Late is too late? Surgical timing and postoperative complications after primary ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Despite the recent advances in medical therapy, the majority of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) still require surgery during the course of their life. While a correlation between early primary surgery and lower recurrence rates has been shown, the impact of surgical timing on postoperative complications is unclear. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of surgical timing on 30-day postoperative morbidity. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database of 307 consecutive patients submitted to elective primary ileocolic resection for CD at our institution between July 1994 and July 2018. The following variables were considered: age, gender, year of treatment, smoking habits, preoperative steroid therapy, presence of fistula or abscess, type of anastomosis, and time interval between diagnosis of CD and surgery. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to examine the association between risk factors and complications. RESULTS: Major complications occurred in 29 patients, while anastomotic leak was observed in 16 patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that surgical timing in years (OR 1.10 p = 0.002 for a unit change), along with preoperative use of steroids (OR 5.45 p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for major complications. Moreover, preoperative treatment with steroids (6.59 p = 0.003) and surgical timing (OR 1.10 p = 0.023 for a unit change) were independently associated with anastomotic leak, while handsewn anastomosis (OR 2.84 p = 0.100) showed a trend. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the longer is the time interval between diagnosis of CD and surgery, the greater is the risk of major surgical complications and of anastomotic leak.

Role of TachoSil® in distal pancreatectomy: a single center experience.

AIM: Distal pancreatectomies (DP) are associated with high risk of postoperative complications, and in many series higher morbidity rate than duodenopancreatectomies has been reported. To evaluate the role of a collagen sponge with human fibrinogen and thrombin film (TachoSil®) in limiting the incidence of complications after DP. METHODS: From 1996 to 2013, 221 patients have been submitted to distal pancreatectomy (± splenectomy) in our Division. A retrospective analysis has been conducted in a group of 36 consecutive and prospectively collected DP treated with intraoperative placement of TachoSil® on pancreatic stump from 2010 to 2013 (group 1). A control series of 36 consecutive patients (group 2) was matched 1:1 from hystorical database. The variables considered in the analysis were: age, gender, ASA score, pancreatic texture (hard vs. soft), histology, operative time, postoperative mortality, morbility (postoperative pancreatic fistula - POPF, postoperative hemorrage - PPH, delayed gastric emptying - DGE) and hospital stay. Differences between POPF, PPH, DGE and hospital stays between grops were investigated with χ² and t-Student test. Univariate analysis was conducted to determine factors related to POPF development. Statistical analysis was performed using freeware Microsoft Excel based program. RESULTS: Post operative mortality was 0% in both groups. POPF were registered in 36.1% (13/36) and 41.6 % (15/36) in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P=n.s.); in group 1 we didn't observe grade C POPF, while 4 patients in control group developed grade C POPF (P<0,05). No differences were found between two groups in terms of incidence of PPH and DGE. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay in group 1 was 21.8 (7-189) days compared with 31.13 (9-249) days in group 2 (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of TachoSil® seems to be associated with lower incidence of grade C POPF but larger controlled trials are needed to surely assess the usefulness of TachoSil® in pancreatic surgery in order to reduce pancreatic specific complications and their severity.

Severe ulcerative colitis: predictors of response and algorithm proposal for rescue therapy.

BACKGROUND: There is no agreeing if rescue therapy can avoid short-term colectomy in patients treated for severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis. AIMS: The aim of our study was to identify predictors of response to infliximab and cyclosporine A. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 49 patients with severe ulcerative colitis were included. Response to therapy was defined as three or more point reductions in Mayo score after 6 months of treatment and avoidance of colectomy after 1 year. The predictors analysed were gender, age, time from ulcerative colitis diagnosis, months of steroid or/and azathioprine therapy before onset of the severe phase, smoking habits, extension of the disease, laboratory analyses and Mayo score. RESULTS: Patients treated with infliximab showed a statistically significant higher response rate in case of moderate Mayo score (P = 0.04). Ex-smokers had very low chance of response to infliximab (P = 0.03). In the group treated with cyclosporine A, patients with C-reactive protein >3 mg/L had a response rate significantly higher than those with C-reactive protein <3 mg/L (P = 0.03); those with negative C-reactive protein and moderate Mayo score did not responded to therapy, while in the ones with elevated C-reactive protein and/or severe Mayo score, 15 versus 4 responded (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that cyclosporine A is advisable in ex-smokers. In never smokers or active smokers, infliximab can be prescribed in case of Mayo score ≤10 and/or negative CRP, while cyclosporine A is indicated in case of Mayo score >10 and positive CRP.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in 2006: concepts from a clinical point of view.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is characterised by peptic ulcers of the upper gastrointestinal tract failing to heal despite maximal medical therapy, diarrhoea and marked gastric acid hypersecretion associated with a gastrin-secreting tumour (gastrinoma). ZES might be associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. The main diagnostic features are hypergastrinemia and acid hypersecretion. When these parameters give borderline results, provocation test (with secretin or calcium) may be required. To identify the localisation of gastrinoma several imaging techniques have been proposed. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is capable to localise the tumour in 80% of the cases and to identify it even in anatomic sites other than pancreas and duodenum. Endoscopic ultrasonography has a sensitivity as high as 79-93% and a specificity of 93%. The 2 main principal therapeutic strategies are to control both the gastric acid hypersecretion and the growth of the neoplasia. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the drugs of choice for patients with ZES. Furthermore, safety of PPIs in the maintenance therapy has been proven both in short- and in long-term studies. The best surgical treatment is excision of gastrinoma before metastatic spread has occurred. Somatostatin-analogues can reduce both gastric acid hypersecretion and serum gastrin levels. Moreover, they have an antiproliferative effect. Chemotherapy, interferon and embolisation are indicated in rapidly evolving tumours or in cases in which the tumoral symptoms cannot be treated by other approaches.

Association between Crohn's disease and Conn's syndrome. A report of two cases.

The natural history of Crohn's disease (CD) is characterised by periods of remission followed by phases of flares. Persistent or intractable diarrhoea may be associated with ileal disease or arise following ileal resection, resulting in potassium depletion. Medical therapy with steroids presents troublesome side-effects (e.g. hypertension). Conn's syndrome, caused by unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma, is characterised by clinical features including hypokalaemia and hypertension. Thus, CD and Conn's syndrome may have an overlap of manifestations, and up to now, the simultaneous occurrence of these conditions has not been described. We report here 2 cases of association between CD and Conn's syndrome.

Our experience with strictureplasty in the surgical treatment of Crohn's disease.

Strictureplasty is a recent surgical procedure that permits surgical cure of chronic intestinal strictures due to Crohn's disease without the need for bowel resection. The authors report the results of 19 stricture-plasties in eight patients, all of whom were affected by Crohn's disease in the chronic phase and showed subocclusive symptoms due to ileal strictures and fistulas. After surgery all patients improved, and none showed occlusive or subocclusive symptoms or signs of relapse after a mean follow-up of 16.5 months. Radiographic examination of the small bowel, when performed, showed normal transit in all patients. The authors stress the importance of performing strictureplasty only during quiescent periods of the disease and in patients in a good nutritional state, in order to avoid complications and recrudescences. If these requirements are met, stricureplasty can be very useful for saving bowel length in the surgical treatment of Crohn's disease.

[Repair of large laparoceles]. / La riparazione dei grandi laparoceli.

The authors report a series of 100 incisional hernias operated on and consider general and local problems in repair of wide hernias. They underline some rules in order to obtain a strong reconstruction, with minimal relapse risk and to avoid adverse systemic effects produced by the intervention itself. Now they consider synthetic meshes to be apt for the treatment of the largest hernias, in order to reinforce or to repair the fascial defect, as meshes are strong, easy to use and are well tolerated by tissues and have a good resistance to infection.

[Isolated neurofibroma of the stomach. Case report and review of the literature]. / Il neurofibroma isolato dello stomaco. Descrizione di un caso e revisione della letteratura.

An uncommon case of gastric neurofibroma is described: it was an incidental finding during assessment for abdominal pain, possibly due to pancreatitis, in a 58 year old man, with no sign of von Recklinghausen's disease. The generic diagnosis of gastric wall neoplasia was made by CT scanning; the neoplasm was resected with wedge resection of gastric wall. Histological and ultrastructural examination revealed a neurofibroma. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are rare occurrence and usually are of smooth muscle derivation: a small percentage arises from nerve sheet, but such a distinction is never sharp. Neurogenic gastric tumors are usually benign and only 10% of von Recklinghausen associated neurofibromas can undergo malignant transformation. Wide excision of the tumor appears therefore the treatment of choice.

[Palliative treatment of pancreatic carcinoma. Comparison between 2 successive observation periods]. / Il trattamento palliativo del carcinoma pancreatico. Confronto fra due successivi periodi di osservazione.

Explorative laparotomies and palliative surgery for pancreatic carcinoma have been reduced due to improved diagnostic tools, the spread of laparoscopic techniques and the growing use of external biliary drainage and endoprostheses. By comparing two successive observation periods the authors point out that, owing to the good results obtained, mini-invasive surgery is more frequently used in the management of obstructive jaundice than biliodigestive surgical derivations. Of these, hepatico-jejunostomy is preferable to duodenal anastomosis due to the latter's frequent involvement by the primary tumour. The authors also consider it inappropriate to increase operative morbidity through the systematic association of gastroenteric with biliodigestive derivation, except in cases of symptomatic or radiologically or endoscopically ascertained duodenal stenosis and when the objective finding of visceral involvement leads to the supposition of its imminent obliteration. The indications for surgical splannicectomy have also been reduced with the spread of percutaneous alcoholization of the celiac plexy in cases which resist analgesic treatment using a parenteral route.

[Adrenal neuroblastoma in adults: a rare neoplasm of difficult diagnostic interpretation. A case report]. / Il neuroblastoma del surrene nell'adulto: una rara neoplasia di difficile interpretazione diagnostica. Contributo casistico.

A case of a 25-year old girl, affected by an adrenal neoplasia with bone marrow and splenic metastases, is reported. The site of the neoplasm, that was highly undifferentiated, the presence of rosette-forming cells along with the clinical picture and the rapidity of the final outcome, could suggest the diagnosis of neuroblastoma. However we stress that the diagnosis is very difficult and can only be stated on probability bases in such undifferentiated neoplasms.

[Extension of thyroidectomy in the treatment of benign nodular thyroid diseases]. / Estensione della tiroidectomia nel trattamento delle tireopatie nodulari benigne.

A series of 268 benign nodular goitres, operated on in a 10-year period, is presented. Subtotal thyroidectomy was the chosen operation; however, during the first period of our experience, when the goitre was obviously limited to one lobe we performed unilateral lobectomy in some cases. After surgery no patient received hormone therapy without previous evaluation of thyroid function. Thyroid function was evaluated after surgery and alterations were corrected. As recurrent goitre was a rare occurrence and complications of subtotal thyroidectomy are low, we do not support total thyroidectomy for nodular goitre. In order to avoid recurrences hemithyroidectomy no longer must be performed: the surgical treatment of nodular goitre is carried out by subtotal thyroidectomy, leaving little residual thyroid, to spare parathyroids and inferior laryngeal nerves, which is usually enough for adequate hormone production; in the case of TSH raising, thyroxine must be given.

[Lipoid hyperplasia of the ileocecal valve. A report of 2 cases operated on in the occlusive phase]. / La lipoiperplasia della valvola ileo-ciecale. Osservazione di due casi operati in fase occlusiva.

Two cases of lipomatosis of the ileocaecal valve, causing intestinal obstruction are reported. Surgery was performed on an emergency basis. A careful assessment of clinical and radiological findings is important, in order to distinguish such as a disease from caecal carcinoma. In fact this is a benign disease, for which conservative surgery is indicated.

[Abdominal desmoid tumor]. / I desmoidi addominali.

Two cases of desmoid tumor of the abdominal wall are reported, together with some considerations and a review of the literature; desmoid tumor is an unusual neoplasm which affects women in prevalence. This is an histologically benign neoplasm with no metastatic capacity; however it is highly invasive in the site where it arose, so its treatment can become very difficult. The treatment is by surgical excision that must be as wide as possible, in order to obviate the great incidence of recurrence. The role of radiotherapy, hormone and chemotherapy has not been completely assessed so far.

[Stricture plasty in Crohn's disease. Indications and results]. / La stritturoplastica nel morbo di Crohn. Indicazioni e risultati.

BACKGROUND: Aim of the paper is to evaluate the indications and results of stricture plasty in the treatment of intestinal obstruction due to Crohn's disease. It is hypothesized that, as far as fibrotic strictures are treated, operative morbidity will be reduced to a minimum. METHODS: Data regarding 147 interventions for Crohn's disease performed in a 4.5 year-period have been prospectively collected. Eight interventions including stricture plasty have been identified and indication, morbidity and end results analyzed. RESULTS: In 8 interventions 20 stricture plasties have been performed. As a rule, a stricture plasty is performed only when a resection would have sacrificed a too long bowel tract or it was inappropriate, in relation to stricture site. Three patients had fistulae, but those fistulae were not in the same site of stricture plasty and only one patient was malnourished and with active disease. There was no operative mortality or major morbidity, but there was only a short episode of hyperthermia. No relapses were observed after a 26-month mean follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Stricture plasty is a useful tool in order to avoid extensive intestinal resections. If it is performed only on fibrotic strictures with inactive disease and only if a resection is deemed inappropriate, minimal morbidity and very good results can be anticipated.

[Endoscopic and intraoperative ultrasonography in staging of stomach neoplasms]. / Ecografia perendoscopica ed intraoperatoria nella stadiazione delle neoplasie gastriche.

In Japan a better prognosis of gastric cancer has been achieved by early diagnosis and wide, careful lymphectomy. This is not true in western countries. Thus the Authors believe that rational surgical strategy and the careful use of advanced diagnostic tools would produce a better outcome. The Authors report the new diagnostic methods that they adopt in every case of gastric neoplasm: endoscopic ultrasonography, which also proved useful in submucosal tumors, like lymphomas; parenteral nutrition, immune status assessment for a possible use of immune response modulators, single-dose antimicrobial prophylaxis, antithrombotic prophylaxis, autologous blood storage, in order to reduce transfusion-linked risks. Surgical strategy is also reported, which includes wide resection with adequate margins, R2 lymphectomy and intraoperative assessment of disease extension by ultrasonography.

[Intestinal fistulas in Crohn disease]. / Le fistole enteriche nel morbo di Crohn.

BACKGROUND: Only a part of patients suffering from Crohn's disease has enteric fistulae and a different behaviour of Crohn's disease with fistulae is reported in the literature. Aim of this paper is to evaluate if enteric fistulae are a factor conditioning mortality, morbidity and overall postoperative course, in patients with Crohn's disease. METHODS: Data on the postoperative course of 126 laparotomies for Crohn's disease, performed between November 1993 and July 1998, have been prospectively examined. Moreover, the presence of enteric fistula has been evaluated during surgery. RESULTS: Out of 126 interventions, in 58 (46%) enteric fistulae were present. Mortality (5.2% vs 0), morbidity (14.5% vs 7.3%), necessity for a temporary ostomy (20.4% vs 3.5%) were greater in those patients with fistula, as compared as those without fistula. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, it is suggested that Crohn's disease with fistulae is a different type of disease, with higher mortality and morbidity rates.

[Laparocele: a review of the literature and analysis of case histories]. / Il laparocele: revisione della letteratura e analisi di una casistica.

We analyze a group of 64 laparoceles from which it emerges a per cent distribution in the different regions and a correlation between the dimensions of the lesion and the relative regions in agreement with the data usually given in the literature. Furthermore we point out a clear dependence on pathogenetic factors of general and local order. Is therefore recognized the necessity of preventing their insurgence and reducing the risk of relapses through appropriate laparotomy incisions, with adoption of a suitable surgical technique and the correction of systemic diseases. The voluminous laparoceles are responsible of cardiac, respiratory, coagulative diseases, that must be scrupulously judged for an appropriate therapeutical approach. The surgical treatment, as well as for the cases of bigger dimensions, has mostly availed itself of an elementary technique (simple approach, apposition "en paletot" splitting of the fasciae). In the necessity of strengthening weak parietal tissues or of replacing vast losses of matter, we have limitedly resorted to autologous grafts, while good results have been observed with the lyophilized dura mater.