Perfusion Visualization during Ileal J-Pouch Formation—A Proposal for the Standardization of Intraoperative Imaging with Indocyanine Green Near-Infrared Fluorescence and a Postoperative Follow-Up in IBD Surgery

Background: An anastomotic leak (AL) after a restorative proctocolectomy and an ileal J-pouch increases morbidity and the risk of pouch failure. Thus, a perfusion assessment during J-pouch formation is crucial. While indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence (ICG-NIRF) has shown potential to reduce ALs, its suitability in a restorative proctocolectomy remains unclear. We aimed to develop a standardized approach for investigating ICG-NIRF and ALs in pouch surgery. Methods: Patients undergoing a restorative proctocolectomy with an ileal J-pouch for ulcerative colitis at an IBD-referral-center were included in a prospective study in which an AL within 30 postoperative days was the primary outcome. Intraoperatively, standardized perfusion visualization with ICG-NIRF was performed and video recorded for postoperative analysis at three time points. Quantitative clinical and technical variables (secondary outcome) were correlated with the primary outcome by descriptive analysis and logistic regression. A novel definition and grading of AL of the J-pouch was applied. A postoperative pouchoscopy was routinely performed to screen for AL. Results: Intraoperative ICG-NIRF-visualization and its postoperative visual analysis in 25 patients did not indicate an AL. The anastomotic site after pouch formation appeared completely fluorescent with a strong fluorescence signal (category 2) in all cases of ALs (4 of 25). Anastomotic site was not changed. ICG-NIRF visualization was reproducible and standardized. Logistic regression identified a two-stage approach vs. a three-stage approach (Odds ratio (OR) = 20.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.37-580.18, p = 0.029) as a risk factor for ALs. Conclusion: We present a standardized, comparable approach of ICG-NIRF visualization in pouch surgery. Our data indicate that the visual interpretation of ICG-NIRF alone may not detect ALs of the pouch in all cases-quantifiable, objective methods of interpretation may be required in the future

Anastomotic leakage after curative rectal cancer resection has no impact on long-term survival: a propensity score analysis

Purpose: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a severe and frequent complication of rectal cancer resection, with an incidence rate of approximately 9%. Although the impact of AL on morbidity and short-term mortality has been established, the literature is contradictory regarding its influence on long-term, cancer-specific survival. The present investigation assessed the long-term survival of 584 patients with stage I-III rectal cancer. Methods: The 10-year overall survival and cancer-specific survival were analyzed in 584 patients from a single tertiary center. All patients had undergone curative rectal cancer resection between 1991 and 2010. Patients with and without AL were compared using both a multivariate Cox hazards model and propensity score analysis. Results: A total of 64 patients developed AL (11.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.7 to 13.8%). The median follow-up was 5.2years for all patients; and 7.4years for patients still alive at the end of the investigated period. AL did persistently not impair cancer-specific survival based on unadjusted Cox regression (hazard ratio of death (HR) = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.65 to 2.48, P = 0.489); risk-adjusted Cox regression (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.54 to 2.20, P = 0.799); and propensity score matching (HR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.57 to 2.43, P = 0.660). Conclusions: Based on the present propensity score analysis, the oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing curative rectal cancer resections were not impaired by the development of anastomotic leakage

Selective decontamination of the gastrointestinal tract in patients undergoing esophageal resection

Abstract Background Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) to eliminate gram-negative bacteria is still not widely accepted, although it reduces the incidence of nosocomial infections. In a previous retrospective study, a clear benefit to perioperative morbidity, and a reduction in nosocomial infections were found in patients who underwent an esophageal anastomosis. Thus, SDD was applied routinely for esophageal anastomoses. We report the outcome of a cohort of 81 patients who underwent this treatment. Methods From 2002, patients who underwent an esophageal anastomosis (esophagojejunostomy) were prospectively recorded. Perioperatively, patients received polymyxin, tobramycin, vancomycin and nystatin by mouth four times a day. Outcome was compared to a control group that was treated before 2002 (68 patients without SDD and 53 patients with SDD). Postoperative morbidity and mortality were assessed. Results Between 2002 and 2007, 81 patients who underwent an esophageal anastomosis received SDD. Compared to a retrospective control group, patients with SDD had significantly less pneumonia (OR 0.06 (0.01-0.46), p Conclusions SDD significantly reduces perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients who undergo a distal esophageal anastomosis compared to a historical control group. In patients with an anastomotic leakage, there was a strong tendency of SDD to reduce postoperative mortality.</p

Coronary risk assessment at X-ray dose equivalent ungated chest CT: Results of a multi-reader study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of ultra-low dose chest CT with tin filtration for ordinal coronary artery calcium (CAC) risk scoring. METHODS: 50 patients were prospectively included and underwent clinical standard dose chest CT (1.8±0.7mSv) and ultra-low dose CT (0.13±0.01mSv). Four radiologists estimated presence and extent of CAC. RESULTS: Weighted kappa values for CAC were 0.76-0.97 in standard dose and 0.75-0.95 in ultra-low dose CT (p<0.001). Good to excellent agreement was observed for CAC ordinal risk assessment, with readers reporting identical risk in 81% of cases. CONCLUSION: CAC risk can be qualitatively assessed from X-ray dose equivalent ungated chest CT

Emphysema quantification and lung volumetry in chest X-ray equivalent ultralow dose CT - Intra-individual comparison with standard dose CT

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether ultralow dose chest CT with tin filtration can be used for emphysema quantification and lung volumetry and to assess differences in emphysema measurements and lung volume between standard dose and ultralow dose CT scans using advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE). METHODS: 84 consecutive patients from a prospective, IRB-approved single-center study were included and underwent clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.7±0.6mSv) and additional single-energy ultralow dose CT (0.14±0.01mSv) at 100kV and fixed tube current at 70mAs with tin filtration in the same session. Forty of the 84 patients (48%) had no emphysema, 44 (52%) had emphysema. One radiologist performed fully automated software-based pulmonary emphysema quantification and lung volumetry of standard and ultralow dose CT with different levels of ADMIRE. Friedman test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for multiple comparison of emphysema and lung volume. Lung volumes were compared using the concordance correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The median low-attenuation areas (LAA) using filtered back projection (FBP) in standard dose was 4.4% and decreased to 2.6%, 2.1% and 1.8% using ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The median values of LAA in ultralow dose CT were 5.7%, 4.1% and 2.4% for ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between LAA in standard dose CT using FBP and ultralow dose using ADMIRE 4 (p=0.358) as well as in standard dose CT using ADMIRE 3 and ultralow dose using ADMIRE 5 (p=0.966). In comparison with standard dose FBP the concordance correlation coefficients of lung volumetry were 1.000, 0.999, and 0.999 for ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5 in standard dose, and 0.972 for ADMIRE 3, 4 and 5 in ultralow dose CT. CONCLUSIONS: Ultralow dose CT at chest X-ray equivalent dose levels allows for lung volumetry as well as detection and quantification of emphysema. However, longitudinal emphysema analyses should be performed with the same scan protocol and reconstruction algorithms for reproducibility

Diagnostic accuracy of chest X-ray dose-equivalent CT for assessing calcified atherosclerotic burden of the thoracic aorta

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of ultralow-dose chest CT for estimating the calcified atherosclerotic burden of the thoracic aorta using tin-filter CT and compare its diagnostic accuracy with chest direct radiography. METHODS: A total of 106 patients from a prospective, IRB-approved single-centre study were included and underwent standard dose chest CT (1.7 ± 0.7 mSv) by clinical indication followed by ultralow-dose CT with 100 kV and spectral shaping by a tin filter (0.13 ± 0.01 mSv) to achieve chest X-ray equivalent dose in the same session. Two independent radiologists reviewed the CT images, rated image quality and estimated presence and extent of calcification of aortic valve, ascending aorta and aortic arch. Conventional radiographs were also reviewed for presence of aortic calcifications. RESULTS: The sensitivity of ultralow-dose CT for the detection of calcifications of the aortic valve, ascending aorta and aortic arch was 93.5, 96.2 and 96.2%, respectively, compared with standard dose CT. The sensitivity for the detection of thoracic aortic calcification was significantly lower on chest X-ray (52.3%) compared with ultralow-dose CT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A reliable estimation of calcified atherosclerotic burden of the thoracic aorta can be achieved with modern tin-filter CT at dose values comparable to chest direct radiography. Advances in knowledge: Our findings suggest that ultralow-dose CT is an excellent tool for assessing the calcified atherosclerotic burden of the thoracic aorta with higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional chest radiography and importantly without the additional cost of increased radiation dose