Índices pronósticos de mortalidad postoperatoria en la peritonitis del colon izquierdo

Emergency surgery for perforated diverticulitis in the immunosuppressed patient

AIM

Immunosuppression is believed to worsen outcomes for patients who require surgery for perforated diverticulitis. The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes between immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients undergoing surgery for complicated diverticulitis.

METHOD

All patients who underwent emergency surgery for complicated diverticulitis between 2004 and 2012 in a single unit were studied. Patients were classified as immunosuppressed (group I) or immunocompetent (group II). Operation type and postoperative morbidity and mortality were compared between groups. The impact of operating surgeons' specialization and the Peritonitis Severity Score (PSS) were also evaluated to determine their impact on the restoration of gastrointestinal (GI) continuity.

RESULTS

One-hundred and sixteen patients (mean age: 63.7 years), 41.4% women, were included. Fifty-three (45.7%) patients were immunosuppressed (group I): 42 underwent Hartmann's procedure (HP) (79.2%), nine (17.0%) underwent resection and primary anastomosis (RPA) with ileostomy (IL) and two (3.8%) underwent RPA without IL. In group II, 15 HP (23.8%), nine RPA with IL (14.3%) and 39 RPA without IL (61.9%) were performed. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were 79.2% and 26.4%, respectively, in group I and 63.5% and 6.3%, respectively, in group II. The overall mean PSS was 9.5, with a mean PSS of 11.1 in group I and of 8.1 in group II. The decision to perform a primary anastomosis differed significantly between colorectal surgeons and general surgeons in the patients with a PSS of 9-10-11.

CONCLUSION

In immunocompromised patients, RPA with IL can be a safe surgical option, whereas HP should be reserved for patients with a PSS of > 11. Colorectal surgical specialization is associated with higher rates of restoration of GI continuity in patients with perforated diverticulitis, especially in patients with an intermediate PSS score. Evaluation of each patient's PSS facilitates decision making in surgery for perforated diverticulitis.

Resection and primary anastomosis without diverting ileostomy for left colon emergencies: is it a safe procedure?

INTRODUCTION

Large-bowel obstruction and perforation are still frequently occurring entities for the acute care surgeon. In these cases, Hartmann's procedure is the most commonly used surgical technique. However, recent papers demonstrate that colon resection and primary anastomosis (RPA) in the emergency setting is a safe and feasible procedure. We present our series of left colon resection and primary anastomosis procedures from Torrevieja Hospital (Alicante, Spain), performed without bowel irrigation or a diverting ileostomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-two RPA procedures were performed in emergency settings for perforation or obstruction, or both, during an 18-month period. The following data were prospectively collected: age, gender, nationality, diagnoses, ASA score, body mass index (BMI), POSSUM score (Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of Mortality and morbidity), and the score according to the Hinchey classification. Furthermore, duration of the operation, length of postoperative hospital stay, and mortality and morbidity data were recorded.

RESULTS

Sixteen of these patients were diagnosed with acute diverticulitis, 14 patients with neoplasm (of which 9 cases had obstruction, 2 cases had perforation, and 3 cases had both), and foreign body perforation in the remaining 2 cases. The mean hospital stay was 7.8 (range, 4-10) days. The physiological POSSUM score was 24.4 (range, 15-39), and the surgical POSSUM score was 19.8 (range, 16-24). None of the patients died (0% mortality). Seven patients developed some kind of complication (21.9%), all of which were managed conservatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that RPA for left colon obstruction and perforation in emergency settings can be safely performed in certain surgical conditions.

[Colonic volvulus and recurrence of volvulus: what should we do?]

INTRODUCTION

Colonic volvulus (CV) is an uncommon disease in our country, which may present clinically as an intestinal obstruction or occlusion. Its diagnosis and therapeutic management remains controversial. The objective of this article is to present our series, analyse the results and establish a therapeutic approach to decrease the recurrence of the volvulus.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective, descriptive study of patients diagnosed with CV between January 1997 and December 2009.

RESULTS

The study included 54 patients, with a mean age of 74 years, who had a total of 89 CV episodes. There was associated disease in 70% of the cases, which included 44% with constipation and 53% with neurological diseases. The volvulus was located in the sigmoid in 87% of cases and in the right colon in 13%. The large majority (92%) of cases had intestinal obstruction. Endoscopic treatment was effective in 61% and urgent surgery was performed in 31% of the cases, and in 40% of the first episodes of CV. There was recurrence of volvulus in 62% of cases treated with surgery, and surgery was performed in 72% of these. In the whole series, surgery was performed in 35 cases (64%), with sigmoidectomy with primary anastomosis being the technique most employed. The overall mortality of the series was 7 cases (12%), with 16% being in cases of surgery due to recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic technique and initial treatment of CV is endoscopic decompression. Early elective surgery prevents the high recurrence rate associated with higher mortality.