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The purpose of this paper is to compare the oncologic outcomes between colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with tumor perforation and those with perforation proximal to the tumor. Medical charts of 39 patients who underwent emergency surgery for colonic perforation related to potentially curable CRC were reviewed. Eighteen patients developed tumor perforation (group A), whereas 21 patients developed perforation proximal to the tumor (group B). Twenty-four patients were pathologic stage II and 15 patients were stage III. There were no significant differences in the clinicopathologic and surgical data, including hospital mortality, between the groups; however, the incidence of diffuse peritonitis was higher in group B than that in group A (P < 0.01). The induction rates of adjuvant chemotherapy for survivors were identical between the 2 groups. Disease-free and overall survival periods did not significantly differ between the groups. Perforation type was not found to be associated with oncologic outcomes in patients with CRC-related perforation.

The objective of this study was to clarify the factors affecting blood flow at the tip of the gastric tube during esophagectomy using indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence angiography. The time until enhancement of the gastric tube tip determined using ICG fluorescence imaging is a useful indicator of blood flow, and has been shown not to differ significantly according to the connection status of the right or left gastroepiploic artery. Using ICG fluorescence imaging, the time until enhancement of the gastric tube tip was measured in 50 patients undergoing esophagectomy. Blood flow at the gastric tube tip was compared between 2 groups of patients: those in whom a connecting vessel from the left gastro-epiploic artery to the short gastric artery (l-s GA) was present and those in whom it was absent. The factors affecting blood flow to the gastric tube tip were also investigated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The median time taken for the gastric tube tip to show enhancement with ICG was significantly shorter in the group with an l-s GA connection (P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis showed that the absence of an l-s GA connection (P = 0.04) and presence of arteriosclerosis-related disease (P = 0.02) were significant independent factors that delayed blood flow to the gastric tube. It is essential to preserve the whole vessel arcade of the greater curvature to achieve good perfusion of the gastric tube with blood. The presence of arteriosclerosis-related disease is a major factor affecting the safety of anastomosis during gastric tube reconstruction.

Using immunohistochemical staining, the present study was conducted to examine whether cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) affect angiogenesis in early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We also analyzed the correlation between these two factors. Cyclooxygenase 2, iNOS, and angiogenesis in early-stage ESCC are unclear. Using 10 samples of normal squamous epithelium, 7 samples of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), and 45 samples of superficial esophageal cancer, we observed the expression of COX-2 and iNOS. We then investigated the COX-2 and iNOS immunoreactivity scores and the correlation between COX-2 or iNOS scores and microvessel density (MVD) using CD34 or CD105. The intensity of COX-2 or iNOS expression differed significantly according to histological type (P < 0.001). The scores of COX-2 and iNOS were lowest for normal squamous epithelium, followed in ascending order by LGIN, carcinoma in situ and tumor invading the lamina propria mucosae (M1-M2 cancer); and tumor invading the muscularis mucosa (M3) or deeper cancer. The differences were significant (P < 0.001). Cancers classified M1-M2 (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively); M3; or deeper cancer (P < 0.01) had significantly higher COX-2 and iNOS scores than normal squamous epithelium. There was a significant correlation between COX-2 and iNOS scores (P < 0.001, rs = 0.51). Correlations between COX-2 score and CD34-positive MVD or CD105-positive MVD were significant (rs = 0.53, P < 0.001; rs = 0.62, P < 0.001, respectively). Inducible nitric oxide synthase score was also significantly correlated with CD34 MVD and CD105 MVD (rs = 0.45, P < 0.001; rs = 0.60, P < 0.001, respectively). Chemoprevention of COX-2 or iNOS activity may blunt the development of ESCC from precancerous lesions.

The interleukin (IL)-6 concentration in plasma or serum has been considered to represent the degree of stress resulting from surgery. However, IL-6 in peritoneal fluid has rarely been considered. The aim of this study was to assess the concentration and amount of IL-6 in peritoneal fluid as indicators of surgical stress. To obtain basic data on peritoneal release of IL-6 during gastric cancer surgery, we measured IL-6 in peritoneal drainage samples, stored for up to 72 hours postoperatively, from patients who had undergone conventional open (ODG group, n = 20) and laparoscopic-assisted (LADG group, n = 19) distal gastrectomy. Within 24 hours, 61 and 77% of the IL-6 was released into the peritoneal cavity in the LADG and ODG groups, respectively. In both groups, the concentration and amount of peritoneal fluid IL-6 were significantly correlated with each other (LADG group: Spearman's rank correlation test [rS] = 0.48, P = 0.04; ODG group: rS = 0.58, P = 0.01). The concentration and amount of IL-6 in peritoneal fluid was 2.8- and 3.6-fold higher in the ODG than in the LADG group, respectively (P < 0.01). With regard to the relationship between the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) peak and the concentration or amount of peritoneal fluid IL-6 released within 24 hours, only the concentration of peritoneal fluid IL-6 in the LADG group was significantly correlated (rS = 0.60, P = 0.01) with the serum CRP peak. Our findings suggest that the amount and concentration of IL-6 released into the peritoneal cavity for up to 24 hours after surgery can each be a reliable parameter for assessment of surgical stress.

Heterotopic mesenteric ossification (HMO) is a rare disease that results in intra-abdominal ossification of unknown origin. An 88-year-old man developed an intestinal obstruction 2 weeks after undergoing an operation for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, resulting in intestinal obstructions those did not improved concervatively. During relaparotomy performed 30 days after the first operation, hard adhesions of the small intestine and mesentery were found; these adhesions were difficult to separate without damaging the serosa of the small intestine. We removed 240cm of the small intestine and performed a jejuno-ileo anastomosis. Microscopically, trabecular bone tissue had increased irregularly in the fat tissue of the nodules with fibrosis, which were partially lined with osteoblasts. Accordingly, we histopathologically diagnosed the patient as having HMO. The patient was treated with NSAIDs and cimetidine to prevent the recurrence of HMO. No signs of recurrence have occurred as of one year after the second operation.

The duration of antimicrobial prophylaxis in gastric cancer surgery is not yet established. This prospective randomized study was performed to confirm the noninferiority of single-dose versus multiple-dose antimicrobial prophylaxis in terms of the incidence of surgical-site infection in gastric cancer surgery. Three hundred twenty-five patients undergoing elective resection for gastric cancer were randomized to receive only single-dose cefazolin (1 g) during surgery (single-dose group) or an additional 5 doses every 12 hours postoperatively (multiple-dose group). The overall incidence of surgical-site infections was 9.1% in the single-dose group and 6.2% in the multiple-dose group [difference (95% confidence interval): −2.9% (−5.9%–0.0%)]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified blood loss, being overweight, and advanced age as significant independent risk factors for surgical-site infection. Single-dose antimicrobial prophylaxis seemed to be acceptable, and choosing multiple-dose prophylaxis may have little impact on the prevention of surgical-site infections in elective gastric cancer surgery.

The usefulness of the minilaparotomy approach for perforated duodenal ulcer repair was retrospectively evaluated in 37 patients (26 men; mean age, 56.5 years). Simple closure with an omental patch by minilaparotomy (skin incision, ≤7 cm) was successful in 86.5% of the cases, with an operative mortality of 2.7%. Compared with the results in historic control patients who underwent conventional open surgery (n = 27), a shorter operative time (P < 0.01), lower frequency of analgesic use (P = 0.03), earlier passage of flatus (P < 0.01), and shorter hospital stay (P = 0.04) were obtained in the patients undergoing minilapartomoy. The postoperative morbidity was identical between the two groups (16.2% versus 33.3%, P = 0.40). On multivariate analysis, a large amount of intra-abdominal fluid was the only significant risk factor for extension of the minilaparotomy wound (P = 0.012). The minilaparotomy approach appears to be a feasible, safe, and less invasive approach compared with the conventional open approach and could be a useful alternative to the laparoscopic approach in selected patients with perforated duodenal ulcer.

We analyzed clinicopathologic, surgical, and survival data on consecutive series of patients with stages II/III colon cancer for whom curative resection via minilaparotomy (skin incision, ≤7 cm) was attempted between September 2002 and March 2009 to clarify the oncologic safety of this type of surgery. There were 64 men and 55 women; the median age was 70 years (range, 25–91 years). The median body mass index was 21.7 kg/m2 (range, 15.1–28.9 kg/m2). The minilaparotomy approach was successful in 115 cases (96.6%). The cumulative 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 89.7% and 82.4%, respectively, in patients with stage II disease (n = 62) and were 68.4% and 82.4%, respectively, in patients with stage III disease (n = 57), all of which were compatible with those of the historical control patients who underwent conventional open surgery. Minilaparotomy approach for stages II/III colon cancer seems to be oncologically equivalent to conventional open surgery.

To evaluate the usefulness of laparoscopic assistance for curative distal gastrectomy by minilaparotomy, 19 patients (body mass index ≤25.0 kg/m2) with T1N0-1 gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with a minilaparotomy (skin incision ≤7 cm) with laparoscopic assistance (LA (+) group) were compared with 19 historic controls who underwent equivalent surgery by minilaparotomy without laparoscopic assistance (LA (−) group). The percentage of patients with blood loss more than 300 mL tended to be lower in the LA (+) group (5.3% versus 31.6%, P = 0.09). The first flatus passage was earlier (P = 0.04), serum C-reactive protein levels on postoperative day 1 were lower (P = 0.04), and white blood cell counts on postoperative day 1 tended to be lower (P = 0.07) in the LA (+) group. Minilaparotomy with laparoscopic assistance seems to be less invasive compared with pure minilaparotomy. This procedure is considered to be a simple alternative to standard laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy in selected patients with T1N0-1 gastric cancer.

This retrospective study identified the optimal treatment strategy for patients with gastric cancer with positive peritoneal cytology. We analyzed clinicopathologic and survival data for 54 patients who had undergone gastrectomy and/or chemotherapy for treatment of gastric cancer with positive peritoneal cytology with (n = 40) or without (n = 14) metastatic disease. The median overall survival did not differ significantly between patients with gastric cancer with positive peritoneal cytology with and without metastatic disease (19 versus 13 months, respectively). Among 14 clinicopathologic variables, the lack of gastrectomy was the only significant independent unfavorable factor for survival (odds ratio, 1.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–2.57; P = 0.03). The median overall survival significantly differed among patients who had undergone gastrectomy plus chemotherapy, chemotherapy alone, and gastrectomy alone (25, 10, and 17 months, respectively; P < 0.01). Gastrectomy may be optimal for patients with (gastric cancer with positive peritoneal cytology), considering its favorable prognostic effect with respect to perioperative chemotherapy.

This retrospective study investigated the clinicopathologic characteristics and clinical outcomes of esophageal basaloid squamous carcinoma (BSC). Among 190 patients with esophageal carcinoma treated surgically between 1998 and 2011, we identified 9 (4.7%) with BSC. All of the patients were male, with a median age of 65 years. The frequencies of venous invasion, lymphatic invasion, and lymph node metastasis were 56%, 89%, and 67%, respectively. A total of 2 patients were pathologic stage 1, 5 were stage 2, and 2 were stage 3. Tumor recurrence was observed in 56% of the patients. The 5-year survival rate for patients with esophageal BSC was 40%, which was compatible with the figure of 53.8% for control patients (n = 18) with typical squamous cell carcinoma matched for sex, age, tumor location, and pathologic stage (P = 0.45). Although esophageal BSC shows aggressive lymph-vascular invasion and has a high likelihood of recurrence, its prognosis seems identical to that of typical squamous cell carcinoma.

Laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy has recently come to be a standard procedure for the treatment of early gastric cancer1–5 in select patients. The minimal invasiveness associated with laparoscopic procedures for the resection of gastrointestinal cancer has been repeatedly explained in part by the short incision that is required.6–11 We used two different approaches to perform distal gastrectomies for the resection of gastric cancer as minimally invasive alternatives to a standard laparoscopic approach prior to our surgical team's complete mastery of the skills required for laparoscopic oncological surgery for gastric cancer.9,12 If the minimal invasiveness associated with laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy can be explained by the small incision, a gastrectomy via a small incision without the use of a pneumoperitoneum may provide a similar outcome in patients. However, to our knowledge, such a comparison has not been previously made. We compared the minimal invasiveness of three different approaches (minilaparotomy, minilaparotomy approach with laparoscopic assistance, and standard laparoscopic-assisted approach) to performing a distal gastrectomy for T1N0-1 gastric cancer in nonoverweight patients (body mass index, ≤25 kg/m2) performed within a limited study period.