Safety of primary anastomosis following emergency left sided colorectal resection

Some evidence suggests that primary anastomosis following left sided colorectal resection in the emergency setting may be safe in selected patients, and confer favourable outcomes to permanent enterostomy. The aim of this study was to compare the major postoperative complication rate in patients undergoing end stoma vs primary anastomosis following emergency left sided colorectal resection.A pre-planned analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology 2017 audit. Adult patients (> 16 years) who underwent emergency (unplanned, within 24 h of hospital admission) left sided colonic or rectal resection were included. The primary endpoint was the 30-day major complication rate (Clavien-Dindo grade 3 to 5).From 591 patients, 455 (77%) received an end stoma, 103 a primary anastomosis (17%) and 33 primary anastomosis with defunctioning stoma (6%). In multivariable models, anastomosis was associated with a similar major complication rate to end stoma (adjusted odds ratio for end stoma 1.52, 95%CI 0.83-2.79, P = 0.173). Although a defunctioning stoma was not associated with reduced anastomotic leak (12% defunctioned [4/33] vs 13% not defunctioned [13/97], adjusted odds ratio 2.19, 95%CI 0.43-11.02, P = 0.343), it was associated with less severe complications (75% [3/4] with defunctioning stoma, 86.7% anastomosis only [13/15]), a lower mortality rate (0% [0/4] vs 20% [3/15]), and fewer reoperations (50% [2/4] vs 73% [11/15]) when a leak did occur.Primary anastomosis in selected patients appears safe after left sided emergency colorectal resection. A defunctioning stoma might mitigate against risk of subsequent complications

Neuroendocrine tumors presenting with thyroid gland metastasis: a case series

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Autopsy series have shown that metastasis to the thyroid gland has occurred in up to 24% of patients who have died of cancer. Neuroendocrine tumors may metastasize to thyroid gland.</p> <p>Case presentations</p> <p>Case 1 was a 17-year-old Turkish woman who was referred from our Endocrinology Department for a thyroidectomy for treatment of neuroendocrine tumor metastasis. She was treated with a bilateral total thyroidectomy. Histopathological examination results were consistent with a neuroendocrine tumor; neoplastic cells showed strong immunoreactivity to chromogranin A and synaptophysin, but the immunohistochemical profile was inconsistent with medullary thyroid carcinoma in that the tumor was negative for calcitonin, carcinoembryonic antigen, and thyroid transcription factor-1.</p> <p>Case 2 was a 54-year-old Turkish woman who presented with a 3-cm nodule on her right thyroid lobe. She had undergone surgery for a right lung mass four years previously. After a right pneumonectomy, thymectomy and lymph node dissection, a typical carcinoid tumor was diagnosed. Under ultrasonographic guidance, fine needle aspiration biopsy of her right thyroid pole nodule was performed and the biopsy was compatible with a neuroendocrine tumor metastasis. She was treated with a bilateral total thyroidectomy. Histopathological examination indicated three nodular lesions, 5 cm and 0.4 cm in diameter in her right lobe and 0.1 cm in diameter in her left lobe. The tumors were consistent with a neuroendocrine phenotype, showing strong immunoreactivity to chromogranin A and synaptophysin.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thyroid nodules detected during follow-up of neuroendocrine tumor patients should be thoroughly investigated. A fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid confirms the diagnosis in most cases and leads to appropriate management of those patients and may prevent unnecessary treatment approaches.</p

Sex difference and intra-operative tidal volume: Insights from the LAS VEGAS study

BACKGROUND: One key element of lung-protective ventilation is the use of a low tidal volume (VT). A sex difference in use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) has been described in critically ill ICU patients.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether a sex difference in use of LTVV also exists in operating room patients, and if present what factors drive this difference.DESIGN, PATIENTS AND SETTING: This is a posthoc analysis of LAS VEGAS, a 1-week worldwide observational study in adults requiring intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals in 29 countries.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women and men were compared with respect to use of LTVV, defined as VT of 8 ml kg-1 or less predicted bodyweight (PBW). A VT was deemed 'default' if the set VT was a round number. A mediation analysis assessed which factors may explain the sex difference in use of LTVV during intra-operative ventilation.RESULTS: This analysis includes 9864 patients, of whom 5425 (55%) were women. A default VT was often set, both in women and men; mode VT was 500 ml. Median [IQR] VT was higher in women than in men (8.6 [7.7 to 9.6] vs. 7.6 [6.8 to 8.4] ml kg-1 PBW, P &lt; 0.001). Compared with men, women were twice as likely not to receive LTVV [68.8 vs. 36.0%; relative risk ratio 2.1 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.1), P &lt; 0.001]. In the mediation analysis, patients' height and actual body weight (ABW) explained 81 and 18% of the sex difference in use of LTVV, respectively; it was not explained by the use of a default VT.CONCLUSION: In this worldwide cohort of patients receiving intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery, women received a higher VT than men during intra-operative ventilation. The risk for a female not to receive LTVV during surgery was double that of males. Height and ABW were the two mediators of the sex difference in use of LTVV.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01601223

Management of Open Abdomen: Single Center Experience

Aim. The authors reviewed their experience in the management of open abdomen using the vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), in order to assess its morbidity, and the outcome of abdominal wall integrity. Methods. A retrospective review was performed using the trauma registry to identify patients undergoing temporary abdominal closure (TAC) either using Bogota Bag (BB) or VAC, from January 2006 to December 2012. Inclusion criteria were TAC and survival to definitive abdominal closure. Data collected included age, indication for TAC, number of operating room procedures, primary fascial closure rate, and complications. Results. During the study period, 156 patients required one type of TAC. Mean number of operations required in BB group was 3.04 as compared to 1.96 in VAC group (). Survival was significantly increased in the VAC group (). The difference in primary closure rates did not reach statistical significance (25% vs. 55%; ). Complications were observed less frequently in the VAC group (). The mean time for fascial closure was 21 (±12) days in the BB group, as opposed to 6 (±3) days in the VAC group (). Conclusion. The vacuum assisted closure (VAC) has a significantly faster rate of closure, requires less number of operations, and is associated with a lower complication rate

Management of Open Abdomen: Single Center Experience

Aim. The authors reviewed their experience in the management of open abdomen using the vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), in order to assess its morbidity, and the outcome of abdominal wall integrity. Methods. A retrospective review was performed using the trauma registry to identify patients undergoing temporary abdominal closure (TAC) either using Bogota Bag (BB) or VAC, from January 2006 to December 2012. Inclusion criteria were TAC and survival to definitive abdominal closure. Data collected included age, indication for TAC, number of operating room procedures, primary fascial closure rate, and complications. Results. During the study period, 156 patients required one type of TAC. Mean number of operations required in BB group was 3.04 as compared to 1.96 in VAC group (P = 0.006). Survival was significantly increased in the VAC group (P < 0.001). The difference in primary closure rates did not reach statistical significance (25% vs. 55%; P = 0.074). Complications were observed less frequently in the VAC group (P = 0.047). The mean time for fascial closure was 21 (+/- 12) days in the BB group, as opposed to 6 (+/- 3) days in the VAC group (P < 0.001). Conclusion. The vacuum assisted closure (VAC) has a significantly faster rate of closure, requires less number of operations, and is associated with a lower complication rate

Airway Surgery in Tracheostomised Patients with Wegener Granulomatosis Leading to Subglottic Stenosis

Wegener granulomatosis (WG) is a multisystemic disorder characterised by granulomatous inflammation of the respiratory system. The growing of proliferative tissue towards the larynx and trachea may cause airway obstruction on account of subglottic stenosis. In this situation, the surgical goal is to eliminate the airway obstruction by providing natural airway anatomy. While mild lesions do not require surgical intervention, in fixed lesions, surgical intervention is required, such as tracheostomy, laser resection and dilatation. In tracheostomised patients, granuloma formation surrounding the tracheostomy cannula may occur in the trachea. Inflammation and newly formed granulation tissue result in severe stenosis in the airways. During surgical treatment of such patients, airway management is important. In this case report, we will discuss gas exchange and airway management with jet ventilation (JV) during excision of the granulation tissue with endolaryngeal laser surgery, leading to subglottic stenosis in tracheostomised patients in WG

Airway Surgery in Tracheostomised Patients with Wegener Granulomatosis Leading to Subglottic Stenosis

Wegener granulomatosis (WG) is a multisystemic disorder characterised by granulomatous inflammation of the respiratory system. The growing of proliferative tissue towards the larynx and trachea may cause airway obstruction on account of subglottic stenosis. In this situation, the surgical goal is to eliminate the airway obstruction by providing natural airway anatomy. While mild lesions do not require surgical intervention, in fixed lesions, surgical intervention is required, such as tracheostomy, laser resection and dilatation. In tracheostomised patients, granuloma formation surrounding the tracheostomy cannula may occur in the trachea. Inflammation and newly formed granulation tissue result in severe stenosis in the airways. During surgical treatment of such patients, airway management is important. In this case report, we will discuss gas exchange and airway management with jet ventilation (JV) during excision of the granulation tissue with endolaryngeal laser surgery, leading to subglottic stenosis in tracheostomised patients in WG

The Evaluation of the Effects of Erythrocyte Transfusion on Central Venous Oximetry in Major Surgery Patients

Objective: Blood transfussion is generally performed to improve oxygen delivery (DO2). Transfusion decision is mostly based on hemoglobin levels, regardless of actual DO2 requirement. As central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO(2)) may reflect the imbalance between DO2 and consumption (VO2), the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of red blood cell transfusion on ScvO(2) levels in major surgery patients