Fast-track rehabilitation program vs conventional care after colorectal resection:A randomized clinical trial

AIM:To compare the fast-track rehabilitation program and conventional care for patients after resection of colorectal cancer.METHODS:One hundred and six consecutive patients who underwent fast-track rehabilitation program were encouraged to have early oral feeding and movement for early discharge,while 104 consecutive patients underwent conventional care after resection of colorectal cancer.Their gastrointestinal functions,postoperative complications and hospital stay time were recorded.RESULTS:The restoration time of gastrointestinal functions in the patients was significantly faster after fasttrack rehabilitation program than after conventional care(2.1 d vs 3.2 d,P < 0.01).The percentage of patients who developed complications was significantly lower 30 d after fast-track rehabilitation program than after conventional care(13.2% vs 26.9%,P < 0.05).Also,the percentage of patients who had general complications was significantly lower 30 d after fast-track rehabilitation program than after conventional care(6.6% vs 15.4%,P < 0.05).The postoperative hospital stay time of the patients was shorter after fast-track rehabilitation program than after conventional care(5 d vs 7 d,P < 0.01).No significant difference was observed in the readmission rate 30 d after fast-track rehabilitation program and conventional care(3.8% vs 8.7%).CONCLUSION:The fast-track rehabilitation program can significantly decrease the complications and shorten the time of postoperative hospital stay of patients after resection colorectal cancer.

Conservative treatment of early postoperative small bowel obstruction with obliterative peritonitis

AIM:To investigate the effect of somatostatin and dexamethasone on early postoperative small bowel obstruction with obliterative peritonitis(EPSBO-OP).METHODS:This prospective randomized study included 70 patients diagnosed with EPSBO-OP from June2002 to January 2009.Patients were randomized into two groups:a control group received total parenteral nutrition and nasogastric(NG)tube feeding;and an intervention group received,in addition,somatostatin and dexamethasone treatment.The primary endpoints were time to resolution of bowel obstruction and length of hospital stay,and the secondary endpoints were daily NG output and NG feeding duration,treatment-related complications,postoperative obstruction relapse,and patient satisfaction.RESULTS:Thirty-six patients were allocated to the intervention group and 34 to the control group.No patient needed to undergo surgery.Patients in the intervention group had an earlier resolution of bowel obstruction(22.4±9.1 vs 29.9±10.1 d,P=0.002).Lower daily NG output(583±208 vs 922±399 mL/d,P<0.001),shorter duration of NG tube use(16.7±8.8vs 27.7±9.9 d,P<0.001),and shorter length of hospital stay(25.8 vs 34.9 d,P=0.001)were observed in the intervention group.The rate of treatment-related complications(P=0.770)and relapse of obstruction(P=0.357)were comparable between the two groups.There were no significant differences in postoperative satisfaction at 1,2 and 3 years between the two groups.CONCLUSION:Somatostatin and dexamethasone for EPSBO-OP promote resolution of obstruction and shorten hospital stay,and are safe for symptom control without increasing obstruction relapse.

Impact of enteral nutrition on energy metabolism in patients with Crohn's disease

AIM: To investigate the impact of enteral nutrition(EN) on the body composition and metabolism in patientswith Crohn's disease(CD). METHODS: Sixty-one patients diagnosed with CD were enrolled in this study. They were given only EN(enteral nutritional suspension, TPF, non-elemental diet) support for 4 wk, without any treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, infliximab or by surgical operation. Body composition statistics such as weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass(SMM), fat mass, protein mass and inflammation indexes such as C-reactive protein(CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and CD activity index(CDAI) were recorded before and after EN support. RESULTS: The 61 patients were divided into three groups according to CDAI before and after EN support: A(active phase into remission via EN, n = 21), B(remained in active phase before and after EN, n = 19) and C(in remission before and after EN, n = 21). Patients in group A had a significant increase in SMM(22.11 ± 4.77 kg vs 23.23 ± 4.49 kg, P = 0.044), protein mass(8.01 ± 1.57 kg vs 8.44 ± 1.45 kg, P = 0.019) and decrease in resting energy expenditure(REE) per kilogram(27.42 ± 5.01 kcal/kg per day vs 22.62 ± 5.45 kcal/kg per day, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between predicted and measured REE in active CD patients according to the HarrisBenedict equation. There was no linear correlation between the measured REE and CRP, ESR or CDAI in active CD patients. CONCLUSION: EN could decrease the hypermetabolism in active CD patients by reducing the inflammatory response.

Endoscopic closure instead of surgery to close an ileal pouch fistula with the over-the-scope clip system

An ileal pouch fistula is an uncommon complication after an ileal pouch anal anastomosis. Most patients who suffer from an ileal pouch fistula will need surgical intervention. However, the surgery can be invasive and has a high risk compared to endoscopic treatment. The over-the-scope clip(OTSC) system was initially developed for hemostasis and leakage closure in the gastrointestinal tract during flexible endoscopy. There have been many successes in using this approach to apply perforations to the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, this approach has not been used for ileal pouch fistulas until currently. In this report, we describe one patient who suffered a leak from the tip of the "J" pouch and was successfully treated with endoscopic closure via the OTSC system. A 26-year-old male patient had an intestinal fistula at the tip of the "J" pouch after an ileal pouch anal anastomosis procedure. He received endoscopic treatment via OTSC under intravenous anesthesia, and the leak was closed successfully. Endoscopic closure of a pouch fistula could be a simpler alternative to surgery and could help avoid surgeryrelated complications.

Prospective evaluation of intestinal decompression in treatment of acute bowel obstruction from Crohn’s disease

Background:Conservative therapy for Crohn’s disease(CD)-related acute bowel obstruction is essential to avoid emergent surgery.The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of using a long intestinal decompression tube(LT)in treatment of CD with acute intestinal obstruction.Methods:This is a prospective observational study.Comparative analysis was performed in CD patients treated with LT(the LT group)and nasogastric tube(the GT group).The primary outcome was the avoidance of emergent surgery.Additionally,predictive factors for failure of decompression and subsequent surgery were investigated.Results:There were 27 and 42 CD patients treated with LT and GT,respectively,in emergent situations.Twelve(44.4%)patients using LT were managed conservatively without laparotomy,while only nine(21.4%)patients in the GT group were spared from emergent surgery(P<0.05).Both in surgery-free and in surgery patients,the time to alleviation of symptoms was significantly shorter in the LT groups than in the GT groups(both P<0.01).C-reactive protein decrease after intubation and 48-hour drainage volume>500mL were predictors of unavoidable surgery(both P<0.05).The rate of temporary stoma and incidence of incision infection in the LT surgery group were significantly lower than those in the GT group(both P<0.05).No significant differences were observed in the frequency of medical and surgical recurrences between the LT and GT groups(all P>0.05).Conclusions:Endoscopic placement of LT could improve the emergent status in CD patients with acute bowel obstruction.The drainage output and changes in C-reactive protein after intubation could serve as practical predictive indices for subsequent surgery.Compared to traditional GT decompression,LT decompression was associated with fewer short-term complications and did not appear to affect long-term recurrence.