Pancreatic necrosis volume - A new imaging biomarker of acute pancreatitis severity.

OBJECTIVE: Determine if the pancreatic necrosis volume (PNV) in computed tomography scan (CT) is a useful marker to predict the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) comparing its predictive value with current clinical scoring systems. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital, including patients hospitalized with AP during the period of 24 months. Demographic, clinical data, length of hospital stay and analytical parameters were collected from the hospital clinical information digital systems. Other information on the severity of the disease was also reviewed, including BISAP score, organ failure (OF) or admission to the ICU, as well as, complications during hospitalization as infected necrotic collections, surgical procedure or death. The quantification of the necrosis volume, CT severity index and Balthazar score were assessed in the CT studies. ROC curves were carried to compare the correlation between different scoring systems and the acute complications. RESULTS: This study included 163 patients with AP. The calculated average value of PNV in the CT studies was 242 cc (0-1575 cc). PNV showed lineal correlation with hospital stay (Pearson 0.696) and statistically significant association with acute complications as OF, multiple organ failure, infection, need of treatment or hospitalization at ICU (P < 0.05). The optimal cut-off value for predicting complications of necrosis as infections or need of surgery treatments was 75 cc. Sensibility and specificity were 100 % and 78 %, respectively. ROC curves showed that PNV was the best radiological finding correlated with AP complications. CONCLUSION: Necrosis volume is a radiological biomarker highly correlated with AP complications.

La resonancia magnética y el índice MaRIA en la valoración preoperatoria de la enfermedad de Crohn ileal / Use of magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA) in the preoperative assessment of small bowel Crohn's disease

Introducción: Es necesaria la correcta cuantificación de la actividad inflamatoria de las lesiones de la enfermedad de Crohn para establecer cuál es el tratamiento más adecuado para cada paciente. El objetivo del presente estudio es valorar la relación entre el índice de actividad inflamatorio por resonancia magnética (MaRIA) preoperatorio y el grado de inflamación histológico de las lesiones obtenidas en la cirugía. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo observacional consecutivo que incluye una serie de pacientes con enfermedad de Crohn ileal. Se realizó una enterografía mediante resonancia magnética, con protocolo y secuencias preestablecidas, en los 3 meses previos a la cirugía y se calculó el índice MaRIA. Todos los pacientes fueron intervenidos quirúrgicamente y se remitieron muestras de cada lesión parietal completa a estudio anatomopatológico. En el análisis histológico se empleó la clasificación de Chiorean. Se realizó un análisis de regresión ordinal e intergrupos. Resultados: Se incluye a 35 pacientes con 59 lesiones. A medida que aumenta el grado de inflamación, se obtienen, de forma significativa (p = 0,002), valores mayores de MaRIA. El índice de MaRIA fue considerablemente diferente (p < 0,001) en los diferentes tipo de lesiones por enfermedad de Crohn (inflamatoria/fibrótica). El mejor valor de corte del índice MaRIA para establecer la existencia de inflamación grave en una lesión ha resultado ser 20 (ABC, 0,741; sensibilidad, 74,1%, y especificidad, 78,1%). Conclusiones: En el estudio de la enfermedad de Crohn ileal, la resonancia y el índice MaRIA son herramientas de gran utilidad para diferenciar entre lesiones inflamatorias y fibrosas, y por tanto, imprescindible para decidir el tratamiento más adecuado

Background: Accurate quantification of the inflammatory activity in Crohn's Disease is essential to determine adequate treatment for each patient. The aim of the present study is to assess the correlation between the pre-operative Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (MaRIA) and the histologic degree of inflammation from surgically resected intestinal Crohn's Disease lesions. Methods: This is a prospective study including a consecutive case series of patients with small bowel Crohn's Disease, who underwent surgical resection. Magnetic resonance enterography was performed in the 3months prior to surgery, applying a pre-established protocol. Relative contrast enhancements, wall thickness, presence of edema or ulcerations were the parameters used to calculate the MaRIA Index. All patients underwent surgery and every specimen was analyzed. The modified Chiorean classification was applied for the histological analysis and an ordinal regression analysis was used to correlate MaRIA and the grade of inflammation for each lesion. Results: 59 lesions from 35 different patients were analyzed. The degree of inflammation of the lesions was statistically correlated to the MaRIA values (P = .002). The MaRIA index was significantly different (P < .001) between the different histological types of the Crohn's Disease lesions (inflammatory/ fibrotic). The best cut-off for detecting severe inflammation using MaRIA was 20 (AUC: 0.741; 74.1% sensitivity and 78.1% specificity). Conclusion: MaRIA is a reliable tool to distinguish inflammatory from fibrotic lesions. Therefore, it could be considered essential for determining the most appropriate Crohn's Disease treatment for each patient

Use of magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA) in the preoperative assessment of small bowel Crohn's disease. / La resonancia magnética y el índice MaRIA en la valoración preoperatoria de la enfermedad de Crohn ileal.

BACKGROUND: Accurate quantification of the inflammatory activity in Crohn's Disease is essential to determine adequate treatment for each patient. The aim of the present study is to assess the correlation between the pre-operative Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (MaRIA) and the histologic degree of inflammation from surgically resected intestinal Crohn's Disease lesions. METHODS: This is a prospective study including a consecutive case series of patients with small bowel Crohn's Disease, who underwent surgical resection. Magnetic resonance enterography was performed in the 3months prior to surgery, applying a pre-established protocol. Relative contrast enhancements, wall thickness, presence of edema or ulcerations were the parameters used to calculate the MaRIA Index. All patients underwent surgery and every specimen was analyzed. The modified Chiorean classification was applied for the histological analysis and an ordinal regression analysis was used to correlate MaRIA and the grade of inflammation for each lesion. RESULTS: 59 lesions from 35 different patients were analyzed. The degree of inflammation of the lesions was statistically correlated to the MaRIA values (P=.002). The MaRIA index was significantly different (P<.001) between the different histological types of the Crohn's Disease lesions (inflammatory/ fibrotic). The best cut-off for detecting severe inflammation using MaRIA was 20 (AUC: 0.741; 74.1% sensitivity and 78.1% specificity). CONCLUSION: MaRIA is a reliable tool to distinguish inflammatory from fibrotic lesions. Therefore, it could be considered essential for determining the most appropriate Crohn's Disease treatment for each patient.

Determinants of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis: A Nation-wide Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare and validate the different classifications of severity in acute pancreatitis (AP) and to investigate which characteristics of the disease are associated with worse outcomes. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: AP is a heterogeneous disease, ranging from uneventful cases to patients with considerable morbidity and high mortality rates. Severity classifications based on legitimate determinants of severity are important to correctly describe the course of disease. METHODS: A prospective multicenter cohort study involving patients with AP from 23 hospitals in Spain. The Atlanta Classification (AC), Revised Atlanta Classification (RAC), and Determinant-based Classification (DBC) were compared. Binary logistic multivariate analysis was performed to investigate independent determinants of severity. RESULTS: A total of 1655 patients were included; 70 patients (4.2%) died. RAC and DBC were equally superior to AC for describing the clinical course of AP. Although any kind of organ failure was associated with increased morbidity and mortality, persistent organ failure (POF) was the most significant determinant of severity. All local complications were associated with worse outcomes. Infected pancreatic necrosis correlated with high morbidity, but in the presence of POF, it was not associated to higher mortality when compared with sterile necrotizing pancreatitis. Exacerbation of previous comorbidity was associated with increased morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: The RAC and DBC both signify an advance in the description and differentiation of AP patients. Herein, we describe the complications of the disease independently associated to morbidity and mortality. Our findings are valuable not only when designing future studies on AP but also for the improvement of current classifications.

[Transpterygoid expanded endonasal approach in fibrous dysplasia of the skull base: case report and technical note]. / Abordaje endonasal expandido transpterigoideo en la displasia fibrosa de base de cráneo: caso clínico y nota técnica.

INTRODUCTION: Expanded endonasal approaches (EEA) are becoming a first-level technique for the treatment of skull base pathologies. In some cases, the endoscopic procedures make it possible to dissect structures manipulated with greater difficulty in the classic approaches. We report a full endoscopic transpterygoid EEA for the treatment of a fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the skull base. In addition, we reviewed the English literature available on FD and transpterygoid EEA, establishing an exact surgical technique and showing our intraoperative experience. CASE REPORT: A 42-year-old male with right sixth cranial nerve palsy. Cranial MRI and CT showed a central skull base lesion with diagnostic suspicion of FD. Patient underwent a full endoscopic transpterygoid EEA, achieving a wide skull base neurovascular decompression. Neuronavigation and the vidian canal landmark resulted mandatory during intraoperative procedure. DISCUSSION: The transpterygoid EEA is a safe technique consistently supported in the literature. It may reduce the morbidity associated to the classic transcranial approaches, since it permits maximum resection with minimum craniofacial distortion. The vidian hole and canal are the landmarks used to locate and avoid injury to the lacerum segment of the carotid injury. The surgical treatment indication in FD cases must be established in symptomatic patients. CONCLUSION: Transpterygoid EEA for treatment of FD of the skull base is a safe and effective procedure, thanks to the guide that the vidian canal provides in finding the lacerum segment of the carotid artery.

Abordaje endonasal expandido transpterigoideo en la displasia fibrosa de base de cráneo: caso clínico y nota técnica / Transpterygoid expanded endonasal approach in fibrous dysplasia of the skull base: case report and technical note

Introducción y objetivo: En los últimos años, los abordajes endonasales expandidos (AEE) se están convirtiendo en una técnica de primer nivel para el tratamiento de diferentes patologías de la base del cráneo. En algunos casos, la endoscopia permite la disección de áreas difícilmente accesibles con los abordajes tradicionales. A propósito de un caso de displasia fibrosa (DF) basicraneal, nuestros objetivos son mostrar como los AEE pueden ser una técnica quirúrgica segura y eficaz para la descompresión de estructuras neurovasculares de la base de cráneo y realizar una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura inglesa disponible respecto a la DF, así como de los AEE transpterigoideos, estableciendo una descripción exacta de la técnica y plasmando nuestra experiencia operatoria en este campo. Caso clínico: Varón de 42 años de edad con paresia del VI par craneal derecho y estudios de imagen mediante resonancia magnética y tomografía computarizada craneales sugestivos de displasia fibrosa esfenoclival. Se lleva a cabo un abordaje endonasal expandido transpterigoideo completamente endoscópico, obteniéndose una amplia descompresión de las estructuras vasculonerviosas de la base del cráneo. Durante el procedimiento se utiliza neuronavegación y el canal vidiano como referencia anatómica fundamental de la carótida en su segmento lacerum. Discusión: El AEE transterigoideo es una técnica segura y con amplio sustento en la literatura científica. En manos adecuadas, podría reducir la morbilidad asociada a los abordajes transcraneales clásicos, ya que permite un máximo potencial resectivo sobre las lesiones a tratar, con una mínima (..) (AU)

Introduction: Expanded endonasal approaches (EEA) are becoming a first-level technique for the treatment of skull base pathologies. In some cases, the endoscopic procedures make it possible to dissect structures manipulated with greater difficulty in the classic approaches. We report a full endoscopic transpterygoid EEA for the treatment of a fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the skull base. In addition, we reviewed the English literature available on FD and transpterygoid EEA, establishing an exact surgical technique and showing our intraoperative experience. Case report: A 42-year-old male with right sixth cranial nerve palsy. Cranial MRI and CT showed a central skull base lesion with diagnostic suspicion of FD. Patient underwent a full endoscopic transpterygoid EEA, achieving a wide skull base neurovascular decompression. Neuronavigation and the vidian canal landmark resulted mandatory during intraoperative procedure. Discussion: The transpterygoid EEA is a safe technique consistently supported in the literature. It may reduce the morbidity associated to the classic transcranial approaches, since it permits maximum resection with minimum craniofacial distortion. The vidian hole and canal are the landmarks used to locate and avoid injury to the lacerum segment of the carotid injury. The surgical treatment indication in FD cases must be established in symptomatic patients. Conclusion: Transpterygoid EEA for treatment of FD of the skull base is a safe and effective procedure, thanks to the guide that the vidian canal provides in finding the lacerum segment of the carotid artery (AU)