Ex Situ In Vivo Technique of Spleen-Preserving Splenic Hilar Lymph Node Dissection in Operable Proximal Gastric Adenocarcinoma

D2 gastrectomy is the globally accepted standard surgical procedure for operable gastric cancer, and lymph node (LN) dissection is considered as the critical part of radical surgery and closely related to the prognosis. The splenic hilar LN (SHLN) or level 10 are to be removed during standard D2 total gastrectomy. In situ and ex situ spleen-preserving lymphadenectomies have been the most common dissection approaches for SHLNs. No study exists which compares the outcomes of these techniques in Indian population. This study is aimed to analyse the operative outcomes of ex situ in vivo technique of spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection in patients who underwent D2 total gastrectomy for operable proximal gastric cancer in comparison with in situ in vivo technique of splenic hilar lymph node dissection. We reviewed prospectively collected data from 17 patients with operable proximal gastric cancer between September 2016 and April 2019 who underwent D2 total gastrectomy with splenic hilar lymph node dissection and studied the preoperative demographic factors, operative and postoperative outcomes comparing the different operative techniques. Patients with oesophago-gastric junction involvement, direct splenic or other adjacent organ invasion requiring multivisceral resection and gastric stump carcinoma were excluded. Overall, 17 patients underwent D2 total gastrectomy for operable gastric cancer. Mean age of presentation was 54.7 years including 13 males and 4 females. Five patients had middle third and 12 patients had upper third cancer. All patients had splenic hilar nodal clearance as follows: in situ - 14 and ex situ - 3 patients. R0 resection was achieved in all patients. Lymph node harvest tends to be higher with lower operative time and blood loss in patients with ex situ technique compared to in situ technique with similar morbidity. Ex situ in vivo technique of spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection can be considered as both safe and feasible procedure for operable proximal gastric cancer patients in experienced centres to achieve better lymph node yield with no significant increase in morbidity.

Congenital Anomalies of the Pancreas: Various Clinical Manifestations and Their Impact on Pancreatic Diseases and Outcomes

Background and objective: Congenital anomalies of the pancreas are relatively uncommon. Most of these are asymptomatic and are detected incidentally, but can present with a variety of clinical manifestations like pancreatitis, duodenal obstruction, biliary obstruction, and rarely malignancy. Here in our study, we describe various congenital anomalies of the pancreas associated with various clinical manifestations, its management strategies, and outcomes. The aim was to study the various clinical manifestations of and management strategies for pancreatic diseases associated with congenital anomalies of the pancreas and their outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained institutional database of 14 patients, admitted over a period of three years from June 2019 to May 2022, who were treated for different clinical manifestations of various congenital anomalies of the pancreas and their outcomes was done at our institution.

Results: The total number of congenital anomalies of the pancreas in our study was 14 out of whom 7 (50%) were males and 7 (50%) females. The mean age of the patients was 37 years. The most common congenital anomaly was pancreatic divisum in six (42.9%) cases. The most common clinical manifestation was acute pancreatitis in four (28.6%) cases. One (7.1%) case was incidentally detected intraoperatively for another condition. Eight (57.1%) patients underwent surgical intervention and six (42.9%) patients were medically managed. Mortality occurred in two (14.3%) cases. Associated alcohol consumption was seen in 2 (14.3%) cases; 10 (71.4%) patients had no comorbidities while 4 (28.6%) patients had diabetes mellitus. Out of eight (57.1%) surgical patients, two (25%) had Clavien-Dindo grade I and one patient (12.5%) grade V complications.

Conclusion: Congenital anomalies of the pancreas can be associated with a variety of clinical manifestations; their management strategies and outcomes are no different from patients with the same clinical manifestations with normal pancreatic development.

Clinical Outcomes among Asymptomatic or Mildly Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients in an Isolation Facility in Chennai, India

Globally, India has reported the third highest number of COVID-19 cases. Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, witnessed a huge surge in COVID-19 cases, resulting in the establishment of isolation facilities named COVID Care Center (CCC). In our study, we describe the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics; clinical progression; and outcome of 1,263 asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients isolated in one such CCC between May 4, 2020 and June 4, 2020. Around 10.5% of the patients progressed to moderate/severe illness, requiring referral for tertiary care, and three died. Nearly half (49.5%) of the patients were symptomatic at the time of admission, 2.2% of the patients developed symptoms post-testing, and 48.5% patients remained asymptomatic during the entire course of illness. Most common presenting symptoms were fever (69.9%) and cough (29.6%), followed by generalized body pain, breathlessness, and loss of smell and taste. On multivariate analysis, we identified that symptomatic patients with comorbidities and higher neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were more likely to progress to severe illness warranting referral for tertiary care. COVID Care Center ensured case isolation and monitoring of asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic patients, thereby providing hospital beds for sick patients. COVID Care Center isolation facilities are safe alternatives for medical institutions to isolate and monitor COVID-19 patients. Older symptomatic patients with comorbidities and a high NLR admitted in an isolation facility must be frequently monitored for prompt identification of clinical progression and referral to higher center for advanced medical care.