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Background Exposed endoscopic full-thickness resection (Eo-EFTR) is emerging as a promising minimally invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of deep gastric submucosal tumors (G-SMTs). However, literature concerning this subject is heterogeneous and data mostly come from relatively small retrospective studies. Aims We aimed to perform a pooled analysis of published data with regard to gastric Eo-EFTR, providing a pooled estimate of technical and clinical outcomes. Methods The protocol was registered in PROSPERO. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for studies published from 1998 to 2020. The primary outcomes were complete resection and surgical conversion rates. The secondary outcomes were overall and selected major adverse events rates. The Forest plots on primary and secondary endpoints were produced based on fixed and random effect models. Results Nineteen studies including 952 Eo-EFTR-treated G-SMTs were included. The pooled estimate of the complete resection rate and surgical conversion rates was 99.3% and 0.09%, respectively. The pooled estimate of overall major adverse events, delayed bleeding, delayed perforation and peritonitis, abdominal abscess and/or abdominal infection was 0.29%, 0.14%, 0.14%, and 0.12%, respectively. Conclusion Gastric Eo-EFTR has a high rate of complete resection with a low surgical conversion rate. It appears to be relatively safe and might represent a non-inferior minimally invasive alternative to surgery in selected cases.

Streptococcus constellatus (S. constellatus) is a Gram-positive commensal bacterium that is commonly found in the oral, nasal, pharyngeal, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts. It can be further consisted by three subspecies: subsp, constellatus, subsp. pharynges, and subsp. viborgensis. As an opportunistic pathogen, S. constellatus can cause abscesses and bacteremia, so infection requires timely and accurate identification in clinical practice. There are a few case reports describing the range of infections caused by S. constellatus, which include intracardiac, thoracic, intracranial, and abdominal infections. Here we report the first case of thigh abscess caused by S. constellatus subsp. constellatus which was rarely insensitive to penicillin in a patient with exacerbation of bronchiectasis. The patient improved significantly after receiving antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone and vancomycin, as well as percutaneous catheter drainage guided by color ultrasonography. The thigh abscess did not recur during follow-up. This case report demonstrates that although S. constellatus is a rare infectious pathogen, it is important to gain a better understanding of the range of possible infections to ensure timely diagnosis. Furthermore, although the prognosis of most patients with such infections is relatively good, the timely identify the resistant strains and administration of sensitive antibiotics along with abscess drainage may ensure effective treatment.

OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of a novel endoscopic closure technique in repairing gastric wall defects after endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) of gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs) originating from the muscularis propria layer. METHODS From December 2016 to December 2019, patients with gastric submucosal tumors were enrolled and clinicopathological data were collected. All SMTs were resected by EFTR and gastric wall defects were closed using a novel endoscopic closure technique. The feasibility, efficacy, and safety were evaluated. RESULTS A total of 21 patients with gastric SMTs were included in this study. Among the included SMTs, 15 tumors were located in the fundus of the stomach, and 6 were located in the upper body of the stomach. The average size of the lesions was 2.3 cm (range: 1.9-2.5 cm). All patients underwent EFTR and the gastric wall defect was closed by endoscopic closure. The average endoscopic closure time was 9 min (range: 7-15 min) and the average hospitalization stay length was five days (range: 4-6 days). One patient developed abdominal pain on the first day after the procedure and their body temperature increased; he received treatments such as anti-infection, antacid, and gastrointestinal decompression and was cured and discharged after 4 days. No instance of delayed bleeding, postoperative gastrointestinal fistula, or abdominal infection occurred. No case was transferred to surgery. The postoperative pathology profile included 18 stromal tumors and 3 leiomyomas. During the follow-up period (6-24 months), no case of residual or recurrence was recorded. CONCLUSION The described endoscopic loop ligation technique is feasible, effective, and safe for repairing gastric wall defects after EFTR for gastric submucosal tumors originating from the muscularis propria layer.

Objective: The objective of the study is to find out the resistance pattern of pathogenic organisms isolated from intra-abdominal infection (IAI). Methods: A total of 500 samples were collected from suspected IAIs of patients reporting to the hospital and cultured. Identification of the isolates was done using standard identification protocol. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and interpretation was done using Central Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. Results: Out of 500 samples, 170 were culture positive and 330 showed no growth. Gram-negative organisms (n=127) outnumbered the Gram-positive organisms (n=23). Among the Gram-negative organisms, Escherichia coli (n=67) was the most commonly isolated bacilli followed by Klebsiella sp. (n=32), Pseudomonas sp. (n=25), Acinetobacter baumannii (n=18), and Klebsiella oxytoca (n=05). Among Gram-positive organisms Staphylococcus aureus (n=17) and Enterococcus spp (n=06) isolates of were grown in culture. Among Gram-negative bacilli, Imipenem followed by Gentamicin was the most effective drug but in Acinetobacter spp. The second most effective drug was Tigecycline. Among Gram-positive isolates, Linezolid was the most effective drug. Conclusion: Prompt starting of empirical antimicrobials based on the local susceptibility pattern, followed by modification of treatment in accordance with the antimicrobial susceptibility report can significantly reduce the morbidity and the mortality associated with IAIs.

We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) as markers of infection, sepsis and as predictors of antibiotic response after non-emergency major abdominal surgery. We enrolled, from June 2015 to June 2019, all patients who underwent surgery due to abdominal infection (peritoneal abscess, peritonitis) or having sepsis episode after surgical procedures (i.e. hepatectomy, bowel perforation, pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), segmental resection of the duodenum (SRD) or biliary reconstruction in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Serum CRP (cut-off value < 5 mg/L) and PCT (cut-off value < 0.1mcg/L) were measured in the day when fever was present or within 24 h after abdominal surgery. Both markers were assessed every 48 h to follow-up antibiotic response and disease evolution up to disease resolution. We enrolled a total of 260 patients underwent non-emergency major abdominal surgery and being infected or developing infection after surgical procedure with one or more microbes (55% mixed Gram-negative infection including Klebsiella KPC, 35% Gram-positive infection, 10% with Candida infection), 58% of patients had ICU admission for at least 96 h, 42% of patients had fast track ICU (48 h). In our group of patients, we found that PCT had a trend to increase after surgical procedure; particularly, those undergoing liver surgery had higher PCT than those underwent different abdominal surgery (U Mann-Whitney p < 0.05). CRP rapidly increase after surgery in those developing infection and showed a statistical significant decrease within 48 h in those subject being responsive to antibiotic treatment and having a clinical response within 10 days independently form the pathogens (bacterial or fungal). Further we found that those having CRP higher than 250 mg/L had a reduced percentage of success treatment at 10 days compared to those < 250 mg/mL (U Mann-Whitney p < 0.05). PCT did not show any variation according to treatment response. CRP in our cohort seems to be a useful marker to predict antibiotic response in those undergoing non-emergency abdominal surgery, while PCT seem to be increased in those having major liver surgery, probably due to hepatic production of cytokines.

Background: To investigate the risk factors for enterococcal intra-abdominal infections (EIAIs) and the association between EIAIs and outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: We rev...

Background: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of cefoperazone–sulbactam against alternative antibiotics in the treatment of intra-abdo...

BACKGROUND Pylephlebitis is a rare condition, poorly recognized by clinicians and with few references. In this case, the clinical appearance resembled the clinical course of a pancreatic cancer and was originated by the ingestion of a fish bone, making the case more interesting and rare. CASE SUMMARY A 79-year-old female presented to the emergency department with fever, loss of appetite and jaundice. Tenderness in the right upper quadrant was present. Inflammation marker were high. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed gallstones and aspects compatible with acute pancreatitis. The patient was admitted to surgery ward and has her condition aggravated. A magnetic resonance revealed multifocal liver lesions. Later, a cholangiopancreatography and an endoscopic ultrasound (US) were able to diagnose the condition. Specific treatment was implemented and the patient made a complete recovery. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this case report demonstrates for the first time the diagnosis of an unusual case of pylephlebitis complicated by the migration of a fish bone, mimicking metastatic pancreatic cancer. Clinical presentation and traditional imaging studies, such as transabdominal US and CT, remain the standard for diagnosing this condition.

Objective Hepatic portal pneumatosis has a high mortality rate, and whether surgical intervention is necessary remains controversial. This experiment retrospectively analyzed the etiology, treatment methods and prognosis of adult patients with hepatoportal pneumocele to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of this disease. Methods We analyzed the clinical symptoms and post-treatment of a 43-year-old male patient with HPVG admitted to hospital. We retrieved adult non-iatrogenic HPVG cases with complete clinical data in PUBMED, and MEDLINE and other databases were retrieved for analysis, and summarized the pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, pathogenesis, pathogenesis and prognosis of different treatment schemes were summarized. Results The main etiology of HPVG are intestinal ischemia (27%), severe enteritis/intestinal perforation/intestinal fistula (16%), intestinal obstruction (7%), abdominal infection (7%), gastric diseases (11%), appendicitis and its complications (5%), acute hemorrhage or necrotizing pancreatitis (5%), Crohn's disease and its complications (4%), trauma (traffic accidents, falls) (2%), diverticulitis and perforation (6%), nephrogenic diseases (4%), spontaneous pneumohepatic portal vein (2%), other reasons (4%). And after analysis, we found that the survival rate of patients treated by surgery was 40.5% and the mortality rate was 19.1%, the difference between the two was significant. Conclusions Etiology should be actively explored and surgical treatment is necessary.

Objective: To study the clinical diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index, PCT, and CRP in patients with acute pancreatitis with abdominal infection. Methods: A number of patients with acute pancreatitis (n = 234) participated in the study. According to the infection and health conditions, they were further divided into the non-infection group (n = 122), infection group (n = 78), and sepsis group (n = 34), and 40 healthy subjects were selected in the control group (n = 40). Expression levels of infection indexes, such as CD64 index, PCT, and CRP, were detected and compared. ROC curves were drawn to compare the efficacy of each index in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis with abdominal infection and sepsis. The study was retrospectively registered under the China Clinical Trial Registry as a trial number ChiCTR2100054308. Results: All indexes were significantly higher in three clinical groups than the healthy control group (p < 0.05). The CD64 index, CD64 positive rate, and PCT in the infected group were significantly higher than those in the uninfected group (ALL p < 0.05). The PCT of patients infected with Gram-negative bacteria was significantly higher than that of Gram-positive bacteria-infected patients (p < 0.05). CD64 index had the best diagnostic efficiency for acute pancreatitis infection, with 82.14% sensitivity, 88.51% specificity, and 0.707 Youden indexes. The CD64 Youden index (0.780) for sepsis diagnosis was the highest, while the AUC of PCT was the highest (0.897). Conclusion: CD64 index combined with PCT has good sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing acute pancreatitis infection and sepsis.

Summary. Purpose of the reserche. To study changes in microflora and sensitivity of isolated strains to antibiotics using bacteriological research methods for intra-abdominal infections and peritonitis to determine their resistance when planning antibiotic therapy. Results and discussion. The paper presents data from a retrospective analysis of the results of studies of microflora and its resistance in intra-abdominal infections (IAI) and peritonitis for 2 periods: I period — from january 2007 to december 2008, II period — from january 2018 to december 2019. The difference between period II and I was in the increase in the number of individual pathogenic strains of microorganisms. Thus, the number of Klebsiella spp. increased from 13.8 % to 23.8 %, which in absolute number of their total number amounted to a 73.5 %, ranking second in the overall structure among pathogens sown in IAI and peritonitis. The number of strains of Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter spp. has also increased by 2.4–5.8 % respectively. Among the strains Klebsiella spp., E. coli and Staphylococcus spp. the number of poly- and multi-polyresistant forms has increased. Thus, the number of such forms among Klebsiella spp. increased from 19.2 to 44.5 %, Staphylococcus spp. — from 43.8 to 67.1 % and E. coli from 18.2 to 23.5 %, respectively. Conclusions. Over the past 10 years, with IAI and peritonitis, the most significant changes were revealed on the part of pathogenic strains of Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Acinetobacter spp. Multidrug resistant strains were predominantly susceptible to carbapenems, semisynthetic ureidopenicillins, aminoglycosides, glycopeptides, oxazalidinones, phosphonoic acid derivatives. In the context of changes in the microbial landscape observed over the past decade, an increase in the number of poly- and multi-resistant forms of pathogenic microorganisms in IAI and peritonitis, the choice of antibiotics for rational therapy should be based solely on bacterioscopy and antibiograms.

Hao Tang, Dong Liu, Yong Guo, Huayu Zhang, Yang Li, Xiaoyu Peng, Yaoli Wang, Dongpo Jiang, Lianyang Zhang, Zhengguo Wang Wound Trauma Medical Center, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhengguo Wang; Lianyang Zhang Email hpzhangly@163.com; dpzhangly@163.comObjective: This study is the largest clinical study of noninvasive Abdominal wall tension (AWT) measurement with a tensiometer to date. It also initially applies a polynomial regression equation to analyze the correlation between AWT measurement and intravesical pressure (IVP) measurement and remarkably finds interesting changes between different IVP intervals and AWT.Methods: Critically ill patients who were treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, from August 30, 2018, to June 30, 2020, and met the inclusion criteria were prospectively included in this study. The patients were divided into an intra-abdominal hypertension group and a non-intra-abdominal hypertension group and an abdominal infection group and no abdominal infection group. AWT and IVP were measured at 9 points on the abdominal wall on the first day after admission to the ICU. The correlations between AWTs and IVP were analyzed, and the role of AWT in the diagnosis of complications of abdominal infection and the prediction of adverse prognosis were analyzed.Results: A total of 127 patients were included. The average AWT and IVP were 2.77± 0.38 N/mm and 12.31± 7.01 mmHg, respectively, on the first day of admission. There was a positive correlation between AWT and IVP (correlation coefficient r = 0.706, p < 0.05). The polynomial regression model was AWT= -1.616× 10− 3 IVP2 +8.323× 10− 2 IVP+2.094. The cutoff value of the sensitivity and specificity of AWT for the diagnosis of abdominal infection was 2.57 N/mm. Furthermore, AWT = 2.57 N/mm had the best diagnostic efficiency, which was better than that of IAH and lactate.Conclusion: There was a correlation between AWT and IVP. AWT measurement was helpful in the diagnosis of IAH and abdominal infection complications and can therefore serve as a new method for the clinical diagnosis of IVP and abdominal infection.Keywords: intra-abdominal hypertension, abdominal wall tension, intra-abdominal pressure, abdominal compliance, abdominal infection

Hao Tang, Dong Liu, Yong Guo, Huayu Zhang, Yang Li, Xiaoyu Peng, Yaoli Wang, Dongpo Jiang, Lianyang Zhang, Zhengguo Wang Wound Trauma Medical Center, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhengguo Wang; Lianyang Zhang Email hpzhangly@163.com; dpzhangly@163.comObjective: This study is the largest clinical study of noninvasive Abdominal wall tension (AWT) measurement with a tensiometer to date. It also initially applies a polynomial regression equation to analyze the correlation between AWT measurement and intravesical pressure (IVP) measurement and remarkably finds interesting changes between different IVP intervals and AWT.Methods: Critically ill patients who were treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, from August 30, 2018, to June 30, 2020, and met the inclusion criteria were prospectively included in this study. The patients were divided into an intra-abdominal hypertension group and a non-intra-abdominal hypertension group and an abdominal infection group and no abdominal infection group. AWT and IVP were measured at 9 points on the abdominal wall on the first day after admission to the ICU. The correlations between AWTs and IVP were analyzed, and the role of AWT in the diagnosis of complications of abdominal infection and the prediction of adverse prognosis were analyzed.Results: A total of 127 patients were included. The average AWT and IVP were 2.77± 0.38 N/mm and 12.31± 7.01 mmHg, respectively, on the first day of admission. There was a positive correlation between AWT and IVP (correlation coefficient r = 0.706, p < 0.05). The polynomial regression model was AWT= -1.616× 10− 3 IVP2 +8.323× 10− 2 IVP+2.094. The cutoff value of the sensitivity and specificity of AWT for the diagnosis of abdominal infection was 2.57 N/mm. Furthermore, AWT = 2.57 N/mm had the best diagnostic efficiency, which was better than that of IAH and lactate.Conclusion: There was a correlation between AWT and IVP. AWT measurement was helpful in the diagnosis of IAH and abdominal infection complications and can therefore serve as a new method for the clinical diagnosis of IVP and abdominal infection.Keywords: intra-abdominal hypertension, abdominal wall tension, intra-abdominal pressure, abdominal compliance, abdominal infection

Background: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE)-related infections are a problem in public health at present, including intra-abdominal infections (IAI) and surgical populations. The a...

Background The efficacy and safety of tigecycline in the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) is potentially controversial. Here we conducted the non-inferiority study to assess the efficacy and safety of tigecycline versus meropenem in the treatment of postoperative cIAIs. Methods Data of abdominal tumor surgery patients with postoperative cIAIs admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) between October 2017 and December 2019 were collected. A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted in which 56 eligible patients with cIAIs randomly received intravenous tigecycline or meropenem for 3 to 14 days. Patients and clinicians were not blinded to the group allocation. Results The total of 56 patients were enrolled, which were divided into 2 groups, one group included 30 patients receiving meropenem and another group included 26 receiving tigecycline therapy. The 2 groups were similar at demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. Microorganisms were isolated from 46 of 56 patients (82.14%), with a total of 107 pathogens were cultured in two groups. The two groups had similar distribution of infecting microorganisms. The primary end point was the clinical response at the end-oftherapy (EOT) visit and upon discharge visit and comprehensive efficacy. The clinical success rates were 83.33%, 76.67% for meropenem versus 76.92%, 88.46% for tigecycline at the EOT visit and upon discharge visit (P>0.05), respectively. Comprehensive efficacy did not significantly differ between two groups either. There were no significant differences in 30-day and 60-day all-cause mortality between two groups (P>0.05). The univariable analysis identified that serum albumin at admission ICU, colorectal cancer on oncology type, postoperative abdominal bleeding were the risk factors for 60-day all-cause mortality. The multivariable analysis showed that postoperative abdominal bleeding were independent predictors of 60-day all-cause mortality. Gastrointestinal disorders and antibacterials-induced Fungal Infection were the most frequently reported adverse events (AEs). The incidence of AEs was similar between meropenem and tigecycline groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Taken together, the study demonstrated that tigecycline is as effective and safe as meropenem for postoperative cIAIs in abdominal tumors patients. Tigecycline is non-inferior to meropenem.

Background Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a Gram-negative capnophilic rod and part of dogs/cats’ normal oral flora. It can be transmitted by bites, scratches, or even by contact of saliva with injured skin. Asplenic patients and patients with alcohol abuse are at particular risk for fulminant C. canimorsus sepsis. However, also immunocompetent patients can have a severe or even fatal infection. This is the first case of a severe C. canimorsus infection in an immunocompromised host complicated by acute renal cortical necrosis with a “reverse rim sign” in contrast-enhanced computed tomography on hospital admission. Case presentation We report the case of a 44-year functionally asplenic patient after an allogeneic stem cell transplantation, who presented with septic shock after a minor dog bite injury 4 days prior. Because of abdominal complaints, epigastric pain with local peritonism, and radiological gallbladder wall thickening, an abdominal focus was suspected after the initial work-up. The patient underwent emergent open cholecystectomy, but the clinical suspicion of abdominal infection was not confirmed. Septic shock was further complicated by cardiomyopathy and disseminated intravascular coagulation. As a causative pathogen, C. canimorsus could be isolated. The clinical course was complicated by permanent hemodialysis and extensive acral necrosis requiring amputation of several fingers and both thighs. Conclusion We present a severe case of a C. canimorsus infection in a functionally asplenic patient after a minor dog bite. The clinical course was complicated by septic shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and the need for multiple amputations. In addition, the rare form of acute renal failure - bilateral acute renal cortical necrosis – was visible as “reverse rim sign” on computed tomography scan. This case is an example of the potential disastrous consequences when omitting pre-emptive antibiotic therapy in wounds inflicted by cats and dogs, particularly in asplenic patients.

Background There is no one-size-fits-all empiric antimicrobial therapy for sepsis because the pathogens vary according to the site of infection and have changed over time. Therefore, updating knowledge on the spectrum of pathogens is necessary for the rapid administration of appropriate antimicrobials. Objective The aim of this study was to elucidate the current spectrum of pathogens and its variation by site of infection in sepsis. Methods This was a prospective nationwide cohort study of consecutive adult patients with sepsis in 59 intensive care units in Japan. The spectrum of pathogens was evaluated in all patients and in subgroups by site of infection. Regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between the pathogens and mortality. Results The study cohort comprised 1184 patients. The most common pathogen was Escherichia coli (21.5%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.0%). However, the pattern varied widely by site of infection; for example, gram-positive bacteria were the dominant pathogen in bone/soft tissue infection (55.7%) and cardiovascular infection (52.6%), but were rarely identified in urinary tract infection (6.4%). In contrast, gram-negative bacteria were the predominant pathogens in abdominal infection (38.4%) and urinary tract infection (72.0%). The highest mortality of 47.5% was observed in patients infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which was significantly associated with an increased risk of death (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.22–2.91). Conclusions This study revealed the current spectrum of pathogens and its variation based on the site of infection, which is essential for empiric antimicrobial therapy against sepsis.

Background Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a critical activator of inflammation. Circulating mtDNA released causes lung injury in experimental models. We hypothesized that elevated plasma mtDNA levels are associated with acute lung injury (ALI) in septic patients. Methods We enrolled 66 patients with sepsis admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2019 and October 2019. Respiratory, hemodynamic and bedside echocardiographic parameters were recorded. Plasma mtDNA, procalcitonin, interleukin 6, and interleukin 8 levels were examined. Results Plasma mtDNA levels within 24 h after admission were significantly increased in the group of septic patients with ALI [5.01 (3.38–6.64) vs 4.13 (3.20–5.07) log copies/µL, p 0.0172]. mtDNA levels were independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 3.2052; 95% CI 1.1608–8.8500; p 0.0253) and ALI risk (odds ratio 2.7506; 95% CI 1.1647–6.4959; p 0.0210). Patients with high mtDNA levels had worse outcomes, and post hoc tests showed significant differences in 28-day survival rates. Increased mtDNA levels were seen in patients with abdominal infection. Conclusions Increased plasma mtDNA levels within 24 h after admission were significantly associated with ALI incidence and mortality in septic patients.

Study objective Intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) are a common reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an uncommon pathogen in IAIs. Although more data are available in the setting of non-abdominal sources, there are limited data on the performance of nasal MRSA screening for MRSA IAIs. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of nasal MRSA screening for MRSA IAIs in critically ill adult patients. Design This was a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study. Setting A 14-hospital healthcare system between January 1, 2014, and August 31, 2019. Patients Adult patients admitted to an ICU for at least 24 h with a diagnosis code for an IAI, a nasal MRSA surveillance screen within 30 days, and an intra-abdominal culture were eligible for inclusion. Intervention The primary outcome was to evaluate the performance of nasal MRSA screening for MRSA IAIs by calculating the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Measurements and main results Out of 863 patients randomly screened, a total of 192 patients were included. The study population had a mean age of 60 (SD ±15) years, and 101 (53%) patients were male. Six (3.1%) patients were positive for an MRSA IAI, of which four (66.7%) demonstrated a positive nasal MRSA screen. A total of 186 (96.8%) patients were negative for a MRSA IAI, of which 19 (10.2%) were nasal MRSA-positive and 167 (89.8%) were nasal MRSA-negative. Nasal MRSA screening demonstrated the following performance: accuracy 89.1% (95% CI: 83.8%-93.1%), sensitivity 66.7% (95% CI: 22.3%-95.7%), specificity 89.8% (95% CI: 84.5%-93.7%), PPV 17.4% (95% CI: 9.4%-30.0%), and NPV 98.8% (95% CI: 96.4%-99.6%). There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes, including renal replacement-free days, ICU and hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Conclusions Among critically ill adult patients with IAIs, a negative nasal MRSA screen within 30 days may help to empirically exclude MRSA as a causative pathogen.

OBJECTIVES: To describe real-world use of tigecycline in cIAIs patients. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study enrolled cIAIs patients hospitalized in The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University from January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017 was conducted. Patients’ data were collected and matched based on age, gender, and Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score according to receiving first-line, later-line, or no tigecycline during hospitalization. RESULTS: Data were collected for 52 patients. 82.6% were male. Mean age was 57.8 years and APACHE II score was 14.8. The incidence of both extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing and carbapenem-resistant pathogens was high on initial culture; however, few patients received first-line tigecycline. No significant difference in mortality rate was identified among first-line, later-line and no tigecycline users. Of surviving patients, shorter hospital length of stay was observed for patients receiving first- vs later-line or no tigecycline, respectively. ICU length-of-stay was shorter in patients receiving first- vs later-line or no tigecycline. CONCLUSIONS: First-line tigecycline use was rare in our surgical intensive care unit. Resistant organisms were commonly cultured from initial specimens. Although these results are limited by small patient numbers and single center, our results suggest that early tigecycline use may have significant benefits with similar mortality. Further research is warranted to demonstrate the values of early tigecycline use in cIAIs patients.

Cerebral abscesses of odontogenic origin are uncommon. Cerebral abscesses are often caused by cardiac and pulmonary disease or infections such as skin or abdominal infections. However, there have been some reported incidences of cerebral abscesses caused by odontogenic infection. This paper aims to discuss a case report whereby an odontogenic infection was the most probable cause of a cerebral abscess in a paediatric patient. CPD/Clinical Relevance: To discuss the importance of oral disease as a potential causative factor for cerebral infection.

Background: Sepsis, which is a common inflammatory response to severe infection, is one of the major causes of mortality in hospitalized patients. Sepsis, severe sepsis or sepsis syndrome, and eventually septic shock, may be seen in the development of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term mortality in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in centers with low antibiotic resistance. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, blood culture samples and peripheral blood samples were taken from all patients for para-clinical tests. The severity of severe sepsis and septic shock was assessed by the APACHE II and SOFA clinical criteria. Sepsis risk factors and primary causes of sepsis were recorded. Results: From 100 patients, 55% had severe sepsis and 45% had septic shock. SOFA24h and SOFA96h scores were significantly higher in patients with septic shock. The most common primary cause of sepsis was related to abdominal infections with a frequency of 42%. The frequency of confirmed positive blood culture was 53%. The most commonly isolated pathogen was E.coli with a frequency of 66%. Short-term mortality was 29% and long-term mortality was 28.2%. Conclusion: The main risk factors affecting the mortality of patients were age-related septic shock, cardiovascular disease; hypertension, immunosuppression, and SOFA score.

Background: Complicated intra-abdominal infections are still associated with a high risk of an unfavorable outcome. Despite the equal treatment, the mortality rates in some patients’ populations remain significant, especially when the impaired immune response is present. Aim: The object of this research is to analyze the impact of pro-inflammatory neutrophil CD64 and anti-inflammatory monocyte HLA-DR on the final outcome. Methods: We have searched in the PubMed database, the literature relating the prognostic value of two biomarkers - nCD64 and mHLA-DR in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections and/or sepsis. Results: Eighteen original studies with 2960 patients fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The data about nCD64 that we found was contradictory, whereas low mHLA-DR expression showed good prognostic value. Conclusion : Our review showed heterogeneous data about nCD64 survival prediction. Further investigations with surgical patients exclusively are needed to evaluate its prognostic value in cIAIs. However, we observed a good prognostic performance of low mHLA-DR expression. After a validation in larger multicentre studies, mHLA-DR could be used as promising prognostic biomarker in cIAIs.

Purpose The role of prophylactic abdominal drainage in total gastrectomy is not well-established. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of abdominal drainage in the prevention and management of major intra-abdominal complications after total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 499 patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma in a high-volume institution. The patients were divided into drainage and non-drainage groups and compared for the development and management of major intra-abdominal complications, including anastomotic leak, abdominal bleeding, abdominal infection, and pancreatic fistulas. Results The drainage group included 388 patients and the non-drainage group included 111 patients. The 2 groups showed no significant differences in clinicopathological characteristics or operative procedures, except for more frequent D2 lymphadenectomies in the drainage group. After surgery, the overall morbidity (drainage group vs. non-drainage group: 24.7% vs. 28.8%, P=0.385) and incidence of major intra-abdominal complications (6.4% vs. 6.3%, P=0.959) did not significantly differ between the two groups. The non-drainage group showed no significant increase in the incidence rate of major intra-abdominal complications in the subgroups divided by age, sex, comorbidity, operative approach, body mass index, extent of lymphadenectomy, and pathological stage. Abdominal drainage had no significant impact on early diagnosis, secondary intervention or reoperation, or recovery from major intra-abdominal complications. Conclusions Prophylactic abdominal drainage showed little demonstrable benefit in the prevention and management of major intra-abdominal complications of total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.

Background: Fungal infections are associated with increased morbidity and death. Few studies have examined risk factors associated with post-operative fungal intra-abdominal infections (FIAIs) in t...

Background: Most remote areas have restricted access to healthcare services and are too small andremote to sustain specialist services. In 2017, the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) published guidelines for the management of intra-abdominal infections. Many hospitals, especially those in remote areas, continue to face logistical barriers, leading to an overall poorer adherence to international guidelines. Methods: The aim of this paper is to report and amend the 2017 WSES guidelines for the management of intra-abdominal infections, extending these recommendations for remote areas and low-income countries. A literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE databases was conducted covering the period up until June 2020. Results: The critical shortages of healthcare workers and material resources in remote areas require the use of a robust triage system. A combination of abdominal signs and symptoms with early warning signs may be used to screen patients needing immediate acute care surgery. A tailored diagnostic step-up approach based on the hospital's resources is recommended. Ultrasound and plain X-ray may be useful diagnostic tools in remote areas. The source of infection should be totally controlled as soon as possible. Conclusions: The cornerstones of effective treatment for intra-abdominal infections in remote areas include early diagnosis, prompt resuscitation, early source control, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Standardization in applying the guidelines is mandatory to adequately manage intra-abdominal infections. (c) 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:13:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-10-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Difference in blood and peritoneal glucose (DBPG) is used in clinical practice to support a diagnosis of septic peritonitis in horses. It is inexpensive, easy and rapid to perform. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the DBPG to differentiate between septic and non-septic peritonitis in horses. Blood and peritoneal fluids were harvested from suspected animals. Plasma and peritoneal glucose levels, total nucleated cell count, direct microscopic and microbiological examinations of the peritoneal fluid were evaluated. Using DBPG levels, the animals were classified into two groups: difference ≥ 50 mg/dL (positive test) and difference < 50 mg/dL (negative test). Positive microbiological examination and/or presence of bacteria in direct microscopic examination was used as a gold standard to detect septic peritonitis. The accuracy parameters analysed were: sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values, for which the results were respectively: 0.23, 0.91, 0.60 and 0.67. Due to poor accuracy, other cut-off margins and peritoneal glucose concentrations were evaluated. The test was considered most accurate when the DBPG was zero with sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values of 0.85, 0.82, 0.73, 0.90 respectively. Peritoneal glucose concentrations alone were not a reliable feature to detect peritonitis. DBPG ≥50 mg/dL, widely used for the diagnosis of septic peritonitis, does not have a good accuracy and the DBPG = 0 has a better accuracy for detecting the disease. Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Internal Medicine Botucatu Medical School Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Veterinary Clinics School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Internal Medicine Botucatu Medical School Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) Department of Veterinary Clinics School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp) FAPESP: 2016/08712-8 e 2018/ 16013-8

Background & aims. In septic older patients, hospitalization in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is often associated with unfavourable outcomes. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of geriatric age in patients admitted to ICU for abdominal sepsis and to investigate predictors of mortality, including quickSOFA, a recent prognostic index proposed for septic patients. Methods. Prospective observational study on patients admitted to ICU of St. Anna Hospital (Ferrara) between January and July 2016 with the following inclusion criteria: 1) adults (18 years); 2) abdominal infection treated with surgically techniques; 3) admission to ICU. Demographic, clinical data and survival at 30 and 90-day were collected for each patient. Results. Thirty patients were enrolled, and the majority of geriatric patients (80% ≥ 65 years and 53% ≥ 75 years). The 30 and 90-day mortality was 17 and 37%, respectively. Almost all deaths occurred in older age (mortality rate of 42%). SOFA (Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment) score was the prognostic index most frequently associated with exitus at 30 (AUC = 0.702) and 90 days (AUC = 0.730). quickSOFA was only related to early mortality (AUC = 0.640). Conclusions. Our data confirm the high geriatric prevalence among patients admitted to ICU for abdominal sepsis, underlining the advanced age as a negative prognostic factor. SOFA score appears a reliable prognostic indicator of mortality, also in older population, while quickSOFA proved effective only for short-term mortality.

BACKGROUND Postoperative fluid overload may increase the risk of developing pulmonary complications and other adverse outcomes. We evaluated the impact of excessive fluid administration on postoperative outcomes in critically ill patients. METHODS We reviewed the medical records of 320 patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) after emergency abdominal surgery for complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) between January 2013 and December 2018. The fluid balance data of the patients were reviewed for a maximum of 7 days. The patients were grouped based on average daily fluid balance with a cutoff value of 20 ml/kg/day. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the underlying differences between the groups. RESULTS Patients with an average daily fluid balance of ≥20 ml/kg/day were associated with higher rates of 30-day mortality (11.8% vs. 2.4%; P=0.036) than those with lower fluid balance (

As well as inflammatory bowel disease, there are a number of other conditions which either predispose to or cause perianal disease. For the most part, these are relatively simple and can be managed by a local specialist but there are cases where more nuanced approach is needed and where tertiary referral maybe more appropriate. In particular, rarer forms of perianal disease such as complex cryptoglandular fistula, rectovaginal fistula (RVF) and those associated with ileoanal pouches are associated with high levels of morbidity, risk and treatment failure. Experience in patient selection, multiple reparative techniques and identifying rare causes are crucial, and where evidence is lacking, this experience is the surgeon’s only weapon. The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland have recently released an updated position statement on anal fistula, once again recognising its complexity and often a lack of high-level evidence for treatment.1 A greater proportion of men suffer from anorectal abscess than women and these occur at a mean age of 40 in both sexes.2–4 Known risk factors associated with developing an abscess include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), smoking and HIV.5 The most commonly reported symptoms are pain and discharge, causing social embarrassment and loss of quality of life (QoL).6–9 It is thought that approximately 90% of abscesses occur due to cryptoglandular suppuration, with infection of the intersphincteric anal glands which lubricate the passage of stool.10 11 The remaining ~10% of cases are caused by Crohn’s disease (CD), abdominal infections tracking caudally (eg, diverticulitis), penetrative causes (eg, animal bones or by anal digitation),12 perforated cancers (eg, rectal or anal) or post radiotherapy, penetrating ulcers,13 tuberculosis (TB),14 actinomycosis15 or from a complication of local surgical procedures (eg, haemorrhoidectomy, episiotomy) or medical treatment (with nicorandil, which causes perianal or peristomal ulceration …

Introduction Patients are at risk of abdominal rebleeding after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for pancreatitis-related pseudoaneurysm, which increases the mortality rate. Aim This study was performed to evaluate the effects of an intestinal fistula (IF) and the anatomical location of the pseudoaneurysm on abdominal rebleeding after TAE of a ruptured pseudoaneurysm associated with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Material and methods From February 2013 to November 2019, 24 patients with SAP-related pseudoaneurysm rupture and hemorrhage in our hospital underwent TAE. All patients' epidemiological data and related medical histories were collected and statistically analyzed. We classified the pseudoaneurysms as type I, II, and III according to their anatomical locations and as type A (without an IF) and type B (with an IF). Results The interventions for abdominal infection in patients with type I pseudoaneurysms were percutaneous drainage in 6 patients, endoscopic necrotic tissue removal in 5, and surgical necrotic tissue removal or enterostomy in none, with a rebleeding rate of 33.3% (3/9 patients). The interventions for abdominal infection in patients with type II pseudoaneurysms were percutaneous drainage in 7 patients, endoscopy in three, and surgery in one, with a rebleeding rate of 20.0% (2/10 patients). The interventions for abdominal infection in patients with type III pseudoaneurysms were percutaneous drainage in 3 patients, endoscopy in 1, and surgery in 2, with a rebleeding rate of 80.0% (4/5 patients). There was no statistically significant difference in the types of interventions for abdominal infection among patients with type I, II, and III pseudoaneurysms (p = 0.355) or in the rate of abdominal rebleeding after TAE for type III pseudoaneurysms (p = 0.111). The interventions for abdominal infection in patients with type A pseudoaneurysms were percutaneous drainage in 13 patients, endoscopy in 6, and surgery in 1, with a rebleeding rate of 22.2% (4/18 patients) and mortality rate of 11.1% (2/18 patients). The interventions for abdominal infection in patients with type B pseudoaneurysms were percutaneous drainage in 3 patients, endoscopy in 3, and surgery in 2, with a rebleeding rate of 83.3% (5/6 patients) and mortality rate of 66.7% (4/6 patients). There was no significant difference in the types of interventions for abdominal infection in patients with and without IF (p = 0.215); however, the rebleeding rate and mortality rate were significantly higher in patients with IF (p = 0.015 and 0.018, respectively). Conclusions IF may increase the rate of abdominal rebleeding after TAE for ruptured SAP-related pseudoaneurysms, while the anatomical location of the pseudoaneurysm may not affect the rate of rebleeding after TAE.

Our purpose was to explore the status of laparoscopic radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (LRRHcca) in Mainland China. Studies published before February 2020 were retrieved from CNKI database, Pubmed database and Wanfang database. Search terms included "hilar cholangiocarcinoma", "Klatskin tumor", "laparoscopy", "radical operation". Relevant articles regarding LRRHcca in Mainland China were also retrieved. 13 articles were included in this study, with a total of 189 cases. The operation time was 354 min (weighed average, WA), and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 324 mL (WA). The rate of negative margin (R0 rate) was 95.2%, and the number of lymph nodes received was 9.5 (WA). 2.6% of cases were converted to laparotomy. The incidence of postoperative complications was 21.2%, with 3.2% for those classified as Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3, 12.2% for bile leakage, 1.6% for postoperative abdominal hemorrhage, 1.6% for liver insufficiency, and 1.1% for abdominal infection. In-hospital mortality was 0.5%, with mean postoperative hospital stay of 15 days (WA), and the rate of reoperation was 1.1%. The mean postoperative follow-up time was 16 months (WA), and 1-year overall survival rate was 84.5%. In conclusions, laparoscopic radical hilar cholangiocarcinoma is safe and feasible in experienced hands after careful selection of HCCA cases.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of early enteral nutrition on outcomes of trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: Clinical data of trauma patients in the ICU of Daping Hospital, China from January 2012 to December 2017 was retrospectively analyzed, including patient age, gender, injury mechanism, injury severity score (ISS), nutritional treatment, postoperative complications (wound infection, abdominal abscess, anastomotic rupture, pneumonia), mortality, and adverse events (nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention). Only adult trauma patients who developed bloodstream infection after surgery for damage control were included. Patients were divided into early enteral nutrition group (48 h). Data of all trauma patients were collected by the same investigator. Data were expressed as frequency (percentage), mean ± standard deviation (normal distribution), or median (Q1, Q3) (non-normal distribution) and analyzed by Chi-square test, Student's t-test, or rank-sum test accordingly. Multiple logistic regression analysis was further adopted to investigate the significant variables with enteral nutrition. Results: Altogether 876 patients were assessed and 110 were eligible for this study, including 93 males and 17 females, with the mean age of (50.0 ± 15.4) years. Traffic accidents (46 cases, 41.8%) and fall from height (31 cases, 28.2%) were the dominant injury mechanism. There were 68 cases in the early enteral nutrition group and 42 cases in the control group. Comparison of general variables between early enteral nutrition group and control group revealed significant difference regarding surgeries of enterectomy (1.5% vs. 19.0%, p = 0.01), ileum/transverse colon/sigmoid colostomy (4.4% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.01) and operation time (h) (3.2 (1.9, 6.1) vs. 4.2 (1.8, 8.8), p = 0.02). Other variables like ISS (p = 0.31), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation≥20 (p = 0.79), etc. had no obvious difference. Chi-square test showed a much better result in early enteral nutrition group than in control group regarding morality (0 vs. 11.9%, p = 0.03), length of hospital stay (days) (76.8 ± 41.4 vs. 81.4 ± 44.7, p = 0.01) and wound infection (10.3% vs. 26.2%, p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that the incidence of wound infection was related to the duration required to achieve the enteral nutrition standard (OR = 1.095, p = 0.002). Seventy-six patients (69.1%) achieved the nutritional goal within a week and 105 patients (95.5%) in the end. Trauma patients unable to reach the enteral nutrition target within one week were often combined with abdominal infection, peritonitis, bowel resection, intestinal necrosis, intestinal fistula, or septic shock. Conclusion: Early enteral nutrition for trauma patients in the ICU is correlated with less wound infection, lower mortality, and shorter hospital stay.

Objectives: To explore the characteristics of cytokine storm in patients with septic shock after abdominal surgery, examine its relationship with clinical data, and determine intervention timings. Materials and Methods: We prospectively observed a cohort of patients with abdominal infection admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery (shock group). A control group of healthy individuals was used for comparison. Plasma samples and clinical data recorded at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery were collected. Cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-10, monocyte chemotactic protein [MCP]-1, IL-1 β, interferon-γ, IL-12p70, MCP-1α, IL-4, IL-2, and IL-13) were detected using the Luminex® technique. Results: Concentrations of most cytokines were significantly higher in the shock group. When a cytokine storm intensity curve was considered with the vasopressor dependency index and a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, time point of maximum cytokine storm intensity was earlier than that of the maximum vasopressor dependency index and SOFA score in the shock group. Conclusions: Cytokine storm occurred in patients with septic shock shortly after the abdominal surgery and may be a main mechanism leading to septic shock. Cytokine storm interventions should ideally be initiated within 24 h after surgery and be guided by cytokine storm biomarkers.

Background: Intra-abdominal infections are classified as simple or complicated. Many tools have been studied to predict risk factors and outcomes of patients with intra-abdominal infections. None of these tools has been adopted for patient care at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Kenya. Objective: To determine the utility of the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Sepsis Severity Score in predicting short-term outcomes of patients managed for complicated intra-abdominal infections. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based prospective cohort study. Patients aged 18 years and above with complicated intra-abdominal infections were recruited. Data were obtained on demographics, condition at admission, time to source control, origin of infection, immune suppressants and complications. IBM SPSS version 21.0 was used to obtain means and standard deviations while logistic regression was used for associations. Results: A sepsis severity score of 6.5, best predicted mortality having a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 20.9% were obtained. For each unit increase in the WSES scores, the odds of mortality were 2.1, organ dysfunction 2.2, CCU admission 2.1. Conclusion: Our sepsis severity score has demonstrated good performance in our adult population, and also ability to predict adverse outcomes other than mortality in patients managed for intra-abdominal sepsis. Keywords: WSES, Sepsis, Sepsis severity score, Intra-abdominal infections

Abdominal drainage, serving as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool, has been widely applied to prevent complications after major abdominal surgical procedures. However, dislocation of intraperitoneal portion of drainage tube and poor drainage after major surgery has never been detailed. In this retrospective study, we determined whether postoperative abdominal infectious complications are attributed to dislocation of intraperitoneal portion of drainage tube. Patients were recruited from the Department of General Surgery at Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, between June 2015 and June 2018. All of the enrolled patients had undergone different major abdominal surgical procedures with abdominal drainage. According to different fixation methods of the drainage tube, the patients were categorised as follows: group 1 as conventional extra-abdominal fixation where the tubes were fixed on abdominal wall; group 2 as double fixation where the tubes were fixed by both extra-abdominal and intra-abdominal fixation. Among 60 patients (40 in group 1 and 20 in group 2) with suspected postoperative abdominal infection, abdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed to determine the presence of abnormality. Dislocation of drainage tubes, morbidity, treatment, and prognosis were compared between the two groups. None of the patients showed slip knot or drainage tube slipping from the abdomen based on physical examination and CT imaging. Drainage tube was fixed firmly on the abdominal wall. In group 1, 18 (45%) patients developed postoperative complications resulting from abdominal infection where severe dislocation of intraperitoneal portion of drainage tubes was confirmed by CT. Drainage tubes of six cases were significantly dislocated to the anterior abdominal wall from the target area; 7 upper abdominal drainage tubes dislocated to the lower abdomen; and 5 lower abdominal drainage tubes dislocated to the upper abdomen. Common complications included localised peritonitis (n = 4), abdominal abscess (n = 8), and anastomotic leakage (n = 6). Among them, 8 patients were cured by abdominal puncture catheter drainage; 5 underwent secondary operation and 5 were cured by conservative treatment. In group 2, no tube dislocation was identified by CT. Five patients (25%) developed complications, including localised peritonitis (n = 1), abdominal abscess (n = 1), and anastomotic leakage (n = 3). All the five patients were cured by conservative treatment. Postoperative abdominal infection complications can stem from dislocation of intraperitoneal portion of drainage tube and poor drainage after major abdominal surgery. Maintaining the intraperitoneal portion of drainage tube at the proper location, for example, by applying intraabdominal fixation, is paramount to decrease the incidence and severity of postoperative complications.

Complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) are still associated with high morbidity and mortality levels. Early prognostic evaluation is a great challenge, and a serious amount of resources have been used to find the perfect mortality predictor. Monocyte human leukocyte antigen-DR (mHLA-DR) expression has been studied as a biomarker in patients with sepsis and other infections. Our aim was to evaluate the potential prognostic performance of mHLA-DR in patients with cIAIs. Methods: We performed an electronic search of Google Scholar and PubMed databases for articles published before January 2019. The search terms were "HLA-DR," "monocyte HLA-DR," "intra-abdominal infections," "sepsis," "outcome," and "mortality." Results: A total of 12 studies with 761 patients met our inclusion criteria. In 10 studies, poor outcome was predicted by lower mHLA-DR expression, and two studies showed no prognostic value. Conclusion: This review found association between lower mHLA-DR expression and mortality. We concluded that mHLA-DR could be a reliable and meaningful predictor of poor outcome in patients with cIAIs. Nevertheless, more large prospective studies with surgical patients exclusively are needed before using this biomarker in a clinical setting.

ObjectiveTo assess the impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) medications on postoperative infection risk within 30 days of surgery.MethodsWe searched multiple electronic databases and reference lists of articles dating up to August 2018 for prospective and retrospective studies comparing postoperative infection risk in patients treated with an IBD medication perioperatively with the risk in patients who were not taking that medication. Outcomes were overall infectious complications and intra-abdominal infections within 30 days of surgery.ResultsSixty-three studies were included. Overall infectious complications were increased in patients who received anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents (odds ratio [OR] 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.50) and corticosteroids (OR 1.34; 95% CI, 1.25-1.44) and decreased in those who received 5-aminosalicylic acid (OR 0.63; 95% CI, 0.46-0.87). No difference was observed in those treated with immunomodulators (OR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.94-1.25) or anti-integrin agents (OR 1.06; 95% CI, 0.67-1.69). Both corticosteroids and anti-TNF agents were associated with increased intra-abdominal infection risk (OR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.33-2.00 and OR 1.46; 95% CI, 1.08-1.97, respectively), whereas no impact was observed with 5-aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, or anti-integrin therapy. Twenty-two studies had low risk of bias while the remaining studies had very high risk.ConclusionsCorticosteroids and anti-TNF agents were associated with increased overall postoperative infection risk as well as intra-abdominal infection in IBD patients, whereas no increased risk was observed for immunomodulators or anti-integrin therapy. Although these results may result from residual confounding rather than from a true biological effect, prospective studies that control for potential confounding factors are required to generate higher-quality evidence.

Background: Antimicrobial drug resistance in community-acquired (CA) infections is a growing problem. Knowing the local epidemiology is essential to design empirical antibiotic therapy. Therefore, ...

Surgical mesh infections from ventral hernia repairs are common in obese patients. Definitive management includes the surgical removal of mesh; however, obese patients are often poor surgical candidates with limited therapeutic options. We report the case of a 64-year-old male with an abdominal wall seroma secondary to an infected surgical mesh. This was on a background of multiple abdominal wall reconstructions for previous strangulated ventral hernias. A nonoperative novel approach utilizing bromelain percutaneously in conjunction with antibiotics successfully resolved the infected seroma. The purpose of this case is to detail the potential clinical application of bromelain in surgical site infections involving surgical prosthesis. We illustrate the successful use of bromelain as a nonoperative alternative for abdominal infections or when all other surgical and conservative therapies have been exhausted.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the highly elevated CRP levels at admission as a mortality predictor in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs). METHODS: This retrospective study involved 78 adult patients with diagnosis cIAIs admitted to the Department of Surgical Diseases at a University Hospital Stara Zagora from January 2017 to October 2018. CRP concentrations, white blood cells (WBC) count, qSOFA score and SIRS criteria were determined at admission. We compared their prognostic performance using the area under receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curves and analyzed the coordinates of the curves. RESULTS: Of the 78 enrolled patients twenty (25.6%) died during hospitalization. ROC Curve analysis revealed CRP as the best mortality predictor (AUROC = 0.787). The pairwise comparison of ROC curves showed prognostic superiority of CRP compared to WBC (AUROC = 0.787 vs. 0.511, p = 0.0194) and SIRS (AUROC = 0.787 vs. 0.579, p = 0.0315) in outcome prediction. The identified sensitivity and specificity for CRP cut-off value = 210 mg/L were 75.0% and 81.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: We found highly elevated CRP levels at admission as a significant prognostic biomarker in patients with cIAIs.

Drug-induced hemolytic anemia (DIHA) is a rare complication of drug therapy and usually underdiagnosed. Cefoperazone/sulbactam is a compound prepared from the third generation of cephalosporin and β-lactamase inhibitor. There are limited data of DIHA induced from cefoperazone/sulbactam. A 93-year-old female patient, who had an operation on the biliary tract 3 months ago, was admitted to our hospital with an abdominal infection. After cefoperazone/sulbactam was given as anti-infection treatment, the patient developed hemolytic anemia on the third day. Cefoperazone/sulbactam was discontinued and replaced with meropenem. Subsequently the level of red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit returned to normal. Clinicians should pay attention to monitoring the possible adverse reactions during the use of cefoperazone/sulbactam and should be aware of the occurrence of DIHA, so as to give timely treatment.

Background: Anastomotic leak is among the most dreaded complications in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. We have discovered that in rodents, collagenase-producing bacteria, particularly Enterococcus faecalis, promotes anastomotic leak by degrading healing anastomotic tissue. Yet, it is unclear if these organisms play a role in humans. Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing colorectal resection at the University of Chicago from July 2014 through June 2019 who developed a post-operative infection were stratified into infections that resulted from an anastomotic leak, a Hartmann pouch stump leak, or a deep infection without an associated staple line leak. Results: Forty-two patients had available culture data. Of these patients, 19 were found to have an anastomotic leak, 7 had a stump leak, and 16 had a deep infection that was not associated with a staple line. Enterococcus faecalis was identified in 24% of all infections and was associated with the development of anastomotic leak (p = 0.029). When the organisms were classified into their known ability to produce collagenase, 74% of patients with an anastomotic leak were colonized with collagenase-producing organisms, compared with only 28% of patients with a deep infection or stump leak (p = 0.022). Antibiotic-resistant organisms were more common in patients with anastomotic leak (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Collagenase-producing and antibiotic-resistant organisms are more prevalent in anastomotic leak infections compared with other deep or organ/space infections. This lends evidence to a bacterial driven pathogenesis of leak and suggests that targeting these organisms may be a novel strategy to reduce this complication.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common non-Hodgkin lymphomas. It has no typical or specific clinical features. DLBCL revealed by an abscess is a rare entity. CT is sensitive in detecting splenic abscesses, and it can define the exact location and extent of the abscess as well. The splenic abscess is associated with typhoid fever, AIDS, abdominal infections, pneumonia, bacterial endocarditis, and urogenital infections, parasitic abscesses, organ transplantation, or neoplastic diseases. DLBCL is not usually related to its etiology. Elective open splenectomy, both diagnostic and therapeutic, is the gold standard method of management today and has low morbidity and mortality rates, with even lower rates for laparoscopic splenectomy. The diagnosis of DLBCL is based on the anatomopathological and immunohistological examination. We report a case of a man with a splenic abscess initially treated as an abscess of bacterial origin; however, the lack of improvement in his condition led us to perform a splenectomy, and the anatomopathological study revealed a DLBCL.

Background Acute esophageal necrosis (AEN) is a rare entity associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The pathogenesis is thought to be linked to low volume state, microvascular disease, impaired gastric and esophageal motility increasing acid reflex, all rendering the esophagus prone to injury. Aims We report a case of AEN as a complication of DKA in a patient without any overt gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), along with a literature review. Methods Keywords “esophageal necrosis” and “diabetic ketoacidosis” were used in MEDLINE and BASE to retrieve English articles reporting cases of AEN in DKA. Results A 63 year old male with history of hypertension, dyslipidemia and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus presented to Emergency with 5 day history of severe epigastric pain, dysphagia to solids and liquids, nausea and vomiting (without any overt GIB). Most recent HbA1c was 8.4%. His diabetes was managed with metformin and semaglutide. Bloodwork revealed a hemoglobin of 165g/L and leukocytes of 17.9x109/L. Chemistries showed an anion gap of 25 with bicarbonate of 5mmol/L. Venous blood gas showed acidemia (pH=7.02). B-hydroxybutyrate level was 10.2mmol/L. Urinalysis was negative for leukocytes or nitrites. An abdominal CT ruled out bowel obstruction or intra-abdominal infection/abscess as the source of his discomfort but demonstrated circumferential wall thickening of the distal esophagus. No other triggers were found for this patient’s DKA except perhaps a recently started ketogenic diet. After resolution of DKA, he continued to experience severe epigastric pain, reflux symptoms, and dysphagia. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed, which showed AEN with circumferential black, necrotic inflammatory changes in the mid to distal esophagus. Erosions were seen in the body and antrum of the stomach, and multiple clean based ulcers were seen in the duodenum. Patient was started on an insulin regimen prior to discharge. Review of literature shows a total of 13 cases of AEN in DKA, with only one case where the patient did not present with any clinical bleeding. Risk factors for AEN include, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, malignancy, male gender, older age, chronic kidney disease, alcohol abuse and cardiovascular disease. While no medications have been linked to AEN, our patient was recently started on semiglutide, which has been implicated in impaired gastric emptying and increased GERD symptoms. This may further explain why the patient developed AEN. Conclusions AEN is a rare entity, especially in the context of DKA. Usually patients present with overt GIB; however, on occasion dysphagia, nausea, and vomiting can be the predominant symptoms. Hence, the threshold to perform EGD in patients with DKA should be low, given their low volume state and potentially impaired gastrointestinal motility due to microvascular disease or medications, putting them at higher risk for AEN. Funding Agencies None

Aim To uncover the practical efficacy of intra-operative peritoneal fluid sampling and the impact on antibiotic prescription and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing emergency surgery due to intra-abdominal infections. Method Our retrospective study included all patients undergoing emergency surgery for intra-abdominal infections at Southend University Hospital over 6 months (January – July 2019). Data was collected from electronic patient records, case notes and microbiology reports and included the following information: patient age demographics; type of infection; peritoneal fluid sampling indication; samples taken; details of swab culture report including organisms grown and antibiotic sensitivity; clinical course and incidence of subsequent intra-abdominal infection to include readmission and/or further procedures; the type, duration and route of antibiotic prescribed and duration of hospital stay. This audit was approved by the Departmental Audit Lead. Results 441 patients undergoing emergency surgery for intra-abdominal infection were identified. After exclusions, intra-operative peritoneal fluid samples were indicated in 77 patients (mean age 39.4 years). Of these only 3 had samples taken (3.9%). The most common organisms isolated were mixed anaerobes followed by Streptococcus angiosus. The most common antibiotic sensitivity was Metronidazole and Penicillin. One readmission occurred due to an intra-abdominal tubo-ovarian abscess. Conclusions The study shows that the current practice in our hospital regarding intra-operative peritoneal fluid sampling in intra-abdominal infections reflects the present widely held attitudes regarding its reduced practical utility. Abandoning routine sampling had no significant impact on the clinical course and may be more cost-effective. The study may help surgeons reflect on changing perspectives on this traditional practice.

Background Digestive tract reconstruction in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy can be divided into two types: instrument anastomosis and hand-sewn anastomosis. This study explored the feasibility and safety of hand-sewn sutures in esophagojejunostomy of totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy, compared with instrument anastomosis using an overlap linear cutter. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2017 to January 2020 at one institution. The clinical data of 50 patients who underwent totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy, with an average follow-up time of 12 months, were collected. The clinicopathologic data, short-term survival prognosis, and results of patients in the hand-sewn anastomosis (n=20) and the overlap anastomosis (n=30) groups were analyzed. Results There were no significant differences between the groups in sex, age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumor location, preoperative complications, abdominal operation history, tumor size, pTNM stage, blood loss, first postoperative liquid diet, exhaust time, or postoperative length of hospital stay. The hand-sewn anastomosis group had a significantly prolonged operation time (204±26.72min versus 190±20.90min, p=0.04) and anastomosis time (58±22.0min versus 46±15.97min, p=0.029), and a decreased operation cost (CNY 77,100±1700 versus CNY 71,900±1300, p Conclusion The hand-sewn anastomosis method of esophagojejunostomy under totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy is safe and feasible and is an important supplement to linear and circular stapler anastomosis. It may be more convenient regarding obesity, a relatively high position of the anastomosis, edema of the esophageal wall, and short jejunal mesentery.

Sepsis is a common consequence of infection, associated with a mortality rate > 25%. Although community-acquired sepsis is more common, hospital-acquired infection is more lethal. The most common site of infection is the lung, followed by abdominal infection, catheter-associated blood steam infection and urinary tract infection. Gram-negative sepsis is more common than gram-positive infection, but sepsis can also be due to fungal and viral pathogens. To reduce mortality, it is necessary to give immediate, empiric, broad-spectrum therapy to those with severe sepsis and/or shock, but this approach can drive antimicrobial overuse and resistance and should be accompanied by a commitment to de-escalation and antimicrobial stewardship. Biomarkers such a procalcitonin can provide decision support for antibiotic use, and may identify patients with a low likelihood of infection, and in some settings, can guide duration of antibiotic therapy. Sepsis can involve drug-resistant pathogens, and this often necessitates consideration of newer antimicrobial agents.