A video guide of five access methods to the splenic flexure: the concept of the splenic flexure box

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe all the possible approaches for laparoscopic splenic flexure mobilization (SFM), each suitable for specific situations, and create an illustrated system to show SFM approaches in an easy and practical way to make it easy to learn and teach. Methods: Two different phases. First part: Cadaver-based study of the colonic splenic flexure anatomy. In order to demonstrate the different approaches, a balloon was placed through the colonic hepatic flexure in the lesser sac without sectioning any of the fixing ligaments of the splenic flexure. Second part: A real case series of laparoscopic SFM. Results: First part: 11 cadavers were dissected. Five potential approaches to SFM were found: anterior, trans-omentum, lateral, medial infra-mesocolic, and medial trans-mesocolic. The illustrative system developed was named: Splenic Flexure “Box”(SFBox). Second part: One of the types of SFM described in first part was used in five patients with colorectal cancer. Each laparoscopic approach to the splenic flexure was illustrated in a video accompanied by illustration aids delineating the access. Conclusion: With the cadaver dissection and subsequent demonstration in real-life laparoscopic surgery, we have shown five types of laparoscopic splenic flexure mobilization. The Splenic Flexure “Box” is a useful way to learn and teach this surgical maneuver

El uso precoz de la tomografía computarizada en el manejo de la diverticulitis aguda Early use of CT in the management of acute diverticulitis of the colon

Objetivo: valorar el uso precoz de la tomografía computarizada (TC) para el diagnóstico, estadificación y manejo de la diverticulitis aguda. Material y métodos: realizamos un estudio prospectivo de 102 pacientes con el diagnóstico clínico de diverticulitis aguda de colon izquierdo. La diverticulitis aguda fue inicialmente dividida en tres estadios. Los pacientes fueron reestadiados en los estadios I, IIa, IIb y III de acuerdo a los hallazgos encontrados en la TC. El diagnóstico se confirmó después intraoperatoriamente, por colonoscopia o estudio con bario. Resultados: fueron incluidos 102 pacientes (52 mujeres y 50 hombres) con una edad media de 59,4 (DS ± 14,96). En 84 (82,35%) pacientes con el diagnóstico clínico de diverticulitis aguda se confirmó este diagnóstico con un error diagnóstico del 17,65% (n = 18). La diverticulitis aguda se diagnosticó con la TC en el 84,3% (n = 86). La TC tuvo una sensibilidad del 100% y especificidad del 88,9%. La TC cambió la estadificación clínica en un 38% debido a una infraestadificación del 13% y una sobreestadificación del 25%, que llega al 60 y al 50% en los estadios clínicos II y III, respectivamente. La reclasificación o reestadificación de los pacientes de acuerdo con los hallazgos en la TC tiene una consecuencia importante en la indicación quirúrgica. Conclusiones: la estadificación clínica precoz de la diverticulitis con la TC evita errores de diagnóstico clínico en el 17,65%. La TC modifica la estadificación clínica de severidad en el 38% evitando la cirugía innecesaria y el retraso en el tratamiento quirúrgico.Objectives: to assess the early use of CT for the diagnosis, staging, and management of acute diverticulitis. Materials and methods: a prospective study of 102 patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute diverticulitis of the left colon. Acute diverticulitis was initially divided into 3 clinical stages. Patients were restaged according to CT findings into stages I, IIa, IIb, and III. Diagnosis was subsequently confirmed intraoperatively or by colonoscopy or barium studies. Results: 102 patients (52 females and 50 males, mean age of 59.4 (SD + 14.96 years)) were included; 84 (82.35%) patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute diverticulitis were confirmed to suffer this disease for a diagnostic error of 17.65% (n=18). Acute diverticulitis was diagnosed by CT in 84.3% (n=86). CT had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 88.9%. CT changed clinical stage for 38% of patients - because of understaging in 13% and of overstaging in 25%. When stages II and III were analyzed separately, 60 and 50% were overstaged, respectively. The reclassification of patients according to CT results had a significant impact on treatment. Conclusions: Early clinical staging with CT avoids diagnostic clinical errors in 17.65% of patients. CT changes the initial clinical staging of acute episodes in 38% of cases, thus avoiding unnecessary delays in surgery for severe cases, and unnecessary surgeries for mild cases

Risk factors for leak, complications and mortality after ileocolic anastomosis: comparison of two anastomotic techniques

There are no definitive data concerning the ideal configuration of ileocolic anastomosis. Aim of this study was to identify perioperative risk factors for anastomotic leak and for 60-day morbidity and mortality after ileocolic anastomoses (stapled vs handsewn)

A multifaceted individualized pneumoperitoneum strategy for laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a multicenter observational feasibility study

BACKGROUND: While guidelines for laparoscopic abdominal surgery advise using the lowest possible intra-abdominal pressure, commonly a standard pressure is used. We evaluated the feasibility of a predefined multifaceted individualized pneumoperitoneum strategy aiming at the lowest possible intra-abdominal pressure during laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS: Multicenter prospective study in patients scheduled for laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The strategy consisted of ventilation with low tidal volume, a modified lithotomy position, deep neuromuscular blockade, pre-stretching of the abdominal wall, and individualized intra-abdominal pressure titration; the effect was blindly evaluated by the surgeon. The primary endpoint was the proportion of surgical procedures completed at each individualized intra-abdominal pressure level. Secondary endpoints were the respiratory system driving pressure, and the estimated volume of insufflated CO2 gas needed to perform the surgical procedure. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients were enrolled in the study. Fourteen cases were converted to open surgery for reasons not related to the strategy. The intervention was feasible in all patients and well-accepted by all surgeons. In 61 out of 78 patients (78%), surgery was performed and completed at the lowest possible IAP, 8 mmHg. In 17 patients, IAP was raised up to 12 mmHg. The relationship between IAP and driving pressure was almost linear. The mean estimated intra-abdominal CO2 volume at which surgery was performed was 3.2 L. CONCLUSION: A multifaceted individualized pneumoperitoneum strategy during laparoscopic colorectal surgery was feasible and resulted in an adequate working space in most patients at lower intra-abdominal pressure and lower respiratory driving pressure. ClinicalTrials.gov (Trial Identifier: NCT03000465)

Correction to: An individualised versus a conventional pneumoperitoneum pressure strategy during colorectal laparoscopic surgery: Rationale and study protocol for a multicentre randomised clinical study (Trials DOI: 10.1186/s13063-019-3255-1)

After publication of our article [1] the authors have notified us that there are changes in the primary outcome and the statistical analysis plan of the study. These changes were made after the recruitment of participants and after approval by the Institutional Review Board, and registration at clinicaltrials.gov (study identifier), but before cleaning and closing of the database. The Postoperative Quality of Recovery Scale (PQRS), an outcome used in the IPPCollapse II study, is a five– dimensional ordinal scale designed to estimate patients' recovery in the postoperative period [2]. Each patient is scored at predefined time points and is classified as either 'recovered' if the score reaches at least the predetermined baseline score or 'not recovered' if otherwise. The five dimensions are then combined in an 'overall score' – a patient is classified as 'overall recovered' if 'recovered' in every domain and as 'overall not recovered' if 'not recovered' in any of the five domains. Outcome variables that are repeatedly assessed over time in the same study patients are to be treated as 'repeated measures' or 'longitudinal data' [3]. Common statistical techniques applied on cross-sectional data assume independence between observations [4]. This crucial assumption is not fulfilled by 'repeated measures' or 'longitudinal data'. Ignoring this correlation can lead to biased estimates, invalid P values and confidence intervals, as well as loss of statistical power [5, 6]. We incorrectly detailed how the PQRS score was to be analysed. We suggested to treat the scores at the four different time points as individual outcomes. From hindsight we feel that this approach does not consider the conceptual underlying model (i.e., between patients' variability) and the temporal design. Furthermore, we also imperfectly reported our primary outcome since we did not specified which domain of the scale was analyzed as primary endpoint although we did report which one we used (i.e. physiologic score) in the sample size calculation. We therefore changed the primary and secondary outcomes as follows: 1. The primary outcome of the IPPCollapse II study is the recovery of the 'physiologic' component of the PQRS score over the assessed time points; 2. The other domains, i.e., the 'nociceptive', 'emotional', 'cognitive', and 'functional' components, as well as the 'overall score' are used as secondary outcomes; 3. Association between group assignment and recovery of PQRS score in each domain is assessed by a mixed logistic regression, introducing patients as random factors, and age, weight, BMI and sex as covariables; 4. The originally reported analysis (i.e. ordinal regression) is still carried out, however only as a sensitivity analysis

An individualised versus a conventional pneumoperitoneum pressure strategy during colorectal laparoscopic surgery: rationale and study protocol for a multicentre randomised clinical study

Abstract Background A recent study shows that a multifaceted strategy using an individualised intra-abdominal pressure titration strategy during colorectal laparoscopic surgery results in an acceptable workspace at low intra-abdominal pressure in most patients. The multifaceted strategy, focused on lower to individualised intra-abdominal pressures, includes prestretching the abdominal wall during initial insufflation, deep neuromuscular blockade, low tidal volume ventilation settings and a modified lithotomy position. The study presented here tests the hypothesis that this strategy improves outcomes of patients scheduled for colorectal laparoscopic surgery. Methods The Individualized Pneumoperitoneum Pressure in Colorectal Laparoscopic Surgery versus Standard Therapy (IPPCollapse-II) study is a multicentre, two-arm, parallel-group, single-blinded randomised 1:1 clinical study that runs in four academic hospitals in Spain. Patients scheduled for colorectal laparoscopic surgery with American Society of Anesthesiologists classification I to III who are aged > 18 years and are without cognitive deficits are randomised to an individualised pneumoperitoneum pressure strategy (the intervention group) or to a conventional pneumoperitoneum pressure strategy (the control group). The primary outcome is recovery assessed with the Post-operative Quality of Recovery Scale (PQRS) at postoperative day 1. Secondary outcomes include PQRS score in the post anaesthesia care unit and at postoperative day 3, postoperative complications until postoperative day 28, hospital length of stay and process-related outcomes. Discussion The IPPCollapse-II study will be the first randomised clinical study that assesses the impact of an individualised pneumoperitoneum pressure strategy focused on working with the lowest intra-abdominal pressure during colorectal laparoscopic surgery on relevant patient-centred outcomes. The results of this large study, to be disseminated through conference presentations and publications in international peer-reviewed journals, are of ultimate importance for optimising the care and safety of laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Selection of patient-reported outcomes as the primary outcome of this study facilitates the translation into clinical practice. Access to source data will be made available through anonymised datasets upon request and after agreement of the Steering Committee of the IPPCollapse-II study. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02773173. Registered on 16 May 2016. EudraCT, 2016-001693-15. Registered on 8 August 2016