Factors Affecting Morbidity, Mortality, and Recurrence in Incarcerated Femoral Hernia

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain the factors that govern morbidity, mortality, and recurrence in incarcerated femoral hernia.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey, between January 2010 and January 2020.

METHODOLOGY

This observational study included patients operated on due to incarcerated femoral hernias under emergency conditions. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters of the patients were gathered. The study excluded pregnant patients and patients in the pediatric age group (0‒18 years). Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare quantitative variables. In addition, a Chi-square test and Likelihood-ratio test were used to compare the qualitative variables. A p-value <0.05 was deemed statistically significant.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 50 patients was 54.56 ± 19.34 (19‒91) years and the female/male ratio was 33:17. The morbidity, mortality, and recurrence rates of the study were 14%, 4%, and 6% respectively. Higher morbidity was observed in patients who had preoperative nausea (p = 0.003), vomiting (p <0.001), tachycardia (p <0.001), recurrent hernia (p <0.001), surgery under general anesthesia (p <0.001) or who underwent both laparotomy (p = 0.007) and visceral resection during surgery (p <0.001). Higher rates of mortality were observed in patients who had preoperative tachycardia (p = 0.054) or visceral resection during surgery (p = 0.029). However, the study identified no factors affecting recurrence.

CONCLUSION

In cases of incarcerated femoral hernia, symptoms of intestinal obstruction or signs of strangulation are more important in the development of postoperative morbidity. In addition, the probability of mortality is higher in patients who had preoperative tachycardia and in patients who underwent visceral resection. To the extent possible, regional anesthesia should be preferred in suitable cases. Key Words: Femoral hernia, Laparotomy, Morbidity, Mortality, Recurrence.

Chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery versus observation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

We aimed to examine the effect of esophagectomy after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or non-surgical follow-up after CRT in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

A total of 653 patients under follow-up for locally advanced ESCC between 2010-2019 were reviewed for enrollment. Patients with no distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis who underwent esophagectomy or were taken under observation following CRT were included in the study. Overall, 127 eligible patients were included, 55 of whom were male (43.3%) and 72 female (56.7%).

RESULTS

After CRT, 59 patients (53.5%) had undergone surgery and 68 (46.5%) were taken under observation. Median disease-free survival (mDFS) was not reached in the group that underwent surgery and was 13 months in the observation group (p<0.001). Median overall survival (mOS) was significantly longer in the operated group (p=0.006). There was no statistically significant difference in DFS and OS between patients who underwent surgery and those included in the observation group after achieving clinical and pathological complete response following CRT (p=0.119, p=0.699, respectively). The multivariate analysis identified surgery and increased CRT response as the factors that affect DFS (p=0.042, p<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In this study, surgery provided no additional benefit on survival in locally advanced ESCC patients with complete response while prolonged survival was observed in those without complete response. Key words: esophageal cancer, chemoradiotherapy, squamous cell carcinoma, observation .

Factors Affecting Survival in Operated Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an extremely fatal and relatively rare gastrointestinal system malignancy. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting survival in operated patients with ESCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We included 110 patients (38 [34.5%] male; 72 [65.5%] female) aged ≥ 18 (median age, 54 [26-77]) years who were operated without any signs of metastases and followed up at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaşı Medical Center between 2004 and 2019.

RESULTS

Initially, 39 (35.5%) patients were clinical lymph node-positive and 71 (64.5%) patients were negative. Thirty-five (31.8%) patients underwent surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), and 75 (%68.2) patients underwent direct surgery without nCRT. Five-year overall survival (OS) was 84.4% and 59.2% in patients who underwent surgery after nCRT and in those who underwent direct surgery, respectively. Median OS was significantly longer in patients who underwent surgery after nCRT (p = 0.003). There was a statistically significant difference in OS in patients who underwent surgery after nCRT depending on tumor response (p = 0.04). In multivariate analysis, advanced pathologic stage (p = 0.002) adversely affected survival, whereas nCRT administration (p = 0.031) positively affected OS.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that nCRT should be administrated before surgery, especially in locally advanced ESCCs. In addition, we believe that nCRT response can be used as a good parameter for survival. These results, however, should be supported by prospective studies.

The Severity of Acute Pancreatitis According to Modified Balthazar Classification in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Although acute pancreatitis (AP) is a self-limited disease under supportive and medical treatment, it can have life-threatening potential in some patients. Results of studies reporting outcomes of AP-associated pancreatic malignancy are controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the severity and prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC)-related AP by modified Balthazar score.

METHODS

A total of 354 patients hospitalized and followed up in our clinic between 2013 and 2019 were included in the study. Demographic data of all patients were recorded. The etiology of all cases was determined. According to the etiology, the cases were divided into 2 groups: AP related to pancreatic malignancy and AP due to nonmalignant causes. The patients underwent computed tomography of the abdomen within the first 12 hours of admission and after 3 to 7 days. Patients were evaluated and classified by modified Balthazar classification.

RESULTS

Malignancy-related AP was detected in 18 (5.1%) patients. A total of 336 cases (94.9%) were related to nonmalignant causes. There was no statistically significant difference in the severity of AP in both groups at admission and after 3 days (p > 0.05). The changes (regression, progression, or no change) in the disease severity at the first and the subsequent imaging were examined. There was no significant relationship between the 2 groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

AP may be the clinical manifestation of PC or PC may induce AP in various ways. It was shown that the underlying malignancy did not adversely affect the severity and course of AP.