Spontaneously ruptured endometriomas presenting with symptoms and imaging findings worrisome for carcinomatosis: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Endometriomas are the most common presenting subtype of endometriosis. Although most endometriomas are asymptomatic, patients can rarely present acutely with spontaneous rupture causing diffuse peritonitis and severe systemic inflammatory response. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we describe a case of ruptured endometriomas in a 26-year-old nulligravid female with a history of heavy menses, progressive abdominal distension, and a recent urinary tract infection. The patient presented to the emergency department with upper abdominal pain radiating to her back with associated nausea. Computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated diffuse ascites with a large, multilobulated, and multicystic septated mass arising in the right pelvis and extending into the lower abdomen. Findings were concerning for peritoneal carcinomatosis and the patient was admitted for evaluation. She developed progressive signs of sepsis and was emergently brought to the operating room for surgical exploration on hospital day (HD) number two. She was found to have ruptured pelvic cysts arising from both ovaries with diffuse contamination of the abdomen by cyst contents and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) was performed. Final pathology demonstrated benign bilateral endometriomas. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Endometrioma rupture is extremely rare and imaging findings may appear to represent disseminated peritoneal malignancy. CT findings demonstrating a pelvic mass with concurrent ascites should raise clinical suspicion for ruptured endometrioma, particularly in younger patients. CONCLUSION: Prompt surgical exploration and complete resection of pathologic tissue may be necessary for diagnosis and treatment in some patients with clinical deterioration related to perforated endometriomas. Combined oral contraceptives are recommended in the postoperative period.

Ruptured granulosa cell tumor of the ovary presenting with catastrophic intra-abdominal hemorrhage: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Adult granulosa cell tumor (GCT) is a rare stromal cell neoplasm that most often arises from the ovary. Presenting symptoms are related to external compression of adjacent structures (mass effect) or secretion of hormones such as estrogen. Patients most commonly present with irregular menstruation, postmenopausal bleeding, and abdominal pain. Prolonged estrogen exposure can contribute to endometrial adenocarcinoma development in untreated patients. The highly vascular nature of GCTs can lead to hemorrhagic rupture in rare cases. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We describe a case of adult GCT in a 44-year-old female with a history of irregular menstrual bleeding and anemia. The patient presented with shortness of breath and abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated possible hemorrhagic ascites of unclear etiology and a pelvic mass. The patient was brought to the operating room in hemorrhagic shock for surgical exploration where she was found to have active bleeding of a ruptured ovarian tumor for which she underwent left salpingo-oophorectomy. Postoperative course was unremarkable, and pathology demonstrated ruptured GCT. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Although rare, ovarian tumors can present with massive bleeding following rupture. Granulosa cell tumors are surreptitious as they grow slowly, and symptoms such as distention, abdominal pain, and irregular vaginal bleeding are nonspecific. CONCLUSION: CT findings demonstrating a pelvic mass in the setting of spontaneous intra-abdominal bleeding should raise clinical suspicion, particularly in patients with histories of menstrual abnormalities. Patients with suspected intra-abdominal hemorrhage due to any cause are best treated by prompt surgical exploration and aggressive resuscitation.

The Utility of Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy Scans in the Tokyo Guidelines Era for Acute Cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy (HIDA) aids the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis (AC) but has limitations. We sought to design a model based on the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) to predict HIDA results. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent a HIDA scan during the evaluation of AC was performed. Using logistic regression techniques incorporating the TG18 criterion and additional readily available patient characteristics, a prediction model was created to identify patients likely to test negative for acute cholecystitis by HIDA scan. RESULTS: In 235 patients with suspected AC, a HIDA scan was performed. Variables associated with positive HIDA results were male gender (RR 2.0 (CI 1.33-2.99), age (OR 1.02 (CI 1.01-1.04), right upper quadrant tenderness (RR 1.7 (CI 1.1-2.8)), clinical Murphy's sign (RR 2.2 (CI 1.5-3.4)), ultrasound findings suggestive of AC by any of its components (RR 3.2 (CI 1.6-6.5)), gallbladder wall thickening (RR 2.0 (CI 1.3-3.1)), and gallbladder distention (RR 1.9 (CI 1.3-2.9)). These variables allowed for creation of a model to predict HIDA results. The model predicted HIDA results in 36.9% of patients with an area under the curve of 0.81. CONCLUSIONS: In the era of TG18, HIDA is probably over utilized. We developed an accurate, simple model based on TG18 that identifies a group of patients for whom a HIDA scan is unnecessary to establish the diagnosis of AC.

A Phase 2 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Adjuvant Trial of GI-4000, a Recombinant Yeast Expressing Mutated RAS Proteins in Patients with Resected Pancreas Cancer.

Purpose: GI-4000, a series of recombinant yeast expressing four different mutated RAS proteins, was evaluated in subjects with resected ras-mutated pancreas cancer. Methods: Subjects (n = 176) received GI-4000 or placebo plus gemcitabine. Subjects' tumors were genotyped to identify which matched GI-4000 product to administer. Immune responses were measured by interferon-γ (IFNγ) ELISpot assay and by regulatory T cell (Treg) frequencies on treatment. Pretreatment plasma was retrospectively analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry for proteomic signatures predictive of GI-4000 responsiveness. Results: GI-4000 was well tolerated, with comparable safety findings between treatment groups. The GI-4000 group showed a similar pattern of median recurrence-free and overall survival (OS) compared with placebo. For the prospectively defined and stratified R1 resection subgroup, there was a trend in 1 year OS (72% vs. 56%), an improvement in OS (523.5 vs. 443.5 days [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.06 [confidence interval (CI): 0.53-2.13], p = 0.872), and increased frequency of immune responders (40% vs. 8%; p = 0.062) for GI-4000 versus placebo and a 159-day improvement in OS for R1 GI-4000 immune responders versus placebo (p = 0.810). For R0 resection subjects, no increases in IFNγ responses in GI-4000-treated subjects were observed. A higher frequency of R0/R1 subjects with a reduction in Tregs (CD4+/CD45RA+/Foxp3low) was observed in GI-4000-treated subjects versus placebo (p = 0.033). A proteomic signature was identified that predicted response to GI-4000/gemcitabine regardless of resection status. Conclusion: These results justify continued investigation of GI-4000 in studies stratified for likely responders or in combination with immune check-point inhibitors or other immunomodulators, which may provide optimal reactivation of antitumor immunity. ClinicalTrials.gov Number: NCT00300950.

Pancreatic Cancer Surgery Following Emergency Department Admission: Understanding Poor Outcomes and Disparities in Care.

BACKGROUND: The impact of emergency department admission prior to pancreatic resection on perioperative outcomes is not well described. We compared patients who underwent pancreatic cancer surgery following admission through the emergency department (ED-surgery) with patients receiving elective pancreatic cancer surgery (elective) and outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to identify patients undergoing pancreatectomy for cancer over 5 years (2008-2012). Demographics and hospital characteristics were assessed, along with perioperative outcomes and disposition status. RESULTS: A total of 8158 patients were identified, of which 516 (6.3%) underwent surgery after admission through the ED. ED-surgery patients were more often socioeconomically disadvantaged (non-White 39% vs. 18%, Medicaid or uninsured 24% vs. 7%, from lowest income area 33% vs. 21%; all p < .0001), had higher comorbidity (Elixhauser score > 6: 44% vs. 26%, p < .0001), and often had pancreatectomy performed at sites with lower annual case volume (< 7 resections/year: 53% vs. 24%, p < .0001). ED-surgery patients were less likely to be discharged home after surgery (70% vs. 82%, p < .0001) and had higher mortality (7.4% vs. 3.5%, p < .0001). On multivariate analysis, ED-surgery was independently associated with a lower likelihood of being discharged home (aOR 0.55 (95%CI 0.43-0.70)). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing pancreatectomy following ED admission experience worse outcomes compared with those who undergo surgery after elective admission. The excess of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients in this group suggests factors other than clinical considerations alone drive this decision. This study demonstrates the need to consider presenting patient circumstances and preoperative oncologic coordination to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer surgery.

Clinical Stage of Cancer Affects Perioperative Mortality for Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgeries.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the stage of cancer on perioperative mortality remains obscure. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cancer stage influences 30-d mortality for gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. METHODS: Data were collected from the National Cancer Database for patients undergoing resections for cancers of the stomach, pancreas, colon, or rectum between 2004 and 2015. The main analysis was conducted among patients with cancer stages 1-3. A sensitivity analysis also included cancer stage 4. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the patients' baseline characteristics. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationship between stage and 30-d mortality, controlling for other disease-, patient- and hospital-level factors. Pseudo R2 statistics (%Δ pseudo R2) were used to quantify the relative explanatory capacity of the variables to the model for 30-d mortality. All analyses were performed using SAS 9.4. RESULTS: The cohort included 24,468, 28,078, 176,285, and 64,947 patients with stomach, pancreas, colon, and rectal cancers, respectively. After adjusting for other variables, 30-d mortality was different by stage for all cancer types examined. The factor most strongly associated with 30-d mortality was age (%Δ pseudo R2 range 14%-39%). The prognostic impact of cancer stage (Stages 1, 2, or 3) on 30-d mortality was comparable to that of the Charlson comorbidity index. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer stage contributes to explaining differences observed in short-term mortality for gastrointestinal cancers. Short-term mortality models would benefit by including more granular cancer stage, beyond disseminated status alone.

Understanding Racial Disparities in Gastrointestinal Cancer Outcomes: Lack of Surgery Contributes to Lower Survival in African American Patients.

BACKGROUND: Race/ethnicity-related differences in rates of cancer surgery and cancer mortality have been observed for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. This study aims to estimate the extent to which differences in receipt of surgery explain racial/ethnic disparities in cancer survival. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to obtain data for patients diagnosed with stage I-III mid-esophageal, distal esophagus/gastric cardia (DEGC), noncardia gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer in years 2004-2015. Mediation analysis was used to identify variables influencing the relationship between race/ethnicity and mortality, including surgery. RESULTS: A total of 600,063 patients were included in the study: 3.5% mid-esophageal, 12.4% DEGC, 4.9% noncardia gastric, 17.0% pancreatic, 40.1% colon, and 22.0% rectal cancers. The operative rates for Black patients were low relative to White patients, with absolute differences of 21.0%, 19.9%, 2.3%, 8.3%, 1.6%, and 7.7%. Adjustment for age, stage, and comorbidities revealed even lower odds of receiving surgery for Black patients compared with White patients. The observed HRs for Black patients compared with White patients ranged from 1.01 to 1.42. Mediation analysis showed that receipt of surgery and socioeconomic factors had greatest influence on the survival disparity. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that Black patients appear to be undertreated compared with White patients for GI cancers. The disproportionately low operative rates contribute to the known survival disparity between Black and White patients. IMPACT: Interventions to reduce barriers to surgery for Black patients should be promoted to reduce disparities in GI cancer outcomes.See related commentary by Hébert, p. 438.

Calcifying Fibrous Pseudotumor of the Pancreas in a Patient With Metastatic Mammary Lobular Carcinoma and Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor: A Previously Undescribed Benign Mimic of Metastatic Disease.

Calcifying fibrous pseudotumor, a benign spindle cell tumor, has not been reported previously in the pancreas. Herein, we report a case of pancreatic calcifying fibrous pseudotumor in a 74-year-old female with a history of metastatic breast carcinoma and gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), both confounding the diagnosis and rendering it more challenging. Microscopic examination showed a well-demarcated, paucicellular, densely fibrotic tumor with widespread dystrophic calcifications and sparse, cytologically bland polygonal and spindle cells. Histologic and immunohistochemical work-up helped to exclude relevant differential diagnoses, including metastatic carcinoma, solitary fibrous tumor, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and GIST.

Providing Reliable Prognosis to Patients with Gastric Cancer in the Era of Neoadjuvant Therapies: Comparison of AJCC Staging Schemata.

PURPOSE: Patients with gastric cancer who receive neoadjuvant therapy are staged before treatment (cStage) and after treatment (ypStage). We aimed to compare the prognostic reliability of cStage and ypStage, alone and in combination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for all patients who received neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma from 2004 to 2015 were extracted from the National Cancer Database. Kaplan-Meier (KM)curves were used to model overall survival based on cStage alone, ypStage alone, cStage stratified by ypStage, and ypStage stratified by cStage. P-values were generated to summarize the differences in KM curves. The discriminatory power of survival prediction was examined using Harrell's C-statistics. RESULTS: We included 8,977 patients in the analysis. As expected, increasing cStage and ypStage were associated with worse survival. The discriminatory prognostic power provided by cStage was poor (C-statistic 0.548), while that provided by ypStage was moderate (C-statistic 0.634). Within each cStage, the addition of ypStage information significantly altered the prognosis (P<0.0001 within cStages I-IV). However, for each ypStage, the addition of cStage information generally did not alter the prognosis (P=0.2874, 0.027, 0.061, 0.049, and 0.007 within ypStages 0-IV, respectively). The discriminatory prognostic power provided by the combination of cStage and ypStage was similar to that of ypStage alone (C-statistic 0.636 vs. 0.634). CONCLUSIONS: The cStage is unreliable for prognosis, and ypStage is moderately reliable. Combining cStage and ypStage does not improve the discriminatory prognostic power provided by ypStage alone. A ypStage-based prognosis is minimally affected by the initial cStage.

Feasibility and efficacy of gamification in general surgery residency: Preliminary outcomes of residency teams.

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive studies evaluating the efficacy of team-based competition ("Gamification") in surgery have not been performed. Board pass rates and resident satisfaction may improve if surgical residents are involved in competition. METHODS: Residents at Montefiore Medical Center (Bronx, New York) were surveyed and separated into teams during a draft. Each resident's performance was converted into a point system. Resident scores were combined into a team score and presented as a leaderboard. Awards were given. ABSITE, ACGME residency satisfaction, and ABS qualifying exam pass rates were compared. RESULTS: Sixty percent of residents are inspired to improve their performance during gamification. ABSITE average percentile score improved from 28 to 43. ABS qualifying exam pass rates improved from 73% to 100%. Resident satisfaction improved from 65% to 88%. The point system allowed for establishing "growth curves" for each resident enabling enhanced assessment of residents. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive team-based competition inspires performance, is feasible, and seems to improve ABSITE scores, ABS pass rates, and satisfaction while being a tool for assessment of performance.

An unusual cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding-gastric mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis of the gastrointestinal tract is a life threatening infection most commonly seen in patients with severe immunosuppression. A 42-year-old male with history of choriocarcinoma was admitted to the intensive care unit with septic shock. He developed massive hematemesis requiring upper endoscopy which showed multiple deep gastric ulcers. Due to uncontrollable bleeding he underwent an emergent gastrectomy which revealed necrotic ulcers with evidence of angioinvasion in the ulcer bed with mucor organisms. The PCR revealed the mucor to be Mycotypha microspora which is extremely rare. We discuss the challenges involved in the diagnosis and treatment of gastric mucormycosis.

A Case of Invasive Gastrointestinal Mycotypha Infection in a Patient with Neutropenia.

Gastrointestinal mucormycosis is a rare life-threatening infection to which neutropenic patients are especially vulnerable. Mycotypha microspora is a mucormycete that has not been described as a human pathogen. We discuss the successful eradication of gastrointestinal Mycotypha microspora in a neutropenic patient with simultaneous pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus infection.

Gastric cancer diagnosis after presentation to the ED: The independent association of presenting location and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The impact of diagnosis location on gastric cancer (GC) outcomes is poorly defined. METHODS: Detailed chart review was conducted to identify presenting location leading to diagnosis and treatment for GC patients at a single institution (2009-2013). Patients treated non-emergently following a diagnosis prompted by an ED visit (EDdx) were compared with those diagnosed at other locations (non-EDdx). RESULTS: EDdx patients comprised 52% of 263 GC patients. They were older, had later cancer stages (stage IV: 50% vs. 24%), more comorbidities (≥3: 68% vs. 47%), and presented with non-specific symptoms like bleeding (21% vs. 5%). Both groups were of similar race and insurance status. In a model adjusted for stage, EDdx was associated with increased mortality (aHR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2-2.9). CONCLUSION: Half of GC patients had an ED visit prompting diagnosis, which is independently associated with increased mortality. Efforts should focus on reducing EDdx rates to improve GC outcomes.

A Prospective Randomized Multicenter Trial of Distal Pancreatectomy With and Without Routine Intraperitoneal Drainage.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that distal pancreatectomy (DP) without intraperitoneal drainage does not affect the frequency of grade 2 or higher grade complications. BACKGROUND: The use of routine intraperitoneal drains during DP is controversial. Prior to this study, no prospective trial focusing on DP without intraperitoneal drainage has been reported. METHODS: Patients undergoing DP for all causes at 14 high-volume pancreas centers were preoperatively randomized to placement of a drain or no drain. Complications and their severity were tracked for 60 days and mortality for 90 days. The study was powered to detect a 15% positive or negative difference in the rate of grade 2 or higher grade complications. All data were collected prospectively and source documents were reviewed at the coordinating center to confirm completeness and accuracy. RESULTS: A total of 344 patients underwent DP with (N = 174) and without (N = 170) the use of intraperitoneal drainage. There were no differences between cohorts in demographics, comorbidities, pathology, pancreatic duct size, pancreas texture, or operative technique. There was no difference in the rate of grade 2 or higher grade complications (44% vs. 42%, P = 0.80). There was no difference in clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (18% vs 12%, P = 0.11) or mortality (0% vs 1%, P = 0.24). DP without routine intraperitoneal drainage was associated with a higher incidence of intra-abdominal fluid collection (9% vs 22%, P = 0.0004). There was no difference in the frequency of postoperative imaging, percutaneous drain placement, reoperation, readmission, or quality of life scores. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective randomized multicenter trial provides evidence that clinical outcomes are comparable in DP with or without intraperitoneal drainage.

Primary Pancreatic Secretinoma: Further Evidence Supporting Secretin as a Diarrheogenic Hormone.

OBJECTIVES: To document the existence of primary pancreatic secretinoma in patients with watery diarrhea syndrome (WDS) and achlorhydria and establish secretin as a diarrheogenic hormone. BACKGROUND: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been widely accepted as the main mediator of WDS. However, in 1968, Zollinger et al reported 2 female patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, WDS, and achlorhydria. During surgery on the first, a 24-year-old patient, they noticed distended duodenum filled with fluid and a dilated gallbladder containing dilute bile with high bicarbonate concentration. After excision of the tumor, WDS ceased and gastric acid secretion returned. The second, a 47-year-old, patient's metastatic tumor extract given intravenously in dogs, produced significantly increased pancreatic and biliary fluid rich in bicarbonate. They suggested a secretin-like hormone of islet cell origin explains WDS and achlorhydria. These observations, however, predated radioimmunoassay, immunohistochemical staining, and other molecular studies. METHODS: The first patient's tumor tissue was investigated for secretin and VIP. Using both immunohistochemistry and laser microdissection and pressure catapulting technique for RNA isolation and subsequent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, the expression levels of secretin, and VIP were measured. RESULTS: Immunoreactive secretin and its mRNA were predominantly found in the tumor tissue whereas VIP and its mRNA were scarce. CONCLUSIONS: The findings strongly support that the WDS and achlorhydria in this patient may have been caused by secretin as originally proposed in 1968 and that secretin may act as a diarrheogenic hormone.

Poor Outcomes of Gastric Cancer Surgery After Admission Through the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes after nonelective surgery for gastric cancer (GC) are poorly defined. Our objective was to compare outcomes of patients undergoing nonelective GC surgery after admission through the emergency department (EDSx) with patients receiving elective surgery or surgery after planned admission (non-EDSx) nationally. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to examine patients undergoing GC surgery between 2008 and 2012. Demographics and outcomes were compared between EDSx and non-EDSx. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine predictors of discharge to home. RESULTS: Of 9279 patients, 1143 (12%) underwent EDSx. They were more likely to be female (42 vs. 35%), nonwhite (56 vs. 33%), aged ≥75 years (40 vs. 26%), in the lowest quartile for household income (31 vs. 25%), have one or more comorbidities (87 vs. 70%), treated at a nonteaching hospital (46 vs. 25%), and have a concomitant diagnosis of obstruction, perforation, or bleeding (30 vs. 6%). They had longer total length of stay (LOS; 16 vs. 9 days), longer median postoperative stays (10 vs. 9 days), higher in-hospital mortality (8 vs. 3%), and were less likely to be discharged home (63 vs. 82%). EDSx was more expensive ($125,300 vs. $83,604). EDSx was associated with a lower likelihood of discharge to home (odds ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.43-0.62). CONCLUSIONS: Nationally, 12% of GC surgeries are performed after emergency department admission, which occurs more frequently in vulnerable populations and results in worse outcomes. Understanding factors leading to increased EDSx and developing strategies to decrease EDSx may improve GC surgery outcomes.