Quality of life and low anterior resection syndrome before and after deep endometriosis surgery.

PURPOSE: Deep endometriosis (DE) is defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial glands, with rectal involvement ranging from 5.3 to 12%. The prevalence of low anterior resection-like syndrome (LARS) in patients with DE, how it affects quality of life (QoL), and its evolution after surgery is unclear. The objective of this study was to assess the gastrointestinal functional outcomes and QoL in patients who underwent surgery for DE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from 2017 to 2019, recruiting patients who underwent DE surgery with and without rectal resection. Patients completed LARS and SF-36 questionnaires before, at 6 months and at 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients were enrolled. Rectal segmental resection was required in 16 (19.5%) patients, shaving in 16 (19.5%) and discoid resection in 8 (9.8%). All 8 domains of the SF-36 questionnaire showed improvement during follow-up, reflecting improved QoL after surgery (p ≤ 0.05) in all patients. Mean LARS scores for patients without rectal surgery were 7.5 ± 10.4 before and 13.7 ± 14.2 1 year after surgery; rectal surgery was 13.6 ± 13.6 and 14.6 ± 13.1, respectively (p = 0.17). No significant differences were found in the rectal surgery patients' postoperative LARS score among the 3 rectal DE surgical techniques (p = 0.97), and the SF-36 scores improved independent of the technique performed. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with DE present a LARS-like syndrome before surgery that does not appear to be negatively affected after rectal surgery, independent of the technique performed. Rectal surgery improves the QoL of patients with DE patients as measured by the SF-36 questionnaire at 1 year of follow-up.

Surgeons' workload assessment during indocyanine-assisted deep endometriosis surgery using the surgery task load index: The impact of the learning curve.

Objective: Assess the surgeons' workload during deep endometriosis surgery after ureteral ICG. Design: Prospective, consecutive, comparative, single-center study. Population: 41 patients enrolled to deep endometriosis surgery with ureteral ICG from January 2019 to July 2021 at La Paz University Hospital. Methods: Patients were divided into 2 groups: patients operated during the learning curve of ureteral ICG instillation and patients operated after the technique was implemented and routinely performed. After surgery, the SURG-TLX form was completed by the surgeons. We evaluated whether a workload reduction occurred. Main outcomes measures: Surgeon's workload was measured using the SURG-TLX form, obtaining the total workload and 6 different dimensions (distractions, temporal demands, task complexity, mental demands, situational stress and physical demands). Results: A significant positive correlation was found between surgical complexity and situational stress (p = 0.04). Mental demands (p = 0.021), physical demands (p = 0.03), and total workload (p = 0.025) were significantly lower when the technique was routinely performed. The mental demand, physical demands, and total workload perceived by the surgeons at the beginning of the implementation was higher (68 [39-72], 27 [11-46.5], 229 [163-240], respectively) than in the latter ones (40 [9-63], 11.5 [0-32.8], 152 [133.3-213.8], respectively). Distractions appeared to be higher in the latter surgeries (8.5 [0-27.8]) than in the first surgeries (0 [0-7]; p = 0.057). Conclusions: Ureter ICG instillation prior to DE surgery significantly reduces the mental and physical demands and total workload of the surgeons in DE surgeries after overcoming the learning curve. Distractions appear to increase as surgical stress decreases.

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the activity and professionals of a General Surgery and Digestive Surgery Service in a tertiary hospital. / Impacto de la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 sobre la actividad y profesionales de un Servicio de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo en un hospital terciario.

INTRODUCTION: The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection has led to a radical reorganization of healthcare resources. Surgical Departments need to adapt to this change. METHODS: We performed a prospective descriptive observational study of the incidence of COVID-19 in patients and surgeons of a General Surgical Department in a high prevalence area, between the 1st and 31st of March 2020. RESULTS: Patients: The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in elective surgery patients was 7% (mean age 59.5 years). All survived. Of 36 patients who underwent emergency surgery, two of them were SARS-CoV-2 positive and one was clinically highly suspicious of COVID-19 (11.1%). All three patients died of respiratory failure (mean age 81 years). Surgeons: There were a total of 12 confirmed SARS-CoV-2+ cases among the surgical department staff (24.4%) (8 out of 34 consultants and 4 out of 15 residents). Healthcare activity: The average number of daily emergency surgical interventions declined from 3.6 in February to 1.16 in March. 42% of the patients who underwent emergency surgery had peritonitis upon presentation. CONCLUSIONS: The fast pace of COVID-19 pandemia should alert surgical departments of the need of adopting early measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff.