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Background and aims The role of laparoscopic rectal cancer resection remains controversial. Thus, we aimed to conduct a one-stage meta-analysis with reconstructed patient-level data using randomized trial data to compare long-term oncologic efficacy of laparoscopic and open surgical resection for rectal cancer. Methods Medline, EMBASE and Scopus were searched for articles comparing laparoscopic with open surgery for rectal cancer. Primary outcome was disease free survival (DFS) while secondary outcome was overall survival (OS). One-stage meta-analysis was conducted using patient-level survival data reconstructed from Kaplan-Meier curves with Web Plot Digitizer. Shared-frailty and stratified Cox models were fitted to compare survival endpoints. Results Seven randomized trials involving 1767 laparoscopic and 1293 open resections for rectal cancer were included. There were no significant differences between both groups for DFS and OS with respective hazard ratio estimates of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.78–1.06, p = 0.241) and 0.86 (95% CI:0.73–1.02, p = 0.090). Sensitivity analysis for non-metastatic patients and patients with mid and lower rectal cancer showed no significant differences in OS and DFS between both surgical approaches. In the laparoscopic arm, improved DFS was noted for stage II (HR: 0.73, 95% CI:0.54–0.98, p = 0.036) and stage III rectal cancers (HR: 0.74, 95% CI:0.55–0.99, p = 0.041). Conclusions This meta-analysis concludes that laparoscopic rectal cancer resection does not compromise long-term oncologic outcomes compared with open surgery with potential survival benefits for a minimal access approach in patients with stage II and III rectal cancer.

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare neoplasm that is associated with Crohn’s disease (CD). This study aims to quantify the prevalence of CD-SBA, review the current evidence of histopathology and molecular analysis findings, and identify the clinical presentation and outcomes of CD-SBA. Electronic databases Medline and Embase were searched for articles describing SBA in inflammatory bowel disease patients. The histopathology, molecular analysis findings, clinical presentation, prevalence, and outcomes of CD-SBA were extracted, and results were pooled with random effects. In total, 33 articles were included in the analysis. Prevalence of SBA was 1.15 (CI: 0.31–2.33) per 1000 CD patients. Only 11% (CI: 0.04–0.21) of CD-SBA patients had observable radiological features. CD-SBA was most commonly found in the ileum (84%), diagnosed at stage 2 (36%), with main presenting complaints including obstruction, weight loss, and abdominal pain. Significant histopathological findings included adjacent epithelial dysplasia, and an equal distribution of well-differentiated (49%) and poorly differentiated subtypes (46%). Most prevalent genetic mutation was KRAS mutation (18%), followed by mismatch repair deficiency (9.7%). The 5-year overall survival for CD-SBA patients was 29% (CI: 0.18–0.41), and 33% (CI: 0.26–0.41) for de novo SBA. No statistically significant increase in risk for CD-SBA was noted for treatment with thiopurines, steroids, and 5-ASA. Our meta-analysis found the prevalence of CD-SBA to be 1.15 per 1000 CD patients. The 5-year overall survival for CD-SBA was poor. The presenting symptoms were non-specific, and therefore the diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion.

BACKGROUND Survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) varies. We aim to develop a prognostic score for mCRC after emergency surgery to guide treatment decisions. METHODS Newly diagnosed mCRC patients who presented with primary tumor-related complications and underwent emergency surgery between January 1999 and December 2013 were included. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify covariates significantly associated with the time to death following surgery. A survival score was derived using the Cox regression equation. RESULTS The study cohort comprised 248 patients. Median patient age was 66 ± 13 years. Primary tumor was located in the left colon and rectum in 211 patients (85.1%) while 37 patients (14.9%) had primaries in the right colon. Liver, lung, and peritoneal metastases occurred in 161 patients (64.9%), 59 patients (23.8%), and 96 patients (38.7%), respectively. Majority of patients presented with either obstruction (174 patients, 70.1%) or perforation (52 patients, 21%). On multivariate analysis, age of 60 years or older (p = 0.007), carcinoembryonic antigen levels greater than 45 ng/ml (p = 0.022), presence of liver metastases (p = 0.024), and peritoneal carcinomatosis (p

A growing body of evidence has demonstrated the prognostic significance of sarcopenia in surgical patients as an independent predictor of postoperative complications and outcomes. These included an increased risk of total complications, major complications, re-admissions, infections, severe infections, 30 d mortality, longer hospital stay and increased hospitalization expenditures. A program to enhance recovery after surgery was meant to address these complications; however, compliance to the program since its introduction has been less than ideal. Over the last decade, the concept of prehabilitation, or "pre-surgery rehabilitation", has been discussed. The presurgical period represents a window of opportunity to boost and optimize the health of an individual, providing a compensatory "buffer" for the imminent reduction in physiological reserve post-surgery. Initial results have been promising. We review the literature to critically review the utility of prehabilitation, not just in the clinical realm, but also in the scientific realm, with a resource management point-of-view.

BACKGROUND Recent clinical trials have demonstrated favorable outcomes associated with trans-anal colonic pull-through for rectal resection followed by delayed coloanal anastomoses (DCA), resulting in a resurgence in popularity of the technique. This meta-analysis aims to review existing literature to evaluate the postoperative complications associated with DCA, and to make comparisons with immediate coloanal anastomoses (ICA) after colorectal resection to assess the suitability of DCA as an alternative form of surgical treatment. METHODS Medline and Embase databases were reviewed from inception until 31 July 2020 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Single-arm studies that involved patients undergoing DCA for benign or malignant causes were selected, and meta-analysis of proportions was conducted to determine the prevalence of postoperative complications following DCA. Comparative studies comparing postoperative outcomes between DCA and ICA were also included for comparative meta-analysis. RESULTS Patients undergoing DCA were significantly less likely to require diverting stoma construction as compared to ICA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.04; confidence interval [CI]: 0.02-0.07; P

Conventional colectomy, and the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) D2 Lymphadenectomy (LND2), are currently considered standard of care for surgical management of colon cancer. Colectomy with complete mesocolic excision (CME) and JSCCR D3 Lymphadenectomy (LND3) are more radical alternative approaches and provide a greater degree of lymph nodal clearance. However, controversy exists over the long-term benefits of CME/LND3 over non-CME colectomies (NCME)/LND2. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the surgical, pathological, and oncological outcomes of CME/LND3 with NCME/LND2. Embase, Medline and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception until May 15, 2020, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they compared curative intent CME/LND3 with NCME/LND2. Weighted mean differences (WMD) and odds ratios (OR) were estimated for continuous and dichotomous outcomes respectively. Out of 1310 unique citations, 106 underwent full-text review, and 30 were included for analysis. In total, 21,695 patients underwent resection for colon cancer. 11,625 received CME/LND3, and 10,070 underwent NCME/LND2. No significant differences were found in post-operative morbidity and mortality. Both overall and disease-free survival favored CME/LND3 (5-year OS: OR = 1.29; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.64, p = 0.03; 5-year DFS: OR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.28; p = 0.007). This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate that CME/LND3 has superior long-term survival outcomes compared to NCME/LND2.

Background Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a structured programme using a multimodal, evidence-based approach to improve post-operative outcomes. Successful implementation of ERAS can be challenging. We aimed to evaluate our initial experience with colorectal ERAS and explore the perspectives of specialist doctors and nurses. Methods From 1 June 2017 to 31 December 2017, all patients who underwent elective colorectal resection and met the ERAS inclusion criteria at the Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, were included in the study. Short-term outcomes were compared between patients with >70% compliance to key ERAS components versus those with ≤70% compliance. Department staff were surveyed via questionnaire in July 2019. Results Three hundred and fifteen patients were included in study. >70% ERAS compliance rate was achieved in 84 patients (26.7%). A higher compliance rate resulted in a significantly shorter length of stay of 6 (IQR 5–8) days vs. 7 (IQR 6–9.5) days (p = 0.025) and lower readmission rate of 3.6% (n = 3) vs. 4.8% (n = 11) (p = 0.042), as well as a trend towards reduced complication rate of 15.4% (n = 13) vs. 22.0% (n = 51) and earlier return to gastrointestinal function. There was a 100% questionnaire response amongst all 12 colorectal surgeons and 5 colorectal resident nurse practitioners. Conclusion Increased adherence to the components of ERAS results in better early outcomes and may have long-term benefits on survival. Effective communication and professional support for the ERAS multi-disciplinary team, as well as understanding healthcare workers’ concerns and addressing long-standing practices, is essential for successful implementation of the programme.

The Kono-S anastomosis was introduced in 2011 as an alternative anastomosis in Crohn's disease (CD) surgery. Since then, prevailing evidence of the favorable results of the Kono-S anastomosis has been published from around the world. We conducted this study to analyze the effectiveness of the Kono-S anastomosis, by searching Medline, Embase, CNKI, and google scholar. Binominal data were analyzed after Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformation. Comparative data were analyzed using the Mantel-Haenszel model for dichotomous outcomes and the mean difference for continuous outcomes. We identified 676 patients who underwent surgery with a Kono-S anastomosis. Surgical recurrence was pooled at an average of 0% (CI: 0.00-0.01) and a reduced mean Rutgeerts score of 1.375 (CI: 0.727-2.023) after Kono-S anastomosis. Endoscopic recurrence after sensitivity analysis was 5% (CI: 0.00-0.15). Complications were rare, with a 3% incidence of ileus (CI: 0.01-0.05), a 4% incidence of small bowel obstruction (CI: 0.01-0.10), a 1% incidence of an anastomotic leak incidence (CI: 0.00-0.03), and a 10% incidence of postoperative infection (CI: 0.03-0.20). Evidence from this meta-analysis favors the Kono-S anastomosis for CD patients, especially for ileocolic anastomosis. Thus, clinicians should consider the applicability of Kono-S anastomosis in respective institutions.

Background/Aims Sigmoidoscopy is performed in most medical centers to evaluate the distal colons of young adults presenting with hematochezia who are at risk of developing proximal lesions. Colonoscopies offer more complete evaluations but are associated with a higher incidence of complications and possible low yield. Methods An analysis was conducted on colonoscopies performed in our center on patients 40 years of age or younger. The study population was sub-divided into 2 age groups for analysis

Background An objective algorithm for the management of suspected appendicitis guided by the Alvarado Score had previously been proposed. This algorithm was expected to reduce computed tomography (CT) utilization without compromising the negative appendectomy rate. This study attempts to validate the proposed algorithm in a randomized control trial. Methods A randomized control trial comparing the management of suspected acute appendicitis using the proposed algorithm compared to current best practice, with the rate of CT utilization as the primary outcome of interest. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of missed diagnosis, negative appendectomies, length of stay in days, and overall cost of stay in dollars. Results One hundred sixty patients were randomized. Characteristics such as age, ethnic group, American Society of Anesthesiologist score, white cell count, and symptom duration were similar between the two groups. The overall CT utilization rate of the intervention arm and the usual care arm were similar (93.7% vs 92.5%, p = 0.999). There were no differences in terms of negative appendectomy rate, length of stay, and cost of stay between the intervention arm as compared to the usual care arm (p = 0.926, p = 0.705, and p = 0.886, respectively). Among patients evaluated with CT, 75% (112 out of 149) revealed diagnoses for the presenting symptoms. Conclusion The proposed AS-based management algorithm did not reduce the CT utilization rate. Outcomes such as missed diagnoses, negative appendectomy rates, length of stay, and cost of stay were also largely similar. CT utilization was prevalent as 93% of the study cohort was evaluated by CT scan. Trial registration The study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03324165, Registered October 27 2017).

BACKGROUND With increasing global life expectancy, the number of major surgeries performed on aged adults invariably increases. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a structured prehabilitative program for aged colorectal cancer patients in improving short-term surgical outcomes. METHODS A prospective philanthropically sponsored Programme for Enhanced Elderly Recovery at Sengkang General Hospital (PEERS) was initiated in February 2017 for patients ≥70-years-old who were due to undergo elective colectomies. These patients were put through a 2- to 4-week-long program before surgery, which included geriatric assessment, nutrition supplementation, and resistance training. They were compared with patients from a similar age group before PEERS was introduced (non-PEERS). RESULTS Fifty-eight patients, with a median age of 78.5 (70-93) years, were recruited from a single institution to undergo PEERS. Baseline characteristics between the groups were similar. There was no significant improvement of anthropometric and functional characteristics before and after PEERS. Duration of hospitalization was shorter in the PEERS group (9 vs 11 days, P = 0.01). Both groups had similar 30-days' morbidity rates (8.6% vs 17.4%, P = 0.26). The PEERS group had significant improvement in their median EuroQol-5 Dimension score (0.70 presurgery to 0.80 6-months' postsurgery, P = 0.01). After multivariate analysis, the average duration of hospitalization in the PEERS group was 6.8 days shorter (P = 0.018; CI, 1.2-12.4) after adjusting for modality of surgery and complications. This represented a cost saving of USD$11,838.80. CONCLUSION A standardized prehabilitation program for aged adults reduced the duration of hospitalization, improved the quality of life after surgery, and reduced costs.

Summary Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous strain on healthcare systems. Surgical societies worldwide have advised minimizing non-essential surgeries in order to preserve hospital resources. Given the medical resources and COVID-19 incidence between countries across the world differ, so should colorectal practices. No formal guidelines have emerged from Asia. We wanted to find out what the current practice was in Asian colorectal centres outside China. Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted surgical practice worldwide. At the time of the writing of this paper, there are over 4.2 million cases reported with deaths exceeding 290 000 patients. 1 With an abrupt disruption to worldwide supply chains, societal lockdowns and surge of cases into many hospitals, resource allocation was diverted and prioritised for all COVID-19 related services. Methods A questionnaire survey of current colorectal practice was carried out involving 3 major colorectal cancer centres, one each from 3 major cities: Singapore, Taichung and Daegu. Components of the survey include infrastructure and manpower, case selection, surgical approach, operating room management and endoscopy practice. Results All 3 centres continued to provide standard-of-care colorectal cancer surgery despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Two centres deferred surgery for benign colorectal conditions. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) was still the preferred approach when indicated but with protocolized precautions undertaken. Other services such as pelvic exenteration, TATME and pelvic lymph node dissection were still offered if oncologically indicated. Elective diagnostic endoscopy services have also continued in two centres. Conclusion Elective colorectal services continue to take place in the 3 surveyed Asian hospitals with heightened precautions. Provided there is adequate resource, colorectal cancer services should still continue to prevent consequences of neglecting or delaying cancer treatment. Practice should hence be tailored to the local resource of individual centres accordingly.

Bowel perforation as the first presentation of inflammatory bowel disease is rare and unusual in young patients. A previously asymptomatic 21-year-old Asian male presented with perforated small bowel secondary to previously undiagnosed Crohn’s disease. He underwent an exploratory laparotomy and subsequent small bowel resection and was commenced on mesalazine post-operation. He recovered well with subsequent regular follow-up with gastroenterology. The main management of Crohn’s disease is multidisciplinary in nature, and collaboration between different disciplines is inherent with the aim of reducing symptoms and maximizing patient quality of life.

Background Prevention of post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease poses a significant challenge to clinicians. With the advent of biologics, reduction of recurrence after surgery has been observed in various studies. Hence, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the rate of post-operative recurrence at different timepoints in the era of anti-TNF-α therapy biologics use. Methods We performed a literature search using Medline and Embase databases for studies investigating biologics in preventing post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. Data were extracted, and a single arm meta-analysis with generalized linear mixed model and Clopper-Pearson method for confidence interval was performed to identify the endoscopic, clinical, and surgical recurrence rates at six-months, one-, two- and five-years post-operatively. Results 24 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The endoscopic, clinical, and surgical postoperative recurrence rate with the use of anti-TNF-α agents at one-year was 21.72% (95%CI: 16.28% - 28.37%), 13.06% (95%CI: 8.18% - 18.92%) and 3.76% (95%CI: 1.37% - 9.91%) respectively. The five-year recurrence rate was 84.21% (95%CI: 72.35% - 91.57%) and 17.49% (95%CI: 9.17% - 30.80%) for endoscopic and surgical recurrence respectively. Subgroup analysis at one-year for type of anti-TNF-α agent or timing of initiation after surgery showed no significant difference in endoscopic, clinical and surgical recurrence rate. Conclusion Anti-TNF-α agents are effective at preventing clinical, endoscopic, and surgical postoperative Crohn's disease recurrence. The timing of initiating biological therapy after surgery has no significant effect on the rate of postoperative recurrence. The efficacy of infliximab and adalimumab for postoperative recurrence prevention is similar.

Aims Upper gastrointestinal Crohn's disease (UGI-CD) is an important subclassification of Crohn's Disease (CD). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes associated with UGI-CD. Methods We searched Embase and Medline for articles reporting the clinical information of UGI-CD in CD patients, through 27 October 2020. Disease location and phenotype were coded according to the Montreal classification, and results were pooled with random effects by DerSimonian and Laird model. Results 26 articles were included. The prevalence of UGI-CD was 13%. UGI-CD was most commonly found in the stomach (56%) and was associated with concurrent ileocolonic involvement (54%). Non-stricturing, non-penetrating UGI-CD was the most common behavioral phenotype (61%). L4-jejunal disease was associated with the highest rates of surgery. Region of origin did not significantly influence the location and phenotype of UGI-CD. Young, male patients presenting with erythema nodosum, aphthous ulcers and stricturing-phenotype are more likely to have UGI-CD, which in turn is linked to increased risk of hospitalization and surgery. Conclusion UGI-CD is present in 13% of patients with CD, and patients with L4-jejunal disease are more likely to require surgery. Further studies examining the effect of ethnicity and region on UGI-CD are needed.

Background and Aims: The role of laparoscopic rectal cancer resection remains controversial. Previous meta-analyses of survival outcomes have utilized a standard meta-analytical approach less amenable to the incorporation of flexible and robust survival models. Thus, we aimed to conduct a one-stage meta-analysis with reconstructed patient-level data using randomized trial data to compare long-term oncologic efficacy of laparoscopic and open surgical resection for rectal cancer. Methods: Medline, EMBASE and Scopus were searched for articles comparing laparoscopic with open surgery for rectal cancer. Primary outcome was disease free survival (DFS) while secondary outcome was overall survival (OS). One-stage meta-analysis was conducted using patient-level survival data reconstructed from Kaplan-Meier curves with Web Plot Digitizer. Shared-frailty and stratified Cox models were fitted to compare survival endpoints. Results: Seven randomized trials, with a median follow-up of six years, involving 1,767 laparoscopic and 1,293 open resections for rectal cancer in 3,060 patients were included. There were no significant differences between both groups for DFS and OS with respective hazard ratio estimates of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.78 – 1.06, p =0.241) and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.73 - 1.02, p = 0.090). Sensitivity analysis for non-metastatic patients and patients with mid and lower rectal cancer showed no significant differences in OS and DFS between both surgical approaches. In the laparoscopic arm, improved DFS was noted for stage II (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54 - 0.98, p = 0.036) and stage III rectal cancers (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.55 - 0.99, p =0.041). Conclusions: This meta-analysis concludes that laparoscopic rectal cancer resection does not compromise long-term oncologic outcomes compared with open surgery with potential survival benefits for a minimal access approach in patients with stage II and III rectal cancer. Funding: No funding was required for this work. Declaration of Interest: None to declare.

Background The use of intra-operative colonic lavage (IOCL) with primary anastomosis remains controversial in the emergency left-sided large bowel pathologies, with alternatives including Hartmann's procedure, manual decompression and subtotal colectomy. Aim To compare the peri-operative outcomes of IOCL to other procedures. Methods Electronic databases were searched for articles employing IOCL from inception till July 13, 2020. Odds ratio and weighted mean differences (WMD) were estimated for dichotomous and continuous outcomes respectively. Single-arm meta-analysis was conducted using DerSimonian and Laird random effects. Results Of 28 studies were included in this meta-analysis, involving 1142 undergoing IOCL, and 634 other interventions. IOCL leads to comparable rates of wound infection when compared to Hartmann's procedure, and anastomotic leak and wound infection when compared to manual decompression. There was a decreased length of hospital stay (WMD = -7.750; 95%CI: -13.504 to -1.996; P = 0.008) compared to manual decompression and an increased operating time. Single-arm meta-analysis found that overall mortality rates with IOCL was 4% (CI: 0.03-0.05). Rates of anastomotic leak and wound infection were 3% (CI: 0.02-0.04) and 12% (CI: 0.09-0.16) respectively. Conclusion IOCL leads to similar rates of post-operative complications compared to other procedures. More extensive studies are needed to assess the outcomes of IOCL for emergency left-sided colonic surgeries.

Background: Haemorrhoids result in a variety of symptoms that cause significant patient anxiety. Treatment has long been associated with post-operative complications, which cause significant symptoms and may result in readmissions. The open conventional haemorrhoidectomy (COH) is still regarded as the gold standard treatment for non-circumferential grade II–IV haemorrhoids. Laser haemorrhoidoplasty (LAH) has recently been studied and the initial results appear promising. This study aims to compare these 2 techniques in the treatment of symptomatic haemorrhoids. We hypothesize that LAH has significantly less pain and bleeding and better quality of life (QoL) scores 1, 3 and 12 months post-operatively. Methods: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, single-centre clinical trial will be conducted. All patients aged between 21 and 90 years who present with symptomatic grade II–IV haemorrhoids will be recruited. Exclusion criteria include those who have had previous operations for haemorrhoids and those with an increased risk of bleeding. Data collected will include patient demographics, pre- and intra-operative characteristics of the haemorrhoids, operative details and post-operative pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, complications, readmissions, and haemorrhoid-specific QoL surveys. Primary outcome will be median post-operative pain VAS score on post-operative days (POD) 1–10. Secondary outcomes include operative duration, bleeding on the first 10 days post-operatively, readmissions, procedure-related complications (fistulation, incontinence, stenosis), QoL scores, and recurrence of symptoms up to 12 months. Discussion: Results from this trial may demonstrate the superiority of LAH over COH in terms of post-operative pain and recovery. This would likely increase the adoption of LAH for the treatment of symptomatic haemorrhoids. Trial Registration: This trial was registered on 1/4/2020 at ClinicalTrials.gov. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04329364?term=NCT04329364&draw=2&rank=1.

There has been much recent interest in the use of procalcitonin (PCT) as a marker of intra-abdominal infection (IAI) following colorectal surgery. However, the literature remains divided on the value of PCT in this setting. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the value of PCT in predicting IAI after colorectal surgery.Systemic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of PCT as a predictor for detecting IAI on postoperative days (POD) 3 to 5 following colorectal surgery. A meta-analysis was performed using random effect model and pooled predictive parameters as well as cut-off values for POD 3 to 5 were derived.Eight studies consisting 1629 patients were included. The pooled prevalence of IAI was 5.7% on POD 3, 9.7% on POD 4, and 6.3% on POD 5. The pooled AUC for POD 3 to 5 were 0.83 (95% CI 0.78-0.88), 0.79 (95% CI 0.64-0.93), and 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.97), respectively. The derived PCT cut-off values were 1.45 ng/ml on POD 3, 1.28 ng/ml on POD 4, and 1.26 ng/ml on POD 5. PCT had the highest diagnostic capability on POD 5 with diagnostic odds ratio of 32.9 (95% CI 15.01-69.88), sensitivity of 0.78 (95% CI 0.65-0.89), and specificity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.85-0.90).PCT is a useful diagnostic predictor of IAI after colorectal surgery. It has the greatest diagnostic accuracy on POD 5 and can help guide safe discharge of patients after colorectal surgery.

The intensity and duration of surveillance for rectal cancer after surgical resection remain contentious. We evaluated the pattern of recurrences in a rectal cancer cohort followed up beyond 10 years. An analysis was performed on a retrospective database of 326 patients with rectal cancer who underwent curative surgical resection from 1999 to 2007. The above study duration was chosen to ensure at least 10 years of follow-up. Data on patient demographics, peri-operative details, and follow-up outcomes were extracted from the database. The pattern of recurrences and investigative modality that detected recurrences was identified. Patients were followed up until either year 2016 or the day of their demise. Two hundred seventeen patients (66.6%) were male and 109 patients (33.3%) female. Median age was 64 years old. Close to a third of the patients received adjuvant therapy (34%). Among the 326 patients studied, 29.8% of (97/326) patients developed recurrence. 7.7% (25/326) had loco-regional recurrence while 22.1% (72/326) had distant metastasis. Median time to recurrence was 16 months (4–83) and 18 months (3–81), respectively. Computed tomography scan was the best modality to detect both loco-regional and distant recurrences (48% in loco-regional and 41.7% in distant metastasis). The most common site of distant metastasis is the lung (34.7%). The salvage rate for loco-regional and distant recurrences was 52 and 12.5%, respectively. The predominant pattern of recurrence in rectal cancer is distant disease. Surveillance regimes may need to be altered to increase early detection of distant metastases.

Microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its long-term outcomes remains poorly studied in Asians. We investigate the prognostic significance of microsatellite instability in an Asian population and assess its clinical impact in patients who undergo adjuvant chemotherapy. Six hundred fifty-four consecutive CRC patients who underwent surgical resection between January 2010 and December 2012 were recruited. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier approach. Univariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios for variables associated with survival. A subgroup analyses was performed for stage III patients who underwent chemotherapy to evaluate the prognostic significance of microsatellite instability in this group. Five hundred ninety-one (90.4%) patients were microsatellite stable (MSS) while 63 (9.6%) were microsatellite instable (MSI). Three years recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were 83.7 versus 73.7% (p = 0.295) and 87.1 versus 91.2% (p = 0.307) in MSS and MSI tumors, respectively. Among stage III patients who received adjuvant therapy, MSI status was found to be an adverse prognostic factor for RFS (HR 2.74 (95% CI 1.43–5.26), p = 0.002). This remained significant on multivariate analysis (HR 2.38 (95% CI 1.15–4.93), p = 0.018). Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with survival benefit for patients with MSS tumors (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17–0.69, p = 0.002) but not MSI tumors (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.08–8.15, p = 0.750). MSI status is not a prognostic indicator in the general CRC population but appears to be an adverse prognostic indicator for RFS in stage III CRC patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Spontaneous nontraumatic bowel evisceration from a ruptured long-standing abdominal wall hernia is a rare occurrence. Sporadic case reports exist describing bowel evisceration from long-standing ventral herniae, whereby baseline increased intra-abdominal pressure was rendered more pronounced due to sudden increase and/or trauma. Morbidity and mortality rates are significant, and treatment can be technically complex. We present a case of spontaneous small bowel evisceration from rupture of a recurrent ventral hernia in a patient with liver cirrhosis, who was managed with emergent surgical mesh repair and discuss the spectrum of relevant surgical techniques for this unique group of patients.

BACKGROUND A prognostic scoring model has been devised previously to predict survival following primary tumor resection in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and unresectable metastases. This has yet to be validated. OBJECTIVE The main objectives of this study are to validate the proposed prognostic scoring model and create an interactive online calculator to estimate an individual's survival after primary tumor resection. DESIGN Clinical data and survival outcomes of patients were extracted from a prospectively maintained database. Patients were categorized into good, moderate, or poor survivor groups based on the previously proposed scoring algorithm. Discrimination was assessed and recalibration was performed, with the recalibrated model implemented as an interactive Web application to provide individualized survival probability. SETTINGS This study was conducted at a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS The study included 324 consecutive patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma and unresectable metastases who underwent primary tumor resection between January 2008 and December 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measured was overall survival. RESULTS Three hundred twenty-four patients were included in the study. Median survival in the good, moderate, and poor prognostic groups was 56.8, 25.7, and 19.9 months (log rank test, p = 0.003). The κ statistic was 0.638 and RD was 0.101. Significant differences in survival were found between the moderate and good prognostic groups (HR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.51-5.15; p = 0.001) and between poor and good prognostic groups (HR, 4.12; 95% CI, 1.98-8.55; p < 0.001). The model was implemented as an interactive online calculator to provide individualized survival estimation after primary tumor resection (http://bit.ly/Stage4PrognosticScore). LIMITATIONS Selection bias and single-center data preclude the generalizability of the proposed model. Information regarding the severity or likelihood of developing symptoms from the primary tumor were also not accounted for in the prognostic scoring model proposed. CONCLUSIONS The prognostic scoring model provides good prognostic stratification of survival after primary tumor resection and may be a useful tool to predict survival after primary tumor resection. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A330.

Hyperhidrosis (primary or secondary) describes a disorder of excessive sweating. It has a significant negative impact on quality of life and affects nearly 1% of the population living in the United Kingdom (UK). Axillary involvement is the most common affecting 80% of cases. A common link to these disorders is an extreme non-thermoregulatory sympathetic stimulus of exocrine sweat glands, mostly due to emotional stimuli. Non-surgical treatment involves topical medication, iontophoresis and systemic anti-cholinergics. More recently the use of intradermal botulinum toxin has gained popularity. Surgical treatment reserved for severe cases, not responding to conservative management involves local excision, curettage and thoracoscopic sympathectomy. Evolving concepts for treatment, risks and benefits are discussed in the paper herein.

Jejunal lipomata are an unusual cause of adult intussusception. We report a case of a 44-year-old Chinese woman who presented with a 3-day history of abdominal pain and nausea; she had a 5-year history of similar episodic symptoms after meals. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a fat-density lead point in the jejunum resulting in intussusception. Single port laparoscopic surgery was performed with reduction of the intussusception, bowel resection and primary anastamosis. Histology confirmed a benign submucosal lipoma. We discuss the recent published literature on this rare entity and show CT images and intraoperative pictures.

An 80-year-old woman with a history of bilateral breast cancer was referred for investigation of hypercalcaemia, initially suspected to be bone metastasis. Sestamibi scan revealed the cause to be a large parathyroid adenoma which was then removed. Hypercalcaemia is the most frequent metabolic complication of breast cancer. Primary hyperparathyroidism is one of the most frequent causes of benign hypercalcaemia, but is often not considered in oncology patients. This case illustrates the importance of considering two primary pathologies.