Is Laparoscopy Safe and Effective in Nontraumatic Acute Abdomen?

Adenocarcinoma de colon sigmoide metastásico en paciente joven, presentación atípica: reporte de caso

El adenocarcinoma colorrectal es la tercera causa de muerte por cáncer en mujeres y la cuarta en hombres a nivel mundial. Se diagnostica en su mayoría en pacientes mayores a los 50 años, siendo la edad media al momento del diagnóstico los 72 años. A pesar eso, se estima que en los próximos años aumentará la incidencia en personas jóvenes y de mediana edad. Debido a esta proyección y considerando que la ausencia de signos y síntomas específicos no permite un diagnóstico oportuno, se hacen necesarias la sensibilización clínica y un alto índice de sospecha en las presentaciones atípicas. Se presenta el caso de una paciente joven que consulta por un cuadro de un mes de síntomas respiratorios quien, después de tratamiento antibiótico, antiviral e inmunomodulador sistémico, presenta sepsis de origen abdominal por peritonitis de cuatro cuadrantes secundaria a perforación de colon sigmoide debida a adenocarcinoma bien diferenciado, metastásico a pulmón, que la llevó a la muerte.

What are the prospects for non-scheduled robotic procedures in pediatric surgery?

Robotic technology allows for the management of complex surgical cases with a minimally invasive approach. The aim of this study was to communicate our experience using robotic technology for non-scheduled pediatric procedures (NSP). We performed a prospective study over the last 5 years including all consecutive cases where surgery was performed with a robot. NSP procedures were defined as a time to surgery of <24 h. Preoperative time, operative time, overall completion rate, and postoperative course were analyzed. Of the 85 cases recorded, five corresponded to robot-assisted NSP with a mean weight of 10 kg (3-36 kg). The mean time before surgery was 19 h (11-24 h). Conversion rate to open procedure was 40 %. Fifteen NSP had to be performed without robotic plateform. Robotic surgery is a potentially relevant option for most pediatric thoracic or abdominal procedures performed in a non-scheduled setting and offers technical advantages.

Changes in the surgical approach to colonic emergencies during a 15-year period

PURPOSE

The present study aims to determine the morbidity and mortality of emergency colonic surgery and the factors associated with adverse outcome, and to evaluate any change in incidence of the different types of pathological conditions and in the surgical approach over the last 15 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 319 patients who underwent emergency colonic surgery between January 1997 and December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the date of surgery, namely group 1, between 1997 and 2006, and group 2, between 2006 and 2011. The differences in terms of postoperative outcomes between the groups were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 25.3 and 17.2%, respectively; no differences were found between the groups. Group 2 showed a significantly increased rate of primary resection and anastomosis (p < 0.001), as well as an increase in laparoscopic approach compared with group 1 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Emergency colon surgery is today primarily performed for benign diseases, of these the most common is diverticular disease followed by ischemic colitis. Age, comorbidities, and ischemic colon disease are predictors of adverse outcomes, while the surgical procedure per se is not.

The acute abdomen in the older person

The acute abdomen is a common condition in older people. Half of all presentations to hospital require admission, with a third requiring immediate surgery. The Royal College of Surgeons of England have reported a worryingly high mortality rate in the over 80s undergoing emergency surgery, with a 3-fold difference in mortality throughout the England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The aim of this article is to highlight the issues that older people face in relation to acute abdominal pathology.