Search

Anastomotic and rectal stump leaks are feared complications of colorectal surgery. Diverting stomas are commonly used to protect low rectal anastomoses but can have adverse effects. Studies have reported favorable outcomes for transanal drainage devices instead of diverting stomas. We describe our use of the Heald anal stent and its potential impact in reducing anastomotic or rectal stump leak after elective or emergency colorectal surgery. We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of patients in whom a Heald anal stent had been used to “protect” a colorectal anastomosis or a rectal stump, in an elective or emergency context, for benign and malignant pathology. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were reviewed using clinical and radiological records. The Heald anal stent was used in 93 patients over 4 years. Forty-six cases (49%) had a colorectal anastomosis, and 47 (51%) had an end stoma with a rectal stump. No anastomotic or rectal stump leaks were recorded. We recommend the Heald anal stent as a simple and affordable adjunct that may decrease anastomotic and rectal stump leak by reducing intraluminal pressure through drainage of fluid and gas.

As the number of centres offering cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for colorectal cancer with peritoneal metastases (CPMs) is increasing worldwide, research is focused on establishing better patient selection and ensuring that new techniques have positive impacts on survival. However, high-impact comparative research in this field is limited by the heterogeneity of outcome measurement and reporting. Additionally, as there are comparatively few randomised controlled trials reporting comprehensive patient-reported outcomes, it is possible that key stakeholders such as patients and carers are underrepresented in the current literature. A core outcome set (COS) for CRS with or without intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the treatment of CPMs, supported by clinicians and patients, will promote homogenous comparison across trials and optimise the utility of research findings. We have established a comprehensive protocol based on the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMETs) method to facilitate this. A systematic review will identify all the outcomes reported in the literature, whereas a semi-structured interview will identify outcomes considered important by patients and carers. The identified outcomes will populate an international Delhi survey, distributed to patients, carers, surgeons, oncologists, nurses, and allied health clinicians. Outcomes reaching international consensus of importance will be further discussed in a face-to-face workshop between patients, carers, and clinicians. This process will inform the development of a final COS for CRS for patients with CPMs.

This qualitative study examined employability, also referred to as workplace readiness strengths in this article, for American Millennial health administration baccalaureates. The primary researcher used data collected from focus groups and interviews conducted at two certified Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) programs in California, USA. Participants (n = 71) belonged to one of 4 distinct groups: (a) health administration faculty, (b) internship preceptors, (c) alumni, and (d) undergraduate students (interns) enrolled in their internship program. Thematic content analysis was used to evaluate the collected qualitative data, after which descriptive statistics was applied to calculate the frequencies of emergent themes. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Career Readiness Competencies, an employer and university validated list of Career Readiness Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce, was used as a comparative framework for the workplace readiness strengths provided in the qualitative data. Six strength-based themes emerged, two of which comparatively aligned with two of the NACE Career Readiness Competencies. However, respondents indicated that the rest of the NACE Career Competencies were not overtly expressed by Millennials as workplace strengths and should be embedded into the health administration curriculum. This invaluable information can be used to update the AUPHA health administration curriculum and help their undergraduate students increase their employability index scores.

IntroductionThis timely study assesses the immunosuppressive effects of surgery on cytotoxic Th1-like immunity and investigates if immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) can boost Th1-like immunity in the perioperative window in upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGI) patients.MethodsPBMCs were isolated from 11 UGI patients undergoing tumour resection on post-operative days (POD) 0, 1, 7 and 42 and expanded ex vivo using anti-CD3/28 and IL-2 for 5 days in the absence/presence of nivolumab or ipilimumab. T cells were subsequently immunophenotyped via flow cytometry to determine the frequency of T helper (Th)1-like, Th1/17-like, Th17-like and regulatory T cell (Tregs) subsets and their immune checkpoint expression profile. Lymphocyte secretions were also assessed via multiplex ELISA (IFN-γ, granzyme B, IL-17 and IL-10). The 48h cytotoxic ability of vehicle-, nivolumab- and ipilimumab-expanded PBMCs isolated on POD 0, 1, 7 and 42 against radiosensitive and radioresistant oesophageal adenocarcinoma tumour cells (OE33 P and OE33 R) was also examined using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to determine if surgery affected the killing ability of lymphocytes and whether the use of ICB could enhance cytotoxicity.ResultsTh1-like immunity was suppressed in expanded PBMCs in the immediate post-operative setting. The frequency of expanded circulating Th1-like cells was significantly decreased post-operatively accompanied by a decrease in IFN-γ production and a concomitant increase in the frequency of expanded regulatory T cells with an increase in circulating levels of IL-10. Interestingly, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 immune checkpoint proteins were also upregulated on expanded Th1-like cells post-operatively. Additionally, the cytotoxic ability of expanded lymphocytes against oesophageal adenocarcinoma tumour cells was abrogated post-surgery. Of note, the addition of nivolumab or ipilimumab attenuated the surgery-mediated suppression of lymphocyte cytotoxicity, demonstrated by a significant increase in tumour cell killing and an increase in the frequency of Th1-like cells and Th1 cytokine production.ConclusionThese findings support the hypothesis of a surgery-mediated suppression in Th1-like cytotoxic immunity and highlights a rationale for the use of ICB within the perioperative setting to abrogate tumour-promoting effects of surgery and ameliorate the risk of recurrence.

Abstract The peritoneal cavity is the second commonest site of mesothelioma after the pleural cavity. There are five histological types of peritoneal mesothelioma with variable symptomatology, clinical presentation and prognosis. Cystic mesothelioma is a borderline malignant neoplasm with a favourable prognosis, well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma is generally a low-grade malignancy, and all other varieties such as epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic mesothelioma are highly malignant types of peritoneal mesothelioma with poor prognosis. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma was considered inevitably fatal prior to the introduction of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in selected cases where long-term survival and cure could be achieved. However, the survival benefits following CRS and HIPEC mainly depend on completeness of cytoreduction, which come at the cost of high morbidity and potential mortality. Using the acronym ‘PAUSE’, we aimed at describing the key imaging findings that impact surgical decision-making in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. PAUSE stands for peritoneal cancer index, ascites and abdominal wall disease, unfavourable sites of involvement, small bowel and mesenteric disease and extraperitoneal disease. Reporting components of ‘PAUSE’ is crucial for patient selection. Despite limitations of CT in accurately depicting the volume of disease, describing findings in terms of PAUSE plays an important role in excluding patients who might not benefit from CRS and HIPEC.

Introduction Despite optimal patient selection and surgical effort, recurrence is seen in over 70% of patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for peritoneal metastases (PM). Apart from the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI), completeness of cytoreduction and tumour grade, there are other factors like disease distribution in the peritoneal cavity, pathological response to systemic chemotherapy (SC), lymph node metastases and morphology of PM which may have prognostic value. One reason for the underutilisation of these factors is that they are known only after surgery. Identifying clinical predictors, specifically radiological predictors, could lead to better utilisation of these factors in clinical decision making and the extent of peritoneal resection performed for different tumours. This study aims to study these factors, their impact on survival and identify clinical and radiological predictors.Methods and analysis There is no therapeutic intervention in the study. All patients with biopsy-proven PM from colorectal, appendiceal, gastric and ovarian cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma undergoing CRS will be included. The demographic, clinical, radiological, surgical and pathological details will be collected according to a prespecified format that includes details regarding distribution of disease, morphology of PM, regional node involvement and pathological response to SC. In addition to the absolute value of PCI, the structures bearing the largest tumour nodules and a description of the morphology in each region will be recorded. A correlation between the surgical, radiological and pathological findings will be performed and the impact of these potential prognostic factors on progression-free and overall survival determined. The practices pertaining to radiological and pathological reporting at different centres will be studied.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol has been approved by the Zydus Hospital ethics committee (27 July, 2020) and Lyon-Sud ethics committee (A15-128).Trial registration number CTRI/2020/09/027709; Pre-results.

A book review of Léa Veinstein, Les philosophes lisent Kafka: Benjamin, Arendt, Adorno, Anders (Éditions de la Maison des sciences de l'homme: Paris, 2019).

Introduction Tumour deposits (TDs) are a poor prognostic marker when seen on pathology, and are worse than lymph node metastases (LNMs). They are now being reported on MRI as discontinuous nodules of extramural venous invasion but this diagnosis has not been validated and it is unclear how it correlates with the diagnosis of TDs on pathology.Methods and analysis This is a prospective interventional clinical trial which aims to directly map the location of TDs on MRI and correlate what is seen on MRI with the pathology findings at each location. All patients with rectal cancer undergoing resectional surgery are eligible (including those undergoing preoperative therapy). The primary outcome is the prevalence of TDs seen on pathology. Secondary outcomes are to assess radiological and pathological interobserver agreement, assess the effect of TDs on prognosis and carry out exploratory work looking at differences between TDs and LNMs. The estimated sample size is 100 to detect a twofold increase in the pathological diagnosis of TD when MRI mapping is used.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been granted from the South Central—Hampshire B Research and Ethics Committee (IRAS 217627). The study will be carried out under standard operative procedures within the Royal Marsden Hospital.Trial registration number NCT03303547.

BACKGROUND: Peristomal skin complications (PSCs) are the most common post-operative complications following creation of a stoma. Living with a stoma is a challenge, not only for the patient and their carers, but also for society as a whole. Due to methodological problems of PSC assessment, the associated health-economic burden of medium to longterm complications has been poorly described. AIM: The aim of the present study was to create a model to estimate treatment costs of PSCs using the standardized assessment Ostomy Skin Tool as a reference. The resultant model was applied to a real-life global data set of stoma patients (n = 3017) to determine the prevalence and financial burden of PSCs. METHODS: Eleven experienced stoma care nurses were interviewed to get a global understanding of a treatment algorithm that formed the basis of the cost analysis. The estimated costs were based on a seven week treatment period. PSC costs were estimated for five underlying diagnostic categories and three levels of severity. The estimated treatment costs of severe cases of PSCs were increased 2-5 fold for the different diagnostic categories of PSCs compared with mild cases. French unit costs were applied to the global data set. RESULTS: The estimated total average cost for a seven week treatment period (including appliances and accessories) was 263€ for those with PSCs (n = 1742) compared to 215€ for those without PSCs (n = 1172). A co-variance analysis showed that leakage level had a significant impact on PSC cost from 'rarely/never' to 'always/often' p