Surgical resection of liver metastases from breast cancer

The aim of this review is to define the relevance of surgical resection for liver metastasis of breast cancer. We report the rationale for hepatic surgery of liver metastasis, the survival prognosis factors for these patients, and the influence of liver resection on overall survival. The aim of this surgery is not only the local control, but also general control of the disease by preventing the selection of resistant tumor cell clones. Adjuvant therapies remain necessary for general control of the disease. While preoperative detection of small intra hepatic lesions remains difficult, MRI and preoperative ultrasound may help

Effect of preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage on infectious morbidity after pancreatoduodenectomy: a case-control study

BackgroundThe utility of preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage (PEBD) in jaundiced patients before pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is still debated. This is in part due to the heterogeneity of the studied population, including different tumor location, drainage techniques, and surgical procedures. The aim of the current study was to report the influence of PEBD on postoperative infectious morbidity of PD. Materials and Methods Between January 1996 and December 2004, 124 patients underwent a PD and 28. Twenty-eight (22.6%) of these patients underwent a PEBD. This group of patients was matched to 28 control patients who underwent PD without PEBD during the same period. The 2 groups were matched for age, sex, indication of surgery, and serum bilirubin levels. Results The specific morbidity of PEBD before surgery was 10.7% (n = 3). The postoperative overall morbidity, medical morbidity, and surgical morbidity rates were not different between the 2 groups. At the time of surgery, 89.3% (n = 25) of the patients in the PEBD group had positive bile culture in comparison to 19.4% (n = 4) in the control group (P < .001). The number of patients with 1 or more infectious complications was higher in the PEBD group (50%; n = 14) than in the control group (21.4%; n = 6) (P = .05). Conclusions Before PD, PEBD should be routinely avoided whenever possible in patients with potentially resectable pancreatic and peripancreatic lesions. In patients with cholangitis, requiring extensive preoperative assessment (such as liver biopsy) or neoadjuvant treatment, PEBD might still be indicated

Complications after pancreatic resection: diagnosis, prevention and management

BACKGROUND: Although mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) or distal pancreatectomy (DP) has decreased, morbidity still remains high. The aim of this review article is to present, define, predict, prevent, and manage the main complications after pancreatic resection (PR). METHODS: A non-systematic literature search on morbidity and mortality after PR was undertaken using the PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases. RESULTS: The main complications after PR are delayed gastric emptying (DGE), pancreatic fistula (PF), and bleeding, as defined by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery. PF occurs in 10% to 15% of patients after PD and in 10% to 30% of patients after DP. The different techniques of pancreatic anastomosis and pancreatic remnant closure do not show significant advantages in the prevention of PF, nor does the perioperative use of somatostatin and its analogues. The trend is for conservative or interventional radiology therapy for PF (with enteral nutrition), which achieves a success rate of approximately 80%. DGE after PD occurs in 20% to 50% of patients. Prophylactic erythromycin may reduce the incidence of DGE. Gastric aspiration with erythromycin is usually effective in one to three weeks. Bleeding (gastrointestinal and intraabdominal) occurs in 4% to 16% of patients after PD and in 2% to 3% of patients after DP. Endovascular treatment can only be used for a haemodynamically stable patient. In cases of haemodynamic instability or associated septic complications, surgical treatment is necessary. In expert centres, the mortality rates can be less than 1% after DP and less than 3% after PD. CONCLUSION: There is a need for improved strategies to prevent and treat complications after PR

Factors limiting complete tumor ablation by radiofrequency ablation

The purpose of this study was to determine radiological or physical factors to predict the risk of residual mass or local recurrence of primary and secondary hepatic tumors treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Eighty-two patients, with 146 lesions (80 hepatocellular carcinomas, 66 metastases), were treated by RFA. Morphological parameters of the lesions included size, location, number, ultrasound echogenicity, computed tomography density, and magnetic resonance signal intensity were obtained before and after treatment. Parameters of the generator were recorded during radiofrequency application. The recurrence-free group was statistically compared to the recurrence and residual mass groups on all these parameters. Twenty residual masses were detected. Twenty-nine lesions recurred after a mean follow-up of 18 months. Size was a predictive parameter. Patients\u27 sex and age and the echogenicity and density of lesions were significantly different for the recurrence and residual mass groups compared to the recurrence-free group (p < 0.05). The presence of an enhanced ring on the magnetic resonance control was more frequent in the recurrence and residual mass groups. In the group of patients with residual lesions, analysis of physical parameters showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the time necessary for the temperature to rise. In conclusion, this study confirms risk factors of recurrence such as the size of the tumor and emphasizes other factors such as a posttreatment enhanced ring and an increase in the time necessary for the rise in temperature. These factors should be taken into consideration when performing RFA and during follow-up

Laparoscopic vs. open mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: Are these approaches still comparable? A systematic review and metaanalysis

Background To analyze pathologic and perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic vs. open resections for rectal cancer performed over the last 10 years. Methods A systematic literature search of the following databases was conducted: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE, and Scopus. Only articles published in English from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2018 (i.e. the last 10 years), which met inclusion criteria were considered. The review only included articles which compared Laparoscopic rectal resection (LRR) and Open Rectal Resection (ORR) for rectal cancer and reported at least one of the outcomes of interest. The analyses followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement checklist. Only prospective randomized studies were considered. The body of evidence emerging from this study was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Outcome measures (mean and median values, standard deviations, and interquartile ranges) were extracted for each surgical treatment. Pooled estimates of the mean differences were calculated using random effects models to consider potential inter-study heterogeneity and to adopt a more conservative approach. The pooled effect was considered significant if p <0.05. Results Five clinical trials were found eligible for the analyses. A positive involvement of CRM was found in 49 LRRs (8.5%) out of 574 patients and in 30 ORRs out of 557 patients (5.4%) RR was 1.55 (95% CI, 0.99–2.41; p = 0.05) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). Incorrect mesorectal excision was observed in 56 out of 507 (11%) patients who underwent LRR and in 41 (8.4%) out of 484 patients who underwent ORR; RR was 1.30 (95% CI, 0.89–1.91; p = 0.18) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). Regarding other pathologic outcomes, no significant difference between LRR and ORR was observed in the number of lymph nodes harvested or concerning the distance to the distal margin. As expected, a significant difference was found in the operating time for ORR with a mean difference of 41.99 (95% CI, 24.18, 59.81; p <0.00001; heterogeneity: I2 = 25%). However, no difference was found for blood loss. Additionally, no significant differences were found in postoperative outcomes such as postoperative hospital stay and postoperative complications. The overall quality of the evidence was rated as high. Conclusion Despite the spread of laparoscopy with dedicated surgeons and the development of even more precise surgical tools and technologies, the pathological results of laparoscopic surgery are still comparable to those of open ones. Additionally, concerning the pathological data (and particularly CRM), open surgery guarantees better results as compared to laparoscopic surgery. These results must be a starting point for future evaluations which consider the association between ‘‘successful resection” and long-term oncologic outcomes. The introduction of other minimally invasive techniques for rectal cancer surgery, such as robotic resection or transanal TME (taTME), has revealed new scenarios and made open and even laparoscopic surgery obsolete

Frey procedure in patients with chronic pancreatitis: short and long-term outcome from a prospective study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective study was to determine the short- and long-term results of the Frey procedure in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: From September 2000 to November 2009, 44 consecutive patients underwent the Frey procedure. Patients were included in the study before surgery and followed prospectively with assessment of pain relief, weight gain and exocrine/endocrine insufficiency. Twenty-one patients (47.7%) were followed for more than 5 years. RESULTS: This study included 40 men (91 %) and four women (9 %) (mean age: 49 years) with a mean follow-up of 51.5 months. The primary etiology of chronic pancreatitis was chronic alcohol abuse in 38 patients (86.4 %). The major indication for surgery was disabling pain (95.5 %). There was no postoperative mortality. Postoperative morbidity occurred in 15 patients (34.1 %), with specific surgical complications in 11 patients (25 %). The percentage of pain-free patients after surgery was 68.3 %. Eight patients (18.1 %) and seven patients (16 %) developed diabetes de novo and exocrine insufficiency, respectively. The Body Mass Index showed statistically significant improvement during follow-up. Similar beneficial results concerning pain relief and weight gain persisted after the initial 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The Frey procedure is an appropriate, safe and effective technique for management of patients with chronic pancreatitis in the absence of neoplasia, based on long-term follow-up

Navigation liver surgery for complex hydatid cyst with biliary tree communication

INTRODUCTION: Today, liver surgery navigation is utilized only in high-specialized centers for patients affected by malignant diseases. However, navigated surgery may also be of great interest for benign diseases such as hydatidosis in particular if the hydatid cyst is communicating with the biliary tree. With navigation we know exactly in each moment during the surgery the relationship of the cyst with the vascular/biliary structures around it. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Herein, we report a case of a 20-year-old W/M affected by hepatic hydatid cyst communicating with the right bile duct, causing recurrent cholangitis. The diagnosis was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and magnetic resonance imaging. The liver cystectomy was easily performed using a navigation system incorporating instrument tracking and three-dimensional CT-reconstruction, thus permitting a selective suture of the bile duct communicating with the cyst. CONCLUSIONS: The navigated system may guide the surgeon in patients with severe and complicated hydatid cysts

Surgical and regional treatments for colorectal cancer metastases in older patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective The present study explored the existing literature to describe the outcomes of surgical and regional treatments for colorectal cancer metastases (mCRC) in older patients. Methods A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and ClinicalTrials.gov for studies published since 2000 that investigated the short- and long-term outcomes of regional treatments (surgical or non-surgical) for mCRC in patients aged >= 65 years. Pooled data analyses were conducted by calculating the risk ratio (RR), mean differences (MD) and hazard ratio (HR) between older and younger patients or between two different approaches in older patients. Results After screening 266 articles, 29 were included in this review. These studies reported the outcomes of surgery (n = 19) and non-surgical local ablation treatments (n = 3) for CRC metastases in older vs. younger patients or compared the outcomes of different interventions in older patients (n = 7). When comparing older vs. younger patients undergoing liver surgery for mCRC, pooled data analysis showed higher postoperative mortality [RR = 2.53 (95%CI: 2.00-3.21)] and shorter overall survival [HR = 1.17 (95%CI: 1.07-1.18)] in older patients, whereas no differences in operative outcomes, postoperative complications and diseasefree survival were found. When comparing laparoscopy vs. open surgery for liver resection in older mCRC patients, laparoscopy was associated with fewer postoperative complications [RR = 0.27 (95%CI: 0.10-0.73)]. Conclusion Liver resection for mCRC should not be disregarded a priori in older patients, who show similar operative and postoperative outcomes as younger patients. However, clinicians should consider that they are at increased risk of postoperative mortality and have a worse overall survival, which may reflect comorbidities and frailty