Systemic schistosomiasis and large bowel perforation: An unexpected surgical urgency. Report of a case and literature review

In the presence of suggestive clinical picture (high eosinophil count and multiple CT scan granuloma-like lesions), schistosomiasis should be taken into account in case of suspected bowel perforation even if common risk factors are not identified through anamnesis.

Risk Factors for Post-Operative Sepsis and Septic Shock in Patients Undergoing Emergency Surgery

Background: Sepsis after emergency surgery is associated with a higher mortality rate than elective surgery, and total hospital costs increase by 2.3 times. This study aimed to identify risk factors for post-operative sepsis or septic shock in patients undergoing emergency surgery. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) by identifying patients undergoing emergency surgery between 2012 and 2015 and comparing those who developed post-operative sepsis or septic shock (S/SS) with those who did not. Patients with pre-operative sepsis or septic shock were excluded. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for the development of S/SS in patients undergoing non-elective surgery. Results: Of 122,281 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 2,399 (2%) developed S/SS. Risk factors for S/SS were American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) class 2 or higher (odds ratio [OR] 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.19-3.02; p < 0.0001), totally dependent (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.38-2.83; p = 0.00021) or partially dependent (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.35-2.00; p < 0.0001) functional status, and male gender (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.18-1.45; p < 0.0001). Compared with colorectal procedures, patients undergoing pancreatic (OR 2.33, CI 1.40-3.87; p = 0.00108) and small intestine (OR 1.27; CI 1.12-1.44; p = 0.00015) surgery were more likely to develop S/SS. Patients undergoing biliary surgery (OR 0.38; CI 0.30-0.48; p < 0.0001) were less likely to develop S/SS. Conclusions: Risk factors for the development of sepsis or septic shock are ASA PS class 2 or higher, partially or totally dependent functional status, and male gender. Emergency pancreatic or small intestinal procedures may confer a higher risk. Greater vigilance and early post-operative screening may be of benefit in patients with these risk factors.

Exploratory Celiotomy in the Horse Secondary to Acute Colic: A Review of Indications and Success Rates

To review indications and risk factors for exploratory celiotomy secondary to acute colic in the horse; decision making for and during surgery; and prognosis for return to function after exploratory celiotomy for the practicing veterinarian. Data sources included scientific reviews and original research publications from veterinary sources, as well as clinical data specifically in regard to underlying disease and survival rates from a tertiary referral hospital where exploratory celiotomy is commonly performed. There is a high positive predictive value of specific clinical preoperative parameters of the equine acute abdomen, many of which rely on techniques available to field practitioners, relative to the need for surgical intervention. Decision making regarding surgical procedure or even intraoperative euthanasia depends on owner expectations. Survival rates following exploratory celiotomy range from fair to excellent (60%-100%) depending on underlying lesion and return to athleticism following celiotomy is good to excellent (76%-90%). A knowledge base of indications for and rates of survival from colic requiring exploratory celiotomy in the horse is of paramount importance to the equine practitioner. Preconceived notions of poor survival rates are rampant among horse owners, and owners rely on their primary veterinarian's advice for continuation to referral center and in further treatment including exploratory celiotomy.

Protocol for Urgent and Emergent Cases at a Large Academic Level 1 Trauma Center

Background

Level 1 trauma centers are capable of caring for every aspect of injury and contain 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, with prompt availability of nearly all other disciplines upon request. Despite the wide variety of trauma, currently reported protocols often focus on a single surgical service and studies describing their implementation are lacking. The aim of the current study was to characterize all urgent and emergent cases at a large academic Level 1 trauma center, characterize the specialty and nature of emergent operative cases, and assess the efficacy of the institutional trauma protocol on timing of surgery.

Methods

For this retrospective review, all urgent and emergent cases treated at a single institution, during a 34-month period (January 1, 2015–October 31, 2017), were identified. All included cases were subject to the Institutional Guidelines for Operative Urgent/Emergent Cases. Demographic characteristics for non-elective surgical emergent cases were compiled by level of urgency and operating room (OR) waiting times were compared by year, department, and Level.

Results

A total of 11,206 urgent and emergent operative cases were included, among over 16 surgical departments. Level 2 cases represented the majority of urgent/emergent cases (33%–36%), followed by Level 3 (25%–26%), Level 1 (21%–22%), Level 4 (12%–16%), and Level 5 (2%–4%). Univariate analysis demonstrated that the proportion of urgent and emergent cases, by level of urgency, did not significantly differ between each year. Operating room waiting time decreased significantly over each year from 2015, 2016, and 2017: 193.40 ± 4.78, 177.20 ± 3.29, and 82.01 ± 2.98 minutes, respectively.

Conclusions

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to characterize all urgent and emergent cases at a large academic Level 1 trauma center, outline the specialty and nature of emergent operative cases, and assess the efficacy of the institutional trauma protocol on surgical waiting times over a 34-month period.

[Emergency surgery in Russian Federation (in Russian only)]

In the following article, we present the key trends in emergency surgical care in the Russian Federation between 2000 and 2017. The study used data from federal statistical observations and a survey of state medical institutions in 80 regions encompassing 99.3% of the country's population. We discovered a change in the correlation between acute abdominal diseases, particularly a significant reduction in the occurrence of acute appendicitis and perforated peptic ulcer. Reduction in the number of emergency surgeries by 27.8% annually was also observed. Mortality rate decreased in cases of strangulated hernia, acute cholecystitis and acute pancreatitis, while it is stable for bowel obstruction and acute appendicitis and increasing in perforated peptic ulcer cases. The total annual number of lethal outcomes due to acute abdominal diseases was decreased by 1900 cases. Significant changes were observed in mortality rate and minimally invasive surgeries proportions between federal districts and individual regions of the country. The range of administrative measures was proposed.

Spontaneous leaflet fracture resulting in embolization from mechanical valve prostheses

Spontaneous leaflet fracture of mechanical heart valve prostheses is very rare. We describe a case of spontaneous leaflet embolization 31 years after aortic valve replacement with an Edwards-Duromedics prosthesis (Baxter Healthcare Corp., Edwards Division, Santa Ana, CA). We review the literature on this subject to increase awareness and recognition for this potentially life-threatening complication.

Reasons for Surgery Cancellation in a General Hospital: A 10-year Study

Background: This study researched related causes that make scheduled surgeries canceled not to be conducted and based on the research it is to derive issues in order to reduce surgery cancellation. Methods: We analyzed the association of surgery cancellation with patient characteristics, surgical characteristics and surgery schedule related characteristics, using electronic medical record (EMR) data on surgeries conducted at a university hospital in Korea over 10 years. Additionally, we examined the reasons for surgery cancellation based on patient and hospital characteristics. We used chi-square tests to analyze the distribution of various characteristics according to reasons for surgery cancellation. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the factors associated with surgery cancellation. Results: Among 60,333 cases, surgery cancellation rate was 8.0%. The results of the logistic regression indicated a high probability of surgery cancellation when the patient was too old (odds ratio [OR]: 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–1.59), when it was a neurosurgery case (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.21–1.59), when regional anesthesia was used (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07–1.24) or when it was a planned surgery (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 2.21–2.73). The surgery cancellation rate was lower when the patient was female (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82–0.93) or when the surgery was related to Obstetrics & Gynecology (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.46–0.60) or Ophthalmology (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.56–0.79). Among the canceled 4834 cases, the surgery cancellation rate for the reasons of patients was 93.2% and the surgery cancellation rate for the reasons of a hospital was 6.8%. Conclusions: This study found that there are related various causes to cancel operations, including patient characteristics, surgery related characteristics and surgery schedule related characteristics and it means that it would be possible for some reasons to be prevented. Every medical institution should consider the operation cancellation as an important issue and systematic monitoring should be needed.

[Evolution of enhanced recovery after surgery: from the beginning of the study of stress to the introduction in emergency surgery]

Effectiveness of enhanced recovery program is being earnestly confirmed in various surgical areas. Certain aspects of fast track rehabilitation are analyzed in the article.

Optimizing collaborator recruitment and maintaining engagement via social media during large multicentre studies: lessons learned from the National Audit of Small Bowel Obstruction (NASBO)

AIM

The National Audit of Small Bowel Obstruction was a UK-wide study active in early 2017. A Twitter© account was used to interact with collaborators and the public throughout the study to assess whether the use of social media improved study engagement and to establish which Tweet signature styles achieved the highest levels of reach and engagement.

METHOD

Twitter© analytics for @NASBO2017 covering June 2016-May 2017 were reviewed. The number of impressions, Tweet engagements and the engagement rate were analysed according to study stage.

RESULTS

A total of 176 Tweets were made over the study period. The median number of impressions achieved by a Tweet was 533 (75-2709). 3863 engagements were made with National Audit of Small Bowel Obstruction Tweets with a median number of 10 (0-159) per Tweet. The average overall Tweet engagement rate was 3.3% (0%-14.2%). Tweets with most impressions either used images or tagged institutions (e.g. Royal Colleges, professional bodies). The number of impressions and engagement with the Tweets increased over the study period, due to the incremental growth of the National Audit of Small Bowel Obstruction Twitter© account and the identification of successful Tweet styles.

CONCLUSIONS

Social media provided a major contribution to a successful concerted policy of maintaining collaborator engagement during the National Audit of Small Bowel Obstruction. The use of images and videos and tagging of relevant professional bodies aided the reach and engagement of each Tweet. These data can be used to inform engagement strategies for future collaborative projects.

Incidences and factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients receiving anesthesia

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the incidences and factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients who received anesthesia for emergency surgery.

Patients and methods

This retrospective cohort study was approved by the medical ethical committee, Faculty of Medicine, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Thailand. Data of 19,683 trauma patients who received anesthesia between January 2007 and December 2016, such as patient characteristics, surgery procedures, anesthesia information, anesthetic drugs, and cardiac arrest outcomes, were analyzed. Data of patients receiving local anesthesia by surgeons or monitoring anesthesia care (MAC) and those with much information missing were excluded. Factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest were identified using univariate analysis and the multiple regression model. A stepwise algorithm was chosen at a P-value of <0.20 which was selected for multivariate analysis. A P-value of <0.05 was concluded as statistically significant.

Results

The perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery was 170.04 per 10,000 cases. Factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients were as follows: age >65 years (risk ratio [RR] =1.41, CI =1.02–1.96, P=0.039), American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status 3 or higher (ASA physical status 3–4, RR =4.19, CI =2.09–8.38, P<0.001; ASA physical status 5–6, RR =21.58, CI =10.36–44.94, P<0.001), sites of surgery (intracranial, intrathoracic, upper intra-abdominal, and major vascular, each P<0.001), cardiopulmonary comorbidities (RR =1.55, CI =1.10–2.17, P=0.012), hemodynamic instability with shock prior to receiving anesthesia (RR =1.60, CI =1.21–2.11, P<0.001), and having a history of alcoholism (RR =5.27, CI =4.09–6.79, P<0.001).

Conclusion

The incidence of perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery was very high and correlated with patient’s factors, especially old age and cardiopulmonary comorbidities, a history of drinking alcohol, increased ASA physical status, hemodynamic instability with shock prior to surgery, and sites of surgery such as brain, thorax, abdomen, and the major vascular region. Anesthesiologists and surgeons should be aware of a warning system and a well-equipped track to manage the surgical trauma patients.

A Simple Screening Tool to Predict Outcomes in Older Adults Undergoing Emergency General Surgery

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether the Flemish version of the Triage Risk Screening Tool (fTRST) can be used to accurately assess frailty in an emergency setting.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

of a tertiary referral hospital.

PATIENTS

All individuals aged 70 and older consecutively admitted to the emergency surgery unit with an urgent need for abdominal surgery between December 2015 and May 2016 who met inclusion criteria (N=110).

MEASUREMENTS

Individuals were screened with the fTRST and additional metrics such as the age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index and American Society of Anesthesiology score. Thirty- and 90-day postoperative complications where recorded. Regression analyses were performed to identify possible preoperative predictors of adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

Thirty-day major complications (Clavien-Dindo Classification 3-5) occurred in 28.2% of participants (n=31). fTRST had the highest correlation with major complications (odds ratio (OR) = 7.42). All participants who died within 30 days of surgery has a fTRST score of 2 or greater (area under the receiver operating curve (AUC)=71.3). When risk factors for overall 90-day mortality were analyzed, a fTRST score of 2 or greater had sensitivity of 96% (95% confidence interval CI=79.6-99.9%), specificity of 43.5% (95% CI=32.8-54.7%) (AUC=69.8%; OR=18.50, 95% CI=2.39-143.11, p = .005). The average length of hospital stay was more than twice as long in the group with a fTRST score of 2 or greater (15.2 days) than in those with a score less than 2 (6.6 days) (p = .005).

CONCLUSION

The fTRST is an effective tool to predict mortality, morbidity, and length of stay after emergency surgery and can therefore be used to anticipate postoperative course, determine care goals, and plan for involvement of a dedicated geriatric care team. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:309-316, 2019.

A multispecialty study of determining the possibility of pregnancy and the documentation of pregnancy status in surgical patients: a cause for concern?

BACKGROUND

Determining the possibility of pregnancy and the documentation of pregnancy status are important considerations in the assessment of females of reproductive age when admitted to hospital.

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to determine the adequacy of the documentation of pregnancy status and possibility of pregnancy across multiple surgical specialties.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective audit of surgical specialties (general, orthopaedics, urology, vascular, maxillofacial, ENT, gynaecology and neurosurgery) within NHS Tayside, in May 2015.

RESULTS

A total of 129 females of reproductive age were admitted; 69 (53.5%) elective and 60 (46.5%) emergencies. Eighty-four patients (65%) were asked 'Is there any possibility of pregnancy?' Pregnancy status was documented in 74% of patients. Eleven (8.5%) patients were not asked about possibility of pregnancy and did not have a documented pregnancy status. Documentation of the use of contraception, sexual activity and date of last menstrual period was noted in 53 (41.1%), 31 (24.0%) and 66 (51.2%) patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a wide variation in the documentation of pregnancy status and possibility of pregnancy amongst surgical specialties. This was not an issue in gynaecology but is an issue in ENT, maxillofacial, neurosurgery, vascular and general surgery. The reasons are unclear. Documentation of pregnancy status using ßhCG assays should be the gold standard, and national guidelines are required.

Safety of primary anastomosis following emergency left sided colorectal resection: an international, multi-centre prospective audit

INTRODUCTION

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.

METHODS

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).

RESULTS

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.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary anastomosis in selected patients appears safe after left sided emergency colorectal resection. A defunctioning stoma might mitigate against risk of subsequent complications.

The open abdomen: analysis of risk factors for mortality and delayed fascial closure in 101 patients

Introduction

The core concepts of damage control and open abdomen in trauma surgery have been expanding for emergent general surgery. Temporary closures allow ease of access to the abdominal cavity for source control.The aim of the current study was to assess the outcomes of patients who underwent open abdomen management for acute abdominal conditions and evaluate risk factors for worse outcomes and inability of fascial closure during the initial hospitalization.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 101 patients submitted to laparostomy in a single institution from January 2009 to March 2017. The evaluated outcomes were mortality, local morbidity, and rate of primary fascial closure.

Results

The most common indications for open abdomen were bowel perforation, bowel ischemia, and necrotizing pancreatitis. Global in-hospital mortality rate was 62.4%. For the 37 patients discharged from the hospital, a definitive abdominal closure was attained in 28.Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that people older than 60 years of age and with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scores over 18.5 had higher in-hospital mortality rates. Definitive fascial closure was statistically associated with a lower number of re-interventions and ICU stay.

Conclusions

Open abdomen management may be appropriate in these critically ill patients; however, it continues to be associated with significantly high mortality, especially in elder patients and with higher APACHE II scores. Recognition of risk factors for fascia closure failure should promote the investigation for a tailored surgical approach in these patients.

Emergency surgery in octogenarians: Outcomes and factors affecting mortality in the general hospital setting

AIM

The Western world has an expanding older population, who are living longer with increasing numbers of comorbidities. In addition, expectations of patients and relatives are increasing. As a general hospital operating in a rural setting, our University Hospital Kerry, Tralee, Ireland, deals with a significant number of emergency presentations to the acute surgical service. The aim of the present study was to examine outcomes for patients in the extremes of age who present requiring emergency surgical procedures.

METHODS

A retrospective review of theater and admission logs was carried out to identify all emergency surgeries from January 2008 to December 2015. All patients aged >80 years at the time of surgery were identified. Details of surgery were recorded, in addition to biochemical and hematological data, use of intensive care unit, length of stay and mortality.

RESULTS

In total, 128 octogenarians underwent an emergency surgery. The average patient age was 84.3 years (range 80-94 years). The commonest procedures were laparotomy (65%, n = 84), repair of strangulated/incarcerated hernia (18%, n = 23) and laparoscopic procedures (16%, n = 21). The 30-day all-cause mortality was 22.6%. On multivariate analysis, American Society of Anesthesia status and intensive care unit utilization predicted mortality (P = 0.04 and 0.05, respectively). A total of 82 patients required intensive care unit admission, with an average length of stay of 4.8 days, using 484 bed days in total.

CONCLUSIONS

Emergency surgery in octogenarians is a significant part of the workload of general surgeons. Poor baseline status is associated with an increased risk of mortality. Emergency surgery in older adults only utilizes a fraction of available intensive care unit resources. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1211-1214.

Embedded geriatric surgical liaison is associated with reduced inpatient length of stay in older patients admitted for gastrointestinal surgery

The older surgical patient is well known to be at high risk of increased mortality and medical complications in the perioperative period. These occur due to a variety of patient and service related factors. The need for physician support is recognised and liaison models of care can reduce complications and length of stay (LOS) in some surgical specialties. Limited evidence exists evaluating their role in emergency and planned gastrointestinal surgery. We aimed to establish and evaluate a geriatric surgical liaison service for emergency and elective gastrointestinal surgery. We found that embedded geriatrician liaison and process change throughout the surgical pathway was associated with a mean LOS reduction of 3.1 days for all surgical patients aged >60 years (p=0.007). Mean LOS reduction for emergency surgical admissions aged >60 was 4.4 days (p=0.005). Embedded geriatric surgical liaison models of care can be successfully adapted for emergency general and gastrointestinal surgery. In times of financial constraint, reductions in LOS may make modest investment in similar services economically viable.

Emergency treatment of complicated colorectal cancer

Aim

To find evidence to suggest the best approach in patients admitted as an emergency for complicated colorectal cancer.

Methods

The medical records of 131 patients admitted as an emergency with an obstructing, perforated, or bleeding colorectal cancer to Noble’s Hospital, Isle of Man, and the Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided in 3 groups on the basis of the emergency treatment they received, namely 1) immediate resection, 2) damage control procedure and elective or semielective resection, and 3) no radical treatment. Demographic variables, clinical data, and treatment data were considered, and formed the basis for the comparison of groups. Primary endpoints were 90-day mortality and morbidity. Secondary endpoints were length of stay, number of lymph nodes analyzed, rate of radical R0 resections, and the number of patients who had chemoradiotherapy.

Results

Forty-two patients did not have any radical treatment because the cancer was too advanced or they were too ill to tolerate an operation, 78 patients had immediate resection and 11 had damage control followed by elective resection. There was no statistically significant difference between immediate resections and 2-stage treatment in 90-day mortality and morbidity (mortality: 15.4% vs 0%; morbidity: 26.9% vs 27.3%), number of nodes retrieved (16.6±9.4 vs 14.9±5.7), and rate of R0 resections (84.6% vs 90.9%), but mortality was slightly higher in patients who underwent immediate resection. The patients who underwent staged treatment had a higher possibility of receiving a laparoscopic resection (11.5% vs 36.4%).

Conclusion

The present study failed to demonstrate a clear superiority of one treatment with respect to the other, even if there is an interesting trend favoring staged resection.

Frailty Exists in Younger Adults Admitted as Surgical Emergency Leading to Adverse Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Frailty is prevalent in the older adult population (≥65 years of age) and results in adverse outcomes in the emergency general surgical population.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether frailty exists in the younger adult emergency surgical population (<65 years) and what influence frailty may have on patient related outcomes.

DESIGN

Prospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

Emergency general surgical admissions.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients ≥40 years divided into 2 groups: younger adults (40-64.9 years) and older adult comparative group (≥65).

MEASUREMENTS

Over a 6-month time frame the following data was collected: demographics; Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD); blood markers; multi-morbidities, polypharmacy and cognition. Frailty was assessed by completion of the Canadian Study of Health and Ageing (CSHA). Each patient was followed up for 90 days to allow determination of length of stay, re-admission and mortality.

RESULTS

82 young adults were included and the prevalence of frailty was 16% (versus older adults 38%; p=0.001) and associated with: multi-morbidity; poly-pharmacy; cognitive impairment; and deprivation. Frailty in older adults was only significantly associated with increasing age.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel study has found that frailty exists in 16% of younger adults admitted to emergency general surgical units, potentially leading to adverse short and long-term outcomes. Strategies need to be developed that identify and treat frailty in this vulnerable younger adult population.

Emergency general surgery in pregnancy

It is often that the acute care surgeon will be called on to evaluate the pregnant patient with abdominal pain. Most of the diagnostic and management decisions regarding pregnant patients will follow the usual tenets of surgery; however, there are important differences in the pregnant patient to be aware of to avoid pitfalls which can lead to complications for both mother and fetus. This review hopes to describe the most common emergencies facing the surgeon caring for the pregnant patient and the latest management options.

Laparoscopic pyloroplasty for perforated peptic ulcer

Peptic ulcer is a common disease affecting millions of people every year. Despite improved understanding and treatment of the disease, the number of patients admitted with duodenal peptic ulcer perforation has not decreased. Deaths from peptic ulcer disease overcome other common emergency situations. Laparoscopic repair of the perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) is the gold standard approach for simple perforation. However, in patients with large perforated chronic ulcers laparotomy with pyloroplasty is the standard treatment. It is generally accepted to perform open surgery in PPU emergencies because of the greater knowledge and experience gathered over the past decades and less potential harm for the patient or surgical complications. We present a case of successful laparoscopic pyloroplasty of a perforated duodenal ulcer with stenosis.

Emergency separation of craniopagus twins: case report

Craniopagus is a very rare congenital anomaly that tends to affect females more often than males. It is classified as partial or total. Most affected twins are either stillborn or die during the perinatal period. Those who survive birth should undergo detailed radiological evaluations soon after their condition becomes stable so that the precise anatomy of the conjoined part can be defined and surgery can be planned in detail by a multidisciplinary team. Recommendations for decreasing the risk of unsuccessful surgery include performing surgery on an elective basis after extensive preoperative radiological evaluations as well as when the twins are at an acceptable age and weight for a complex surgical separation, generally as staged procedures. In addition, the operation should be performed by a well-equipped expert multidisciplinary team. When one of the conjoined twins dies, however, surgical separation cannot be postponed because the shared circulatory system predisposes the alive child to life-threatening complications, including coagulopathy. The authors report on the successful separation of craniopagus twins performed on an emergency basis at 32 weeks of gestational age because of the sudden death of one of them. At the time of separation surgery, the twins each weighed 1250 g. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the youngest age and lowest weight yet reported for successful surgical separation. The surviving twin developed a pseudomeningocele, which required a second operation and placement of a cystoperitoneal shunt 4 months after the operation. Additional surgery is planned to repair a cranial defect that resulted from the pseudomeningocele, but his general physical and mental condition was otherwise good at latest follow-up (12 months after separation surgery).

Localized Aortic Root Dissection with a Superior Mesenteric Artery Aneurysm

In this study, the case of a 46-year-old female patient with localized aortic root dissection and a superior mesenteric artery (SMA) aneurysm is described. Computed tomographic angiography could not clearly delineate an intimal flap in the aortic root, but it detected SMA aneurysm, which implied the presence of a vulnerability of the aortic wall. Finally, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) evidently showed the intimal flap localized in the aortic root. The present case suggests that TEE is of paramount importance for detecting localized aortic root dissection. In addition, a coexisting vascular lesion may be a clue to diagnose another vascular lesion.

Emergency resection of brainstem cavernous malformations

Brainstem cavernous malformations (CMs) pose significant challenges to neurosurgeons because of their deep locations and high surgical risks. Most patients with brainstem CMs present with sudden-onset cranial nerve deficits or ataxia, but uncommonly patients can present in extremis from an acute hemorrhage, requiring surgical intervention. However, the timing of surgery for brainstem CMs has been a controversial topic. Although many authors propose delaying surgery into the subacute phase, some patients may not tolerate waiting until surgery. To the best of the authors' knowledge, emergency surgery after a brainstem CM hemorrhage has not been described. In cases of rapidly progressive neurological deterioration, emergency resection may often be the only option. In this retrospectively reviewed small series of patients, the authors report favorable outcomes after emergency surgery for resection of brainstem CMs.

Impact of an acute surgical unit on patient outcomes in South Australia

BACKGROUND

Compared with traditional (Trad) systems of managing emergency surgical presentations, the acute surgical unit (ASU) model provides an on-site registrar, on-call surgeon and dedicated emergency theatre, 24 h/day. To date, there have been no Australasian ASU studies of >3000 patients, nor from South Australia.

METHODS

A retrospective historical control study compared the outcomes of adults admitted to the Lyell McEwin Hospital in the Trad (1 February 2010 to 31 July 2012) and ASU periods (1 August 2012 to 31 January 2015), who underwent an emergency general surgical procedure.

RESULTS

A total of 4074 patients met inclusion criteria; 1688 and 2386 patients during the Trad and ASU periods, respectively. The cohorts were not significantly different in median age, gender or American Society of Anesthesiologists scores. Compared with the Trad period, improved median time from emergency department referral to theatre start (19.4 h versus 17.9 h, P < 0.0001) and median length of stay (2.32 days versus 2.06 days, P < 0.0001) were observed during the ASU period. The proportion of procedures performed in-hours was similar (77.9% versus 79.6%, P = 0.18). Secondary outcomes of rates of intensive care unit admission, emergency department representation within 30 days, in-hospital mortality and 1-year all-cause mortality were unchanged.

CONCLUSION

Institution of an ASU was associated with decreased time from referral to theatre and reduced length of stay. The proportion of cases performed in-hours did not change. This may be related to the high Trad period rate and increased workload. These findings represent the largest Australasian study of an ASU and support the current model of care.

Using stents in the management of malignant bowel obstruction: the current situation and future progress

The use of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) has been considered an effective and safe alternative to emergency surgery as bridge to surgery or for palliation in advanced colorectal cancer even though more recent data have raised concerns on both early and long-term outcomes when patients are treated with bridge to surgery indications. Areas covered: A comprehensive literature review of articles on endoscopic management of malignant bowel obstruction was performed. Indication, technique, outcomes, benefits and risks of these treatments in acute malignant colonic obstruction were reviewed. The clinical effectiveness and safety of SEMS in obstructive colorectal cancer, as bridge to surgery or for palliation compared to surgery, is discussed. Expert commentary: SEMS placement, when performed in tertiary level center with appropriate expertise in colorectal stenting, may have several advantages over surgery avoiding the potential for surgical morbidity in a typically frail group of patients even though these advantages are to be carefully balanced over the risk of life-threatening, stent-related complications.