Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Treatment of Idiopathic Faecal Incontinence: Mid-term Results from a Single Center

Abstract Objective: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation is a recent and minimally invasive treatment for faecal incontinence (FI). The aim of this study is to evaluate the mid-term results in patients with idiopathic faecal incontinence (IFI). Methods: Fifty one patients (42 female and 9 male) were prospectively recruited. Patients were treated twice a week for 6 weeks as per study protocol. We have assessed the degree of fecal incontinence using the Cleveland Clinic faecal incontinence (CCF-FI) score at baseline, at 6 weeks, at 6 months and at 1 year. Also the anorectal manometric data (mean resting pressure (MRP), squeeze pressure (SP) and, rectal sensation) at baseline, at 6 weeks and at 6 months have been evaluated. Results: The median CCF-FI score was significantly decreased from an initial baseline value from 12 to 7 at 6 weeks, 3 at 6 months and, 3 at 1 year (respectively: 1st interquartile 4.5, 1, 0 vs 10; 3rd interquartile 9, 5, 5 vs 14.5, p = 0.0001). Anorectal manometry showed an improvement of the internal (resting pressure, MRP) and the external sphincters (squeeze pressure, SP) at 6 months compared to the baseline and 6 weeks by PTNS, while, RP and SP at 6 months was greater than at baseline and 6 weeks (p = 0.004 and p = 0.002 respectively). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that stimulation of the posterior tibial nerve could be an excellent procedure for the treatment of IFI. The stimulation of the posterior tibial nerve can improve the fecal continence (CCF-FI score) in the short term and this improvement is maintained after 1 year of follow-up without treatmen

Giant subcutaneous lipomatosis in Myoclonic Epilepsy with Ragged Red Fibers syndrome: The first literature report of "laparoscopic" excision

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Skip metastases to lateral cervical lymph nodes in differentiated thyroid cancer: A systematic review

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer with a generally good prognosis that sometimes have an aggressive behaviour. Metastases to neck lymph nodes is the first step of the diffusion. The central neck compartment is involved most commonly. The ipsilateral lateral neck compartments are usually involved afterwards, and the involvement of the contralateral one is considered a quite rare occurrence. In more rare cases, metastases to lateral neck compartment without central lymph node metastasis (so called skip metastases) could be observed. Aim of this literature review study is to analyse the average incidence, pattern and risk factors of this occurrence.This study was performed according to PRISMA criteria. A final selection of 13 articles published in English language from 1997 to 2017 was performed. Any research article, review or meta-analysis was taken into consideration. Research was expanded considering the related references of articles.The incidence of skip metastases ranged from 1.6 to 21.8%. Risk factors such as age>45years, size <5mm and tumor located in the upper pole or isthmus of thyroid gland were found.Due to the frequency of skip metastases in thyroid cancer, a careful preoperative examination of lateral lymph nodes should be necessary

Difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy and preoperative predictive factors

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the standard technique for treatment of gallbladder disease. In case of acute cholecystitis we can identify preoperative factors associated with an increased risk of conversion and intraoperative complications. The aim of our study was to detect preoperative laboratory and radiological findings predictive of difficult LC with potential advantages for both the surgeons and patients in terms of options for management. We designed a retrospective case-control study to compare preoperative predictive factors of difficult LC in patients treated in emergency setting between January 2015 and December 2019. We included in the difficult LC group the surgeries with operative time > 2 h, need for conversion to open, significant bleeding and/or use of synthetic hemostats, vascular and/or biliary injuries and additional operative procedures. We collected 86 patients with inclusion criteria and difficult LC. In the control group, we selected 86 patients with inclusion criteria, but with no operative signs of difficult LC. The analysis of the collected data showed that there was a statistically significant association between WBC count and fibrinogen level and difficult LC. No association were seen with ALP, ALT and bilirubin values. Regarding radiological findings significant differences were noted among the two groups for irregular or absent wall, pericholecystic fluid, fat hyperdensity, thickening of wall > 4 mm and hydrops. The preoperative identification of difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy provides an important advantage not only for the surgeon who has to perform the surgery, but also for the organization of the operating block and technical resources. In patients with clinical and laboratory parameters of acute cholecystitis, therefore, it would be advisable to carry out a preoperative abdominal CT scan with evaluation of features that can be easily assessed also by the surgeon

Clinical and Functional Outcome After Abdominal Wall Incisional Hernia Repair: Evaluation of Quality-of-Life Improvement and Comparison of Assessment Scales

Background Hernias severely impact patient quality of life (QoL), and 80% of patients need surgical operation. The primary outcome of the study is to assess improvements in balance, posture and deambulation after abdominal hernia repair. Moreover, the study investigated the improvement in the postoperative QoL. Methods Patients operated at the Policlinico “Paolo Giaccone” at Palermo University Hospital between June 2015 and June 2017 were identified in a prospective database. The functional outcome measures and QoL assessment scales used were numeric rating scale for pain, performance-oriented mobility assessment (POMA) scale, Quebec back pain disability scale, center of gravity (barycenter) variation evaluation, Short-Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36 test), sit-up test and Activities Assessment Scale (AAS). The timepoints at which the parameters listed were assessed for the study were 1 week before the surgical operation and 6 months later. Results The POMA scale showed a significant improvement, with an overall preoperative score of (mean; SD) 18.80 ± 2.17 and a postoperative score of 23.56 ± 2.24 with a p < 0.003. The improvement of the barycenter was significant with p = 0.03 and 0.01 for the right and left inferior limbs, respectively. Finally, common daily activities reported by the SF-36 test and by the AAS were significantly improved with a reported p of ≤0.04 for 5 of eight items and ≤0.002 for all items, respectively. Conclusions The improvement in such physical measures proves the importance of abdominal wall restoration to recover functional activity in the muscle–skeletal complex balance, gait and movement performance

Transoral septotomy with septum traction is an effective treatment for recurrent Zenker diverticulum

Symptoms of Zenker diverticulum can recur whatever the type of primary treatment administered. A modified transoral stapler-assisted septotomy (TS) was introduced in clinical practice a few years ago to improve the results of this mini-invasive technique. The aim of this prospective, controlled study was to assess the outcome of TS in patients with recurrent Zenker diverticulum (RZD), as compared with patients with treatment-naïve Zenker diverticulum (NZD). Patients diagnosed with NZD or RZD, and treated with TS between 2015 and 2021 were compared. Symptoms were recorded and scored using a detailed questionnaire. Barium swallow and endoscopy were performed before and after the TS procedure. In sum, 89 patients were enrolled during the study period: 68 had NZD and 21 had RZD. The patients' demographic and clinical data were similar in the two groups. Three mucosal lesions were detected intra-operatively, and one came to light at post-operative radiological assessment in the NZD group. No mucosal lesions were detected in the RZD group. The median follow-up was 36 months (interquartile range 23-60). The treatment was successful in 97% NZD patients and 95% of RZD patients (P = 0.56). This is the first comparative study based on prospectively collected data to assess the outcome of TS in patients with RZD. Traction on the septum during the procedure proved effective in the treatment of RZD, achieving a success rate that was excellent, and comparable with the outcome in treating NZD

Uterine Involvement in Klippel–Trenaunay Syndrome: A Rare But Relevant Event. Review of the Literature

Introduction: Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare vascular congenital disorder characterized by the classical triad of port-wine stains, abnormal growth of soft tissues and bones, and vascular malformations. The involvement of the genitourinary tract and of the uterus in particular is extremely infrequent but relevant for possible consequences. Methods: We performed an extensive review of the literature using the Pubmed, Scopus and ISI web of knowledge database to identify all cases of KTS with uterine involvement. The search was done using the MeSH term “Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome” AND “uterine” OR “uterus.” We considered publications only in the English language with no limits of time. We selected a total of 11 records of KTS with uterine involvement, including those affecting pregnant women. Results: Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome was described for the first time in the year 1900 in two patients with hemangiomatous lesions of the skin associated with varicose veins and asymmetric soft tissue and bone hypertrophy. Uterine involvement is a rare condition and can cause severe menorrhagia. Diagnosis is based on physical signs and symptoms. CT scans and MRI are first-choice test procedures to evaluate both the extension of the lesion and the infiltration of deeper tissues before treatment. The management of Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome should be personalized using careful diagnosis, prevention and treatment of complications. Conclusion: Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome is a rare vascular malformation with a wide variability of manifestations. There are no univocal and clear guidelines that suggest the most adequate monitoring of the possible complications of the disease. Treatment is generally conservative, but in case of recurrent bleeding, surgery may be needed

Skip metastases to lateral cervical lymph nodes in differentiated thyroid cancer: a systematic review

Abstract Papillary thyroid carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer with a generally good prognosis that sometimes have an aggressive behaviour. Metastases to neck lymph nodes is the first step of the diffusion. The central neck compartment is involved most commonly. The ipsilateral lateral neck compartments are usually involved afterwards, and the involvement of the contralateral one is considered a quite rare occurrence. In more rare cases, metastases to lateral neck compartment without central lymph node metastasis (so called “skip metastases”) could be observed. Aim of this literature review study is to analyse the average incidence, pattern and risk factors of this occurrence. This study was performed according to PRISMA criteria. A final selection of 13 articles published in English language from 1997 to 2017 was performed. Any research article, review or meta-analysis was taken into consideration. Research was expanded considering the related references of articles. The incidence of skip metastases ranged from 1.6 to 21.8%. Risk factors such as age > 45 years, size < 5 mm and tumor located in the upper pole or isthmus of thyroid gland were found. Due to the frequency of skip metastases in thyroid cancer, a careful preoperative examination of lateral lymph nodes should be necessary

Augmented reality (AR) in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) training: where are we now in Italy? The Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery (SICE) ARMIS survey

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a widespread approach in general surgery. Computer guiding software, such as the augmented reality (AR), the virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR), has been proposed to help surgeons during MIS. This study aims to report these technologies' current knowledge and diffusion during surgical training in Italy. A web-based survey was developed under the aegis of the Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery (SICE). Two hundred and seventeen medical doctors' answers were analyzed. Participants were surgeons (138, 63.6%) and residents in surgery (79, 36.4%). The mean knowledge of the role of the VR, AR and MR in surgery was 4.9 ± 2.4 (range 1-10). Most of the participants (122, 56.2%) did not have experience with any proposed technologies. However, although the lack of experience in this field, the answers about the functioning of the technologies were correct in most cases. Most of the participants answered that VR, AR and MR should be used more frequently for the teaching and training and during the clinical activity (170, 80.3%) and that such technologies would make a significant contribution, especially in training (183, 84.3%) and didactic (156, 71.9%). Finally, the main limitations to the diffusion of these technologies were the insufficient knowledge (182, 83.9%) and costs (175, 80.6%). Based on the present study, in Italy, the knowledge and dissemination of these technologies are still limited. Further studies are required to establish the usefulness of AR, VR and MR in surgical training

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) among patients with chronic constipation

Background and aim: PAC-SYM is widely adopted to asses constipation severity. However, it has been validated in a small sample, few items have been included based on expert opinion and not on empirical grounds, and its factor structure has never been replicated. We aimed at evaluating the psychometric properties of PAC-SYM in patients with chronic constipation. Methods: We enrolled 2,203 outpatients with chronic constipation in two waves. We used wave I sample to test the psychometric properties of the PAC-SYM and wave II sample to cross-validate its factor structure, to assess criterion validity, responsiveness to clinical change, and its minimal clinically important difference. Results: Only a minority of patients reported any rectal tearing (38 %). Deletion of such item leads to a 11-item version (M:PAC-SYM). The remaining items in the rectal domain were moderately correlated with the stool domain. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a bifactor structure with two subscales (stool and abdominal symptoms) and a general severity factor. The M:PAC-SYM demonstrated excellent reliability, moderate correlation with SF-12 and treatment satisfaction (r = 0.28-0.45), discrimination across Rome III criteria for functional constipation and abdominal pain, and responsiveness to clinical change (β = -0.49; ω2 = 0.25). M:PAC-SYM minimal clinically important difference was 0.24. Conclusion: Our analysis shows that the rectal domain may not represent a relevant cluster of symptoms for patients with chronic constipation. We developed a modified version of the PAC-SYM which might better represent symptom severity of most patients seeking care in gastroenterology referral centers