The role of computed tomography for the prediction of esophageal variceal bleeding:Current status and future perspectives

Esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)is one of the most common and severe complications related to portal hypertension(PH).Despite marked advances in its management during the last three decades,EVB is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The risk of first EVB is related to the severity of both PH and liver disease,and to the size and endoscopic appearance of esophageal varices.Indeed,hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)and esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD)are currently recognized as the“gold standard”and the diagnostic reference standard for the prediction of EVB,respectively.However,HVPG is an invasive,expensive,and technically complex procedure,not widely available in clinical practice,whereas EGD is mainly limited by its invasive nature.In this scenario,computed tomography(CT)has been recently proposed as a promising modality for the non-invasive prediction of EVB.Although CT is only a diagnostic modality,thus being not capable of supplanting EGD or HVPG in providing therapeutic and physiological data,it could potentially assist liver disease scores,HVPG,and EGD in a more effective prediction of EVB.However,to date,evidence concerning the role of CT in this setting is still lacking.Our review aimed to summarize and discuss the current evidence concerning the role of CT in predicting the risk of EVB.

Preoperative colonic stents vs emergency surgery for acute left-sided malignant colonic obstruction: meta-analysis with systematic review of the literature

AIM To investigate by meta-analytic study and systematic review, advantages of colonic stent placement in comparison with emergency surgery.METHODS We conducted an extensive literature search by PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase and the Cochrane Libraries. We searched for all the papers in English published till February 2016, by applying combinations of the following terms: Obstructive colon cancer, colon cancer in emergency, colorectal stenting, emergency surgery for colorectal cancer, guidelines for obstructive colorectal cancer, stenting vs emergency surgery in the treatment of obstructive colorectal cancer, selfexpanding metallic stents, stenting as bridge to surgery. The study was designed following the PrismaStatement. By our search, we identified 452 studies, and 57 potentially relevant studies in full-text were reviewed by 2 investigators; ultimately, 9 randomized controlled trials were considered for meta-analysis and all the others were considered for systematic review.RESULTS In the meta-analysis, by comparing colonic stenting(CS) as bridge to surgery and emergency surgery, the pooled analysis showed no significant difference between the two techniques in terms of mortality [odds ratio(oR) = 0.91], morbidity(oR = 2.38) or permanent stoma rate(oR = 1.67); primary anastomosis was more frequent in the stent group(oR = 0.45; P = 0.004) and stoma creation was more frequent in the emergency surgery group(oR = 2.36; P = 0.002). No statistical difference was found in disease-free survival and overall survival. The pooled analysis showed a significant difference between the colonic stent and emergency surgery groups(oR = 0.37), with a significantly higher 1-year recurrence rate in the stent group(P = 0.007).CONCLUSION CS improves primary anastomosis rate with significantly high 1-year follow-up recurrence and no statistical difference in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival.

Rare causes of acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A comprehensive review

Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(NVUGIB)is a common gastroenterological emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality.Gastroenterologists and other involved clinicians are generally assisted by international guidelines in its management.However,NVUGIB due to peptic ulcer disease only is mainly addressed by current guidelines,with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy being recommended as the gold standard modality for both diagnosis and treatment.Conversely,the management of rare and extraordinary rare causes of NVUGIB is not covered by current guidelines.Given they are frequently lifethreatening conditions,all the involved clinicians,that is emergency physicians,diagnostic and interventional radiologists,surgeons,in addition obviously to gastroenterologists,should be aware of and familiar with their management.Indeed,they typically require a prompt diagnosis and treatment,engaging a dedicated,patient-tailored,multidisciplinary team approach.The aim of our review was to extensively summarize the current evidence with regard to the management of rare and extraordinary rare causes of NVUGIB.

Antimicrobial management of intra-abdominal infections:Literature's guidelines

Antimicrobial management of severe intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) involves a delicate balance of optimizing empirical therapy,which has been shown to improve clinical outcomes,while simultaneously reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use.Two sets of guidelines for the management of intra-abdominal infections were recently published.In 2010,the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (SIS-IDSA) created guidelines for the diagnosis and management of complicated IAIs.The new SIS-IDSA guidelines replace those previously published in 2002 and 2003.The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines represent additional contributions,made by specialists worldwide,to the debate regarding proper antimicrobial drug methodology.These guidelines represent the conclusions of the consensus conference held in Bologna,Italy,in July 2010 during the first congress of the WSES.

Subcapsular hepatic haematoma of the right lobe following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: Case report and literature review

Sub capsular hepatic haematoma is a rare complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP). Exact pathological mechanism is still unclear and few reports are nowadays available in literature. We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with recurrent episodes of upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. On the basis of laboratory exams, abdomen ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging she was diagnosed with a common bile duct stone. Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy was performed. On the following day the patient complaint severe abdominal pain with rebound and hemodynamic instability. A computed tomography scan reveal a 14 cm × 6 cm × 19 cm subcapsular hepatic haematoma on the right lobe that was successfully managed via percutaneous embolization. Sub capsular liver haematoma is a rare life threatening complication after ERCP that should be managed according to patients' haemodynamic and clinic.

Peritoneal seeding from appendiceal carcinoma:A case report and review of the literature

Non-carcinoid appendiceal malignancies are rare entities,representing less than 0.5% of all gastrointestinal malignancies.Because of their rarity and particular biological behavior,a substantial number of patients affected by these neoplasms do not receive appropriate surgical resection.In this report,we describe a rare case of primary signetring cell carcinoma of the appendix with peritoneal seeding which occurred in a 40-year old man admitted at the Emergency Surgery Department with the clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis.After a surgical debulking and right hemicolectomy,the patient had systemic chemotherapy according to FOLFOX protocol.After completion of the latter,the patient underwent cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.This report offers a brief review of the literature and suggests an algorithm for the management of non-carci-noid appendiceal tumors with peritoneal dissemination.

Malignant transformation of ectopic pancreatic cells in the duodenal wall

Ectopic pancreas (EP) is the relatively uncommon presence of pancreatic tissue outside the normal location of the pancreas. This condition is usually asymptomatic and rarely complicated by pancreatitis and malignant transformation. A few cases of neoplastic phenomena that developed from EP into the duodenal wall are described in the literature. Herein we report a case of gastric outlet obstruction due to adenocarcinoma arising from EP of the duodenal wall. The patient underwent a Whipple's procedure and had an uneventful post-operative recovery. Traditional imaging studies are often inconclusive in the definitive diagnosis, whilst endoscopic ultrasonography and guided biopsy may aid accurate pre-operative diagnosis. Diagnostic uncertainty warrants surgical exploration and if necessary extended resection is indicated.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer: State of the art

Advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC) is diffi cult to treat with low overall cure rates. A new strategy combining maximal cytoreductive surgery(CRS) with intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC) has been proposed to treat advanced stage EOC in the primary setting. Numerous small, heterogeneous studies have been conducted exploring outcomes in patients with predominantly advanced, recurrent or refractory disease treated with CRS + HIPEC. Although morbidity rates approaching 35% have been reported, oncologic outcomes are promising. Incorporation of HIPEC for the treatment of primary EOC has continued to gain interest. Several prospective phase 2 clinical trials were recently completed evaluating the impact of CRS + HIPEC in the primary setting. This article will briefl y discuss the benefi ts of optimal surgical cytoreduction and the theoretical basis of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with advanced stage EOC, and will then review existing literature describing oncologic outcomes in EOC patients treated with HIPEC in the primary setting.

Role of multidetector computed tomography angiography in nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding:A comprehensive review

Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(NVUGIB)is a common gastroenterological emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality.Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is currently recommended as the gold standard modality for both diagnosis and treatment,with computed tomography traditionally playing a limited role in the diagnosis of acute NVUGIB.Following the introduction of multidetector computed tomography(MDCT),this modality is emerging as a promising tool in the diagnosis of NVUGIB.However,to date,evidence concerning the role of MDCT in the NVUGIB diagnosis is still lacking.The aim of our study was to review the current evidence concerning the role of MDCT in the diagnosis of acute NVUGIB.

What paradigm shifts occurred in the management of acute diverticulitis during the COVID-19 pandemic?A scoping review

BACKGROUND Acute colonic diverticulitis(ACD)is common in Western countries,with its prevalence increasing throughout the world.As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),elective surgery and in-patients’visits have been cancelled or postponed worldwide.AIM To systematically explore the impact of the pandemic in the management of ACD.METHODS MEDLINE,Embase,Scopus,MedxRiv,and the Cochrane Library databases were searched to 22 December 2020.Studies which reported on the management of patients with ACD during the COVID-19 pandemic were eligible.For cross sectional studies,outcomes of interest included the number of hospital admission for ACD,as well as key features of disease severity(complicated or not)across two time periods(pre-and during lockdown).RESULTS A total of 69 papers were inspected,and 21 were eligible for inclusion.Ten papers were cross sectional studies from seven world countries;six were case reports;three were qualitative studies,and two review articles.A 56%overall decrease in admissions for ACD was observed during lockdown,peaking 67%in the largest series.A 4%-8%decrease in the rate of uncomplicated diverticulitis was also noted during the lockdown phase.An initial non-operative management was recommended for complicated diverticulitis,and encouraged to an out-of-hospital regimen.Despite initial concerns on the use of laparoscopy for Hinchey 3 and 4 patients to avoid aerosolized contamination,societal bodies have progressively mitigated their initial recommendations as actual risks are yet to be ascertained.CONCLUSION During the COVID-19 pandemic,fewer patients presented and were diagnosed with ACD.Such decline may have likely affected the spectrum of uncomplicated disease.Established outpatient management and follow up for selected cases may unburden healthcare resources in time of crisis.

The artificial intelligence evidence-based medicine pyramid

Several studies exist in the literature regarding the exploitation of artificial intelligence in intensive care.However,an important gap between clinical research and daily clinical practice still exists that can only be bridged by robust validation studies carried out by multidisciplinary teams.

Adhesive small bowel adhesions obstruction: Evolutions in diagnosis, management and prevention

Intra-abdominal adhesions following abdominal surgery represent a major unsolved problem. They are the first cause of small bowel obstruction. Diagnosis is based on clinical evaluation, water-soluble contrast followthrough and computed tomography scan. For patients presenting no signs of strangulation, peritonitis or severe intestinal impairment there is good evidence to support non-operative management. Open surgery is the preferred method for the surgical treatment of adhesive small bowel obstruction, in case of suspected strangulation or after failed conservative management, but laparoscopy is gaining widespread acceptance especially in selected group of patients. "Good" surgical technique and anti-adhesive barriers are the main current concepts of adhesion prevention. We discuss current knowledge in modern diagnosis and evolving strategies for management and prevention that are leading to stratified care for patients.

Advanced gastric cancer:what we know and what we stillhave to learn

Gastric cancer is a common neoplastic disease and, more precisely, is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, with differences amongst geographic areas. The definition of advanced gastric cancer is still debated. Different stadiating systems lead to slightly different stadiation of the disease, thus leading to variations between the single countries in the treatment and outcomes. In the present review all the possibilities of treatment for advanced gastric cancer have been analyzed. Surgery, the cornerstone of treatment for advanced gastric cancer, is analyzed first, followed by an investigation of the different forms and drugs of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. New frontiers in treatment suggest the growing consideration for intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapeutics and combination of traditional drugs with new ones. Moreover, the necessity to prevent the relapse of the disease leads to the consideration of administering intraperitoneal chemotherapy earlier in the therapeutical algorithm.

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by esophageal right bronchial artery fistula:A case report

BACKGROUND Fistula between the esophagus and bronchial artery is an extremely rare and potentially life-threatening cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Here,we report a case of fistula formation between the esophagus and a nonaneurysmal right bronchial artery(RBA).CASE SUMMARY An 80-year-old woman with previous left pneumonectomy and recent placement of an uncovered self-expandable metallic stent for esophageal adenocarcinoma was admitted due to hematemesis.Emergent computed tomography showed indirect signs of fistulization between the esophagus and a nonaneurysmal RBA,in the absence of active bleeding.Endoscopy revealed the esophageal stent correctly placed and a moderate amount of red blood within the stomach,in the absence of active bleeding or tumor ingrowth/overgrowth.After prompt multidisciplinary evaluation,a step-up approach was planned.The bleeding was successfully controlled by esophageal restenting followed by RBA embolization.No signs of rebleeding were observed and the patient was discharged home with stable hemoglobin level on postoperative day 7.CONCLUSION This was a previously unreported case of an esophageal RBA fistula successfully managed by esophageal restenting followed by RBA embolization.

Cytoreductive surgery in primary advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignancy and one of the principal causes of death among gynaecological neoplasm. The majority of patients(about 70%) present with an advanced International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics stage disease. The current standard treatment for these patients consists of complete cytoreduction and combined systemic chemotherapy(CT). An increasing proportion of patients undergoing complete cytoreduction to no gross residual disease(RD) is associated with progressively longer overall survival. As a counterpart, some authors hypothesized the improving in survival could be due more to a less diffused initial disease than to an increase in surgical cytoreduction rate. Moreover the biology of the tumor plays an important role in survival benefi t of surgery. It's still undefi ned how the intrinsic features of the tumor make intra-abdominal implants easier to remove.Adjuvant and hyperthermic intraperitoneal CT could play a decisive role in the coming years as the completeness of macroscopic disease removal increases with advances in surgical techniques and technology. The introduction of neo-adjuvant CT moreover will play a decisive role in the next years Anyway cytoreduction with no macroscopic residual of disease should always be attempted. However the defi nition of RD is not universal. A unique and defi nitive defi nition is needed.

NOTES-Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery:Why not?

Since natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery(NOTES) was first described by Anthony Kalloo,it has attracted tremendous interest from surgeons and gastroenterologist all around the world.This special issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery explores the current possibilities and future potential of the most disruptive revolution in the field of surgery represented by the NOTES approach.In the future,new technologies developed for this approach and deeper insight into several gastrointestinal diseases will lead to the design of completely new interven tional procedures and change the way we will operate,bringing us to the previously unimaginable goal of "no scar surgery".

A bizarre foreign body in the appendix:A case report

Foreign bodies are rare causes of appendicitis and,in most cases,ingested foreign bodies pass through the alimentary tract asymptomatically.However,ingested foreign bodies may sometimes remain silent within the appendix for many years without an inflammatory response.Despite the fact that cases of foreign-bodyinduced appendicitis have been documented,sharp and pointed objects are more likely to cause perforations and abscesses,and present more rapidly after ingestion.Various materials,such as needles and drill bits,as well as organic matter,such as seeds,have been implicated as causes of acute appendicitis.Clinical presentation can vary from hours to years.Blunt foreign bodies are more likely to remain dormant for longer periods and cause appendicitis through obstruction of the appendiceal lumen.We herein describe a patient presenting with a foreign body in his appendix which had been swallowed 15 years previously.The contrast between the large size of the foreign body,the long clinical history without symptoms and the total absence of any histological inflammation was notable.We suggest that an elective laparoscopic appendectomy should be offered to such patients as a possible management option.

Massive bleeding from gastric submucosal arterial collaterals secondary to splenic artery thrombosis: A case report

BACKGROUND Gastric submucosal arterial collaterals(GSAC)secondary to splenic artery occlusion is an extraordinary rare and potentially life-threatening cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Here,we report a case of massive bleeding from GSAC successfully treated by means of a multidisciplinary minimally invasive approach.CASE SUMMARY A 60-year-old non-cirrhotic gentleman with a history of arterial hypertension was admitted due to hematemesis.Emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed pulsating and tortuous varicose shaped submucosal vessels in the gastric fundus along with a small erosion overlying one of the vessels.In order to characterize the fundic lesion,pre-operative emergent computed tomography-angiography was performed showing splenic artery thrombosis(SAT)and tortuous arterial structures arising from the left gastric artery and the left gastroepiploic artery in the gastric fundus.GSAC was successfully treated by means of a minimally invasive step-up approach consisting in endoscopic clipping followed by transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE).CONCLUSION This was a previously unreported case of bleeding GSAC secondary to SAT successfully managed by means of a multidisciplinary minimally invasive approach consisting in endoscopic clipping for the luminal bleeding control followed by elective TAE for the definitive treatment.

Advanced ovarian cancer: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus surgery and HIPEC as up-front treatment

Epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC) is one of the most common malignancies and one of the principal causes of death in gynecological neoplasms. The majority of EOC patients present with an advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage disease. The current standard treatment for these patients consists of complete cytoreduction and combined systemic chemotherapy of a platinum agent and paclitaxel. Even if the majority of patients with EOC respond to first-line platinum based chemotherapy, almost 20% of them are resistant or refractory. According to these data, the main risk is for a certain number of patients to have undergone cytoreductive surgery(CRS) and subsequent hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC) in a useful way. Radical surgery, especially in advanced cases, is associated with a high incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality, which could be increased by the HIPEC. Every effort should be made for previously selected patients to improve outcome and optimize resources. Over the last decade, new options have been introduced to prolong survival. Improved long-term results can be achieved using CRS in combination with intraoperative HIPEC. This combination has also been used in an up-front setting. Controversial outcomes have been reported for neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. Different papers have been published reporting discordant results. Further studies are needed.

No benefit of flat head positioning in early moderate-severe acute ischaemic stroke: a HeadPoST study subgroup analysis

background Although the Head Positioning in acute Stroke Trial(HeadPoST)showed no effect of the flat head position(FP;vs sitting up head position(SUP))on functional outcome,we hypothesised that it could still offer benefits if commenced early in those with acute ischaemic stroke(AIS)of at least moderate severity.Methods Subgroup analysis of HeadPoST in participants with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)scores≥7,≥10 and≥14,randomised to FP or SUP<4.5 hours of AIS onset on functional outcomes defined by a shift in scores on the modified Rankin scale(mRS)and death/disability(mRS scores 3-6),and any cardiovascular serious adverse event.Logistic regression analyses were undertaken adjusted for study design and baseline risk factors.results There was no significant differential treatment effect in patient subgroups defined by increasing baseline NIHSS scores:adjusted OR and 95%CI for ordinal shift and binary(3-6)mRS scores:for NIHSS≥7(n=867)0.92(0.67 to 1.25)and 0.74(0.52 to 1.04);NIHSS≥10(n=606)0.80(0.58 to 1.10)and 0.77(0.49 to 1.19);NIHSS≥14(n=378)0.82(0.54 to 1.24)and 1.22(0.69 to 2.14).Conclusions Early FP had no significant effect in patients with moderate-severe AIS.