Comparative Analysis of Open and Closed Sphincterotomy for the Treatment of Chronic Anal Fissure: Safety and Efficacy Evaluation.

BACKGROUND Chronic anal fissure is a common condition that causes pain and discomfort and has a significant impact on quality of life. When conservative management fails, surgical sphincterotomy can be successful. This retrospective study from a single center in Turkey included 188 patients with chronic anal fissures and aimed to compare outcomes from open and closed sphincterotomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 188 patients treated with lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) for chronic anal fissure between January 2015 and December 2021 in our hospital. Open LIS procedure was performed in 91 patients and closed LIS was performed in 97 patients. Demographic characteristics, postoperative complications, and recurrence were compared for these 2 methods. RESULTS Of the 188 patients included in the study, 47.9% were women and 52.1% were men. The mean age was 42.9 (20-84) years. In the open LIS group, recurrence occurred in 2 patients (2.19%), and no incontinence was observed. In the closed LIS group, recurrence occurred in 3 patients (3%; P=0.703), and incontinence developed in 5 patients (5.15%; P=0.035). CONCLUSIONS Comparing the 2 methods used in chronic anal fissure surgery, and considering the recurrence and risk of incontinence, the most feared outcome by the patient and surgeon, open LIS stands out as a superior technique, especially in young male patients.

Methamphetamine-related peptic ulcer perforation: a growing medical concern.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have been done in the literature on perforations due to substance abuse, and there are limited publications on perforations related to inhaled methamphetamine. Recently, in our clinic, we observed an increase in the number of patients with perforated peptic ulcer, which we think is secondary to a significant increase in the consumption of this drug. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of inhaled methamphetamine known as 'fire and ice' is a factor directly related to peptic perforation and its complications and also to determine the demographic variables of patients with peptic ulcer perforation due to this substance use, in the context of the literature. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted by examining the medical records of 29 gastric perforation patients who underwent surgical treatment in our clinic in 2021. Data were transferred to SPSS.23 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) program and evaluated with statistical analysis. Normality assumptions of continuous variables were examined with Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and variance homogeneity was examined with Levene's test. Bi-level comparisons, t-test if the data are normally distributed and Mann-Whitney U-test for bi-level comparisons where the data are not normally distributed were used. Relationships between categorical variables were examined by Chi-square test analysis. P<0.05 was accepted as the level of significance in all analyzes. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were divided into two groups as methamphetamine users (n=13) and non-users (n=16). There was a statistically significant difference according to the lower age in the group using methamphetamine (31.69-48.8-P=0.025). The pres-ence of PU history differed significantly between the groups (P=0.009). Interestingly, aspartate transaminase alanine aminotransferase values were lower in substance dependents (P=0.020). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in localization between groups (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, clinical presentation, and other laboratory values. CONCLUSION: Methamphetamine consumption, known as fire and ice, is an important risk factor for ulcer development and subsequent perforation, especially in young patients and long-term consumption of this narcotic substance. It has been determined that this risk factor, which is currently considered rare, has been seen in a very large number in a short time in our clinic. The use of this substance, which is considered a major social threat, is becoming more and more widespread, and this study is only a small part of the iceberg reflected in the general surgery clinic of a hospital.

Morphological investigation of deep femoral artery variations using multidetector computed tomography angiography.

PURPOSE: The deep femoral artery (DFA) is the largest and thickest branch of the femoral artery (FA), separated from the posterior lateral surface of the FA. This study aimed to analyze the anatomy of DFA using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography images to improve its clinical applications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight hundred right and left DFA MDCT angiography images from 400 individuals, 302 males (75.5%) and 98 females (24.5%), were included. RESULTS: It was determined that the DFA originates from six different aspects of the FA. The DFA was found to most commonly originate from the posterolateral aspect of the FA, with an incidence of 53%. The DFA originated from the posterior, lateral, medial, anterolateral, and posteromedial aspects at an incidence of 35.3%, 9.8%, 1%, %0.5, and 0.37%, respectively. The average distance between the DFA's origin and the midpoint of the inguinal ligament (IL) was 43.07 mm across both genders. The average distance between the DFA's origin and the midpoint of the IL was 43.07 mm. The average diameters of the DFA, medial circumflex femoral artery (MCFA), and lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) were 5.62 mm, 3.01 mm, and 3.44 mm, respectively. The average distance between the DFA and MCFA was 14.64 mm, while between the DFA and LCFA, it was 19.05 mm. CONCLUSION: Knowledge regarding the anatomical variants and morphology of the DFA will enhance the accuracy of decision-making during interventional procedures and operations in the femoral region, as well as aid in the prevention of iatrogenic injuries.