Postoperative arginine-enriched immune modulating nutrition: Long-term survival results from a randomised clinical trial in patients with oesophagogastric and pancreaticobiliary cancer.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Immune modulating nutrition (IMN) has been shown to reduce postoperative infectious complications and length of stay in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Two studies of IMN in patients undergoing surgery for head and neck cancer also suggested that this treatment might improve long-term survival and progression-free survival. In the present study, we analysed follow-up data from our previous randomised controlled trial of IMN, in patients undergoing surgery for oesophagogastric and pancreaticobiliary cancer, in order to evaluate the long-term impact on survival of postoperative IMN versus an isocaloric, isonitrogenous control feed. METHODS: This study included patients undergoing surgery for cancers of the pancreas, oesophagus and stomach, who had been randomised in a double-blind manner to receive postoperative jejunostomy feeding with IMN (Stresson, Nutricia Ltd.) or an isonitrogenous, isocaloric feed (Nutrison High Protein, Nutricia) for 10-15 days. The primary outcome was long-term overall survival. RESULTS: There was complete follow-up for all 108 patients, with 54 patients randomised to each group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups by demographics [(age, p = 0.63), sex (p = 0.49) or site of cancer (p = 0.25)]. 30-day mortality was 11.1% in both groups. Mortality in the intervention group was 13%, 31.5%, 70.4%, 85.2%, 88.9%, and 96.3% at 90 days, and 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years respectively. Corresponding mortality in the control group was 14.8%, 35.2%, 68.6%, 79.6%, 85.2% and 98.1% (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: Early postoperative feeding with arginine-enriched IMN had no impact on long-term survival in patients undergoing surgery for oesophagogastric and pancreaticobiliary cancer.

Diagnostic Performance of Artificial Intelligence-Based Models for the Detection of Early Esophageal Cancers in Barret's Esophagus: A Meta-Analysis of Patient-Based Studies.

Introduction Barret's esophagus (BE) is a precursor of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The detection of high-grade dysplasia and adenocarcinoma at an early stage can improve survival but is very challenging. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based models have been claimed to improve diagnostic accuracy. The aim of the current study was to carry out a meta-analysis of papers reporting the results of artificial intelligence-based models used in real-time white light endoscopy of patients with BE to detect early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EEAC). Methods This meta-analysis was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; Reg No. CRD42021246148) and its conduction and reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy (PRISMA-DTA) statement guidelines. All peer-reviewed and preprint original articles that reported the sensitivity and specificity of AI-based models on white light endoscopic imaging as an index test against the standard criterion of histologically proven early oesophageal cancer on the background of Barret's esophagus reported as per-patient analysis were considered for inclusion. There was no restriction on type and year of publication, however, articles published in the English language were searched. The search engines used included Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, EMCARE, AMED, BNI, and HMIC. The search strategy included the following keywords for all search engines: ("Esophageal Cancer" OR "Esophageal Neoplasms" OR " Oesophageal Cancer" OR "Oesophageal Neoplasms" OR "Barrett's Esophagus" OR "Barrett's Oesophagus") And ("Artificial Intelligence" OR "Deep Learning" OR "Machine Learning" OR "Convolutional Network"). This search was conducted on November 30, 2020. Duplicate studies were excluded. Studies that reported more than one dataset per patient for the diagnostic accuracy of the AI-based model were included twice. Quantitative and qualitative data, including first author, year of publication, true positives (TP), false negatives (FN), false positives (FP), true negatives (TN), the threshold of the index test, and country where the study was conducted, were extracted using a data extraction sheet. The Quality Appraisal for Diverse Studies 2 (QUADS-2) tool was used to assess the quality of each study. Data were analyzed using MetaDTA, interactive online software for meta-analysis of diagnostic studies. The diagnostic performance of the meta-analysis was assessed by a summary receiver operating characteristics (sROC) plot. A meta-analysis tree was constructed using MetaDTA software to determine the effect of cumulative sensitivity and specificity on surveillance of patients with BE in terms of miss rate and overdiagnosis. Results The literature search revealed 171 relevant records. After removing duplicates, 117 records were screened. Full-text articles of 28 studies were assessed for eligibility. Only three studies reporting four datasets met the inclusion criteria. The summary sensitivity and specificity of AI-based models were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83- 0.944) and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.781-0.91), respectively. The area under the curve for all the available evidence was 0.88. Conclusion Collective evidence for the routine usage of AI-based models in the detection of EEAC is encouraging but is limited by the low number of studies. Further prospective studies reporting the patient-based diagnostic accuracy of such models are required.

A review on gastric diverticulum.

The gastric fundal diverticulae are rare. They can present with variable symptoms. We are enclosing a literature review on gastric fundal diverticulum. Lessons have emerged which may help in the management of this rare condition in future.

Accidental finding of a toothpick in the porta hepatis during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Unintentional ingestion of a toothpick is not an uncommon event. Often the ingested toothpicks spontaneously pass through the gut without sequelae. However, serious complications can happen when these sharp objects migrate through the gastrointestinal wall. CASE PRESENTATION: In the current report, we describe the case of a 37-year-old Caucasian woman with an incidental finding of a toothpick in the porta hepatis during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gall stones. CONCLUSION: Toothpick ingestion is not an uncommon event and can predispose patients to serious complications. In this particular case, the toothpick was only discovered at the time of unrelated surgery. Therefore, it was important during surgery to exclude any related or missed injury to the adjacent structures by this sharp object.

Probing the link between oestrogen receptors and oesophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Human oesophageal carcinoma is considered to be one of the most aggressive malignancies and has a very poor prognosis. The incidence of oesophageal cancer shows a gender bias and is higher in males compared with females, the ratio between males and females varying from 3:1 to 7:1. This sex ratio is not entirely attributable to differences in the prevalence of known risk factors between the sexes. The potential role of oestrogen receptors (ER) in oesophageal cancer has been debated for several years but the significance of the receptors in this cancer remains unknown. Most of the work has been based on immunohistochemistry and has not been validated with other available techniques. The inconsistencies in the published literature on the link between ER expression and oesophageal cancer warrant a thorough evaluation of the potential role of ERs in this malignancy. Even the expression of the two ER isoforms, ERalpha and ERbeta, and its implications for outcome of treatments in histological subtypes of oesophageal tumours is ill defined. The aim of this article is to provide updated information from the available literature on the current status of ER expression in oesophageal cancer and to discuss its potential therapeutic role. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a comprehensive literature search and analysed the results regarding ER expression in oesophageal tumours with special emphasis on expression of different oestrogen receptors and the role of sex hormones in oesophageal cancer. This article also focuses on the significance of the two main ER subtypes and mechanisms underlying the presumed male predominance of this disease. CONCLUSION: We postulate that differential oestrogen receptor status may be considered a biomarker of poor clinical outcome based on tissue dedifferentiation or advanced stage of the disease. Further, if we can establish the importance of oestrogen and its receptors in the context of oesophageal cancer, then this may lead to a new future direction in the management of this malignancy.

A pre-operative elevated neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio does not predict survival from oesophageal cancer resection.

BACKGROUND: Elevated pre-operative neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been identified as a predictor of survival in patients with hepatocellular and colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic value of an elevated preoperative NLR following resection for oesophageal cancer. METHODS: Patients who underwent resection for oesophageal carcinoma from June 1997 to September 2007 were identified from a local cancer database. Data on demographics, conventional prognostic markers, laboratory analyses including blood count results, and histopathology were collected and analysed. RESULTS: A total of 294 patients were identified with a median age at diagnosis of 65.2 (IQR 59-72) years. The median pre-operative time of blood sample collection was three days (IQR 1-8). The median neutrophil count was 64.2 x 10-9/litre, median lymphocyte count 23.9 x 10-9/litre, whilst the NLR was 2.69 (IQR 1.95-4.02). NLR did not prove to be a significant predictor of number of involved lymph nodes (Cox regression, p = 0.754), disease recurrence (p = 0.288) or death (Cox regression, p = 0.374). Furthermore, survival time was not significantly different between patients with high (>or= 3.5) or low (< 3.5) NLR (p = 0.49). CONCLUSION: Preoperative NLR does not appear to offer useful predictive ability for outcome, disease-free and overall survival following oesophageal cancer resection.

A review on delayed presentation of diaphragmatic rupture.

Diaphragmatic rupture is a life-threatening condition. Diaphragmatic injuries are quite uncommon and often result from either blunt or penetrating trauma. Diaphragmatic ruptures are usually associated with abdominal trauma however, it can occur in isolation. Acute traumatic rupture of the diaphragm may go unnoticed and there is often a delay between the injury and the diagnosis. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the terms "delayed presentation of post traumatic diaphragmatic rupture" and "delayed diaphragmatic rupture". The diagnostic and management challenges encountered are discussed, together with strategies for dealing with them. We have focussed on mechanism of injury, duration, presentation and site of injury, visceral herniation, investigations and different approaches for repair. We intend to stress on the importance of delay in presentation of diaphragmatic rupture and to provide a review on the available investigations and treatment methods. The enclosed case report also emphasizes on the delayed presentation, diagnostic challenges and the advantages of laparoscopic repair of delayed diaphragmatic rupture.

Is harmonic scalpel an effective tool for oesophagectomy?

INTRODUCTION: Use of electrocautery in oesophagectomy is standard; however, the introduction of the harmonic scalpel (HS) and its use has changed the methodology of oesophagectomy in recent years. We have assessed the efficiency of HS in oesophageal cancer surgery. The parameters studied were blood loss, transfusion rates, and postoperative complications. METHODS: Our cohort included 142 patients who underwent elective oesophagectomy from January 1999 to December 2004. The control group was the patients undergoing electrocautery oesophagectomy (n=98) between 1999 and 2002. Furthermore, 44 patients who were operated with the HS were included in the study group. RESULTS: The numbers of units transfused were significantly less in HS group (median 0) in comparison with controls (median 2), p=0.003. Median blood loss in HS and the controls was 500 and 700 ml respectively (p=0.123). Mortality in HS group was 2.27%compared to 3.06% in controls (p=0.14). The complication (principally respiratory) rate was only 13.6% of patients in HS group compared to 17.3% in the controls. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that HS reduces transfusion rates and postoperative complications, highlighting it as a safe and effective alternative to traditional electrocautery.

Atypical right diaphragmatic hernia (hernia of Morgagni), spigelian hernia and epigastric hernia in a patient with Williams syndrome: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Williams syndrome is rare genetic disorder resulting in neurodevelopmental problems. Hernias of the foramen of Morgagni are rare diaphragmatic hernias and they mostly present on the right side, in the anterior mediastinum. They are usually asymptomatic and are difficult to diagnose, especially in patients with learning disabilities. CASE PRESENTATION: This 49-year-old woman with Williams syndrome, cognitive impairment and aortic stenosis presented to physicians with right-sided chest pain. She had previously undergone repair of her right spigelian and epigastric hernia. Her abdominal examination was unremarkable. Chest X-ray suggested right-sided diaphragmatic hernia and pleural effusion for which she received treatment. The computed tomography scan showed a diaphragmatic hernia with some collapse/consolidation of the adjacent lung. Furthermore, the patient had aortic stenosis and was high risk for anaesthesia (ASA grade 3). She underwent successful laparoscopic repair of her congenital diaphragmatic hernia leading to a quick and uneventful postoperative recovery. CONCLUSION: These multiple hernias suggest that patients with Williams syndrome may have some connective tissue disorder which makes them prone to develop hernias especially associated with those parts of the body which may have intracavity pressure variations like the abdomen. Diaphragmatic hernia may be the cause of chest pain in these patients. A computed tomography scan helps in early diagnosis, and laparoscopic repair helps in prevention of further complications, and leads to quick recovery especially in patients with learning disabilities. In the presence of significant comorbidities, a less invasive operative procedure with quick recovery becomes advisable.

Vibrator-induced fatal rectal perforation.

A middle-aged man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain and bleeding per rectum. Subsequent laparotomy indicated an established faecal peritonitis in relation to an anterior perforation of the upper rectum. He later volunteered that he had anal intercourse 2 days previously with a vibrator at an erotic party. His partner volunteered further information regarding devient practice such as regular insertion of other foreign objects (e.g. shower hose). Tearing of the rectal mucosa following such practices is a recognised complication. However mortality following foreign body perforation is reported as extremely rare in the medical literature. Surgical repair of rectal perforation and intensive treatment did not prevent development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) hence leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and death. This case report highlights the seriousness of rectal injuries following unusual sexual practices. Death in this case can be attributed to the late presentation and established faecal peritonitis. Death due to retroperitoneal perforation following such accidents have been reported in the literature. However previously no cases have been recorded where death occurred due to anterior rectal wall perforation.

Early postoperative jejunostomy feeding with an immune modulating diet in patients undergoing resectional surgery for upper gastrointestinal cancer: a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: The provision of perioperative immune modulating enteral feeds after major surgery may result in reduced infective complications, but meta-analyses have not demonstrated a survival advantage. The aim of this study was to determine whether early postoperative immune modulating jejunostomy feeding results in reduced infective complications in patients undergoing resectional surgery for upper gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS: A total of 120 patients undergoing resection for cancers of the pancreas, oesophagus and stomach were randomized in a double-blind manner to receive jejunostomy feeding with an immune modulating diet (Stresson-Group A) or an isonitrogenous, isocaloric feed (1250 Calories and 75 g protein/l--Nutrison High Protein-Group B) for 10-15 days. Feeding was commenced 4h postoperatively and continued for 20 h/day. The target volume (ml/h) was 25 on day 0, 50 on day 1, and 75 thereafter. Outcome measures included complications, hospital stay and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients (54 in each group) were analysed. Feed delivery, although less than targeted, was similar in both groups. There were 6 (11%) deaths in each group. Median (IQR) postoperative hospital stay was 14.5 (12-23) days in Group A and 17.5 (13-23) days in Group B (P=0.48). A total of 24 (44%) patients in each group had infective complications (P=1.0). A total of 21 (39%) patients in Group A and 28 (52%) in Group B had non-infective complications (P=0.18). Jejunostomy-related complications occurred in 26 (48%) patients in Group A and 30 (56%) in Group B (P=0.3). CONCLUSION: Early postoperative feeding with an immune modulating diet conferred no outcome advantage when compared with a standard feed.