Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide.

METHODS

This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters.

RESULTS

A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 per cent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 per cent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 per cent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle- compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries.

CONCLUSION

Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761).

The wound area as a parameter guiding the timing of abdominal closure in the management of patients undergoing open abdominal procedures

OBJECTIVE

Surgical site infections (SSI) are incomparably troublesome and complicated, and some of them require an open abdomen (OA) procedure. While deciding the timing of abdominal closure, wound area calculation method and laboratory parameters can be used to guide the timing of abdominal closure after OA procedures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records of the patients who had undergone open abdomen during their treatment course and were followed up with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technique between December 2015 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The laboratory results before the first VAC application and the results after the VAC change were compared to determine a predictive parameter. The ImageJ program was used in five patients to compare the size of the wounds at the time of the decision to close them and before the first VAC application.

RESULTS

102 patients were analyzed. The ratio of the last wound area to the wound area at the time of the first VAC application in five patients was 0.30, 0.41, 0.34, 0.27, 0.46 (mean: 0.36, standard deviation: 0.078) which were measured and calculated by ImageJ software.

CONCLUSIONS

We think that the concept of wound reduction ratio, which was calculated by a computer program, can be used as a concrete equivalent of the wound closure eligibility criteria decided by clinical experience.

Effects of cognitive status on outcomes of groin hernia repair using various anesthesia techniques

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Because of increasing life expectancy, there is an increasing number of cognitively impaired older individuals undergoing surgeries such as groin hernia repair. Here, we evaluated the effects of cognitive status on postoperative complication rates in patients undergoing groin hernia repair using various anesthesia techniques. We also analyzed the rate of same-day hernia surgery in patients with cognitive decline.

METHODS

Patients who presented to our general surgery clinic for unilateral or bilateral inguinal or femoral hernia were prospectively classified into general (group 1), local (group 2), and spinal (group 3) anesthesia groups. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for preoperative evaluation of each patient's cognitive status. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate postoperative pain. Groups were compared in terms of age, MMSE and VAS scores, cognitive decline and complication rates, and surgery duration.

RESULTS

In total, 33 (35.1%), 30 (31.9%), and 31 (33.0%) of 94 patients underwent surgery using general, local, and spinal anesthesia, respectively. The mean MMSE score did not differ among groups (p = 0.518). Cognitive decline was present in 18 (19.2%) patients, and the proportion did not significantly differ among groups. The complication rate did not differ between patients with and without cognitive decline. The mean surgery duration was similar among the three groups (p = 0.127). Group 2 had a lower mean postoperative VAS score, compared with the other groups (p < 0.001). Complications because of anesthesia and surgery were significantly more common in group 3 than in the other groups (p = 0.025). In the local anesthesia group, 7 patients had cognitive decline and 22 patients had normal cognition. There were no significant differences between patients with and without cognitive decline in terms of mean surgery duration (50.3 ± 15.4 min vs. 45.2 ± 10.7 min; p = 0.338) or mean VAS score (3.14 ± 0.90 vs. 3.13 ± 0.77; p = 0.985). Among the 22 and 7 patients without and with cognitive decline, 11 (50%) and 0 patients were discharged on the same day (p = 0.025). In the local anesthesia group, the respective median ages were 70, 52, and 59 years for patients with cognitive decline, patients with normal cognition discharged on the same day, and patients with normal cognition who were not discharged on the same day (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Groin hernia repair was successfully performed under local anesthesia in all patients, including older patients with cognitive decline. Patients with cognitive decline were not discharged on the day of surgery, although the mean surgery duration and postoperative VAS score did not differ between patients with and without cognitive decline. Prolonged hospitalization in patients with cognitive decline may be related to their advanced age. Further studies are needed to determine the safety of same-day surgery in patients with cognitive decline.

Analysis of Ambulatory Proctologic Surgery for Simple Anal Fistulas in Terms of Recovery, Complications, Recurrence, and Cost

Background Ambulatory anorectal surgeries have increased in the last few years. This clinical study aimed to compare general operating room conditions with outpatient procedures for simple anal fistulas in terms of healing success, recurrence, cost, complications, and sustainability. Methodology Only primary fistulotomy and seton application for simple anal fistulas were retrospectively analyzed. Results Two-hundred fifty patients (73.7%) were male, and 89 (26.3%) were female. Sixty patients (17.7%) were treated in the operating room, and 279 (82.3%) were treated in the outpatient clinic conditions. Of the ambulatory surgeries, 160 patients underwent fistulotomy and 119 patients loose seton. On the other hand, 34 patients underwent fistulotomy and 26 patients loose seton in operating room conditions. No significant difference was found between the groups according to the distribution of age, gender, complications, and recurrence (P > 0.05). Cost-effectiveness assessment according to the place (ambulatory/operating room) and type of operation (fistulotomy/loose seton) reveals that ambulatory surgery provides significantly more savings (P < 0.001). Conclusions For simple anal fistulas, ambulatory anorectal surgery is a safe approach that can be performed at a lower cost than operating room conditions.

ANALYSIS OF DIAGNOSTIC EXCISIONAL LYMPH NODE BIOPSY RESULTS: 12-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF A SINGLE CENTER

Lymph node biopsy is indicated in patients with suspected malignancy or lymphadenopathy due to unclarified reasons. Lymph node biopsy can be performed as fine needle aspiration biopsy, core biopsy, or excisional lymph node biopsy. In particular, the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma is considered insufficient for oncological treatment unless classified into subgroups. Core biopsy and excisional biopsy can be performed to diagnose lymphoma and classify it into subgroups. Core biopsy may also be limited in some cases for the diagnosis of lymphoma. Therefore, patients are referred to surgical departments for excisional lymph node biopsy. It was aimed herein to analyze the results of excisional lymph node biopsies performed for diagnostic purposes in our department. Data on 73 patients having undergone diagnostic excisional lymph node biopsy at Sakarya University Medical Faculty Training and Research Hospital between January 2008 and January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were evaluated in terms of age, gender, biopsy site, pathological diagnosis, number and diameter of lymph nodes excised. Patients younger than 18 years of age, those with sentinel lymph node biopsies, and lymph node dissections performed for any known malignancy were excluded from the study. Statistical data analysis was done using SPSS statistical software. There were 37 (50.7%) female and 36 (49.3%) male patients, mean age 52.07 (18-90) years. Axillary lymph node biopsy was performed in 32 patients, inguinal lymph node biopsy in 29 patients, cervical lymph node biopsy in 3 patients, intra-abdominal lymph node biopsy in 6 patients, mediastinal lymph node biopsy in 1 patient, and supraclavicular lymph node biopsy in 2 patients. All of the lymph node biopsies were performed as excisional biopsy. Malignancy was detected in 36 (49.3%) patients. In 37 (50.3%) patients, the causes of lymphadenopathy were found to be benign pathologies. When the causes of malignant disease were examined, it was observed that 23 (31.5%) patients were diagnosed with lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma was detected in 5 patients diagnosed with lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma was found in 18 patients. Metastatic lymphadenopathy was observed in 13 (17.8%) patients. Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (26%) and lymphadenitis (20.5%) were found among the causes of benign lymphadenopathy. The number of excised lymph nodes was between 1 and 4, and their diameter was between 9 and 75 mm (mean: 29.53±15.56 mm). There was no statistically significant difference between benign and malignant patients according to gender, age, lymph node diameter, number of lymph nodes excised, and excisional lymph node biopsy site. For diagnostic lymph node biopsy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy and core biopsy should be performed primarily. If lymphoma is suspected in the diagnosis, fine-needle aspiration biopsy is not necessary. In this case, it is believed that it is more appropriate to perform core biopsy first. If the core biopsy is insufficient for diagnosis, it is more appropriate to perform surgical biopsy in order to cause no delay in diagnosis and treatment. Excisional biopsy is a method that can be safely performed and does not cause severe morbidity in palpable peripheral lymphadenopathies. Although it does not cause severe morbidity because it is an invasive procedure, excisional biopsy should be performed in a selected patient group.

The ChoCO-W prospective observational global study: Does COVID-19 increase gangrenous cholecystitis?

BACKGROUND

The incidence of the highly morbid and potentially lethal gangrenous cholecystitis was reportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the ChoCO-W study was to compare the clinical findings and outcomes of acute cholecystitis in patients who had COVID-19 disease with those who did not.

METHODS

Data were prospectively collected over 6 months (October 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021) with 1-month follow-up. In October 2020, Delta variant of SARS CoV-2 was isolated for the first time. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed and reported according to the STROBE guidelines. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients who had COVID-19 were compared with those who did not.

RESULTS

A total of 2893 patients, from 42 countries, 218 centers, involved, with a median age of 61.3 (SD: 17.39) years were prospectively enrolled in this study; 1481 (51%) patients were males. One hundred and eighty (6.9%) patients were COVID-19 positive, while 2412 (93.1%) were negative. Concomitant preexisting diseases including cardiovascular diseases (p < 0.0001), diabetes (p < 0.0001), and severe chronic obstructive airway disease (p = 0.005) were significantly more frequent in the COVID-19 group. Markers of sepsis severity including ARDS (p < 0.0001), PIPAS score (p < 0.0001), WSES sepsis score (p < 0.0001), qSOFA (p < 0.0001), and Tokyo classification of severity of acute cholecystitis (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. The COVID-19 group had significantly higher postoperative complications (32.2% compared with 11.7%, p < 0.0001), longer mean hospital stay (13.21 compared with 6.51 days, p < 0.0001), and mortality rate (13.4% compared with 1.7%, p < 0.0001). The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis was doubled in the COVID-19 group (40.7% compared with 22.3%). The mean wall thickness of the gallbladder was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group [6.32 (SD: 2.44) mm compared with 5.4 (SD: 3.45) mm; p < 0.0001].

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis is higher in COVID patients compared with non-COVID patients admitted to the emergency department with acute cholecystitis. Gangrenous cholecystitis in COVID patients is associated with high-grade Clavien-Dindo postoperative complications, longer hospital stay and higher mortality rate. The open cholecystectomy rate is higher in COVID compared with non -COVID patients. It is recommended to delay the surgical treatment in COVID patients, when it is possible, to decrease morbidity and mortality rates. COVID-19 infection and gangrenous cholecystistis are not absolute contraindications to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in a case by case evaluation, in expert hands.

Comparison of scoring systems regarding the gender as a parameter with the traditional scoring systems for predicting appendicitis

Although acute appendicitis remains the most common cause of acute abdomen in General Surgery practice, negative appendectomy rates are still high in particularly female patients. Appendicitis scoring systems considering gender can help the clinician to reduce negative appendectomy rates in females. This present study aims to compare the Lintula, Ripasa, Fenyo-Lindberg scoring systems, which use gender as a variable, with the Alvarado, Karaman, scoring systems to evaluate which CSS is more successful in the differential diagnosis of appendicitis in females. We analyzed the records of the patients operated on with a prediagnosis of acute appendicitis in our clinic between 2020 and 2021, retrospectively. Alvarado, adult appendicitis score (AAS), appendicitis inflammatory response score (AIRS), Ripasa, Karaman, Lintula, and Fenyo Lindberg scores were calculated for each patient. The patients were divided into two groups as male and female, according to gender. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the best cut-off value and assess the performance of the test score for appendicitis. Three hundred and sixty-three patients were included in the study. One hundred seventy-two (47.4%) of the patients were male, and 191 (52.6%) were female. Alvarado and AAS were the most valuable score in female (AUC: 0.805, sensitivity: 0.63, specificity: 0.83; and area under curve (AUC): 0.794, Sensitivity 0.71, Specificity: 0.76, respectively), male group (AUC: 0.828, Sensitivity: 0.71, Specificity: 0.83; and AUC: 0.834, Sensitivity 0.74, Specificity: 0.77, respectively), and when patients were not categorized by gender (AUC: 0.818, Sensitivity: 0.67 Specificity: 0.83; and AUC: 0.794, Sensitivity 0.71, Specificity: 0.76, respectively). Although the Alvarado scoring system is the first defined appendicitis scoring system, it seems as superior to the many scoring systems defined after it in predicting appendicitis, even in female patients.

The neglected surgery - Hernioscopy - Maybe the best choice for strangulated groin hernias in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Objective: Although due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, elective surgeries have been postponed worldwide, emergency operations cannot be delayed and are being performed. In general surgery practice, incarcerated / strangulated inguinal hernias have a prominent place among emergency surgeries. In 1% of these patients, the hernia content reduces spontaneously into the abdomen until the hernia sac is opened. It is imperative that these bowel segments be evaluated for possible intestinal necrosis. Methods: Patients who underwent emergency surgery and hernioscopy in the Sakarya Training and Research Hospital General Surgery Service due to incarcerated or strangled inguinal hernia during the period from March 2020 to October 2020 were included in the study. Hernioscopy procedure was performed using single-port and glove-port methods. For each patient, age, duration of complaints, comorbidities, hernia repair method, operation time, incarcerated organ, whether ischemia improved after reduction or whether resection was required, postoperative complications were recorded. Results: Hernioscopy was performed on ten patients due to strangled inguinal hernia during the eight months. While femoral hernia was detected in 2 patients, eight patients had an inguinal hernia. In 1 patient, bowel resection and anastomosis were performed with the transabdominal approach because the small intestine necrosis was detected during the hernioscopy procedure. Conclusion: The hernioscopy method, which is performed under spinal anesthesia, prevents unnecessary laparotomies and should be preferred more during the COVID-19 pandemic process in patients who are urgently operated for strangled inguinal hernia. Key words: Hernioscopy; Strangulated Hernia; COVID-19 Pandemic

Comparison of Balloon Trocar versus Telescopic Dissection Method for TEP Inguinal Hernia Repair

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes between two methods of dissection (balloon trocar vs. telescopic dissection) used in total extra-peritoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair.

STUDY DESIGN

Comparative study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, conducted between January 2018 and January 2020.

METHODOLOGY

The study included patients who underwent elective TEP inguinal hernia repair. Preoperative and early postoperative results were compared, after the patients had been divided into a balloon trocar group (Group 1) and telescopic dissection group (Group 2). The technique performed depended on equipment availability. Permission was obtained from the Institutional Review Board. The study data are presented as descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, median, first quartile, third quartile, frequency and percentage); p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 189 patients were included; 95 patients in Group 1 and 94 patients in Group 2. No significant differences in age, gender, body mass index, body weight, ASA performance status, operating time, duration of hospitalisation or postoperative bleeding values were observed between the groups (p >0.05). European Hernia Society Quality of Life pain score values ​​ were higher in Group 2 than Group 1 (p = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

Telescopic dissection was cheaper than balloon dissection. The bleeding values and operating time were similar between the two methods, but telescopic dissection caused more postoperative pain. Key Words: Inguinal hernia, Telescopic dissection, Balloon dissection, Total extra-peritoneal (TEP) surgery.

Management of solitary cecum diverticulitis - Single-Center Experience

&lt;b&gt; Objective: &lt;/b&gt; Cecal diverticulitis may be encountered as a real etiological factor in 1/300 appendectomies. Differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis and cecal diverticulitis is crucial because of the different treatment methods. Our aim is to reveal the importance of distinguishing acute appendicitis from cecal diverticulitis. &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methods: &lt;/b&gt; The data of patients who were admitted to the hospital between 2015 and 2019 with the complaint of abdominal pain and then finally diagnosed with colon diverticular disease, colon diverticulitis, or acute appendicitis, analyzed retrospectively. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results: &lt;/b&gt; A total of 19 cecum diverticulitis patients were detected during surgery for acute appendicitis or during clinical and radiological evaluation. 1247 appendectomies were evaluated; the final diagnosis was observed as cecal diverticulitis in 5 patients (0,4%). One hundred nineteen patients diagnosed with colonic diverticulitis at admission were evaluated, while 105 (88,2%) of them had left-sided diverticulitis, 14 (11,7%) of them had solitary cecal diverticulitis. All of the solitary cecal diverticulitis patients were treated conservatively, except one patient who has Hinchey 3 diverticulitis.&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt; Conclusion: &lt;/b&gt; Differential diagnosis of cecum diverticulitis with acute appendicitis is important because cecum diverticulitis can be managed as conservatively in most cases. In order to prevent unnecessary surgical interventions, this importance has increased, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period.