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Patients with rectovaginal fistulas have a significantly reduced quality of life. Therefore, surgical therapy is often needed even in palliative cases. The aim of the present study was to perform an analysis of the results of the different treatment options available today. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent treatment for rectovaginal fistulas at the Department of Surgery, University of Schleswig–Holstein, Campus Luebeck and the Department of Surgery, WKK Heide, between January 2000 and September 2016. Complication and recurrence rate were retrospectively evaluated. The median follow-up period was 13 months (range 3–36 months). During the observation period, 58 patients underwent surgery (53 curative, 5 palliative) for rectovaginal fistulas. All patients who underwent curative surgery had an omentoplasty, and 39 of 53 (73.6%) patients underwent a resection. Thirty of 39 (77.0%) resections were low anterior resection, while non-continence-preserving resection included subtotal colectomy (n = 5), pelvic exenteration (n = 2), and proctectomy (n = 2). The fistulas were mainly secondary to inflammatory bowel disease (n = 18) or diverticulitis (n = 13), while 19 fistulas were a complication of different cancers or precancerous lesions. The median follow-up time was 13 months (range 6–36). Four patients (6.9%) had fistula recurrence (3 recurrences after low anterior resection, 1 after primary fistula closure). The mortality rate was 6.9% (n = 4). Non-resecting methods should be used only in uncomplicated fistulas. Rectovaginal fistulas secondary to inflammatory or malignant disease mostly require extensive therapy. Omentoplasty is effective for the treatment of both high and low rectovaginal fistulas.

Laparoscopy for colorectal cancer resection bares early post-operative advantages and results in equal oncologic long-term outcome. However, data on laparoscopic right hemi-colectomy is scarce. Aim of the present study was to analyze a well selected collective of patients with right-sided colon cancer treated open and laparoscopically with regard to peri-operative and long-term outcome. We analyzed all patients who underwent right-sided hemi-colectomy for colon cancer between January 1996 and March 2013. Data was extracted from our prospective database. Inclusion criteria were tumor localization in the ascending colon, oncologic resection, histology of an adenocarcinoma, tumors UICC I–III, and R0 resection. Exclusion criteria were multiple malignancies including colon, emergency operation, adenoma or pT0 status, and UICC IV. For the matched pairs approach between patients undergoing laparoscopic (LAP) or open (OPEN) surgery, the parameters age, UICC stage, tumor grading, and sex were applied. A total of 188 patients was included in the analysis with n = 94 in both the LAP and the OPEN group. Some peri-operative results demonstrated advantages for laparoscopy including median return to liquid (p

Die Bewertung der Qualitat arztlichen Handelns ist eine legitime gesellschaftliche Forderung. Dabei wird weltweit nach verlasslichen Methoden der Qualitatsmessung gesucht. Haufig wird dabei die Qualitat aus Abrechnungsdaten (sog. Routinedaten) ermittelt. In Deutschland hat die AOK dieses Verfahren umgesetzt. 1) Wie wird das AOK-Qualitatssystem von chirurgischen Chefarzten eingeschatzt? 2) Wie ist die Validitat von Qualitatsaussagen, die aus Abrechnungsdaten hergeleitet werden? Die vorliegende Arbeit wird in Anlehnung an das PRISMA-Statement fur eine qualitative systematische Ubersichtsarbeit erstellt. Zur Beantwortung der 1) Fragestellung fuhrte der Berufsverband der Deutschen Chirurgen zwei Umfragen durch. Zur Beantwortung der 2) Frage erfolgte eine strukturierte Literaturrecherche in Anlehnung an das PICO-Format. Zusatzlich wurden zahlreiche Webseiten kontaktiert. Insgesamt 95 % der antwortenden chirurgischen Chefarzte sind der Meinung, dass die AOK-Methodik, aus Abrechnungsdaten Qualitatsaussagen zu treffen, nicht objektiv ist. Ein Drittel wurde konkret falsch beurteilt. Aus der Literaturrecherche geht hervor, dass fur AOK-Indikatoren inklusive des Elixhauser-Risikoscores, keine Validierung vorliegt. Insgesamt ist die Sensitivitat von Indikatoren in der Literatur schlecht, wenn man eine gute Sensitivitat als ≥ 80

Hintergrund: Neuroendokrine Neoplasien (NEN) sind seltene und heterogene Tumoren. Die mit unklarem Primarius (N-CUP) stellen eine Untergruppe mit schlechter Prognose dar. Die Resektion des Primarius ist die Voraussetzung fur einen kurativen Ansatz, sodass sich die Frage nach dem sinnvollsten diagnostischen und therapeutischen Vorgehen bei N-CUP stellt. Patienten/Methoden: Die Datenbankauswertung von 03/1990 bis 03/2011 ergab 35 N-CUP aus 261 Fallen mit NEN. Es wurde unterteilt in Patienten, bei denen nach operativer Exploration ein Primarius gesichert wurde (Kollektiv 1 = K1, n = 10), durch operative Exploration kein Primarius gesichert wurde (K2, n = 10) und in Patienten, die nicht operativ exploriert wurden (K3, n = 13). Ergebnisse: Die N-CUP-Rate betragt bei Erstvorstellung 13,4 % (35/261), nach erneuter Diagnostik im Zentrum 12,7 % (33/261) und nach operativer Exploration 8,8 % (23/261). Das Geschlechterverhaltnis ist ausgeglichen, das mittlere Alter ist mit 63,8 Jahren (J) in der CUP-Gruppe signifikant hoher als in der Gesamtgruppe (55,9 J, p = 0,004). Das 5-Jahres-Uberleben (JUL) ist 58 % (Gesamtgruppe: 72 %, n. s.). Operativ exploriert wurden 60,6 % (20/33), von denen 30 % (6/20) inoperabel waren. Bei 20 % (4/20) erfolgte die R0-Resektion von solitaren Metastasen ohne Primariusdarstellung und bei 50 % (10/20) konnte der Primarius intraoperativ lokalisiert werden (8 × Dunndarm, 2 × Pankreas). Hier erfolgte in 70 % (7/10) eine R0-Resektion und in 30 % eine Primariusresektion mit Debulking von Lebermetastasen. In der nicht operierten Gruppe (39,4 %, 13/33) erhielten 69,2 % (9/13) eine Chemotherapie. Das mittlere Alter ist signifikant niedriger in K1 mit 54,9 J, im Vergleich zu K3 mit 68,3 J (p = 0,028), eine mannliche Dominanz ist in K3 mit 3,3 : 1 (m : w, n. s.) zu sehen. Der mittlere Ki-67-Index betragt 4,3, 23,8 und 53 % in K1, K2 und K3 und ist hochsignifikant zwischen (zw.) K1 und K3 (p

The purpose of the present study was to investigate on the acceptance and frequency of laparoscopic surgery for the management of acute and chronic bowel obstruction in a general patient population in German hospitals. To receive an authoritative opinion on laparoscopic treatment of bowel obstruction in Germany, a cross-sectional online study was conducted. We designed an online-based survey, supported by the German College of Surgeons (Berufsverband der Deutschen Chirurgen, BDC) to get multi-institutional-based data from various level providers of patient care. Between January and February 2014, we received completed questionnaires from 235 individuals (16.7 %). The participating surgeons were a representative sample of German hospitals with regard to hospital size, level of center size, and localization. A total of 74.9 % (n = 176) of all responders stated to use laparoscopy as the initial step of exploration in expected bowel obstruction. This procedure was highly statistically associated with the frequency of overall laparoscopic interventions and laparoscopic experience. The overall conversion rate was reported to be 29.4 %. This survey, investigating on the use of laparoscopic exploration or interventions in bowel obstruction, was able to show that by now, a majority of the responding surgeons accept laparoscopy as an initial step for exploration of the abdomen in the case of bowel obstruction. Laparoscopy was considered to be at least comparable to open surgery in an emergency setting. Furthermore, data analysis demonstrated generally accepted advantages and disadvantages of the laparoscopic approach. Indications for or against laparoscopy are made after careful consideration in each individual case.

The assessment of the quality of medical practice is a legitimate requirement by society. Reliable methods for measurement of the quality of performance are sought worldwide. Quality is often quantified by using administrative data and in Germany this method has been implemented by the health insurance company AOK.(1) How is the AOK quality system rated by senior consultant surgeons? (2) How valid are quality statements derived from administrative data?This article was compiled following the PRISMA (i.e. preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) statement for qualitative systematic reviews. In order to answer the first question the Professional Association of German Surgeons (Berufsverband der Deutschen Chirurgen) initiated two surveys and to answer the second question a structured literature search following the PICO (i.e. patient problem or population, intervention, comparison control or comparator and outcomes) format was initiated. In addition numerous websites were contacted.Of the responding senior consultant surgeons 95% considered that the AOK method of quality measurement by administrative data is not objective. One third was definitely wrongly classified. The literature search revealed that no validation data exist for the AOK indicators, including the Elixhauser comorbidity risk score. Altogether, the sensitivity of indicators is poor when good sensitivity is defined by the Institute for Applied Quality Improvement and Research in Health Care (AQUA Institute) as ≥ 80 90%.Quality statements resulting from administrative data alone are unreliable.