Laparoscopic Treatment of Perforated Peptic Ulcer: A Propensity Score-Matched Comparison of Interrupted Stitches Repair versus Knotless Barbed Suture.

Background: Peptic ulcers result from imbalanced acid production, and in recent decades, proton pump inhibitors have proven effective in treating them. However, perforated peptic ulcers (PPU) continue to occur with a persistent high mortality rate when not managed properly. The advantages of the laparoscopic approach have been widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, concerning certain technical aspects of this method, such as the best gastrorrhaphy technique, the consensus remains elusive. Consequently, the choice tends to rely on individual surgical experiences. Our study aimed to compare interrupted stitches versus running barbed suture for laparoscopic PPU repair. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study utilizing propensity score matching analysis on patients who underwent laparoscopic PPU repair. Patients were categorised into two groups: Interrupted Stitches Suture (IStiS) and Knotless Suture (KnotS). We then compared the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients in both groups. Results: A total of 265 patients underwent laparoscopic PPU repair: 198 patients with interrupted stitches technique and 67 with barbed knotless suture. Following propensity score matching, each group (IStiS and KnotS) comprised 56 patients. The analysis revealed that operative time did not differ between groups: 87.9 ± 39.7 vs. 92.8 ± 42.6 min (p = 0.537). Postoperative morbidity (24.0% vs. 32.7%, p = 0.331) and Clavien-Dindo III (10.7% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.489) were more frequently observed in the KnotS group, without any significant difference. In contrast, we found a slightly higher mortality rate in the IStiS group (10.7% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.742). Concerning leaks, no differences emerged between groups (3.6% vs. 5.4%, p = 1.000). Conclusions: Laparoscopic PPU repair with knotless barbed sutures is a non-inferior alternative to interrupted stitches repair. Nevertheless, further research such as randomised trials, with a standardised treatment protocol according to ulcer size, are required to identify the best gastrorraphy technique.

Beyond acute appendicitis: a single-institution experience of unexpected pathology findings after 989 consecutive emergency appendectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Appendiceal neoplasms (ANs) are rare, with an estimated incidence of around 1%: neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) and low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMNs) comprise most cases. Most tumours are cured by appendectomy alone, although some require right hemicolectomy and intra-operative chemotherapy. The aim of the present study is to evaluate our institution's experience in terms of the prevalence of AN, their histological types, treatment and outcomes in adult patients undergoing emergency appendectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Single-centre retrospective cohort analysis of patients treated for acute appendicitis at a large academic medical centre. Patients with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) where further compared with patients with acute appendicitis and a histologically confirmed diagnosis of appendiceal neoplasm (AN). RESULTS: A diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made in 1200 patients. Of these, 989 patients underwent emergency appendectomy. The overall incidence of appendiceal neoplasm was 9.3% (92 patients). AN rate increased with increasing age. Patients under the age of 30 had a 3.8% (14/367 patients) rate of occult neoplasm, whereas patients between 40 and 89 years and older had a 13.0% rate of neoplasm. No difference was found in clinical presentations and type of approach while we found a lower complicated appendicitis rate in the AN group. CONCLUSION: ANs are less rare with respect to the literature; however, clinically, there are no specific signs of suspicious and simple appendicectomy appears to be curative in most cases. However, age plays an important role; older patients are at higher risk for AN. ANs still challenge the non-operative management concept introduced into the surgical literature.

Acute cholecystitis management in high-risk, critically ill, and unfit-for-surgery patients: the Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma (SICUT) guidelines.

Dealing with acute cholecystitis in high-risk, critically ill, and unfit-for-surgery patients is frequent during daily practice and requires complex management. Several procedures exist to postpone and/or prevent surgical intervention in those patients who temporarily or definitively cannot undergo surgery. After a systematic review of the literature, an expert panel from the Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma (SICUT) discussed the different issues and statements in subsequent rounds. The final version of the statements was discussed during the annual meeting in Rome (September 2022). The present paper presents the definitive conclusions of the discussion. Fifteen statements based on the literature evidence were provided. The statements gave precise indications regarding the decisional process and the management of patients who cannot temporarily or definitively undergo cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. Acute cholecystitis management in high-risk, critically ill, and unfit-for-surgery patients should be multidisciplinary. The different gallbladder drainage methods must be tailored according to each patient and based on the expertise of the hospital. Percutaneous gallbladder drainage is recommended as the first choice as a bridge to surgery or in severely physiologically deranged patients. Endoscopic gallbladder drainage (cholecystoduodenostomy and cholecystogastrostomy) is suggested as a second-line alternative especially as a definitive procedure for those patients not amenable to surgical management. Trans-papillary gallbladder drainage is the last option to be reserved only to those unfit for other techniques. Delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with percutaneous gallbladder drainage is suggested in all those patients recovering from the conditions that previously discouraged surgical intervention after at least 6 weeks from the gallbladder drainage.

Application of fluorescence-guided surgery in the acute care setting: a systematic literature review.

PURPOSE: Fluorescence-based imaging has found application in several fields of elective surgery, but there is still a lack of evidence in the literature about its use in emergency setting. The present review critically summarizes currently available applications and limitations of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence in abdominal emergencies including acute cholecystitis, mesenteric ischemia, and trauma surgery. METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA statement identifying articles about the use of ICG fluorescence in the management of the most common general surgery emergency. Only studies focusing on the use of ICG fluorescence for the management of acute surgical conditions in adults were included. RESULTS: Thirty-six articles were considered for qualitative analysis. The most frequent disease was occlusive or non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia followed by acute cholecystitis. Benefits from using ICG for acute cholecystitis were reported in 48% of cases (clear identification of biliary structures and a safer surgical procedure). In one hundred and twenty cases that concerned the use of ICG for occlusive or non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia, ICG injection led to a modification of the surgical decision in 44 patients (36.6%). Three studies evaluated the use of ICG in trauma patients to assess the viability of bowel or parenchymatous organs in abdominal trauma, to evaluate the perfusion-related tissue impairment in extremity or craniofacial trauma, and to reassess the efficacy of surgical procedures performed in terms of vascularization. ICG injection led to a modification of the surgical decision in 50 patients (23.9%). CONCLUSION: ICG fluorescence is a safe and feasible tool also in an emergency setting. There is increasing evidence that the use of ICG fluorescence during abdominal surgery could facilitate intra-operative decision-making and improve patient outcomes, even in the field of emergency surgery.

Management of Acute Cholecystitis in High-Risk Patients: Percutaneous Gallbladder Drainage as a Definitive Treatment vs. Emergency Cholecystectomy-Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review aims to investigate whether percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder biliary drainage (PTGBD) is superior to emergency cholecystectomy (EC) as a definitive treatment in high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis (AC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed until December 2022 using the Scopus, Medline/PubMed and Web of Science databases. RESULTS: Seventeen studies have been included with a total of 783,672 patients (32,634 treated with PTGBD vs. 4663 who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 343 who had open cholecystectomy and 746,032 who had some form of cholecystectomy, but without laparoscopic or open approach being specified). An analysis of the results shows that PTGBD, despite being less invasive, is not associated with lower morbidity with respect to EC (RR 0.77 95% CI [0.44 to 1.34]; I2 = 99%; p = 0.36). A lower postoperative mortality was reported in patients who underwent EC (2.37%) with respect to the PTGBD group (13.78%) (RR 4.21; 95% CI [2.69 to 6.58]; p < 0.00001); furthermore, the risk of hospital readmission for biliary complications (RR 2.19 95% CI [1.72 to 2.79]; I2 = 48%; p < 0.00001) and hospital stay (MD 4.29 95% CI [2.40 to 6.19]; p < 0.00001) were lower in the EC group. CONCLUSIONS: In our systematic review, the majority of studies have very low-quality evidence and more RCTs are needed; furthermore, PTGBD is inferior in the treatment of AC in high-risk patients. The definition of high-risk patients is important in interpreting the results, but the methods of assessment and definitions differ between studies. The results of our systematic review and meta-analysis failed to demonstrate any advantage of using PTGBD over ER as a definitive treatment of AC in critically ill patients, which suggests that EC should be considered as the treatment of choice even in very high-risk patients. Most likely, the inferiority of PTGBD versus early LC for high-risk patients is related to an association of various patient-side factor conditions and the severity of acute cholecystitis.

Good stability and mid-term subjective outcomes after repeated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) revision surgery using allografts.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the mid-term clinical outcomes of a cohort of patients who underwent multiple ACL revision reconstructions. The hypothesis was that patients with pre-existing meniscal deficiency conditions, malalignment and cartilage degeneration would have obtained lower results. METHODS: All cases of multiple ACL revisions performed with allograft tissue at one single sport-medicine institution were extracted and patients with a minimum 2 years of follow-up were included. WOMAC, Lhysolm, IKDC, and Tegner activity level before the injury and at last follow-up was collected and laxity evaluated with KT-1000 arthrometer and KiRA triaxial accelerometer. RESULTS: From a cohort of 241 ACL revisions, 28 patients (12%) with Repeated ACL Revision reconstructions were included. Fourteen cases (50%) were considered "Complex" due to the addition of meniscal allograft transplantation (8) or meniscal scaffold (3) or high tibial osteotomy (3). The remaining 14 cases (50%) were considered as "Isolate". The mean WOMAC score was 84.6 ± 11.4, Lysholm 81.7 ± 12.3, subjective IKDC 77.2 ± 12.1, and median Tegner score 6 (IQR 5-6) at pre-injury and at final follow-up. Statistically significant inferior values of WOMAC (p = 0.008), Lysholm (p = 0.02) and Subjective IKDC (p = 0.0193) were detected between "Complex" and "Isolate" revision groups. Higher average values of anterior translation at KT-1000 at both 125 N (p = 0.03) and manual maximum displacement test (p = 0.03) were reported in "Complex" with respect to "Isolate" revisions. Four patients were considered as failures and occurred in patients with "Complex" revisions, none occurred in the "Isolate" (30% vs 0%; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Good mid-term clinical results can be obtained after repeated ACL revision with allograft in patients who experienced multiple failures; however, those who need additional procedure due to malalignment or post-meniscectomy syndrome reported lower objective and subjective results. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) treatment: an Italian nationwide propensity score-matched cohort study investigating laparoscopic vs open approach.

BACKGROUND: Perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) remain a surgical emergency accounting for 37% of all peptic ulcer-related deaths. Surgery remains the standard of care. The benefits of laparoscopic approach have been well-established even in the elderly. However, because of inconsistent results with specific regard to some technical aspects of such technique surgeons questioned the adoption of laparoscopic approach. This leads to choose the type of approach based on personal experience. The aim of our study was to critically appraise the use of the laparoscopic approach in PPU treatment comparing it with open procedure. METHODS: A retrospective study with propensity score matching analysis of patients underwent surgical procedure for PPU was performed. Patients undergoing PPU repair were divided into: Laparoscopic approach (LapA) and Open approach (OpenA) groups and clinical-pathological features of patients in the both groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 453 patients underwent PPU simple repair. Among these, a LapA was adopted in 49% (222/453 patients). After propensity score matching, 172 patients were included in each group (the LapA and the OpenA). Analysis demonstrated increased operative times in the OpenA [OpenA: 96.4 ± 37.2 vs LapA 88.47 ± 33 min, p = 0.035], with shorter overall length of stay in the LapA group [OpenA 13 ± 12 vs LapA 10.3 ± 11.4 days p = 0.038]. There was no statistically significant difference in mortality [OpenA 26 (15.1%) vs LapA 18 (10.5%), p = 0.258]. Focusing on morbidity, the overall rate of 30-day postoperative morbidity was significantly lower in the LapA group [OpenA 67 patients (39.0%) vs LapA 37 patients (21.5%) p = 0.002]. When stratified using the Clavien-Dindo classification, the severity of postoperative complications was statistically different only for C-D 1-2. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the present study, we can support that laparoscopic suturing of perforated peptic ulcers, apart from being a safe technique, could provide significant advantages in terms of postoperative complications and hospital stay.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy as bridge to surgery vs surgery in unfit patients with acute calculous cholecystitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute cholecystitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment, still burdened by a risk of intraoperative biliary duct injury. An alternative strategy to manage patients with severe acute cholecystitis is the percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PGBD). METHODS: The Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma performed a systematic review and meta-analysis with the aim to clarify controversies about the preoperative use of PGBD. We extracted 32 studies: 9 Randomized Control Trial Studies (RCTs) and 23 no RCTs. RESULTS OF CRITICAL OUTCOMES: The incidence of post-operative complications was lower in the PGBD associated at LC than in the LC alone (RCTs: RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.56, I2 = 63%). The incidence of the post-operative biliary leakage was higher in late PGBD' group (RCTs: RR 0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.80). RESULTS OF OTHER OUTCOMES: The incidence of intraabdominal abscess, blood loss, conversion to open, subtotal cholecystectomy, operative time and wound infection was lower in PGBD' group. The total hospital stay was the same. CONCLUSION: A strong recommendation is performed to the use of the PGBD + LC than upfront LC to reduce biliary leakage (recommendation "strong positive") in high risk acute cholecystitis especially in patients with higher perioperative risks or longstanding acute cholecystitis. For post-operative complications a recommendation "positive weak" suggests that PGBD + LC could be used than upfront LC to reduce the rate of post-operative complications.

Study and validation of an explainable machine learning-based mortality prediction following emergency surgery in the elderly: A prospective observational study.

INTRODUCTION: The heterogeneity of procedures and the variety of comorbidities of the patients undergoing surgery in an emergency setting makes perioperative risk stratification, planning, and risk mitigation crucial. In this optic, Machine Learning has the capability of deriving data-driven predictions based on multivariate interactions of thousands of instances. Our aim was to cross-validate and test interpretable models for the prediction of post-operative mortality after any surgery in an emergency setting on elderly patients. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis derived from the FRAILESEL study, a multi-center (N = 29 emergency care units), nationwide, observational prospective study with data collected between 06-2017 and 06-2018 investigating perioperative outcomes of elderly patients (age≥65 years) undergoing emergency surgery. Demographic and clinical data, medical and surgical history, preoperative risk factors, frailty, biochemical blood examination, vital parameters, and operative details were collected and the primary outcome was set to the 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Of the 2570 included patients (50.66% males, median age 77 [IQR = 13] years) 238 (9.26%) were in the non-survivors group. The best performing solution (MultiLayer Perceptron) resulted in a test accuracy of 94.9% (sensitivity = 92.0%, specificity = 95.2%). Model explanations showed how non-chronic cardiac-related comorbidities reduced activities of daily living, low consciousness levels, high creatinine and low saturation increase the risk of death following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective observational study, a robustly cross-validated model resulted in better predictive performance than existing tools and scores in literature. By using only preoperative features and by deriving patient-specific explanations, the model provides crucial information during shared decision-making processes required for risk mitigation procedures.

Gastro-intestinal emergency surgery: Evaluation of morbidity and mortality. Protocol of a prospective, multicenter study in Italy for evaluating the burden of abdominal emergency surgery in different age groups. (The GESEMM study).

Gastrointestinal emergencies (GE) are frequently encountered in emergency department (ED), and patients can present with wide-ranging symptoms. more than 3 million patients admitted to US hospitals each year for EGS diagnoses, more than the sum of all new cancer diagnoses. In addition to the complexity of the urgent surgical patient (often suffering from multiple co-morbidities), there is the unpredictability and the severity of the event. In the light of this, these patients need a rapid decision-making process that allows a correct diagnosis and an adequate and timely treatment. The primary endpoint of this Italian nationwide study is to analyze the clinicopathological findings, management strategies and short-term outcomes of gastrointestinal emergency procedures performed in patients over 18. Secondary endpoints will be to evaluate to analyze the prognostic role of existing risk-scores to define the most suitable scoring system for gastro-intestinal surgical emergency. The primary outcomes are 30-day overall postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Secondary outcomes are 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality rates, stratified for each procedure or cause of intervention, length of hospital stay, admission and length of stay in ICU, and place of discharge (home or rehabilitation or care facility). In conclusion, to improve the level of care that should be reserved for these patients, we aim to analyze the clinicopathological findings, management strategies and short-term outcomes of gastrointestinal emergency procedures performed in patients over 18, to analyze the prognostic role of existing risk-scores and to define new tools suitable for EGS. This process could ameliorate outcomes and avoid futile treatments. These results may potentially influence the survival of many high-risk EGS procedure.

Oncological outcomes of rectal cancer patients with anastomotic leakage: A multicenter case-control study.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of anastomotic leakage (AL) on oncological outcomes after restorative rectal cancer surgery. Methods: Patients who underwent anterior resection for rectal adenocarcinoma between January 2011 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected from three colorectal surgery centers. Patients with grade B and C leaks according to the International Study Group of Rectal Cancer classification were identified and compared with the control group. Estimated recurrence and survival rates were compared using the log-rank method and Cox regression analysis. Results: A total of 367 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 59.21 months. AL occurred in 64 patients (17.4%). Fifteen patients with AL (23.5%) developed local recurrence (LR) compared to 17 (4.8%) in the control group (p < 0.001). However, distant recurrence rates were similar (10.9% vs. 9.6%; p = 0.914) between the groups. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with AL had a reduced 5-years local recurrence-free survival (96% vs. 78%, log-rank p < 0.001). AL (OR 4.576; 95% CI, 2.046-10.237; p < 0.001) and node involvement (OR 2.911; 95% CI, 1.240-6.835; p = 0.014) were significantly associated with LR in multivariate analysis. AL was significantly associated with DFS only at univariate analysis (HR 1.654; 95% CI: 1.024-2.672; p = 0.037), with a difference between 5-year DFS of patients with and without AL (71.6% vs. 86.4%, log-rank p = 0.04). Only male gender, pT3-4 stage, and node involvement were identified as independent prognostic factors for reduced DFS in the multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: In this cohort of patients, AL was associated with a significant risk of LR after rectal cancer surgery.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), and Frailty: Is There any Room for Good Outcome in the Elderly Undergoing Emergency Surgery?

Background: Patients with MetS or SIRS experience higher rates of mortality and morbidity, across both cardiac and noncardiac surgery. Frailty assessment has acquired increasing importance in recent years as it predisposes elderly patients to a worse outcome. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of MetS, SIRS, and with or without frailty on elderly patients undergoing emergency surgical procedures. Methods: We analyzed data of all patients with nonmalignant diseases requiring an emergency surgical procedure from January 2017 to December 2020. The occurrence of MetS was identified using modified definition criteria used by the NCEP-ATP III Expert Panel: obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or if medication for high triglycerides or for low HDL cholesterol was taken. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was evaluated according to the original consensus study (Sepsis-1). The frailty profile was investigated by the 5-modified Frailty Index (5-mFI) and the Emergency Surgery Frailty Index (EmSFI). Postoperative complications have been reported and categorized according to the Clavien-Dindo (C-D) classification system. Morbidity and mortality have been mainly considered as the 30-day standard period definition. Results: Of the 2,318 patients included in this study, 1,010 (43.6%) fulfilled the criteria for MetS (MetsG group). Both 5-Items score and EmsFI showed greater fragility in patients with MetS. All patients with MetS showed more frequently a CACI index greater than 6. The occurrence of SIRS was higher in MetSG. LOS was longer in patients with MetS (MetSG 11.4 ± 12 days vs. n-MetSG 10.5 ± 10.2 days, p = 0.046). MetSG has a significantly higher rate of morbidity (353 (35.%) vs. 385 (29.4%), p = 0.005). The mortality rate in patients with MetS (98/1010, 10%) was similar to that in patients without it (129/1308, 10%). Considering patients with MetS who developed SIRS and those who had frailty or both, the occurrence of these conditions was associated with a higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Conclusion: Impact of MetS and SIRS on elderly surgical patient outcomes has yet to be fully elucidated. The present study showed a 43.6% incidence of MetS in the elderly population. In conclusion, age per se should be not considered anymore as the main variable to estimate patient outcomes, while MetS and Frailty should have always a pivotal role.

Laparoscopic versus Open Surgery for Gastric Cancer in Western Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Short- and Long-Term Outcomes.

Background. The advantages of a laparoscopic approach for the treatment of gastric cancer have already been demonstrated in Eastern Countries. This review and meta-analysis aims to merge all the western studies comparing laparoscopic (LG) versus open gastrectomies (OG) to provide pooled results and higher levels of evidence. Methods. A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE(PubMed), Embase, WebOfScience and Scopus for studies comparing laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy in western centers from 1980 to 2021. Results. After screening 355 articles, 34 articles with a total of 24,098 patients undergoing LG (5445) or OG (18,653) in western centers were included. Compared to open gastrectomy, laparoscopic gastrectomy has a significantly longer operation time (WMD = 47.46 min; 95% CI = 31.83−63.09; p < 0.001), lower blood loss (WMD = −129.32 mL; 95% CI = −188.11 to −70.53; p < 0.0001), lower analgesic requirement (WMD = −1.824 days; 95% CI = −2.314 to −1.334; p < 0.0001), faster time to first oral intake (WMD = −1.501 days; 95% CI = −2.571 to −0.431; p = 0.0060), shorter hospital stay (WMD = −2.335; 95% CI = −3.061 to −1.609; p < 0.0001), lower mortality (logOR = −0.261; 95% the −0.446 to −0.076; p = 0.0056) and a better 3-year overall survival (logHR 0.245; 95% CI = 0.016−0.474; p = 0.0360). A slight significant difference in favor of laparoscopic gastrectomy was noted for the incidence of postoperative complications (logOR = −0.202; 95% CI = −0.403 to −0.000 the = 0.0499). No statistical difference was noted based on the number of harvested lymph nodes, the rate of major postoperative complication and 5-year overall survival. Conclusions. In Western centers, laparoscopic gastrectomy has better short-term and equivalent long-term outcomes compared with the open approach, but more high-quality studies on long-term outcomes are required.

Clinical-pathological features and treatment of acute appendicitis in the very elderly: an interim analysis of the FRAILESEL Italian multicentre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery in the elderly represents a global issue. Diagnosis of AA in old patients is often more difficult. Appendectomy remains the gold standard of treatment and, even though it is performed almost exclusively with a minimally invasive technique, it can still represent a great risk for the elderly patient, especially above 80 years of age. A careful selection of elderly patients to be directed to surgery is, therefore, fundamental. The primary aim was to critically appraise and compare the clinical-pathological characteristics and the outcomes between oldest old (≥ 80 years) and elderly (65-79 years) patients with Acute Appendicitis (AA). METHODS: The FRAILESEL is a large, nationwide, multicentre, prospective study investigating the perioperative outcomes of patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent emergency abdominal surgery. Particular focus has been directed to the clinical and biochemical presentation as well as to the need for operative procedures, type of surgical approach, morbidity and mortality, and in-hospital length of stay. Two multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess perioperative risk factors for morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: 182 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Mean age, ileocecal resection, OAD and ASA score ≥ 3 were related with both overall and major complication. The multivariate analysis showed that MPI and complicated appendicitis were independent factors associated with overall complications. OAD and ASA scores ≥ 3 were independent factors for both overall and major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Age ≥ 80 years is not an independent risk factor for morbidities. POCUS is safe and effective for the diagnosis; however, a CECT is often needed. Having the oldest old a smaller functional organ reserve, an earlier intervention should be considered especially because they often show a delay in presentation and frequently exhibit a complicated appendicitis.

Revisional One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass with a 150-cm Biliopancreatic Limb After Failure of Adjustable Gastric Banding: Mid-Term Outcomes and Comparison Between One- and Two-Stage Approaches.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) was a common procedure worldwide but associated with a high rate of long-term failure. This study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of conversion to one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) after failed LAGB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We undertook a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database in a tertiary referral center for bariatric surgery. All cases of revisional OAGB with a biliopancreatic limb (BPL) of 150 cm after failed LAGB performed between 2010 and 2016 were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 215 patients underwent conversion from LAGB to OAGB. Indication for surgery was primary weight loss (WL) failure in 30.7% of cases and long-term complications in the remaining patients, with or without associated weight regain. At the time of OAGB, the mean age was 43.2 ± 10.5 years and the mean BMI was 42 ± 6.9. Overall postoperative morbidity was 13.5%. The postoperative abscess ± leak rate was 5.9% in the overall population. Two years after OAGB, 9.7% of patients were lost to follow-up, % excess weight loss (EWL) was 88.2 ± 23.9, and % total weight loss (TWL) was 38.7 ± 9.3. At 5 years, 16.6% of patients were lost to follow-up, %EWL was 82.4 ± 25, and %TWL was 36.1 ± 10. There was no statistical difference in complication rates or WL results between the one-stage and two-stage approaches. CONCLUSION: OAGB with a 150-cm BPL represents a safe and effective option after failed LAGB. Both synchronous OAGB and two-step revisional OAGB guarantee satisfying results in terms of postoperative morbidity and WL outcomes.

Robotic surgery for colorectal liver metastases resection: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The role of robotic surgery for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLMs) has never been investigated in large series. METHODS: A systematic literature review was carried out on PubMed and Cochrane libraries. RESULTS: We selected nine studies between 2008 and 2021. Two hundred sixty-two patients were included. One hundred thirty-one patients underwent simultaneous resections. The mean blood loss was 309.4 ml (range, 200-450 ml), the mean operative time was 250.5 min (range, 198.5-449.0 min). The mean length of hospital stay was 7.98 days (range, 4.5 to 12 days). The overall postoperative mortality was 0.4%. The overall morbidity rate was 37.0%, Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV complications were 8.4%. The mean 3-year overall survival was 55.25% (range, 44.4-66.1%), the mean 3-year disease free survival was 37% (range, 33.3-41.9%) CONCLUSION: We can conclude that robotic-assisted surgery might be considered as a technical upgrade option for minimally invasive approach to CRCLM resections even for simultaneous operations and challenging cases.

Minimally Invasive Approach to Gastric GISTs: Analysis of a Multicenter Robotic and Laparoscopic Experience with Literature Review.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are most frequently located in the stomach. In the setting of a multidisciplinary approach, surgery represents the best therapeutic option, consisting mainly in a wedge gastric resection. (1) Materials and methods: Between January 2010 to September 2020, 105 patients with a primary gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GISTs) located in the stomach, underwent surgery at three surgical units. (2) Results: A multi-institutional analysis of minimally invasive series including 81 cases (36 laparoscopic and 45 robotic) from 3 referral centers was performed. Males were 35 (43.2%), the average age was 66.64 years old. ASA score ≥3 was 6 (13.3%) in the RS and 4 (11.1%) in the LS and the average tumor size was 4.4 cm. Most of the procedures were wedge resections (N = 76; 93.8%) and the main operative time was 151 min in the RS and 97 min in the LS. Conversion was necessary in five cases (6.2%). (3) Conclusions: Minimal invasive approaches for gastric GISTs performed in selected patients and experienced centers are safe. A robotic approach represents a useful option, especially for GISTs that are more than 5 cm, even located in unfavorable places.

2D vs 3D laparoscopic right colectomy: A propensity score-matching comparison of personal experience with systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of laparoscopic approach for right colectomy have been well established. However, the technical difficulty to construct the intra-corporeal anastomosis is still cumbersome. AIM: To analyze the results of 3D and 2D laparoscopic right colectomy and to compare it to the published series through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A retrospective study with propensity score matching analysis of patients undergoing laparoscopic right colectomy at Umbria2 Hospitals from January 2014 to March 2020 was performed. A systematic review was accomplished comparing 2D and 3D right colectomy. RESULTS: In the personal series 47 patients of the 2D group were matched to 47 patients of the 3D group. The 3D group showed a favorable trend in terms of mean operative time (170.7 ± 32.9 min vs 183.8 ± 35.4 min; P = 0.053) and a significant lower anastomotic time (16.9 ± 2.3 min vs 19.6 ± 2.9 min, P < 0.001). The complete mesocolic excision (CME) subgroups analysis showed a shorter anastomotic time (16.5 ± 1.8 min vs 19.9 ± 3.0 min; P < 0.001) and operative time (175.0 ± 38.5 min vs 193.7 ± 37.1 min; P = 0.063) in the 3D group. Six studies and our series were included in the meta-analysis with 551 patients (2D group: 291; 3D group: 260).The pooled analysis demonstrated a significant difference in favour of the 3D group regarding the operative time (P < 0.001) and the anastomotic time (P < 0.001) while no differences were identified between groups in terms of blood loss (P = 0.827), LNH yield (P = 0.243), time to first flatus (P = 0.333), postoperative complications (P = 0.718) and length of stay (P = 0.835). CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis results showed that 3D laparoscopic right colectomy shortens operative and anastomotic time without affecting the standard lymphadenectomy. In our series, the advantage of the 3D system becomes evident when CME and/or more complex associated procedure are requested significantly reducing both the total operative and the anastomotic time.