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A supra-physiological dose of glucocorticoid (SDS) is administered routinely in the perioperative management of patients on long-term regular glucocorticoid therapy. The dose of glucocorticoid used in these regimens varies. The current treatment is based on two 60-year-old case reports. No data exist to document the required dose of glucocorticoid to prevent perioperative hypotension or the category of patients needing this dose. Having in mind that high doses of glucocorticoids have several potential side effects, this practice ought to be re-evaluated in the light of available evidence.We searched MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library for data about perioperative stress dose. The search was conducted by the two authors and repeated by a research librarian to ensure inclusion of all related studies. All original articles and reviews relating to the perioperative use of SDS in chronic glucocorticoid-treated patients were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were applied.A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria of which five were prospective studies, five retrospective studies, three randomised controlled trials and eight reviews (three systematic reviews, one Cochrane review, three treatment guidelines, and one meta-analysis). No data supported routine use of SDS. Patients who continued their normal glucocorticoid treatment throughout the perioperative period had no need for SDS.No evidence supports the preoperative use of SDS in patients receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy.

Tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) plays a role in the immune defence, angiogenesis and collagen synthesis. Inhibition of these pathways may increase the risk of infections and impair wound healing in patients after surgery. Biologic treatments including anti-TNF-α agents are increasingly used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Taking into consideration the biologics' mechanism of action, fears have been expressed that they might increase the rate of post-operative complications. Results from 18 retrospective studies were conflicting, and meta-analyses based on these studies did not agree. The objective of this study was to review data from present reviews and meta-analyses in an attempt to come to conclusions for the use of anti-TNF-α in Crohn's disease patients in clinical practice.Literature search using both electronic and manual searches was conducted according to a pre-defined protocol. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were applied.Two systematic reviews and six meta-analyses were found. Meta-analyses that included a large number of patients and applied quality assessment showed an increased risk of overall post-operative complications and an increased rate of infectious or anastomosis-related complications in patients receiving anti-TNF-α.The use of anti-TNF-α agents in Crohn's disease patients is associated with an increased risk of post-operative complications after abdominal surgery.

A de-functioning loop ileostomy (LI) reduces the consequences of anastomotic leak following low anterior resection, but its construction as well as its closure can be associated with complications. The aim of the present study was to identify risk factors for postoperative complications and particularly to determine if operation performed by trainees carry a higher risk of complications than operation performed by experienced surgeons.This was a retrospective single-centre analysis of the medical records of 159 consecutive patients who underwent LI closure following low anterior resection for rectal cancer in the period from January 2002 to December 2008.Postoperative complications developed in 32 patients (20.1%). Surgical complications occurred in 27 patients (17%) including small bowel obstruction in five (3%), anastomotic leak in four (2.5%), wound infection in eight (5%) and incisional hernia in eight (5%). There was no postoperative mortality. Univariate analysis showed that an increased rate of complications was associated with female gender (p = 0.02), small bowel resection at closure (p = 0.009) and a long interval between construction and closure of the loop ileostomy (p = 0.049).Closure of an LI is associated with a low mortality, but a relatively high rate of complications. Operation performed by trainees was not associated with an increased complication rate. More complications were seen in patients who underwent small bowel resection and those who had delayed ileostomy closure.not relevantnot relevant.