An Intra-Hospital Spread of Colistin-Resistant K. pneumoniae Isolates-Epidemiological, Clinical, and Genetic Analysis.

Background and Objective: Klebsiella pneumoniae appears to be a significant problem due to its ability to accumulate antibiotic-resistance genes. After 2013, alarming colistin resistance rates among carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae have been reported in the Balkans. The study aims to perform an epidemiological, clinical, and genetic analysis of a local outbreak of COLr CR-Kp. Material and Methods: All carbapenem-resistant and colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates observed among patients in the ICU unit of Military Medical Academy, Sofia, from 1 January to 31 October 2023, were included. The results were analyzed according to the EUCAST criteria. All isolates were screened for blaVIM, blaIMP, blaKPC, blaNDM, and blaOXA-48. Genetic similarity was determined using the Dice coefficient as a similarity measure and the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). mgrB genes and plasmid-mediated colistin resistance determinants (mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3, mcr-4, and mcr-5) were investigated. Results: There was a total of 379 multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates, 88% of which were carbapenem-resistant. Of these, there were nine (2.7%) colistin-resistant isolates in six patients. A time and space cluster for five patients was found. Epidemiology typing showed that two isolates belonged to clone A (pts. 1, 5) and the rest to clone B (pts. 2-4) with 69% similarity. Clone A isolates were coproducers of blaNDM-like and blaOXA-48-like and had mgrB-mediated colistin resistance (40%). Clone B isolates had only blaOXA-48-like and intact mgrB genes. All isolates were negative for mcr-1, -2, -3, -4, and -5 genes. Conclusions: The study describes a within-hospital spread of two clones of COLr CR-Kp with a 60% mortality rate. Clone A isolates were coproducers of NDM-like and OXA-48-like enzymes and had mgrB-mediated colistin resistance. Clone B isolates had only OXA-48-like enzymes and intact mgrB genes. No plasmid-mediated resistance was found. The extremely high mortality rate and limited treatment options warrant strict measures to prevent outbreaks.

Delayed diagnosis of parathyroid cancer manifested with pubic bone lesions and chronic kidney failure. Tricks and pitfalls of management.

INTRODUCTION: Parathyroid cancer (PTC) is an extremely rare malignancy with an incidence of 5.7 per 10 million people. The exact preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis is difficult, but of paramount importance, because resection with negative margins is the only effective treatment. CASE REPORT: A 46-years-old female was referred from another hospital with a diagnosis of "hyper-functioning thyroid nodule", based on the ultrasound showing a lesion of the right thyroid lobe and elevated FT4. At the admission, she had severe pain in the right inguinal area, fatigue, muscle weakness, and excessive diuresis. The blood assay demonstrated serum calcium of 4.02 mmol/l, parathyroid hormone of 1433.2 pg/ml, FT4 of 17.49 pmol/l, creatinine of 296 µmol/l. CT showed a tumor of the right thyroid lobe with a size of 2.5. A right lobectomy was performed. Right parathyroid glands were not found. Because of the constellation for hyperparathyroidism and suspicion of parathyroid malignancy ipsilateral and central lymph node dissection and partial removal of the right sternothyroid muscle were performed, which correlated with a significant intraoperative drop in the parathyroid hormone. Three months later, a re-resection was performed because of SPECT-CT evidence for residual parathyroid tissue. CONCLUSION: The timely diagnosis of PTC is a prerequisite for a good outcome. The best preoperative indicators are serum parathyroid hormone > 4 times above the upper limit, serum calcium > 14 mg/dL, a palpable neck mass, and a local invasion found intraoperatively. The only curative treatment is the complete removal of the tumor with a negative margin. KEY WORDS: Delayed diagnosis, Hyperparathyroidism, Parathyroid cancer, Surgery.

Perirectal hematoma after stapled surgery for hemorrhoidal prolapse and obstructed defecation syndrome: case series management to avoid panic-guided treatment.

Perirectal hematoma (PH) is one of the most feared complications of stapling procedures. Literature reviews have reported only a few works on PH, most of them describing isolated treatment approaches and severe outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze a homogenous case series of PH and to define a treatment algorithm for huge postoperative PHs. A retrospective analysis of a prospective database of three high-volume proctology units was performed between 2008 and 2018, and all PH cases were analyzed. In all, 3058 patients underwent stapling procedures for hemorrhoidal disease or obstructed defecation syndrome with internal prolapse. Among these, 14 (0.46%) large PH cases were reported, and 12 of these hematomas were stable and treated conservatively (antibiotics and CT/laboratory test monitoring); most of them were resolved with spontaneous drainage. Two patients with progressive PH (signs of active bleeding and peritonism) were submitted to CT and arteriography to evaluate the source of bleeding, which was subsequently closed by embolization. This approach helped ensure that no patients with PH were referred for major abdominal surgery. Most PH cases are stable and treatable with a conservative approach, evolving with self-drainage. Progressive hematomas are rare and should undergo angiography with embolization to minimize the possibility of major surgery and severe complications.

Two distinct episodes of life-threatening hemobilia due to a lesion of common bile duct and delayed intrapancreatic arteriobiliary fistula managed by emergency pancreatoduodenal resection.

Hemobilia is an extremely rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. It often has intermittent manifestation, which may lead to significant diagnostic delay. In 65% of the cases, the causes are iatrogenic, in 7% the cause is malignancy, in 5% - gallstones, in 8% it is inflammation (cholecystitis, parasites, reflux cholangitis), vascular abnormality is the cause in 7% (most commonly pseudoaneurysm of the hepatic artery), and pancreatic pseudocyst causes hemobilia in 1%. In almost all cases, the bleeding originates from intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts, and rarely from the pancreas.

The Dilemma of the Level of the Inferior Mesenteric Artery Ligation in the Treatment of Diverticular Disease: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although sigmoidectomy is a well-standardized procedure for diverticular disease, there are still unclear areas related to the varying morphology and vascular supply of the sigmoid colon. The level of vascular ligation could affect the functional outcomes of patients operated on for diverticular disease. The aim of this review is to primarily evaluate sexual, urinary and defecatory function outcomes, as well as postoperative results, in patients who underwent surgery for diverticular disease, with or without inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) preservation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MEDLINE/PubMed, WOS and Scopus databases were interrogated. Comparative studies including patients who underwent sigmoidectomy for diverticular diseases were considered. Bowel function, genitourinary function, anastomotic leak, operation time, conversion to open surgery, anastomotic bleeding, bowel obstruction were the main items of interest. RESULTS: Twelve studies were included in the review, three randomized and nine comparative studies. Bowel and genitourinary function are not differently affected by the level of vascular ligation. The site of ligation of IMA did not influence the rate of functional complications, anastomotic leak and bleeding. Of note, the preservation of IMA is associated with a higher conversion rate and longer operative time. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the heterogeneity of patient groups, and although the findings should be interpreted with caution, functional and clinical outcomes after sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease do not seem to be affected by the level of vascular ligation as long as the IMA is ligated far from its origin.

Successful Negative Pressure Therapy of Enteroatmospheric Fistula after Right Colectomy for Complicated Crohn's Disease -A Proposal for a Three-Drain Wound-Separation Technique.

Enteroatmospheric fistulas (EAFs) are still the worst complication of the open abdomen. They lead to a significantly prolonged intensive care unit and hospital stay and to high mortality. Despite the various techniques described in the literature EAFs remain "a nightmare" for the patient, the surgeon, and the hospital. Here we describe a case of right colectomy for obstructing Crohn's disease in a 26-year-old. On the 19th postoperative day, he developed a superficial EAF. Due to the frozen abdomen, neither resection of the anastomosis, nor implementation of the known techniques for treatment of EAFs were possible. This prompted us to modify the Pepe technique. The EAF was isolated from the upper and lower parts of the wound through deep-skin and subcutaneous sutures and the application of two small pieces of non-adherent plastic foil. The lower holes of a single drain, put through a piece of black foam, were placed over the fistula. The upper holes, which were enveloped with the foam, remained in contact with the wound. The drain was connected to a negative pressure of 125 mmHg. NPWT (negative pressure wound therapy) was also applied by two separate sponges and drains in the upper and lower part. The mainstay of EAF treatment is the isolation of the EAF from the abdominal cavity and subcutaneous tissue, supported by control of the sepsis and adequate nutrition. The proposed technique is applicable in cases with a single, superficial EAF on the background of the frozen abdomen with minimal lateral fascial retraction. As of today, due to the rarity of the condition and lack of randomized trials, EAFs still represents a unique challenge often requiring improvisation.

Rise and fall of total mesorectal excision with lateral pelvic lymphadenectomy for rectal cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of 11,366 patients.

The role of lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) during total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer is still controversial. Many reviews were published on prophylactic LLND in rectal cancer surgery, some biased by heterogeneity of overall associated treatments. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to perform a timeline analysis of different treatments associated to prophylactic LLND vs no-LLND during TME for rectal cancer. METHODS: A literature search was performed in PubMed, SCOPUS and WOS for publications up to 1 September 2020. We considered RCTs and CCTs comparing oncologic and functional outcomes of TME with or without LLND in patients with rectal cancer. RESULTS: Thirty-four included articles and 29 studies enrolled 11,606 patients. No difference in 5-year local recurrence (in every subgroup analysis including preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy), 5-year distant and overall recurrence, 5-year overall survival and 5-year disease-free survival was found between LLND group and non LLND group. The analysis of post-operative functional outcomes reported hindered quality of life (urinary, evacuatory and sexual dysfunction) in LLND patients when compared to non LLND. CONCLUSION: Our publication does not demonstrate that TME with LLND has any oncological advantage when compared to TME alone, showing that with the advent of neoadjuvant therapy, the advantage of LLND is lost. In this review, the most important bias is the heterogeneous characteristics of patients, cancer staging, different neoadjuvant therapy, different radiotherapy techniques and fractionation used in different studies. Higher rate of functional post-operative complications does not support routinely use of LLND.

Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm of the Pancreas: Need for a Tailored Approach to a Rare Entity.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas is a relatively new entity that has gained increased attention because of its unique features - presence of different subtypes with different malignant potential, biological behavior, and prognosis, higher rates of recurrences and concomitant or metachronous pancreatic duct cancer. It is rare with an incidence of 4 to 5 cases per 100 000. The relative lack of experience significantly hampers decision making for surgery (pancreatic head resection, distal pancreatectomy or enucleation) or follow-up.Herein we present two cases managed by diametrically different tactic according to the risk stratification - distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and observation, respectively. An up-to-date literature review on the key points in diagnostics, indications for surgery, the extent of surgery, follow-up, and prognosis is provided.The tailored approach based on risk stratification is the cornerstone of management. Absolute indications for surgery are the lesions with high-risk stigmata, whereas the worrisome features should be evaluated by endoscopic ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration. Main duct and mixed type are usually referred to surgery, whereas the management of a branch type is more conservative due to the lower rate of invasive cancer. Strict postoperative follow-up is mandatory even in negative resection margins due to a high risk for recurrences and metachronous lesions.Despite the guidelines, the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm remains a major challenge for clinicians and surgeons in the balance the risk/benefit of observation versus resection. Risk stratification plays a key role in decision-making. Future trials need to determine the optimal period of surveillance and the most reliable predictive factors for concomitant pancreatic duct cancer.

The role of damage control surgery in the treatment of perforated colonic diverticulitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Damage control surgery (DCS) is the classic approach to manage severe trauma and has recently also been considered an appropriate approach to the treatment of critically ill patients with severe intra-abdominal sepsis. The purpose of the present review is to evaluate the outcomes following DCS for Hinchey II-IV complicated acute diverticulitis (CAD). METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was undertaken to identify all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies, irrespectively of their size, publication status, and language. Adults who have undergone DCS for CAD Hinchey II, III, or IV were included in this review. DCS is compared with the immediate and definitive surgical treatment in the form of HP, colonic resection, and primary anastomosis (RPA) with or without covering stoma or laparoscopic lavage. We searched the following electronic databases: PubMed MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge. The protocol of this systematic review and meta-analysis was published on Prospero (CRD42020144953). RESULTS: Nine studies with 318 patients, undergoing DCS, were included. The presence of septic shock at the presentation in the emergency department was heterogeneous, and the weighted mean rate of septic shock across the studies was shown to be 35.1% [95% CI 8.4 to 78.6%]. The majority of the patients had Hinchey III (68.3%) disease. The remainder had either Hinchey IV (28.9%) or Hinchey II (2.8%). Phase I is similarly described in most of the studies as lavage, limited resection with closed blind colonic ends. In a few studies, resection and anastomosis (9.1%) or suture of the perforation site (0.9%) were performed in phase I of DCS. In those patients who underwent DCS, the most common method of temporary abdominal closure (TAC) was the negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) (97.8%). The RPA was performed in 62.1% [95% CI 40.8 to 83.3%] and the 22.7% [95% CI 15.1 to 30.3%]: 12.8% during phase I and 87.2% during phase III. A covering ileostomy was performed in 6.9% [95% CI 1.5 to 12.2%]. In patients with RPA, the overall leak was 7.3% [95% CI 4.3 to 10.4%] and the major anastomotic leaks were 4.7% [95% CI 2.0 to 7.4%]; the rate of postoperative mortality was estimated to be 9.2% [95% CI 6.0 to 12.4%]. CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis revealed an approximately 62.1% weighted rate of achieving GI continuity with the DCS approach to generalized peritonitis in Hinchey III and IV with major leaks of 4.7% and overall mortality of 9.2%. Despite the promising results, we are aware of the limitations related to the significant heterogeneity of inclusion criteria. Importantly, the low rate of reported septic shock may point toward selection bias. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical advantages and cost-effectiveness of the DCS approach.

Routine drain or no drain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is considered to be the gold standard in the early management of acute cholecystitis however, recommendations for routine drain insertion in the acute setting are unavailable. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of literature review and metanalysis was conducted. All studies comparing drain versus no drain after LC for acute cholecystitis were included. RESULTS: Seven studies, with 1274 patients, were included. Postoperative wound infection rates (relative risk (RR) 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.10 to 0.88; I2 = 0%) and postoperative abdominal collection requiring drainage (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.35 to 4.12; I 2 = 0%) were lower in the no-drain group, but this was only significant for wounded infections on subgroup analysis of RCTs. Length of stay hospital (mean difference (MD) -0.49, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.09; I 2 = 69%) and operative time (MD -8.13, 95% CI -13.87 to -2.38; I 2 = 92%) were significantly shorter in the no drain group however this was in the context of significant heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The available data suggests that acute cholecystitis is not an indication for routine drain placement after LC. However, these results must be interpreted with caution due to the limitations of the included studies. In effect, the main issue of this meta-analysis lies on the limitations of the included studies themselves, because of a considerable heterogeneity among the included works, particularly for the inclusion criteria of patients and reported severity of acute cholecystitis. Further work is required to produce evidence which will definitively alter clinical practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2a (systematic review of cohort studies). Oxford CEBM levels of evidence.

Total parenteral nutrition-induced Wernicke's encephalopathy after oncologic gastrointestinal surgery.

Carl Wernicke described the disease bearing his name in 1881 and reported three cases characterized by the presence of mental confusion, ataxia, and ophthalmoplegia. Wernicke's disease is mainly observed in alcoholic patients, due to decreased vitamin intake as a consequence of an unbalanced diet, and a reduction of absorption due to the effects of alcohol. Likewise, inadequate vitamin intake is prevalent in older patients. Wernicke's encephalopathy due to inappropriate total parenteral nutrition (TPN) occurs infrequently; recently, there is an increase in the literature concerning Wernicke's encephalopathy in patients after general and bariatric surgeries. We present two cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy after oncologic gastrointestinal surgery by failure to administer vitamin B1 during TPN; to our knowledge, these are the first two cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy after colorectal surgery for cancer. In our opinion, timely diagnosis and treatment are mandatory to avoid nonfunctional recovery and consequent malpractice legal actions as well as an increase in the health-care costs correlated with the prolonged hospital stay and with the nonfunctional recovery.

Surgical treatment for common hepatic aneurysm. Original one-step technique.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic artery aneurysms are rare, and their treatment represents a challenge for the surgeons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A new technique is presented for common hepatic artery (CHA) aneurysm: it requires minimal vascular surgical dissection and only one linear vascular stapler is applied at the bottom of aneurysm. Aneurysm exclusion is easily obtained, which allowed retrograde thrombosis. Liver blood supply is ensured to the right and left hepatic artery, through the gastroduodenal artery, and can be previously monitored, with temporary clamping of the section area, by visual control, enzyme evaluation and intraoperative ultrasound examination. We reported an open surgical treatment, with simultaneous removal of hepatic and adrenal metastases, secondary to colon cancer. RESULTS: The duration of vascular surgery was 30 min and did not involve complications. Postoperative controls confirmed the efficacy of the procedure. DISCUSSION: This original technique can be added to the various open and endovascular techniques so far described for the treatment of a CHA aneurysm. It is advisable as open surgery, mostly in case of associated pathologies. CONCLUSIONS: The authors believe that this "one shot" technique by vascular staple of the distal part of CHA is minimally invasive and effective to obtain the exclusion of the aneurysm.

Perirectal Hematoma and Intra-Abdominal Bleeding after Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy and STARR-A Proposal for a Decision-Making Algorithm.

Background and Objectives: The present study aims to assess the effectiveness and current evidence of the treatment of perirectal bleeding after stapled haemorrhoidopexy. Materials and methods: A systematic literature review was performed that combined the published and the obtained original data after a search of PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. Results: The present systematic review includes 16 articles with 37 patients. Twelve papers report perirectal and six report intra-abdominal bleeding. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) was performed in 57% of cases (3 PPH 01 and 15 PPH 03), stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) in 13%, and for 30% information was not available. The median age was 49 years (±11.43). The sign and symptoms of perirectal bleeding were abdominal pain (43%), pelvic discomfort without rectal bleeding (36%), urinary retention (14%), and external rectal bleeding (21%). The median time to bleeding was 1 day (±1.53 postoperative days), with median hemoglobin at diagnosis 8.8 ± 1.04 g/dL. Unstable hemodynamic was reported in 19%. Computed tomography scan (CT) was the first examination in 77%. Only two cases underwent the abdominal US, but subsequently, a CT scan was also conducted. Non-operative management was performed in 38% (n = 14) with selective arteriography and percutaneous angioembolization in two cases. A surgical treatment was performed in 23 cases - transabdominal surgery (3 colostomies, 1 Hartmann' procedure, 1 low anterior resection of the rectum, 1 bilateral ligation of internal iliac artery and 1 ligation of vessels located at the rectal wall), transanal surgery (n = 13), a perineal incision in one, and CT-guided paracoccygeal drainage in one. Conclusions: Because of the rarity and lack of experience, no uniform tactic for the treatment of perirectal hematomas exists in the literature. We propose an algorithm similar to the approach in pelvic trauma, based on two main pillars -hemodynamic stability and the finding of contrast CT.

Cystic Echinococcosis of the Breast - Diagnostic Dilemma or just a Rare Primary Localization.

INTRODUCTION: Although the liver and lung are the most frequently affected organs in cystic echinococcosis, the cysts may develop in any viscera and tissues. Breast is a rare primary localization with few cases described in the literature. We present an updated and systematic review and discuss the possible mechanisms of spreading, diagnostic and treatment options. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a literature search in PUBMED using the key words 'hydatid disease', 'cystic echinococcosis' and 'breast echinococcosis' without time limitation. Only studies reporting breast cystic echinococcosis were included. RESULTS: Overall, 121 cases with cystic echinococcosis and 2 with alveolar echinococcosis were reported. A total of 52 cases were included in the analysis. The mean size of cysts was 5.5 cm (range 1.7-12). The most common clinical presentation was painless lump presented from 4 months to 19 years before the final diagnosis. Most cases had isolated breast CE, few cases had synchronous localizations ­ femoral, thigh and lung, and previous liver CE. Most were active CL and CE1-2 cysts (72%). Ultrasound was used in 83%, followed by mammography (35%). Fine needle aspiration was reported in 27 cases with positive finding in 59%. CONCLUSIONS: In cases with cystic breast lesions from endemic regions we recommend the US as a gold standard. CT and MRT are more accurate but expensive tools without the potential to change the surgical tactic. In contrast to the other localizations of CE, complete excision of the cysts is the best diagnostic and treatment approach.

Laparoscopic versus open approach for adhesive small bowel obstruction, a systematic review and meta-analysis of short term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is one of the most frequent causes of emergency hospital admissions and surgical treatment. Current surgical treatment of ASBO consists of open adhesiolysis. With laparoscopic procedures rising, the question arises if laparoscopy for ASBO is safe and results in better patient outcomes. Although adhesiolysis was among the first surgical procedures to be approached laparoscopically, uncertainty remains about its potential advantages over open surgery. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the benefits and harms of laparoscopic surgery for ASBO. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted for articles published up to May 2019. Two reviewers screened all articles and did the quality assessment. Consecutively a meta-analysis was performed. To reduce selection bias, only matched studies were used in our primary analyses. All other studies were used in a sensitivity analyses. All the outcomes were measured within the 30th postoperative day. Core outcome parameters were postoperative mortality, iatrogenic bowel perforations, length of postoperative stay [days], severe postoperative complications, and early readmissions. Secondary outcomes were operative time [min], missed iatrogenic bowel perforations, time to flatus [days], and early unplanned reoperations. RESULTS: In our meta-analysis, 14 studies (participants = 37.007) were included: 1 randomized controlled trial, 2 matched studies, and 11 unmatched studies. Results of our primary analyses show no significant differences in core outcome parameters (postoperative mortality, iatrogenic bowel perforations, length of postoperative stay, severe postoperative complications, early readmissions). In sensitivity analyses, laparoscopic surgery favored open adhesiolysis in postoperative mortality (relative risk [RR], 0.36; 95% CI, 0.29-0.45), length of postoperative hospital stay (mean difference [MD], -4.19; 95% CI, -4.43 to -3.95), operative time (MD, -18.19; 95% CI, -20.98 to -15.40), time to flatus (MD, -0.98; 95% CI, -1.28 to -0.68), severe postoperative complications (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.46-0.56) and early unplanned reoperations (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70-0.96). CONCLUSION: Results of this systematic review indicate that laparoscopic surgery for ASBO is safe and feasible. Laparoscopic surgery is not associated with better or worse postoperative outcomes compared with open adhesiolysis. Future research should focus on the correct selection of those patients who are suitable for laparoscopic approach and may benefit from this approach. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic Review/Meta-analysis, Level III.

Crohn's Disease Complicated by Ileosigmoid Fistula - Synchronous Resection or Primary Sigmoid Repair, One or Two-stage Procedure? A systematic review of the literature and prospective case series.

INTRODUCTION: Although ileosigmoid fistulas (ISFs) in Crohn's disease (CD) are rare they can be quite challenging, especially for the inexperienced surgeons. Furthermore, current guidelines offer no clear recommendation regarding the surgical strategy in such cases. A systematic review of the literature to determine the best surgical strategy and a prospective case series are presented herein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. A single-center prospective data-base from January 1, 2014 to August 20, 2019 is presented. Age, duration of CD, and the rates of ISF, emergency, preoperative diagnosis, type of surgery, type of stoma, and complications were analyzed and a prospective case series. RESULTS: Eleven of 69 papers with a total of 505 patients were included in the systematic analysis. The rate of ISF was 3-5% of all CD patients. The combined preoperative detection rate of all modalities was 71%. Primary repair was performed in 42% of the cases; the rate of stoma was 31.5% with a similar proportion in primary repair and sigmoid resection.In the presented series, 35 of 176 patients with CD were operated (51% in an emergency setting). There were 7 cases with ISFs (4% of all and 20% of the operated patients). Preoperative diagnosis was made at 57%. Primary repair was performed in 71%, and a two-stage intervention with a stoma - in 58% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Primary repair should be attempted in all cases in which the sigmoid colon is disease-free or is not involved in the adja-cent abscess. The synchronous resections are not a mandatory indication for the stoma, but rather a tailored approach is recommended with an evaluation of the risk factors. Based on the available literature, no clear recommendation regarding the type of stoma can be made.

The Trends of Complicated Acute Colonic Diverticulitis-A Systematic Review of the National Administrative Databases.

Background and Objectives: The diverticular disease includes a broad spectrum of different "clinical situations" from diverticulosis to acute diverticulitis (AD), with a full spectrum of severity ranging from self-limiting infection to abscess or fistula formation to free perforation. The present work aimed to assess the burden of complicated diverticulitis through a comparative analysis of the hospitalizations based on the national administrative databases. Materials and Methods: A review of the international and national administrative databases concerning admissions for complicated AD was performed. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. No definition of acute complicated diverticulitis was reported in any study. Complicated AD accounted for approximately 42% and 79% of the hospitalizations. The reported rates of abscess varied between 1% and 10% from all admissions for AD and 5-29% of the cases with complicated AD. An increasing temporal trend was found in one study-from 6% to 10%. The rates of diffuse peritonitis ranged from 1.6% to 10.2% of all hospitalizations and 11% and 47% of the complicated cases and were stable in the time. Conclusions: The available data precluded definitive conclusions because of the significant discrepancy between the included studies. The leading cause was the presence of heterogeneity due to coding inaccuracies in all databases, absence of ICD codes to distinguish the different type of complications, and the lack of coding data about some general conditions such as sepsis, shock, malnutrition, steroid therapy, diabetes, pulmonary, and heart failure.