Comparison between AIR, Alvarado and RIPASA scores in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a Western population. A retrospective cohort study.

AIM: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate raja isteri pengiran anak saleha appendicitis (RIPASA) score in the italian population with histopathologic diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) compared to appendicitis response inflammatory (AIR) and Alvarado scores. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Included were patients who had undergone appendectomy for AA from 01/01/2017 to 31/12/2019 in the General and Emergency Surgery of the San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital (Rome, Italy) in whome it was possible to calculate AIR, Alvarado and RIPASA scores at admission. RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed 369 patients; a total of 320 patients (86.7%) were histologically confirmed. At a cut-off ≥7.5, the RIPASA score showed a sensitivity of 90.9%, a specificity of 63.3%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 94.2%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 51.7% and a diagnostic accuracy of 87.3%; the area under curve values for RIPASA was greater than that of AIR and Alvarado scores (0.851 vs 0.796 vs 0.766, respectively). DISCUSSION: The pre-operative diagnosis of AA is often a challenge for the surgeon. To reduce negative appendectomies, many preoperative diagnostic scores have been designed: the RIPASA score has shown better sensitivity and specificity in asian and middle-eastern populations better sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The RIPASA score is a useful tool to aid in the diagnosis of AA in the Italian population. At a value of ≥7.5, RIPASA demonstrated a high-sensitivity, a PPV and diagnostic accuracy in our cohort and was more accurate than AIR and Alvarado scores. KEY WORDS: AIR score, Alvarado score, RIPASA score.

Well-differentiated mesenteric liposarcoma: report of two cases.

Liposarcoma is a rare tumor that can be treated by surgery in the absence of distant metastases. Management of liposarcoma, including diagnosis and therapy, is challenging because it has no characteristic symptoms and no established effective treatment. Here, we report two rare cases of primary mesenteric liposarcoma. In the first case, the tumor caused small bowel obstruction, and the patient presented with abdominal distention and severe abdominal pain. The second case is an occasional finding that occurred during laparoscopic surgery for incisional hernia. Both patients underwent successful resection of the tumor. Histopathology found a well-differentiated liposarcoma in both cases.

Open abdomen closure methods for severe abdominal sepsis: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The open abdomen (OA) procedure as part of damage control surgery represents a significant surgical advance in severe intra-abdominal infections. Major techniques used for OA are negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and non-NPWT. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the effects of different abdominal closure methods and their outcomes in patients presenting with abdominal sepsis treated with OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical outcomes of patients affected by severe intra-abdominal sepsis treated with OA. Demographic features, mortality prediction score, abdominal closure methods, length of hospital stay, complications and mortality rates of patients were determined and compared. RESULTS: This study included 106 patients, of whom 77 underwent OA with NPWT and 29 with non-NPWT. OA duration was longer in NPWT patients (p = 0.007). In-hospital mortality rates in NPWT and in non-NPWT patients were 40.3% and 51.7%, respectively (p = 0.126), with an overall 30-day mortality rate of 18.2% and 51.7%, respectively (p = 0.0002). After emergency colorectal surgery, patients who underwent OA with NPWT had a lower rate of colostomy (p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: NPWT is the best temporary abdominal closure technique to decrease mortality and colostomy rates in patients managed with OA for severe intra-abdominal infections.

[Cavernous haemangioma of the lung: a case report and review of the literature]. / Emangioma cavernoso del polmone: caso clinico e revisione della letteratura.

Cavernous haemangioma is a rare benign vascular tumour rarely seen in the lung. A 73-year-old male complaining of haemoptysis and dyspnoea, with a solitary nodule of the left lower pulmonary lobe, underwent left lower wedge resection. Pathology showed a 3 cm cavernous haemangioma. One year later symptoms recurred and CT showed a second nodule in the left upper lobe. Upper left lobectomy was performed, confirming the diagnosis of cavernous haemangioma. There are less than 25 case reports of this type of tumour in the literature. Radiological findings usually show a single pulmonary nodule. The preoperative diagnosis is quite difficult because pulmonary biopsy is often non-diagnostic. Standard treatment is complete surgical resection. For asymptomatic patients a brief period of observation is suggested.

Classification of lymph node metastases from gastric cancer: comparison between N-site and N-number systems. Our experience and review of the literature.

The tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) system has become the principal method for assessing the extent of disease, determining prognosis in gastric cancer patients, and affecting the therapy strategies. The extent of lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor. The aim of this study was to compare the N-classifications of the 4th and the 5th-6th TNM editions and to evaluate retrospectively the prognostic value of the 2002 TNM edition. We evaluated 344 patients who underwent curative total or subtotal gastrectomy. Nodal involvement was detected in 221 (64%) patients. Median follow-up period was 76 months. Thirty per cent of the old N1 patients were reclassified as pN2 (18.5%) and pN3 (11.3%). Eighty-eight per cent of the old N2 patients were reclassified as pN1 (75%) and pN3 (13.7%). In reclassifying the patients, statistically significant changes were reported between 1987 and 2002 TNM stage grouping, mainly in stage IIIB and IV. The 5-year survival rate per stage group did not statistically differ between the 4th and the 5th-6th editions, although a diminutive trend was registered in the IIIA stage. pTNM stage, nodal numerical stage, nodal topographical stage, and depth of tumor invasion resulted in significantly independent prognostic factors. Our data confirm the simplicity and easy application of the new stadiation and the better prognostic stratification of the N-stage. The pN3 group showed a worse prognosis independent of location. On the other hand, prognostic value of pN1 and pN2 stage is lower, probably depending on lymph node location. In multivariate analysis, the difference between old and new TNM staging is low. Hence, we suggest comparing lymph node location and number in larger series. In our series, in pT1 tumors, neither pN2 nor pN3 involvement was found. Hence, in our opinion, for correct N-staging, 10 lymph nodes in early gastric cancer and at least 16 in the other pT-stages seem sufficient for a real pN0 stadiation.

[Impact of new lymph node staging on lymphadenectomy and on the prognosis of patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer]. / Impatto della nuova stadiazione linfonodale sulla linfadenectomia e sulla prognosi dei pazienti operati per cancro gastrico.

The TNM system has become the principal method for assessing the extent of disease, determining prognosis in gastric cancer patients, and influencing therapeutic strategies. The extent of lymph node metastases is the most important prognostic factor. The aim of the study was to compare the 4th and 6th TNM edition N-classifications and to retrospectively evaluate the prognostic value of the 2002 TNM edition. We evaluated 344 patients who underwent curative total or subtotal gastrectomy. Our data confirm the simplicity and easy application of the new staging and the better prognostic stratification of the N-stage. In multivariate analysis the difference between the old and new TNM staging is minimal. We therefore suggest comparing lymph node location and number in larger series. For the purposes of correct N-staging, 10 lymph nodes in early gastric cancer and at least 16 in the other pT stages seem sufficient to achieve effective pNO staging.

Squamocellular carcinoma and chondrosarcoma: a true pulmonary carcinosarcoma. Report of a case.

BACKGROUND: Carcinosarcoma is one of the less common tumors of the lung and is composed of a mixture of malignant epithelial and mesenchymal elements of the type ordinarily seen in malignancies of adults. The carcinomatous component is mostly epidermoid and sometimes adenomatoid or undifferentiated. The mesenchymal part is mostly a spindle cell sarcoma and sometimes a polymorphocellular sarcoma. Differentiation as osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma is rare. CASE REPORT: This report describes the case of a patient with carcinosarcoma of the lung composed of epidermoid carcinoma and chondrosarcoma. A left hilar mass was incidentally diagnosed. The patient was submitted to surgical exploration and a left lower lobectomy with dissection of local lymph nodes was performed. At microscopy the tumor was composed of both epithelial and stromal malignant component. The epithelial component consisted of poorly-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and the stromal component consisted of chondrosarcoma. He remains well 30 months later. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of patients with carcinosarcoma is not always unfavourable. Potentially curative surgical resections should always be attempted. Pathologists should be aware of a wrong diagnosis of undifferentiated small cell lung carcinoma which eliminates the patient from surgery.

Prospective randomised study of cephalic vein cut-down versus subclavian vein puncture technique in the implantation of subcutaneous venous access devices.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of a prospective randomised trial comparing cephalic vein cut-down (CCD) versus percutaneous subclavian vein puncture with the Seldinger technique (PSP) in the implantation of subcutaneous permanent central venous access devices (SPCVAD) in order to better define the safer technique in outpatient surgery. Fifty patients were randomly divided into two groups: CCD--17 males, 8 females (age range: 35-75 years; mean: 60 years); PSP--17 males, 8 females (age range: 17-75 years; mean: 63 years). The two groups were compared in terms of implant morbidity, technical failure, operative time, patient acceptance, and healthcare costs. Data were analysed statistically using the chi-square test (P < 0.05 was considered significant) and Student's t-test. Technical failure occurred in 2 PSP patients (8%) and in 4 CCD patients (16%) (P = 0.663; chi 2 = 0.189). Mean operative time was 40 min in PSP (range: 35-70 min) and 50 in CCD (range: 35-60 min) (p = 0.108, T = -1.64). Patients were requested to define the pain experiences as a result of the operation as mild, moderate or severe: 23 PSP patients reported mild to moderate pain (92% of cases), and 2 patients severe pain (8%). The same figures were obtained in the CCD group, i.e. 23 (92%) and 2 (8%) patients, respectively (P = 0.377; chi 2 = 0.781). In our institute both types of implant cost $1260; in the case of PSP there is an additional cost of $120 for postoperative chest x-rays, making a total cost of $1380 per implant. The data of this randomised trial show that the implantation of a totally implantable vascular access device is a surgical procedure with a limited rate of morbidity in both cephalic vein cut-down and subclavian vein percutaneous puncture, with no statistically significant difference between the two in terms of associated morbidity, technical failure, operative time and patient acceptance.