Colorectal cancer and situs inversus totalis: case report

Robot-assisted distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection for gastric cancer in a patient with situs inversus partialis: a case report with video file

BACKGROUND

Situs inversus is a rare congenital condition that is currently classified into two types: complete situs inversus (situs inversus totalis, SIT) and partial situs inversus (situs inversus partialis, SIP). In SIP patients, some organs are inverted and others are in their expected position, and individual patient variation in organ position increases surgical difficulty. Several surgeons have performed laparoscopic or robotic surgeries in situs inversus patients, but almost all were SIT patients. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of an SIP patient with gastric cancer who was successfully treated by robot-assisted distal gastrectomy (RADG) with lymph node dissection.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 64-year-old woman diagnosed with early gastric cancer on the posterior midbody of the stomach was referred to our hospital for treatment. Computed tomography showed levocardia and inverted abdominal organs without enlarged lymph nodes or distant metastases. Polysplenia syndrome, intestinal malrotation, and left-sided gallbladder were also detected. RADG with D1+ lymph node dissection and Billroth I reconstruction (delta-shaped anastomosis) were performed using robotics. Hepatopathy caused by a liver retractor and pancreatic fistula were identified during the postoperative course, and the latter was classified as grade II based on Clavien-Dindo classification. The patient was discharged 18 days after the operation.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative three-dimensional imaging is beneficial, and anatomical organ identification should be routinely performed, especially in SIP patients. We consider RADG a therapeutic option in SIP patients.

Colorectal Carcinoma in a Patient with Situs Inversus Totalis

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of malignant tumors worldwide. In patients with situs abnormalities such as situs inversus totalis or situs ambiguus, the presence of this tumor could be a challenge for the surgeon, especially in cases in which the laparoscopic approach is considered.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 69-year-old male patient with situs inversus totalis. This particular case of situs inversus totalis was not a classical type because the patient had bilateral bilobed lungs, polysplenia, preduodenal portal vein in association with midgut malrotation. The pathology report after surgery revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon, stage pT3 N1c M1a, liver metastases but without metastases in the eight resected lymph nodes. We compared this rare association of diseases of particular anatomic aspects with other reports in the specialty literature.

Conclusion: The identification of situs abnormalities or other malformations in patients with resectable colorectal cancer is essential, thus preoperative imaging studies are imperative for a proper surgical management. Colorectal cancer metastasizing patterns in patients with intestinal malrotation need to be further investigated.

Gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma with situs inversus totalis: case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Situs inversus totalis (SIT), a rare congenital anomaly, is characterized by a complete mirror image transposition of the thoracic and abdominal viscera. We report the case of a 66-year-old woman with SIT who was diagnosed with gastric antral carcinoma. Curative distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I anastomosis was performed. Description of the case: A 66-year-old woman visited our outpatient department complaining of abdominal pain in the left upper quadrant for about one year. Physical examination revealed that the apex beat was in the right fifth intercostal space, just at the midclavicular line while a soft systolic murmur was audible at the upper right sternal border. The abdominal examination was unremarkable. The preoperative diagnosis was confirmed by gastroscopy and biopsy. Preoperative echocardiogram revealed the presence of dextrocardia and atrial septal defect. Preoperative contrasted computed tomography showed a complete right-left reversal of the thoracic and abdominal organs and thickened wall of gastric antrum without distant metastasis. Laparotomy through a midline incision confirmed the complete mirror-image transposition of the abdominal visceral organs and a 4-cm tumor with serosal involvement at the gastric antrum. Curative distal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and Billroth-I anastomosis was performed. The patient had a rapid recovery and was discharged without any complications. The final staging of this case was pT4aN1M0, stage IIIa and she received chemotherapy with the SOX regimen for three cycles. Fifteen months after the operation, the patient is alive without any signs of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of gastric cancer with SIT is very rare. Appropriate diagnostic modalities are very helpful for the diagnosis and preoperative planning. Gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy in patients with SIT can be performed successfully with sufficient preoperative evaluation, comprehensive knowledge of anatomy, and meticulous surgical manipulation. Caution should be given to the possibility of coexisting cardiopulmonary malformations and synchronous cancers. Hippokratia 2015; 19 (4): 360-362.