Case report of a familial triple: a syndrome and review of the literature

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Bouveret syndrome in a cholecystoduodenal fistula

The treatment of Bouveret syndrome lacks specific guidelines and is strictly interdisciplinary. Especially, if electrohydraulic lithotripsy is not available and endoscopic removal fails, a timely surgical approach is advised

Optimization of Laboratory Diagnostics of Primary Biliary Cholangitis: When Solid-Phase Assays and Immunofluorescence Combine

The laboratory diagnostics of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) have substantially improved, thanks to innovative analytical opportunities, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and multiple immunodot liver profile tests, based on recombinant or purified antigens. This study aimed to identify the best diagnostic test combination to optimize PBC diagnosis. Between January 2014 and March 2017, 164 PBC patients were recruited at the hospitals of Parma, Modena, Reggio-Emilia, and Piacenza. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) were assayed by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), ELISA, and immunodot assays (PBC Screen, MIT3, M2, gp210, and sp100). AMA-IIF resulted in 89.6% positive cases. Using multiple immunodot liver profiles, AMA-M2 sensitivity was 94.5%, while anti-gp210 and anti-sp100 antibodies were positive in 16.5% and 17.7% of patients, respectively. PBC screening yielded positive results in 94.5% of cases; MIT3, sp100, and gp210 were detected by individual ELISA test in 89.0%, 17.1%, and 18.9% of patients, respectively. The association of PBC screening with IIF-AMA improved the diagnostic sensitivity from 89.6% to 98.2% (p < 0.01). When multiple immunodot liver profile testing was integrated with AMA-IIF, the diagnostic sensitivity increased from 89.1% to 98.8% (p < 0.01). The combination of IIF with solid-phase methods significantly improved diagnostic efficacy in PBC patients

Emergency surgery for splenic flexure cancer: results of the SFC Study Group database.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of surgical treatment for splenic flexure carcinomas (SFCs) in emergency settings remains unexplored. This study aims to compare the perioperative and long-term outcomes of different alternatives for emergency SFC resection. METHOD: This multicenter retrospective study was based on the SFC Study Group database. For the present analysis, SFC patients were selected if they had received emergency surgical resection with curative intent between 2000 and 2018. Extended right colectomy (ERC), left colectomy (LC), and segmental left colectomy (SLC) were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The study sample was composed of 90 SFC patients who underwent emergency ERC (n = 55, 61.1%), LC (n = 18, 20%), or SLC (n = 17, 18.9%). Bowel obstruction was the most frequent indication for surgery (n = 75, 83.3%), and an open approach was chosen in 81.1% of the patients. A higher incidence of postoperative complications was observed in the ERC group (70.9%) than in the LC (44.4%) and SLC groups (47.1%), with a significant procedure-related difference for severe postoperative complications (Dindo-Clavien ≥ III; adjusted odds ratio for ERC vs. LC:7.23; 95% CI 1.51-34.66; p = 0.013). Anastomotic leakage occurred in 8 (11.2%) patients, with no differences between the groups (p = 0.902). R0 resection was achieved in 98.9% of the procedures, and ≥ 12 lymph nodes were retrieved in 92.2% of patients. Overall and disease-free survival rates at 5 years were similar between the groups and were significantly associated with stage pT4 and the presence of synchronous metastases. CONCLUSION: In the emergency setting, ERC and open surgery are the most frequently performed procedures. ERC is associated with increased odds of severe postoperative complications when compared to more conservative SFC resections. Nonetheless, all the alternatives seem to provide similar pathologic and long-term outcomes, supporting the oncological safety of more conservative resections for emergency SFCs

2020 WSES guidelines for the detection and management of bile duct injury during cholecystectomy.

Bile duct injury (BDI) is a dangerous complication of cholecystectomy, with significant postoperative sequelae for the patient in terms of morbidity, mortality, and long-term quality of life. BDIs have an estimated incidence of 0.4-1.5%, but considering the number of cholecystectomies performed worldwide, mostly by laparoscopy, surgeons must be prepared to manage this surgical challenge. Most BDIs are recognized either during the procedure or in the immediate postoperative period. However, some BDIs may be discovered later during the postoperative period, and this may translate to delayed or inappropriate treatments. Providing a specific diagnosis and a precise description of the BDI will expedite the decision-making process and increase the chance of treatment success. Subsequently, the choice and timing of the appropriate reconstructive strategy have a critical role in long-term prognosis. Currently, a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary interventions with different degrees of invasiveness is indicated for BDI management. These World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines have been produced following an exhaustive review of the current literature and an international expert panel discussion with the aim of providing evidence-based recommendations to facilitate and standardize the detection and management of BDIs during cholecystectomy. In particular, the 2020 WSES guidelines cover the following key aspects: (1) strategies to minimize the risk of BDI during cholecystectomy; (2) BDI rates in general surgery units and review of surgical practice; (3) how to classify, stage, and report BDI once detected; (4) how to manage an intraoperatively detected BDI; (5) indications for antibiotic treatment; (6) indications for clinical, biochemical, and imaging investigations for suspected BDI; and (7) how to manage a postoperatively detected BDI

The role of endoscopic ultrasound in children with Pancreatobiliary and gastrointestinal disorders: A single center series and review of the literature

Background: The role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the management of pancreatobiliary and digestive diseases is well established in adults, but it remains limited in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and clinical impact of EUS use in children. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively acquired database of consecutive pediatric (< 18 years) patients presenting an indication for EUS for pancreatobiliary and gastrointestinal disorders. Results: Between January 2010 and January 2016, 47 procedures were performed in 40 children (mean age of 15.1 ± 4.7 years; range 3-18). The majority of EUS (n = 32; 68.1%) were performed for pancreatobiliary and upper gastrointestinal pathologies, including suspected common bile duct stones (CBDs), acute biliary pancreatitis, recurrent/chronic pancreatitis, cystic pancreatic mass, recurrent hypoglycemia, duodenal polyp, gastric submucosal lesion, and perigastric abscess. In only 2 out of 18 children with suspected CBDs or acute biliary pancreatitis, EUS confirmed CBDs. EUS-guided fine needle aspiration was performed in 3 (6.4%) patients. Fifteen (31.9%) procedures were performed for lower gastrointestinal tract disorders, including suspected anal Crohn's disease, fecal incontinence, and encopresis. Overall, EUS had a significant impact on the subsequent clinical management in 87. 2% of patients. Conclusion: The present findings were consistent with results observed in the current relevant literature and support EUS as a safe and feasible diagnostic and therapeutic tool, which yields a significant clinical impact in children with pancreatobiliary and gastrointestinal disorders

Clinical approach to the patient with acute gastrointestinal bleeding

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a very common condition at all ages, with high rates of morbidity and mortality, especially in case of acute presentation. The optimal management of acute GIB requires a timely overview of vital signs and clinical presentation to stabilize the patient if necessary and set up the most adequate diagnostic and therapeutic approach, based on the suspected etiology. Endoscopy plays a major role both in diagnosis and treatment of acute GIB, as allows the application of several hemostasis techniques during the diagnostic session, which should preferably be performed within 24 hours from the acute event. The hemostasis technique should be chosen based on type, etiology of the bleeding and the operator preference and expertise. Nevertheless, several challenging cases need the cooperation of radiology especially in the diagnostic phase, and even in the therapeutic phase for those bleedings in which medical and endoscopic techniques have failed. Imaging diagnostic techniques include mainly CT angiography, scintigraphy with labeled erythrocytes and arteriography. This last technique plays also a therapeutic role in case arterial embolization is needed. Only those patients in which the previous techniques have failed, both in diagnosis and treatment, are candidates for emergency surgery

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on colorectal cancer screening delay: effect on stage shift and increased mortality

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a sudden, dramatic impact on healthcare. In Italy, since the beginning of the pandemic, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs have been forcefully suspended. We aimed to evaluate whether screening procedure delays can affect the outcomes of CRC screening. METHODS: We built a procedural model considering delays in the time to colonoscopy and estimating the effect on mortality due to up-stage migration of patients. The number of expected CRC cases was computed by using the data of the Italian screened population. Estimates of the effects of delay to colonoscopy on CRC stage, and of stage on mortality were assessed by a meta-analytic approach. RESULTS: With a delay of 0-3 months, 74% of CRC is expected to be stage I-II, while with a delay of 4-6 months there would be a 2%-increase for stage I-II and a concomitant decrease for stage III-IV (p [ .068). Compared to baseline (0-3 months), moderate (7-12 months) and long (&gt; 12 months) delays would lead to a significant increase in advanced CRC (from 26% to 29% and 33%, respectively; p [ .008 and p &lt; .001, respectively). We estimated a significant increase in the total number of deaths (D12.0%) when moving from a 0-3-months to a &gt;12-month delay (p [ .005), and a significant change in mortality distribution by stage when comparing the baseline with the &gt;12-months (p &lt; .001). CONCLUSIONS: Screening delays beyond 4-6 months would significantly increase advanced CRC cases, and also mortality if lasting beyond 12 months. Our data highlight the need to reorganize efforts against high-impact diseases such as CRC, considering possible future waves of SARS-CoV-2 or other pandemics