risk factor. Even though there is no diagnostic gold standard, the combination of tests that evaluate structure (endoanal ultrasound) and function (anorectal manometry) should be recommended in all cases. Treatment should also be multidisciplinary and general measures and drugs (lidamidine, loperamide) are recommended, as well as non-pharmacologic interventions, such as biofeedback therapy, in selected cases. Likewise, surgical treatment should be offered to selected patients and performed by experts.

Hartmann's procedure versus primary anastomosis for Hinchey stage III diverticulitis: a prospective case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Hartmann's procedure (HP) is the conventional treatment in patients with complicated diverticulitis. Segmental resection with primary anastomosis (PA) is a treatment alternative for those patients. Our aim was to compare the postoperative results of HP and PA in patients with complicated diverticulitis (Hinchey stage III). METHODS: A case-control study was conducted on patients operated on for purulent Hinchey stage III diverticulitis, within the time frame of 2000 and 2019. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients that underwent PA were compared with 27 that underwent HP. The patients that underwent HP had a greater probability of morbidity at 30 days (OR 3.5; 95% CI 1.13-11.25), as well as a greater probability of major complications (OR 10.9; 95% CI 1.26-95.05). CONCLUSION: The patients that underwent segmental resection and PA presented with lower morbidity rates and higher stoma reversal rates than the patients that underwent HP.

Adult intussusception: still a challenging diagnosis for the surgeon.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Intussusception is rare in adults and can occur in the small bowel and colon. Its atypical presentation makes the diagnosis difficult. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the causes, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes of adult intussusception and to determine whether there was an association between etiology and clinical presentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on patients above 18 years of age that were treated for intussusception at a tertiary care hospital, between 2000 and 2020. The findings were summarized utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Twenty-eight cases were identified. Median patient age was 46 years (18-80) and median symptom duration was 18 days. Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom (96.42%). The intussusceptions registered were enteroenteric (14), ileocecal (4), ileocolonic (4), colocolonic (5), and colorrectal (1). Intussusception etiology was benign in 15 cases, 9 were associated with malignancy, and 4 were idiopathic. Surgery was performed on 11 patients with enteroenteric intussusception and on all the cases of ileocecal, ileocolonic, colocolonic, and colorectal intussusception. There were 2 events of perioperative mortality (8%) and 8 of postoperative morbidity (32%). No significant differences were found regarding symptom duration or length of hospital stay, when the etiologic groups were compared. CONCLUSIONS: Intussusception is rare in adults. Diagnosis is a challenge because of the nonspecific signs and symptoms. Surgical resection should be considered in the definitive treatment and management should be individualized according to the patient's comorbidities, clinical presentation, and risk of malignancy.

Outcomes of radiofrequency ablation for anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) is a promising minimally invasive technique but its oncologic and functional outcomes are not well studied. The primary outcome was the efficacy of RFA, and the secondary outcomes were the functional and anatomical anal changes related to RFA. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of our prospectively collected database of patients who had RFA for HSIL at our institution, between August 2018 and March 2020. To be eligible for RFA, all patients had impairment of their immune function. Targeted ablation was applied in all cases, with 5 overlapping pulsations at the targeted HSILs (delivering 12 J/cm2 per application) followed by circumferential, 2-pulsation (12 J/cm2) overlapping anal ablation, to cover the entire anal transition zone. Patients were assessed for recurrence or metachronous disease at 3-month intervals by means of high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) and targeted biopsies. Anorectal manometry, endoanal ultrasound, the 36-Item Short Form and Massachusetts General Hospital-Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (MGH-SFQ) were assessed at baseline and 12 months after intervention. RESULTS: We included a total of 12 patients with anal HSILs. The mean age was 38.6 (± 7.68) years, and 7 (58.3%) were males. Six were HIV positive, 2 had a primary immunodeficiency disease, and 4 were receiving immunosuppressive therapy. A mean of 2.1 anal HSILs per patient were treated. At 12 months, high-resolution anoscopy showed that 7/12 (58.3%) patients had normal high-resolution anoscopy, 3/12 patients had recurrent HSILs, and 2/12 had a persistent lesion. Those lesions were treated with electrocautery, and reached complete response in the following the 6 months (total of 18 months). In particular, there were no metachronous lesions detected. Patients reported moderate to severe pain during the first 24 h after RFA, but only mild discomfort was present at 30 days. Patients were asymptomatic at their 6- and 12-month visits. RFA was not associated with changes in anorectal manometry or ultrasound examination. The 36-SF survey reported improvement in the general health domain (p = 0.038), while the MGH-SFQ showed improvements in sexual function. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, targeted plus circumferential RFA had a 58.3% efficacy rate for the treatment of anal HSIL in immunocompromised patients, achieving 100% eradication after adding electrocautery ablation. No metachronous lesions were detected. Patients presented relatively mild symptoms after the procedure, no changes in anorectal anatomy or function, and some improvements in their sexual function. These results seem promising in light of the high recurrence reported after HSIL treatment. Larger studies are needed to validate our results.

Usefulness of a circumferential wound retractor in emergency colorectal surgery as a preventive measure for surgical site infection. Alexis O-Ring® and emergency surgery. / Utilidad del separador circunferencial para herida en cirugía colorrectal de urgencia como medida preventiva para infección del sitio quirúrgico. El Alexis O-Ring® y la cirugía de urgencia.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: More than 20% of healthcare-associated infections correspond to those at surgical sites, and there is a higher incidence of infections in colorectal surgery due to the associated bacterial load. Surgical wound protectors are designed to prevent contamination and mechanical trauma. Our aim was to demonstrate the usefulness of a circumferential wound retractor/protector for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) in emergency colorectal surgery. METHODS: Forty-one patients that underwent emergency open surgery at a tertiary care hospital were randomized into 2 groups: 20 cases without the retractor (group A) and 21 cases with the retractor (group B). Subjects were assigned to a group in a 1:1 randomization allocation ratio. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were employed for the quantitative variables, and the statistical analysis was performed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software for Mac, version 16.0 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: The SSI rate was 17%. Six group A patients developed SSI versus one group B patient. The use of a circumferential wound retractor/protector was statistically significant for the prevention of surgical wound infections, with a P=.031 and an OR of 8.5. In addition, preoperative blood glucose levels below 200mg/dl provided a 3.2-times higher protective effect, compared with glucose levels above 200mg/dl. CONCLUSIONS: In the present prospective randomized pilot study, the use of the circumferential wound retractor/protector significantly decreased the likelihood of SSI in emergency colorectal surgery.

The Mexican consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of diverticular disease of the colon. / Consenso mexicano sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad diverticular del colon.

Since the publication of the 2008 guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of diverticular disease of the colon by the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología, significant advances have been made in the knowledge of that disease. A systematic review of articles published in the medical literature from January 2008 to July 2018 was carried out to revise and update the 2008 guidelines and provide new evidence-based recommendations. All high-quality articles in Spanish and English published within that time frame were included. The final versions of the 43 statements accepted in the three rounds of voting, utilizing the Delphi method, were written, and the quality of evidence and strength of the recommendations were established for each statement, utilizing the GRADE system. The present consensus contains new data on the definition, classification, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and risk factors of diverticular disease of the colon. Special emphasis is given to the usefulness of computed tomography and colonoscopy, as well as to the endoscopic methods for controlling bleeding. Outpatient treatment of uncomplicated diverticulitis is discussed, as well as the role of rifaximin and mesalazine in the management of complicated acute diverticulitis. Both its minimally invasive alternatives and surgical options are described, stressing their indications, limitations, and contraindications. The new statements provide guidelines based on updated scientific evidence. Each statement is discussed, and its quality of evidence and the strength of the recommendation are presented.

Consenso mexicano sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad diverticular del colon / The Mexican consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of diverticular disease of the colon

Desde la publicación en 2008 de las guías de diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad diverticular del colon de la Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología ha habido avances significativos en el conocimiento de esta enfermedad. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura en PubMed de enero de 2008 a julio de 2018 con el fin de revisar y actualizar las guías 2008 y proporcionar nuevas recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia. Se incluyeron todas las publicaciones en español e inglés, de alta calidad. Se redactaron los enunciados, que fueron votados utilizando el método Delphi. Se estableció la calidad de la evidencia y la fuerza de las recomendaciones según el sistema GRADE para cada enunciado. Cuarenta y tres enunciados fueron finalmente votados y calificados. Se informan nuevos datos sobre definición, clasificación, epidemiología, fisiopatología y factores de riesgo. Se revisó con especial énfasis la utilidad de la tomografía computarizada y de la colonoscopia, así como los métodos endoscópicos para el control de la hemorragia. Se discutió sobre el tratamiento ambulatorio de la diverticulitis no complicada, el papel de la rifaximina y la mesalazina, en el manejo de la diverticulitis aguda complicada tanto en sus alternativas mínimamente invasivas hasta las opciones quirúrgicas con énfasis en sus indicaciones, limitaciones y contraindicaciones. Los nuevos enunciados proporcionan directrices basadas en la evidencia actualizada. Se presentan la discusión, el grado y la fuerza de la recomendación de cada uno de ellos.

Surgical treatment of giant anal condyloma in HIV patients: unanswered questions.

We are writing to comment on the article by Uribe et al., "Management on giant anal condyloma by wide local excision and anoplasty". [1] Anogenital warts are among the most common sexually transmitted diseases seen in surgical practice, they are found in up to 1.7% of the general population, but in HIV population, they range from 3 to 24.9%. It is important to realise that 78% of patients with external anogenital warts have internal lesions as well although they are unlikely to be proximal to the dentate line. [2] This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Basal cell carcinoma of the perianal region: a case report and literature review]. / Carcinoma basocelular de la región perianal: reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

The literature reports an annual incidence of 5,900 cases of anal cancer in the developed countries. These involve three different anatomic zones: carcinoma of the anal canal, perianal carcinoma (formerly known as carcinoma of the anal margin, located at a distance of less than 5cm from the anal margin), and carcinoma of the perianal skin (at a distance greater than 5cm from the anal margin). Basal cell carcinoma of the perianal region is an uncommon tumor (0.27% of all diagnosed basal cell carcinomas) that in the majority of cases is treated by resection with disease-free margins. It must be differentiated from the basaloid and epidermoid variants of carcinoma, given that it has good outcome and its spread potential is practically null.

[Improvement of fecal incontinence with silicone implants in patients with internal anal sphincter injury: First report in North America]. / Mejoría de la incontinencia fecal con implantes de silicón en pacientes con lesiones del esfínter anal interno: primer informe en Norteamérica.

The injection of bulking agents has been described as a useful treatment of urinary and fecal incontinence. Among them, silicone implants have shown benefits in patients with internal anal sphincter (IAS) injury. We describe two patients with a history of hemorrhoidectomy and IAS injuries, which underwent placement of silicone implants. The implants were inserted into the intersphincteric space and the IAS under ultrasound guidance. The Wexner continente score fell from 17 and 19 before treatment, to 6 and 8 at six months follow up, respectively. Patients had no postoperative complications or implants migration. In our patients, injection of silicone implants improved fecal continence score, without postoperative complications or implants migration at six month follow up.

[Surgical treatment of a perianal giant condyloma acuminata in a HIV patient]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de un condiloma gigante perianal en una paciente con síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida humana.

Buschke-Löwenstein tumor is a slowly growing neoplasm with high potential of local invasion. We described a 29 year-old female with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who was surgically treated for a Buschke- Löwenstein tumor with a wide local excision, bilateral gluteal flaps and loop ileostomy. At 12 months follow-up, there was no evidence of recurrence. Despite it does not metastasize, Buschke-Löwenstein tumor has a high recurrence rate and a 50% risk of malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma. Surgery is considered the treatment of choice for this disease. Podophyllin, immunotherapy, interferon and radiotherapy are other treatments with a limited therapeutic response.

[Experience in surgical management of rectal prolapse in two hospitals in Mexico City]. / Experiencia del tratamiento quirúrgico del prolapso rectal en dos hospitales de tercer nivel en la ciudad de México.

BACKGROUND: Rectal prolapse is defined as a falling out of place of the rectum through anus. Surgery is the treatment of choice to reverse abnormal anatomy and to improve anorectal function. OBJECTIVE: To review the experience in recent years of surgical management of rectal prolapse in the Hospital Central Militar and Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubiran. METHODS: All patients with rectal prolapse who underwent surgical treatment between January 1993 through December 2008 at two institutions in Mexico City were included. Clinical information was obtained of the clinical files in both hospitals. Main study variables were age, sex, degree of prolapse, morbility and type of surgery performed. RESULTS: Fifty seven patients were included, predominantly female (59.6%) with a mean age of 45 years. The most frequent diagnosis was complete rectal prolapse. Fifteen patients (26%) were treated by perineal procedure and 42 (74%) through abdomen: 17 (40%) open and 25 (60%) laparoscopic. Morbidity rate was lower in the laparoscopic group with less length of hospital stay and a lower blood loss, but with higher recurrence rate. CONCLUSIONS: Although the laparoscopic surgery showed advantage related with a less morbility, blood loss and hospital stay, it showed higher recurrence rates."

Colonic cavernous hemangiomas: a report of two cases treated by laparoscopic surgery.

Hemangiomas are rare vascular tumors. They most commonly appear in the small bowel, as well as the colon and the rectum. Here, we report two cases of male patients who were admitted to our hospital for low rectal painless bleeding, misdiagnosed of hemorrhoid bleeding. Colonoscopy reported vascular tumors in both cases, which we surgically removed.

[Surgical treatment of rectal cancer]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer de recto.

Rectal affection accounts for 30% of colorectal cancer. The standard of treatment is surgical resection, which often is curative. For superior and middle-rectal involvement, low anterior resection (LAR) is the preferred procedure. For tumors involving the lower portion of the rectum, abdominoperineal resection (APR) or LAR are the options of treatment, depending on sphincter involvement. The main surgical objective is to achieve a R0 resection with an appropriated total mesorrectal excision, greater number of lymph nodes and negative distal and radial margins. These surgical parameters have been used as quality indicators and have prognostic implications in terms of overall and disease-free survival. Total mesorectal excision with preservation of hypogastric nerves has shown a reduction in rates of sexual and bladder dysfunction as well as lower local recurrence. At specialized centers such procedures are performed by minimal invasive surgery; however the number of meta-analysis is scarce.

[Pelvic angiomyxoma. A case report from National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Salvador Zubiran.]. / Angiomixoma pélvico. Informe de un caso en el Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán.

An angiomyxoma is a pelvic neoplasia compound of myofibroblasts. This is a case report of a 41 years old female patient, who presented with a painful, pelvic mass, identified by a tomography with malignant characteristics. Total surgical excision was performed and coursed with good evolution time.

[Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer associated with hereditary gastric cancer. A case report.]. / Cáncer colorrectal hereditario no polipósico asociado a cáncer gástrico hereditario. Informe de un caso.

The information regarding the association of gastric cancer and type 2 Lynch syndrome is limited. Previous studies have reported that both entities may be present in the same individual in less than 5% of the cases. The most frequent form of hereditary colorectal cancer is the Lynch syndrome or Hereditary Non-polyposic Colorectal Cancer, which is associated with germ-line mutation mostly of two genes, MLH1 and MSH2, which account for almost 90 percent of all identified mutations. The hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome is caused by a germ-line mutation in the E-cadherin (CDH1) gene; only about 50 families with this syndrome have been reported. We present a case report of a patient who was diagnosed with both syndromes.