Hybrid approach for left-sided colonic carcinoma obstruction; a case report

Traditionally, there are several approaches to manage left-sided colonic carcinoma obstruction, such as tumor resection with primary anastomosis, tumor resection with end-colostomy and loop-colostomy. Recently, colonic stent insertion was introduced as a bridge prior to definite surgery. We demonstrated a hybrid approach for obstructed sigmoid carcinoma using colonic stent, followed by single incision laparoscopic colectomy (SILC). A 58 year-old man presented with complete left-sided colonic obstruction. He underwent emergency colonoscopy with metallic stent placement. One week later, he was performed SILC. He recovered well after the operation without any postoperative complications. The pathological result showed adequacy of oncologic resection. This hybrid approach of colonic stent insertion and SILC can be safely performed

Pathological and Oncologic Outcomes of Consolidation Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation

Objective: The current standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer is associated with multimodality therapy. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation significantly decreased the locoregional recurrence rate and improved survival. However, distant metastasis develops rather than local recurrence, which becomes the leading cause of death. This study aimed to evaluate the oncological outcomes of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) in locally advanced rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study recruited 18 patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma (cT3-4 or cN1-2), treated with consolidation TNT. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR). The secondary endpoint included postoperative outcomes, local recurrences, and distant metastases. Results: The pathologic complete response was observed in 27.8% of consolidation therapy cases. Downstaging of the T-category was achieved in 10 (55.6%) patients, and downstaging of the N-category was achieved in 14 (77.8%) patients. Only one patient who achieved pCR developed distant metastasis, whereas all patients with pathological stage III developed distant metastasis. Conclusions: TNT is a promising approach for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. This strategy improved complete pathologic response rates in TNT, and pCR was found to be associated with fewer local recurrences and greater disease-free survival

Does Extending the Waiting Time of Low-Rectal Cancer Surgery after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Increase the Perioperative Complications?

Background. Traditionally, rectal cancer surgery is recommended 6 to 8 weeks after completing neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Extending the waiting time may increase the tumor response rate. However, the perioperative complication rate may increase. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between extending the waiting time of surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and perioperative outcomes. Methods. Sixty patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by radical resection at Siriraj hospital between June 2012 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data and perioperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results. The two groups were comparable in term of demographic parameters. The mean time interval from neoadjuvant chemoradiation to surgery was 6.4 weeks in Group A and 11.7 weeks in Group B. The perioperative outcomes were not significantly different between Groups A and B. Pathologic examination showed a significantly higher rate of circumferential margin positivity in Group A than in Group B (30% versus 9.3%, resp.; P=0.04). Conclusions. Extending the waiting to >8 weeks from neoadjuvant chemoradiation to surgery did not increase perioperative complications, whereas the rate of circumferential margin positivity decreased

Current Status of GI Endoscopy in Thailand and Thai Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (TAGE)

Endoscopy practice in Thailand is being performed and serviced by both surgeons and gastroenterologists. The number of endoscopy performed by each specialty is very much comparable. Before 2000, the services were done independently. On 15th December 2005 the Thai Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (TAGE) has been found Since TAGE has been found there is a rapid progression in GI Endoscopy service, research, and teaching in Thailand and its neighbor. However, the workload for the current number of endoscopists is still overwhelm by day-to-day service. Thailand and TAGE require the support and collaboration from oversea to expand their need and to serve better for GI Endoscopy practice in Thailand

Surgical Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery in Siriraj Hospital for the First 100 Morbidly Obese Patients Treated

Objective: Bariatric surgery is considered the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, and is increasingly performed in Thailand and globally. We aimed to establish the outcomes of bariatric surgery performed at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent bariatric surgery between January 2012 and June 2016. Results: The records of the first 100 patients who underwent bariatric surgery were reviewed, comprising 58 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and 42 patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). The median patient age, preoperative body weight, and BMI were 36 years old, 129 kg, and 46.3 kg/m2. All the procedures were performed by a laparoscopic approach. The median operative times for LSG and LRYGB were 156 [85-435] and 265 [180-435] minutes. The median hospital stay was 3 days [3-14]. The major complication rate was 4%. There was no mortality in the 30-day postoperative period. The mean %excess weight loss (%EWL) of LSG was 56.8 ± 19.8%, 59.9 ± 21.7%, and 55.1 ± 21.3%, at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery. The mean %EWL of LRYGB was 67 ± 18.3%, 66.2 ± 21.4%, and 63.6 ± 19.9%, at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery. In the patients with type-II diabetes mellitus, 67% had complete diabetic remission at 1 year. The median FBS dropped from 127 to 99 mg/dL (p < 0.001) and HbA1c from 6.6% to 5.5% (p < 0.001). The remission rates of hypertension and dyslipidemia were 58% and 73%. Conclusion: The bariatric procedures are safe with a low complication rate. The procedures also provide good outcomes in postoperative weight loss and comorbidity resolution

Aerosol protection using modified N95 respirator during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: a randomized controlled trial

Background/Aims The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected the worldwide practice of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Here we designed a modified N95 respirator with a channel for endoscope insertion and evaluated its efficacy in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Methods Thirty patients scheduled for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were randomized into the modified N95 (n=15) or control (n=15) group. The mask was placed on the patient after anesthesia administration and particles were counted every minute before (baseline) and during the procedure by a TSI AeroTrak particle counter (9306-04; TSI Inc.) and categorized by size (0.3, 0.5, 1, 3, 5, and 10 µm). Differences in particle counts between time points were recorded. Results During the procedure, the modified N95 group displayed significantly smaller overall particle sizes than the control group (median [interquartile range], 231 [54–385] vs. 579 [213–1,379]×103/m3; p=0.056). However, the intervention group had a significant decrease in 0.3-µm particles (68 [–25–185] vs. 242 [72–588]×103/m3; p=0.045). No adverse events occurred in either group. The device did not cause any inconvenience to the endoscopists or patients. Conclusions This modified N95 respirator reduced the number of particles, especially 0.3-µm particles, generated during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

Changes in Physical Components after Gastrectomy for Adenocarcinoma of Stomach and Esophagogastric Junction

Objective: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary approach that aims to optimize perioperative management, promote postoperative recovery, reduce postoperative complications, and improve long-term survival. The current study aimed to evaluate and compare the postoperative physical activity after gastrectomy between patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal surgery according to ERAS and those who underwent surgery based on the conventional care (CC) protocol. Materials and Methods: This prospective and retrospective review enrolled 60 patients (n = 31, ERAS group; n = 29, CC protocol group) diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the stomach and esophagogastric junction who underwent curative surgical resection. Physical outcomes, including body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, basal metabolic rate, muscle mass, gait speed, and handgrip strength at the preoperative and immediate postoperative periods and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively, were comparedbetween the ERAS and CC protocol groups. Results: One month after surgery, the ERAS group had a lower percentage of body weight loss than the CC protocol group. There was no significant difference in terms of muscle mass loss between the two groups. The hand grip strength of the ERAS group increased after surgery. Further, at 1 month postoperatively, the gait speed of patients who underwent total gastrectomy in the ERAS group was significantly higher than that of patients in the CC protocol group. Conclusion: ERAS for gastrectomy was associated with a lower percentage of weight loss and a trend toward physical activity enhancement in the early postoperative period

International Telemedicine Activities in Thailand

The development of information and communication technology has had a dramatic impact on people’s lives, including medical matters. The Internet has made it possible for telemedicine to be implemented with excellent image quality at low cost; such telemedicine was first applied between Japan and South Korea in 2002. The technology is not restricted to advanced countries: it can also be applied in developing nations, and it has expanded rapidly to other parts of Asia and beyond. In 2005 Thailand became the seventh country to be associated with the Telemedicine Development Center of Asia (TEMDEC). As of 2017, TEMDEC operates 144 programs in Thailand, mainly in endoscopy (55, 38%) and surgery (40, 28%): 17 hospitals or medical institutions are active members, and there are 165 telemedicine connections. Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University was the first participant; it has 71 telemedicine connections; King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital became the second participant; it has 52 such connections. These two hospitals account for 74.5% (123/165) of all telemedicine activities in Thailand. Compared with outside Bangkok, the number of telemedicine connections is 14 times (154/11) greater and the number of such connections per hospital is 10 times (15.4/1.6) greater in the capital-even though the number of hospitals is only 1.4 times (10/7) greater in Bangkok. To efficiently meet local needs, we strongly hope that telemedicine will expand into rural parts of Thailand and into more medical specialties through ongoing technological development