Inflammatory markers as predictors of surgical site infection after elective colorectal cancer surgery.

We raise some doubts regarding the methods, results and conclusions obtained by Takakura et al. in their article published in the August's issue of the journal about the use of inflammatory markers as early predictors of surgical infection after colorectal cancer surgery.

Perforation of bowel lymphoma: beware of atypical presentations.

INTRODUCTION: Intestinal lymphomas can present as surgical complications such as perforation. There is little data regarding the risk factors, clinical features, management, and prognosis of bowel perforation in patients with intestinal lymphoma. The aims of this study were to analyze the risk factors for this complication and to describe the clinical picture. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients undergoing surgery for lymphoma-related perforation between 2002 and 2012 in the University Hospital of Dijon were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical, histological, and imaging features were recorded. RESULTS: Six patients underwent emergent laparotomy for this cause: in three patients, the perforation revealed the underlying disease, and in the other three patients, it occurred during chemotherapy treatment for known lymphoma. The clinical picture was a typical acute peritonitis in the first group, but was nonspecific and insidious in the chemotherapy-induced group. In all cases, aggressive lymphomas were present, and three patients had coexisting infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. CONCLUSION: Lymphoma-related perforation presents as an acute peritonitis in previously untreated patients in which it reveals the disease. However, it may be induced by chemotherapy and present with nonspecific insidious symptoms. The prognosis is also different according to these characteristics. The particularities of this disease warrant its knowledge to ensure an optimal management.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis mimicking a perforated diverticulitis.

We report the case of a patient with a pelvic abscess and a malignant pancreatic tumor. The management of this complicated diverticulitis included radiological drainage and surgery. This abscess was due to a peritoneal carcinomatosis originating from the pancreas, which is an extremely rare cause of intestinal perforation.

Celiacomesenteric trunk: a variation that must be known before aortic surgery.

The celiac trunk and the mesenteric arteries may present variations with different clinical significance. A celiacomesenteric trunk was discovered in a patient with mesenteric ischemia and a history of aortic bypass without inferior mesenteric artery reimplantation. Despite thrombectomies and digestive resections, the patient died. Anatomic variations like celiacomesenteric trunk must be known before aortic surgery.