BACKGROUND:

There are no information in the literature associating the volume of gastrectomies with survival and costs for the health system in the treatment of patients with gastric cancer in Colombia.

AIMS:

The aim of this study was to analyze how gastrectomy for gastric cancer is associated with hospital volume, 30-day and 180-day postoperative mortality, and healthcare costs in Bogotá, Colombia.

METHODS:

A retrospective cohort study based on hospital data of all adult patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy between 2014 and 2016 using a paired propensity score. The surgical volume was identified as the average annual number of gastrectomies performed by the hospital.

RESULTS:

A total of 743 patients were included in the study. Hospital mortality at 30 and 180 days postoperatively was 36 (4.85%) and 127 (17.09%) patients, respectively. The average health care cost was USD 3,200. A total of 26 or more surgeries were determined to be the high surgical volume cutoff. Patients operated on in hospitals with a high surgical volume had lower 6-month mortality (HR 0.44; 95%CI 0.27–0.71; p=0.001), and no differences were found in health costs (mean difference 398.38; 95%CI–418.93–1,215.69; p=0.339).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study concluded that in Bogotá (Colombia), surgery in a high-volume hospital is associated with better 6-month survival and no additional costs to the health system.

BACKGROUND:

The incidence of esophageal cancer is high in some regions and the surgical treatment requires reference centers, with high volume, to make surgery feasible.

AIMS:

To evaluate patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy by thoracoscopy in prone position for the treatment of esophageal cancer and to recognize the experience acquired over time in our service after the introduction of this technique.

METHODS:

From January 2012 to August 2021, all patients who underwent the minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. In order to assess the factors associated with the predefined outcomes as fistula, pneumonia, and intrahospital death, we performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, accounting for age as an important factor.

RESULTS:

Sixty-six patients were studied, with mean age of 59.5 years. The main histological type was squamous cell carcinoma (81.8%). The incidence of postoperative pneumonia and fistula was 38% and 33.3%, respectively. Eight patients died during this period. The patient's age, T and N stages, the year the procedure was performed, and postoperative pneumonia development were factors that influenced postoperative death. There was a 24% reduction in the chance of mortality each year, associated with the learning curve of our service.

CONCLUSIONS:

The present study presented the importance of the team's experience and the concentration of the treatment of patients with esophageal cancer in reference centers, allowing to significantly improve the postoperative outcomes.

BACKGROUND:

It is known that elective inguinal hernioplasties are safe procedures, but in an emergency setting, they have higher rates of complications and hospital costs. Despite this, quantitative studies on the subject in Brazil are still scarce.

AIMS:

To evaluate the trend in hospitalization rates, hospital mortality, and costs for inguinal hernia in an emergency, regarding gender and age group.

METHODS:

This is a time series study with data from the Unified Health System (SUS), at the national level, from 2010 to 2019.

RESULTS:

The overall hospitalization rate (p=0.007; b<0,02) in all age groups (p<0.005; b<0) in both genders indicated a decreasing trend. The general mortality rate in both genders and in most age groups showed an increasing trend (p<0.005), as well as the cost of hospitalization in all age groups of both genders.

CONCLUSIONS:

Urgent hospitalization rates for inguinal hernia in Brazil have shown a steady or decreasing trend; however, hospital mortality and costs per hospitalization have demonstrated an increasing trend in recent years.

BACKGROUND:

Liver transplantation represents the best therapeutic modality in end-stage chronic liver disease, severe acute hepatitis, and selected cases of liver tumors.

AIMS:

To describe a double retransplant in a male patient diagnosed with Crohn's disease and complicated with primary sclerosing cholangitis, severe portal hypertension, and cholangiocarcinoma diagnosed in the transplanted liver.

METHODS:

A 48-year-old male patient diagnosed with Crohn's disease 25 years ago, complicated with primary sclerosing cholangitis and severe portal hypertension. He underwent a liver transplantation in 2018 due to secondary biliary cirrhosis. In 2021, a primary sclerosing cholangitis recurrence was diagnosed and a liver retransplantation was indicated. Recipient's hepatectomy was very difficult by reason of complex portal vein thrombosis requiring extensive thromboendovenectomy. Intraoperative ultrasound with liver doppler evaluation was performed. Two suspicious nodules were incidentally diagnosed in the donor's liver and immediately removed for anatomopathological evaluation.

RESULTS:

After pathological confirmation of carcinoma, probable cholangiocarcinoma, at frozen section, the patient was re-listed as national priority and a new liver transplantation was performed within 24 hours. The patient was discharged after 2 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS:

The screening for neoplasms in donated organs should be part of our strict daily diagnostic arsenal. Moreover, we argue that, for the benefit of an adequate diagnosis and the feasibility of a safer procedure, the adoption of imaging tests routine for the liver donor is essential, allowing a reduction of the costs and some potential risks of liver transplant procedure.

BACKGROUND:

Surgical resection remains the main curative therapeutic modality for advanced gastric cancer. Recently, the association of preoperative chemotherapy has allowed the improvement of results without increasing surgical complications.

AIMS:

To evaluate the surgical and oncological outcomes of preoperative chemotherapy in a real-world setting.

METHODS:

A retrospective review of gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy was performed. Patients were divided into two groups for analysis: upfront surgery and preoperative chemotherapy. The propensity score matching analysis, including 9 variables, was applied to adjust for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS:

Of the 536 patients included, 112 (20.9%) were referred for preoperative chemotherapy. Before the propensity score matching analysis, the groups were different in terms of age, hemoglobin level, node metastasis at clinical stage- status, and extent of gastrectomy. After the analysis, 112 patients were stratified for each group. Both were similar for all variables assigned in the score. Patients in the preoperative chemotherapy group had less advanced postoperative p staging (p=0.010), postoperative n staging (p<0.001), and pTNM stage (p<0.001). Postoperative complications, 30- and 90-days mortality were similar between both groups. Before the propensity score matching analysis, there was no difference in survival between the groups. After the analysis, patients in the preoperative chemotherapy group had better overall survival compared to upfront surgery group (p=0.012). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that American Society of Anesthesiologists III/IV category and the presence of lymph node metastasis were factors significantly associated with worse overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS:

Preoperative chemotherapy was associated with increased survival in gastric cancer. There was no difference in the postoperative complication rate and mortality compared to upfront surgery.

BACKGROUND:

Colorectal cancer is among the most common malignancies worldwide. Colonoscopy is the examination of choice for the prevention of CRC because of its great diagnostic and, especially, therapeutic capacity in relation to adenomatous lesions.

AIMS:

This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, macroscopic, and histological characteristics of polypoid rectal lesions resected through endoscopic techniques and assess whether endoscopic therapy is safe and efficient for treating lesions located in the rectum.

METHODS:

This is a retrospective observational study with an analysis of the medical records of all patients undergoing resection of rectal polyps.

RESULTS:

A total of 123 patients with rectal lesions were evaluated, with 59 men and 64 women of mean age 56 years. All patients underwent endoscopic resection: 70% with polypectomy and 30% with wide mucosectomy. Complete colonoscopy with removal of the entire rectal lesion occurred in 91%, while in 5% the preparation was inadequate and poor clinical conditions were an impeditive factor, and in 4% surgical treatment was indicated because there was an infiltrative lesion with central ulceration. Histological evaluation showed adenomas in 3.25%, hyperplasia in 7.32%, and hamartoma in 0.81%; low-grade dysplasia was identified in 34.96%, high-grade dysplasia in 51.22%, and adenocarcinoma in 1.63%, while one case (0.81%) was classified as erosion.

CONCLUSIONS:

Polyps in the rectum are common and were found in 37% of these colonoscopies. Adenomas with dysplasia were the most common form of Colorectal cancer . Therapeutic colonoscopy proved to be a safe and efficient method for the complete treatment of rectal lesions.

BACKGROUND:

Laparoscopic appendectomy is the gold standard surgical procedure currently performed for acute appendicitis. The conversion rate is one of the main factors used to measure laparoscopic competence, being important to avoid wasting time in a laparoscopic procedure and proceed directly to open surgery.

AIMS:

To identify the main preoperative parameters associated with a higher risk of conversion in order to determine the surgical method indicated for each patient.

METHODS:

Retrospective study of patients admitted with acute appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. A total of 725 patients were included, of which 121 (16.7%) were converted to laparotomy.

RESULTS:

The significant factors that predicted conversion, identified by univariate and multivariate analysis, were: the presence of comorbidities (OR 3.1; 95%CI; p<0.029), appendicular perforation (OR 5.1; 95%CI; p<0.003), retrocecal appendix (OR 5.0; 95%CI; p<0.004), gangrenous appendix, presence of appendicular abscess (OR 3.6; 95%CI; p<0.023) and the presence of difficult dissection (OR 9.2; 95%CI; p<0.008).

CONCLUSIONS:

Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe procedure to treat acute appendicitis. It is a minimally invasive surgery and has many advantages. Preoperatively, it is possible to identify predictive factors for conversion to laparotomy, and the ability to identify these reasons can aid surgeons in selecting patients who would benefit from a primary open appendectomy.

BACKGROUND:

Despite its increasing popularity, laparoscopy is not the option for bariatric surgeries performed in the Brazilian public health system.

AIMS:

To compare laparotomy and laparoscopic access in bariatric surgery, considering aspects such as morbidity, mortality, costs, and length of stay.

METHODS:

The study included 80 patients who were randomly assigned to perform a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. They were equally divided in two groups, laparoscopic and laparotomy. The results obtained in the postoperative period were evaluated and compared according to the Ministry of Health protocol, and later, in their outpatient returns.

RESULTS:

The surgical time was similar in both groups (p=0.240). The costs of laparoscopic surgery proved to be higher, mainly due to staplers and staples. The patients included in the laparotomy group presented higher rates of severe complications, such as incisional hernia (p<0.001). Costs related to social security and management of postoperative complications were higher in the open surgery group (R$ 1,876.00 vs R$ 34,268.91).

CONCLUSIONS:

The costs related to social security and treatment of complications were substantially lower in laparoscopic access when compared to laparotomy. However, considering the operative procedure itself, the laparotomy remained cheaper. Finally, the length of stay, the rate of complications, and return to labor had more favorable results in the laparoscopic route.

BACKGROUND:

Pancreatic cystic lesions are a group of pancreatic neoplasms with different behavior and risk of malignancy. Imaging diagnosis and differentiation of these lesions remain a challenge.

AIMS:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the agreement between computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging and post-operative pathologic diagnoses of Pancreatic cystic lesions in a University Hospital of São Paulo State.

METHODS:

A total of 39 patients with surgically diagnosed Pancreatic cystic lesions were enrolled, as a study cohort from 2009 to 2019. Preoperative radiological and final pathological diagnosis was correlated to measure computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, choledochal pancreatic cyst, mucinous cystadenoma, serous cystadenoma, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, and pancreatic pseudocyst were classified as neoplastic cysts.

RESULTS:

It was noted that 27 patients (69.23%) had preoperative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, 11 patients (28.20%) had preoperative computed tomography only, and 1 patient had preoperative magnetic resonance imaging only. The values for diagnoses made only with computed tomography (p=0.47) and from the combination of computed tomography+magnetic resonance imaging (p=0.50) did also point to moderate agreement with the anatomopathological findings. The values pointed to a fair agreement for the diagnosis of mucinous cystadenoma (p=0.3), moderate agreement for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (p= 0.41), good agreement for serous cystadenoma (p=0.79), and excellent agreement for choledochal pancreatic cyst (p=1), pancreatic pseudocyst (p=0.84), and Frantz tumor (p=1) (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

The findings of computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging have an equivalent diagnostic agreement with an anatomopathological diagnosis for differentiating benign from malignant Pancreatic cystic lesions and in suggesting a specific diagnosis. There is no statistical difference between the use of computed tomography alone and computed tomography+magnetic resonance imaging in the improvement of diagnostic accuracy.

BACKGROUND:

Fat, muscle, and bone are endocrine organs capable of affecting the metabolic profile and cardiovascular risk. Relating these components is important to the establishment of early intervention strategies for overweight patients.

AIMS:

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of body mass components on the metabolic profile and cardiovascular risk in the preoperative period of bariatric surgery.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional study was conducted with patients admitted for bariatric surgery at a university hospital in the city of Recife, Brazil, between 2018 and 2019. Body composition was determined using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Cardiovascular risk was assessed using the Framingham risk score. Data were collected on anthropometric, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics. The lipid profile (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides), blood glucose, and vitamin D were determined using the standard methods of the hospital laboratory.

RESULTS:

A total of 60 patients were analyzed, 86.7% of whom had comorbidities, 33.3% had moderate/high cardiovascular risk, and 71.4% had vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency. Lower lean body mass (adjusted PR 3.24; 95%CI 1.19–5.77) was independently associated with the severity of obesity. The body mass index and waist circumference were negatively correlated with lean body mass (r=-0.52; p<0.01)/r=-0.36; p<0.01). Lean body mass was negatively correlated with fat mass (r=-0.26; p<0.05), trunk fat (r=-0.29; p<0.05), fasting glucose (r=-0.26; p<0.05), and bone mineral density (r=-0.26; p<0.05). A total of 84.2% of individuals with less trunk fat tended to have low cardiovascular risk (p=0.05). However, physical inactivity (adjusted PR 2.14; 95%CI 1.19–5.54) and the risk of alcohol dependence (adjusted PR 2.41; 95%CI 1.76–4.15) were the only variables independently associated with cardiovascular risk.

CONCLUSION:

Obese patients in the preoperative period of bariatric surgery with less trunk fat tended to have low cardiovascular risk. However, the other components of body mass were also not associated with cardiovascular risk.

Indexado em:
SIGA-NOS!
ABCD – BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF DIGESTIVE SURGERY is a periodic with a single annual volume in continuous publication, official organ of the Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery - CBCD. Technical manager: Dr. Francisco Tustumi | CRM: 157311 | RQE: 77151 - Cirurgia do Aparelho Digestivo

Desenvolvido por Surya MKT

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