The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Colorectal Cancer Patients in a Tertiary Center in Romania. Single Center Retrospective Study.

Background: The novel coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, was first reported in Wuhan, China in the end of 2019. To curb its spread, social distancing measures and new safety regulations were implemented which led to major disruptions in colorectal cancer care. It is however unknown how it influenced the Romanian colorectal cancer care. Methods and Material: We assessed the demographical, clinical, intraoperative and pathological data of our colorectal cancer patients, 302 in total, between 15.03.2019-14.03.2021. The first year's data was considered as the control group and the second one, the study (pandemic) group. Results: We observed a 12% decrease in colorectal cancer hospitalizations in the first year, 38,6% in the first six months. The rate of emergency admissions, colo/ileostomy formatting procedures, palliative resections, clinical metastasis was higher in the pandemic group. More advanced locoregional invasion, a higher tumor stage, higher rate of vascular, perineural invasion, positive resection margin, and a higher lymph node yield was seen after the restrictions were implemented. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic and the response against it had a major effect on the colorectal cancer care in our country. The outcomes of these worse clinical and pathological findings are unknown, but it is important to do further research in this field. We think colorectal cancer care should have an absolute priority in future pandemics.

Abdominal Compartment Syndrome as a Multidisciplinary Challenge. A Literature Review.

Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (ACS), despite recent advances in medical and surgical care, is a significant cause of mortality. The purpose of this review is to present the main diagnostic and therapeutic aspects from the anesthetical and surgical points of view. Intra-abdominal hypertension may be diagnosed by measuring intra-abdominal pressure and indirectly by imaging and radiological means. Early detection of ACS is a key element in the ACS therapy. Without treatment, more than 90% of cases lead to death and according with the last reports, despite all treatment measures, the mortality rate is reported as being between 25 and 75%. There are conflicting reports as to the importance of a conservative therapy approach, although such an approach is the central to treatment guidelines of the World Society of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome, Decompressive laparotomy, although a backup solution in ACS therapy, reduces mortality by 16-37%. The open abdomen management has several variants, but negative pressure wound therapy represents the gold standard of surgical treatment.

Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, as a marker of anastomotic leakage after colonic resection in rats.

AIM: The aim of this experimental study was to determine if the type of termino-terminal anastomosis of the colon affect the process of healing of the intestinal mucosa and if the severity of the anastomotic leakage (AL) can be predicted based on the circulating level of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 18 healthy Wistar rats, two types of open colon resection with termino-terminal anastomosis were performed: group A (n=9) - without inversing the vascularization and group B (n=9) - with inversing the vascularization. To assess the intestinal barrier function, circulating level of I-FABP was measured pre- and post-operatively. I-FABP tissue expression was immunohistochemically assessed in the anastomotic and perianastomotic colonic mucosa. The rats were sacrificed at three, five, and seven days after surgery. RESULTS: In both groups, the post-operative serum level of I-FABP increased 3-4 times at 3-5 days and seven times in the seventh post-operative day. In the six cases that showed AL, the increased level was significantly higher: seven times at three days (n=2) or five days (n=2) and 30 times at seven days (n=2). The I-FABP epithelial expression was lost in all cases from group B (as result of prolonged ischemia) and in cases with AL from group A. The I-FABP was translocated in the intraglandular mucus. CONCLUSIONS: The post-operative level of I-FABP can be appreciated based on the pre-operative value only. A 7-8 increased value in first five days might indicate a risk of AL. After seven days, a seven times increased value is an indicator of a proper healing process but an increasing amount higher that 30 times might predict risk for AL, fistula, peritonitis and septic shock. The risk of AL does not depend on the anastomotic method, although the level of ischemia is higher in anastomoses that involve vascular damage.